docmarten's review against another edition
4.0
Def recommended for fans of Garth Ennis. Didn’t enjoy it as much as Preacher or the Boys, but still an enjoyable read.
kavinay's review against another edition
5.0
Next time someone wonders what comics offer besides superheroes, give them this book.
What's outstanding about Ennis is the way he's able to take some of the best aspects of police procedurals (i.e. Law & Order) and turn everything up a notch without copping out. Little touches like a rich kid crapping herself are delightful extra touches.
What's outstanding about Ennis is the way he's able to take some of the best aspects of police procedurals (i.e. Law & Order) and turn everything up a notch without copping out. Little touches like a rich kid crapping herself are delightful extra touches.
elturko64's review against another edition
3.0
Really disappointed with this one. Its still good though, the plot had a lot of twist and turns and the pacing was really done too. Though I prefer the story of the first volume this one still has great moments. However Garth's writing in this comic made me wince a lot. The way he handled dialogue with women, people of color, and peoples political opinions in this one had me cringing a lot at times. Which is frustrating because Garth can write well made characters and the ones in this comic have depth but once they open their mouths over certain things it sort of ruins it for me. Still its a good read and I did enjoy this despite its flaws. I think fans of the first comic will really like this one.
aquantumofgravitas's review against another edition
3.0
A good, workhorse police story. Not mind blowing, it might move a little to fast and be a little difficult to follow, but a nonetheless a good crime story about choices, compromise, and corruption.
luana420's review against another edition
4.0
A top squad of NYPD narcotics officers decides to take the law into their own hands in a manner surprisingly dispassionate for such tales. Then again, Garth Ennis' Red Team isn't as much about vengeance as it is about systemic dissatisfaction.
The targets Red Team selects aren't necessarily those that have wronged them, but those that would cause strategic damage in the neighborhood they actually work in (in their on the books capacity).
Favorite part was Trudy Giroux and her battling of the ingrained police misogyny. Good show, Garthy!
The targets Red Team selects aren't necessarily those that have wronged them, but those that would cause strategic damage in the neighborhood they actually work in (in their on the books capacity).
Favorite part was Trudy Giroux and her battling of the ingrained police misogyny. Good show, Garthy!
cashmaneeshgp's review
1.0
Tedious read. Cliched characters. Bland storytelling. Pretty tame by Garth Ennis standards.
mikekaz's review
4.0
I'm a big fan of Garth Ennis. I remember fondly his work on HELLBLAZER and PREACHER and PUNISHER. And HITMAN! We can't forget HITMAN. Of course though, all of that was a while ago, specifically 1991, 1995 and 2001. (Plus 1996 for HITMAN) Finding his work now is a bit more difficult. Or probably more realistically with my reduced comic book buying, I just don't see his work that much. That's why I was real happy to find RED TEAM. And why when I was finished reading it, I felt wistful for the "good old days" when his work was more prevalent.
Anyway, RED TEAM. The story is about an elite team within the police department that focuses on taking down higher targets than the street-level thugs and dealers. After being stymied by the legal process and watching their targets escape, the red team decides to bypass the judicial process and execute the criminals. The story follows the events that unfold from that point to their, in my mind, natural end point.
I felt that the story was realistic to what would happen in today's society. The steps followed and decisions made all seemed true to the characters and to what cops might do. And the graphic novel isn't just about following the story to the ending. As with many of Ennis' work, the details are what helps make it. The characters are dealing with life issues, large and small: a failing marriage where the reader can see it slowly disintegrate, a person killed that reveals so much about the cop doing the killing but at the same time the topic is never discussed. We can see how the characters ended up as who they are. And that always makes for a better story.
Anyway, RED TEAM. The story is about an elite team within the police department that focuses on taking down higher targets than the street-level thugs and dealers. After being stymied by the legal process and watching their targets escape, the red team decides to bypass the judicial process and execute the criminals. The story follows the events that unfold from that point to their, in my mind, natural end point.
I felt that the story was realistic to what would happen in today's society. The steps followed and decisions made all seemed true to the characters and to what cops might do. And the graphic novel isn't just about following the story to the ending. As with many of Ennis' work, the details are what helps make it. The characters are dealing with life issues, large and small: a failing marriage where the reader can see it slowly disintegrate, a person killed that reveals so much about the cop doing the killing but at the same time the topic is never discussed. We can see how the characters ended up as who they are. And that always makes for a better story.
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