Crogan's March. Chris Schweizer. Oni Press (2009)

This is an action packed and very thoughtful period drama. Peter Crogan is a corporal in the French Foreign Legion stationed in a North African French colony in 1912. He is coming to the end of his service time and clearly unsure about what to do next. His company gets a new commanding officer, a very vain and much decorated Captain. The company are given the task of escorting a group of local notables to a neighbouring city. The group are attacked, beat off the attackers and make it to their fort. The action plies up for the rest of the story, a violent siege, a piece of extraordinary military stupidity and Peter Crogan's struggle to do the right thing in swirling circumstances.
The black and while art is very striking,it is not in the least naturalistic or realistic, the cast are clearly differentiated and all the details needed to establish the various locations are provided. It is full of movement and is strikingly expressive. The large cast are given great force and vitality, the action is fast and never monotonous, the reader is easily swept along without ever risking being lost or left behind.
Chris Schweizer manages a very difficult task, not only does he create a great action story he stitches in the complex political and social context it takes place in and makes it essential to the action. The context explains why the action is taking place and gives it force and weight. Various cast members express the a lot range of opinions that probably did exist, the internal and external conflicts between the coloniser and the colonised, they do not overwhelm the story in any way. Peter Crogan is trying to do his duty as he understands it which places him at the centre of the competing views, he clings to his duty as his defense against them all.The sophisticated storytelling adds flavour and depth to the narritive and allows Peter Crogan to emerge as a wonderful, engaging and interesting character. A great read.

Crogan's Vengance. Chris Schweizer. Oni Press (2008)

A most unusual, thoughtful and exciting pirate story. "Catfoot" Crogan becomes a pirate by force of circumstance and finds that he has a talent for it. Divisions within the pirate crew that he is involved in means that he has to escape and then plan his vengeance. The story is artfully constructed, the reveals are very nicely paced, the action is excellent and matched by the smart thinking that is Crogan's greatest strength. The cast are varied and very credible, the situations are enjoyably tense and the resolutions are unexpected and satisfying, the conclusion is natural and effective.

Chris Schweizer has created a pirate story that deftly mixed the harsh details of pirate life, the savage tortures that prisoners could suffer, the delicate democracy that existed on a pirate ship that regulated the relations between captain and crew. The high spirited action that any pirate story should have is present in abundance and it mixes naturally with the details of the political context for piracy in the Caribbean. The black and white art is very loose, the faces are expressive and cartoony, the details are sparse and always pertinent. The action flows with vigour and clarity, the dialogue is crisp and pointed.

This book side steps the cliches of pirate stories while capturing the essential aspects that any pirate story needs to have. A strong plot, a believable cast and superb pacing make this a hugely enjoyable book.