If you’re not reading this book, it’s probably because you heard the premise and thought, “That sounds neat I guess, and it’s gotten good reviews, but it’s not a genre I’m into.” Let me tell you why you’re wrong.
Written by: Kurtis J. Wiebe
Illustrated by Tyler JenkinsA high energy action story that blends Red Dawn with Peter Pan. The City of Calais is the first city in France to fall to the Germans in the spring of 1940. A mysterious American boy named Peter rallies a handful of plucky French orphans and they must work together to survive Europe’s darkest hour.
$14.99
The volume is framed as a present-day interview between a researcher and Gilbert “Tootles” Agnew. His memories narrate the main plot, set in France in the very early days of World War II. When a German bomber hits their town, and group boys from an orphanage unite with a wandering American boy to escape to Paris. Along the way, they encounter more Nazis and have some adventurous fun. While created by mixing a period piece, war story, and fairy tale, the end product is really none of these things. Knowledge of the era and source materials might enhance the story some, but this is very much a free standing tale. You will not need to know the finer details of history, nor will you be taught them. The Peter Pan aspects are painted with such a wide brush, someone unfamiliar with them may not even make the connection if it weren’t for the title.
Taken as a whole, the five issues collected here read mostly smooth. The chapter breaks are not at all disguised, but three of the four flow very nicely either in action or in a jump back to the framing interview. One makes an awkward jump from mid-action to a quiet moment, but it’s not too jarring. None of the breaks have doubled dialogue or repeated action. There is a story arc which ties all the parts together, but it’s a thin one which is often overshadowed by various other events. When final pages come, it’s not because some grand adventure concludes, but simply because the older Gilbert feels the next part would be told better by Curly.
What makes this book so good isn’t its setting; it’s Wiebe’s grasp of character. From his first appearance, Peter is inspiring. Through his words, body language, and movement, it’s clear he’s a care-free leader. Gilbert looks up to Peter, and obviously wishes he could be as bold, but this is never actually spoken. The other lost boys don’t have quite as much depth yet, but you have to remember this isn’t their story. When they’re the one being interviewed, trust Wiebe will round them out just as much, if not more. There’s already enough hints at their personalities to know this volume will reward rereading when you know them better.
Of course, this show-don’t-tell method only works because of Jenkins’ outstanding work. His slightly cartoonish style allows for exaggerated emotions and lends some extra life to Peter’s numerous stunts. If his art has a weak point, it’s in telling the cast members apart. Peter is given a very distinct hair cut, but the other lost boys are sometimes distinguishable only by hair color or shirt type. Part of this is the near-identical color they all wear, by choice of either Jenkins or colorist Alex Sollazzo. It’s not a big issue, as it only happens during action scenes when the identity in question isn’t actually important. In fact, it may even be possible this is done on purpose – the older Gilbert may not remember exactly who did what during those battles. (Does Image give No Prizes?)
The trade comes with a cover gallery which is more than just pages of the covers. Each one has a blurb or two about the image. There are sketches of the covers in progress and some rejected ideas, also with short explanations about their place in the publication. Several of the pictures are based on real propoganda posters from WWII, and they’re shown side-by-side with the original image.
Individual issues are $3.50, which translates into a savings of $2.50 if you buy the trade. If this review (and all the other positive ones out there) hasn’t persuaded you to plunk down fifteen of your hard-earned dollars on something new, consider this: a couple weeks ago, the first issue was reprinted for a dollar. If you’re on the fence, that’s an even cheaper way to give it a shot. Either way, I hope you don’t find an excuse for passing this up the next time you’re in the comic shop.
Final Verdict: 8 – A very solid buy
