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Queen and Country #8
Queen and Country, Vol. 8: Operation: Red Panda
Operation: Red Panda has the Minders being deployed to the war-torn streets of Iraq to investigate and potentially "terminate" an Iraqi bureaucrat who is suspected of giving allied secrets to local insurgents. As the old saying goes, all plans goes out the window once the first bullet is fired. And when things go from bad to worse for Tara, years of trauma and abuse come violently forward.
144 pages, Paperback
First published November 28, 2007
3 people are currently reading
126 people want to read
About the author
Greg Rucka
1,520 books1,931 followersGreg Rucka, is an American comic book writer and novelist, known for his work on such comics as Action Comics, Batwoman: Detective Comics, and the miniseries Superman: World of New Krypton for DC Comics, and for novels such as his Queen & Country series.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
December 27, 2015
This was a good volume, but it also seemed incomplete. I think maybe the prose novels were used before and after this volume to fill in the gaps.
There was a major death (and other things) that took place"off-camera" before this volume that had major repercussions on this story. Also, it ends somewhat on a cliffhanger, which leads me to believe the prose novels must tie into this one.
Basically the two minders go to Iraq posing as reporters in order to commit an important assassination. However, they are then kidnapped by insurgents who assume them to be legit reporters and are faced with execution. Tara is also dealing with major PTSD from the "off-camera" events I've mentioned.
The art is nice and fits the story great, as did the art in every volume.
So I liked this volume, but I am curious why it seems like it started (and ended) in the middle. It's a shame this series ended because it really was a great series.
There was a major death (and other things) that took place"off-camera" before this volume that had major repercussions on this story. Also, it ends somewhat on a cliffhanger, which leads me to believe the prose novels must tie into this one.
Basically the two minders go to Iraq posing as reporters in order to commit an important assassination. However, they are then kidnapped by insurgents who assume them to be legit reporters and are faced with execution. Tara is also dealing with major PTSD from the "off-camera" events I've mentioned.
The art is nice and fits the story great, as did the art in every volume.
So I liked this volume, but I am curious why it seems like it started (and ended) in the middle. It's a shame this series ended because it really was a great series.
April 5, 2021
The final volume of Queen and Country has Chace going deep undercover for an assassination. But being that its her first mission back from a situation that rocked her down to her core, will she be able to rise to the occasion, or fail the mission... and herself?
So at the start of this book, I was pretty perplexed. Some major, and I mean major things happened, what I thought was "off screen". Turns out, there is a novel in between the graphic novels that explains what happens. And while I may go back and read this (and the other novels) one day, for now, I was able to catch up enough to understand the state of the entire department, but more importantly the state of Tara Chace. I will admit, I would've preferred this particular "Missing chapter" to be another volume of the comic, and not a prose novel. If only because it is a big part of the story and really would be considered essential reading.
But once you catch up, you realize that Chace is in a very delicate state of mind, and sending her onto the field may not be the best idea. When her (and minder 2) covers are blown, everything comes to a head as we realize Chace may not be up to the task. I don't want to spoil this but its a pulse pounding resolution right up until the end. And the entire series leaves off on a massive cliffhanger. I understand there are two more prose novels after the series, which I believe wrap up the series overall. Which is a shame just because I feel like the comic book format was a great way of telling the story, but I haven't read the prose novels so... maybe I'm just being biased.
This volume features the best art of the series, in my personal opinion. Chris Samnee adds a layer of shadows across the entire book and it works so well to up the ante of the overall tension. The art looks murky at times, and that's actually a good thing, as it forces us to focus on the subject through... a rain stained window, or smoke in the room, for example. Samnee was a great artist for the book and I would love to see more from this collaboration in the future... which doesn't seem like there will be.
Overall, I would say this was a really great series. The writing was always top notch, and the plots were always engaging and frequently action packed. There were problems with the art along the way - but this was an excellent series in my opinion in spite of that. This was a masterclass in how to tell an espionage story and not just have it be purely about the missions. Highly recommended for people who like spy stories set in a real world setting.
So at the start of this book, I was pretty perplexed. Some major, and I mean major things happened, what I thought was "off screen". Turns out, there is a novel in between the graphic novels that explains what happens. And while I may go back and read this (and the other novels) one day, for now, I was able to catch up enough to understand the state of the entire department, but more importantly the state of Tara Chace. I will admit, I would've preferred this particular "Missing chapter" to be another volume of the comic, and not a prose novel. If only because it is a big part of the story and really would be considered essential reading.
But once you catch up, you realize that Chace is in a very delicate state of mind, and sending her onto the field may not be the best idea. When her (and minder 2) covers are blown, everything comes to a head as we realize Chace may not be up to the task. I don't want to spoil this but its a pulse pounding resolution right up until the end. And the entire series leaves off on a massive cliffhanger. I understand there are two more prose novels after the series, which I believe wrap up the series overall. Which is a shame just because I feel like the comic book format was a great way of telling the story, but I haven't read the prose novels so... maybe I'm just being biased.
