Dreaming Eagles #1 –
Aftershock Comics
Written by Garth Ennis
Art by Simon Colby
Colors by John Kalisz
Letters by Rob Steen
Cover by Francesco Francavilla
You’ve heard us talk about the impressive creative teams lined up by Aftershock Comics, but now it’s time to see what they’ve got. Dreaming Eagles is their fourth new release of the month of December, rounding out their initial round of releases. This one takes a huge risk, question is, does it pay off?
This story is billed by Aftershock as a story of “first African American fighter pilots to join the United States Army Air Force in WWII.” I quote that because, I feel like this first issue was so much more than that. It dealt with race relations in 1960s America and the different perspectives between the African-American youth and their parents during that time period. We see the story of former pilot Reggie Atkinson and his son who is very interested in the words being spoken by Martin Luther King, Jr. We go back and forth between flashbacks of Reggie’s days as a pilot and the present day relationship with his family. The two things intertwine, leading to Reggie eventually deciding to tell his son his story inside and outside of that plane.
The tension in this series, especially in the early pages, is so gripping. Ennis has done wartime aviation stories in the past, but the depth he adds to this particular story may be one of his best yet. You really feel what’s going on with these characters, and you really get a good look at Reggie’s mindset. The art, especially in the flashback scenes, was very solid. What I love here is that everyone involved wasn’t afraid to take a risk on telling a story about race relations and inspired by a true story. If these are the kinds of comics that Aftershock is going to publish, they will become a major player in the industry over time.
RATING: PULL