Writer: Chris Condon
Artist: Jacob Phillips
Color Assists: Pip Martin
Publisher: Image Comics
Price: $3.99
Release Date: August 9th, 2023
A true story of the old west begins in The Enfield Gang Massacre #1. The book has the feeling of an old Sergio Leone Spaghetti Western akin to “A Fistful of Dollars” or “The Good, The Bad and the Ugly”, but so many characters are introduced in the book, at times it becomes frustrating following the story.
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The Story
The Enfield Gang Massacre #1 revolves around violence and justice. The former was a constant presence in the waning years of the old west. The latter was much rarer. A small town in Oklahoma in the year 1906 is being terrorized by the Enfield Gang, who randomly rape women and rob establishments throughout the town, then take off into the darkness. The sheriff of the town is feckless and the Justice of the Peace is equally ineffective. The heart of the issue focuses on a “town hall” meeting where the townspeople rage at the law’s inaction.
When a former law enforcement specialist makes a surprising entrance, the book takes a violent turn as he spearheads taking down the Enfield Gang once and for all. The biggest problem I had with the book is that so many characters are introduced in it, some of them looking very much alike (grooming in the old west consisted of lots of moustaches and beards) that it gets incredibly confusing. On the plus side, the book succeeds in putting you in a time period where living in a small town in Oklahoma meant you were isolated, with the next nearest town a several days trip away and no reliable ways to communicate with people over a long distance.
The Art
Jacob Phillips’ art on The Enfield Gang Massacre #1 gives the book a classical feel. Reading the book feels like reading a book from the actual time period the story is set in. As noted above though, some of the characters look very similar to each other, making understanding sections of the story confusing.
Final Thoughts
The Enfield Gang Massacre #1 is a middling start to the series. Though it has the feel of a classic old western, the inability to discern the large cast of characters makes the story a frustrating read. Hopefully next issue will be an improvement over this one.