Jaeger
Drawn and written by Tanya Nicholls
Published by Storm Publishing (Sydney, Australia)

Issue summaries starting (arbitrarily) from the first issue to have a coloured cover (#21) to the current issue #34.

Briefly:
Back in issue 18, an unexpected pang of conscience led Marc Jaeger to search for (with a view to stopping) a mysterious serial killer named "Stormwalker", with whom he had an encounter across issues 7, 8 and 9. This time he meets a bounty hunter called Raven, who hails from a mirror version of earth and who is also looking for Stormwalker. At the end of issue 20, Stormwalker crosses back to his own world and Raven reveals a special magical item that allows Jaeger and himself to do the same. Which brings us to...

Jaeger 21: The Magick Earth Part 1

Jaeger finally gets to see what the mirror Earth is like, and discovers that it's not so very different... After getting a quick history lesson he allows Raven to take him into a church, hoping the priests can help them find Stormwalker. A church - as you might imagine - is really not the best place for a vampire to be (although Jaeger is not your traditional run-of-the-mill vampire). He meets his mirror image - and things only get worse from there. Jaeger doesn't get to keep his true nature a secret for very long before the chains go on and he's in serious trouble. Meanwhile, not far away, we get to find out what's happened to another mirror, Ric Storm, Stormwalker's Science Earth double, who was abducted by Stormwalker and taken to the Magick Earth world.

There's some good descriptive work at the beginning of this issue, and Magick Earth's medieval and mystical characteristics are nicely set up in the first few pages. The incident in the church serves to show how sensitive and powerful the currents of magic are in this alternate world. Stormwalker's interaction with Ric is suitably ambiguous, and right at the end is a section giving some backstory into Stormwalker's life, which helps to explain a few things.

Jaeger 22: The Magick Earth Part 2

When we last saw Jaeger he was skewered by a holy blade and about to be roasted by a purifying flame. But time stands still... and an uneasy alliance is made - with a little help from the all-powerful Mahatma, Hoot Koomi. Raven and Marc Jaeger then continue their hunt for Stormwalker, through the strange dreaming land (Marc has been somewhere like this before) as well as numerous taverns - hard to tell which is more dangerous. Take note of one mirror character the pair meet in a bar; it's relevant to a conversation early in the next issue (which links to events in issue 24).

The attention to characterisation is one of the things that helps to make Jaeger such an entertaining read. Raven is stubborn and devoted to his task but he's likeable in spite of his prickly nature. Marc, stuck in a dangerous and strange environment, adapts quickly and retains his usual cynical perspective. The drawings, always consistent, reflect this very well, as does the humour, which is sometimes subtle, usually sarcastic, but rarely if ever overdone.

At the end of this chapter is the second half of Stormwalker's backstory, which accounts for his obession with lightning.

Jaeger 23: The Magick Earth Part 3

Marc and Raven make a surprising discovery at Stormwalker's hideout. While it leads to the expected confrontation, it is complicated by an unforeseen development involving a disagreement between a demon sword and a holy blade (shades of what happened back in issue 16, when a certain demon called Akhkharu was 'released'). The action panels carry a skillfully blended combination of violence, electrical energy and emotional conflict; my favourite drawing, however, is the inside title page, a baleful balance of claws, lightning and sorcery, and possibly one of the best illustrations in the series.

This issue brings an end (at least for now) to the Magick Earth story arc, but there will no doubt be lingering consequences in both worlds and I'm curious to see if some of these characters reappear in future issues.

Jaeger 24: Beware of Freaks Bearing Gifts

Some sort of normality has been returned and the rift between worlds has been closed, but Jaeger has more than one surprise coming in this issue. Colonel Cassidy reveals a special ability that leaves Jaeger speechless. Information is exchanged and so are certain body fluids. This issue is really good fun, with the humour - and the sexual innuendo - flying thick and fast on almost every page.

More informational connections are made in this issue, and Jaeger's reactions are priceless. There's an especially amusing moment when Jaeger finds Cassidy's wallet and makes a highly discomforting discovery. Looks like he might have some explaining to do...

Jaeger 25: Jaeger and J. Edgar

One of the (many) benefits of being a vampire is immortality, and sooner or later a man with Jaeger's skills is bound to cross the paths of the rich and powerful. So while Jaeger considers the pros and cons of Cassidy's invitation to join the government's PSI Force (where "Mind Does Matter"), he tells Colonel Cassidy the story of his arrival in the United States. This explains how one of his alter egos, FBI agent Miles Johnson, arrived on the scene, and also explains how the legend of The Hunter began. In return, Cassidy outlines what he knows about a secret WWII Nazi experiment which might explain where Jaeger really comes from. This builds on some hints given in earlier issues regarding a secret SS superman project.

