Book Description

The second volume of the widely acclaimed Flight anthology. Featuring new stories by up-and-coming creators, established comics professionals, and the original crew, Flight Volume Two continues the tradition of celebrating the graphic narrative medium.From the fantasy of a fading childhood romance in a small seaside town to the tale of a pair of monster hunters looking to make a quick buck to the allegory of a young robot finding meaning in his disposal, this volume once again features stories for readers of all ages and tastes. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

An Excellent Collection
Of the 33 stories in this book, I don't think there was one that I didn't like for one reason or another. I'm generally not a big fan of superhero comics or of those that try too hard to be dark and edgy, and this is a nice alternative. I got a strong impression that the creators of the comics in this book just had fun and really put themselves into their work. The art styles are quite varied and impressive. Some of the stories are funny, some emotional, and some just inspiring artistically. The stories range from one page to around 20.

Although the book is large (and a great bargain at the Amazon price), it's a quick read. But this isn't a bad thing--I felt that I more than got my money's worth. I'll be looking for other work by some of these artists and ordering the first volume. I hope the Flight series continues.

Another Ground Breaking Anthology
Kazu Kibuishi (editor, director, artist, and writer) has assembled some of the most talented artists and writers for this collection of stories and poems. Not sure why Amazon is crediting Becky Cloonan with this masterpiece since she only wrote one story for this volume (other than her being alphabetically first). The quality of the stories and the art is equally as great as Volume 1. Plus this volume has a lot more pages. Get this from Amazon while you can. I got a first printing!

All of the stories are tied together with one common thread: Flight or Flying. My personal favorite story from this collection is "The Robot and the sparrow" by Jake Parker. Well written, well drawn, and even has some comic book stories you can read to the kids at night. =]

It is hard to describe just how awesome this book is. You will leave this book with a good feeling and a smile on your face.

First class art work, a style for everyone.
I was intrigued by the cover in the book store so I decided to pick it up. Wow, was I ever impressed. I used to be into comic books and art in general while in high school, but never in my wildest dreams would I have envisioned what the medium would become. Yes, I am getting old and no, I haven't been keeping up with comics. So, there may be better out there but not with so many different styles: One in pastel, one comp. generated, another in oils, and even a more traditional pen and ink section (all executed exquisitely).

If you are interested in finding out what can be accomplished stylistically and artistically in the world of graphic novels look no further. I can't wait to find volume two.
... Read more

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

Reviews (2)

The Women
Embroideries is a short book by the same author who wrote the two part graphic novel memoir "Persepolis"about her childhood in Iran during and after the Islamic Revolution. I enjoyed those books because it showed real life in Iran and it wasn't just a scary state of being that is often presented to the American public. (she showed people doing their best to maintain their dignity despite extreme circumstances) I think her latest book is an extension of that. This time the author Marjane Satrapi shares the stories the women in her family tell about love, life, sex, marriage and their place in it all. Many of the stories are absolutely hilarious and others are just plain heart-breaking. The heart-breaking ones make me think of Flannery O'Connor short stories for their slightly macabre tone and people going on with living despite such experiences. It was captivating because if it wasn't for the setting I think some experiences could be universal or common for many women in the world. Again the author shows Western readers that life in Iran isn't all veils and misery as we are often told. Women often get a raw lot there but there is also gentle beauty, broad humour and a close sense of family; where these women share their stories of wild living, love and even the joys of being a mistress. The illustrations are very simple black and white drawings but they reveal much more in subtle moments.

This is great
No book made me laugh so much.
It just great; A must read!!! ... 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

Book Description

It begins here!The critically acclaimed, fan-favorite storyline that rocked the X-Men Universe to its core is collected across four volumes!In a cracked-mirror world ruled by the genocidal mutant despot Apocalypse, only one hope remains: Magneto and his Astonishing X-Men! The first in a four volume series collecting the entire Age of Apocalypse storyline. ... 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

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

Mayhem and violence rule in this collection of issues one through seven of Jhonen Vasquez's Johnny the Homicidal Maniac, as well as material seen before only in Carpe Noctem magazine.Dark and disturbingly funny, JTHM follows the adventures of Johnny (you can call him Nny), who lives with a pair of styrofoam doughboys that encourage his madness, a wall that constantly needs a fresh coat of blood, and--oh, yeah--his victims in various states of torture.Join Nny as he frightens the little boy next door (Todd, known to fans of Vasquez's work as Squee), thirsts for Cherry Brain Freezies, attempts suicide, draws Happy Noodle Boy, and tries to uncover the meaning of his homicidal existence. ... Read more

