Battle of Jericho Hill #5 (of 5) WITH SPOILERS!
I haven't seen a thread devoted to this issue yet, which is a bit surprising it being, if you like, the finale. The one with THE battle.
I've just read it. It only arrived today due to delays to this side of the pond due to a certain volcano eruption in Iceland you might have heard about.
My reaction? I'm somewhat disapointed, but it certainly isn't all bad. I just think it could have been... more.
Positive stuff first though. The artwork was good. As for the cover, part of me would have preferred an epic picture depicting the battle, yet this sad picture showing the consequences of the battle, centring on the tragedy is certainly affecting in a different way.
I was hoping to see that epic two page spread battle scene that King imagined, right back in the dawn of the series. The one he mentioned in interviews. What we got instead were two two page spreads showing each side in the war, first the Gunslingers and their affiliation soldiers, then Walter, Grissom and co. They're certainly not bad pictures, (they're artistically great in fact) but ultimately they're just teams of guys facing each direction. Maybe that's what King envisioned but it's not quite what sprang to mind when I read his words all that time ago. (That's not to say they shouldn't have shown those panels. They have merit, I'd have just placed them in large panels on one page, a page each at most, then leave the two page splash for that big war shot.
The actual depiction of the war and losses on each side was graphic and affective though. For some reason I was expecting Aileen to survive the battle though, considering the blurb I've read for The Gunsglinger comics that are to follow. But then... maybe things aren't all they seem. (Actually, I don't think she should have been there at all. I like the character, and I'm glad she was expanded, but I can't help thinking that if she had such a main role in these events in Roland's life, King would have mentioned them more often. And it's not down to the patriarchal sexism of Mid-World, since those sections of the book are from Roland's point of view... and I think his attitude has been more liberal in that regard.)
As for Cuthbert and Walter though. Two word. Rudin. Filaro. (I think that was his name.) Surely that wasn't forgotten? I think maybe that was considered a minutiae that distracted from the main thread as it would have required a couple of shape-shifting panels to get the point across, or not. We needn't have actually shown Walter there at all, just a blue man. Those of us who had read the books would have known who it was, and those yet to read would find out after reading DT7.
"'Tis not meet that I have no blood on my hands this glorious day.
This will attend to that."
What ever floats your boat Walt, old boy. Really.
To be fair, that's probably a small thing, a nitpick if you like. Roland's fate at the end of the battle just seemed... wrong though. He was hit with several bullets. He is confronted by Grissom who is wielding a spiked club, and makes one more defiant gesture... an presumably gets knocked out.* And... somehow survives. By sheer force of will. What about hiding in the bodies? Did the writers think that was too cowardly somehow, an unfitting end for the hero of this epic? But from a story point of view, I'd find that much more believable. And it's what King described in Wolves of the Calla. By all mean, fill in the details of how it happened, but don't write something different!
I think overall this last issue encapsulates much of what has been wrong about these series of comics. They show a lot of style, a lot of big panel spread (which in itself is not a good thing) but they leave out or alter the details of the story.
To leave on a more positive note (sorry but I am rather disappointed) the colour scheme is wonderful and atmospheric. I can see a lot of work has gone into it and much of it has paid off.
I wonder what happened to Rhea and John Farson though? Maybe the answer to those questions are for another day.
Incidentally, those preview panels for the next series Dark Tower: The Gunslinger- The Journey Begins, look great.
*We don't see the club descend, but considering Grissom is standing over him with a head smacker, then everything goes black, I doubt Roland just fainted and Grissom just walked away. Besides there is blood splatter in that last panel ...
3 questions regarding the comics and novel
SPOILER ALERT Ok First of all I read all 7 dark tower books and all the comic books,and I have 3 questions?
1# Ok what happened to Maerlynn the wizard who basically is the oldest and most evil of all villians we know his history of the early days of making the 13 balls,the mirror,the early days of Arther Eld and then theres no mention of him in the fall of gillead,rolands journey to the tower...What happened did i miss anything?
2#Why is that single rose in New York so important? if it was destroyed how would that effect the dark towers destruction?
3#Did you realise in battle at jerico hill 5 Roland as usual did not pick up the horn of eld and as usual we all know that is the key for him to find redemption and at the end at dark tower 7.Robin Fourth and the other writers had an opertunaty to finnally seal rolads journey i wonder why not?