Book Description

Back in the day, Guts the Black Swordsman was a top slayer for The Band of the Hawk, an elite mercenary unit led by Griffith, whose calm demeanor and callow beauty belied his fighting prowess and steel will. While in a king's employ, the attraction between the king's daughter and Griffith and the growing favor of the king towards the Hawk leader raises the hackles of the king's jealous son, who plots to have Griffith summarily assassinated. But if the plot fails, the king's son will likely have to deal with Guts and his titanic broadsword, and the results of such confrontations are rarely pretty... or easy to clean up. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The third book of the Sandman collection is a series of four short comic book stories. What's remarkable here (considering the publisher and the time that this was originally published) is that the main character of the book--the Sandman, King of Dreams--serves only as a minor character in each of these otherwise unrelated stories. (Actually, he's not even in the last story.) This signaled a couple of important things in the development of what is considered one of the great comics of the second half of the century. First, it marked a distinct move away from the horror genre and into a more fantasy-rich, classical mythology-laden environment. And secondly, it solidly cemented Neil Gaiman as a storyteller. One of the stories here, "A Midsummer Night's Dream," took home the World Fantasy Award for best short story--the first time a comic was given that honor. But for my money, another story in Dream Country has it beat hands down. "A Dream of a Thousand Cats" has such hope, beauty, and good old-fashionedchills that rereading it becomes a welcome pleasure. --Jim Pascoe ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Uneven, but worth it for the last two
"Dream Country" contains 4 unrelated stories about Dream and Death. The first story, "Dream of a Thousand Cats" is an amusing tale, but it does not deserve an entire issue to tell. It could have easily been one of the stories told to Rose by the old women in "Kindly Ones" and taken up only a few pages.

The second tale "Calliope" is much better, but is still missing that Gaiman magic. It does however, introduce us to one of Sandman's great loves and mother of his only child. It's a good story, but it's unoriginal.

The third tale is the real treat. "A Midsummer Night's Dream" takes off from a chapter in "Doll's House" where Dream tells William Shakespeare to write 2 plays for him. Shakespeare and his troop of actors perform Midsummer Night's Dream on a grassy hill in the English Countryside for the actual fairies that are represented in the play. It's a wonderful story and the art is just breathtaking.

The last one, "Facade", doesn't include Dream. Instead it focuses on an obscure super-heroine of the 60's and how she longs for a normal life which is granted by Death. It's a moving story, the kind of super-hero tale that only Neil could write. Super powers may be great, but being a normal person would be much more appealing sometimes.

All in all, Dream Country is not the best collection of Sandman stories, but "Midsummer Night's Dream" is the single best Sandman issue and actually won a slew of awards. It's worth checking out for that tale alone.

Great introduction to the series...
Yeah, I know it's not the first volume in the series. But I don't think Neil Gaiman really hit his stride until Dream Country. As this collection is a bunch of stand alone short stories, I think it makes an excellent book get people hooked on the Sandman.

There's Calliope, a one-hit novelist's muse really is one of the muses. He rapes and abuses his muse -- bad news when her ex comes to the rescue. Creepy, creepy story. Best of all, the collection includes the script to this story.

A Dream of A Thousand Cats... A charming tale that shows what cats dream of, and why those dreams will never be reality.

A Midsummer Night's Dream .. The real Oberon, Titania and Puck (and other fairies) attend the first performance of Shakespeare's classic play. Simply magical with superb art by Charles Vess.

Facades ... The life of a has-been superheroine. It takes a silly and forgotten character and makes her painfully human.

All of these stories are must-reads -- each told with different styles. What a wonderful way to sample what comics can be.

Time to take a breather...
Dream Country is a great little book. It feels good to take a break after surviving The Doll's House. If you are planning on reading the Sandman through and through, you should definately catch up on this volume before entering Season of Mists. None of the stories are essential--although some of them will heighten your enjoyment of future volumes if you have read them first.

All in all, a little book with big meaning, that is both engrossing and greatly enjoyable. Not to be skipped.

More Stories from the Realms Beyond
In between the glorious and groundbreaking story-arcs of 'Doll's House' and 'Season of Mists', Mr. Gaiman took some time off with four individual one-issue long stories in the Sandman universe; these are collected in 'Dream Country'. Technically, it can probably be considered the least important of Sandman collections, and should take second priority to volumes 1, 2, 4 and 5. Still, 'Dream Country' is Gaiman at his best, and each of these stories is important and well worth the purchase. If you're a Gaiman fan, it's an essential part of your library.

The stories in 'Dream Country' are important in the development of the series because the Sandman himself, Morpheus, Lord of Dreams, plays in them only a background role. That was the foundation for one of the elements that made the series great - that it's not just the story of one hero; the hero can be himself, an active character, but just as often he is simply the essence of something bigger. That is precisely the role Morpheus plays in 'Calliope' and 'Dream of a Thousand Cats', both with splendid dark artwork by Kelley Jones. 'Calliope' is a splendid philosophical tale of urban mythology that shows Gaiman's unique and original attitude towards storytelling and inspiration.

'Dream of a Thousand Cats' Is my favorite in this collection and probably the most underrated story in the Sandman catalogue; though 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' is the celebrated story that made history by being the first 'comic book' to win the World Fantasy Award (for best short story of the year), I personally find 'Dream of a Thousand Cats' to be superior by far. Though it tells a very small tale, and one that is without significance in the greater continuity of the Sandman saga, it's gorgeously written and has a great atmosphere about it. It also gets across Neil's ideas about the importance of dreams and stories better than any of the others. The artwork, to, is brilliant.

