Quarry's War #3 takes place in 1972 and 1969 (through a series of flashbacks) and is, in a word, transportive. The story itself is flawlessly communicated with 70s prose and dialogue, but as good as the writing is, the artwork is really what carries the reader away. The palette shift between the '72 main story arc and the '69 flashback scenes are subtle, but effective.
Quarry's War may take place in the past, but it feels current.
There are definitely more than a few dark themes here, made all the more so by their basis in reality within the historical setting of the story. The flashbacks to Vietnam involve a grisly tale about torture, mercy killings and brothers in arms. There's rough language, not just the words but their social implications, and Collins glosses over nothing. Instead of offensive, however, it comes off as gritty and real.
The main story arc itself is filled with angst over Quarry's latest target, an old war buddy, and a brief glimpse into the life of his hitman partner, Boyd. The angle taken for this aspect of the narrative probably could have been anything (it serves as a way to get Quarry alone on the case), but it isn't, to Collins' credit. We find out Boyd is a homosexual man living in the 70s, a rough time for LGBT+ individuals to say the least. Again, nothing is glossed over in this depiction of Boyd's lifestyle and the desperation that accompanies it for a man of his occupation (paid assassin) and takes a messy but ultimately impactful turn.
There is not a moment of this installment of
Quarry's War that doesn't inspire visceral reaction, and while that tac is often played for shock value, with Collins' writing it is simply organic. If you haven't tried this series yet, I'm really not sure what you're waiting for!
Quarry's War #3 is out tomorrow, so now is the time to
catch up on 1 and 2!
Are you a fan of Collins' work? Let us know how you feel about
Quarry's War in the comments!