Conspiracy theories abound here. There's a nice blend of understatements, outright revelations and mere suggestions, many of which are quite funny. There's little in the way of action though, except for early in the flashback, and even then this issue in particular is quite heavy on the narrative (not that this is a bad thing). My only quibble is that Marc looked obviously younger in the flashbacks - I wouldn't have expected to see any change in him since the Hoover years, given his vampiric credentials.

This is also one of the few issues that we don't get a "What's Next" glimpse of the following chapter.

Jaeger 26: PSI Force Training - Part 1

Training has begun. A superhuman Marc Jaeger (moonlighting once again as Raden Fairlight) finds the standard GI Joe training program, under the direction of a man named Styner, to be easy and quite enjoyable. Telepath Sandy Yau is there, but she's not talking to Raden (it's a long story). However, PSI Force training is not (as might be expected) your usual military bootcamp. When Sandy witnesses something sinister, she realises there is only one person she can trust - the problem being that just when she needs him, Jaeger is off enjoying himself with the Colonel.

Directer Styner appears at first glance to be one of those deliciously evil characters who clearly doesn't mind a little incidental murder as a light form of entertainment. The way he is presented in this issue is very well done, from Jaeger's first impressions: "He smelled like a killer" , through an encounter with a prostitute (where the narrative voice is very much restrained, adding to the sense of mystery), and then Sandy's gimpse of his aura: "There are snakes in it." That's all we're told, and the drawings simply add to a developing sense of malevolence.

And at the end we're left wondering two things:

1) What the hell is Psitropine and would anyone (even a psyker) really want to be injected with it?
and
2) Whose brain is in the vat??

Jaeger 27: PSI Force Training - Part 2

Psi Force Training is turning out to be more of an adventure for Raden Fairlight than he could have imagined, and there are certainly plenty of developments in this issue. Injections, conspiracy theories, and psychic dominations abound, and the graphic panels balance out the available space very nicely. The narrative is well paced and there are some nice touches in the drawings, particularly where Tanya uses the snakes of the Director's aura to link the different parts of the images together, making them flow in a very effective manner.

As the story unfolds, Raden Fairlight learns of an interesting (and potentially very useful) ability that he has, and Colonel Cassidy faces a rare foe: someone who can get the better of him. The issue ends with one of those cliffhanger moments where you can't wait to see what happens next.

Jaeger 28: PSI Force Training - Part 3

Taking up right where the last issue left off (with bullets in mid-air), this instalment is chock full of action. The panels are busy but this keeps the pace moving briskly forward, while the dialogue complements this very well, never being allowed to overwhelm the visual narrative. As always there are light touches of humour which act to counterpoint the dark undertones of the psychic underworld.

Raden Fairlight reverts (through the necessity of survival) to his vampiric self, and it is good to see Sandy not only take this in her stride, but also exercise her own abilities, which are considerable though often underplayed. Cassidy is another matter, and while he might be a little inconsistently drawn, his character is solidly portrayed and his weaknesses - where they exist - are displayed in a very different way to Sandy's. The colonel is extremely pissed off and those who get in his way (accidentally or otherwise) do not fare well.

But will they all get out of the bio-lab alive?

With much to be resolved in the next issue, this is yet another good chapter with some solid action drawing and efficient story-telling, and I am curious to see how tightly this arc ties into the main plot.

Jaeger 29: PSI Force Training - Part 4

At last - the climax to the Psi Force Training camp. The anticipation has been building nicely over the previous three chapters and it all comes to a head in a succession of tight, consistently drawn panels that handle the different skills of the characters remarkably well. In this issue, our heroes (pictured on the cover of issue #28) finally get to do battle with the forces of evil (shown here on the cover of #29). Although, to be fair, the ranks of evil have been unfairly swelled by nefarious means - Brian and Sophie are under the influence of Director Styner and are certainly not in this mess of their own free will.

It is quite hard to depict violence that cannot be seen, and a psionic conflict must surely rank as a decent challenge to any graphic artist. Here we have Director Styner pitching past Cassidy's telekinesis, Raden's supernatural fighting skills being tested against Sophie's psychokinetic strength, and two telepaths locking into what appears to be a silent battle of wills. While Raden's agility makes for some entertaining moves against Sophie's furniture-hurling techniques, it is the telepaths who ultimately steal the show. The juxtaposition between the silent exterior and the bestial savagery raging inside is very nicely done.