'Facade', finally, is probably the weakest story in the collection. It's important, if nothing else, for being the first story in the Sandman series in which Morpheus does not appear at all, even as a guest. Instead, it features his older sister, Death - one of the Endless and one of the most lovable characters in Gaiman's universe, as well as does a great job in resurrecting a forgotten character from DC's history, Element Girl; Neil does as amazingly in rasterizing her as he did with other old comics characters like Lyta Hall AKA The Fury, or the absurd Sandman character from the 60s.

Last but not least, there's a delicious bonus for those who buy 'Dream Country' - the complete, original script to 'Calliope'. It's rare indeed for a writer to reveal to his readers his work in progress, and this script is fascinating to both fans of Gaiman and aspiring writers of graphic literature, as it gives us a precious glimpse into Neil's precise and masterful scriptwriting process. All this and more reasons for buying 'Dream Country', especially if you're hoping for a complete Sandman collection. It's one of the best 'comic books' you can find.

Must-read Sandman short stories
The earliest two Sandman collections are good but the third, Dream Country, is great. The book features four single-issue stories in which the saga's title character, the mystical king of dreams, moves to the background (he is not even in one tale). His preeminence will not be missed, however because one cannot read stories this smart, imaginative, creepy and all around superb and feel that anything is lacking.

The first story is "Calliope," in which a one-hit novelist enslaves an actual muse and becomes as productive and popular as Stephen King. The author is not a cruel person, but he cannot set her free if he wants his flow of ideas to continue. Gaiman provides a thoroughly creepy dissertation on the madness of writers and Kelly Jones' darkly astounding drawings of attics, faces and shadows perfectly complements the tale.

The second is "Dream of a Thousand Cats," in which a feline prophetess shares her vision of a cat-ruled world; one that is open to her brethren if they only believe. Gaiman creates a religious outlook perfect for these slinky, self-satisfied animals and, just as in "Calliope," Jones' art is a major asset. Personality and mystique are translated wonderfully in his cat eyes and cat body language. This is Dream Country's best story and one of the best issues of a comic book series I have ever read.

The third, "A Midsummer Night's Dream," famously won the World Fantasy Award for best short story, the first and only time a comic book has done so. In that tale, Shakespeare and his troupe perform the title play in front of the fairy creatures it is based upon. It is a wonderful parody/tribute to the renowned playwright.

The fourth, "Facade," is one of two times the use of a superhero in a Sandman story works (The other is the story acrh The Kindly Ones, which practically stars Lyta Hall, formerly The Fury). The hero is Element Girl, a sidekick to Metamorpho who vanished in the late 1960s without much notice. "Facade" tells of how her super-powers turned on her, how she became a tormented agoraphobe and how she finally found release.

Dream Country is Sandman at its best; an intelligent and unique series that not only represents comic books at their best, but speculative fiction in general. I cannot recommend this volume more highly. ... Read more

Book Description

Contains an all new exclusive short story by George R. R. Martin!An adaptation of Martin's hit novel, bringing the world of A Song of Ice and Fire to life in comic book form. Night falls over the life of one noble knight and brings the dawn of his squire's knighthood. Dubbing himself "Ser Duncan the Tall," "The Hedge Knight" sets forth to the tourney at Ashford Meadow in search of fame and glory and the honor of upholding his oath as a knight of the Seven Kingdoms. Unfortunately for him, the world isn't ready for a knight who keeps his oaths, and his chivalrous methods could be the very cause of his demise. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Nice Interpretation
I'm a fan of Martin's series, "A Song of Ice and Fire", as well as his Dunk & Egg stories, and so I was understandably pleased to see that a graphic novel adaptation of the first Dunk & Egg tale had been collected. While no artist will fully capture the images and experience conjured by reading the story itself, the authors here have done a nice job. I was surprised (and pleased) at how the story was paced, and some of the interpretations of arms and armor, heraldry, characters, etc. was creatively done. Keep in mind, fans of fantasy, that there is very little of the fantastical in this story; only a dream sequence dealing with dragons, and a flashback, contain what could be considered fantasty elements, really. The rest is good old-fashioned knights and swashbuckling. Can't wait to see the next story.

Beautifully drawn
The book is beautifully drawn and a more than adequate graphic representation of the original Martin story. Unfortunately, like most books published these days, it suffers a little from bad proofreading / editing though the errors are not as many nor as glaring as some I have come across. ... Read more

Book Description

Amazon.com

Church and State is volume three of the Cerebus the Aardvark series and picks up right where High Society leaves off. To compound matters further, this reprint volume is part one of a two-part story that is self-contained within the larger framework.

A face from Cerebus's past returns with an offer he can't refuse. But the gray one has learned a few lessons from the powers that be and turns the tables on the would-be puppet masters. This volume also marks the addition of Gerhard as a background artist, and the artwork begins to create a visual impact equal to the creative impact of the comic book's ideas and stories. The storytelling also becomes subtler, the beginning of a stylistic trademark in Cerebus that leads the reader to believe more action is taking place peripherally than in the actual pages. High points include a two-part dream sequence, which is visually unparalleled in the history of comic art; a pee-break which is unrivaled in length in the history of comic art; the return of Jaka; and "the baby incident." Don't forget to pick up Church and State, Volume Two , as volume one ends with the cruelest of cliffhangers. This is the Ivan the Terrible of graphic novels, both in terms of its subject matter and the creative peak it represents for the author. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Cerebus grows up.
The overall tone in script and art, on the surface, appears drier and less fun. The length of the written passages and the frequent use of cityscapes and room interiors for backgrounds makes the whole book seem as fun as a three hour course in industrial toothbrush manufacturing.
In truth this is one of the finest examples of what a graphic novel can be. Dave Sim's writing had matured beyond anything that was published at the time, and I will argue, anything since. It has, at times, so many turns and surprises that you rush to reach the end of each chapter and then he will turn completely around and deliver some of the funniest one-liners and slapstick. (one of the few times I have laughed out loud at a comic happens in this series). A classic cast of original characters as well as icons stolen from the golden ages of comedy. Gerhard's art is amazing and the book requires and second reading just to appreciate his work in full. This is a fun read for any fan of good writing or artwork and essential for every fan of a good comic.

