lynnr's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
3.25
Competent people working the problems
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
nkives's review against another edition
5.0
Warren Ellis mentioned in an interview that he wrote this book in response to 9/11. Not that attack of 9/11 but the response of people to it, and how some would say "I wish Superman(or whoever) were real to stop things like this." His response in this book is that it can be everyday people like us to stop these things. Each issue is a single issue about a single event, and a group of people (brought together by the Global Frequency) to stop a bombing, a virus release, etc.
Each issue has a different artist, but Warren Ellis is the writer throughout. So the art tends to vary issue to issue, but all of it is great. The end was a bit lacking, but only in that fact that there is no real end. It is just the end of a singular story, and nothing overarching. I probably can't recommend a Warren Ellis book enough.
Each issue has a different artist, but Warren Ellis is the writer throughout. So the art tends to vary issue to issue, but all of it is great. The end was a bit lacking, but only in that fact that there is no real end. It is just the end of a singular story, and nothing overarching. I probably can't recommend a Warren Ellis book enough.
phenaproxima's review against another edition
3.0
Man, I wish I could say I loved this book. It’s got action, sharp writing, cool technology, and resplendent artwork. And yet it’s fundamentally unsatisfying because of what it is: a series of twelve well-crafted, self-contained, consequence-free action scenes.
For me, the episodic nature of this series is its undoing. You know going in that the Global Frequency agents are going to get the bad guys, so the book is devoid of any genuine sense of danger. Drama flies out the damn window, and you’re left with the feeling of passively watching an interesting scenario (and the scenarios, with a couple of exceptions, are quite interesting) play itself out. You might as well be playing a video game. The stories move way too quickly — the set-up is usually about two or three pages, and the resolution is only one or two panels.
The truly frustrating thing about Global Frequency is that are some fascinating ideas and themes and mythologies lurking in the subtext — none of which ever get a chance to breathe because of the lack of continuity. Walking black holes, bionic monsters, kinetic harpoons, evil medical research, the ethical and logistical questions of running an organization like the Frequency…these are all things I was interested in and wanted to know more about. But no: it’s all just a backdrop to beating the bad guys in 20-odd pages. This shallowness is keenly felt in the final story, where some of the complex questions surrounding the Global Frequency are very briefly considered. Too little, too late.
So it’s possible to enjoy Global Frequency for what it is, if you don’t expect too much out of it. This is a smart book, and I would have greatly preferred a longer, serialized, slower-paced version, rich in world-building and drama, that leaves you with much to ponder. As it is, this feels like an appetizer without a main course.
For me, the episodic nature of this series is its undoing. You know going in that the Global Frequency agents are going to get the bad guys, so the book is devoid of any genuine sense of danger. Drama flies out the damn window, and you’re left with the feeling of passively watching an interesting scenario (and the scenarios, with a couple of exceptions, are quite interesting) play itself out. You might as well be playing a video game. The stories move way too quickly — the set-up is usually about two or three pages, and the resolution is only one or two panels.
The truly frustrating thing about Global Frequency is that are some fascinating ideas and themes and mythologies lurking in the subtext — none of which ever get a chance to breathe because of the lack of continuity. Walking black holes, bionic monsters, kinetic harpoons, evil medical research, the ethical and logistical questions of running an organization like the Frequency…these are all things I was interested in and wanted to know more about. But no: it’s all just a backdrop to beating the bad guys in 20-odd pages. This shallowness is keenly felt in the final story, where some of the complex questions surrounding the Global Frequency are very briefly considered. Too little, too late.
So it’s possible to enjoy Global Frequency for what it is, if you don’t expect too much out of it. This is a smart book, and I would have greatly preferred a longer, serialized, slower-paced version, rich in world-building and drama, that leaves you with much to ponder. As it is, this feels like an appetizer without a main course.
eyelit's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
francomega's review
3.0
Limited series following an international organization called in to handle extreme rescue operations. There are 1001 members around the world with different specialties led by the Nick Fury-esque Miranda Zero. Each of the 12 issues collected here focuses on a separate mission, so there's not a central binding narrative to the collection. That said there's a pretty solid payoff in the last few stories, which along with Ellis' writing throughout, makes this a worthwhile read. Each issue features a different illustrator, with mixed results.
squidbag's review
5.0
A re-read, but an epic re-read. Next to Transmet, GF is my favorite Ellis, and part of what makes this so awesome is the episodic, Mission Impossible-nature of the beast, backed up issue by a different artist for each mini-adventure. Just read it. Don't make me have to convince you. You're on the Frequency.
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