This volume features the best art of the series, in my personal opinion. Chris Samnee adds a layer of shadows across the entire book and it works so well to up the ante of the overall tension. The art looks murky at times, and that's actually a good thing, as it forces us to focus on the subject through... a rain stained window, or smoke in the room, for example. Samnee was a great artist for the book and I would love to see more from this collaboration in the future... which doesn't seem like there will be.
Overall, I would say this was a really great series. The writing was always top notch, and the plots were always engaging and frequently action packed. There were problems with the art along the way - but this was an excellent series in my opinion in spite of that. This was a masterclass in how to tell an espionage story and not just have it be purely about the missions. Highly recommended for people who like spy stories set in a real world setting.
October 10, 2024
Queen & Country: Operation Red Panda opens with several wordless pages of Tara being met at the airport by her boss. I didn’t connect with the events, because I’d forgotten too much since last time I’d seen the series, so I put this book aside and reread the previous, which gave me much better emotional context for the story to come.
Chris Samnee’s art is impressive. Seeing his crowded airport, the fatherly air of Tara’s boss, her turned-away face, I feel the silence, the resignation, the solitude even in the midst of others. Later on, his ability to craft mature, nuanced faces is a major strength in supporting the dialogue-driven scenes (or interactions based around not saying things). His use of shadow to indicate the planes of the face is masterful.
Tara’s being debriefed after something that happened in Saudi Arabia (the substance of the first novel, I assume). Her unfriendly interrogator sees her as a cliché, as shown by his introduction to her, offering whiskey and cigarettes. She’s self-medicating to reduce nightmares, which doesn’t help.
This is perhaps the most unglamorous spy story out there. Tara is often alone, and when she’s not, she’s surrounded by a bureaucracy of fat old men. She’s got terrible habits, and they’re not cool or sexy, they’re vomit-inducing. No one’s truly concerned with her well-being; they pay attention to her health only in the sense of whether she’s ready for work. Due to how events have shaped her, she’s no longer interested in her old source of self-esteem, her job, and she has nothing left to replace it.
Part of the scheming going on at higher levels involves avoiding having to use someone called Andrew Fincher, a character I didn’t recall and isn’t otherwise explained, not even in the short profiles that open the book. I’d love to have known what was so objectionable about him.
As a series conclusion, even for now, I think the previous book Saddlebags works better. It’s a down note, but that’s in keeping with the gritty tone of the series. Red Panda feels inconclusive, as though it only exists because it was needed to connect up the books and comics, and without knowing the novels, the ending is less rewarding than I had hoped it would be.
Chris Samnee’s art is impressive. Seeing his crowded airport, the fatherly air of Tara’s boss, her turned-away face, I feel the silence, the resignation, the solitude even in the midst of others. Later on, his ability to craft mature, nuanced faces is a major strength in supporting the dialogue-driven scenes (or interactions based around not saying things). His use of shadow to indicate the planes of the face is masterful.
Tara’s being debriefed after something that happened in Saudi Arabia (the substance of the first novel, I assume). Her unfriendly interrogator sees her as a cliché, as shown by his introduction to her, offering whiskey and cigarettes. She’s self-medicating to reduce nightmares, which doesn’t help.
This is perhaps the most unglamorous spy story out there. Tara is often alone, and when she’s not, she’s surrounded by a bureaucracy of fat old men. She’s got terrible habits, and they’re not cool or sexy, they’re vomit-inducing. No one’s truly concerned with her well-being; they pay attention to her health only in the sense of whether she’s ready for work. Due to how events have shaped her, she’s no longer interested in her old source of self-esteem, her job, and she has nothing left to replace it.
Part of the scheming going on at higher levels involves avoiding having to use someone called Andrew Fincher, a character I didn’t recall and isn’t otherwise explained, not even in the short profiles that open the book. I’d love to have known what was so objectionable about him.
As a series conclusion, even for now, I think the previous book Saddlebags works better. It’s a down note, but that’s in keeping with the gritty tone of the series. Red Panda feels inconclusive, as though it only exists because it was needed to connect up the books and comics, and without knowing the novels, the ending is less rewarding than I had hoped it would be.
October 26, 2017
Kind of bummed that the coda mentions more stories because it’s obvious there aren’t any more coming. Gotta see if the library has the three novels now.
Also a spoiler in here for said novels. Didn’t know that beforehand. Oh well.
Also a spoiler in here for said novels. Didn’t know that beforehand. Oh well.
