Rucka has set up an interesting story here, one that is ideally suited to suspenseful storytelling. With Fernandez's artwork as much as telling readers what the terrorists are up to, we're forced to watch as the British intelligence tries to solve the puzzle without the benefit of the omniscient point-of-view. The result is a tense plot, and the addition of romantic chemistry between two lead characters and interoffice politics of various stripes only adds to the tension. As always, I'm drawn in completely and can't wait to see what happens next.
The script has jumped location many times, giving us a sense of the scope of an investigation for a British intelligence operative and how it differs from the more domestic police investigations we're used to seeing in fiction. The important clues are happening everywhere, in Rome, in Egypt, in Sudan, in Sarajevo, and the battles are taking place in London as well. I especially love the way Rucka and Fernandez are dealing with the villains, as we've seen them but not heard from them, giving them a sinister appearance and not giving us any sort of sympathetic portrayal. Instead they seem like an omnipresent force, building in the background toward an end that the reader knows but the protagonists haven't sorted out yet.
Meanwhile, the battles that really drive this series are less about guns and bombs and more about words and threats. The level of distrust (and dislike) of Paul Crocker is interesting to watch, as his no-nonsense and occasionally ruthless attitude has made him more than a few enemies in the structured bureaucracy that has sprung up around the intelligence services. In addition, one of the real conflicts in this issue is the relationship between Tara and Ed, carrying with it all the usual problems of office politics but with much higher stakes if one of them takes an understandably less professional attitude about an aspect of their job thanks to romantic entanglements.
Fernandez's artwork continues to impress, more in some respects than in others. I still find the exaggerated characteristics of Crocker and his superiors to be a little bit much, but I love the work that Fernandez has done with Tara Chace, Ed and most of the other characters, particularly in the last two issues. In addition, the silent scenes of the gas being moved, as well as the background details, are phenomenal, and the skill that Fernandez shows with darkness and shadow ranks up there with my favorite artists.
With a plotline that has played out slowly and deliberately, you would think that this arc of Queen & Country might become a little boring, or it might start to feel repetitive as the central conflicts are similar in each issue. However, the sense of building danger in the background, combined with exquisite characterization and gorgeous artwork, continue to make this a must-read book from Oni Press.