The High Point
In my opinion the two volumes that comprise Church and State are the best of Cerebus. No longer Prime Minister and no longer caring about anything Cerebus is nominated to pontiff and decides everyone should give them gold. His object lessons with the young and old will give you a heartattack they are so funny. The underlying statements on religion, politics, and humanity is thought provoking and intense.

Where Cerebus Breaks Through
Church and State is where Dave Sim really breaks new grounds in art, plot, characterization, and scope. There is a definite shift from simple sight gags and cute one-liners - although both are present - to more elaborate storytelling functions. Church and State is an absolute must read for anyone who enjoyed High Society, as well as anyone who enjoys political or religious satire.

Aardvark? hmm . . .
Church and State is a fascinating introduction to the modern comic book, especially for those who are still expecting tights and superbreath. It is a compellingly complex political intrigue, as Dave Sim constructs his elaborate world in detail in this 3rd installment of his decades long work. Rather than being an illustrated history, the story moves from moments of remember to breathe humour to tenderness to satire to byzantine machinations and back to laughs. I'm especially fond of the end sequence when Cerebus has a cold: one of the chapters is entitled "na shid hids na fan." And every once in a while, you have to stop and slap yourself and say, "hmm . . . it's an aardvark." ... Read more

Book Description

Nick Fury's got a job that needs doing - in Russia. The kind of suicide mission any sane man wouldn't ponder for a second. And that's exactly why he needs the Punisher. Searching for a deadly retrovirus whose sale on the black market could bring the world to its knees, Frank Castle penetrates a Russian nuclear silo...and comes face-to-face with the Mongolian! Collects Punisher #13-18. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

From Russia with blood
This third storyarc in Preacher creator Garth Ennis' relaunch of the MAX (mature audiences) themed Punisher series finds our favorite criminal killing vigilante on a suicide mission in Russia.Taking a request from Nick Fury, Frank must infiltrate a Russian nuclear silo in an attempt to obtain a deadly virus.Soon enough, Frank's up to his neck in Russian killers, and he finds himself playing the role of surrogate protective father to a young girl who's life hangs in the balance.Mother Russia isn't the typical Punisher story you'd expect from Ennis as Frank is fighting with more at stake than just his personal vendettas, and by the end of it all things are far from ending happily.Ennis' storytelling is top notch as usual, particularly his characterization of Nick Fury, which was evident on his Fury mini-series a few years back (which is more than worth your time as well), while Hulk artist Dougie Brathwaite provides solid pencil work.All in all, Mother Russia is yet another excellent chapter in the Punisher MAX series and definitely worth picking up, but just wait until the next Punisher arc, entitled Up is Down and Black is White, which may be indeed the finest Punisher story ever written. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Inspirational saga continues
Tezuka's extended story of Buddha's life and times continues with this third volume. The emphasis here is on the stories of several monks, and the interrelationships with the growing cast of secondary characters Tezuka uses to frame the story. Siddhartha begins following Dhepa, who ran afoul of Tatta's gang in the previous book. They in turn gain another follower, a young child of surprising challenges and gifts. Siddhartha experiments with ascetism and suffering, but continues to grow in compassion and healing.

In a parallel story, we read of the early life of Devadatta, a historic character with a significant part in the Buddha story. We see the young child Devadatta's early character formed in fear, resentment and bestiality, as he is used and abused by various people. Though his story includes a stay with the monk Naradatta, who has been in all three books, he seldom gets good treatment.

Tezuka continues to tell this long and complex story in an engaging way, often with humor, and occasionally with great beauty and solemnity. Those who have followed the journey to this point will be eager for the next book. A map included to show the geographic area of the story helps with perspective. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Comics ain't all about superheroes
Well, the best ones are. Sorta. Watchmen, Squadron Supreme, Wanted, Authority and Top Ten. If you're still telling your friends why they should read these (even if they won't) then I strongly recommend you check out Ex Machina.Along with Sleeper it's one of the best reviewed monthly comics from the past couple of years that no seems to be reading.Here's hoping being collected into a trade paperback keeps it being published; I like getting my fix monthly.But I'll be buying a couple of these as gifts.

One of the Top 5 Comic Books of 2004
Brian K. Vaughn has crafted a parallel New York City that feels absolutely real and populated it with 3-dimensional human beings that go far beyond comic book stereotypes - a legitimate spiritual descendant of Alan Moore's Watchmen. Summarizing the plot would be selling it short, because there are multiple layers at work here - superheroing, politics, the human condition - and Vaughn's barely scratched the surface so far. If there was ever a comic book that could seamlessly transition to traditional fiction, this is it. Unfortunately, that would mean missing out on Tony Harris' eye-popping artwork.

For anyone that thinks comics are about men in tights and cartoonish "BIFF! POW!" visuals, Ex Machina will set them straight. As a native-New Yorker, I'm jealous that there's no Mitchell Hundred for me to vote for mayor. As a comic book fan, I'm glad to see a book like Ex Machina being published regularly, and to much-deserved critical acclaim. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Supremely Well Done!
In Straczynski's new reworking of the classic Squadron Supreme characters, he achieves a higher level of quality than the original series ever had in one of Marvel's best new series.

This serious, grounded tale tells the story of serval extraordinary individuals as they realize that they are different from everyone else and how they attempt to use their new abilities. Straczynski really acheives some of his finest work in comics here (in addition to "Rising Stars") in a very dark and grounded story without some of the cornball dialogue found in his "Amazing Spider-Man." The pacing of the story is very slow, but is ultimately neccessary for establishing the setting and characters; some characters are only hinted at in these pages and allude to the next story arc.