Reviews (150)

Look Deeper
Johnny The Homicidal Maniac Director's Cut contains all seven Jonnhy issues in one book. It also includes sketches from Jhonen, the creator, an interview with Jhonen, and a 'timeline' of Johnny (from 'Johnny The Little Homicidal Maniac (crap) to Johnny The Homicidal Maniac (much better) This book series is...interesting to say the least. Many people say, "Oh, that book's junk, all it's about is some guy who goes around killing people." They don't know what they're talking about. You can see the Johnny series 'evolve' from 'Tramatize the Neighbor' to 'Good Luck, Squee!' This is actually an in-depth book. Sure, as it starts it looks like a book that poser goths read to try and look spooky. But, as you read on, the characters develop depth and become three dimensional. Johnny starts as a killer, who uses his victim's blood to paint a wall. Something's in there, but he doesn't know quite what. He has three voices, Nailbunny, Mr. Eff, and D-Boy. Nailbunny is Johnny's positive side, while Mr. Eff and D-Boy are negative. ME and DB are trying to get Johnny to kill himself, that way he can't paint the wall anymore, and the thing behind the wall can be released. Johnny has some real in-depth talks with his voices. A spin-off of this series is 'I Feel Sick' which is about Devi, Johnny's ex. Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone with a mature enough mind to truly understand this book.

even if you don't like comics....
First of all, I hate comics. I've always found they don't seem like real stories, not to metion the usually immature story lines. So, when I heard about JTHM through the internet, I had to find out more. I ordered Squee's Wonderful Big Giant Book and Director's Cut and I was extremley pleased with both. But, since I hadn't read the actual comics (and believe me, I tried finding them), I didn't miss out. I emailed some webmasters and found that Director's Cut had all the Nny comics and Happy Noodle Boy. If you're worried about missing out on the mean-whiles, then don't worry; Squee's has them all. The ONLY thing you'll miss out on is the great cover art (the covers are in small black and white pictures at the back). Plus, by ordering these, you get commentary by Jhonen and the history of the comics.

Now, if you're worried about the graphicness of the books, do not fret. It's surprisingly funny. While Nny is obviously insane, you'll love him the moment he kills his first victim. Really. Plus, Jhonen has created a very smart character. This book really got me thinking. And the pictures are enough to make you laugh with Nny's expressions. If you still can't decide whether to order, just go ahead. I poured through these in 3 days and I still go back and find them great.

Funniest, Wittiest dark satire I have ever read!
Where can you find an intelligent and witty glimpse into the sickened, insane, cold-blooded mind of a habitual killer? Right here with Johnny, The Homicidal Manic.

This is clearly a graphical novel for adults only (read the title, parents!), JTHM is a bloody and savage treat to the warped followers of horror and horror satire. If you ever laughed when the Road Runner dropped the Coyote off a cliff and turned him into an accordion, then you should find a chuckle or two in Vasquez's humorous look at homicidal mania.

The cartoons are brutally savage and yet excruciatingly funny, but don't worry because they are all done in black and white so the gore is not as intense as it could have been. Interspersed with Vasquez's storyline are tiny text boxes that cement the fact that this is a satire with such thoughtful comments as how the scene was filmed (its a picture), and cautionary remarks like "Parents: Don't get upset - It's a fake brain." and "Stupid People: I would ask you to keep in mind that this should *not* be a source of moral guidance." and "Kids, don't be stupid and try this: this is a trained flying toddler."

Hilarious little blurbs like these are also accompanied by Noodle Boy breaks. Happy Noodle Boy is the comic strip that Johnny writes, the second (and worse) cartoon within a cartoon, along the lines of "Itchy & Scratchy" to The Simpsons and "Terrance & Phillip" to South Park.

You will indulge your darker half with the intelligent debates between Johnny and his victims, see a gruesome Public Service Announcement, discover that God is a fat baby in a lounge chair and that the devil is a cheerleader. The dialogue is clever, the drawings hilarious, the storyline amusing, and the satire thick and twisted. Everything a horror fan could want in a graphic book.

The cells are quite busy, but take your time reading this dripping black jewel; you don't want to miss the extras thrown into each frame. Also take note of those chapters with scrolled or fancy looking borders. Hidden within the borders are messages such as "I like Ramen" and "Are you awake?" and "I am no potato."

As a finisher to this tasty meal, a dessert of early sketches is presented, along with character boards for Johnny, Nailbunny, Mr. Eff, Psycho Doughboy, Devi D., Tess R., Anne Gwish, and Squee. (who later gets his very own book!)

