mkean's review
5.0
It's like, gritty Guardians of the Galaxy. Good art, interesting premise, looking forward to the next one!
sfletcher26's review
4.0
Now this is a really good start to a series. A rich, well written and thought out world. The characters are strong and layered and the story is complex and compelling. This could be one of the best comic book series to come out in a long time.
Image comics are really strong at the moment and their stories beat the crap out of anything coming out of Marvel or DC.
Image comics are really strong at the moment and their stories beat the crap out of anything coming out of Marvel or DC.
psykobilliethekid's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
craigmaxwell's review
3.0
EPIC art, with a storyline and dialogue that lets it down. A story of rebellion, battling inner demons sprinkled with mystery and magic.
With visuals that completely and utterly outweigh the narrative it is hard to rate this above three stars. The visuals are have such a distinctive style which is hard to master in the graphic novel universe.
I found many parts of the text alienating, making it not very accessible:
“Here is my time for harmonious cataloging. The Black well, where only spirits transverse the circumference of a collection”
I mean... what the hell is that supposed to mean?
If only the story and the dialogue lived up to the artwork this would be a staple graphic novel.
I really hope Volume Two proves me wrong - otherwise I’ll be abandoning this series.
With visuals that completely and utterly outweigh the narrative it is hard to rate this above three stars. The visuals are have such a distinctive style which is hard to master in the graphic novel universe.
I found many parts of the text alienating, making it not very accessible:
“Here is my time for harmonious cataloging. The Black well, where only spirits transverse the circumference of a collection”
I mean... what the hell is that supposed to mean?
If only the story and the dialogue lived up to the artwork this would be a staple graphic novel.
I really hope Volume Two proves me wrong - otherwise I’ll be abandoning this series.
jammasterjamie's review
4.0
The story is a little confusing through the first two issues but I decided to stick with it because the art is incredible and there has been enough good buzz about this series that I figured something good would be coming, and there sure was! I'm just glad that I already bought Volume Two because the need to know what happens next is strong with this one.
laceej88's review
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
misterfix's review
4.0
Fantastic comic with gorgeous artwork (mind blowing colors and intricate, compelling panel layout) well suited to tell this unique tale. Dense story with unique characters and backstories set in a rich universe. They do a fantastic job filling in backstory and building motivations that increase the tension and believability.
Eager for volume 2.
Eager for volume 2.
themattacaster's review
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
crookedtreehouse's review
4.0
The best science fiction stories, whether short stories, novels, or graphic novels, don't bother spending any time setting up a new world or mythology for the reader, they throw them in the middle of a story where society and mythology are organically explained through the story or stories. There are, of course, exceptions, but for the most part I want to start with Darth Vader and a battalion of stormtroopers shooting and force choking their way through a ship of rebels, instead of an explanation of how the empire came to power, and what their long term goals are.
Rick Remender always starts the moments before the stormtroopers strike. But he always does so masterfully.
There are some pages of prose narrative, including the first couple of pages of the first issue. If you skip them, you won't be lost in the story, but Remender's prose is some of the finer, less didactic prose to come out of writers mainly known for their comic and graphic novel work.
All the cool tropes of modern sci-fi are here: a dying protagonist, a promise of cure, a dubious villain who answers to someone higher, family tragedy, giant horrible monsters. They all fit together into a very intriguing story that is fast-paced without seeming frenetic. I always knew what was happening, but couldn't always guess what was about to happen.
Jerome Opena, who also worked with Remender on the incredibly fun Fear Agent, collaborates with him here, and the combination of his drawings and Matt Hollingsworth's colors give this book an almost 200 AD/European feel that gels well with the story. It is sometimes a bit too dark for me (visually, not story-wise) but that's a minor quibble.
I'm very excited to see where the story goes in volume two.
Rick Remender always starts the moments before the stormtroopers strike. But he always does so masterfully.
There are some pages of prose narrative, including the first couple of pages of the first issue. If you skip them, you won't be lost in the story, but Remender's prose is some of the finer, less didactic prose to come out of writers mainly known for their comic and graphic novel work.
All the cool tropes of modern sci-fi are here: a dying protagonist, a promise of cure, a dubious villain who answers to someone higher, family tragedy, giant horrible monsters. They all fit together into a very intriguing story that is fast-paced without seeming frenetic. I always knew what was happening, but couldn't always guess what was about to happen.
Jerome Opena, who also worked with Remender on the incredibly fun Fear Agent, collaborates with him here, and the combination of his drawings and Matt Hollingsworth's colors give this book an almost 200 AD/European feel that gels well with the story. It is sometimes a bit too dark for me (visually, not story-wise) but that's a minor quibble.
I'm very excited to see where the story goes in volume two.