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Right, the gardening robot thing was 'Banzai Battalion' which has recently been released as a collection in the rather snazzy Rebellion style. John Wagner writes it and Henry Flint and Ian Gibson, and others, draw it. It's purely designed to be a fun read, and it is.
As for Cabals, you're going to regret asking because I ramble on the subject... well, on one level it's a simple story of a freelance supernatural investigation team. Under the auspices of a reclusive, retired, rock-star the team of stuffy proffesors (all tweed and repression), colonial exorcist specialists (a couple of yanks who take chainsaws to zombies) and a mysterious european (goatee and secrets) investigate various supernatural mysteries. If that were all it were it'd be a decent enough tale. Good script, snappy dialogue, moody art. Nice. Gordon Rennie is a capable writer, Dom Reardon a growing talent. He also has an Alec Guiness like ability to wear a white suit, get pissed, go for a curry, and end the night spotlessly clean - which isn't easy.
But it's also about these characters lives and lies and how they interact. Their actions and what they hide from one another has repurcussions and consequences that build up as each story unfolds. With this it becomes a superior serial with information meted out in small doses. Genuine progression has meant each story changes the status quo somewhat.
And if that were all it were it'd still be one of the best things in 2k for a while. But as well as this there are whole other layers. Subtle references set up connections to the fabulous 'Necronauts' from the same writer and Frazer Irving. This 1920's set tale of supernatural horrors being beat back by a cricket bat wielding Arthur Conan Doyle is the first stage of what GRennie appears to be building. There are plans for a third series set during the second world war. This 'Department Q' tale would feature characters from 'Necronauts' and 'Cabals'. I was lucky enough to see character designs for this, and any strip that features a Brian Blessed lookalike has my vote.
Now the thing that appeals to me, that marks it's greatness is that it's something that can be read independantly. 'Necronauts' (in paperback now) is a top story in and of itself. Each smaller Cabals story works as a short story but adds to a greater whole. What GRennie is building, or seems to be, is a vast fictional supernatural secret history of 80 years in Britain.
Taking real life characters like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, mixing in fictional characters such as Brigadeer Alaister Gordon Lethbridge Stewart, and real events such as Hitlers SonderKommandur Thule, and fantasy like Quatermass and the Pit to tell a peculiarly British horror epic.
And it's witty with characters that grow and looks great. And maintains the 5 page episode format nicely. It's a rare modern 2k strip that has people wondering what will happen next to the characters and eagerly awaiting the next batch of episodes.
Of course some people say it's a load of mumbo jumbo nonsense with sketchy drawings. But that's care in the community for you. |
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