Completely rounding out our meal, Vasquez also included commentaries on the issues that JTHM was originally released in, and a hysterical interview he wrote by himself...with himself.

The wit and barbs just fly across these pages, and though the humor is indeed dark and intended for horror fans, I think you will be surprised at finding it is humor with intelligence behind it. I deeply enjoyed JTHM, I hope you do too.

z?
Jhonen Vasquez is the guy.

He is completely responsible for the slow death of my sense of right and wrong. I cheer for Nny and Zim at all times. I have come to view them as the good guys. It's frightening, really.

Anyway, JtHM is awesome, spiffy fun for anyone morbid, emotionally disturbed or snarky enough to get the humour. It's not only for those dubbing themselves goths or punks or whatever the kids are saying today. It's good violent fun for anyone, eyeliner or no. *is going to get hate mail for that* *giggles*

So, buy the DC book(this way, you don't have to go into Hot Topic to get the comics, which can only be a good thing...^-^), buy the Squee! book, buy "Everything Can Be Beaten', buy the Zim DVD. Buy "Lenore" by Roman Dirge. Embrace your inner Johnny. Welcome to the club.

Not as great as _Squee!_, but still good
I read this book in one sitting. It's sick and morbid, but oh-so- funny. Granted, it's not as great as, oh, say, _The Color Purple_ or _The House of Mirth_, but who expects that sort of writing from a book like this? If you don't possess an extemely dark sense of humor, then perhaps you should think twice about purchasing a book entitled _Johnny the Homicidal Maniac_. ;-) ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A great retelling of Batman's origin
Batman is a character I've always enjoyed, but I've only recently started getting into the Batman comics.After reading Frank Miller's exceptional "Batman: The Dark Knight Returns" graphic novel, I really wanted to acquire more Batman comics that depicted the characters in a similar manner:as deep, well-thought-out characters that you really feel emotionally attached to by the end of the story.The problem was that, being new to comics, I was tossed into a sea of nearly endless Batman comics, and I didn't really know where to begin.

Well, where better to start than at the very beginning?

Batman: Year One is the story of Batman's first year in Gotham City after returning from training abroad, making it the perfect book for someone unfamiliar with Batman's origins, or just looking for a fresh take on the classic story.But the book is as much about the origins of Jim Gordon, who will later become the famed police commissioner of Gotham City, as it is about Batman's beginning.The story hinges on Gordon's attempts to clean up a police force that is corrupt to its very core, and his encounters with the Batman that finally lead up to a climactic confrontation that brings both men together in their fight against crime.

Firse of all, the packaging and presentation of the story is top-notch.The book is hard bound and comes with a very nice partial sleeve that makes it look very classy.The cover itself depicts a simple black and white drawing of Batman that is quite effective for portraying what the book is about.Each chapter of the story opens with the origin comic book cover from each issue, and they are very vivid and clean.There are many extras, from an amusing illustrated afterword by the artist, David Mazzuccelli, and many pages of preliminary and promotional artwork.In the end, I felt that some of these features could have probably been dropped in favor of a slightly lower price tag, but they are nice additions that give the book a more "deluxe edition" feel.

The artwork in the story is very good.I really like David Mazzuccelli's style.He's really not entirely different from Miller himself in that his artwork isn't terribly elaborate, but is supremely effective in telling a story.Mazzuccelli really has a strength when it comes to facial expressions.You can really see how the characters feel by the looks on their faces, particularly in the more emotional spots of the book.The backgrounds and characters are beautiful, though, and the colors are very nice and vivid.The artwork brilliantly aids in telling the dark story of Batman's birth and Gordon's struggles.

The storyline is nothing short of superb as well.I've held Frank Miller in high regard ever since reading "The Dark Knight Returns", and this book is written in a very similar style.You can tell that Miller really likes using internal monologues to convey the thoughts and feelings of the characters, and they are very effective and give the story a depth that other comics don't have.The story progresses logically and is very readable.It's a great retelling of the familiar story of Batman's beginning infused with an almost literary style.

Miller is an expert at characterization.I was amazed at how much depth and likeability he could give even minor characters.A character that I found myself sympathizing with and surprisingly liking is Gordon's wife Barbara.With only powerful artwork and a few lines, I felt that she was portrayed very powerfully and believably, making her a great character that further enhances the personality and depth of Gordon.You can tell that Miller really likes Jim Gordon, as he is given more characterization than anyone else in the story.I really felt connected to the character by the end of the story, because he is so remarkably human, and not totally unlike myself.He makes mistakes, but he is in the end a good person, and I think this is what makes him so appealing, perhaps even more than Batman himself.This is not to say that the characterization of Batman is lacking in the story; quite the contrary, in fact. Bruce Wayne is also portrayed as a man who has his fair share of problems that he is trying to overcome in his never-ending fight to purge Gotham of corruption.The deep characterizations are what really make this book shine.

