Amazon.com

Sin City launched the long-running, critically acclaimed series of comics novels by Frank Miller. Having worked on some of the most important comic books in the 1980s, including Marvel Comics's Daredevil and the influential Batman graphic novel The Dark Knight Returns, Miller was already a heavy-weight cartoonist, but he hit his stride with Sin City. It gave him the freedom that doesn't come when working on someone else's characters. While the art isn't as polished as in later books, it is in many ways the quintessential Sin City story: tough-guy Marv finds the girl of his dreams, an incredible beauty named Goldie. But when Goldie is murdered on their first night together, Marv scours the bars and back alleys of Sin City to find her killer in hopes of avenging her death. ... Read more

Reviews (65)

Really good novel
This is a great graphic novel. The art is very good and unique however, it can look a little sloppy at times it's sill great. The story is very goodand the words are in the movie. Also the diologue and monologues are very natural and discriptive at the same time. If you don't like sex and violece avoid this at all cost. If you're into that sort of thing pick it but, it's a little short for 17 bucks but it's very good.

Great beggining to Sin City
I have to say that as soon as I saw the trailer for Sin City on TV i became obssesed. After that it was sin city this sin city that. Although I haven't seen the movie yet, i cant till its on video. Anyways this is one of the best comic books/graphic novels I have ever read. Frank Miller's way of drawing in all black or white is amazing. The storyline definately keeps you wanting to know who Marv is killing next. The basic plot of the story is about a brute of a man by the name of Marv who falls in love with a hooker named Goldie after one night. He wakes up and finds her dead next to him, and spends the rest of the story fighting and killing his way to the culprit. Kevin is by far the most disturbing character ever made (a mute cannibal who cuts the heads of women and eats the rest of them). The comic book does have nudity and some violence in it and isn't appropriate for young kids who are used to stuff like spider man or x-men. this is definately a must read.

Marv introduces you to the comic noir of Miller's "Sin City"
In a note in the back of "The Hard Goodbye," Frank Miller explains that this one got away from him.What was supposed to be a 48-page crime thriller turned into a 200-page graphic novel, all because Marv, the story's brutal misanthropic protagonist, started bossing Miller around.If you have seen "Sin City" the movie where Mickey Rourke steals the film as Marv, then you can understand Miller's explanation.You will understand it even more when you read the graphic novel, the first volume in the Miller's comic noir saga.

For me Frank Miller began the road that ends in "Sin City" with "Daredevil" #164, which retold the hero's origin.There is a series of panels in which Daredevil is chasing down the Fixer, the man who arranged the fight that Battling Murdock refused to throw.In each frame Daredevil gets closer to his quarry and cutting across the panels is a line representing the Fixer's heart beat, which goes from blind panic to full cardiac arrest before flatlining.It was at that point that I knew Miller was starting to think of what he could do with art in a comic book.After his work on "Daredevil" there was "Ronin" and "The Dark Knight Returns," and eventually Miller gets to Marv.

There is no doubt that Marv is the walking path of destruction that dominates this narrative.He is extremely violent, deeply disturbed, and whatever medication he is taking is just not doing the job.Still, he is a sympathetic figure because pretty much everybody he is maiming and killing are the real scum of the earth and he is on a mission to avenge the death of Goldie, the beautiful blonde who gave him a toss in the hay.He falls asleep in bed with her, having one of those moments of true happiness that never bodes well, and wakes up with her dead and the cops on their way.Marv is being set up, but that is incidental in his mind to the fact somebody killed Goldie, so somebody has to pay along with everybody else who stands in his way.The grand irony here is Marv and his interior monologues are the voice of sanity by the time he finds the killer.

The characters and the dialogue are easy to characterize as Mickey Spillane types on steroids.Then there is Miller's artwork as he explores what can done with just black and white on a page.The result is wildly experimental and sometimes you can a sense of how rough Miller's ideas are by the time he finishes a page.The first page of the story is more black than white, with Goldie's lips, the outline of her hair, the white skin exposed by the strapless gown and gloves etched out in seductive folds sets the tone for the artwork.The second page is the opposite with more white than black and offers a more conventional view of Marv and Goldie, and already you like the first page better.The third page offers a synthesis of the first two and it is like Miller is laying out the new ground rules.There are figures reduced to silhouettes except for hair or teeth (or bandages), and others reduced to white images against a field of black.Then we get to Marv standing in the rain in Chapter 8 and looking at the statue of Cardinal Roarke, at which point Miller is trying something completely different from the rest of the book.

I have no doubt that if Miller was to do "The Hard Goodbye" today that there would be significant changes in the artwork that would provide a refinement of the raw energy displayed here.There are times when the justification for the artwork seems to clearly be that it is different from the pages Miller has just drawn as opposed to be the best way of illustrating that part of the narrative.But this is the first story in an ongoing series, so allowances can be made if Miller really did decide to do a page a certainly way for no other reason than he had not done one that way yet.After all, it is not like he was coming up with 200 different pages of artwork and by the time you get to Chapter 8, which I think is artistically far and away the best of the entire graphic novel, it is equally clear Miller knows exactly what he is doing and all of the pieces are falling into place.The joy of watching the art evolve in this story makes up for the rough patches.

These stories were originally published in issues #51-62 of the Dark Horse comic book series "Dark Horses Presents" and in the "Dark Horse Presents Fifth Anniversary Special."This second edition has come out with the rest of the extant "Sin City" collection in term to be gobbled up by fans of the movie version and those who come from the theater to the graphic novel will probably be surprised how faithful Robert Rodriguez was to Frank Miller's story and vision.Then again, that was the whole point of doing the film the way it was done.

High impact artwork
"See the life through the eyes of an artist, and the art through the eyes of life."

It's not easy being green...
...or black and white for that matter. The good guys in this book are bad and the bad guys are just plain disgusting! A pill popping murderer(with a soft heart) battles a flesh eating priest and his misunderstood cannibal friend. It just doesn't get any darker than this.

Besides the unnaturally sexy women (most of whom are prostitutes), there is nothing attractive about this world that Frank Miller has created. Yet still you will find yourself sucked in by that part of yourself that wants to slow down as you drive by an accident. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Because of a shocking ending to the first Sin City book, many people wondered how successful Frank Miller could be with future tales of his no-holds-barred city noir. Enter Dwight McCarthy, a clean-living photographer who tries to avoid trouble because he knows what he's capable of. His tactics don't do him much good when a girl from his past (who he can't say no to) shows up and professes her love for him. When he finds out she's in way over her head, it looks as though trouble has found him. What's going to happen? You guessed it: people get hurt. ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Sin city is so cool
I really liked Marv in Book 1 and in the movie.Marv was my favorite movie story.I was really sad to see him die in the first book.

But, this book is really cool, because it takes place about the same time as Book 1, chronologically, and Marv is in this story a lot.This story is the first story with Dwight in it, back before he got his facelift.

I was also relieved that they didn't cherry pick the best story lines for Sin City 1, the movie.This story is every bit as well written as the other stories.

There's a lot more nudity in this book than the first one, and the book is printed entirely in black and white.

Better have tough innards
After the horrific ending in Sin City 1, I wasn't sure I could handle another in the series. Enter Sin City 2, "A Dame to Kill For," and photographer Dwight McCarthy. Not the coolest guy in the world, but, then I guess it fits the genre. His life is ugly and boring. He'd like to make some changes, but then Ava returns from his past. Sleazy Dwight falls hard, again, and the result is violent, sadistic and infatuating.

