I've often praised Queen & Country for being less about the action and more about the politics, but that doesn't mean Rucka and his artists can't handle the action side of espionage, which often comes at the end of an operation. There's some terrific action sequences in this issue, including a shoot-out between Tara and some terrorists (complete with a car chase), which is a nice compliment to the intelligence gathering in Sarajevo or the development of the terrorists' plans in Japan. Also, while he's been a controversial choice, and I'm certainly interested in seeing the return of Brian Hurtt and the arrival of Carla Speed McNeil, I think that Fernandez stands as my favorite Queen & Country artist so far when all is said and done.
Rucka has given us a look into the world of espionage that feels real, as real as the look into the world of bodyguarding that he gives in his Atticus Kodiak novels. Whether that's a function of research, good writing or, more likely, a combination of both, I can't say, but the verisimilitude in the book is undeniable. What really impresses me is how he manages to make the work seem routine without being boring, or exciting at times without making it cinematic and over-the-top. Security procedures and questioning locals in pubs take up a fair amount of this issue, but because of what's at stake, the tension is strong.
Of course, the story does veer almost into cinematic territory this issue with a chase and shoot-out between Tara, her driver and several terrorists. This action sequence, more than anything else, demonstrates the skill that Leandro Fernandez brings to the page, and I defy anyone who looks at that two-page spread of the climax of the gunfight to tell me Fernandez wasn't a great choice for this book. His style also continues to remind me of Eduardo Risso, with the same command of shadows and attention to detail. The shot of the heavily-armed Japanese security contingent on the first page, complete with enormous honking gun, says everything we need to know about the extent of security and how difficult the terrorists' job is.
The story here is about the small connections and how they turn out to be hugely important. Using information that El Hage might be in Sarajevo, Crocker sends some people to find out what they can, and their loud attempts at finding information get them a lucky break in the form of a local thief. It could almost seem like contrived, unbelievable luck if it wasn't so believable as the kind of thing that might happen when you're looking for someone. The last piece of the puzzle comes from Tara's encounter with terrorists, who expected not to have to worry about her figuring out who sent them.
Queen & Country has smarts and style to spare, and this arc stands out as one of the best in a series of great stories. This is one of those books that crosses boundaries, appealing equally to those who usually eschew black and white indy books and those who would turn their noses up at books that aren't "indy" enough. Though I'm not sure that the rotating art teams doesn't give a new learning curve on each new arc that could be avoided, the art teams chosen are generally strong and the core of great writing makes the book a must-read, month-in and month-out.
