Crogan's Loyalty

What I try to do with reviews at this Bookshelf blog is keep it simple and spoiler-free, and let you know whether I'd recommend you pick up a copy of what I just read. Seems to work okay. This time, a brief review of Crogan's Loyalty (Oni, 2012).

I'll tell you what I don't like about Chris Schweizer's series of Crogan comics: they come out far too infrequently. Don't get me wrong; they're worth the wait, probably take this side of forever to research, write and draw, and each is huge fun. The third, Crogan's Loyalty, was released earlier this year, but since I have not gone out comic shopping for quite some time, it remained something to purchase some other day. Happily, my wife surprised me by picking up a copy from Schweizer when she saw him at Dragon*Con.

This time out, the heroes are the squabbling brothers William and Charles, who find themselves on opposite sides of the American Revolution. They are the grandchildren of the pirate character from the first book, back in 2008. This time out, the characters are set in the tough wilderness of the colonies. William has found himself a sweetheart who lives with her family deep in the forest near Indian land, and Charles has sworn loyalty to the crown and works as a guide for Hessian troops.

As with the previous stories, this is a fantastic, unpredictable adventure with high stakes and a degree of attention that few of Schweizer's peers come close to meeting. I love his artwork, and that deep, dark curve to his lines, and I love how incredibly well he lays out the action scenes. It's an amazingly fun story, certainly worth spending a couple of days with. If you've not read the previous stories, you will certainly want to track them down afterward, and then join me in impatiently waiting for the next one.

Crogan's March

What I try to do with reviews at this Bookshelf blog is keep it simple and spoiler-free, and let you know whether I'd recommend you pick up a copy of what I just read. Seems to work okay. This time, a brief review of Crogan's March (Oni, 2010)



I've had the great pleasure of speaking with Chris Schweizer a couple of times now, and have been looking forward to the second Crogan book for what has seemed like ages. Since each story in the planned 15-volume adventure series is a single 160-odd-page comic, these don't arrive as quickly as anyone would prefer. There's a lot of research and development that goes into each book even before the creator lays out the action and the pacing, which must take forever, and the books' front and endpieces lay out the Crogan family tree, so readers can speculate on what action is around the corner.

This time out, we're introduced to Peter Crogan, the great-great-great-somethin' grandson of the hero of the first adventure. Peter is finishing out his contract in the French Foreign Legion around 1912, occupying hostile territory in northern Africa, when he gets a blustering new officer whose recklessness might keep him from ever going home. From sandstorms to thieves to desperate men fighting in the desert, this story hits all the genre's tropes, and executes them very well, ending with a remarkable, unexpected climax.

I really like looking at Schweizer's artwork and following the action on the pages. Once in a while, he does sort of lose me with an occasional character design - there's a fellow in here with a chin so mighty that he doesn't look human anymore - but I just love the attention to costume and period detail, and the great, sweeping, thick lines that carry the action from frame to frame. Even the sound effects accentuate the art, with the noise of a machine gun punctuating the panels and the characters' movement.

Schweizer is planning to create 15 adventures in this saga, with the third, set in 1776, due next. I've still got my fingers crossed that he'll tell the story of "Calloway" Crogan, the 1950s PI, sooner rather than later, but whatever order these are released, it's definitely a series worth following. Possibly not for the youngest of readers, but this book and its predecessor are happily recommended for anybody aged eleven and up.

Crogan's Vengeance

Here's how this works. I read a book or two and tell you about them and try not to get too long-winded. This time, a review of Crogan's Vengeance (Oni, 2008).



I've met the very talented Chris Schweizer a couple of times and he's such a fun, engaging guy that I was really looking forward to trying his stuff. I picked up a copy of Crogan's Vengeance, the first in a projected series of sixteen books charting the adventures of several members of a family who've lived far more exciting lives than you, from Chris at the Fluke mini-con in Athens, and enjoyed it thoroughly. This book presents a tale of piratical action of "Catfoot" Crogan. Later this year, Oni will publish Crogan's March, featuring a descendant's tale in the French Foreign Legion, and, unable to help myself, I've suggested he get to the hard-boiled detective story sooner rather than later.

A nicely-designed and packaged hardcover story, this is a perfect way to spend a long lunch hour, enjoying Crogan's unhappy time in the service of a numbskull, service which abruptly ends when pirates seize the ship and Crogan gets a place among their number, but makes dangerous enemies along the way. Schweizer's eye for research and details really helps sell this story. His loose style took a little getting used to, but I love his inking and all the intricate work in the backgrounds, really making this great fun to dig into and appreciate the artwork as much as the thrilling little story.

How much did I like this book? Well, some years back, I briefly dated this girl out in Madison who enjoys pirate adventures. She and I parted on terrible terms and have only communicated in sneers towards each other since, and yet when I read this a few weeks ago, I found myself wishing she would read it. It's that fun: an all-ages romp that I recommend for you, your kids, and even your arch-enemies, should you have any.