Wayne Shelton 3 - the Contract

The third entry in the "Wayne Shelton" series of Franco-Belgian comic albums is a complete story, co-written by Jean Van Hamme, and once again pencilled by Christian Denayer. The departing writer ties up most of the loose ends in a script provided by the new regular writer, Thierry ("Aquablue") Cailleteau. The result is a fairly lighthearted entry in the series, that provides a genre rarity - an actual attempt at closure following the deaths of the secondary characters, while providing a genuine threat for the protagonist.

In many ways, "the Contract" is a holdover from the previous two-parter, albeit with a distinctively more modern bent. The new characters rely heavily on the use of computers, which nicely contrasts with Shelton's more traditional skill set. The Vietnam war veteran following a code of honor helps flesh out the world the story takes place in, and slowly introduces the idea that he has a price on his head. Wayne's changes the locale with each of these visits, that the creators also use to provide for well choreographed action scenes, never forgetting that the series is first and foremost an international spy drama. The protagonist is clued in to the nature of the threats on his life by an unorthodox police detective, the technologically savvy Sandra Luan.

There is some visual confusion when it comes to her character, as Denayer's introduction to the female detective looks very similar to Wayne's on/off girlfriend Honesty. The script establishes her as Oriental, but the character design the artist has chosen to employ differs from Honesty primarily by the nature of her hairstyle. Otherwise, Sandra plays a strange role in the volume, falling for Shelton's roguish charm in a set of circumstances that could only happen in an actioneer. Thankfully, the creators present her as being both smart and resourceful, but interestingly, they choose to sideline her for the latter part of the story. By effectively removing her from the most interesting part of the story, the creators opt to return the focus on the intimate motives of the villain.

By bringing back Horace Quayle, Shelton's employer from the previous story whom the protagonist have very definitely punished for aborting the mission and endangering his team's lives, the creative team must have been aware that they were employing the most common of adventure story cliches. Returning the villain from a certain death always strains the suspension of disbelief, but to do it so soon after his demise could mean only two things. It could be understood that Van Hamme was simply tying up a loose end as he was departing for the story he co-created, but it was more likely a simple case of the creative team not willing to depart from the good villain so soon after his introduction.

As depicted in "the Contract", Qualye's already failing health is being artificially continued in an expensive Romanian locale, meaning that he is quite literally living only to take revenge on Shelton and the remaining members of his original team. As a story, the album thrives on its villain, even including a very interesting story locale for the final showdown. Trapping Wayne in a building that is about to be demolished is something that is unlikely to be easily replicated in a movie, and the creators combine it nicely with the technological aspect of the story.

Unfortunately, Wayne's plan and the execution of the final sequence does feel a bit rushed, with the story ultimately hurting from the protracted first half. More problematically, though, the logistics of the plan once again operate around a very goofy premise that squares off against the relative realism of the plot. Having a more grounded version of James Bond is a pleasant surprise and one of the biggest strengths of the series, but to routinely feature reveals straight out of "Charlie's Angels" does tend to catch the reader unprepared.

The one page epilogue contrasts the strength of the previously established cast against Sandra Luan, and it's hard not to think of her as an unnecessary addition. This is probably why the character hasn't reappeared in Cailleteau's stories following the "the Contract". With the inclusion of Van Hamme's name in the credits, the story ultimately makes it hard to judge the new writer's contribution, but it's nevertheless fun and satisfying.

Wayne Shelton 2 - the Treason

The other half of Jean Van Hamme's opening story concludes with "the Treason", once again pencilled by Christian Denayer (the one constant in the publication of "Wayne Shelton"). The story structure is almost mathematical this time around - with the first 30 pages serving to set up the operation, and the rest split equally to cover the execution of the plan and the attempted getaway. It goes without saying that Shelton's plan fails to cover every eventuality, but the writer executes the story in such a way that the protagonist still manages to improvise and finish the mission on his own terms.

Such a far fetched plot necessitates some naivety, but the creators manage to make most of these scenes charming enough that they continue to entertain. Despite the downbeat ending, "the Treason" never stops being diverting, and as such it absolutely succeeds as escapism. Shelton's plan to infiltrate the ex-Soviet community in order to position himself and his associates never stops being dubious, but it's mostly due to the brevity of their stay. Honesty has clear reasons for spending most of the album in the hospital, but it's Boyadsik the actor who suffers severely from the hurried pace.

