So whadd'ya think of... D'Argo's Trial? (SPOILERS)

[Mike@Pilots Chamber]

Okay, this is now a tradition for me whenever one of the Farscape comic series is complete (as in, all four parts released) to write a topic reviewing and discussing it. Of course so far there haven't been many replies, but ho-hum...

Anyhoo, D'Argo's Trial. The guys doing this comic must secretly worship D'Argo. We've had D'Argo's Lament, D'Argo's Trial and coming soon, D'Argo's Quest. The second story NOT to take place after PKW, D'Argo's Lament gives us a rundown on the Luxan's life BEFORE the events of season 1.

You all should know the story, but this also ties in with D'Argo's Lament. After leaving the Luxan army (see D'Argo's Lament), D'Argo meets the Sebacean woman Lo'laan. The two become close as D'Argo is healing and they fall in love. Retiring to a Sebacean colony to tend the land, D'Argo suffers what can best be described as racial insults - not really aided by the odd fit of hyper-rage. Despite this, his and Lo'laan's lives are tranquil enough apart from the occasional visits by... dun-dun-dun - Macton! Yep, he comes along and spoils their fun. Lo'laan soon falls pregnant and gives birth to little Jo'thee. Deciding to run from the PKs so they can be happy, Macton seems very interested in getting High Command to find them. As ever, they do that, Macton kills Lo'laan and blames it all on D'Argo who is subsequently tried and convicted - though a guest appearance by Captain Crais believes otherwise.

So there you have it in a nutshell. It's D'Argo's back story, and while it didn't feel like it needed fleshing out it still makes for compulsive reading.

I must first mention the artwork as I do believe Caleb Cleveland has done an excellent job in both art and colour. It seems very different from the other Farscape comics - a lot less bold, more subdued. There are a lot of blues and browns, very natural colours which helps give the comic a great feel of being set in a different, more relaxed time. The vast majority of the facial detail is great - I particularly like Lo'laan when she and D'Argo are with the Diagnosans - and how everything turns red for D'Argo during hyper-rage. Landscapes are great too - the market scene from issue 1, the scene at Dr Yklem in issue 2, the scene as the PKs land in issue 3, and the large trial scene in issue 4. Also of mention is the look of young Jo'thee - I seem to remember him possibly looking a bit chubbier as a child in They've Got A Secret, but hey.

Once again, the writing for this is top-notch. A lot of it is told by D'Argo, or his subconscious. There are a few laughs as well, in particular "Crichton, the strange, smelly alien". We've got a surprise appearance by Crais who provides some excellent dialogue with the admiral and captain Lorvak. Occasionally we see things from Macton's perspective too - at the end of issue 3 it flits back so we see what happened in the middle of the crime scene.

A great little detail is at the end of issue 4, as D'Argo recounts his life since the trial. We see how he is imprisoned and lives, how Rygel visited him to convince him of an escape plan (now that's a story I want to see) and important scenes since, with guest appearances by *most* of the rest of the Moya crew, season 2/3 Jo'thee, Scorpy and Braca. Seeing as though this is Caleb Cleveland's first time drawing a Farscape comic I'm impressed - though they appear very briefly he's got the crew down to a tee.

I'm really gushing over the art, aren't I?

Covers. Managed to pick up 1A, 1B, 2B, 3B and 4B (no others were available) and am impressed on all accounts. There's more variety than the D'Argo's Lament covers and a couple of montages too. 1A's montage is very impressive, as is 3B with most of the image but D'Argo in a sort-of sepia greyscale.

I honestly can't think what to give this. It is an excellent comic but I'm unsure whether the story itself merits a 5 out of 5. Truth be told, I doubt D'Argo's past could be told in a better way. The story is excellent, is told at just the right pace (this is not an action comic unlike the others - years go by but it just seems right) and the artwork nigh-on perfect.

So I have decided that it IS going to get a full 5 out of 5 (or top marks). Like Gone & Back I can find little fault with it - it's a different sort of story but thoroughly excellent.

[Nicola]

I haven't read Issue #4 yet so I skipped part of your review. But I have to agree with you about the artwork. The faces are good and some of the planet side scenes are spot on.

There is one thing that I think is important that you left out in your excellent synopsis. Lo'Lann didn't 'fall' preganant. She and D'Argo used the Sebacean equivalent of In-Vitro Fertilization - and (as I remember) Lo'Lann was the first Sebacean to undergo the procedure. Which explains why they each were such a lightning rod for social approbation.

I am looking forward to the conclusion of this series and D'Argo's Quest. 'Cause I have always wondered what the heck D'Argo did with the knowledge of Macton's location (given to him in "Into the Lions Den" end of Season 3) and his resurfacing on Arnessk with Jool as an archeologist (beginning of Season 4). We know he didn't kill Macton since the character showed up in "Mental As Anything".

Just a point - Scorpy was the one who told D'Argo where Macton was in ItLD - and Scorpy was the one who arranged for the 'boys' to be at Katoya's at exactly the same time Macton was... Anyone else think that Scorpy was spinning quite a web of intrigue around poor old D'Argo? Maybe just to keep John's friend happy (in ItLD) or just to keep D'Argo out of the way (in Mental as Anything).

Or maybe Scorpy has bigger plans for D'Argo...

[Camulvey]

I had a hard time getting into the story of this one, not because the writing was off or anything, but mostly because I already knew the storyline for the most part. The art was amazing. What I'm really looking forward to is the continuation of the story in D'Argo's Quest.
My average rating was only based on the fact that the "newness" factor was so low as far as the storyline was concerned. The writing was great, as per usual, and the art was the best I've seen thus far--on those scales I'd rate them at the top.

how Rygel visited him to convince him of an escape plan (now that's a story I want to see)
I absolutely agree

[KRAD]

I am looking forward to the conclusion of this series and D'Argo's Quest. 'Cause I have always wondered what the heck D'Argo did with the knowledge of Macton's location (given to him in "Into the Lions Den" end of Season 3) and his resurfacing on Arnessk with Jool as an archeologist (beginning of Season 4). We know he didn't kill Macton since the character showed up in "Mental As Anything".

