Ennis War Comics

Here we go, Garth Ennis, single handedly keeping the war comic genre alive in the industry.  And thank God for him.  He’s so ridiculously good at this, it’s clearly a labor of love for him.  What stands out is the different number of publishers that he has; he’ll do this for anyone who will give his stories a home.  

303 1-6

What a start.  This is the prototypical Ennis war hero: stoic, stupidly good at the art of war…You know, I’m going to start a spreadsheet.  Will see how it goes.

Anyway, this is super good.  The detour into the McDonald’s slaughterhouse is a little odd (and super disturbing), and the assassination of the President kind of comes out of nowhere.  But for all that, the uber competence of the Russian is just so damn cool.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Really good

Battler Britton 1-5

A revival of an old British war comic.  Britton is a WWII pilot and super good at what he does.  A run-of-the-mill story, but well executed.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Pretty good

Dan Dare 1-7

A revival of an old British science fiction comic, but it’s basically a war story in space.  This is so freaking good.  As Ennis says in a quote on the cover, Dan Dare is basically a British Captain America.  And Ennis is so good at writing that, no matter how cynical he gets about superheroes.  He can do earnest when he wants to.  

Classic.

I did not expect her to die.

So good.  But what’s with those eyebrows?

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Really good

Dreaming Eagles 1-6

A former Tuskegee Airman tells his son about his experiences in WWII.  (Fathers and sons.  Another column for the spreadsheet.)  For a foreigner, Ennis really gets the problems with America.  

So true, so fucked up.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Good