For the elderly expatriate to fall in love with the in keeper so quickly and so completely just days after meeting her seems far fetched, even in a story where seemingly every ten pages a truck bursts through a building, causing confusion everywhere. The addition of the character otherwise works to keep the story grounded, and present a civilian perspective.

On the other hand, the assignments that Shelton gives to both Vanko and Honesty count as typical spy fare, albeit still being functional for the purposes of the story. Thus, the copying of a key gets presented in great detail, while some of the more far fetched aspects of assuming another identity get moved to the margins. Most interestingly, Pierre Madrier emerges as a full rounded character, with Van Hamme doing some very interesting work to follow up on the clues left to his identity.

"The Mission" concluded with Honesty finding some seemingly contradictory information regarding the accomplice that has wormed his way into the operation. This next volume sees Madrier as another cog in Shelton's plan, providing the reader with the inside perspective of the prison the group is trying to break into. It comes as no surprise when the independent minded young man reveals his own agenda, which actually humanizes him in the the creators continually avoid when it comes to Lord Belly and Juan the stuntman.

All of these characters act their professional best when the mission finally starts in earnest, but the chief set piece still comes off as a little goofy. Having people masquerading as part of the effort to get someone out of the prison remains a campy trope, no matter the execution. Yet, having Wayne come up with a tactic that frees up the whole prison in the process seems too excessive and calculated primarily to have Denayer come up with impressive visuals.

Wayne's mission is instantly deemed a success, with the only potential setback lying in the getaway. It would be nice to say that the bloodletting that starts and never really lets up until the end of the volume has something to do with Shelton's approach to freeing the prisoners, but there is no evidence to support this in neither the text or the illustrations.

Shelton and Honesty ultimately end up punished through a lack of competence in one of their new allies, and the betrayal on the part of their employers. The latter (ie. the titular treason) is set up in the opening volume, but still comes as a shock to the reader, unsure which of the many variables will come back to trouble the protagonists.

Both the character deaths and the raised stakes feel much more natural than the prison break the whole story revolves around. Except for the slightly off-key sequence involving a sealed off mine, the creators proceed to finish the volume on a somber, if righteous note. The epilogue is as sudden as it is brutal, firmly establishing the main characters as well-trained people willing to forge their own path.

Unfortunately, Van Hamme's involvement with the series vanes following the second album, with his returning only to plot the next volume. It will be almost ten years after he started collaborating with Denayer on the title, that the the reunited on "Wayne Shelton". "The Treason" than is another fine chapter in the adventure series, nicely drawn and nicely paced, that works to round out the introductory two-parter but on it's own doesn't seem as smart as "the Mission".

Wayne Shelton 1 - the Mission

In 2001, the longtime "XIII" scribe has negotiated a deal with Dargaud, to have the publisher invest in the new spy actioneer along similar lines. Illustrated by Christian Denayer, "the Mission" both looked and read like a "XIII" album, but with some clear differences. For a start, Jean Van Hamme begins his story as a detective mystery, divorced of the trappings of global conspiracy and Cold War intrigue. The titular Wayne Shelton is a veteran soldier turned realist, hired to put together a team of mercenary friends in order to fulfill a mission in regards to corporate interests. That his financiers come from France instead of America seems almost an afterthought, as the work derives most of its aesthetic from cinematic excesses and crime novel inspired plots. Yet, it's the distinction that makes the strongest impression on the new reader.

Wayne Shelton himself of course isn't French, but his creators are, and that's what makes all the difference. At one point, the late 40s protagonist specifically mentions Steven Spielberg's "Indiana Jones" movies as part of a ploy to get a new acquaintance to join his group of specialists. By inviting the comparison, Van Hamme deliberately poses his narrative as that of a more nuanced genre work, something that doesn't wear its influences on the sleeve. A more apt comparison would be to "James Bond" movies, with the chief difference being that Van Hamme and Denayer employ an ensemble cast to achieve the objective.

It's telling that of all of Shelton's military friends, the protagonist remains the most brutish, albeit genuinely likable. The opening scenes featuring Shelton in a trench coat did bode for a one-note characterization, but thankfully the creators sidestep that approach in favor of something a bit more interesting. As presented, Shelton is well connected when it comes to operating in the Middle East and the former Soviet republics, and the introductory volume serves mainly to set up the mission which takes place in the second volume, concluding Van Hamme's original proposal.

