by Randy Lander

EAGLE VOL. 21: END OF THE TRAIL Highly Recommended (9/10) Viz Comics Writer/Artist: Kaiji Kawaguchi Translation: Yuji Oniki Touch-Up Artist: Steve Dutro Editor: Carl Gustav Horn Price: $6.95 US/$11.50 CAN Those who would accuse West Wing of overdramatizing politics for a good story should steer clear of Eagle. In the tail end of the book, Kawaguchi has turned up the heat on plots involving conspiracy, murder and shadowy motivations, making this a borderline crime/detective comic rather than a political tale. While I don't think this is as strong as most of Eagle has been, I have to admit that having come this far, I was on the edge of my seat all along, waiting for the next revelation. I also have to admit that despite Kawaguchi having laid most of his cards on the table at this point, I have no idea how this is going to end. And I'm dying to find out. Kawaguchi does an effective job of blending a suspense plot and the ongoing political story in this issue. While Takashi struggles with the whos and whys of murder and intrigue, giving the reader needed insight as well, the story jumps back and forth between him and an intense debate with Yamaoka and Grant. I admired Kawaguchi's ability to make debate as exciting as fights are in a visual medium like comics, and he does a terrific job here, maintaining the feel of tension and a war of words between Yamaoka and Grant. Previously, I've had problems with the focus on the relationship between Takashi and Rachel, but Kawaguchi's skill in depicting it overcame them. That's the same way I felt about the intrigue and murder plot that ran throughout this issue. I didn't really expect Eagle to be a comic that featured our protagonist with a gun to his head, fearing for his life, but Kawaguchi makes it work. I also didn't ever expect Yamaoka and Takashi to jump in a car like Starsky and Hutch and drive fast to try and catch a crook who was fleeing the country, but again, Kawaguchi made it work. If nothing else, he established a certain bond between Takashi and Yamaoka, showing that they both want to do the right thing, no matter the personal cost. Though I've praised Kawaguchi's writing at length, I don't comment on his artistic skills as often as I probably should. Throughout the series, he's given us believable depictions of various American locations, and he does the same work here with Washington D.C. and New York. I especially appreciated the inclusion of establishing shots with the Washington Monument or Times Square. And though I often find the expressions of emotion a bit overwrought, I can't deny that I never have a question as to what thoughts or feelings I'm supposed to be seeing in the characters. We're now one issue away from the conclusion of Eagle, and I still have no idea how it's going to end. Kawaguchi has successfully kept me interested, entertained and wondering for 21 issues, and I'm anxious to see how he winds it all up in the last one. Email Randy Lander comments about this review.