The elevator pitch for writer Greg Rucka’s 5-issue miniseries The Old Guard is easy: it’s Highlander meets The A-Team. The story follows an exclusive group of four immortals in the present day, who have survived throughout the centuries as warriors and soldiers of fortune. The advancements of technology in the last 50 years have caught them on the back foot though, and they now find themselves being hunted by a ruthless pharmaceutical magnate who wants the secret of their abilities, at any cost.
Rucka has cooked up a really intriguing hook, but it sort of fizzles out by the end when it becomes clear that he hasn’t actually thought of anything interesting to say with it. The character arcs lack the pathos that made us root for Connor Mcleod (of the clan Mcleod). The end of the story doesn’t really seem to carry any weight and gives the feeling that this series is just a prologue to a broader story. In fact, those who pay attention during earlier issues will get hints at an antagonist who could potentially return to give the team a proper challenge down the line.
If you come to The Old Guard for the high concept, you’ll stay for the outstanding art of Leandro Fernandez. It’s a noirish European style, with clean unbroken lines and deep chiaroscuro blacks, very similar to Eduardo Risso’s classic 100 Bullets pages. Fernandez’ storytelling and ‘camerawork’ is outstanding, and he puts an extra measure of effort into using his choreography to lead the reader’s eye seamlessly around the panels of the page. The global locations, including Paris, Afghanistan and Dubai are all beautifully rendered with economic linework and design.
I was surprised then, that Rucka and Fernandez had not yet published another follow-up in the 2 years since this one concluded. A quick google search later and I can guess that Rucka’s time has instead been taken up with the Netflix movie adaptation of The Old Guard, starring Charlize Theron and The Guy Who Played Mustafa in Aladdin as two of the team. It will be interesting to see if a few additional drafts of Rucka’s concept will beef up the third act and provide a climax worthy of the ages.