The introductory volume thus roughly corresponds to for the first hour of an action movie, with Van Hamme plotting a dense story that still manages to maintain tension throughout. The veteran scribe starts off with a tense scene followed by the expository dialog, a common technique, but even then the "XIII" creator is careful to provide some diversion so as to avoid page after page of tedious background information. The writer continues in a similarly lively fashion, depicting the characters charming their way through numerous potentially dangerous situations, only resorting to their fists when they have no other choice. For a world weary adventure story featuring a band of mercenaries, "the Mission" is decidedly restrained, while still teasing a messy showdown in the next volume.

Thus, after the protagonist gets his orders, most of the volume is taken up by his approaching new and former specialists, while gathering the team to go to the fictional Kalakchistan. As for the immediate drama, the creators pick up on one of Shelton's friends and use his middle Eastern predicament to provide for a diversion. Lord Bellie is certainly an interesting character, in that he maintains the English nobleman facade even though he has long since become a smuggler and a grifter like the rest of his friends. The creators steer off from going too far into camp, following Bellie's debut with a scene which serves to give the reader some concrete information on Shelton's background, while stealthily setting up a new addition to Shelton's crew.

Despite the bluster, "Wayne Shelton" is a comic that thrives on details, and the complicated set-up still manages to be entertaining and genuinely smart the whole way through. On the surface, each of Shelton's associates is a familiar genre archetype, such as a smuggler turned bordello owner, but the creators still manage to make them seem fresh individual. Except for the movie stunt-man that gets little more than a cameo appearance, Shelton's associates strike an interesting dynamic. Most interestingly, the sole female of the group, Honesty Goodness (a tongue in cheek name if there ever was one) enters the story as a stage magician that humors his ruggedness for the sole purpose of avoiding boredom.

Compared to the overweight Kalahar pleasure den owner, the flirty Honesty provides more than comic relief, and does more than play into the archetype. As unlikely as it seems, following Wayne himself, the gorgeous ms. Goodness is the closest the series gets to a fully fleshed out character. More often than not, Shelton himself seems just like a walking series of cliches, but there is a genuine attempt at characterization on the part of the creators. Sidestepping his genre-requirement street smarts and the ability to put together an international operation, Shelton's instant enmity to his client's secretary does seem like interesting in that he never stops with the hostility. Likewise, his smooth talking an expatriate Kalakchistan actor does seem contrary to Shelton's no nonsense attitude, but this, along with the hint of age creeping up on Shelton at least work toward rounding him out as a more realistic character.

As for the presentation, Denayer offers a more traditional comic book style than somewhat rigidly realistic Vance on "XIII". The artist still relies heavily on research for the setting and vehicles, but his characters are much less static and seem don't appear to be photo referenced. That kind of spontaneity animates the character designs, which are designed so clearly and distinctively that they wouldn't be out of place in the better known series. Most effectively, Van Hamme breaks up some of the longer scenes with a last panel establishing shot that works against the cohesiveness of the individual page, but helps with the pacing. Just seeing the story cutting away to an interesting new location mid page works to keep the reader interested and unable to put the book down.

And while the mix of real world settings and fictionalized locales does serve to remind the reader of some of the troubling simplifications made in all too many of the underwritten actioneers, only a particularly gung-ho scene featuring the escape from a orientalist gang lord particularly grates of working in tropes so broad so as to approach self parody. Otherwise, "the Mission" remains a well told, competently put action comic that does more than enough to entertain the reader and set up the sequel that completes the protagonist's introduction to the world of Franco-Belgian comics.

"XIII" volumes 6,7

When "XIII" returned after it completed it's initial story-arc, it was subtle differences. Vance and Van Hamme were under no obligation to prove themselves anymore, thus their new effort proved a two-part story. No longer worrying about the new readers or keeping the story satisfying as an album unto itself, they published the first part as "Dossier Jason Fly".

Yet, despite the changes in the structure, the comic read as an entry point in itself. On the surface, it starred a man reclaiming what could be his forgotten past, in much the same way as "Where the Indian walks". Again, the story was set in an idyllic locale, this time a moutain town of Greenfalls. Finally, the creators seem much more secure with the story possibilities of giving XIII a permanent identity. 

Thus the recurring guessing game gets changed into a matter of pseudonyms, centered around a concrete identity, whom the character still can't remember being. Interestingly, for the first time a dfeinite conclusion seems to come from a blind man, recognising XIII's voice.

The story opens in the mountain town, using flashbacks to explain the vents thave have taken place since "Red alert". At face value, the journalistic angle is continued, brining to light the difference in tone, as this volume features a small local media as the lens for providing the information. The action did not fall by the wayside though, as XIII's pursuers find the way to Greenfalls, slowly circling in on the mystery man.

