Briggs Land, Volume 1: State of Grace Review (Brian Wood, Mack Chater)

Briggs Land: the largest secessionist movement in the United States, founded in the wake of the civil war and sat on a hundred square miles of prime real estate. Jim Briggs, the head of the Briggs crime family, rules the land from prison after attempting to assassinate the president. But when his wife Grace discovers he may be bargaining with the government to sell the land in exchange for a commuted sentence, she begins a takeover, triggering a war within the family. The king is dead – long live the queen!

When Brian Wood is on, he is ON - Briggs Land, Volume 1: State of Grace is really good! The story hits the ground running as Grace immediately instigates her power grab, and then we’re into it. Warring sons, rogue ATF agents, white supremacist thugs, money launderers, everyone’s got guns – so many guns! - and plenty of tense action to keep things lively. It’s very Shakespearean, albeit for the 21st century.

The characters are a compelling, distinct bunch: Grace, the cool-headed, iron-willed matriarch; Isaac, the youngest son, dutiful and honour-bound; Caleb, the oldest, brutal and ruthless whose loyalties are questionable – are they to his dad, maw, or himself?; and Noah, the middle son and wild card, running loose executing enemies of the family. Stir in a couple of shady government agents looking to bring down Grace and the vicious former head, Jim, and you’ve got a helluva cast. It’s a clichéd comparison at this point but this book really did remind me of Breaking Bad – they’re both high quality, exciting crime dramas. I can easily see why AMC snapped this up to develop into a TV show.

Wood’s storytelling is masterful. There’s an excellent balance between quiet pages, where we see Grace go about her everyday life – fine character-building moments and a nice breather from the drama – the occasional inner monologue, where we can hear the characters’ thoughts, exterior action, and flashbacks, all utilised perfectly.

The only criticism I have is Mack Chater’s art, which is serviceable but quite plain and a bit boring. Otherwise, Briggs Land is a triumph. I really enjoyed it and found it thoroughly entertaining – roll on Volume 2!