With the highly unusual combination of an anthropomorphic main cast and the World War II vibes, Escape is not your conventional comic – some readers may not even try it.
That would be a mistake.
Rick Remender and Daniel Acuña are putting in some of the best work ever, and that’s saying something given their careers. Its main character has been trapped behind enemy lines, and in Escape #7, he accomplished a task that an entire army couldn’t. So now he can just lie over and die, right? Not if the enemy resistance has anything to say about it!
Considering the main character, Milton, was basically on a suicide mission and was good with a heroic death, it almost seems unfair that he’s barely alive yet being dragged back to health. With this new direction in mind, Remender seems to be pulling Milton along and forcing a good man to consider that maybe the horrors of war can’t just be escaped with death. His struggle continues, and based on the events of this issue, likely more guilt will be heaped on him.
Escape #8 is also very much about the fallout of Milton blowing up a major defense cannon and the repercussions of war that most aren’t alive to see. Not only did he kill a top general’s son, gaining the personal ire of the enemy, but the resistance within the enemy lines will also suffer greatly from his actions. Besides this being an intense issue with a ticking clock as the enemy closes in, it’s a reminder that actions in war don’t simply end.
War…is hell.
Credit: Image
A big reason this series is a great one for anyone not even a smidge interested in war comics is the tension Acuña delivers through the art. When I put this issue down, I noticed my entire body tensed up, as if I were holding my breath before a rollercoaster took its big drop. The visual and sequential storytelling is quite intense, from a scene where a general executes resistance fighters threatening their families to bullets flying over Milton’s head as they chase him right on his heels.
Acuña is also coloring this book, and his use of oranges and purples amps up the atmosphere and intrigue. Gunfire explodes from the muzzle of guns, gunshots blast out of the back of characters with force, and when rage takes over a character, a splash of red light covers them. The latter may be unnatural, but its effect is clear.
Escape #8 is another remarkable entry in a series that continues to exceed expectations. Remender refuses to let Milton’s story settle into familiar war comic territory, instead focusing on the lingering consequences of sacrifice, survival, and guilt. Every decision feels meaningful, and every victory carries a cost. Acuña matches that emotional depth with some of the most effective visual storytelling in comics today, creating scenes that are both beautiful and nerve-wracking. The result is a comic that keeps readers locked in from beginning to end while reinforcing why Escape deserves to be considered among the strongest ongoing series on shelves today.
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