Dan Dare (2007) #5

Dan Dare 5

Writer Garth Ennis has a good issue with this Dan Dare, but artist Gary Erskine seems to be struggling to keep up. The issue downshifts the series a bit, with Dan and newly appointed companion Ms. Christian butting heads with the Royal Space Navy or whatever they’re called. Back on Earth, Home Secretary and former companion Jocelyn is getting a briefing. Lots of talking heads, which Ennis and Erskine have been executing successfully to this point. But, here, Erskine just seems to fall apart. He’s got the composition but not the pacing, and something’s off with his eyes, but only on the ladies (the Home Secretary and Ms. Christian), which is bad since they’re the protagonists.

There’s some awesome space stuff. Most of it’s too hurried, but Erskine does an excellent double-page spread of the Royal Space Navy. Cracking stuff. But even with Dan’s subplot, when he goes off on an ill-advised (by the stuffed shirt admirals, anyway) solo mission, Erskine gets in some okay (rushed) pages before he loses the thread again. The whole issue seems like it’s off-kilter like Erskine stumbled and never regained his footing. He cracks on with a confused but effective finish, but damn.

Otherwise, it’s an excellent issue. Ennis works character development on Jocelyn, Ms. Christian, and Dan before doing a military operation, but a Silver Age comic book’s military operation. It’s a bridging issue for everyone, even the Mekon and his lackey Prime Minister when we check in on them. Bridging issues tend to be a little redundant; done well, it’s character development (as here) in addition to efficient plotting. Ennis has two issues to go; presumably, all the pieces are set after this one.

I really hope Erskine turns it around on the art. I want Dare to be an unqualified success. Iffy art on a bridging issue is one thing; a flubbed finale is another.

Dan Dare (2007) #4

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I’ve never read any Dan Dare besides this series. I assume it’s some British Silver Age book about British derring-do in a sci-fi setting. So I don’t know if writer Garth Ennis is doing some homage with the pacing of this issue or just the plotting of the series in general.

Here’s what the first issue promised: retired space adventurer Dan Dare coming back to save the galaxy (colonized by the British, natch) from the Mekon, his old enemy (and presumably the main villain in the original Dare comics).

So far, the series has delivered: a traitor Prime Minister, Dare, and sidekick Digby stranded on a hostile alien world full of monsters. No galaxy saving from Dan, just people saving.

In this issue, Ennis reveals that anti-whatever plotting is intentional and will continue. He leans heavily on using talking heads scenes to fill in the backstory. The issue opens with the Prime Minister and the Mekon, who’s a silly-looking fifties alien but terrifying in his brevity. He seems to have some psychic control over a sizeable percentage of the population (both aliens and humans, including the PM), but it’s unclear. You wouldn’t want to ask him.

Ennis splits the issue between the Mekon, the Home Secretary on Earth, as she uncovers the plot to sell out humanity, and Dan on the alien planet with the monsters. Things are getting grim for Dan, which is precisely where they’re supposed to be but also not. The plan needs Dan to be somewhere else; no one could predict he’d try to save some dumbass colonists because they haven’t read the old Dan Dare either.

It’s a fantastic mix of wild sci-fi, political thriller, and British colonial action, with one heck of a tense finale. Ennis and artist Gary Erskine deliver a dynamite (no pun) close to the first (informal) arc. Presumably, the series will reset itself going forward, though I also have no idea because Ennis is very unpredictable here. Delightfully so.

Erskine seems rushed at times—though the incredibly boring alien ships don’t help; hopefully, it doesn’t trend. Dan’d survive it just fine (even rushed, Erskine’s solid), but still. He’s got some very enthusiastic panels; the more, the better.

Dare’s a damn fine book.

Dan Dare (2007) #3

Dan Dare 3

It’s an absurdly good issue, starting with Dan Dare having a showdown with the little shitheels currently calling themselves British officers. He and companion Digby are on a desert planet, trying to evacuate the civilians before they and the garrison have to shoot it out with literal monsters, and some officers are whining about their tours being over soon.

Ace start from writer Garth Ennis. The issue is a mix of talking heads and action, with some history lessons in between. As Dan and Digby walk the remaining colonists (including some of the Venusian Treen aliens) through the desert in hopes of a more defendable position, Dan gives the Dan Dare: The Original Series recap in a page or two. There aren’t any scenes, just a pin-up and great writing from Ennis, who gets to a sad and sweet finish with the scene touching on Dan’s failed romance with previous companion Jocelyn.