The action is broken down in a manner that allows the characters perspectives to be shown without interrupting the flow of the story, and it all moves along at a blistering pace. The political round up at the end raises just as many questions as it answers, functioning to embed the events at the Psi Force training camp into the broader storyline as the conspiracy deepens. You just know that it 'aint gonna end here...

Jaeger 30: Ice Bolts - Part 1

The Hunter is back...

OK, I found the front cover a bit scary - mainly because of the blood-red lipstick on baby Luke - and at first glance this chapter does appear to be a bit of a departure from the usual. But then it's back into the tangled and blood-stained web of the underworld, where Jaeger is right at home. A baby has been stolen from the house next door and the Hunter (who might be expected not to care a fig) is on the warpath - for perfectly plausible reasons.

It is easy to sense that with this chapter comes the introduction to something deeper, since much of what we find here is background material and scene-setting, most of it quite efficiently dealt with. There is some comic relief that comes at the expense of two thugs being left to change a nappy - at least until one of them gets the back of his head blown off - and accompanying this are a couple of interesting observations regarding the response of innocence to violence.

Though the chapter finishes with a nice flourish looking down the barrel of the Hunter's gun, no information has been given away. For that we have to wait until next time (of course), and it will be very interesting to see where this story arc heads off to.

Jaeger 31: Ice Bolts - Part 2

With the clock ticking, the Hunter is closing in on his quarry, and the speed ratches up another notch. There are inserts and flashbacks of baby Luke showing how capable he is for a toddler - useful information that is introduced into the story in a very non-intrusive way. This issue is focused on revelations: the layers are peeled back one by one, revealing more of the story's dark places, maintaining interest as the plot moves forward. This is achieved in several ways, firstly through the places Jaeger uncovers, secondly through his discovery of the abilities of the people he deals with, and thirdly through the graphical technique of panning back; we are tempted with unidentified, partly obscured or turned away faces, or anonymous boots walking a corridor, before the full figures are shown to us. The scene-setting of the previous issue bears fruit here, as we discover who Kyle Braddon is and why he was so determined to take Luke. Jaeger's vampiric abilities, such an integral part of the storyline, are put to very good use all through this issue.

Jaeger 32: Rise of the Blood God- Part 1

The scene is set with the arrival of two hapless removalists, who stumble into a blood-stained basement and find more than they bargained for. Jaeger is startled to find Colonal Hartmann of the PSI Force is aware of Raden's double identity. Hartmann makes Jaeger an offer he can't - but probably will - refuse, given the conditions attached. Pondering this, and finding himself distracted, Jaeger finds himself ambushed by an old acquaintance - one who holds a grudge and an effective weapon. There is some nice drawing and good perspectives in this issue - the three-way conversation on a rooftop being particularly well done.

And there's a portal, leading us into the next issue. Jaeger is not impressed...

Jaeger 33: Rise of the Blood God - Part 2

The race is on to find Azharoth as Ludmilla leads them through the portal and into the dreaming land. First, Jaeger collects Sandy and Sophie, and the sword Raven gave him. After entering the portal, the brisk pace is hastened by the sense of Ludmilla's desperation. They race through the ever increasing weirdness, tracking Azharoth to - a dead end? Then comes an offer of assistance, but will it help or hinder? As the team approach the place where the Middle and Outer Astral Planes meet, they face being overwhelmed by average but numerous adversaries. This is a busy issue with numerous tight, interlacing action panels balanced by several full page graphics (where most of the exposition is done, though we told only what we need to be told in order to make sense of the character's actions). The strange chaos of the dreaming is well realised in both the landscape and the increasing number of assailants, and we gather fairly quickly that it isn't a very pleasant realm. The final fight sequence has a purpose - it serves to draw your attention to the strength of a particular character.

Jaeger 34: Rise of the Blood God - Part 3

The 'shit officially hits the fan' with the return of not one, but two old (and incredibly powerful) adversaries, and the action explodes into a series of dynamic combat panels. There's a lot of dark shadow here - as befits the presence of the demon Akhkharu, all blackness and fire and ego. The humour is predominantly visual and reactive (a lot of body fluids), as one might expect from the energetic, busy fight sequences. Due to some deft drawing, all the characters have an effective role in proceedings. Jaeger and Sandy have shared this fight before...

Once again the issue ends with the kind of cliffhanger ending the Jaeger series does so well.

This page modified March 2010 by C.A.L.