This issue of Queen & Country is notable for a few things. First of all, it's the first issue to take place after 9-11, when a lot changed for intelligence gathering. Second, it's the first monthly issue of the book. And finally, it's the debut of another artist, this time Leandro Fernandez, who brings some unusual, stylish and generally very attractive work to the book. Once again, Rucka shows us that espionage is about more than just blowing things up and driving fancy cars, delving into the personal interaction and diplomacy sides of the business, which in the wrong hands could be just dull as dishwater. Fortunately, this book is not in the wrong hands, and the personal cost of being in the espionage business is as interesting a read as any high-paced action shootuout that a more typical espionage story might offer.
There are a few different stories going on in this book, each of them tying together and reflecting on one another. There's the slowly growing attraction between Tara Chace and Ed Kittering, the reaction of Tara to the news of 9-11 and the news of another potential plot against the British people. All of these things are separate elements, but just as in real life, they play off and affect one another. Kittering's affections lead us to see Tara putting herself into danger in another light, and the relatively recent events of 9-11 give the agents an immediate sense of what could happen if they don't stop this latest plot that they've discovered.
The last arc of Queen & Country focused largely on Tara's personal feelings more than any actions she was taking in the story. While this story puts her more directly into action once again, the attention to Tara's personal life has not gone away. Her reaction to 9-11, done up entirely in silence, is amazingly effective, and her flirtatious relationship with Ed Kittering is as charming as it could be dangerous to both of them. In addition, I enjoyed watching her go back into action, not as a sniper, but as a diplomat of sorts, and the minor showdown between her and the obnoxious Mister Hodgson was a very nice bit of characterization.
The biggest change of this arc, however, has to be the artwork, as Leandro Fernandez brings a fairly different style to the book than the ones we have seen so far. I find a lot to like in Fernandez's work, with shadows and storytelling that reminds me of the masterful Eduardo Risso, and for the most part I found his stylized designs for characters to be fairly entertaining as well. His characters tend toward a long, angular look reminiscent of Adam Pollina, and he is able to use distinctive hairstyles and facial features to set apart the many characters in the book. I did find some of the art a little uneven, however, particularly the last few pages of the issue, which seemed like he hadn't quite got the hang of Tara Chace's face yet when he was drawing them.
Overall, Queen & Country remains one of my favorite books on the stands, and as good an example as any of the diversity of genre that comics has to offer. When you say "espionage book" the natural tendency is to think of men in tuxedos, flashy casinos, sportcars and machine-gun toting goons, especially when you mention that it's about a British spy. Queen & Country has shown that the real world of espionage can be far more realistic, and more interesting, than all that.
