John Rogers on Tara Chace

Tara Chase can shoot, fight, drink you under the table and unravel complex terrorist plots while fighting a hangover. One could argue male readers don't fall in love with Tara because she's the woman we always wanted; we fall in love with her because she's the man we always wanted to be. - John Rogers

To which I say, yes, but I don't think that Tara necessarily comes across as a man with girl-parts, but as a woman who happens to have a man's job. At least, that's how I read Tara.

Oh - I'm reading the introduction to the fourth Queen & Country trade paper, Operation: Blackwall.

I wrote about Queen & Country once before and now having read three collections and the first of the Declassified volumes, I still very much like this.

But, I posted that paragraph from the introduction because I think it's a great teaser for the series as a whole, and because I think it's a fascinating concept.

Rogers is right, in many ways Tara is the man we want to be (except for the drinking part in my case, but I've got issues). Or maybe the man I wanted to be - working as a spy for my government, helping to make the world a better place, being able to kick ass, and still having morals at the end of the day. Still trying to do the right thing. Sometimes still being broken - I identify with that even if I'm not a woman or British or a spy or able to kick ass or able to unravel terrorist plots. I think there's something universal here. It's not escapist, because Rucka's writing doesn't allow for escapism. But, I think there's something universal - or, Western, about it.

Whatever it is, it makes Queen & Country damn compelling reading.

Excuse me while I finish the rest of the introduction so I can actually start on the story.