Retro-Read: Arrowsmith

[GreatLakesAvengers]

I finally read through Kurt Busiek and Carlos Pacheco's Arrowsmith (published by Cliffhanger/Wildstorm). It tells the story of alternate universe to ours where the world of magic has infiltrated itself into the Earth. It's effects on warfare are shown here in the World War I era.

It follows Fletcher Arrowsmith as he joins the "air force" and does a wonderful job of portraying the terrible business of war. We're brought along for the ride as Fletcher progresses from a wide-eyed innocent hick to a true leader and man of honor.

Kurt Busiek does an incredible job in getting across how awful war is and the mindset of the "grunts" on either side. He makes a great point: that even the soldiers on the "bad guys' side" are doing what they have to do and what they think is the right thing to do.

Carlos Pacheco's art is, as always, a pleasure to look at and provides a consistent and believable mix of trolls, dragons and monsters alongside human soldiers.

http://image.milehighcomics.com/istore/images/large/04816030679.2.gif

I can't recommend this series enough. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem that there was any kind of follow up on this besides a one-shot book with Astro City.

[mgs]

i know some people went nuts over this series when it first came out, but I was not one of those people. it was good, but sort of complicated to read and weren't there delay problems? I don't know why the title ended or anything either.

[riley rossmo]

I read it as it came out, as an artist I thought it was beautiful a little to fantasy for me, but good none the less. The delays sucked but what sucked more was there was no end it seemed like it was going to be at least a 12 issue series given the pacing. Every time I see the trae I think about buying it cause I have no Idea where the issues are then I remember no end.

R,

[GreatLakesAvengers]

Actually, as I recall it was always meant to be a complete 6 issue mini series. There is a definite ending to the series but it's evident that Busiek and Pacheco had more mini series planned to exlore the Arrowsmith universe more.

And, years later, delay issues are no longer a concern. That's the beauty of retro-reading :-p

[sheets]

IIRC, Busiek recently said a sequel will be coming sometime in the near future, and that it would probably be a short novel with Pacheco providing illustrations.