THE MONARCHY

Issue #1

"Red Shift"

Words: Doselle Young

Pencils: John McCrea

Inks: Garry Leach

� � � � � "From the Pages of The Authority" reads the cover copy, and that's essentially, of misleadingly, true. Those who are familiar with that series, and Stormwatch that went before it, will recognize versions of many of those characters here, as a cast is slowly assembled from across alternate Earths and realities.

� � � � � It's admittedly as early in the series as things can be, and the characters might grow on me in time, but so far I'm not encouraged. Yes, I know that all comics are works of fiction, none more real than the next, but there's nonetheless some element of cheating involved in these pan-reality stories. After all, if a character dies the group can skip a reality or two over and pick up a very likely replacement.

� � � � � �Still, if you're deep into The Authority, are looking for something in a vein similar to that and, perhaps, The Invisibles, are a McCrea completist or even just think that it's somehow keen that a guy could be named Doselle... this could be your series.

� � � � � �Speaking of McCrea, his artwork... just doesn't seem to fit. I'm perfectly willing to cop to a charge that I'm being inflexible, and after all this time of my primary association with him being through Hitman that I'm confusing his sensibilities with those of Garth Ennis. Maybe the quirky, somewhat dishevelled appearance of most of his people would be seen by some as a great humanizing influence, you know, something to remind us that these people are in so many respects just like all the other people we might be standing beside in a market or a bar. (Oh, excuse me: Pub. I forgot we're all supposed to use British terms so we seem more fashionable.) So, it could just be me, but I find it difficult to accept any of these characters as having much sophistication based on the way they're drawn. This is similar to how I wouldn't see someone like Norm Breyfogle as being right for this series.

� � � � � �My big question - and I'll do a little research on this and come back to change it if I find out definitively one way or another, but in the meantime: Is the inker on this issue the same Leach who gave us those brilliant and compelling early pencils on Marvelman (Miracleman when reprinted and continued here in the states years later), and if so why aren't we seeing him as the artist?! �When it comes to comics I have to look at, you'll excuse the expression, the full picture, and if this is the same guy then such an art change would most definitely make the difference between me letting this series go (as is almost certainly the case) or putting it on my Must Have list. He would suit this series far better than the talented, but IMHO misplaced, McCrea.

� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � MJN

� � � � � �� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Agree? Disagree? Comments? Let me know on the Embassy Messageboard