shipyrds's review against another edition
3.75
I liked it enough that I left it in the collection to see if it finds a reader before I have to weed it, but not so much I'm actively recommending it to people. (This volume is much better than the second, though it is again undercut by workmanlike art. In different hands the writing, which is very solid and sometimes quite beautiful, could have become really special.) Fans of Annihilation or Interstellar may enjoy the story (told in disjointed out of time segments that despite their asynchronous nature don't feel confusing) of a cosmonaut sent to the edge of the galaxy who returns with unimaginable power.
bluenicorn's review against another edition
3.0
I think there's a good foundation laid for more, but this just isn't one that grabbed me.
bdesmond's review against another edition
5.0
This was really good. I heard a lot of buzz online about this one so I decided to pull it this week and I'm glad I did. Interesting premise, and I really like the art. The bits about the timeline of the story were a little confusing but I think that was intentional, and it didn't take away from the story. Definitely gonna keep pulling this one.
carroq's review against another edition
5.0
Divinity is a nice spin on the superhero genre. First of all, the main character is a Soviet cosmonaut that was launched into space with no hope of returning. Second, he takes a nonviolent approach to problems.
The entire portion surrounding the Soviet space program is wonderful. I feel like the creators really capture the spirit of what was going on at the time, and spin out a character that is very believable in that role. As the book goes on, things break down in some unexpected ways. And then the end lays out a nice twist on the entire book.
The art is superb. It showcases some unique environments, and the character details are great. The coloring is fantastic. I particularly enjoyed the art galleys at the end of the book that let the reader see how the art process progresses. That provided some nice insight.
To tie this into the Valiant universe, some of their other characters show up near the end of the book. While this could be seen as superfluous, it provides an opportunity to show what this new character is capable of. He is very different from their other characters. It also sets up some repercussions for future books. This book stands pretty well on its own, though it will appeal more to fans of this universe.
The entire portion surrounding the Soviet space program is wonderful. I feel like the creators really capture the spirit of what was going on at the time, and spin out a character that is very believable in that role. As the book goes on, things break down in some unexpected ways. And then the end lays out a nice twist on the entire book.
The art is superb. It showcases some unique environments, and the character details are great. The coloring is fantastic. I particularly enjoyed the art galleys at the end of the book that let the reader see how the art process progresses. That provided some nice insight.
To tie this into the Valiant universe, some of their other characters show up near the end of the book. While this could be seen as superfluous, it provides an opportunity to show what this new character is capable of. He is very different from their other characters. It also sets up some repercussions for future books. This book stands pretty well on its own, though it will appeal more to fans of this universe.
miyamoto_otoha's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
once_upon_a_tome's review against another edition
3.0
I don’t..... I don’t really know what happened. The panels were very confusing and the story jumped around in a rather aggressive way, I feel like I got so little out of the story because of that. I also have a hard time feeling for Abram because they set him up as an emotionless robot. I feel no connection to him. I felt more for his girlfriend/wife. 5/10 stars because the art work is lovely and I can see the barest image of a deep, complicated story.
pocketeditionliz's review against another edition
3.0
This has been one of the most bizarre comic books I've read lately. The character of Divinity was interesting and also heart wrenching but the pace and flow of the story was very confusing till the very end. Which is annoying.
villyidol's review against another edition
3.0
Nice origin story of an actual new character.
Abram Adams is an orphaned black man that joins the Soviet Union’s army and during the height of the Cold War gets asked to become part of a classified deep space exploring mission.
He begins his journey into space in 1960, leaving behind his young wife/girlfriend and their unborn child, and does not return for decades.
In 2015 he suddenly shows up in the Australian outback, now possessing god-like powers and aptly known to people as Divinity.
He begins granting wishes to those people that come to him, without them even having to ask. He gives them not only what they want but what they really need. He’s able, amongst some other things, to bend space and time which is repeatedly described as a book in which he can go to whichever page he wants.
That much power in the hands of a single person, even though only used in a benign way, greatly concerns some people though and Team Unity (Ninjak, Eternal Warrior, X-O Manowar and Livewire) is send in to either contain or terminate him.
Since I’m completely new to Valiant I think that some things might have got lost on me during Divinity’s confrontation with Unity.
However, the story still worked well enough for me and because of the themes of lost time with his family and the government‘s(?) dealing with his powers I almost rated this four stars. But most of the story didn’t quite reach that level.
Let’s see if this takes off for real with the second volume.
Abram Adams is an orphaned black man that joins the Soviet Union’s army and during the height of the Cold War gets asked to become part of a classified deep space exploring mission.
He begins his journey into space in 1960, leaving behind his young wife/girlfriend and their unborn child, and does not return for decades.
In 2015 he suddenly shows up in the Australian outback, now possessing god-like powers and aptly known to people as Divinity.
He begins granting wishes to those people that come to him, without them even having to ask. He gives them not only what they want but what they really need. He’s able, amongst some other things, to bend space and time which is repeatedly described as a book in which he can go to whichever page he wants.
That much power in the hands of a single person, even though only used in a benign way, greatly concerns some people though and Team Unity (Ninjak, Eternal Warrior, X-O Manowar and Livewire) is send in to either contain or terminate him.
Since I’m completely new to Valiant I think that some things might have got lost on me during Divinity’s confrontation with Unity.
However, the story still worked well enough for me and because of the themes of lost time with his family and the government‘s(?) dealing with his powers I almost rated this four stars. But most of the story didn’t quite reach that level.
Let’s see if this takes off for real with the second volume.
apersonfromflorida's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Gore
frugephoto's review against another edition
4.0
Confusing Start Strong Finish
I will be the first to admit that the pacing of this story made it hard for me to track in the beginning but once I saw what they were trying to do the story blossomed nicely. I really enjoyed the different take on a "Super Hero". The artistry made this journey even better. I was able to lose myself in the details of each page and just admire the beauty of each line and color. The story was well written but I did wish that it was a bit more detailed. I felt that there was a lot of detail that I wanted to see in between segments even though the overall story arc was great.
I will be the first to admit that the pacing of this story made it hard for me to track in the beginning but once I saw what they were trying to do the story blossomed nicely. I really enjoyed the different take on a "Super Hero". The artistry made this journey even better. I was able to lose myself in the details of each page and just admire the beauty of each line and color. The story was well written but I did wish that it was a bit more detailed. I felt that there was a lot of detail that I wanted to see in between segments even though the overall story arc was great.