The action unexpectedly goes to Jocelyn back on Earth. Her boss, the Prime Minister, has sold out humanity to the enemy, only she doesn’t know it. She does find out, however, there’s something extraordinary going on, and she’s going to figure it out. Her scenes are entirely talking heads; giving an assignment, getting a report, making decisions, but it’s all incredibly tense because the reader knows she’s on the right track and she’s got to save the world–excellent, efficient plotting from Ennis. The series is so far along at this point; despite literally being a handful of conversations and an interrupted space voyage, I thought we were on issue four, not three.

Ennis toggles the tone again when the sci-fi military action starts. Dan gets the soldiers into an infantry square to protect the civilians, and even though they’re doing better than they thought, they don’t have an infinite ammo cheat code.

The cliffhanger’s nice and dry, nice and British—the first time I read Dan Dare, I’d never read any 2000 AD; now I have an Ennis and Gary Erskine’s format homage is cool. It’s good either way, but it’s cool to see what they’re doing and where they got it.

Dan Dare delivers. Erskine’s art is his series best this issue; he’s got the pacing for the talking heads, which usually aren’t in close-up, so there are just lots of panels of people walking and talking, and it’s captivating.

Damn good comics.

Dan Dare (2007) #2

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Writer Garth Ennis starts distinguishing what makes Dan Dare different this issue as Dan and Digby get underway with their mission to save the galaxy. Or at least the human colonists. Though the humans and some of the alien race, the Treens, live together on some planets.

The issue opens with Dan and Digby reunited, on their way to meet up with the fleet. They’re onboard the ship from last issue, commanded by Sub-Lieutenant Christian, who gave the order to retreat, meaning hers was the only ship (and only crew) to survive. Apparently, the boys have been talking shit about lady Christian behind her back, which Digby tells Dan, so Dan reassures her she made the right call. Even if the boys are also wondering how old-school Dan Dare will be able to save today.

Dan quickly gets the opportunity to show his style too. They intercept a distress signal, and while their orders say to ignore it and meet up with the fleet, Dan countermands; you never ignore a distress signal.

They find a colony with missing colonists. The humans think it’s the aliens, the aliens say half the missing people are aliens, the local constabulary says they’re all a bunch of drunk miners who go missing all the time. Only, of course, it turns out to be something else, something tying into the main plot.

It’s a good issue. Maybe Gary Erskine’s faces are occasionally rushed, like he did them last, but it adds to the very British charm. Ennis works his ass off on the dialogue; you can just hear Digby’s accent (without resorting to phonetic spelling). Dan Dare feels finished but not slick. There’s a personality to the creators’ collaboration.

We also get to check in with the Prime Minister and former Dan Dare sidekick Jocelyn. Is it sidekick or companion? Anyway, it initially seems like Jocelyn’s the focus of the subplot, but it turns out to be the Prime Minister. Or at least they’re halfsies at this point; we’ll see going forward.

Dan Dare’s ramping up real quick. Ennis is full speed ahead.

Dan Dare (2007) #1

Dan Dare 1

Dan Dare’s all about the reassuring, calming presence of the capable colonialism and patriarchy (i.e., the British Empire). I have a feeling it’s going to get even more interesting once Anglophiliac Dan Dare returns to active duty.

The original series—the British Buck Rogers—dates back to the fifties, and writer Garth Ennis keeps with the mid-century British colonial mindset, just in the future. I can’t wait for the King or Queen to show up.

So, former space hero Dan Dare has retired to seclusion in a recreation of the British villages of his youth. The originals are presumably all gone because the Americans and Chinese nuked each other; the British had a shield to protect them. Instead of sticking around to help out with the Cursed Earth, the Brits took to colonizing space, presumably running into an evil alien race and getting into space fights.

There’s been peace long enough for Dan and his sidekick, Digby, to retire. Their Girl Friday from back in the day has gone into public office, so we’re not far away from when the original five-year mission ended. It’s an “Old Man Dan Dare” series, a Garth Ennis specialty; only it’s very British and not grim and gritty. Artist Gary Erskine thoughtfully updates mid-century sci-fi designs and keeps it all very English. Even when the Prime Minister is visiting an asteroid on his way to ask Dan for help, you can imagine them having tea and biscuits.

Erskine’s art is good. There are a handful of places he’s in a hurry (Dan Dare’s from Virgin Comics, which barely survived long enough to publish the whole series), but it’s good. Besides some sci-fi space action and Dan walking his adorable dogs, most of the issue is talking heads. Digby and the former Girl Friday having a chitchat on a space station, the Prime Minister and Dan having a philosophical debate about England’s place in the world (running it, if Dan Dare has a say). Erskine does well with all that talking.

Ennis does really well writing it too. Even though the Prime Minister is a dipshit, Dan’s at least a colonialist, if not a monarchist, if not a fascist. It’s going to be interesting to see how Ennis does this character development.

