Light Brigade

Written by Peter J. Tomasi
Art by Peter Snejbjerg

Of late, Peter Tomasi has been tearing up some of the smaller corners of the DC Universe. His Green Lantern Corps has been consistently good, and I've really enjoyed his The Mighty. I heard good things about his Nightwing run, and have started to see his name attached to more and more upcoming projects.

I originally ignored Light Brigade when it came out because I didn't know his name, and as much as I'm a fan of Peter Snejbjerg, I didn't want to risk getting a prestige book written by an unknown quantity.

This is basically further proof that, even after years and years of buying comics, I don't know what I'm talking about. This is a very good title. Tomasi blends elements of Lucifer and Grant Morrison's Zauriel character with Sgt. Rock and a touch of The Eternal Warrior. It's a pretty good fit.

The story is about a fallen angel, and evil angel halfbreeds attempting to use the chaos of the Second World War to ignite an angelic sword. Standing in their way is a small band of American soldiers, under the command of an immortal Roman Centurion. It has all the makings of a good action comic, but what makes this title worth reading is the nice character work by Tomasi, especially on Chris Stavros, an infantryman who has just learned that his wife has died, and who has lost all faith in God. This character's arc is the most interesting part of the book, especially as his faith remains lost even when speaking to angels.

Snejbjerg's work is as brilliant as his work always is. He makes the fantastic aspects of the story fit perfectly alongside the mundane. I don't understand why this guy isn't appreciated more - he's incredibly talented.

Recommended.