Just as strong--if not stronger than--the writing is Gary Frank's superb artwork and Chris Sotomayor's great color work. Frank's pencils are very realistic and lifelike for portraying the many characters as well as the real-life figures of former presidents. Sotomayor's colors are very good for conveying the mature theme of the story by using a dark palette as well as using very vibrant colors for other scenes.

Marvel and Straczynski have created one of the best new superhero series in awhile. Now it will be interesting to see if the creators can acheive the same level of quality on subsequent story arcs as they have on this great one.

NOTE: Please keep in mind that this is a Marvel Max book and is suggested for older readers due to violence and language (the comic book equivalent of an R-rated or PG-13 movie).

Turning the super-hero icons on their heads
The original Squadron Supreme, invented by Avengers writer Roy Thomas in the 60's, was intended to be a pastiche of the Justice League of America. Each character in Marvel Comics' Squadron Supreme was an analog of DC Comics' Justice League characters. Hyperion is the analog of Superman, Nighthawk of Batman, Power Princess of Wonder Woman, etc. The main point of the exercise was to enable Marvel's greatest team to do battle with DC's without flouting any copyright laws and to have a little fun with the fans.

J. Michael Straczynski's Supreme Power is also a look at the super-hero icons of DC but through a different colored glass. Supreme Power examines how events might really unfold were DC's heroes to have appeared in our world. An alien infant lands on Earth, exhibiting extraordinary powers. Military and political officials fear him, so they seek to control him. A youth sees his parents slain before his eyes and so becomes a vigilante, stalking the streets at night hunting criminals. Another man develops the ability to travel as super speed and so on.

The story starts from the point of view of protagonist, Mark Milton (a.k.a., Hyperion), an alien who crashes on Earth as an infant and whose power the military establishment both fears and hopes to exploit. They fill his head with American propaganda in the hope that they'll brainwash him into the Great American Hero: truth, justice and the American way. But when he matures, he becomes wary of their control and suspicious of their motives. As the story branches out, we're introduced to the other cast members, each of them with their own reasons for becoming a "hero" and many of them not so pure.

In DC's somewhat utopian world, these heroes are revered and honored for the most part. But a more cynical view would be that it wouldn't quite be that simple. We have a tendency to revere and revile our heroes at the same time. While we admire and honor them, we also seek to tear them down and destroy them out of fear, jealousy and other base emotions. The story is as old as time. Just ask Julius Caesar how we treat our honored heroes. Look at the heroes of Ancient Greece and the rather unseemly way so many of them fell from grace.

Supreme Power is an exciting, page-turning look at heroism and just what the world at large really thinks about having someone who could save your life one day or vaporize you with a glance in the next. In the tradition of DC's Watchmen and The Dark Knight Returns, Supreme Power takes a smart and decidedly adult look at hero and super-hero. ... Read more

Book Description

Written and illustrated by Frank Miller; cover by Miller.

The most eagerly-awaited sequel in comics begins! Three years after the events in THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS, Batman knows the world is nowhere near the perfect little place it pretends to be, and he sees the cracks in the system that have been neatly covered up. It's time to find where all the heroes have gone, and the Dark Knight is the right man for the job. ... Read more

Reviews (170)

we should'a known what we were in for...
Like everyone else, I was excited by the prospect of Frank Miller revisiting Batman, in the form of a sequel to the original Dark Knight book, no less. Like everyone else, I imagine, that's about as far as I thought it through. I mean, what more was there to do and/or say after the original series, which wrapped up in a tidy way? Not much at all, as this next installment proves.

The original "Dark Knight Returns" was about refashioning a character that had virtually lanquished to the point of irrelevancy in the comics world (something that artist Neal Adams began with his darker take on Bats in the "Brave and the Bold" comics in the seventies). Miller succeeded in making Batman iconic and relevant again, and did it in a manner that was enjoyable in a comic-book context. "DK2" is rarely enjoyable in a comic sense. Other reviewers here want to credit Miller with some kind of bold vision for his hasty-looking art in this book; I think it mostly looks like [garbage], and detracts from, and is distracting to, the story he's trying to tell.

And the story, well, blah. Wouldnt've this story have benifited from a narrower focus? Did it have to involve nearly every major DC superhero? Batman is largely just here in spirit; almost the entire second installment concerns Superman. I like the idea of Carrie leading the reckless group of former mutants as a Bat-modeled strike force, but Miller misses an opportunity by doing nothing with this subplot. What I did like is Miller riffing on current politics; his computer-generated G. W. Bush is a funny counterpart to the first book's nuke-mad Reagan; and Lynn Varley's coloring adds a brilliant surreal edge to the proceedings. Also, the appearance of one of the Robins was a weird, funny and unexpected moment. Yes, this is one-of-a-kind stuff from one of comicdom's most potent iconoclasts, but as it has nearly nothing to do with the original book, as it failed to deliver on the excitement that the words Miller/Batman/Dark Knight 2 carried, it was all just a sick tease.

Near Classic
Frank Miller completely overhauls the older Bruce Wayne he created in The Dark Knight Returns. Gone are the miniscule panels filled with words as well as the pages and pages of talking heads. The story, although dealing with a revolution led by superheroes, seems less epic than the first series did. Instead, Miller has decided to scale everything back except for the panels. Miller has replaced the intricacy of his original series with a rough art and storytelling style. As in the first series, there are no shortages of ideas - this time Miller's creativity spills over into the other superheroes of the DC Universe (even The Atom looks cool)while he segues heavily into Superman's reawakening into the world around him. While every new idea of his is intriguing, he doesn't follow through with them as he did in the first, and this is probably the main problem with the work. In attempting to create a rough punk rock aesthetic Miller has left an awful lot of loose ends. (The secret villian at the end just didn't seem to mesh). The question is, would you rather have an artist go out on a limb and be moderately successful, or have him regurgitate his past work? My vote is with the former. Miller had a ton of fun with this one and it translates into a good read. Surprisingly, it's probably one of the funniest comics I've read in a really long time. A near classic from an artist who doesn't fear breaking other people's expectations.