Vance and Van Hamme have decided not to make the readers wait on the resolution of previously set up character arcs, as a major plot point regarding major Jones gets touched upon in a subtle, yet frightening way. Still, she is the last direct link with the previous cast of characters, as Van Hamme is concerned with bringing the coplicated XIII family history to the foreground. 

For the moment, they are supplemented by locals, captured in all their character by Vance. Despite some of the town's residents acting as familiar series archetypes, the artist manages to act upon the unique nuances and establishes them as personalities in their own right, capable of supporting closer scrunity in the next volume. XIII's pursuers quickly find a way to get in touch with the town's shady power player, whose secrets are set to be revealed as Greenfalls conveniently gets sealed off from the outside world.

It stands to the creator's professionalism, that "Night of August the 3rd" feels as an organic continuation as it does. The character arcs all carry over to their natural conclusions, making the most use of the larger format. Van Hamme touches upon the "Where the Indian walks", in taking forward the racism angle, but this time around pushes it to the forefront.

Bringing the Cold war history of the town to light, the writer ties it masterfully with XIII's search for answers. The xenophobia and the town's hideous crime are woven with their current resolution in a way that overshadows the lingering presence of conspiracy. 

The snowed-in town's hysteria, unleashed by the manhunt, expertly gives way to one of the best conclusions of the entire series, as the sense of local melancholy reaserts itslef again. Van Hamme's strong plotting gives a definite place to XIII's role in the Greenfall's history, and the authors even find room to explain an ironic "red herring". With Vance once again at easte while pencilling the new surroundings, as well as winter wear, they cement the feeling that the reader's trust in the longer form has been rewarded.

Moreover, after the ambitious storyline that preceded the two-parter, "XIII" proved that it has carved a unique space for itself among the best of modern Franco-Belgian comics.

"XIII" volumes 1-5

"XIII" is the title of the 25-years in the making Belgian comics series, that has just recently concluded it's first story cycle with  the original creators Jean Van Hamme and William Vance. Despite being adapted as the video game and a TV mini-series, the Dargaud-published property has enjoyed little success in the United States so far, with only a few of it's earliest albums seeing print. In Serbia it remains a cult favorite, with all of it's albums, up to the final chapter, having been printed in some form or another (mostly without the color presented in the Belgian original).

When it comes to Franco-Belgian authors, "XIII" creators have been known to present material almost as diverse as that of Moebius. Van Hamme is chiefly remembered for authoring the fantasy "Thorgal", and Vance for creating both the sea fearing "Bruce J. Hawker" comic, and actually even lending his pencil and ink on the first two volumes of the "Marshal Blueberry" spin-off. 

There exists a long practice of using period pieces as the setting of European comics, evident everywhere from "Asterix" to the Italian "Zagor". Despite this, Van Hamme and Vance opted to avoid the historical context, and create a contemporary action comic. They decided to set their story in America, and the inspiration naturally came by from spy fiction in the vein of "the Bourne identity", along with a healthy dose of crime movies. Thus, in 1984 the creators debuted "the Day of the black sun", their own take on the story of one man finding himself embroiled in the criminal conspiracy, with heavy allusions to the Kennedy assassinations.

The original series outline seemed to cohere at five albums, bringing the mind "Lieutenant Blueberry"'s initial status quo, as defined by the "Fort Navajo" cycle. Starting with a wounded man surfacing on a beach with only the number XIII tattoo as an identification mark, the comic is quick to emerges into what would later solidify as it's most definite characteristics. Due to his lightning-quick reflexes, Van Hamme and Vance's amnesiac protagonist is quick to discover that he possesses some kind of military training. The elderly couple that befriend the mysterious man and nurse him to health are shown treating him as if he was the son they lost in the war.  After a slow start, the authors are more than eager to burden the "tabula rasa" character's search for his identity by placing him in the middle of a multi-faceted game of high stakes. 

Despite being the only one unaware of the role that led to him being listed as the most wanted man, he is given little time to differentiate among the various factions interested in him. One of his pursuers identifies himself as the shooter who caused the wound that lead to the amnesia. Following this, the man known only as "XIII" finds himself being given a clue as to his possible identity, but finds it hard to reconcile the shocking facts presented to him. It was difficult to imagine that these two plot points would end up being only a basis upon which the series built a story as complicated as any presented in the genre. The opening volume ends as befitting a fast-paced thriller, on a cliffhanger, promising more of what the readers just experienced.

