I’ve put it off long enough.
At the beginning of the year, when I was still in the middle of The Old Guard fandom, I was ecstatic with the news of the new comics coming out. When we found out it was an anthology, I was pretty happy to hear it, because I wasn’t expecting anything until the final set of issues for the series released (which we still don’t have a date for).
So. This is how I’m going to review all six issues. I want to talk about the covers first, as I have have (to my knowledge) all the released covers. I’ll be discussing them in their sets (A, B, C, and exclusive variants). It’s only fair to do so this way. After that, I’m going to talk about each individual story, as there are twelve total. I’ll give the brief summary, and my take on it.
This won’t be a traditional review, because I normally don’t read traditional comics. I’m mostly in this for the story more than anything, because I still love the world that TOG created. I’m not giving each story or issue a grade, because each story was written by someone else. But I’ll try to be honest and fair.
The Covers
Each issue released in three variant covers (excluding the first issue, which had a total of five).
Cover A
The “A” covers are character covers. Each one features a main character in TOG, excluding Noriko/Quynh and including… Yitzhak? He’s on the 6th issue. He’s important to the plot going forward.
Cover B
The “B” covers are the most fun of the three covers. Each one features a moment from one of the two stories included in each issue. My personal favorite is the first issue, with Nicky and Joe in Berlin. Because… Reasons.
Cover C
The “C” covers are really cool, as they tell a story when laid out. Each cover tells a war story from a different time, adding characters as they are discovered as immortals. They’re done very well, IMO
Variant Covers
These are two variant covers for the first issue. The first was done for Out of the Vault by John Gallagher. I’m not too much of a fan of it, but I’m not really sure why. It just doesn’t do anything for me. The second was more widely available, designed by Santa Fung. If I don’t count the Berlin cover, this would be my favorite cover by far. I just love the superhero lineup.
The Stories
“My Mother’s Axe” – Story by Greg Rucka, Art by Leandro Fernandez (Issue 1A)
The story of Andy’s axe, from when Andy was a child, to where she is right now, training with Nile on the beach. The story is riddled with little moments of character history, mostly focusing on Andy. It’s a good backstory, but I felt that it was a bit slow, but also bloated.
“Zanzibar and Other Harbors” – Story by Andrew Wheeler, Art by Jacopo Camagni (Issue 1B)
Nicky and Joe are in Berlin right as the Nazi party has taken control, at one of the last few clubs that at one point were open to men to be together. After dancing in a park, they save a young woman from being raped by a Nazi. It’s probably one of my favorite stories, especially because of how powerful Joe and Nicky’s love comes across the pages. It’s worth it. (And I love this look for Joe and Nicky. I wish Camagni was the main artist, honestly.)
“Bonsai Shokunin” – Story by Kelly Sue DeConnick, Art by Valentine De Landro (Issue 2A)
This is a Noriko story. Or, at least it supposed to be. But really, it’s a moment in time for this unnamed Japanese soldier. And while I do love me some Noriko, this one just didn’t click for me. (Though I did love the art in this one.) The B variant cover is inspired by this story, BTW.
“Strong Medicine” – Story by Eric Trautmann, Art by Mike Henderson (Issue 2B)
It’s the Wild West for Booker, on his way to meet Andy in San Francisco. For Booker, he ends up getting on the wrong side of the local group of assholes in a dead end town, gets shot up, and then commits mass murder. It’s a whole thing. Oh and he saves a doctor, who goes on to be the grandfather or Merrick, the psycho jackass from the first series/movie. So there’s that. We get to see a bit of Booker’s mindset here. It’s fun. He can be just as brutal as Andy. No wonder the two of them are the same, but also foils.
“Passchendaele” – Story by Brian Michael Bendis, Art by Michael Avon Oeming (Issue 3A)
Andy is a Mom! Kinda. Thanks to a flashback the conflict in Passchendaele, we discover that she saved a young boy who she basically raised as a son. Of course, she hasn’t seen him in years, and her stumbling into his restaurant was by happenstance, but still, it’s clear that there is love here. I’m not a fan of this art style, unfortunately, but it does pay homage to the 70’s, where the bulk of the story takes place. (Also, our first reference to Yitzhak!)
“Lacus Solitudinis” – Story by Robert Mackenzie & Dave Walker, Art by Justin Greenwood (Issue 3B)
Joe and Andy are in San Francisco (geez, they really like it there. Head for LA instead, we have the Dodgers, damnit), in a bar, watching the moon landing. Nicky and Booker are in Minnesota, facing down a homophobic cop who let a serial killer walk and continue his heinous queerphobic streak. Both have reasons to be separated, and are shown so passionately through the dialogue and art of this story. It’s powerful, and it hurts damnit.