Not Enough Batman
First off, I enjoyed The Dark Knight Returns very much, but was a little let down with this one. Why? Batman was hardly in it! Superman was probably featured most. It should have been part of the Justice League since it featured every obscure superhero in depth, except Batman. Even Catgirl (formerly Robin, which was a change that annoyed me) got more page time than him. Interesting, a little hard to follow, and overall inferior to DKR. Recommended reading, but you probably won't read it twice.

A bat for a president?
This is an important work. The comic itself brings into the world of comics the strain of overyday politics. I believe that it is more important today than ever, since we can see many of the dark aspects of this future world slowly emerge in the world today, i.e. in the wake of mr. B. et. al.

Struck-Out This Time
Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again, is lacking in so many things. It has the build up of a good story by asking some interesting questions, such as: why is the government so corrupt?, what happened to Batman's legacy? Who is behind the public's missinformation? Who secretly controls the world? Why are the other super heros afraid to do anything? The good thing is that all of these and many other questions are answered in this book. But the answers seem to pander to a more fantasy theme of a comic book in contrast to the surreal world of a noir gotham city. There is good monologue and dialog between character (making Frank Miller's style more apparent.) But it lacks character depth and dark over-tones, it lacks the excellent monologue and good artwork. The colors are done nicely through each frame, but the drawings are terribly sloppy! You'll cringe at the drawing of Superman's face, which looks like it's melting. The character drawings are vomit inducing. The story becomes more silly as you read into it. Frank Miller also crammed too many characters into the story. It's nice that it had lots of cameo appearance of other super heros, but throw in the media characters, villians and the public people, and politicians. You'll notice that the story feels convulted and losses focus of the key character = BATMAN.
Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again, is a big let down.

(...) ... Read more

Book Description

Comics godfather Osamu Tezuka tells the story of Buddha's life like it's never been told before. ... Read more

Book Description

Jamie Madrox, stabbed, staggering off a bus. Jamie Madrox, setting up a detective agency in the heart of Mutant Town. Jamie Madrox, a peaceful Shaolin priest. Which is the real Jamie Madrox? In this noir-esque thriller of a limited series, it's possible that even Madrox doesn't know anymore. Peter David, acclaimed for his run on X-Factor, reunites several of that title's most popular and whimsical characters - Jamie Madrox, Wolfsbane, and the aptly named Strong Guy - and sends them on an adventure of light and darkness. Featuring the incredibly moody pencils of Pablo Raimondi. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Terribly underrated noir-ish comic with the Multiple Man
The great Peter David may have made a name for himself with his unheralded run on the Incredible Hulk, but his all too brief run on X-Factor showcased some of his best work.The character he wrote the best in that series, Jamie "Multiple Man" Madrox, gets his own mini-series here, and David manages to greatly utilize all the promising aspects of the character for the most part.Madrox is a private investigator these days, who after witnessing the death of one of his "dupes", investigates to find out just what happened and why.What he uncovers is a little conspiracy filled with mayhem and mutants, and the noir-ish presentation will pull the reader in.While some of it is a bit predictable, Madrox is a surprisingly great read with some witty storytelling by David, and great supporting roles from Jamie's former X-Factor teammates Strong Guy and Wolfsbane.The moody art by Pablo Raimondi is reason enough to check this TPB out alone, and the conclusion leaves the door open for David to work some more Madrox magic.All in all, older X-Men readers who dug the character of Madrox (and you all know who you are) would do well to give this a look. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (51)

Death becomes mortal for a day.
This is arguably one of the best comic book stories ever written. A must read for any fans of Neil Gaiman and his Sandman comic book series. Originally appearing in three separate issues with the same title, "High Cost of Living" follows Death as she spends a day as a mortal. Along with her is Sexton Furnival, a boy who is filled with depression and hopelessness. He is a perfect compliment to the perky and smiley Death. Together they venture on a search through a big city for a lost heart. However, this is more than just a day-in-the-life story. It presents everyday life, and everyday activities, as something fun, exciting and worth living for. In essence, it shows just how precious life is -- all of life, the good parts and the bad parts.

A very special Death.
After becoming one of the most beloved of the Endless family of characters from the incredible Sandman comic series, Death finally gets her own special 3 comic series. Neil Gaiman has created possibly one of the greatest concepts in modern literature...the idea that Death is not a robe-wrapped skeleton waving a scythe around, but a young, beautiful, endlessly perky Goth girl just wanting to have fun while she reaps her harvest of souls.

In this adventure, however, Death is not out to take a soul but to save one. In The High Cost of Living she guides a young, potential suicide case around Manhattan. She's partly on a quest to find an old witch's heart, but mostly she's out to show her escort that life is just too damn interesting to throw away.

Gaiman yet again gives us a fantastic morality tale that meanders around seemingly aimlessly but hits its intended targets with awesome laser-like accuracy. An absolute must-read.

Could Death really be this bovinely mindless?
The story begins in an alley where Mad Hattie is searching for her heart, and quickly moves to an urban apartment where fifteen year old Sexton Furnival lives with his "slightly off" mother Sylvia, an aging Earth Mother type.

Sexton is sitting at his computer typing out his suicide note when his mother obliviously sends him out for the afternoon because she has taken the day off to spring clean their apartment. When he literally falls into a garbage dump, he meets a cute and saucy Goth girl named Didi, not knowing that she is Death walking in flesh for a day. She takes Sexton back to her apartment to mend her torn jeans, and now the story begins its long slide downhill.

