DC Comics And Beyond: ‘Marksmen’ #5
A lot of great comics came out this week, but I wanted to focus on a series that I’ve had fun talking about on my Wayne’s Comics podcast with creator David Baxter about. I recently realized that I’d never actually reviewed it in this column, so I’m rectifying that oversight this week!
Marksmen #5 of 6. Here’s the book’s description: “There is a time in all our lives when we finally see our parents for who they are. 60 years from now, Drake and Cammy find out about theirs in the midst of a battle for the lives of everyone in New San Diego. ‘Disappointment’ just doesn’t cover it.”
Before I start talking about this issue, here’s a little background on the entire series from Benaroya Publishing/Image Comics: “Based on real life economic hardships, Marksmen takes place in dystopian world just one step removed from our own. After a massive recession, the United States government collapsed and a civil war erupted between the cities and states to keep any last resources to themselves. This destroyed our country’s infrastructure and most of its population…the Big Collapse. Out of the ashes rose New San Diego, one a few cities that survived by cutting itself off from the outside world. Rebuilt by a group of top scientists and protected by the Navy Seals stationed at the Coronado Navel Base, NSD became a technological utopia. After sixty years war threatens to break out again when another state attempts to occupy the city, seizing their resources. Their only hope for survive rests with the ancestors of the Navy Seals who protect the city as… MARKSMEN.”
“What if?” That’s the great question upon which powerful stories are often built upon. Marksmen is a good example of this. This series asks, what if society as we know it today fell apart and the United States degenerated into several smaller groups, all fighting for each other’s supplies and territory?
What makes this book stand out is that it balances action, plot and character extremely well. You care about these people as well as the situation they find themselves in. But that doesn’t mean the story moves at a slow pace. Not at all! From page to page, you’ll find yourself immersed in what’s happening and want to know what’s going to take place next, so you’ll be anxious to read all you can so you can turn that page!
I love how the characters are very different from each other, how some look back to the past for inspiration while others are looking forward. You’ll see everything from armor-laden soldiers to those who are convinced that God is on their side when things start to go their way. Drake McCoy is one of the main people the book focuses on, but the other members of the group are individuals in their own way, including Athena, Lt. Hill, General McCoy, and Dr. Heston. They walk and talk very differently from each other, and that makes for fun reading.
Baxter’s story is fast-paced and powerful, and the art is perfect for the book, clear and dynamic. Marksmen is smart, action-packed storytelling, the kind I love to read and enjoy! I can’t wait to read the conclusion when the next issue hits the stands!
One of the things that spooked me a little about the series was that I had the chance to read early issues during the 2011 San Diego Comic-Con. It was unusual to realize that I could be sitting in what might be a war zone someday!
If you’ve missed previous issues and find them tough to access, don’t worry! A trade paperback will be coming your way soon! Even though I have all the issues, I still want the trade so I can immerse myself into the story again in one volume. It’s that good!
Marksmen is the perfect example of a thoughtful action-adventure story done right! Every page propels the plot along powerfully, so you’ll be glad you picked up this excellent miniseries!
Want to listen to my interview with David Baxter regarding this great comic? Go to the SFP-NOW website here to listen in!
This Week’s New 52 Reviews: Here are some quick thoughts on the other DC books out this week. My favorite this week was The Flash #5, which again continues to explore a world with super-speed in it. Great fun! Batman: The Dark Knight #5 has the new Superman facing Batman. Aquaman #5 puts Arthur in the middle of a desert. Justice League #5 has the group’s formation continuing, with Darkseid appearing for the first time. Teen Titans #5 has the rest of the team fighting Superboy, with an interesting result. Next, I enjoyed Superman, as George Perez keeps throwing interesting things at the Man of Steel. The Savage Hawkman brings back one of the hero’s long-time foes. Justice League Dark brings to something of a conclusion the first storyline. Also, Green Lantern: New Guardians #5 takes a very interesting twist regarding the Orange Lanterns. The Fury Of Firestorm is the best one yet, with really interesting developments regarding the characters. All-Star Western has more great Western stories, the front one continuing Jonah Hex’s torturing of Dr. Arkham in Gotham. Voodoo #5 is another interesting issue with quite a big surprise at the end. I, Vampire has Batman guest-starring, so that’s going well. Blackhawks was the least of the bunch, but still pretty good. I do feel badly again buying a book on the chopping block so soon after I did the same last summer, but that’s to be expected.
Other books worth picking up this week included the collected Spontaneous hardcover from Oni Press (Be sure to get this great volume!); DC Universe Online Legends #22 and Legion Secret Origin #4 from DC; Alpha Flight #8 from Marvel; Walking Dead #93 from Image; Incorruptible #26 from BOOM! Studios; Sixth Gun #18 from Oni Press; and, of course, Green Hornet Annual #2 and Kevin Smith’s Bionic Man #4 from Dynamite.
Speaking of that last book, you can listen to my interview with Michael Moresi from Quarantined and Hoax Hunters during the latest episode of the Wayne’s Comics podcast, which you can hear by using the player in the upper right corner of this page or by going to the SFP-NOW website. Be sure to subscribe to our feed on iTunes, which you can do here.
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