Don't know how many of these I can take, but I am hooked on the visual, comic book imagery Miller creates. I'd definitely not recommend this book for teenagers (my 13-year-old is my sample) or for the faint-of-heart.

The story of how Dwight ended up with a new mug in Sin City
"A Dame to Kill For," which is Book 2 in Frank Miller's "Sin City" series, is now going to be known as the only one of the first four books that was not part of the "Sin City" movie.Given the options it was a smart move because this one tells the story of what happened that made Dwight get a new mug and "The Big Fat Kill" is the better tale of the two if you are going to do one Dwight story and if you want to do a story in two parts "That Yellow Bastard" is a better choice as well.

Dwight is reduced by circumstances, most notably an attempt to stay sober, to spying on men cheating on their wives with prostitutes so that he can take their photographs.What he desperately wants is one clear chance to wipe the slate clean and get his life together.Four years earlier Ava left Dwight for another man and he knows that seeing her again is nothing but bad news above the fold even without the banner headline.He should just kill her or at least walk away, but when she begs him for help none of the cold harsh realities of what she has done and what sort of woman she really is matters to Dwight.He is going to need all the help he can get to deal with Ava, because being sober is not making Dwight smart enough to avoid making one big mistake.

In terms of the "Sin City" chronology, "A Dame to Kill For" comes before "The Hard Goodbye."We know because Marv is not only in the bar where Nancy is dancing as Dwight comes by for a visit, he helps his pal out when the hero of this story finds the man mountain named Manute to be insurmountable.This ends up working against this story in a couple of ways.You had to agree that it is hard to think of Marv as just a sidekick given how strong of a character that he is, and the fact that Dwight cannot handle Manute makes him a lesser hero.After all, it is Marv who labels Ava with the titular appellation.I knew that he was going to get his act together in the end, given what happens in the next book, but for most of this one Dwight is getting beat up, thrown through a window, and shot a whole bunch of times.Clearly Miller is making a point about the healing power of a burning desire for revenge

Overall, the black & white artwork (or, I should say, white on black artwork) is less experimental in Book 2 and if anything looks like it was drawn with white ink on black paper rather than the other way around.For me the sequence that stands out is in Chapter 2 when Dwight heads to a bar to meet with Ava and all of the panels have smoke drifting through them, although some of Miller's panels where the blinds on the windows make for alternative parallel lines of light and darkness are interesting (there are others that are just overkill).For the most part Miller is laying out the story so that it looks more like a conventional comic book than Book 1, so there is not the sense of boldness from before.But then the story is less ambitious as Dwight comes across as just another guy who made the mistake of thinking with some other part of his anatomy besides what is between his ears.

In 1995 "A Dame to Kill For" won Will Eisner's Best Limited Series Award so it is not like it is a book to skip.If you make it to Book 2 in the "Sin City" series you should be in for the long haul and more of those hot nights, dry and windless, that are the kind that make people do sweaty, secret things.

May not be the best in the series but is still very good
I definately thought the hard goodbye was great, but a dame to kill for wasn't the best. The story is about a guy named Dwight who is trying to forget his past. Until he meets Ava again, she is an old girlfriend who left him for a richer man. This is where the story got a little too mushy. Dwight starts loving her again and starts trying to save her when she tells him her husbands abusive gaurd named Manute beats her and tortures her. You'll find Marv is also in this story because this story takes place before and during the hard goodbye. Although this book does have a very good twist to it i just wasn't interested in Dwight's love life. it is still a good book though.

Love and death and grey all over...
Sin City may be black ink on white paper, but it's nothing without the grey. The characters in this book are grey--all over.

A Dame to Kill For is the story of Dwight. Dwight is a good guy with 2 bad habits--booze & broads. But he's sober now. He's taking great pictures of husbands doing nasty things to women who aren't their wives in order to make a living as a private-eye. Dwight is damaged, but on the mend--until Ava shows up. Then it all gets messy. Really messy.

This is the 2nd tale of Sin City and about mid-way through the story Marv, the star of the first book, makes a guest appearance. This book stands completely on its own from book 1 (The Hard Goodbye). However, Marv's story in The Hard Goodbye begins to intertwine with Dwight's and Miller throws in a few cameos for those who read The Hard Goodbye.

This is probably my favorite Sin City yarn. I love them all, but in my opinion creator Frank Miller found his stride in book 1 then ran with it in spades with this book.

And for those folks delving into the world of Sin City because of the 2005 film, this book will be a special treat cuz it's the prequel to Dwight's story in The Big Fat Kill, in which Clive Owen, Michael Clarke Duncan & Rosario Dawson starred in the 2005 film.Do yourself a favor and throw down the cash for this book now. Trust me, $12 is peanuts for the all entertainment packed in these pages. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In a Sin City short story, "The Babe Wore Red," Frank Miller deviated from his stark black-and-white artwork by adding tiny bits of color throughout the story. The girl's dress was red, her lips were red--you get the picture. In That Yellow Bastard, the fourth Sin City graphic novel, Miller's experiment with yellow ink is also a tremendous success.The setup is simple. On the last day before he retires, Hartigan, an old cop, gets a call about an 11-year-old girl who has been kidnapped by a lunatic.Hartigan has got just one more thing to do before he retires: save the girl. Saving her is the easy part, because Hartigan has uncovered something really bad that is not going to stop until it catches up with him.That Yellow Bastard is nerve-racking to the very end. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

THAT YELLOW BASTARD!
The story starts with Hartigan, who is a 60 year old cop with a heart condition during his last day before his retirement. Not more than an hour before he's ready to leave he gets a call about an eleven year old girl whos been kidnapped. The girl is Nancy Callahan, the kidnapper is senator Roark's son. Hartigan risks his life to save her before she's raped and killed. When he shoots Junior and saves the girl all hell breaks lose. He is held captive by Junior's father and is beaten for eight years. And framed by senator roark for raping Nancy. Junior Roark undergoes a surgory because of Harigan shooting him. The surgeory ends up turning him all yellow. Hartigan gets out of captivity and uknowingly leads yellow bastard right to Nancy. This story will definately keep you reading all the way to the tragic ending. yellow bastard is by far the most disgusting character creating by Miller. He's a pervert child rapist who gets turned on by listening to women screaming in pain. This is definatetly innapropriate for younger kids, but if your older you'll love it.

A classic in its own right
To be frank (ha ha), I haven't seen another Greek tragedy realized in the noir genre as well since "Taxi Driver". "That Yellow Bastard" just nails it, thanks to Frank Miller, who I consider not only a legend in the comics industry, but in the literary mainstream as well. He is a Grade-A knock-you-on-your-ass storyteller and artist, plain and simple. This is not an introspective tale, and it will not make you feel warm and good inside, but then again neither do all the other Sin City yarns. This is probably more tragic than "The Hard Goodbye" in an emotional aspect, because even though Marv was a tough-as-nails, morally-confused man, whom everybody wanted dead in the first place, Sin City beat Hartigan down harder in every which way. His life is torn to shreds when he fights a war against corruption that he couldn't win in the first place. In my eyes, the downward spiral for Hartigan is as enduring as "Hamlet" or say "Romeo and Juliet", since Hartigan has this unshakable bond with a girl he saved 8 years prior, but in the end, any chance of happiness he could share with Nancy Callahan ultimately falls apart and trust me, if the last three or so pages doesn't kick you in the gut, nothing else will. I sincerely hope that this will be remembered in the far future as a great piece of storytelling. Raymond Chandler and Sam Spade would be proud.