The only gripe I have with the storyline and characterizations is a subplot involving Catwoman in the story.While she is brilliantly portrayed, I ended up feeling as if her role in the story didn't have much meaning other than to set her up as a potential romantic interest of Batman in the future as well as a recognized rogue and thief.But her actions have relatively little bearing on where the story goes.The subplot is still enjoyable, and in the end it doesn't detract from the overall greatness of the storyline.

Some may be disappointed by the utter lack of classic Batman villains in the story.There is no Joker, no Two-Face, no Riddler, no Scarecrow, no one.Instead, Batman fights criminals that don't seem very different from the ones we find in real life.He is combating thugs and the corruption at the heart of the Gotham City:the politicians and police officers that are on the take and are part of the problem instead of the solution.I felt this gave the comic more credibility, but some will undoubtedly be disappointed that Batman isn't fighting one of his famous and colorful enemies.In fact, the only mention of one such villain in the entire book is in the very last panel on the very last page of the very last chapter.

The only major problem I have with the overall graphic novel is that it is short.The story itself is only around ninety pages.But they are a great ninety pages, and you won't be disappointed with them.But you will be left wishing that the story wouldn't end, making the length of the story the comic's greatest shortcoming.

This graphic novel is definitely a must-have for Batman fanatics, and I would heartily recommend it to people who are new to the world of Batman.After all, what better way is there to get into the world of the Dark Knight than by reading the story of where it all began?

Finally a fitting publication for this great story
When this miniseries first came out back in the eighties it left everyone breathless. David Mazzucchelli's art is some of the finest I've ever seen. It moves like a motion picture yet every stillis ready to be framed (nice homage to the famous Hopper painting on the side: Gorden and Sgt. Essen having a late night coffee in a cafe called ... Hopper)
Frank Miller tells a story right from the beginning of the Batman saga. Bruce Wayne and Lieutenant Gordon discover they are both fighting on the same side to clean Gotham from the human filth. The only way to survive in the mess is as a team. They become friends.
On top of the fantastic graphic novel this book includes over 40 pages of sketches, layouts and script pages. Every Batman fan should have it, what do I say, this is one for you. Buy it. You won't be disappointed, I swear.

batman is awesome
This is one of the best pieces on Batman I have ever read. It really has some awesome action and great character development of Bruce Wayne and Lt. Gordon. This is right up there with "The Dark Knight Returns" and I personally think its better. Thank you Frank Miller. You are awesome. ... Read more

Book Description

"1602 is a triumph. The Marvel universe hasn't been this engrossing in ages."- Entertainment Weekly Neil Gaiman's vision of the Marvel Universe in the year 1602! The year is 1602, and strange things are stirring in England. In the service of Queen Elizabeth, court magician Dr. Stephen Strange senses that the bizarre weather plaguing the skies above is not of natural origin. Her majesty's premier spy, Sir Nicholas Fury, fends off an assassination attempt on the Queen by winged warriors rumored to be in service to a mad despot named Doom. News is spreading of "witchbreed" sightings - young men bearing fantastic superhuman powers and abilities. And in the center of the rising chaos is Virginia Dare, a young girl newly arrived from the New World, guarded by a towering Indian warrior. Can Fury and his allies find a connection to these unusual happenings before the whole world ends? In Marvel 1602, award-winning writer Neil Gaiman presents a unique vision of the Marvel Universe set four hundred years in the past. Classic Marvel icons such as the X-Men, Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four and Daredevil appear in this intriguing world of 17th- century science and sorcery, instantly familiar to readers, yet subtly different in this new time. Marvel 1602 combines classic Marvel action and adventure with the historically accurate setting of Queen Elizabeth's reign to create a unique series unlike any other published by Marvel Comics ... Read more

Reviews (77)

The Magus of Oz
Alan Moore is a great literary figure who happens to write comic books, graphic novels and lyrics for rock bands. He is a hidden jewel of a writer who has produced, over the last two decades, provocative and important work that draws together popular culture, art, magick and the occult, philosophy, fairy tales and mythology, psychology, surrealism, science fiction, pulp fiction and cosmic prophecy into one harmonious whole that is flavored by that Holy Grail of every writer: an original voice.

