QUEEN & COUNTRY #5
"Morning Star" part one
Highly Recommended (10/10)
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Oni Press
Writer: Greg Rucka
Pencils: Brian Hurtt
Inks: Bryan O'Malley
Letters: Sean Konot
Editors: Jamie S. Rich & James Lucas Jones
Price: $2.95 US/$4.50 CAN |
I've enjoyed Queen & Country from the start, but with this second story arc, Rucka takes the book to a whole new level. There's a stronger passion behind his writing here, and one need not read his essay in the back of the book to realize it. This new story is a must-read... not because of its relevance in the wake of international events post-Sept.11. It's a must-read because of how well the writer mixes emotion with politics.
Three journalists -- one of whom is a British intelligence operative -- are captured and are awaiting execution at the hands of the Taliban in Afghanistan. Crocker calls in the Minders, and sends two agents into the field to retrieve the information the undercover agent was supposed to deliver. Tara Chace, outraged by the Taliban's widespread abuse of women, is hacked off at the prospect of being left out of Operation: Morning Star, but her boss points out the obvious: that as a woman, Tara's just not right for this particular job, given the policies she so abhors in the first place.
To my surprise, Hurtt and O'Malley's collaboration boasts a look that's consistent with the style of the artist on the first story arc, Steve Rolston. While consistent, though, it's also got its own look. There's a slightly more realistic tone at play here, and given the topical nature of the plot, it draws one even further into the story. The level of background detail impresses, as does the artists' communication of just how beaten down Tara feels.
Though this story stands up well on its own, Rucka doesn't ignore what's come before. Tara's emotional problems remain in the forefront, and we see her make some progress. Rucka maintains an accessible tone regarding those previous plot elements... a smart move, given that the Taliban plot is bound to attract new readers. Even though the main plot packs quite a punch given current events, Queen & Country continues to be a primarily human story about Tara.
Had I known this issue was going to be this good, the three-month wait would have been excruciating. As he's done in the past, Rucka takes the reader inside a rather unusual occupation and conveys its complexities in a grounded, down-to-earth manner. Rucka's written a lot of fine comic books since his industry debut with Whiteout, but this story arc is shaping up to be perhaps his finest effort yet.
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