The Best Sin City Book
"That Yellow Bastard" is Miller's best work on the Sin City series."A Dame to Kill For" is a close second.The movie has helped to make these books more widely available.A year ago, this was a tough book to find.

There are a bunch of Sin City books out there that are collections of short stories. I prefer the longer stories, so they feel more like a book than a comic. If you feel the same way, order the titles I mentioned above, and also pick up "The Big Fat Kill."

"That Yellow Bastard" is represented in the movie with the Bruce Willis/Jessica Alba parts, mostly in the final third of the movie.

I was riveted for the whole book, couldn't put it down.Buy it!

BOOM!
This is the fourth graphic novel in Frank Miller's Sin City series.John Hartigan is one of the few honest cops in Sin City, and it's his last day on the job before he retires.He saves a little girl from a rapist/child killer, but the murderer has a big shot politician father.Hartigan's life goes to Hell afterwards, and that's all I will say about the plot.This is another awesome black and white "noir" comic by Miller (with yellow used to color "That Yellow Bastard").Just a great example of graphic storytelling.This is one of the stories being adapted in the upcoming Sin City motion picture.Here is a list of who plays the characters from this book:

John Hartigan - Bruce Willis
Nancy Callahan - Jessica Alba
Junior - Nick Stahl
Bob - Michael Madsen
Lucille - Carla Gugino

"I take his weapons away from him...both of them"
What makes Frank Miller tick?What drives one of the most renowned writers in comic history to write the kind of character driven, gritty and hard edged stories he is famous for?Who knows, but from his early work on Daredevil to his groundbreaking Dark Knight Returns story, the man has proven he is a master writer.His Sin City stories for Dark Horse are no exception, and That Yellow Bastard is without a doubt the best Sin City yarn Miller has ever penned.John Hartigan is an old cop on the verge of retirement, and on his last day on the job, he responds to a kidnapping call.What results is a showdown with a deranged psychopath in order to save a young girl named Nancy, but regular Sin City readers know that in this city, things don't always work out for the best.By the time That Yellow Bastard reaches it's climax, you'll be left in awe at one of the absolute greatest comics ever created.Miller's art is about what you might expect: unpleasent, gritty, and well suited to the story.Not to mention, you'll never look at the color yellow the same way again.That Yellow Bastard is devestatingly surreal and brutal at the same time, and if you've never read any of Miller's Sin City works, now has never been a better time to dive in, and with the upcoming movie coming out, you might want to check this out first. ... Read more

Amazon.com

With The Big Fat Kill Frank Miller is at it again with another comics packed with guns, lovers, losers, and surprises. In Sin City's Old Town, the prostitutes run the show. "The cops stay out.That leaves the girls free to keep the pimps and the mob out." Sounds like an OK place, right? It is until a pushy, loud-mouthed guy who has had one too many drinks comes into Old Town and gets himself killed by the ladies. When they find out who he is, they realize that "it'll be war. The streets will run red with blood. Women's blood." ... Read more

Reviews (15)

The Dwight story from the movie
Frank Miller has done such an excellent job with each of his books.I'm reading all of the Sin City books, and I just finished this one.

I'm totally amazed at how closely the movie follows the book, and yet there were subtle differences that make the movie better, and the book more interesting to read.For example, this book references a few things from earlier books, and those references didn't make it into the movie.

The artwork in this is incredible.The story is incredible.

This book, and the other two books have been entirely black and white, except for the pictures of the comic covers in the first few pages, which really doens't count.

I recommend this book to everyone, except those who are turned off by blatant violence, nudity, and language.

ANOTHER GREAT, BLOODY, BRUTAL, GORY TALE FROM SIN CITY
So far this is one of my favorite sin city books. The story starts off at Dwights girlfriend Shellie's house. Jackie Boy (who is Shellie's previous lover) is outside her door and wont leave her alone and insists he comes in. So he comes in drunk with some friends. Dwight is at her house and is waiting for Jack in the bathroom. Jack hits Shellie and Dwight roughs him up a little bit and scares them off. Jack and his friends drive off to old town with Dwight following them. The girls of old town then gruesomely kill jack and his friends. They then find out something about jack that makes them wish they never killed him. From then on it turns into a bloodbath of revenge and murder as Dwight and the girls do there best to keep all of sin city from crashing down on them. This is a very well written and illustrated story. But keep the young kids away.

Dwight has to help out the ladies of Old Town with a problem
"The Big Fat Kill," Book 3 of Frank Miller's "Sin City" graphic novels once again focuses on the character of Dwight, who got himself a new face and a new attitude in the previous story, "A Dame to Kill For."The latter was the more important part, because Dwight did not come across as being anyway as interesting as Marv, the hero of the first "Sin City" story who is back to lend Dwight a helping hand in the second.Dwight is not exactly alone this time either, but he is certainly more capable of holding his own than previously.

Dwight is spending some time with Shellie the waitress when Jackie Boy shows up with a mean drunk and four of his friends.The old Dwight would have had some problems with that situation, but our hero has definitely grown up.Getting Jackie Boy to leave Shellie alone should be the end of it, but Dwight is convinced that the night will not end until Jackie Boy hurts somebody and Dwight takes the responsibility for making sure that does not happen.But when Jackie Boy ends up to Old Town where the ladies ply their trade of prostitution and are the law, "beautiful and merciless," it looks like Dwight's help is not need at all.This, however, turns out to be the biggest mistake of the night and suddenly Dwight's services are most decidedly needed.

It will seem strange to pick out this particular "Sin City" story and say it is a bit over the top, since obviously all of them are.The ending is certainly brutally efficient but at the cost of any notion of elegance, which is usually preferred in a comic noir story such as this.Miller is certainly not experimenting as much in terms of his artwork as he was in the first novel in the series, but the rough way in which Dwight and Jackie Boy's faces are drawn is not to my liking.The full-page panels in this one have Miller's best artwork.This includes Dwight introducing Jackie Boy to the toilet, Dwight jumping into his car, and some of the ladies of Old Town.Still, all things considered, this ends up being a second tier Miller story and Dwight is still a second tier hero, still well worth the reading but not as good as it gets in "Sin City."

This trade paperback collects together the five issues of the original Dark Horse comic series, along with their covers (which actually introduce some color to Miller's artwork).In the back of the book you will find a Gallery of "Sin City" art contributed by the likes of Arthur Adams, Sergio Aragones, Joe Kumbert, Mike Mignola, John Romita, Walter Simonson, and some other artists who present their interpretations of Nancy Callahan, the ladies of Old Town, and other "Sin City" characters.

The Big Fat Cool
After getting this yesterday (...), I began to read with extremely high hopes. Those hopes were met. The action from the Sin City film was delivered.

(...)

Five out of five.

Nice art, good story, great dialogue, and a nice noir feeling to it. Recommended to fans of the flick, even though they're getting basically the same thing.

Frank Miller hits his stride with this one
"The Big Fat Kill" is a fantastic tale, told in a classic "noir" style with the modern touch of Frank Miller.

