ceeclod's review against another edition
5.0
The economy but with mammon. Only Jonathan Hickman could not only make a concept like that work, but make every characters motivation compelling.
mildhonestbonsai's review
4.0
Man, it's a good thing I didn't have to wait 2 years and 7 months for the final issues to be published. Hopefully, I don't have to wait too long for the rest of this story.
sfletcher26's review against another edition
5.0
Image comics really are one of the best graphic novel publishers out there at the moment. Their writers and artists are absolutely top notch and this series looks like it's going to be one of their best.
Complex, convoluted and as black as pitch this is a joy to read.
Complex, convoluted and as black as pitch this is a joy to read.
sfletcher26's review
5.0
Oh this is good. This is very good.
Sometimes second volumes feel a little flabby and short on substance but not this. This is a belter and definitely has legs. long my it keep running.
Sometimes second volumes feel a little flabby and short on substance but not this. This is a belter and definitely has legs. long my it keep running.
mattcheu's review against another edition
4.0
Over time I can see this series having an enthralling story with character you latch to and others you wish the worst for. The issue I found was that this first volume takes 90 percent of the time setting the stage and introducing the cast of characters, but not enough time giving you a strong story arc and a purpose to the characters. So by the end my interest was peaked but I don’t have enough to desire to push forward. The presentation was great and the art was dark and sinister matching the story’s tone perfectly. If I was given more story to sink my teeth into I think I would feel compelled to push forward immediate. For now I will shelve the second volume and possibly come back to it on a rainy day.
ostrava's review against another edition
5.0
What a weird ass fucking comic. So, it couldn't be more explicit in its overall opinion of the financial market, but to make a comic book depicting them as satan worshippers who eat babies in their free time is bizarre.
But this is fiction and not reality so we're allowed to get a bit crazy. And through the sher craziness I feel like a lot is said on how power works in our world, the value and nature of money and the human psyche of those who worshipp it and pile it up as if they were dragons.
It does feel like a charitable portrait of the type of psychopaths that rule us, similar to serial killer stories that show them as cunning and charming people when most of them are asocial clowns with no interesting opinions whatsoever. Because that's what unempathetic people are: uninteresting. But their stories aren't and don't we all have a bit of morbidity inside of us? I have it as I'm the intended audience for these stories. It's intriguing from start to finish and I am officially hooked. I'll have to admit it, I enjoyed the craziness but I do wonder where the author will take it from here...
But this is fiction and not reality so we're allowed to get a bit crazy. And through the sher craziness I feel like a lot is said on how power works in our world, the value and nature of money and the human psyche of those who worshipp it and pile it up as if they were dragons.
It does feel like a charitable portrait of the type of psychopaths that rule us, similar to serial killer stories that show them as cunning and charming people when most of them are asocial clowns with no interesting opinions whatsoever. Because that's what unempathetic people are: uninteresting. But their stories aren't and don't we all have a bit of morbidity inside of us? I have it as I'm the intended audience for these stories. It's intriguing from start to finish and I am officially hooked. I'll have to admit it, I enjoyed the craziness but I do wonder where the author will take it from here...
ostrava's review
5.0
This story is fucking nuts. It's somebody who read the words "money is a manifestation of power in our world" and decided to take it as literally as possible, and the results are Lovecraft the Comrade.
Seriously don't understand the complaints, this is awesome lol. But is this thing finished or not? I would assume it's not and that its last arch was abandoned but I'm strangely satisfied with this point of the story. Maybe I'll go back and check it out to see if it's done in the future, and I'll most likely come back for the author.
Seriously don't understand the complaints, this is awesome lol. But is this thing finished or not? I would assume it's not and that its last arch was abandoned but I'm strangely satisfied with this point of the story. Maybe I'll go back and check it out to see if it's done in the future, and I'll most likely come back for the author.
sizrobe's review
5.0
More drama around the satanic capital elite. There's an encounter with The Fed that's the creepiest thing I've read in a good while.
misterfix's review
3.0
Volume One was fantastic, fulfilling so many of my dream comic qualities including an intriguing story that involves politics, economics, supernatural, horror, crime with gorgeous and unique artwork (reminds me of Alex Maleev) and a distinct and appropriate color scheme and lettering style, YET the ending! What the...?!
I don't mind when comics leave things open ended with the intention of continuing the story so long as there is some closure to the tale they have endeavored to tell BUT when there is a false resolution then I get angry. For example, recently I completed Secret Weapons and this is an example where the ending clearly established that there would be opportunities to return to this world for more stories, however I was satisfied as the questions the series raised had been answered. That is not the case with The Black Monday Murders. I do not want to include spoilers but suffice to say the ending felt like the end of any other issue of the series.
I am not aware of any plans for when/if Kirkman will continue and this makes the series all the more infuriating. My suggestion is hold off on reading this series until the next one is complete and you have reviewed to see how that one leaves things.
Grrrrrrrr.
I don't mind when comics leave things open ended with the intention of continuing the story so long as there is some closure to the tale they have endeavored to tell BUT when there is a false resolution then I get angry. For example, recently I completed Secret Weapons and this is an example where the ending clearly established that there would be opportunities to return to this world for more stories, however I was satisfied as the questions the series raised had been answered. That is not the case with The Black Monday Murders. I do not want to include spoilers but suffice to say the ending felt like the end of any other issue of the series.
I am not aware of any plans for when/if Kirkman will continue and this makes the series all the more infuriating. My suggestion is hold off on reading this series until the next one is complete and you have reviewed to see how that one leaves things.
Grrrrrrrr.
lookhome's review
3.0
The Black Monday Murders is a graphic novel brimming with ideas, filled with vast concepts and large, far flung conspiracies.
While the world the reader was introduced to in the first volume continues to grow and expand, so does the filler (5 consecutive pages of single line e-mails, really???)
There's a definite growing concern that this may be an overly stylized take on the ancient tale of Mammon. Greed is not a new topic of discussion.
Gordon Gecko and Patrick Bateman were both absorbed into our culture hive minds over 20 years ago, needless to say the many religions and folk tales (faust included) that decry Greed and the fate of those human beings that whose lives revolve around the accumulation of wealth.
There's still lots of potential here but it needs some tightening.
For some reason I do feel comparisons could be made to the beginning of Donna Tartt's Secret History. However, why that is escapes me at the moment ....
While the world the reader was introduced to in the first volume continues to grow and expand, so does the filler (5 consecutive pages of single line e-mails, really???)
There's a definite growing concern that this may be an overly stylized take on the ancient tale of Mammon. Greed is not a new topic of discussion.
Gordon Gecko and Patrick Bateman were both absorbed into our culture hive minds over 20 years ago, needless to say the many religions and folk tales (faust included) that decry Greed and the fate of those human beings that whose lives revolve around the accumulation of wealth.
There's still lots of potential here but it needs some tightening.
For some reason I do feel comparisons could be made to the beginning of Donna Tartt's Secret History. However, why that is escapes me at the moment ....