Sgt. Rock: Between Hell & A Hard Place

Rating:
Summary: OK Story, Weak Art...
Review: I've never seen a "Sgt. Rock" comic previous to this, but I am a casual fan of graphic novels and have a casual interest in World War II, so I figured it was worth checking out. After spending an hour reading it cover to cover, I have to admit to a certain level of disappointment. Azarello, whose writing I've liked in the "100 Bullets" series, has come up with a generally compelling story. Sgt. Rock's "Easy Company" is in the Hurtgen Forest (near the German/Belgian border) in late 1944, where the largely routed German Army was able to mount a surprisingly stiff resistance. Down to its core membership, the company has greenhorn replacement soldiers foisted upon it, much to Rock's displeasure. The storyline involves the capture of four SS officers, three of whom are murdered while being escorted back to headquarters. This sets up some tension among the company, since it's not clear who killed them, and some of the soldiers are of the opinion it was murder (since their hands were bound), and others don't. Meanwhile, there's a town that needs taking...

This is all well and fine, but I just didn't find Kubert's art that compelling. Since he set the standard for the "Sgt. Rock" look, he obviously answers to no one when it comes to how the story should look. However, I found both the composition and coloring very weak. I suppose his style is best described as "classic", but I find it far too simplistic and lacking in detail and texture. Everything's very flat, and the washed-out color palate doesn't help. A story set in the Hurtgen ought to be dark, gloomy, scary (the characters even talk about how dark and hard to see it is), but everything is colored in really light shades and looks like it's been lit up with spotlights. Kubert's working in a very restrained paneling system, which is fine, but it really puts the onus on the composition, and most of these are dull as ditchwater. There are probably around 750 panels in the book, and only about 15-20 really arrest one's attention.

If this sounds a little harsh, well, it may be that the standard for depicting World War II combat has gotten very high. "Saving Private Ryan" started the ball rolling, and then there was "The Thin Red Line" and then the truly amazing "Band of Brothers" series. Each of these had their cheezy moments, but "Band of Brothers" especially showed that there was no glory to be won in war, and showed the fighting in the German forests in a much more evocative manner. Granted, it's unfair to compare different mediums, but the truth is that "Band of Brothers" hits you in the gut with its grittiness and this doesn't. Those looking for a for a very good novel on the same material should check out Twilight Zone maestro Richard Matheson's early novel, "The Beardless Warriors", which follows a raw recruit for two weeks as his unit pushes through the German woods.