My favorite character is a supporting one, Miho, a Crouching-Tiger-style martial arts expert.The main story is about Dwight and... well, I won't ruin the book by giving away the whole story.Just buy it, you won't be sorry.

"Dame to Kill For," and "That Yellow Bastard" are also excellent."The Hard Goodbye" was a little gory for my taste, so if ultra-violence isn't your bag, you could skip that one (it's a "stand-alone" story anyway).

"The Big Fat Kill" is represented in the movie with the Clive Owen/Rosario Dawson parts, about the middle third of the film.

This is one great book! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Can anything be darker than noir? Try Frank Miller's Sin Cityseries. The tasty Hell and Back features Wallace, a brooding artist with a decided talent for hurting people, and Esther, a stunningly beautiful actress accidentally mixed up in a slavery ring that extends far and deep enough to transcend the word conspiracy. The tale twists, turns, and backtracks, teasing the reader with hints of terror to come--until the explosive climax. Miller's art is exactly right for his words; he uses more black than white, and color only when appropriate. The chapter dealing with Wallace's drug hallucinations is beautiful, heartbreaking, and terrifying in turn. Readers interested in the human dark side should find out what fans of Sin City already know: Frank Miller has seen it and wants to share. --Rob Lightner ... Read more

Reviews (13)

It's no kind of night to stay in the city.
This is the seventh and final (so far) book in Frank Miller's Sin City series.This time around, the story stars the new character of "Wallace".Wallace is an artist/war hero who saves a beautiful woman from commiting suicide.The woman ends up getting kidnapped, and Wallace goes to "Hell and back" to rescue her.That's all I will say about the plot.Some supporting characters from previous Sin City books show up here, but I won't spoil the surprise.This isn't the best Sin City story, but it's certainly the longest.If you read the other Sin City books, you may experience a "been there, done that" sensation while reading this book.Once again, a heroic guy rescues a damsel in distress.But while the plot may be a tad familiar, I still enjoyed the book.The artwork is as gorgeous as ever, and there are a few new touches, here and there.This is not the first Sin City book you should read, but fans of the series will probably enjoy it.I would recommend reading the books in order, so this would be the last one to read.

A swing and a miss...or three.
Hell & Back is Frank Miller's latest addition to his Sin City series of black & white comics, and unfortunately his most disappointing. Frank shakes things up and takes a few chances with this particular Sin City yarn and for that I applaud him. However, not every gamble pays off and such is the case with Hell & Back.

Miller's Sin City is renowned for packing so much onto a plain white page with just black ink. He changed things up by adding splashes of color in a few short stories (Book 6), then again with his infamous Yellow Bastard character from the great story That Yellow Bastard (Book 5). Miller adds a lot of colors here with the forgettable female German assassin in leopard print and neon hair. Also Miller altered the way he drew the characters in this book-they became more angular, "blocky" and disproportionate. His style in this book is much closer to his style in DK2 than his other Sin City stuff. So basically Miller altered the way he drew Sin City and rather than being fresh it was off-putting. The look just ain't Sin City enough to be Sin City.

Another mistake is length. Hell & Back is Miller's longest yarn yet-over 100 pages longer than the usual Sin City tale. Miller tries to make this story epic, prolific even. But instead he comes up with 100 pages too much. Part of what makes a Sin City story so great is Miller's sense of editing. Director Robert Rodriguez said one of the main reasons he wanted to make Sin City into a movie with Miller is because it would be so simple because Miller already did the hard work of editing the stories so well on the page.

And the last big mistake I think Miller made is plot. All Sin City tales have good guys doing bad things for nasty reasons-usually for revenge-with the protagonists facing real consequences for their actions. Without giving the ending away, Hell & Back doesn't really live up to the Sin City standard Miller set with the other books. He subtitled this "A Sin City Love Story," but the thing is EVERY Sin City story is a love story! Marv & Goldie, Hartigan & Nancy, Dwight & Ava & Gail-all great love stories.

Basically I think Miller tried (and failed) to reinvent the wheel with this tale. Sin City wasn't broke and it didn't need fixing. That being said, a mediocre Sin City yarn is better than none at all and the die-hards should scoop this one up, but the new or casual reader could easily give this one a pass.

Not for me
I am not really familiar w/ Frank Miller's Sin City works, I had mostly read his Batman: DKR, Year One, Wolverine and Daredevil books, So, I decided to give the Sin City books a try. I really didn't enjoy the story and seems like your run-of-the-mill hot damsel in distress with the "hero" to the rescue. But the rescue soon turns to a Stevel Segal movie with a lot of violence, topped off with nudity and sex. It's not a bad story but it's not a great story, not for me anyways. Maybe, it's because I've been reading superhero comic books for nearly 15 years, so it wasn't to my liking.

Lovely ladies...who may be deeper than we think...
In Miller's most recent installment, Hell and Back: A Sin City Love Story, the plot centers around a mystery beauty by the name of Esther. Our hero, a former black op agent-turned-artist named Wallace, meets Esther while saving her from drowning. His first thoughts are telling: "She's a little heavier than she looks. Strong body...Strong body. She's in good shape." Once revived, she falls in love with his art, and he with her. It's a bond so deep enough that, when Esther is abducted, Wallace vows to find her and make her captors pay. It's not an uncommon plot for a Sin City tale. The original 1991 12-issue arc focused on a redemptive, disfigured thug named Marv looking to avenge the one woman to ever show him physical love: "The perfect woman. The goddess," named Goldie. Marv is aided by his tough-as-nails probation officer, Lucille, and his gun named Gladys. Similar to all the women in Sin City, Gladys is portrayed as powerful and sensual. It's a trend that continues into Hell and Back. Esther never begs for release, never cries. But she is also seldom clothed and often exposed. Likewise, her "roommate" Delia is a lethal nymphomaniac, only challenged as the embodiment of power and sexuality by the equally potent assassin, Mariah. Frank Miller goes to great lengths to always draw his women dripping with seduction. They pose either with skintight clothing, drenched in moisture, bare-nipples, or entirely nude. However, the happily married Miller is no misogynist nor a capitalist of the female form; I believe he's a progressive. As I said, the women of Sin City are strong and, paradoxically, gain even more strength from each seductive pose Miller draws. They are not victims of the male gaze; they ensorcel their viewers. Like the black widow or Basic Instinct's Catherine Tramell, they only allow men to look at them; they enhance their power by enthralling viewers. Miller's "good guys" certainly respect both women's beauty and power.

Far from the best of Miller
It is a good work, but it doesn't keep the level of the others Sin City tales. This time, the main character - Wallace - is an ex-soldier, extremely well trained (almost a Ninja) trying to save a girl from a secret organization. But Wallace is a good Samaritan, the kind of person we'd never expect to find in Sin City. Personally I prefer the anti-heroes normally found in Frank Miller's stories.
Action and violence are present as well as in other Sin City tales, what makes this story worthy to be read, but don't expect to find the best of Miller. ... Read more

Book Description

The most diverse volume of Sin City material available, Booze, Broads, & Bullets, showcases Frank Miller's vignettes and color experiments from throughout the years of his groundbreaking crime series, and includes art created especially for the original collection. A good entry point for new readers wondering what Sin City is all about - or longtime readers who can't get enough - Miller has painted a gritty, decadent, and gloriously dirty portrait. Have a taste of the city ... just one little taste. Just one. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

You being good yet?
This book collects various shorter Sin City stories that were published in various comic books.There are eleven separate stories here, so I will offer brief reviews of all of them.