Those questions will indeed be answered -- and the discrepancy between where D'Argo was going in "Dog with Two Bones" and where he wound up in "What Was Lost" -- in D'Argo's Quest, which I just turned in the final script for this week. :)

[Nicola]

Excellent!

I just finished readying the last issue of "D'Argo's Trial". I have to say that Crais is definitely a piebald character. He resisted the railroading of D'Argo - but not because he cared that D'Argo was innocent but because it would piss off Admiral Josbek. But then again - Crais wanted to piss of Admiral Josbek because Josbek was a bigot - so perhaps Crais was on the side of the angels. Just not quite standing in the light (as it were).

P.S. Very happy to see Crais again. Hopefully we will see more of him in the future? :D

[ScaperByHeart]

I don't mean to sound stupid, but where could one get a copy or read the comics? Comic book store?

[KRAD]

^ Yup. You can find a store near you at the Comic Shop Locator (http://www.comicshoplocator.com/) web site.

You can also order the comics directly from BOOM! Studios (www.boom-studios.com) or from such subscription sites at Things from Another World (www.tfaw.com). Also Farscape Canada is selling copies.

[Nicola]

Thanks KRAD. :)

Farscape Canada (http://www.farscapecanada.com/merch_com.shtml) ships internationally also. :D

[Mike@Pilots Chamber]

ScaperByHeart - if you want to catch up quick and can't find copies of the comics individually, don't forget that you can get books which collect comics together. I don't know how many have been released but I've seen the first one in the shops (The Beginning Of The End Of The Beginning).

[KRAD]

^ In addition, Strange Detractors and D'Argo's Lament are available.

[Nicola]

And I got all three. :)

Whaaaaa? Yes I have both covers of the individual issues. And yes I have the hardbacks as well.

What's your point? ;)

[Spedoinkel]

I have to agree that the art for these D'Argo series is excellent. There are some comics where you can see the art and writing competing for dominance in the work, but here we have artwork that is in support of the dialogue an action and not attempting to take center stage. Vivid and detailed where it needs to be and subtle everywhere else.

There are some interesting things this comics is doing in it's own right, like the controversial choice of cutting into conversations already in progress, which is a device that can be used to save space, but can also end up becoming annoying if not handled correctly, which this series does. Also it makes use of first person narration from D'Argo, as well as being told in the third person omniscient format. Usually only one of these things would be done, as it sort of flies in the face of conventional storytelling.

I do like the addition of all the PK scenes. There is so much politicking going on, where the PKs are shown to strictly follow rules of protocol and jurisdiction and aren't the tyrannical dominating military complex that the rest of the galaxy views them as. They are however very draconian in that their rulings are severe, and the people involved will invoke any loophole they can find in order to achieve their own agenda. "While what they are doing in detestable, we have no legal justification for stopping them. But if you can catch them in something we will bring down the hammer, otherwise the issue is settled."

Since this is turning into a so far 3-part story, I'm still wondering how this is going to work in with Mental As Anything.

[KRAD]

Thanks for the kind words, Spedoinkel!


There are some interesting things this comics is doing in it's own right, like the controversial choice of cutting into conversations already in progress, which is a device that can be used to save space, but can also end up becoming annoying if not handled correctly, which this series does.

Uhm -- controversial? Really? Okay. :) It's actually a fairly standard conversational device, at least for me, particularly in a comic book where I only have 22 pages to tell the story...

Glad that at least works for you. :)


Also it makes use of first person narration from D'Argo, as well as being told in the third person omniscient format. Usually only one of these things would be done, as it sort of flies in the face of conventional storytelling.

Actually, it's neither -- here I really was controversial by doing the captions in the second person, which is not done often (with good reason). It seemed appropriate here, though.


I do like the addition of all the PK scenes. There is so much politicking going on, where the PKs are shown to strictly follow rules of protocol and jurisdiction and aren't the tyrannical dominating military complex that the rest of the galaxy views them as.

There's always politicking. :D Part of the fun was coming up with PK jurisprudence, which we had no basis for, as well as dealing with the differences between civilian Sebaceans and PKs.


Since this is turning into a so far 3-part story, I'm still wondering how this is going to work in with Mental As Anything.

D'Argo's Quest doesn't so much lead into "Mental as Anything" as it does explain how D'Argo went from searching for Macton in "Dog with Two Bones" to chillaxing with Jool and the others on Arnessk in "What Was Lost" without having actually found Macton (nor, apparently, caring that much that he hadn't).

[Spedoinkel]

Also it makes use of first person narration from D'Argo, as well as being told in the third person omniscient format. Usually only one of these things would be done, as it sort of flies in the face of conventional storytelling.
Actually, it's neither -- here I really was controversial by doing the captions in the second person, which is not done often (with good reason). It seemed appropriate here, though.
Ah, I see. Just looked back at D'Argo's Trial, and yep narration is in second person. D'Argo's Lament's narration is in third. But they are all told in third person format. Otherwise the action would focus entirely on D'Argo, and we wouldn't get these great cut away scenes to other people. Since Second person is so rare and odd I usually remember it as first.

There's always politicking. :D Part of the fun was coming up with PK jurisprudence, which we had no basis for, as well as dealing with the differences between civilian Sebaceans and PKs.
I'm sure there always was this politicing going on, but the closest we got to see any of it in the TV show was interplay between Scorpius and Grayza.