The old West as it really was. That’s the mission statement behind Caryn A. Tate’s western series Red Plains…
When I was preparing to write this review I was rather surprised to note that it’s been two years since I last covered Caryn A. Tate’s Western series Red Plains here in ‘Small Pressganged’. Lovingly crafted as an authentic take on the genre without resorting to the tired old clichés that have come to cling to it over the decades, Red Plains defiantly lives up to its taglines “Welcome to the real West” and “No stereotypes. No shortcuts.”
The instalment in this ongoing historical soap opera that I’m looking at today – Red Plains: Accidents Will Happen – charts another chapter in the lives of the townsfolk trying to eke out an existence in this often violent but always carefully realised world. In 40-plus story pages, Accidents Will Happen’s primary focus is on the return of the much put upon Joe Morelli to his role as deputy in Sherriff Doles’s team, the effect that traumatic recent events have had on him, and a terrible decision that, no doubt, will have further repercussions in the future…
One of the elements that I love about Red Plains is its attempts to recreate its historical environs with a level of accuracy that guarantees both legitimacy and realism. Accidents Will Happen is strikingly dramatic in the way that it builds on prior events within the Red Plains narrative and also in the manner in which it pushes character development further by marking what appears to be a significant turning point for at least one cast member. However, just as valid, and just as important in bringing a sense of genuineness to the book are those little touches: the innovation of cold beer coming to the town for the first time, for example, or the buzz in the streets when the cattle drive arrives in this issue.
Butch Mapa’s visuals play a vital role in fostering the sense of historical faithfulness here. His depiction of the wild and untamed landscapes are stunning enough in the second half of the comic but there’s a real sense of power to his character work here as well. He says so much in just a character’s look about their emotional states. From the damaged Joe’s volatile outbursts to a shadowy look from the manipulative deputy Ray Tucker he adds a whole extra dimension to Tate’s already intricately fleshed out players.
Over the last few years Caryn A. Tate has assembled a rich and sprawling company of protagonists in a number of Red Plains arcs. Sometimes the stories move on a character’s situation meaningfully, sometimes their subplots develop in a more incremental fashion. But what always remains the case is that every event in Red Plains has consequences, every decision has ramifications, and every storyline grows organically out of the greater whole. If you haven’t visited this painstakingly accurate depiction of the old West before it’s long overdue that you look in on what really is a true community of characters…
For more on Red Plains check out the official website here. Red Plains: Accidents Will Happen is available priced $1.99 for download from Graphicly here and comes with a number of bonus extras. All previous issues are also accessible there and the book can also be obtained on all digital platforms.