"Just Another Saturday Night" is a typical Marv story. (4 stars)
"Fat Man and Little Boy" is a short comedy starring small time hoods Klump and Shlubb. (4 stars)
"The Customer is Always Right" was the prologue in the recent Sin City movie. (4 stars)
"Silent Night" is a Marv story with virtually no dialogue. (3 stars)
"And Behind Door Number Three..." is a brief story featuring the girls of Old Town. (3 stars)
"Blue Eyes" introduces the character of Delia. (4 stars)
"Rats" stars a Nazi war criminal. (3 stars)
"Daddy's Little Girl" stars the one-shot character of Johnny. (3 stars)
"Wrong Turn" is a longer Delia story. (4 stars)
"Wrong Track" is a shorter Delia story. (3 stars)
"The Babe Wore Red" stars Dwight and is the best story in here. (5 stars)

So there you have it."The Babe Wore Red" is so great, that the book is worth getting just for that one story.But all the other stories also have something to recommend them.That is to say, they all have gorgeous art by Frank Miller, even if a few of them are a bit lacking in the plot department.If you are a fan of the other Sin City books, you will probably enjoy this one, too.

your stupid
To whoever wrote the review reguarding the awfulness of this book has no imagination. Even if the story isn't for you, the art is still exelent.It's also low touse Millers drinking as an excuse for not seeing the books quality.If you don't like it then state your reasons for not liking it and leave your personal vendetta against Miller out of it. Theres plenty more Batman and Dare-devil out there for you,so get over it.By the way this is an awsome collection.

Great Read
This is such an excellent comic book.I cannot wait for Robert Rodriguez's film to come out.It is going to be excellent and amazing and I don't know what else to say.Frank Miller is such a creative genius, and Rodriguez is as well, and with that cast?The movie will be great, but only because the comic was great first.

Great fun for kids of all a-- well... for big kids anyway.
This is by no means Millers best work, but it is definately worth picking up if you enjoy sin city. It's basically a collection of short stories, each different and not necesarrily related. The art work as always is very very good, and as always the stories are entertaining. Keep 'em coming Frank! .... no? .... oh... (drops head in sorrow). Oh well.

Very good.
This is a very good colection of the shorter sin city pieces. What I like most about it is that you can see Frank Miller's art style progress to the form it's in now. Many great stories with the sadistic sin city twist. Notfor the week-hearted! ... Read more

Book Description

Two feudal kingdoms, Midland and Chuder, battle for supremacy in what will become the final clash in a century-long struggle. Spearheading the Midland forces is the Band of the Hawk, a legendary cadre of elite mercenaries led by the charismatic Griffith and with the fearless Guts as its berserker champion. The Hawks' ferocity, courage, and fearsome skills - not to mention Guts' enormous broadsword - are just what Midland needs to turn the bloody tide, but during the fray, Guts and Griffith's most trusted lieutenant, Casca, fall together from a cliff into a raging river. Miraculously, both barely survive, and Guts tends to Casca's wounds as she tells of having her life saved by Griffith, her induction into the Band of the Hawk, and her deep feelings toward Griffith. She even seems to finally be warming up to the grim Guts. But this greeting-card moment won't last long, for Chuder warriors are on the prowl, and the only greetings they carry are on the points of their spears! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great manga
Berserk (both anime and manga) put me off at first, I didn't think that I would like it; from what pictures I had seen it looked to be a very violent and bloody manga, not that I'm bothered by those things, but I really prefer a good story.

Truth be told Berserk IS quite violent and bloody, but that is where it catches you off guard; hidden beneath all of the blood an gore is a great story that really draws you in with characters that are deep and have convincing relationships.

If you're looking for a lighthearted adventure Berserk isn't for you, but if you want a great story and don't mind violence and endings that don't necessarily turn out happily ever after definately check it out, you can't help but become engrossed in the story and it's characters. ... Read more

Book Description

Marking a departure for Miller from an entire career of serialized stories, this 128-page epic spilled out of him all at once...and you can't help but read it the same way! Family Values is a milestone among Miller's work, allowing him enough room to tell this classic story of grit and revenge exactly the way he wanted to. With deadly Miho running on roller-blades, Dwight running on adrenaline, and the Sin City mob on clean-up detail, this yarn from the Town Without Pity is not to be missed. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

SHORT AND POINTLESS
This is basically a revenge story staring Dwight and the lovely Miho. Although Dwight and Miho are not the ones seeking revenge. I really have to say that this book didn't make all that much sense at first, and when I did figure out the point the whole plot was kind of pointless. yeah it doesn't make sense but once you read it you'll know what I mean. The art once again is beautiful and the story will keep you reading all the way to the confusing ending. I would much rather give this three and a half stars but the rating scale is only in whole numbers. Don't get me wrong though, I am a huge fan of these books but this one wasn't that great. Miho's ninja style moves are extremely awsome in this book, but that's just about the only highlight here.

Good old-fashioned vendetta
Sin City has quickly become one of my favorite graphic novel series.It makes no apologies about it's gory, vicious fights and simple, rough dialogue. Family Values is an excellent story which stays true to the style.One of my favorite characters, the lovely Miho, gets a lot of the limelight here.Her ninja techniques, swordplay, and hand-to-hand fighting skills are all over the top and very fun to watch.The men in the story are almost always macho types, ready to take it and dish it out--until they run into Miho.A dark humor pervades every single one of the Sin City books I've read so far, and it perfectly compliments the film noir style of writing and graphics.If you haven't read any of the other books in the series, I would recommend starting with the first volume, The Hard Goodbye, which is the best by far.

There's gonna be Hell to pay.
This is the third Sin City story to star "Dwight"; the first two were "A Dame To Kill For" and "The Big Fat Kill".You really should read those books before you read this one.This time around, Dwight and Miho are on a mission for the girls of Old Town, which I won't spoil by revealing anything about.Unlike the other Sin City books, which are serialized and have chapters, this is a continuous story that is about 120 pages long.It doesn't take long to read; I read the whole thing during my lunch break.I didn't feel it was quite as good as the other "Dwight" stories, but it is still a fun, quick read.The storyline didn't intrigue me as much this time around, but the artwork is as great as ever.I think most of Frank Miller's fans will enjoy this book.

Great Build up to a Surprise Ending
I disagree with the reviewer that states the ending fizzles.The Sin City story contained within "Family Values" has the biggest build up and surprise ending of all the Sin City stories in my opinion.Miller again successfully makes dislikeable characters and situations a very enjoyable read.

The art in "Family Values" is not Miller's strongest, but he more than makes up for it with excellent narration and storytelling.While it is at times over the top and almost forced, the deadliness of prostitute/assassin, Miho, is a joy to read and watch because she is truly excellent at her job.Dwight's loyalty the girls of Old Town is awe inspiring, considering the fact that he is an admitted murderer, and someone I would never trust.Dwight and Miho work flawlessly together as the two main characters of this book, and anyone who liked "The Big Fat Kill" will get a kick out of this as well.It's violent, entertaining, and keeps you on the edge of your seat until it's done.A great read.

