What better way to celebrate Canada Day than to hoist a mug of maple syrup in your favourite hockey jersey along with a copy of Brian K. Vaughan and Steve Skroce’s We Stand on Guard #1?
2112: the White House has been bombed - blame Canada!
12 years later…
Canada is now an American province, the United States Army having crushed the Canadian military (some guy called Bill). Now robot dogs and giant AT-AT-Walker-types roam the Great White North in search of any resistance. The Two-Four are the last rebel group, leading the fight back against the Yanks’ occupation.
Oh, sounds exciting, eh?
It really is! Vaughan’s given us a bonkers scenario, presenting it in a kind of Star Wars-ian style. The Americans are the Empire, the Canadians are the Rebel Alliance, the snow setting reminds you of Hoth, and you’ve even got a Steve Skroce version of an AT-AT!
This first issue is extra-long and Vaughan uses the space to expertly set the scene quickly, introduce us to Amber, our main character, the Two-Four, and even manages to throw in a superb action sequence as the rebels bring down the walker. It’s perfect comics storytelling with excellent pacing, a great balance between knowing when to lean on the writer or the artist in a scene, and no wasted panels. This is a writer at the top level of his field.
Skroce is best known for his storyboard work on the Wachowski’s movies like The Matrix Trilogy, Speed Racer, and more, so its great to see him returning to comics. His incredibly detailed line work gives the futuristic designs a stunning beauty. Your eye’s going to be drawn to the bits and pieces that make up the robots, lingering on the skilfully put-together small details by a master craftsman. Couple that with Matt Hollingsworth’s amazing colours and you’ve got a fantastic-looking comic.
Forget DC’s baffling Convergence or Marvel’s bloated Secret Wars - Image’s We Stand on Guard is this summer’s must-read event comic! This first issue is an awesome start to what looks like one of the year’s best titles.
Canucks unite - la resistance lives on!
We Stand on Guard #1
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