Vance's art is by then bound to have established an effect on the reader, as the penciler and inker proves capable of bringing every aspect of the series to life. The bold and realistic artwork is employed to bring the figures in motion amidst the heavily-detailed backgrounds, while never losing the subtlelty in the faces of the characters. All of them are brought to life in distinct body types, carrying the feeling of authenticity to the world in which Van Hamme's cinematic, action-packed story takes place in. The only fault that can be attributed to the artist's stylistic choices is the overuse of the ruler to define the edges of the objects in the background, leading to some of the blockier architecture contrasting with the organic figures of characters. Still, the heavily referenced artwork never confuses the reader, working constantly in the service of the story, particularly in it's high-speed chase sequences.

Van Hamme similarly never stops earning the right to be credited next to such a distinct artistic collaborator. His script shows complete command of the story and the genre in which it's being created, but never fails to remind the reader of the subtleties of the characters entangled in the plot. Indeed, it's in the small moments that his characters are at their most honest and emotive, proving themselves as real people with years of experience before the events being depicted. Yet, despite presenting his readers with a story that works as a complete experience in itself, the writer is clearly working towards the wider story that brings the initial volumes together.

It is to the creators credit then that "Where the Indian walks", the next chapter in the arc, works to both continue the plot threads and to present a stand alone genre tale. This time around, the authors focus on placing their tattooed man in the southern small town, as he adapts to what may have been his real identity. The change of scenery comes with recasting the drama as much more of a character piece, with intrigues that threaten to reveal the long-buried secretes beneath the pleasant rural facade.

By now, XIII starts developing into a more distinctive protagonist, defined not only by his athletic prowess, but one prone to charmingly rash decisions and bursts of temper, especially after his constant inability to ease into a normal life, preferably his own. The added character focus helps also to spotlight some of the key characters in the emerging cast, as the protagonist is introduced to the kinder side of colonel Amos, major Jones, and general Ben Carington. The various players continue to influence his fate, but in a subtler way, compared to the high-octane thrills that characterized the first volume. Also, two of the series' common archetypes emerge in this second volume, as the authors introduce a brutish sadistic underling, alongside a typical femme fatale mistress. Still, the direction really pays off with the secondary characters, as Vance brings all of the members of XIII's possible household their own character, portraying them with individual designs.

This helps set up the eventual conflict really well, as he more than fills in on the lack of space Van Hamme has to devote to fleshing out the nuances in the dysfunctional family's personalities. More importantly, the change of scenery further demonstrates his versatility as an artist, as he seemingly paints the nuances of life in the country with the same grace as the more familiar detective story tropes that characterised the previous volume. 

The album ends with a couple of epilogues, the first of which continues the tradition by saddling XIII with another possibility as to his real history. The second one is much more rushed, as a complicated series of events is presented in a montage designed to speed up the change to the next album's distinctive setting. All things considered, the second volume remains one of the best in the series, managing to realize more potential than hinted in "Where the Indian walks", raising the expectations for the series to a whole new level.

The authors follow with "All the tears of Hell", casting XIII into a new dynamic, that of a prisoner in a maximum security penitentiary. This very memorable setup leads to a particularly effective portrayal of a man trying to escape dismal surroundings and is in many ways a creative peak of the series' introductory volumes. The relatively small cast is realized with minimalistic precision, as if both Van Hamme and Vance are starting to become sure that the series may well end up a powerful demonstration for their talents. 

The feeling of claustrophobia is established very quickly, as XIII is forced to deal with the severe conditions that are sentenced to become his likelihood until the end of his days. What's more, the behavioral treatment he is receiving stands to drive home the point that he must make friends with everyone he can, and survey the whole place in order to even try to escape the nightmare.

The volume is full of Van Hamme's carefully measured characterization, which quite literally explodes in the climax, with the choices of a couple of desperate characters. The reader is coldly left to contemplate their true nature that comes ahead in a series of particularly disturbing twists. Of course, Vance follows every step of the way, but his contribution is perhaps most notable in the portrayal of desperation leaking off the shower scene, which still manages to work as a very important plot point. Similarly, the brutally cruel solitary confinement scene maximizes the impact of the writer's pacing, serving as a prime example of carefully setting up each scene for the most possible effect. Yet, overall atmosphere of the piece, driven home by the rocky terrain fired upon by the scorching heat of the sun, manages to quite literally make the prison setting a character in itself, never taking it's eyes off it's victims.

