The Enfield Gang Massacre

The time is 1875.  The place is Ft. Lehane, Texas, and Montgomery Enfield, his gang, and their families are living their best lives right now.  The town’s law enforcement is lax enough that they’re able to do whatever they want without fear of any serious repercussions.  Until shortly after they’ve made their latest “withdrawal” from the local bank and a bloody man staggers into the town hall during a meeting to tell them that the bank manager has been murdered, and passes away before he can say who.  He doesn’t need to, however, as powers that be know whodunit and the time has come to make the Enfield Gang pay for their wicked ways.

I jumped off of writer Chris Condon and artist Jacob Phillips’ “That Texas Blood” after its first volume told a story that wasn’t as interesting or clever as it thought it was.  “Massacre” takes place over a hundred years prior and I’m sure it contains some easter eggs for people who liked that series enough to read all three of its volumes.  I wasn’t bothered by not getting any of them, which is a good thing as is the fact that this reads better by simply being a pure Western.  We don’t get many of those these days, you know.

Even so, you kind of wish that Condon had played things a bit less straight here.  You’re likely to guess the general shape of the story from the start, as well as suss out the nature of the twists before they present themselves.  The only real surprises on offer are waiting to see how bad things are going to get for everyone involved.  I will give Condon credit for trying to flesh out the history of this incident in  the newspaper articles presented between issues.  It doesn’t turn this into “Watchmen,” but the additional context it adds to the setting and its characters is appreciated.

Phillips also does solid work depicting the characters and the setting.  I wouldn’t say he elevates the material, but he at least does it justice.  Which is a decent enough way of summing up the appeal of “The Enfield Gang Massacre.”  If you’re looking to enjoy a no-frills Western, then it’ll do the job.  Anyone looking for such a story that breaks the mold is going to find themselves just a little disappointed.