The ending cliffhanger’s solid, while the story is basically a combination of Star Trek 1 and 2 first acts. Got to get the captain back, best destiny, and all that business. Dan Dare’s off to an ace start.

The Lion & the Eagle (2022) #4

The Lion The Eagle 4

First things first: writer Garth Ennis does, as usual, get some tears from me. Lion & the Eagle #4 isn’t what I’d expected, for better and worse, but the inevitable Ennis war comic cry arrives; very last minute this time; I’d been expecting the issue to be a constant tearjerker.

Ennis purposefully avoids the consistent dread, fear, and misery to get that final surprise. This issue opens with the British Colonel talking to his Indian major about things and realizing even passive racism is terrible, and he needs to stop perpetuating it. The scene’s a big swing and a big hit. It’s a great start, followed by orders to withdraw; the operation is a failure, and it is over. The troops will have to retreat on foot through the jungle, leaving behind the wounded, something the Colonel promised his doctor pal he’d never do.

Character names aren’t crucial in Lion & the Eagle, though names being important ends up being a plot point in the extended epilogue. Despite opening the series as a character study, Ennis has become comfortable pulling back the narrative distance to a long shot. There are still lots of names floating about. Reports, whether status or casualty, are the majority of the talking heads scenes.

The talking heads scenes are where artist PJ Holden loses the book. He leans into the efficiencies he’s been developing as bandaids throughout the series. Instead of expeditiously getting the comic through an otherwise slow scene here and there, the entire issue is bland talking head panels. Worse, Holden’s rushing through the faces and expressions. At one point, letterer Rob Steen assigns a balloon to the wrong person in a long shot, and his confusion’s wholly justified. Even in long shots, with the characters wearing very different outfits, Holden’s composition’s muddy.

Thank goodness for the script. The issue’s a whirlwind, with the Colonel realizing command means not being able to keep promises, which has all sorts of repercussions for his relationships. There’s a great flashback to him visiting his Indian major’s village, too. Ennis has got some fantastic moments throughout.

And the finale’s good. Ennis brings all the Colonel’s character development (i.e., realizing imperialism is bad, actually) together and loops around to the first issue. Sort of a “and what did we learn today,” but outstanding.

I’d been hoping Lion & the Eaglecould bring Ennis up to the next level. It’s unclear if Holden held it back or if Ennis just hasn’t gotten there yet. Based on how much character development he saved for the final issue, I’m guessing the latter, though the former sure doesn’t help.

Still, the comic’s going to be a superb single-sitting read.

The Lion & the Eagle (2022) #3

Eal3

I haven’t been betting against Lion & the Eagle. The first issue assuaged any Aftershock fears I was having after writer Garth Ennis’s horror comic for the company. The second issue was excellent. I fully intended to be Ennis war comic weeping the next and final issue. But I wasn’t expecting Ennis to do anything major with the title; artist PJ Holden’s already doing the European album size. Being square and bigger is enough.

And then Ennis has a spectacular series of narrative jabs this issue, turning Lion over on its head a couple times before turning it around too. It’s incredible. Especially since he doesn’t do it until the second half of the issue. The first half’s full of exposition and action; the second half’s reflection on it. Only then Ennis completely changes the narrative distance on Lion after giving it some solid whacks as the doctor character tells the army guy what’s up a couple times, and the army guy’s got to sit with it. Then there’s a Communist soldier soapboxing about the military-industrial complex, and it’s phenomenal. I can’t give away the big twists, either. There are two, one with the narrative distance, one with the narrative. Both do peerless character development work. Ennis is on fire.

And Holden’s keeping up. This issue’s simpler—the occasional silhouette, more frequently white backgrounds—but more emotive. Holden focuses on how the scenes hit, whether they’re talking heads or the dramatic ones. Not to mention there’s a phenomenal battle scene. Holden scales from close-ups on emphatic white to gory, frenetic battle action. It’s a beautiful book.

So now I’m expecting an Ennis war comic weep and being floored by whatever he and Holden come up with. Ennis has been doing excellent war comics for over twenty years now, and, somehow, he keeps getting better. He leverages the natural exposition of military command—someone can always be explaining something to someone else—and then works in historical detail, but he’s breaking out of that norm with Lion. He’s using character relationships while also playing with narration.

This series will make a wonderful collection someday; hopefully hardbound and obviously oversized.

The Lion & the Eagle (2022) #2

Le2

This issue’s one part history lesson, one part ground situation establishing, one part war action. The Chindit forces are moving into position now, airdropped behind Japanese lines to wreak havoc. Writer Garth Ennis tells most of their successes in summary, outside the opening battle sequence, where artist PJ Holden reveals how glorious and gory the art will get.

