Unknown Soldier #10

Written by Joshua Dysart
Art by Alberto Ponticelli

I love this title. It would be so easy, in this African incarnation of the classic war character, to restrict this book to a simple action/adventure movie, with CIA agents and brainwashing programs. Those elements are all here, but they are secondary to the story of Uganda.

In this issue, Moses gets into an argument with Angelina Jolie (sorry, Margaret Wells) about what she, or any other celebrity, can accomplish in the midst of an African civil war. "Investments in our markets! Honest trade with the outside world! Micro-loan agencies! Stable banks! Leaders who give a fuck! That's what we need!" he yells - dialogue better suited to an issue of the New Internationalist than to a Vertigo comic. And that's why I love it.

This issue also gives us a look at Paul, the kid that Moses rescued a little while back. He's learning to draw. It's a simple pair of scenes to bookend this issue, but I think its very effective at reminding us what some of the stakes in this conflict are.

Adding to the brilliance of this book, and the wonderful art, is the addition of David Johnson as cover artist. Check out the weapons that Moses is using on the cover. There's a lot to think about with this book, and it's worth more peoples' time to read it.