In Review: Sniper Elite – Resistance #3

By John Freeman on October 25, 2018

Script: Keith Richardson
Art: Patrick Goddard
Colour: Quinton Winter
Letters: Jim Campbell
Regular Cover: Patrick Goddard and Quinton Winter
Variant Cover: Carlos Ezquerra
Publisher: Rebellion Publishing
On sale in newsagents and comic shops across the UK now

The Book: The concluding issue of the US-format mini-series based on the acclaimed computer game series, and the mission nears its climax, – but who are the special guests no-one expected?

Set during the darkest days of World War Two, Allied Special Operations Executive hero Karl Fairburne parachutes into the town of Angouleme in Occupied France in a bid to stop the shipment of a new German anti-aircraft weapon – the situation is more complex, and dangerous, than he could ever have imagined.

The variant edition of the concluding issue of this US format mini series – available through comic shops – includes the last cover by comics legend Carlos Ezquerra, who died on 1st October, featuring the characters one of his greatest strips – “Rat Pack” for Battle Picture Weekly.

The Review: We trailed the whole series of Sniper Elite – Resistance some time back, and reviewed #1 here, but it doesn’t seem that long ago, given the break neck speed of this wartime adventure. Picking up right from where #2 left off, with Karl and his Rat Pack allies on the run and one of his Nazi adversaries dead – only to be replaced by another – this finale successfully blends the aesthetics of the hugely-popular first person shooter game with an affectionate, although bloody tip of the hat to many a classic British war comic.

Unlike Rebellion’s The Vigilant, which had a huge cast, Sniper Elite has had the benefit of focusing on just one character, anti-hero Karl Fairburne, playing a final card in #3 with a guest star appearance of “Rat Pack” from Battle Picture Weekly, a series that ran from its very first issue in early 1975 until mid 1980.

If you’re familiar with the strip, the work of a number of creators, but perhaps most associated with artist Carlos Ezquerra and father and son writers Eric and Alan Hebden, then I think you’ll enjoy this new adventure. There’s not much time for little more than a quick character line or two for these criminal Commandos, led by long-suffering Major Taggart, but the dialogue they do get is on the money and captures each of them perfectly. For those unfamiliar, they’re a rough round the edges troop, and I’m sure some US readers may simply enjoy a homage to The Dirty Dozen.

Sniper Elite - Resistance #3 - Sample Art

A savage flashback captures the Rat Pack’s often awkward dynamic in just one panel.

Patrick Goddard, best known for his work on 2000AD’s “Invasion”, is really in his element on this book, and while I felt #2 sagged a little, the finale certainly doesn’t, delivering action aplenty, capturing the sacrifice made to save the day with style – and delivering a cracking finale worthy of Battle, Commando and many an American war comic, too.

Offering a terrific romp of a tale, this for the most part, a is a terrific, no nonsense, action adventure with all the trappings that description brings with it. No-one picking up Sniper Elite – Resistance is expecting, I’d hope, anything more than gun fights and wartime combat, but we did get a little more than that, too – and I hope this will be just the start of a successful Battle-inspired brand for Rebellion.

• Sniper Elite: Resistance #3 is on sale in newsagents and comic shops across the UK now

• A collected edition of Sniper Elite: Resistance is out on 29th November 2018 – available here from Amazon

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All art © Rebellion Publishing Ltd

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.