North Bend is returning for its ‘second season’, renumbering again at #1 on the cover, but it’s really #6. Speaking of covers, nice cover treatment, reminiscent of Belgian surrealist painter Rene Magritte.
If you and I can recall what happened previously in North Bend, (okay, I looked it up) it takes place in the near future. The US is in bad shape. Economic collapse, political revolution, trouble with Russia. The usual stuff, it seems. Anyway, the CIA recruits Brendan Kruge, a Seattle-based DEA agent. He’s supposed to test an experimental mind drug on some lucky contestants. This of course causes Kruge some trouble. You’ll see.
Now, Kruge takes a mind trip into his past, revisiting scenes of soldierhood with the gang. Hooah, it’s a barrel of battles back then, over in the Baltics, until he gets into working for Intelligence. Now THAT was some weird stuff. It’s ‘back in the day’, paranoic memories galore.
This issue is mostly ‘fought in the mind’, and will definitely twist the reader’s thoughts big time. It’s all a bit disorienting of course, with few clues to rub together. Ryan Ellsworth plots this minefield with big reader assumptions, but if you can follow the bread crumbs, the end buffet is splendid.
The dialogue is short and snappy, the characterizations are full-blooded and gripping. The situational analysis might throw us for a loop, but the ‘sit rep’ is again worth the investment.
Pablo De Bonis (with excellent colour by Paul Little, and great effects lettering from Thomas Mauer) renders things clean and careful, giving us the effect of more ‘outer limits’ moments, just due to the ‘situation normal’ rendering style. It’s deceptively drawn, calming us with the quiet moments, and stunning us with the rest.
Fascinating title, and worth jumping into for its final season!
Scout Comics, North Bend #6, $3.99 for 27 pages of content. Mature
Newsdesk