At the request of the original announcement to escape, author Rick Remender boldly called the film the “perfect comic book.” After reading the first issue, I tend to agree with him. Escape is a war comic unlike anything we’ve seen for quite some time, as it forces us to consider the inhumane humanity that has come to innocent people during the war, so it does so with an instantly seductive cast of dogs, cats and other anthropomorphic animals.
John Steinbeck once wrote, “All wars are symptomatic of human failure as thought animals.” By portraying the characters as animals rather than humans, Remender and Daniel Acuña challenge readers to sympathize with both sides of this war in unexpected ways. Remender reads “A few years ago I read an article about how humans feel greater empathy for animals than other humans.” Again, this kind of shorthand is not something I fully expect, but the choice to cast the book in Talking Animal lends the story a kind of immediate kinship. Little do we know these characters before things get really scary, but I don’t have the courage to see the immediate results of this big dogfight in question (no pun intended).
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It’s a great gambit that really pays off. The first problem is that the character itself tries to streamline the tragic mission at hand, clearing the path where “big things” are dropped into enemy territory, and striving desperately not to place himself in the shoes of the civilians below. Just as we became insensitive to seeing war stories featuring humans, these soldiers were able to almost convince themselves that all “bats” (opposite representing Nazi Germany) were the same. However, when the bombs begin to fall, Remender and Acuña confirm to be everyday citizens of the country and get the worst. The family is scattered for the hills. The couple leans towards the corner as they watch a cloud of mushrooms jump out the window. It was visceral and created even more terrifying and emotional charm with Ackna’s exquisite character acting and body language.
Is using this approach with animals a form of emotional manipulation? Most certainly. However, the escape is very beautifully written and perfectly paced, and stands as a form of operation with artistic merit. As a culture, we’ve become accustomed to seeing atrocities happening every day in the media and in the real news. And we are prone to fall into “us vs. them” rhetoric to help us sleep at night. However, some of the ways in which these animals are depicted in this book force readers to consider them soulful beings. Even if I was excited by the action sequence, I still felt a stomach hole throughout most of this initial problem. Some of the plot elements that were teased here and in interviews with the creative team about the series, I’m totally invested in where it goes. Without fear of exaggeration, I think Escape could be the answer to this generation’s action-packed mouse. Sadly, like the latter book, the themes Escape explored are forever relevant.
“Escape” #1 is a unique dogfight
Escape #1
“Escape” has a compelling start, exploring immortal themes in new ways, boldly making readers considerate on both sides of the horrifying war.
The use of anthropomorphized animals causes readers to consider the costs of war in other ways
The action sequence is thrilling despite the book highlighting the reminder of civilian costs.
Characters are quickly memorable and used to explore the book’s themes in ways that stimulate thoughts
