Review: Operation Broken Wings, 1936 #1

 There’s something strangely compelling about this book, theway the story and main character linger in your thoughts after reading it.While sitting at work my mind would wander to different scenes in the book. Ifound this strange because I liked the book but I didn't feel the need to shoutfrom the mountain tops about it. It was no Pinpoint for sure, but there wassomething that really got its hooks in me and didn't let go. Perhaps it was theall too familiar World War II setting, or the witty narrative of a Nazi spy onthe verge of defecting from the third Reich. Whatever it is, it worked and I’mglad that Boom brought the book over to the states.

The story opens with a man addressed only as Major at thetime arriving at a home in Austria. He’s making some sort of deal with the manand his son, but it’s about to turn bad as both parties are plotting to kill theother. After the Major refuses to drink his poisoned tea the man’s son pulls agun on him; too bad for the son that the Major is a trained assassin and makesquick work of the son. The father makes a break for the woods, but the Majortakes aim with the gun and shoots him in the leg. He’s not done with the old manas he puts his leg in a tourniquet and drags him back to the house for interrogation.

After the Major receives the information he wants he headsback to Germany to check in from the real mission he was sent on. Here we seehim go through several meetings and run-ins that all appear normal on theoutside. The fact is that the Major is a very loyal Nazi, but his narration andthoughts allude to him being anything but. The story is good there is nodenying that, it incorporates the time its set very well but doesn’t get lostin trying to show how jacked up the world was at the time. Writer Herik Hannadrops reminders of the fear and danger of Germany during the time, but he relieson your knowledge of the Holocaust and history to fill in the gritty detailsbecause he’s trying to do something different with his story. That’s not to sayhe downplays events at all, if anything the little bit he offers of the worldis quite scary and makes you wonder how anyone made it through when they couldeasily be taken away.

This is some of Trevor Hairsine’s best work and it makes mewonder what he could have done with his career if he hadn't worked at Marvel.Let’s be honest, nothing he did at Marvel was that good and it all looked likehis best attempt at copy Bryan Hitch (I’m sure Marvel told him to do that).This has a great style to it that is detailed, but full of grittiness thatplays well to the era. In particular I like the way the main character looks inevery scene. He has an arrogance to him that doesn't come off in the dialog,but rather how he stands and his mannerisms. I’m really looking forward to therest of the series to see Hairsine at his best.

I was on the fence about this book before it came out. LikeI said previously Hairsine’s Marvel work was less than thrilling, so who knewhe would deliver the goods with this series. The creative team is really solidand there is just something about this story and way it was presented that Ireally enjoyed. I’m glad that I checked it out and this is yet another greatBoom book to release back to back (See Seven Warriors #1). I think there’s apart in all of us that find WWII fascinating and trust me, you will find thisbook fascinating as well so pick it up.

Score – 4/5