Mad Hattie confronts Death and threatens to cut off Sexton's nose if Didi (Death) does not go out to find her missing heart. So Didi and Sexton set off into the city at night, to have some fun and search for Mad Hattie's heart. And unexplained thread unravels as Didi (Death) continually is offered free goods by kind people. I didn't get it, and Gaimen never explained it. They go into a "hot" club (for free), and once inside with them, we are subjected to some extremely cheesy lyrics sung by lesbian acoustical guitarist.

Outside the club, a strange blind man and his minion do unexplained things to find Didi in the club, and when the minion lures them out, Death follows as bovinely as a cow does into the slaughtering pens. It gets worse. Once Sexton and Didi are trapped in the cellar, the story becomes even more aimless, filled with pointless conversations which all build up to a ridiculous and anticlimactic ending.

For me, Death lost her charm as Didi when she became so naively helpless and stupifyingly frivolous in her actions and speech. I was interested in Death presented as a charming Goth girl, but I expected her to have more power, more intelligence, more drive, and something more to say. Oh, and I have never met a Goth girl who babbled like a Valley girl...another disappointment.

To top off my disgust, this unsatisfying story is followed by a brutally inane short in which Didi (Death) lectures us on condom usage. I never thought that I would be subjected to a cartoon character putting a condom onto a cartoon banana, but it happened and I shudder every time I think of it.

I love stories of Death, and if you do too, I would caution you to glance through this particular graphic novel in the bookstore before laying your hard earned cash down on the table. This was very disappointing.

Quality industrial-strength, sub-plots by the pound
Neil Gaiman truly is the consummate storyteller able to weave first-class storylines and memorable characters seemingly at the drop of a hat. In this 3-chapter collection, Gaiman expands on his epochal Sandman universe by focusing on the Dreamlord's fetching younger sister - Death. Those who already follow the Sandman series are already familiar with this sassed-up, Goth personification of Death and will surely be remiss not to indulge in this graphic treat. Those completely new to the Sandman saga will still be able to dive straight into the story without missing a beat, enjoying the full brunt of Gaiman's genius.

The strangest thing about this volume is a 6 page, Public Service Announcement of sorts found at the very end. In this PSA, Death gives a full blown lecture on safe-sex, AIDS, and even gives a demonstration of proper condom insertion utilizing a banana! A bit weird, no doubt and in the end very much dates this book as somewhat of a relic from the mid-90's.

Not the usual Sandman-esque story
This story follows Death after she rescues a teenage boy with a strange name. A very old homeless lady tells Death to find the heart she hid, but can't remember where it was placed. Death and the boy go to various places, and Death gets to experience the life of a human for a day. One of my favorite graphic novels. You don't have to be familiar with the Sandman books too well either, unless you want to know about some of the characters that also show up in this book. It's a fun book to read and Death is quirky as always and true-to-character. ... Read more

Book Description

Collecting Ultimate X-Men #40-45. ... Read more

Book Description

Professor X thought he'd solved the problem of Magneto, but the mutant master of magnetism has regained his memory and his mission!Now the X-Men are on the run, with the Ultimates hot on their trail!Can the X-Men stop Magneto before he executes his plan to enslave the human race? ... Read more

Reviews (9)

New generation of writers out to destroy comics....
These new stories by Millar contain terrible Kubert drawings and story plots that go no where. They play more like a video game rather then a comic and are the work of people who are more like internet geeks then serious writers. No wonder comic book sales are dead and less then 2,000 comic book stores are still open nationwide.

Los mutantes recontados
La idea del Universo Ultimate que tan bien le esta saliendo a la Marvel, es adaptar sus historias clasicas al entorno actual con la finalidad de atraer nuevos lectores. Es decir, todos sabemos lo geniales que son los mutantes de Stan Lee pero reconozcamos que no atraen lo suficiente a nuevos lectores.
Asi, esta version Ultimate incorpora varios cambios menores que al final hacen un gran cambio, por ejemplo en las personalidades de los personajes, su origen, etc. Y todo eso hace una gran lectura. El escritor es Mark Millar, la actual estrella de la editorial Marvel que ademas ha escrito a los geniales Ultimates y los dibujantes son los hermanos Adam y Andy Kubert que se complementan muy bien el uno al otro. En resumen, buenos autores logran una estupenda historia.
Este tomo de tapa dura tiene los primeros 12 numeros de la coleccion Ultimate X-men:
- del #1 al #6: Tomorrow People, como se reclutan a los nuevos X-men y la pelea contra la version mas malvada de Magneto que se haya visto.
- del #7 al #12: Return to Weapon X, con la aparición estelar del Ultimate Samuel Jackson, perdon, quise decir Nick Fury.
Altamente recomendable para quienes pensaron que no se podian hacer nuevas historias de mutantes, para quienes no tienen nada de los X-men en su coleccion y para quienes llegan a los X-men por la pelicula.

Keep it real
The creators of Ultimate X-men did a very smart thing. They started all the way over. Considering Ult. X-men starts off anew, they can do what they wish with the story. Unlike X-treme and New X-Men which have plots so Twisted, it doesn't feel like the X-Men at all. They changed a few things in this series, like how Wolverine joined. Also Colossus and Storm take Angel's place as one of the first X-men. Making a team of 6 instead of 5. Magneto and the Brotherhood are pretty much the same. These books are solely based on story. Theres action, but its kinda far between.

The Weapon X Program tries to "recruit" the X-Men
Despite the title and the cover art for this second trade paperback volume in the "Ultimate X-Men" series (collecting issues 7-12), "Return to Weapon X" does not focus on the character of Wolverine. True, he is a key part of the solution for the predicament our Merry Mutants have found themselves in this time around, but Weapon X is now a big time secret government program run under the auspices of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Nick Fury that has a rather impressive little roster of mutants in its service: Juggernaut, Rogue, Nightcrawler, and Sabertooth. Think of them as the government's answer to the X-Men and the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, and that pretty much accounts for all of the mutants belonging to groups at this point in the series.