Hard-boiled noir
This story grabbed by the throat and dragged me, page by page, to it's surprising end.

I wasn't struggling. This is a very well-done revenge story in the classic style, but built with modern pieces. The art captured the tone beautifully: harsh black and white, with the emphasis on the black. Every page is drawn in jagged, bleak contrast. Only Miho stands out, a ghostly white drawn with delicate line, and an interesting addition to the usual noir cast of characters.

This is a keeper. Every time I open it, its mood grabs me all over again.

Oh, and when I finished the story, I had an uncontrollable urge to watch Bogart or Cagney.

//wiredweird ... Read more

Book Description

They've been responsible for some of hte most dazzling and awe-inspiring visuals ever put to film, and now the concept artists behind the Star Wars prequels are bringing their considerable talents to comics.Just in time for Star Wars: Episode III, the wildly gifted mind of the Lucasfilm art department and visual effects powerhouse Industrial Light & Magic come together to tell their own Star Wars tales in this compilation of short stories.Given free reign to explore any and every aspect of the Star Wars universe, each artist offers a new twist or a deeper view into that galaxy far, far away.Nowhere else will you find a more pure or more different look at George Lucas' enduring creation than through the eyes of the Star Wars: Visionaries. ... Read more

Book Description

Star Wars: A Long Time Ago... features classic Star Wars stories not seen in over twenty years! Originally printed by Marvel Comics, these stories have been re-colored using today’s computer technology, giving "old" work a fresh face. Volume 2 collects issues of the original Marvel run and contains such riveting classics as "Crucible" and the unforgettable "What Ever Happened to Jabba the Hut?" ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Classic Marvel Star Wars
I read the first volume in this series, "Doomworld," and enjoyed it, but thought it was a bit corny and too cartoonish in places. I was surprised and pleased that the comics got much better with time.

A good portion of this set of 19 comics revolves around the Tagge family, who generally opposes Darth Vader, but also opposes the rebellion. Baron Tagge even hopes to supplant Darth Vader himself, though we know where such schemes end. In "Doom Mission," we find Baron Tagge has created a space station within the stormy atmosphere of the gas giant Yavin where Tie fighters launch attacks against the rebel base on the fourth moon. This story is quite creative with how Baron Tagge created the space station, how it was discovered and how it was eventually attacked.

There are quite a few creative moments in the various stories. In a series of three stories, "The Jawa Express," "Saber Clash," and "Thunder in the Stars," we see the Tagge family test and implement an interesting device that freezes anything between implanted towers. The Tagge family uses this device as a weapon against rebel forces.

In one of the most creative stories, "Riders in the Void," we find Luke and Leia have jumped into the void between galaxies. In one of the emptiest places in the universe Luke and Leia discover a unique, organic space ship with only one inhabitant, who is marginally insane. The ship and its inhabitant have an interesting and unique history, and there are moments when I wondered how Luke and Leia were going to escape.

Creature creation was similarly unique and better than in the first 20 comics of "Doomworld." In "The Long Hunt/A Duel of Eagles" we meet the winged people of Skye. In "Cavern of the Crawling Death" we learn about stone mites that destroy everything they contact as they eat it.

There are a few departures from the Star Wars universe as we know it today that are forgivable given that the second two Star Wars movies had yet to be released. We see a Jabba the Hut very different from the slug-like creature we came to know and loathe. We also see the continuing romance between Luke and Leia, though we also know that they are brother and sister. Yet, the general tone of the stories fits well within the Star Wars universe, and the astute reader can see some of the substantial creativity yet to come.

If you read "Doomworld" and liked it, you'll find that "Dark Encounters" is substantially better and more interesting. The quality of the stories is still lower than the general caliber of the Dark Horse stories, but some of them are very creative and interesting. For those readers that look back fondly on memories of comics from the 60s and 70s, these are the types of stories that you remember well. Enjoy!

Solid Improvement
3.5 stars actually.

The artwork, and the plotting improves dramatically in this second collection of Marvel stories. Unlike most of the first collection, these stories mostly feel like they could take place in the Star Wars universe and are viable adventures that the heroes could have had before The Empire Strikes Back.

Still though, they are not stellar work by any means, merely solid. In retrospect, due to the authors not knowing where George Lucas was going, some of the things you see cause some cognitive dissonance. No fault of the authors, but it is still jarring to see things you know are untrue.

Decent artwork, and stories in a rather large collection make this a worthwhile collection if you'd like to read a sort of slightly altered universe of what the Star Wars characters did between the movies.

Green Rabbits and Cyborg Bounty Hunters...
I've just ordered the reprint trade paperback reprints of these Marvel books. I remember reading and re-reading all of these "beyond the movie" adventures when I was a kid. It was just such an incredible charge to see what Luke, Han, and company were doing between the movies. Water worlds, gambling satellites, Darth Vader learning the name of the Death Star's destroyer(a nice plot device), the blocky artwork and awkward poses of Carmine Infantino artwork, wondering WHY these adventurers NEVER changed their clothes as they NEVER seemed to make their way back to Yavin Base after their Flash Gordon-esque side-adventures... Oh, and we can't forget that Obi-Wan Jedi story with the droid 68RKO (which were the call letters of a radio station if I'm not mistaken)...They really DID capture the imagination. Hopefully, Dark Horse will get around to publishing a VOLUME 3 because therein lie the BEST Marvel STAR WARS tales. But these first two will take you to a Long Time Ago in a Decade Not Far Away Enough--The Seventies. You'll see the pop-cultural impact of the first wave of STAR WARS mania, in many ways as endearingly cheesy as that Thanksgiving Holiday special. If you remember these, you will LOVE them all over again...if you don't, then prepare to be mightily entertained, whether you like comics, STAR WARS, or pop-culture in general. These books definitely belong on your shelf...

Even better than the first collection!
This is the second trade paperback reprinting the original Marvel Star Wars comics from the late 70's/early 80's. It picks up immediately following the first trade paperback, and goes forward (timeline-wise) up to the first issue of Marvel's Empire Strikes Back adaptation.

Now, I've already given the first volume a good review, and this one's not going to be any different. I enjoyed these stories immensely when they first came out, and it still gives me a thrill to glance through my collection every now and then. Some of the covers were amazing!

The stories, for the most part, are the strongest from Marvel's entire line. The very last story in the collection, a fill-in tale where Luke and Leia end up on a large ship that is alive and has emotions, is probably the strongest in the entire batch. But there are other great moments mingled in with the rest. I think the issues featuring bounty hunters (including a cyborg) and the role they play in the Star Wars Universe are particulary interesting reads. And the story where Han and Chewy are trapped in a cavern with metal-eating termites chewing away at the Millenium Falcon (while a very thin Jabba the Hut stands outside the cave waiting for Solo to exit) is a classic.

Of course, not all of the stories work. There are some cheesy moments when Luke returns to Tatooine, and a few other issues that look like the artwork was rushed to meet a deadline, but overall, most of the issues are still fun to read.

