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THE ESTABLISHMENT #4
"Edge of Darkness"
Recommended (8/10)
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DC Comics/Wildstorm Productions
Writer: Ian Edginton
Artist: Charlie Adlard
Colors: Wildstorm FX
Letters: Jenna Garcia
Editor: Jeff Mariotte
Price: $2.50 US/$4.25 CAN |
Though clearly influenced by the ideas introduced by Warren Ellis into the Wildstorm universe, The Establishment is no clone of The Authority. Instead, it's an interesting super-hero
book in its own right, kept afloat based on some nifty ideas and, quite frankly,
on some incredible artwork from Charlie Adlard. Adlard has come into his own on
this book, providing imaginative designs and stunning visual designs such that
even if the story was complete and utter tripe, I'd still be quite pleased with
the results. Fortunately, the story is pretty good as well.
Edginton's story has escalated and built nicely, starting off as the story of two men with a past and then building to a point where Royal Air Force harriers are attacking an alien ship over London. Though it's mostly in the periphery at this point, there are also some interesting developments this issue in the way a government-sanctioned team operates, with the Establishment having cover and insertion assistance from standard military forces. In addition, Edginton builds nicely off pre-existing elements, such as the Daemonites and Kherans or the big ideas style of The Authority, without simply mimicking what has gone
before.
Though we don't know much
about The Establishment yet, I'm already quite intrigued by the characters we do
know. Truelove, Mr. Pharmacist, Charlie Arrows and Drake could all use some more
fleshing out, but the basics of the characters are quite clear at this point. I
was particularly impressed with how Arrows managed to maintain a villainous and
thuggish attitude while still being a believable protagonist, and I'm loving Mr.
Pharmacist as comic relief of sorts.
A big part of the reason for my affection for the Mr. Pharmacist character, as well as my affection for the book, comes from Charlie Adlard. The designs are sheer joy and madness, such as Pharmacist riding into battle using a helicopter in his wildly-styled hair or the sheer style of a sleek Kheran cruiser battling it out with harrier jets in the air. Accompanied by very clear and beautiful color from Wildstorm FX, this book has a very impressive look to it. There's imagination and beauty in every panel, and I'm reminded in scope of the work that John Cassaday has done over in Planetary... the more I see of The Establishment, the more I feel like there's nothing
Adlard can't draw.
The ending of the story is a bit abrupt, and teeters on the edge of feeling like a deus ex machina, but it works largely on the strength of the visual and the payoff for Charlie Arrows's story arc. What The Establishment will bring next, I
don't know... but I do know that I'll be around to read it.
Email Randy Lander comments about this review, or discuss it on the Fourth Rail message board. |
