The Terminator Meets Homeward Bound

Tinker, Bandit, and Pirate were once household pets much loved by their families, as the "Missing" posters certainly testify.  Stolen by the military for use in a top secret experiment, these harmless animals are transformed into brutally efficient killing machines.  They are given armor, weaponry, even rudimentary speech as scientists attempt to create the ultimate soldier.  When the "subjects" are slated for extermination at the end of the experiment, their sympathetic trainer sets them loose rather than see them destroyed.  Once free, the animals are driven by instinct and memory to return to their families but are under constant attack by soldiers, both human and animal.  In their effort to develop an unbeatable weapon, it seems the military has finally created something even they can't stop.

We3 is a groundbreaking graphic novel, both visually and conceptually.  Artist Frank Quitely uses unusual panel shapes and layouts to heighten the effects of certain scenes, and his portrayals of the three animals are as subtle and beautiful as they are violent.  This is one of my favorite titles by Grant Morrison, and it's not difficult to see why his work is so well regarded.  Tinker, Bandit and Pirate have more depth and complexity than some of the human characters I've seen in other graphic novels. In lesser hands, the emotional content of this story might come across as sappy and corny.  Here, Morrison uses few words to convey a depth of expression that is not often seen in this format, and it is poignant and heartbreaking.  This collaboration of two immensely talented artists is not to be missed.