The Call of Duty: The Wagon

(Marvel, 2002-2003)
™ and ©2002 Marvel Characters, Inc.

In the wake of the events of September 11, 2001, Marvel began publishing comic book series that focus on the everyday heroes who look out for the rest of us: paramedics, police officers, firemen, and their like. The Call of Duty: The Wagon tells the story Jennifer Montez—a beautiful, happily married young woman who dutifully performs the tasks of her job as an emergency medical service (EMS) worker and fends off the advances of her male co-workers. The strength of the series is its realism, from the dialogue—loaded with the dark humor that must help EMS workers deal with the grisly sights they see—to the interaction of the emergency technicians with the cops and the firemen.

A supernatural element is introduced into the story when Jen encounters the same little girl policeman Frank Gunzer has seen in the pages of The Call of Duty: The Precinct and fireman James MacDonald has seen in The Call of Duty: The Brotherhood. Jen is mystified by her and by the warning she delivers about something horrible happening, like what happened at “the Knox Building and the twin buildings.” This aspect of the story is truly effective, truly frightening. Will New York’s everyday heroes solve the mystery and prevent a disaster that may rival 9-11? The answer’s to be found in these excellent series from Marvel.

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