Still, even in the Nevada desert, XIII cannot escape his past, as the members of the conspiracy, represented by their chief hit man Mongoose, try to get to him despite the protective measures. By now, Major Jones, an African-American aide to general Carington, starts developing a unique relationship with XIII, in itself a rarity in comics. She is depicted as anything but a damsel in distress, and is instrumental in helping XIII free himself. The volume ends on cliffhanger, as he decides to confront the shadowy forces that have manipulated him every step of the way. Throughout the volume, there are several conversations between the secondary characters, that still manage to act largely in service of filling in the back story for the new readers. These kind of sequences grew to become a major problem for the next volume, as the authors decided on giving another possible path of life for the beleaguered protagonist.

"S.P.A.D.S." finds both XIII and Jone with special forces, but the story doesn't shift as much as one would assume it would to accommodate another sort of genre adventure. In fact, starting with a long recap, it truly begins with the investigation of Colonel Amos, leading him to his first personal encounter with his opposite number in the criminal organization. The author's decision leads to a whole parallel plot devoted to the efforts of both the secret service chief, as well as general Carington, that is mostly devoted to a lengthy conversation that recasts the previously known events in a new light. Still, the additional information defines the context of the main plot so much, that the actions of XIII, thousands of miles away in a seemingly separate set of circumstances, might seem less than important. In a way, this completes defines the mystery man as a character at that point, for he is a man of action, that leaves the intelligence gathering to his peers, still uncertain how to deal with the manipulation and distortions of truth that surround him from all sides.

Similarly, in the writer's hands, the pair's relationship gains it's final defining element, as XIII starts establishing a practice of conveniently needing to seduce other women in order to discover the truth about himself. His lover is quick to realize this, but is unable to calm her feelings despite the mystery man promising nothing more than a casual relationship. This kind of anti-romantical self-centered behaviour makes perfect sense, when coupled with the fact that as an amnesic, he is constantly trying out new identities provided to him by the men he considers friends. 

Their manipulation leads him to take upon a role of a soldier, trying to remember if the regular army training was ever a part of his life. The hardships and discipline that XIII has to endure the whole training, are only accentuate by yet another brutish character, that takes instant dislike of him. Vance continues to work on deepening the reader's understanding of the character, with the artist being particularly effective as the scenery changes to accommodate the muddy rain forest. Such a portrayal of the greenery in low light, stands in stark contrast with the relentless heat that marked the previous album's desert canyon location.

For all the hallmarks that the fourth album establishes, it remains little more than a transition, as XIII is still unaware of the new information about his true nature as discovered by Amos and Carington. In any event "S.PA.D.S." begs for a re-read of the entire series up to that point, as the events are cast in the new light, leading up to the big confrontation in what must have been designed as the final volume at some point.

"Red alert" begins by the authors deciding to use the media reports as the framing device, recapping the important events in the series at that point. Despite the cleverly designed action sequence that breaks up the report, the narrative trick serves to further distance the reader from the main characters. With the break between volumes shorter then before, they get to spend half of the album getting back to Washington, where the antagonists are in the middle of the final phase of the c'oup d'etat. Vance and Van Hamme being as careful as always, leaving no page wasted, as even during these sequences devoted to trying to return to America in time,  they set up a couple of very important points regarding the future volumes.

When they eventually reconnect with the political thriller that's taking place around the new president, the countless hours used to set up the saga's finale start to pay off. Finally, the seemingly disconnected parts dealing with the jungle training in "S.P.A.D.S." start tying up with the main narrative in more than characterization. At that point Vance stops alternating between the sterility of the diplomatic headquarters and the gruffness of central American backwaters, opting to deconstruct the former by revealing all the pettiness of the power play. Thus, XIII and his allies put all their strength in to survive the greatest threat to the national security, as the author's use the army base setting to it's most effect. All the while, the book continues foreshadowing the future events, even going so far as to end with the mystery of the leader of the conspiracy unresolved.

Van Hamme's mixing of the two opposing approaches turns up with strange results, as the series most definitely reaches a kind of open-ending that's probably the best, given the circumstances. The reality of the book's success seems to have changed the minds of the publishers and the authors, resulting in a relative finality similar to many genre pieces it draws upon. 

The particular phase in the book's life has still been taken to a certain conclusion, and one can hardly fault the creators for being so optimistic about it's future. Perhaps any kind of ultimate resolution off all the myriad story threads introduced in the series up to that point would have lead to a rushed and unsatisfied ending if the fifth volume ended up serving as the last one in the series. The remaining fourteen volumes certainly work to give the saga the best "sequel" that it's creators, William Vance and Jan Van Hamme could have ever imagined.