This is easily the weakest issue of Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning’s Authority, but paradoxically give renewed hope for the series as whole. While the main story is an inconsequential run-around, the cliff-hanger revelation underlines both the creative team’s understanding of the book they inherited and how to tell a story in this unusual setting.

With Swift cornered by the remains of the British military, much of the issue is devoted to showing the Engineer’s ongoing scavenging in the derelict Carrier. There’s little character progression here aside from a brief moment of resolve by Jack Hawksmoor, and the re-cycling of the Warhol Virus from the first issue adds to the feeling that the action outside of Rendlesham is merely padding. Simon Coleby deserves credit for keeping to a monthly schedule with no sign of a dip in quality, but not even he can make Angie’s temporary opponent a source of interest. The end of the issue, however, takes a sharp turn leftfield, adding some much-needed intrigue to the post-apocalyptic world. The inclusion of an extra-dimensional “Door” in the final splash page is a sensible inclusion, given that some readers may not immediately recognise the figure revealed.

Given that successive writers have strip-mined Warren Ellis’s twelve issues on the title, it’s odd that the most perfect concept for further exploration has been ignored until now. First Mark Miller seized on the Jenny Quantum thread, before Winter was prised out of the sun by Robbie Morrison and Ed Brubaker built an entire maxi-series out of Henry Bendix’s temporary resurrection. Since Grant Morrison brought back Kaizen Gamorra in the pages of Wildcats, he’s become one of the Wildstorm universe’s foremost villains. Until now, however, Sliding Albion has been left untouched. The psuedo-British imperial aliens featured in Ellis’s second arc, before being dealt a heavy blow at the hands of Jenny Sparks and the Doctor. Their inclusion here makes perfect sense, with the Wildstorm Earth being exactly the sort of weakened target that would attack their attention, but more importantly, the concept itself still crackles with potential. It seems likely that Albion will be the permanent opposition in the book, providing structure to the threats to the team’s protectorate. Although the amount of plot filler in this instalment rankles, it’s hard not to look forward to the next issue.

We’ve all been off at the Birmingham International Comics Show this weekend, so there ain’t much to look at, but you do at least have a few Capsule Reviews - but not many because, well, it’s been a pretty poor week for releases, hasn’t it? Seb and Julian have important things to say about Supergirl #34, Top 10 Season 2 #1 and The Authority #3 inside!
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Although their fellow Wildstorm writers have chosen to cut their heroes a break after the chaotic starts to the World’s End scenario, Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning are obviously determined to bring more trouble to The Authority’s door. Returning to aid the Midnighter’s party of refugees, Swift finds herself caught by the supernatural weather plaguing the now-desolate Earth. Meanwhile, it seems that the remains of the Authority aren’t the only post-humans seeking to make their mark on the ruins of UnLondon…

Abnett and Lanning develop the new Authority in a logical fashion, by presenting them with the most basic crisis: a challenge to their territory. The plotting here is exemplary, with the injured Swift given the perfect reason for remaining an observer while the power of the opposing gang is demonstrated to the readers. There’s a commendable faithfulness to the book’s new tone in selecting such an uncomplicated challenge for the team. Despite this grounding, the writers still find room to include more sci-fi high concepts in the shape of the Soulstorms, adding to the Warhol Virus seen last issue. It’s these little touches of imagination which give the book consistency with its previous incarnations, despite the complete inversion of setting. Where once the wonders of shiftships and spaceflight were a source of awe, now each fantastical addition to the world brings only horror. Simon Coleby’s ink-heavy art adds to the feeling of dread, and is a perfect match for the title.

Pointedly refusing to expand their pared-down cast from last issue, the book’s real triumph is managing to make its heroes feel like separate people, without artificially generating tension within the team. This is a group of characters the readership has come to know every well, exposed to an unprecedented situation. Each has a completely feasible viewpoint, which leads them to interact with their fellows in line with their agendas. The interaction feels real rather than forced or expositionary, and although the reader inevitably finds themselves siding with Swift and the Midnighter’s determination to take the initiative, their less driven compatriots manage to avoid irritating.

The only niggle is a small point of characterisation, but one that still manages to irritate. Swift’s Buddhist upbringing and beliefs have been an established part of the character for years, and her frequent blasphemy in the Christian tradition feels more than a little odd. Her exclamation of horror at Eidolon’s presence in UnLondon (”Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God.“) should be a shocking breakdown from a battle-hardened veteran, but instead merely jars the reader out of the issue. Abnett & Lanning have generally handled The Authority’s retreat from mature-reader territory well, but a more in-character solution to the limitations on swearing is called for.

Compared to the bombast with which a new volume of the Authority is traditionally launched, this is a much more muted affair, with the team lowering its sights to simple survival. However, the real test for any take on the book is whether the creatives have been able to bring their own spin to its high concept. In this respect, Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning look set to succeed where Robbie Morrison and Ed Brubaker failed.

The plot here is almost a straight repetition of the story told in last week’s Wildcats, with the cast escorting a group of human survivors of the World’s End disaster back to their headquarters. In fact, the absence of any final confrontation means that there’s even less story here, with the issue serving as an uncomplicated introduction. Having a far more iconic group of characters at their disposal than Christos Gage’s crew, Abnett & Lanning can afford to take their time introducing their heroes, and explaining the changes to each. The team is reduced to five weakened figures, although it’s not confirmed whether the absent Doctor and Jenny Quarks suffered the fates predicted in Wildstorm: Armageddon. However, the writers have obviously not felt completely bound by the tale that introduced the World’s End scenario. They deserve credit for making their adjustments to each character both logical and interesting, with the end result forcing them to act as a coherent unit to achieve any results.

For the most part, the scenario that Abnett & Lanning depict is the same as that glimpsed during the Armageddon limited series, but the pair are obviously happy to make small changes, most noticeably removing the Engineer’s abilities. The character has been seriously overpowered since Mark Millar gave her the option of duplicating herself, and this departure is welcome. Several smaller aspects of the storytelling also build confidence in the creative team, with the helium balloon signalling system an excellent way of underlining the limited technology available, and a classic pop-culture spin put on an otherwise generic set of sparring partners for Midnighter & Apollo. There’s clearly been a great deal of attention paid to structure of the team’s previous adventures, with Swift, often underused in the presence of her more controversial team-mates, given the lion’s share of the dialogue. Despite a tradition of British writers, the book has always had a strongly international flavour, and it’ll be interesting to see if the characters will find a way of extending their reach beyond UnLondon.

It’s a very well written issue, weakened by the fact that both the scenario it introduces and this particular story are repetitions of what’s gone before. It’s still an excellent jumping-on point, but those who read Armageddon would be better advised to save their money for issue two.