Writer: Greg Rucka
Artist: Leandro Fernández
Publisher: Image
There’s a certain aesthetic that defines The Old Guard, the new Image title from superstar creators Greg Rucka and Leandro Fernández. Rucka describes the book in the opening narration as “a fairy tale of blood and bullets” about a group of mostly invincible soldiers. Yet while there are some high fantasy elements that pervade this comic, the overall look and feel resembles that of a hard-edged war story.
Much like Rucka’s other works, he opens with some poetic text in which one of the main protagonists describes her longing to die. It’s similar to how he began his recent Wonder Woman run, in that he’s able to draw readers in with monologues and sharply written prose. It’s subtle enough to where it’s not too wordy, and it provides a nice introduction to this world. From there the action gets going, as the heroes go on a rescue mission in the Middle East.
This is where Fernández’s pencils and Daniela Miwa’s colors merge together so effectively. Whether the issue delivers high-octane action or quiet moments of character development, each panel is a tour de force in and of itself. It’s no doubt a dense and somewhat ambiguous read, but regardless it delivers strong storytelling on all fronts. If you’re a fan of anything either creators have done in the past, I’d highly recommend picking this one up.
Kevin Schaefer for ultimate Comics