Despite being on a first name basis with the President of the United States, Xavier's School for Gifted Children is hit by Colonel Wraith and his shock troops, both human and mutant. Now Cyclops, Marvel Girl, and the others will serve the greater good and help the government fight fire with fire (the only good mutant is a mutant with a neural implant). Of course, since this is a comic book, the person in charge of this government program is psychotic and perfectly willing to do anything to do anything to get the job done (or did I mention already that Wraith was in charge?). The main part of the story arc has to do with the X-Men regaining their freedom, but this is also mixed up with Wolverine's search for his past and Nick Fury's search for an illegal genetic operation violating the Superhuman Test-Ban Treaty.

I think that one of the main strengths of the Ultimate comic books is that they emphasize story arcs that take multiple issues (six in this case) so that a dozen issues into the series we have only dealt with two major stories instead of a self-contained episode with a new villain every single month. This should help the well from running dry too quickly. Writer Mark Millar along with Penciller Adam Kubert (with Tom Raney & Tom Derenick) and Inker Art Thibert (with Scott Hanna, Joe Kubert, Danny Miki, & Lary Stucker) are having fun tweaking the "original" X-Men stories and creating some new dynamics (e.g., Storm is interested in Hank McCoy, Nightcrawler does not speak English) so I think that those who have been reading the X-Men since issue #1 of "The Uncanny X-Men" (or issue #1 of "The Giant-Size X-Men") will enjoy the differences more than neophytes and appreciate the way key stories resonant (e.g., Jean Grey is Marvel Girl and not Phoenix when she steps over the line this time around).

"Return to Weapon X" is not as good as the first volume in the series, but it is hard to compete with Magneto when you talking about the X-Men, whichever version of the group is involved. Millar's story is certainly complex enough and you can see all sorts of things being set up for down the road. As long as you are not offended by the very existence of the series, you should find "Ultimate X-Men" or any of the other titles in the Marvel series to be at least entertaining and quite possibility compelling. At the very least, you should be able to appreciate the tweaking.

Awesome!
An alternate X-Men universe is perhaps the best way for newer readers to come to terms with the characters that have amazed many throughout the years. The familiar characters get a stylish upgrade. Jean Grey with red, spiky hair? Cyclops with a goatee? Iceman with a bandana? You get them all here! Fantastic artwork with a reasonably paced storyline. The X-Men's battle with Magneto's Brotherhood of the Evil Mutants opened its first chapter. A highly recommended read. ... Read more

Book Description

Fantagraphics Books is pleased to present, for the first time, a single-volume collection of this 288-page landmark of journalism and the artform of comics. Interest in Sacoo has never been higher than with the release of his critically acclaimed book, Safe Area Gorazde.

Based on several months of research and an extended visit to the West Bank and Gaza Strip in the early 1990s (where he conducted over 100 interviews with Palestinians and Jews), Palestine was the first major comics work of political and historical nonfiction by Sacco, who has often been called the first comic book journalist.

Sacco's insightful reportage takes place at the front lines, where busy marketplaces are spoiled by shootings and tear gas, soldiers beat civilians with reckless abandon, and roadblocks go up before reporters can leave. Sacco interviewed and encountered prisoners, refugees, protesters, wounded children, farmers who had lost their land, and families who had been torn apart by the Palestinian conflict.

In 1996, the Before Columbus Foundation awarded Palestine the seventeenth annual American Book Award, stating that the author should be recognized for his "outstanding contribution to American literature," while his publisher, Fantagraphics, is "to be honored for their commitment to quality and their willingness to take risks that accompany publishing outstanding books and authors that may not prove 'cost-effective' in the short run."

This new edition of Palestine also features a new introduction from renowned author, critic, and historian Edward Said, author of Peace and Its Discontents and The Question of Palestine and one of the world's most respected authorities on the Middle Eastern conflict. ... Read more

Reviews (42)

Palestine
In recent years, the scope of the comics medium has burst from the confines of children's and fictional genres to encompass substantive work in such realms as the graphic novel, autobiography, and biography. In his nine-part comic book Palestine, the final four issues of which are collected here, Sacco gives us the first major work of comics journalism. In 1991 he traveled to Jerusalem to observe Palestinians living under Israeli occupation. Out of that trip comes this highly ambitious and successful telling of the refugees' stories--some militant, others resigned--that include both emotional depictions of protest and torture and the quiet struggles of everyday survival. Although Sacco's sympathies, expressed through the first-person narration, are definitely with the Palestinians, the work overall is far too nuanced to be deemed propaganda. Sacco makes wildly experimental layouts coalesce into an imaginative yet solid storytelling style. Palestine shows that he is a top-rank talent who has staked out a unique place for himself in the comics field.

Buy This Book For Everyone You Know
Joe Sacco has done mankind a service by illuminating one of the great continuing tragedies of our time, the brutal Israeli occupation of over 3 million Palestinians. We are spoon fed a nauseating stream of documentaries, movies, books, etc. about the Holocaust. I agree that Holocaust education is important, but the monumental place it has assumed eclipses many other chapters of human oppression and suffering around the world. The brutal Israeli occupation of the Palestninian people is one such place. Joe Sacco has done in the form of a graphic novel what the mainstream American media won't (or can't) do: he has put a human face on what lies beyond the Israeli side of the infamous 'greenline'. Palestnians wonder the frames of each picture like ghosts deformed by the unimaginable cruelty of the occupying Israeli forces. Yet in the end, Sacco posits these tortured souls in a very living and human face. A face that the reader can and is encouraged to empathize with. The central theme of the book is that Israeli occupation is no longer about self-defense, it has transformed into a manifestation of man's inhumanity to his fellow man and the Palestnian ability to maintain their humanity and love for life as the victim of so much inhumanity.