August 2, 2015
I loved reading this whole series and couldn't wait to open this GN to see what was going to happen to Tara Chace. However, upon starting this volume I found myself playing catch-up because huge plot developments took place in between the end of Vol 7 and the start of Vol 8 in the Queen and Country novel, A Gentleman's Game (which I'd never heard of). Seeing as this dealt with the aftermath of those events I was a bit upset and disappointed. But the writing and artwork were great as usual so I guess overall this volume deserved about 3.5 stars. Will definitely be reading the 3 novels that are in existence now.
June 25, 2022
While Operation: Red Panda isn't incomprehensible, reading it as part of the 8-volume comic book series Queen & Country honestly isn't the best experience -- we're suddenly told Tara and Tom were in love with each other, they had an adventure in Saudi together, and Tom is now dead.
...okay!
Tara's PTSD is a huge deal in the book so I don't know what on Earth made Rucka decide to not include that particular adventure as part of the main series. The opening blurb tells you there's a novel that follows this as well, and considering how it ends, well... they wanted to get you hooked, I'm sure!
The Baghdad bollix that comprises THIS book, however, features badass Tara as usual and sees Minder 3 (yes, yet another one!) prove himself which I thought pretty rousing.
Solid series overall, only a truly baffling choice to do a transition to prose. Maybe a rights issue?
...okay!
Tara's PTSD is a huge deal in the book so I don't know what on Earth made Rucka decide to not include that particular adventure as part of the main series. The opening blurb tells you there's a novel that follows this as well, and considering how it ends, well... they wanted to get you hooked, I'm sure!
The Baghdad bollix that comprises THIS book, however, features badass Tara as usual and sees Minder 3 (yes, yet another one!) prove himself which I thought pretty rousing.
Solid series overall, only a truly baffling choice to do a transition to prose. Maybe a rights issue?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 1, 2020
Rucka and Samnee are a great creative duo and this reads like a movie. Tara's life is out of control and her work life is almost worst. The Minders adventure in Iraq is brutal as it should be. This is another great example of Greg Rucka's storytelling ability.
October 2, 2019
Q&C is always a bit on the dark side, but that's to be expected for the genre.
April 22, 2020
That cliffhanger ending!!! I wish there was another book 💔
May 19, 2011
Rucka's Q&C series is intermittent (even more so in the past years, as he's focused both on his well-deserved comic writing gigs with the majors, as well as written Q&C novels) but always well done. This story suffers primarily from black and white art, which is pleasant enough to look at and nicely physical in nature, but provides inadequate differentiators between Tara and another short-haired blond she's with much of the time, not to mention the plethora of various thinning-dark-haired male British operates.
That distraction sometimes steals a bit from the gripping drama of Tara recovering from previous traumas, a mission to Iraq gone horribly wrong, and a twisty-turny aftermath.
I look very much forward to future Q&C tales, text or illustrated.
That distraction sometimes steals a bit from the gripping drama of Tara recovering from previous traumas, a mission to Iraq gone horribly wrong, and a twisty-turny aftermath.
I look very much forward to future Q&C tales, text or illustrated.
April 12, 2010
This series changed the way I look at the world.
All we can do, as one person, is the best we can that day. The fight is fought one mission at a time, one day at a time, one problem at a time.
Life is hard and requires we accept that. Sometimes we get what we want. Sometimes we get things we don't even know we want. Sometimes the people we love die before their time, or leave us in another way. Sometimes we just put one foot in front of the other, taking one step at a time to get by.
All we can do, as one person, is the best we can that day. The fight is fought one mission at a time, one day at a time, one problem at a time.
Life is hard and requires we accept that. Sometimes we get what we want. Sometimes we get things we don't even know we want. Sometimes the people we love die before their time, or leave us in another way. Sometimes we just put one foot in front of the other, taking one step at a time to get by.
July 28, 2015
Okay now this totally sucks!!!! Not the book because we all know Greg Rucka and Queen & Country are a match made in heaven, what sucks is that this is the last graphic novel of Q&C!!! What the heck!! How could this have happened..... What was I doing? Why was I not reading this back when it first came out? Sorry world I didn't buy this and help keep this amazing boom around. I guess I will try the novels now if I can find the time to read them.
September 29, 2008
Wow. This one was near-perfect. I realized, after reading it all in one sitting, that I finally felt as though Queen and Country had surpassed The Sandbaggers, its own inspiration. Well done Greg Rucka.
February 8, 2012
I really hope Rucka makes a return to this book!
January 29, 2015
Ended the series on kind of a whimper. Sub-par art that made it difficult to follow what was going on, a pretty meh plot, and I'm annoyed by what's going on with Tara.
May 15, 2023
I'm glad I reread all of these but man, none of the comics come close to touching the novels. This one is still great though. Samnee should do more stuff like this.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews