Over a weekend away and while at a very long swimming session last night* I've read the three Lawless trades currently available. And the first thing to say is why the heck are these trades? Why, oh why can't we get an over-sized hardback(s) of this wonder? Its a simply amazing strip and never has art more deserved the big page and quality paper to pull out magnificence in all its glory. That's not to say that Phil Winslade's art is my favourite art - I mean its damned close but maybe not my absolute favourite - rather that its intricate, precise linework deserves a platform on which it can be admired in all its exquisite detail. Its astonishing stuff and his ability to retain such life, energy, character and movement and not have it drown in its own detail is incredible.
Then you get to the story. Now its fair to say this one plays with things that exactly hit my wheel house. Never in Tharg's world has a western been so western. No not Strontium Dog, not even American Gothic. No this is the most western of strips. The tone, the dialogue, heck the art makes things feel dusty - all play towards this perfectly. The mysterious stranger coming into town, initially a lone gumhand all play with this. Even when it becomes all out war it becomes The Alamo. And I adore westerns.
Add to that talking apes and you have the perfect set up for me.
Put its so much more than that, its the characters. Metta Lawson is a hardcore delight, the real star of the show Nerys Pettifer is a refreshingly charming un2000ad wonder. Both so richly realised. Then add a supporting cast, each, even if only appearing for panels, well crafted, beautifully rendered it really is the character driven piece so many comics claim to be.
Then add to that the action and events are just drop dead perfectly timed, and this really comes to the fore in the trades. In the Megs as it came some of the momentum is lost a little, but read in trade the timing is seen in all its glory, particularly in the buildup to Munce's epic attempt to wipe out Badrock - which speaking of character really achieves that elusive trick of making a character of place - it just build and builds, holding the tension driving things up. Then when the battle strikes its realised in a way that is rarely achieved in any medium.
There's another level as well with this larger overarching story there are the episodic moments - that Dabnett does so well in Brink - that stand alone and build onto the whole. A prime example being the moment Pettifer goes into the mec-church to stop a hold-up and gun a man down. Pettifer coming of age in this western frontier, but that moment, hard and edifying as it is has impact and importance down the line as the seeming moment of transition has a much deeper impact as the story develops. Just brilliant.
So yeah I love, LOVE this series.
To be honest the only question that remains is whether its my favourite ever in The House of Tharg (can't say the Prog). That begs the question is it better than Dante? Can Brink top it when read as one, The Out when it has more time... you know what the advantage Lawless has in being a true western, the consistancy in the art mean I think I might call this now (and regret that at my leisure) Lawless is the greatest comic ever from Thargs Organs.
There said it!
*Clearly I wasn't swimming my daughter was - I'd never get my comics wet!
