REVIEW: ‘Apache Delivery Service,’ Issue #1

Apache Delivery Service #1 is published by Dark Horse Comics, written by Matt Kindt, art by Tyler Jenkins, colors by Hilary Jenkins, and letters by Tyler Jenkins. The year is 1967 and America is fully engaged in war with the North Vietnamese. One soldier, wrongfully identified by his squadmates as Apache, he’s Navajo, spends his days seeking out squads of enemies to call down aerial strikes on. But he doesn’t realize his next trip into the jungle may yield a lot more than additions to the war’s growing casualty lists.

If you are familiar with tales set in America’s most famous quagmire of a war, all of the expected trappings of that conflict will be found littered throughout Apache Delivery Service #1. Various soldiers throughout the story project different levels of psychotic behavior ranging from the ever-popular necklace made of ears, to simply fixating on a given soldier’s “killer instincts” and how it takes a true killer to recognize a true killer. While all of these elements do a fine job of establishing the dark and gritty tones writer Kindt is trying to create for this story, it fails to give me much of a feel of how well the author will be able to develop the particulars of the story as it progresses since all the trappings he implements here are fairly standard for the setting.

While Apache Delivery Service #1 spends much of its time establishing the story’s place, it also gives the reader a few tidbits about its main protagonist, though a name for the character is never given. Our lead comes across as quiet and reserved. He is hyper-focused about doing his job, even going so far as to refuse a week’s leave to unwind. Throughout the story, we see his mind return to when he was taken hunting for the first time. Getting his first kill, skinning the carcass, as well as the traditional reaction to these events for the first time, are all played out for the reader. Just as with the setting’s establishing elements, these feel pretty par for the course. They are executed well, but nothing that comes across as original or attention-grabbing.

It is the unexpected encounter that our protagonist has at the end of Apache Delivery Service #1 that seeks to set the story on a less well-trodden path. The introduction to the mysterious character our lead runs into is handled skillfully and does a good job of piquing interest in where the story may go from here.

The art in this book succeeds in portraying the story’s setting and energy to the reader. The rough look of the art helps to reinforce the instability of the cast and the colors further build the hardship and strain of the story’s characters.

When all is said and done, Apache Delivery Service #1 delivers a solid start to what looks to be another disturbing trek through the jungles of Southeast Asia. If you are a fan of the particular motif of the psychological tale the era and location are known for this looks to be another dark trek for you to take. Whether or not the creative team will bring anything truly original, however, remains to be seen.

Apache Delivery Service #1 is available wherever comics are sold.