Should you buy it? If you're a Star Wars nut, of course! But I think these stories would also be great for a parent looking for some good safe stories set in the Star Wars universe to give to their son/daughter. ... Read more

Book Description

March 6, 2035. Motoko Aramaki is a hyper-advanced cyborg, a counter-terrorist net security expert heading the investigative department of the giant multi-national, Poseidon Industrial. Partly transcending the physical world and existing in a virtual world of networks, Motoko is a fusion of multiple entities and identities, deploying remotely controlled prosthetic humanoid surrogates around the globe to solve a series of bizarre crimes. Meanwhile, Tamaki Tamai, a psychic investigator from the Channeling Agency, has been commissioned to investigate strange changes in the temporal universe,brought about by two forces, one represented by the teachings of a professor named Rahampol, and the other by the complex, evolving Motoko entity. What unfolds will be all in a day's work...a day that will change everything, forever. ... Read more

Book Description

The Sith Empire has rallied its forces for an all-out battle for control of the galaxy. Its goal: Crush the Republic. And with so many Sith Masters among them, the goal is not unachievable. As Naga Sadow readies his fleet to attack, one lone person threatens to undermine the entire campaign -- Jori Daragon. She isn`t a Jedi. She`s an explorer, a mapper of hyperspace who stumbled on the plans of the Sith. And she just may be the savior of the Republic. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Great Read!
I do not agree with any of the negative past reviews given here. I thought Fall of the Sith Empire was a fitting conclusion to the setup in The Golden Age of the Sith. The information within and its events lead up to other comic and Star Wars storylines. It is told more like a story passed down for generations, a feeling I think the author wanted. In actuallity it is a story told from the events known to a young jedi who is now a master. He is later seen, much older, in the Dark lords of the Sith series (the story of Exar Kun).So there is not great detail in points that do not need more info. You are getting the basic story as to what happened and why, and that is great. No one else has tried to tackle this era in the Star Wars history. Also, i think the art work is justified in its rought style. The setting is in the SW past, and the story is not overly detailed; these characteristics lead to a rough look that was very satisfying. It would not be perfect like the Star Wars present and future time periods. People are entitled to their opinions, but I think some missed the point when actually figuring out why elements of the comic where done in certain ways.

Now we take we back to ancient egypt...
This is the conclusion of the Golden Age of the Sith. The Fall is also set 5,000 years before NEW HOPE. While the art work also improves, yes I said improves, the story seems to disintegrate into itself. Since I like some of KJA's work, I am assuming that he was not the lead writer, just placed first alphabetically. Nothing important happens here so don't feel you need to waste your money buying this book, unless you want to buy mine!

Isn't there supposed to be a point?
Once again, I state that I've never been an Anderson fan. 'Golden Age of the Sith' had some streong points, like a decent plot and beautiful art. Alas, the art quality drops a bit here and the story goes into a nosedive. There's almost no plot, save for a big battle. Granted, it can be pretty visually complex and interesting, drawing back to an old style of combat, but overall its quite lacking.

I've gotten out a fine-toothed comb, but cannot find any cohesive story, unfortunately. Read it only as a conclusion for 'Golden Age', but don't expect a lot.

WoW it is Exar Kun!
This is a cool book that is about the Sith and moast of all Sith Lord Exar Kun.

Action packed conclusion to The Golden Age of the Sith
If you liked The Golden Age of the Sith but wanted much more action, this is the perfect addition for you to read. It concludes the events in its predecessor with great storytelling and it's jam-packed with action. This is one of the best stories in the Star Wars universe, with several conflicts occurring at once. You'll also discover an age where everything was primitive by Star Wars standards and Coruscant looked like a large Egyptian city. This TPB continues Dark Horse's tradition of classic action-packed stories combined with descriptive and entertaining illustrations. A must-have, but make sure you read The Golden Age of the Sith first! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Tom Veitch's original comic strip story traces Luke Skywalker's entrance into the Dark Side in the years after the fall of Darth Vader. The Empire is fragmented, and the Rebels seem on the verge of winning their long struggle when the sinister power of World Devastators emerges from the galactic core. These Devastators chew up worlds and manufacture robotic war machines out of the resources they consume. Luke's dark journey seems the only way to halt the massacre. But despite the importance of Luke in Dark Empire, the portrayal of Leia as an emerging Jedi is really the centerpiece of this volume. Married to Han (who goes flat in Veitch's hands) and with two children, Leia is torn between her role as mother and her role as Jedi warrior. While the story sometimes jumps too quickly between major scenes, Veitch does a good job of capturing the epic feel of George Lucas's masterpiece trilogy. Cam Kennedy's artwork is mixed in quality. Some of his drawings of the Millennium Falcon, hunter-killer probes, and robotic TIE-fighters seem to leap directly from the movie screen, while his human figures (especially of Han and Luke) can appear generic. Also, his style of coloring, using washes of similar colors on each page, is good for capturing moods but tends to obscure details. Despite these occasional shortcoming, this comic is recommended for one simple reason: once you start reading it, you won't be able to put it down. The other two parts of the Dark Empire trilogy include: Dark Empire II and Empire's End.--Patrick O'Kelley ... Read more

Reviews (56)

Luke becomes the apprentice of a ressurected Emporer.
The opening pages of "Dark Empire" gripped me instantly, and I wasn't disappointed by the storyline. The characters are familiar and the technology and diversity of aliens, planets, and vehicles are worthy of the "Star Wars" name. The only drawback is that the artwork can become a bit confusing and sloppy at times, but a true "Star Wars" fan will be able to look past that. In chronology, it and its sequel "Dark Empire II" take place between "The Last Command" and "Jedi Search". It contains a vital chunk of the "Star Ears" saga, although this is a comic book with no novelization. Definately worth a look.

Hold the phone! Let's look at the facts here!
Ok, this isn't a review of Dark Empire, but rather a counterpoint to the people who are blasting a very good peice of Star Wars expanded literature. Quite frankly, the Dark Empire trilogy is not the shipwreck that many people are making it out to be. Ok, the "Galaxy Gun" wasn't a very good name for a superweapon (cannon would have been better), but for the sake of Starwars fans everywhere, I'll just deal with the two biggest problems people seem to be having, the return of the Emperor and Luke's supposed switch to the Darkside. Considering you scrolled down this far, you already know the basic plot.

Yes, Vader's killing of Palpatine was a great ending to Lucas' saga. But the idea in Dark Empire is Palpatine and his empire were an evil so great that no one person could destroy them. It took Vader and his children, Luke and Leia, to finally put an end to Palpatine reign. Eventhough Han, in typical fashion, blows away the emperor's last (weak and genetically unstable) clone in Empire's End, it was stated that by Palpatine's doctor that he would die forever very soon unless he found a jedi to posses after his defeat and loss of aceptable clones in Dark Empire and Dark Empire II. So technically, it was Luke and Leia who "defeated" Palpatine. Luke also does the impossible by defeating the Emperor himself in physical combat (Which I felt was lacking even in the movie trilogy), something no jedi had ever done, and destroyed Palpatines best clones (with a little help from a revolting warrior or two). All these grafical novels do is expand the confict with Palpatine from Vader, down to the next generation, Luke and Leia, which is quite appropreate if one is familer with the Star Wars universe.

There is also a crystal clear explanation which is stated several times why Luke "turned" to the darkside. It was stated that Luke was trying to learn all of Palpatines dark secrets and then use them to destroy him and his empire once and for all. Come on! If Luke really turned to the darkside immediately why would he give the New Republic the codes to beat the invincible world devastators? Later on though, Luke does go too far into the darkside and Leia has to save him, like Luke did with Vader. Luke also did it to understand his father better, he needed to know why his father became Darth Vader. There's also a dozen pages in the back of Dark Empire which runs through the whole plot again! For crying out loud! Did these critics even read the book! Anyway, don't be put off by a few naysayers, the Dark Empire trilogy is better than bad, its great!