V FOR VENDETTA has a long and painful history (it's initial run in England was aborted before all ten issues could be produced) but I first heard of it in 1987 when it started to be printed by D.C. Comics. I hadn't gone near comic books in over fifteen years and I was afraid of starting all up again, but someone had lent me a copy of SWAMP THING with the demand that I read it. "But it's SWAMP THING!" I protested, feeling uneasy about spending my time reading about a radioactive sludge monster who fights villians. Yet, it was a SWAMP TIHNG written by Alan Moore, and it was full of sublime prose, elegant ideas, sensuality, psychedelic revelations and gnosticism. I was blown away, so when the first issue of VENDETTA came out, I snapped it up. For 10 glorious months I read each installment as it came out and by the time number 10 had come, I was reshaping all my thoughts about literature, about story telling, about politics, society, culture, magick.

Part Orwell's 1984, part Phantom of the Opera, part Batman in Dark Knight mode, V FOR VENDETTA tells the story of an England under the rule of a fascist government and the journey of a young girl from street prostitute to rebel leader. V. himself is a poetic twist on the Beast from Beauty & the Beast, or Eric from Phantom of the Opera, a masked anarchist who moves about the fascist reign of terror with the ease of a neutrino unaffected by gravity. Possible the result of a bizarre medical experiment in a concentration camp, V. is now determined to bring down the government and free the minds and bodies of the masses suffering under its own psychological oppression. Fusing ideas from Wilhelm Reich, Aleister Crowley, George Orwell and even the Batman comic book, Moore has created his own Dark Knight, a far more mysterious and morally problematic one. He carries upon his shoulders the weight of the world, attempting to bring light and hope to the darkness prisons where men and women are beaten and tortured for being homosexual, to the medical labs of the prison camps where Mengele-like doctors are operating without inhibition on dehumanized prisoners.

V FOR VENDETTA raises the bar on the literary value of comic books, taking the genre of Batman and Spider-man and elevating it above the level of fist-fights, action sequences and costumed villians into the realm of a modern-day political and magickal myth. And towards the end when Evey the heroine watches the crowds in the street riot and destroy each other, she says, "Is this your anarchy, V?" and V replies, "No, this is Chaos"...in that one little moment, V. has made a distinction that is too subtle for most writers, far less the writers of comic books.

Frightening and powerful
In the early 1980's, Alan Moore (Watchmen, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, From Hell, chances are if you're reading this you know the list) began this chilling work. In an alternate world, it's 1997, and America and the Soviets have nuked each other to extinction. England is left, now under a fascist regime, and everything seems to be under control, until a mysterious terrorist, wearing a Guy Fawkes mask and calling himself V, begins picking off government officials and destroying buildings and monuments. Moore's storytelling is nothing short of chilling; from the basic element of the loss of freedom to a totalitarian government to just who really fights for good (is it V or the government?), V For Vendetta is nearly unforgettable. That combined with David Lloyd's ultra eerie washed out color art make this one of the most chilling works in the world of comics you'll ever likely find. It's not as profound or as important as Moore's Watchmen or his Swamp Thing run, but this is still worth reading.

No superheroes in a comic? Gee, what a concept. . .
A vision of a totalitarian future of Britian cut off from contact with the rest of the world (which may no longer exist), this story is very indiciative of the time when Alan Moore started it, the early 1980s. It's a bleak view of the future from the British culture that gave us punk rock and Max Headroom. Compared to them, this is somewhat optimistic. However, it's also obvious that Moore didn't finish the story soon after he started it, instead returning to it years later (sometime during his work on DC's _The Watchmen_). There is a change in the outlook and a bit of a rushed feel towards the end.

There are two protagonists in this story: the vigilante, a terrorist who takes on the totalitarian government while dressed as Guy Fawkes, and the girl he saves from government thugs and then mentors. But Moore follows the lives of a number of characters, from party officials to cheap thugs, and views this world through their eyes. The characterizations of these people making their lives in an oppressive regime is realistic. The change of views is also a nice parallel to the story's all-seeing computer and camera system that the vigilante hacks into and slowly takes control of.

Moore doesn't make the vigilante, known as V, impossibly pure. In fact, V's manipulation of the somewhat innocent wife of a party official, Rose, is harsh. He justifies his cruel manipulations as necessary to create a natural outcome of anarchy. And he seems to place art above people at times -- a truly complex character.

This is not Moore's most mature work, but there is an energy and imagination here that is excellent, and the pacing works well. Others' comparissons to Orwell's work and even _Lord of the Flies_ are well earned. Although I disagree with some of the politics Moore champion