Review: Phillips Paints The Old West Red In ‘The Enfield Gang Massacre’ #3
by Tom Smithyman
Overview
If you never imagined yourself reading a Western, give this series a try. After only three issues, The Enfield Gang Massacre has set itself up as one of the best of the year, featuring a thought-provoking script and some great illustrations.
Overall
9.5/10Apparently the West was won with blood. A lot of blood.
Fortunately, for readers of The Enfield Gang Massacre, that blood is provided by series artist Jacob Phillips. Phillips’ work in Enfield – and its quasi-companion series That Texas Blood – has been exemplary and continues to amaze in this third chapter. As with some of the best artists, his illustrations tell a nearly complete story without the need for word bubbles. (That’s not a knock on writer Chris Condon but rather a testament to the working relationship the pair have developed.)
While you will find more detailed illustrations in other titles, Phillips’ style lends itself perfectly to the Old West subject matter. It’s as if Phillips – who ironically hails from England and hadn’t ever been to the Texas setting of these titles – was born to illustrate these pulp stories.
In issue #3, Phillips effectively uses large panels and splash pages to tell the story of the last days of the Enfield Gang, which is on the run from a Texas ranger who mistakenly believes its members killed a local resident in cold blood. His use of pale blues, oranges and purples – with plenty of blood reds – give the book the precise feel for this kind of tale. And the newsprint on which the series is printed is another perfect touch.
Even though the visuals carry the story, Condon’s script for this issue is another strong one. He asks the essential question: what is the difference between revenge and justice? For Captain Ely of the rangers, it’s an easy answer. Murderers must be put down. And he’s willing to amp up the body count in order to mete out his particular form of justice.
With their backs against the wall, though, the gang comes out swinging – or more correctly, firing. We know things aren’t going to end well for Enfield and his cronies, but seeing how things play out adds to the legend as well as to readers’ entertainment.
With their success on this series as well as TTB, it’s tempting to pin Phillips and Condon as Western storytellers. It would be fascinating to see what they do with a superhero story or something set in a different location – even off Earth. But first, we want more Enfield and Blood!
The Enfield Gang Massacre #3 is available for purchase today.