Spectacular, heartrending, and honest
This book is simply amazing. I'm a second-year college student and it is required reading in my Comp Lit class. It shows you the side of an issue mainstream media doesn't want you to see, and those who refuse to see the side of Palestinians will, even after reading this book, deny the truth. Joe Sacco is brilliant, as his evidence is first hand, his writing realistic, and drawings eye-opening. For anyone who is sick of seeing the issue of Palestine from the view of money hungry media people, this is the book to get. You'll cry. I guarantee, because Sacco will show you the truth as you aren't supposed to see it.

Palestinian propaganda as usual...
Typical lies the so-called "Palestinian people" perpetrate as usual. Waste of time & energy. Complete fiction.

The Abu Ghraib training manual
If you want to find out where US troops got their gruesome torture methods for Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, it's all in Sacco's book, published in 2002 and based on a trip he took to Gaza and the West Bank in the early 1990s.

It's all there: the arrest and lengthy detainment of innocent people for 'intelligence gathering', putting detainees in hoods for days and weeks at a time, using isolation and terror, threatening death, tying prison in painful positions for days, beatings, humiliation.

Sacco's book documents it all - and it was first worked out
by Israelis for use against Palestians.

The US news media knows this, but they're silent. Why?
Get Sacco's book and educate yourself about what's really going on in the Middle East. ... Read more

Book Description

When the plan to rescue Han Solo from Jabba the Hutt falls apart, Princess Leia, Lando Calrissian, and Chewbacca embark on another rescue mission that puts them into direct conflict with Boba Fett. Meanwhile, Luke's late arrival on Dagobah ends with him being captured by Darth Vader and the Emperor, just as the second Death Star is about to go on-line! Will the return of the Jedi become the end of the Jedi? The surprising climax is as exciting as that of the film on which it is based, but different from anything Star Wars fans have seen before! ... Read more

Reviews (13)

A rare classic from the Silver Age
A wheelchair-bound mentor gathers unique individuals with extraordinary powers, to defend the world against evil adversaries. No, this is not the introduction to the Uncanny X-Men, but to a group which was formed a few months earlier by DC Comics, The Doom Patrol.

Comparison with the X-Men are inevitable, where we have the wheelchair bound leader, The Brotherhood of Evil (Mutants). But there is also a twist here. For while the X-Men are treated as outcasts, the Doom Patrol are treated as heroes.

The X-Men won over The Doom Patrol I think because the readers wanted more 'super-hero' stories which is what they got, and they were also able to expand into other Marvel titles like The Fantastic Four, Thor, Avengers, and so on. Reading The Doom Patrol here, it feels as if they have their own DC Universe with hardly any mention of other DC characters. I felt that this was a good point, as the characters are able to develop on their own, we get to know them more, the plots are more character driven, more down to earth.

The art is a joy to look at, and Bruno Premiani is a vastly under-rated artist, who when asked today, most people would never have heard of. When people talk about the great Silver Age artists, especially from DC, people would mention Gil Kane, Curt Swan, Murphy Anderson. Bruno Premiani deserves to be ranked alongside these artists as well.

This is a beautiful edition to add to your DC Archives collection. These stories are from an era where they have never been surpassed in the quality of their stories, the Silver Age.

I do hope that a second collection of The Doom Patrol is not far away.

Silver Age Classic
Ahh.. The Doom Patrol. The original outcast crimefighters. Let's hope DC reprints the whole run, because this is essential reading for super hero fans. Decades later, the strangeness of this title lingers; from the oddball villians to the twisted humor, the Doom Patrol was unlike anything published at the time. The characters are memorable and the artwork is stunning. If you've never seen Bruno Premiani's work, you're in for a treat.
This was the first silver age comic I collected, and it's nice to have these early DP stories in such a great package. Buy it today.

Great read all the way around.
Found this to be one of the best archives that DC has to offer. And from one of the least popular series they had. The art and stories are superb. And still stand today. I had reservations about getting this. But when DC announced that there was going to be a new Doom Patrol series coming I decided it was time to get to know these characters all over again. And guess what. Not a single disappointment.
Pick this up if you get the chance. You will not be disappointed. So glad I did. Already ordered Vol.2. So enjoy.

Most human and humane super-heroes ever created
I'd never read any Silver Age Doom Patrol cartoons, and picked this up just because I liked the idea of a team of freaks banding together. But they're so much more than freaks, they're individual characters, each with his own personality, which was unusual in a DC comic from the 1960s. And they do their best, sometimes fail, and in the final story of this book they recommend therapy and treatment rather than incarceration for one villain because he is mentally imbalanced! Wonderful stuff. Can't wait for Volume 2!

Fabulous Freaks
The Doom Patrol was one of the great lesser known DC series of the Silver Age. A group of "freaks" joined together to form a super-team. The Chief was the wheelchair bound genius leader. Robotman was a human being with his brain trapped in a robot body. Negative Man could cause a radio-energy being to leave his body at the speed of light, but had to keep his body wrapped in bandages to protect people from his radioactive skin. Elasti-Girl could grow really big or really small. (Actually, she not all that "freakish". No more so than any other super-hero, anyway). Besides being considered "outcasts", the Doom Patrol was different than other DC heroes in that they actually had personalities. Robotman and Negative Man often had arguments with each other, and they both had moments when they felt bitter about their situations. This book features the Doom Patrol's first ten comics. Besides meeting the heroes, you will also meet their legendary enemies; General Immortus, The Brotherhood of Evil, and Animal-Vegetable-Mineral Man. (Yes, that last one has a goofy name, but he's still a pretty cool villain.) I think that anyone who is a fan of Silver Age comics should get this book. While it's true that the stories aren't as "sophisticated" as today's comics, they have a charm that most of the current comics can't duplicate. ... Read more