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“Arrowsmith: Behind Enemy Lines” #1

By | January 21st, 2022
Posted in Reviews | % Comments

Creating a successful alternate history is a trickier task than you might think. There’s a reason that so many fantasies set in “our world” tend to be things that are behind a veil of secrecy, a world that is concurrent with, but not necessarily impacting, the day-to-day lives of “normal” people. It makes sense if you think about it. Even small changes like fantasy creatures being real could potentially create radical shifts in how conflicts ended or how the world created technology. With a secret world just below the surface, an author might make a knowing nod to their audience as they explain how an unexplained phenomenon is the work of a mischievous creature. But if the world knew that a gremlin was responsible for taking out a power grid? That would be a completely different story. It’s why the premise of “Arrowsmith” felt so compelling; an alternate World War I where dragons and magic were real seemed like a daunting task. It was exciting to see how Kurt Busiek and Carlos Pacheco handled not only how magic impacted World War I but the world at large. By and large, they succeeded. In “Arrowsmith: Behind Enemy Lines” #1, Kurt Busiek and Carlos Pacheco create a compelling mission as they effortlessly reintroduce their adventures of their alternate history airman.

Cover by Carlos Pacheco, and Jose Villarrubia
Written by Kurt Busiek
Illustrated by Carlos Pacheco
Inked by Jose Rafael Fonteriz
Colored by Jose Villarrubia
Lettered by Comicscraft’s Tyler Smith & Jimmy Bentacourt

The new KURT BUSIEK era at Image begins here, as he and superstar artist CARLOS PACHECO (Fantastic Four, Avengers Forever, Final Crisis, X-Men, Superman) bring you the much-anticipated return of ARROWSMITH! It’s World War I—but a war of wizards and dragons as much as bullets and barbed wire. Young airman Fletcher Arrowsmith plunges back into the heat of war—and finds himself behind enemy lines, facing a threat that could doom the Allied Powers. The first issue in a new ARROWSMITH-universe miniseries! And don’t miss the remastered hardcover of the original series in February!

The most immediate thing that jumps to mind about “Arrowsmith: Behind Enemy Lines” #1 was just how effortlessly they established their alternate universe. There was no massive exposition dump, no maps showing how the borders of Europe were different, or flashbacks to training dragons. It just started with a man getting ready for a mission. It was surprising that the issue was the continuation of Kurt Busiek and Carlos Pacheco’s original series. At no point did I feel lost or overwhelmed by the issue. The original series may have something like this, an overwrought explanation of how the world discovered magic and dragons or how those magic and dragons changed the course of world history. As it stood, the world of “Arrowman” felt very similar to our world, with subtle changes here and there for flavor. Apart from the magic and dragons, the most significant change was that Fletch comes from “The United States of Columbia.” While these are perhaps not as groundbreaking changes as Trolls working with your family or dragons flying through the air, it does show that Busiek and Pacheco have at least thought about the changes these magical elements would have on the world. Yet, while this world has strong fantasy elements, it still tells a human story.

This is thanks to our protagonist, Fletcher Arrowsmith. Fletcher’s narration helps guide us through life in the trenches, highlighting the futility of the war and the strain that it had on so many of the soldiers involved while also showing his joy at things like flying. It’s in these moments where Carlos Pacheco’s art shines in “Arrowsmith: Behind Enemy Lines” #1. As the issue begins, Fletcher’s expressions are morose and broken, but as he takes the sky, you see the joy in his eyes. There are plenty of these moments, and Busick and Pacheco do an excellent job capturing the difficulties of being a soldier in World War I. This is especially true with his conversation with Rocky, the troll who worked for his father. Their relationship is sweet and sad, both reminiscing a better time and skirting around difficult conversations of lost family members or the war dragging more of their friends and family into the fray. As the conversation continues, tensions also rise as the prejudice against Rocky becomes more apparent. Trolls are outcasts from society, even as they fight for the allies supposedly trying to make the world a safer place. Busick does an excellent job of capturing the contradictions and prejudices of World War I. Even the presence of magic doesn’t do much to hide humanity’s dark underside.

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In general, it’s interesting to see how the art team presents the world of “Arrowsmith: Behind Enemy Lines” #1 simply for how mundane the majority of the issue feels. Pacheco’s depiction of World War I is seemingly unchanged in those early pages, highlighted by Jose Villarubia’s colorwork. The majority of the issue relies on the browns and tans of the trenches and uniforms. In addition, there are images of blighted earth and destroyed trees. It’s a very dour color palette, complementing Fletcher’s melancholy mood. But then, the pages spring to life with the color of dragons. It’s a simple trick, but it’s incredibly effective. Not only do the dragons bring life to the pages, but it also allows Pacheco to create an innovative and exciting “dog fight” of sorts as Fletcher and his crew fight off a Prussian sorcerer. There’s something about magic that just translates nicely to the pages of a comic book, and comparing those sequences to the otherwise bland color palette of the rest of the issue really makes them sing. Even subtle color changes like Rocky’s grey rock and green moss stand out in an otherwise gloomy world. The book’s coloring makes the magic stand out and feel unique, totally changing the feeling of those sequences and reminding us that while we’re dealing with the horrors of a world war, there is still magic.

The only thing that presents “Arrowsmith: Behind Enemy Lines” #1 from being a standout first issue is the lettering of the narration. While it makes sense that the narration feels from the pages of our protagonist’s diary, the cursive lettering of those entries made it difficult to read. The problem is that much of the issue relied on those narration panels to provide context for Arrowsmith’s secret mission. However, there were other places where the lettering was impactful, specifically with Rocky’s dialogue. The shaky word bubble and slight angling of the letters gave him a deeper, almost gravel-y tone, conveying his struggle with English and perfectly capturing his stony exterior. The sequence with Rocky was the highlight of the issue and one where Busick got to do some excellent worldbuilding before sending his hero into the thick of a dangerous mission. Overall, this was an exciting enough foray into Arrowsmith’s world. Busick and Pacheco have created an intriguing alternate universe, one that’s worth a revisit.

Final Verdict: 8.0 Featuring an intriguing alternate universe and an art style that makes magic feel extraordinary, “Arrowsmith: Behind Enemy Lines” #1 is an exciting reintroduction to a magical series.


Joe Skonce

Joe Skonce was born, raised, and currently resides in Ohio, but has been exploring fantastical and imaginary worlds for as long as he can remember. He loves big guys and barbarians, pirates and puppets, and is always down to find nerdy new things. Come say hi to him on twitter @tunabellgrande.

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