Though Holden does once again get a little confused with the shifts between time periods. It’s particularly noticeable this time because almost the entire story comes through in dialogue about the latest war developments, so the issue demands attention. Even then, the time shifts are wonky.

It’s a minor complaint, however, and the only one. Otherwise, Lion & the Eagle is fantastic comics storytelling. Ennis plays around with the layering, giving the reader the backstory on the Chindit operation as a postscript once their mission changes. He’s very deliberate about the narration from protagonist Crosby and where and when things get introduced. Unlike the first issue, there’s not much in the way of character development. When Crosby’s pal, Alistair, finally gets something to do and Crosby muses on the last issue’s revelations, it’s almost the end of the issue, and these aren’t the most essential musings of the day. There’s a war on, after all.

Ennis puts a lot of effort into the supporting cast, starting with Havildar-Major Singh and his professional relationship with Crosby. Ennis spends much of the issue introducing the Gurkhas, the fearsome, joyful Nepalese soldiers. Ennis (and Crosby) get to have some fun amid the horror.

The history also seems ripe for a story, just the way things happened. Not even the Japanese forces being more formidable than initially assumed, but how happenstance can change the course of an operation and history. Ennis and Holden take their time with the comic, never rushing a conversation or briefing. It’s precise and exquisite. As expected, but still incredibly impressive.

The Lion & the Eagle (2022) #1

Le1

The Lion & the Eagle is oversize; bigger, squarish pages. Artist PJ Holden doesn’t fill the larger canvas with more panels, instead increasing the panels’ sizes, filling those larger pages with bigger content, not more content. Holden also does a lot of top-third double-page spreads; he’s clearly thinking it through.

So it’s unfair when the issue’s only problem seems like an art problem. It’s not; it’s an editing problem. The issue has a running flashback, and the transition returning to the past doesn’t work because it’s entirely about writer Garth Ennis’s narration, with a disconnected visual.

It had me confused and reading the issue mistaking one resolution for another. However, it’s an excellent comic even with the stumble, with Holden’s expressive, character-based art and Ennis’s combination of reflective and informative writing.

Lion & the Eagle is a World War II story; the protagonist is a white Indian army officer. They’re loading up to mount an offensive against the Japanese, who’ve been kicking their asses the last few years without the British government really taking note. It wasn’t until the Americans showed up with vehicles and weapons they’ve been able to even consider an advance.

The issue opens with the officer, Crosby, having a conversation about the state of the war with a Chinese observer. Crosby then goes and hangs out with his doctor best friend, Leonard McCoy… wait, no, Alistair Whitamore. They go from war politics to race politics, thoughtfully bantering; it’s a war buddy story.

While talking, Crosby remembers the time they first met; cue tense flashback.

Lion & the Eagle doesn’t spare the gore, though all of it is in flashbacks so far. While we get some context for the flashback’s resolution, all the information about the current operation—the series’s main plot—comes during dialogue exchanges, and the characters often talk about the impending mission.

Holden does a fabulous job with the talking heads. There are a lot of talking heads, including in the flashback, during non-combat action scenes. The art’s the most impressive thing about this larger format; what could’ve been a gimmick is not; as usual, Holden and Ennis are making something special.

A Walk Through Hell (2018) #12

Hell12

A Walk Through Hell has a surprisingly affective final issue. Not because anything in it connects, but because everything in it does not, and then it becomes clear writer Garth Ennis isn’t just having a laugh; he put thought into it. And it all comes out bad. For most of the issue, Hell #12 feels like the talky conclusion to a lousy movie starring Patton Oswalt and Charlize Theron, like Ennis had a script in a drawer and turned it into a comic.

Something from when he was primarily known for writing Preacher. Think Seven meets the most realistic, not funny parts of Preacher. It’s talky, disappointing, a little sad, but not off the rails. The stakes are all theoretical.

But then it gets very, very current with Ennis making all sorts of commentary on 2018 politics and becomes a spiritual sequel to his old series, 303 (when Bush was president). Hell’s a significant downgrade from that series. Worse, Ennis has the perfect ending to the comic, and he doesn’t see it. He’s got the moment in his grasp to at least make the last couple of issues pay off. Not the whole, disastrous waste of money, but at least the finish would be effective.

He misses it, of course. Of course, he misses it. Walk Through Hell’s the hells of missed opportunities and bad plot choices.

Only it’s not over. There’s the final punchline: Ennis pretends he wrote a good comic with great characters, and it’s wretched. Especially since Goran Sudžuka’s art looks like he’s drawing stylized toys, not people. It’s a lousy finish to an already lousy series.

It’s been a long time since Ennis has made anything quite this bad. I hope it’s a long time until he does it again.