“How to Make a Ghost Town” – Story by Matt Fraction, Art by Steve Lieber (Issue 4A)
Andy returns to the small town where she lived happily with one of her lovers Achilles. She’d left him to move on once he was an old man, by his insistence (in the second series). Unfortunately, soon after she left, the town burned down his home and killed him in cold blood. So, Andy returns to see him, discovers what happened, and kills everyone in the town, leaving ruins behind. While I wasn’t a fan of the introduction of Achilles in the earlier comics (mostly because I firmly believe that Noriko is Andy’s one true love), this piece is very powerful, and it actually made me cry. Reading it a second time for this review make it all that more.
“Love Letters” – Story by David F. Walker, Art by Matthew Clark (Issue 4B)
Nicky murders a ridiculous amount of Confederate racists. It’s violent, and full of the “bad guys” calling people the n-word, which I will not write out here. It’s a powerful piece, but made me vastly uncomfortable, so much so I don’t really want to think about it. (Oh, and why is Nicky drawn like an ape? Seriously, it’s uncomfortable-looking.)
“An Old Soul” – Story by Jason Aaron, Art by Rafael Albuquerque (Issue 5A)
1978 New York City, Booker ends up being “captured” by a group of radical nuns, hellbent on ridding the world of perversion and sin. They use Booker for training purposes (how to kill and whatnot)… oh, and totally as a sex object. Seriously, we have an orgy scene. Andy is not impressed. This is an odd story, because I’m so damn uncomfortable with it, but at the same time, Booker having an orgy with young nuns is hilarious.
“Never Gets Old” – Story by Alejandro Arbona, Art by Kano (Issue 5B)
Another Booker story, this time with him only a few years returned to France after his first death, and proving that his relationship with his son Philippe wasn’t always as strained. Before Philippe grows bitter of Booker’s immortality, they are thick as thieves, stopping a man in the middle of a very expensive restaurant from being a total dick. While I love having another story based on Booker… it’s feels so shortsighted. I’ll explain my thoughts in a moment.
“Many Happy Returns” – Story by Vita Ayala, Art by Nicola Scott (Issue 6A)
It’s Booker’s birthday, and because he is in exile, he’s drinking in excess and touring a museum in France that has artifacts that have survived the Napoleonic Wars, including a small stuffed doll given to him as a gift from his youngest son when Booker was sentenced to the army for forgery. In an effort to make him feel better, Nile and Andy stage an elaborate ruse to steal the doll back and give it to him. It’s done well, and really shows just how much Nile and Andy care for Booker. I’m not a total fan of the artwork, but it fits the style of the story.
“The Bear” – Story by Greg Rucka, Art by Leandro Fernandez (Issue 6B)
In which we are introduced to Yitzhak (or Isaac, anglicized). He’s a hermit in the north, only visiting the nearest town before winter. It’s clear that he’s build up a good repour with everyone in town. After he returns to his remote cabin, he goes hunting and is killed by a bear. They become friends. So… who is Yitzhak? Well, we can assume he is immortal, and that he has been or once was part of Andy’s team. And… that’s about it. We are left with this mystery as to who this immortal is, and why is he in isolation. I have thoughts on this.
Final Thoughts
I am of two minds with this anthology series. One, it’s been amazing to read through twelve short stories featuring the characters we know and love. But at the same time… we kinda got screwed in the character department. Let me quickly break it down.
- Issue #1: Andy and Nile | Joe and Nicky
- Issue #2: Noriko | Booker
- Issue #3: Andy | Nicky and Booker, Andy and Joe
- Issue #4: Andy | Nicky
- Issue #5: Booker (feat Andy) | Booker
- Issue #6: Andy and Nile (feat Booker) | Yitzhak
It’s very disproportionate. Andy and Booker take center stage, witch Nicky clocking one more appearance than Joe. Noriko gets one story and a few flashbacks. Nile (who I figured wouldn’t feature heavily as it was), was scene twice. And of course, the mysterious Yitzhak, who only had one major appearance.
The thing is, Joe and Nicky have become by far the most popular characters in the TOG universe. It’s weird the choices of stories, as at least one of Booker’s could probably have been cut to give Joe a solo story, or even one with Nicky. It’s just an odd choice to me to not be embracing what the fans seem to want. (But, considering how Netflix treats the TOG fandom… somehow I’m not entirely surprised.)
Leaving aside that, I very much enjoyed a vast majority of the stories. Yes, there were a few I wasn’t a fan of, but for the most part, they were great. Nothing can really top the Berlin story, mostly because it captures the love Joe and Nicky have so beautifully in the moonlight…
All in all, I’d give the collection a solid 4/5. If you’re a fan of The Old Guard, give this one a read. Especially because I have a feeling a good portion is going to tie into The Old Guard: Not Fade Away, the third and final part of the main series, to be released… in 2022 I think.
Until next time!