Purists, lighten up...Dark Empire is classic Star Wars....
It is a time of peril for the New Republic. Six years after the Battle of Endor, the destruction of the Empire's second Death Star, and the defeat of Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader, the war for control of the galaxy still rages on.

Despite their victory over the infamous Grand Admiral Thrawn a year before, the former Rebels have been forced to evacuate Coruscant after a successful invasion by resurgent Imperial forces. But when the Empire's "leaders" begin to fight over the right to govern, civil war breaks out and gives Luke Skywalker, Lando Calrissian and Alliance troops an opening to carry out a daring raid on Coruscant itself. But the mission goes awry and Skywalker and Calrissian crash-land their captured Star Destroyer at the heart of the Imperial City.

But when Han Solo and his wife Leia, accompanied by Chewbacca and C-3PO, attempt to rescue Luke and Lando, they are taken aback by Luke's refusal to go with them back to the secret Alliance base known as Pinnacle. Instead, he allows himself to be whisked off by a dark side storm, leaving his twin sister and her husband to wonder if the burdens of being a Jedi Master are too heavy for Luke to bear alone.

When this new chapter of the Star Wars Expanded Universe was first published as a six-issue comic book series by Dark Horse, I had mixed feelings. The concept was daring...Luke falls to the dark side of the Force (or does he?), the Emperor, thought to be dead at the end of Return of the Jedi, is back, thanks to the power of cloning technology...heck, even Boba Fett is revealed to having not being found "digestible" by the Sarlacc. All very fascinating, but wasn't Tom Veitch pushing things a bit too far? So even though I read my friend Geno's six issues from cover to cover, I thought, "Nawww....I'm not buying this. It doesn't fit into the Star Wars saga...."

Ah. Silly me. When I read Kevin J. Anderson's Jedi Search, the first installment of the Jedi Academy Trilogy, I noticed certain references to the reconstruction of both Coruscant and Mon Calamari, which had been subjected to battle and siege in Dark Empire. There were also passing references to the reborn Emperor. Later, when I broke down and bought this one volume collection, I read the introduction by Anderson and realized that the changes Veitch made in the Star Wars storyline were just too big to ignore. Even though as a Star Wars fan I know the only "official" version is the six-Episode film saga as written, produced, and/or directed by George Lucas, I lightened up and came to accept Dark Empire and its two sequels as an integral -- and fun -- part of the Expanded Universe.

The story by Veitch (once you get over the "how dare he?" reaction to it) is so well-written that you wish it had been a pure prose novel. The artwork by Cam Kennedy is innovative and at times almost impressionistic....as far as comics art is concerned I prefer the photo-realistic style of the prequel adaptations, but that doesn't take away from its beauty.

An Empire Reborn...
Since Star Wars creator, George Lucas, stated that his original saga only has six parts, it fell to Dark Horse Comics to further the adventures of Luke, Leia, Han, Lando, and the rest after the events in Return Of The Jedi and author Tim Zahn's Thrawn trilogy. The story (fully sanctioned by Lucas) in Dark Empire fits into the Star Wars mythos very nicely.

Six years after Jedi, The ruthless Empire is reborn, under the leadership of a mysterious figure, following the defeat of Grand Admiral Thrawn. This, as the Rebel Alliance restablish order throughout the Galaxy. As the new leader of the empire puts his evil plan into motion, Luke Skywalker, and his allies struggle to figure out what's really going on. Meanwhile, henchmen of Jabba The Hutt, have placed a large bounty on the heads of Han Solo and Leia.

Writer Tom Veich crafted a story that has a Star Wars feel to it. He has captured the escence of these very well known characters on these pages. While Admiral Thrawn is no Vader or Palpatine, he does make a worthy adversary, just the same. The action, humor, and wonder of the first trilogy are for the most part, recreated here.

As for the art, I have to say, I was a bit disappointed with Cam Kennedy's renderings of the Star Wars universe. The character likenesses are ok but not as detailed as the book's cover art by Dave Dorman-great stuff. Kennedy makes everything seem just a bit off. For the most part, abstract color combinations, take over most of the panels---this really detracts from book's fine story. The book also contains the story's original outline

Still, Dark Empire, is a must read for Star Wars fans

This one satisfies your curiosity
OK, your reading the novels and you wonder why Wedge is driving a large recycler in the opening of a book. Then you read references to the Clone Emperor or resurrected emperor and that Luke once went to the dark side and came back. Dark Empire is where those things happen.

It is a pretty good story with above average art work. Some of the art is stunning! It was this comic that got me interested in the art of DAVE DORMAN. DAVE IS AMAZING!

Palpatine gets cloned and has a new super weapon. Luke goes to the dark side to stop the Emperor. Coruscant gets blasted (or is it corresaunt now). Leia, undertrained as she is goes to rescue her brother. The two are never more powerful again.

After surviving and defeating the resurrected emperor, Leia and luke go back to their old selves in future novels ie: Leia is only barely competitent, and Luke is distracted almost to the point of incompetitence at times (one of my big grips in some books).

This is the first of 3 comics on this thread. You can skip the other two, but this one is worthwhile. For an additional treat, do a search of "dave dorman art" and check out where-ever he is. You'll like what you find. ... Read more

Book Description

The Jedi are taught to use the Force for good; to avail themselves only to the light side. But the dark side can be a dangerous temptation to even the strongest Jedi. Set against the backdrop of the Clone Wars, this novel-length adventure is filled with espionage, betrayal, and amazing lightsaber battles. It all begins with a dangerous undercover assignment that leads to...well, we dare not reveal the shocking ending! A story that is sure to have Star Wars fans talking - and wondering whether the fate of the Jedi lies in the light, or the dark. ... Read more

Book Description

The war between three armies of vampires, humans, and those in between is in full swing. The Hellsing organization is embattled as London is falling to Nazi vampire forces, turning the city's citizens into rivers of blood and a population of ghouls. It looks like it might be the end of Sir Integral Wingates Hellsing and her henchman, Walter. But what's this? The Vatican? But that means the Vatican is unprotected. If you haven't figured it out yet, Earth is in chaos of a World War like no other. New forces will rise up, surprises of undead power will surge forth, guns will blaze, and blades will sing. There's no telling how this will end, as Hellsing clamors forward with a seething wit and a frantic pace, and style that passes beyond gothic grace. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Has its own merits
Granted, there was a lot of setup going on in this volume, but I also thought that it had quite a bit in it that made it good on its own. There were several parts that I thought were absolutely hilarous, as well as parts that were awesome and others that were downright disturbing. There was some great action going on. I was sad that Alucard wasn't really in it much, but at the same time I think this allowed some space to develop the other characters. Alucard kicks some serious butt, but some of the other characters can be cool in their own ways, and Volume 6 really shows that. You have to keep in mind that this is part of a SERIES and that Volume Seven will undoubtedly continue what was begun in Volumes 5 and 6.

hopefully volume 7 will be better.
let me just get this out of the way, this volume was pretty much (at least, i sincerely hope), created just to set up volume 7. it doesn't really get interesting until the last couple chapters. the rest is just kind of meh. also, alucard is in this for about 5