Run Reader: Dark Ages (2014)

Capatin Hawkherst makes first contact in issue 1 of Dark Ages.

Long a sucker for genre mash-ups in both movies and comic books, Dark Horse Comics' 2014 four issue mini-series Dark Ages nicely scratches the itch by bringing together two of my fave genres, science-fiction and medieval action. Unaware of the title when it was originally published, I first came across Dark Ages on the back issue rack on a rare low new-release Wednesday.

Cover to issue 2 by
series artist
I.N.J. Culbard.

The creative team behind another excellent genre blending project, Vertigo's The New Deadwardians, writer Dan Abnett (of Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy comic renown) and artist I.N.J. Culbard once again bring well-researched comic book action to the table. Set in 1333 Europe, an age during which God is feared and the violent skills of sell-swords are in demand, Dark Ages follows the conflict between medieval warriors come face-to-face with "demons." The twist is that the demons are not from Hell, as our character's assume, but rather alien invaders from space.

Utilizing a shifting pair of protagonists, Captain Hawkherst and his second in command, "Lucifer" Galvin, Abnett quickly establishes the world wary nature of our heroes. As Hawkherst explains, the group move from battle to battle thereby embracing the violence of their time as "A dark age [like] that will keep us fed and in steady employment. We would prosper in such an age." While Hawkherst hopes to respond to a potentially lucrative call-to-arms from French royalty, an impromptu invasion from outer space, ultimately set in an austere monastery comes calling first.

The conflict is ultimately joined on both sides by unique characters each reflecting clever twists on common genre tropes. The order of silent monks who populate the monastery are revealed to be harboring a secret understanding of what is happening, dead "rise" in support of the invading "devils," and an unlikely robotic ally (who also shares a name with an angel) keeps the proceedings fresh as all move toward a climactic final confrontation.

I.N.J. Culbard's clean and colorful artwork is very reminiscent of the style often employed to great effect in many of Dark Horse's Mignola-verse titles such as B.P.R.D and Lobster Johnson. In Dark Ages, the artwork helps to ground the intergalactic-medieval characters. After working similarly with the aforementioned New Deadwardians, Culbard, is one artists whose work I would add to my pull list sight unseen--there is a fun energy in his engaging style despite some occasionally heavy or morbid content.

Though some of the elements it chooses to mash-up, Dark Ages is incredibly well-executed and work as a self-contained action adventure sci-fi tale. Revolutionary twist and tuns are not always necessary. As a reader, sit is often enough to be drawn into a story well told (and drawn) with just enough variations on a standard (non-standard) story. Dark Ages is very likely still available in my preferred format (single issues) on your local comic shops' back issue rack in addition to being offered as a trade paperback through larger vendors.

From Dark Ages #3, the "angel" Aphrael explains to "Lucifer" their
 circumstances using spiritual tropes a sci-fi context.

Captain Hawkherst retruns, with cyber-enhancements, for the series' big finale.

Run Reader: Bring the Thunder (2010)

From interior of Bring the Thunder #1.

With summer break upon me, it is once again time to go back through my longboxes in search of comic book runs (both long and short) worthy of a re-read. This is not always easy as my longboxes are chock full of titles I read only briefly (not wanting to commit the finances to lesser tales) or others that, while still holding some entertainment (or continuity) value are not ready to be revisited just yet. Then, there are those titles purchased out of curiosity that ran only a limited number of issues, that were picked up just this purpose... re-readability without necessity of years of the dreaded "comic book continuity" required for enjoyment.

Issue 1 cover by
Alex Ross.

Like most fanboys of the early 2000's (and using a common lure with many of Dynamite's publishing line during this time), it was Alex Ross's fantastic cover that brought me to pick up issue 1 of Bring the Thunder. At the time I was knee-deep in Project SuperPowers, another series with which Ross had some creative control, so picking it up seemed a no-brainer. I mistakenly assumed this mini-series was somehow related to Project SuperPowers, which had a deep mythology much of which I had been previously unaware. Upon the umpteenth re-read of this four issue miniseries, I remain glad I was wrong. Bring the Thunder is the most unusual of modern comic book number ones in that it is a miniseries that introduces a brand-spanking-new character, not a legacy character or a reboot, but something previously unseen.

Issue 2 cover by Ross.

For better or worse, however, as a comic book Bring the Thunder faithfully adheres to the majority of tropes one expects from a superhero origin, especially a non-superhero-y, "grounded" one. If, like me, the reader is willing to accept that there are not too many new ways to tell this type of story, and that the quality of the read relies on the execution, then you are in luck. As scripted by Jai Nitz and visually told by artist Wilson Tortosa and colorist Marlon Hagan, Bring the Thunder is an ably (if workman-like) introduction to the character of Captain Wayne Russell, an elite para-rescue jumper in the Air Force serving in Afghanistan who is given tremendous power.

The narrative structure of the series is a very familiar one. Issue one begins as many origin stories do: we meet our "hero" in the midst of combat and reflecting back upon how he got to this point in the story. The first pages of the first issue and the final pages of the last, serve to frame the origin. Russell's voice, as written by Nitz is an accessible one for the reader. While monologuing internally, Russell explains the application of his former military experience in a variety of settings. The reader additionally witnesses Russell's power set development as he does, and is offered further insight into his motivations. There are moments though when a third-person omniscient perspective shares with us those working nefariously in the background to potentially exploit Russell's new-found abilities.

From interior of issue 2.

For the experienced comic book reader, the rest writes itself: military man gets powers, returns to home to find family member in trouble, engages community roughnecks on behalf of said family member, government wants to weaponize this new power, hero needs to battle a power-doppelgangers, and so on. What makes Bring the Thunder of interest, however, is the depiction of the twin settings of Chicago and Afghanistan and the way in which one is reflected as being similar to the other, and the characterization of the main character, Wayne Russell. Despite the military nature inherent in the proceedings, the writer also avoids the pitfalls of jingo-ism: bad men, regardless of being in Chicago or Afghanistan are not presented in as stereotypical a fashion as others might.

The real shame is that this four-issue miniseries seems to have been the entire story as no more adventures of Wayne Russell were published. The conclusion of this story left me feeling very much as I had after viewing any number of superhero origin movies: I know it's necessary to establish who the character is, but I really look forward to the next adventure when the necessary exposition is out of the way. Unfortunately, for Bring the Thunder we are left with only an interesting, if not uninspiring, introduction to a character lost to the longboxes.

The hero's "combat "costume" revealed in issue #4.