Broken Frontier

After a rather lengthy delay between issues, Garth Ennis’ 303 kicks back into gear. The story is nowhere near what it started as, but it is just as fascinating.

Late books have been a source for constant consternation since I began reading over a dozen years ago. Having four or more months between issues makes the story difficult to follow. And while this has been one of the primary reasons for the comic book readership moving more toward a "wait for the trade" mentality, there are some books that must be read as soon as they are released (And, hey, 303 is nowhere near a Daredevil: Target, for example).

This issue of 303 was a little hard to wrap my head around at first. It doesn’t progress the story all that much, and there are some shocking moments that seem a little distracting. However, when I put the book down I decided to wait to review it, resolving to think about what I’d just read. I’m pretty glad I did because I think what Garth Ennis has given the readers with 303 #5 is quite possibly the most cerebral writing of his career. He’s always been strong with showing the elements of history and the brutality of warfare, but I’ve never read anything from him that might qualify as a poetic social statement on the history of the American West. About 80% of the story is told in prose with some wonderfully shocking backdrops that parallel the story being told with some of the unforgivable truths of how this nation came to be. The result is a Garth Ennis tale unlike anything we’ve ever seen from him.

Jacen Burrows does a fantastic job of complementing the script with his detailed and often horrifying visual storytelling. He is likely the reason for the delay on this book, but after seeing his product I’m not at all surprised or upset about it. Setting this series mostly in the desert has allowed for some breathtaking visuals, and Greg Waller does a fantastic job of making that happen. There are a few desert sunset vistas that particularly caught my eye--some of the best colors I’ve seen in awhile.

Garth Ennis’ 303 has been something of an anomaly. It has been all over the map storywise, but has maintained a nice sense of direction. According to solicitations there is only one part of the tale left to tell. From everything I’ve read, there is also quite a bit of story left to go with it. We’ve seen that Ennis can pack a lot of story into one issue without overdoing it so the only issue that remains is, will the ending be as strong as the beginning and middle? I have little doubt that it will…even if I have to wait until the New Year to find out.