Book Description

Dream-team creators Joss Whedon (TV's Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and John Cassaday (Planetary, Captain America) present the explosive, all-new flagship X-Men series - marking a return to classic greatness and the beginning of a brand-new era for the X-Men! Cyclops and Emma Frost re-form the X-Men with the express purpose of "astonishing" the world. But when breaking news regarding the mutant gene unexpectedly hits the airwaves, will it derail their new plans before they even get started? As demand for the "mutant cure" reaches near-riot levels, the X-Men go head-to-head with the enigmatic Ord, with an unexpected ally - and some unexpected adversaries - tipping the scales! Collects Astonishing X-Men #1-6. ... Read more

Book Description

The comic book publishing event of 2000 is coming to your bookstore.

Ultimate Spider-Man received extensive press coverage and was the highest selling comics launch of the year. It is the reinterpretation of Spider-Man's origin, updated for today's tweens and teens. Starting over at the beginning, the story of how a tortured teen is imbued with startling powers, has been completely re-imagined to appeal to the hi-tech, media savvy youth of today.

In the process, great steps were taken to make the unfolding saga reader-friendly to the non-comics reader. "Our characters have been around for almost 40 years," explained Bill Jemas, Marvel`s President of Publishing and New Media, explaining the reasoning behind Ultimate Spider-Man. "It's great that our comics are so rich that storylines run forever, but we want the Ultimate books to be accessible to the first-time reader. Someone will be able to pick up an issue of Ultimate Spider-Man and have enough information to understand and appreciate it."

An outsider even amongst his own peers, high school student Peter Parker is a young man at the crossroads of destiny. Orphaned as a youth and raised by his Uncle Ben and Aunt May, Peter finds himself the target of a constant barrage of pranks perpetrated by school jock Flash Thompson and his burly bud, nicknamed Kong. After Peter is bitten by an experimental spider from the laboratory of Osborn Industries, industrialist Norman Osborn takes a deadly interest in this development. Will Peter be able to avoid a violent case of corporate downsizing? When backed into a corner, will our hero learn that with great power there must come great responsibility? ... Read more

Reviews (43)

Comics for Everyone
Hats off to Marvel for making comics accessible again. Ultimate Spider-Man is a great comic that anyone can read and relate to. It tells the story of a nerdy high school sophomore who suddenly finds himself in possession of fantastic powers. It's an old story, with a hero that will be familiar to almost anyone. After all, Spider-Man is one of the most recognizable characters in entertainment history.

But what's this "Ultimate" about? Spider-Man is a character who was created in the sixties, and since then he's been dragging forty years of continutity and backstory. Ultimate Spider-Man approaches the character from the ground up, with a contemporary voice and pop culture references that place the book squarely in the 21st century. This Peter Parker isn't married and successful yet; he's barely coming to grips with his powers. The origin is updated, the villains look different, and nothing about the hero's future is set.

Longtime Spider-Man fans may still be more comfortable with the original character that they've grown up with. (The "classic" Spider-Man is still thriving and his ongoing series is currently enjoying the excellent writing of Babylon 5 creator J. Michael Straczynski.) But for those who lost interest in comics years ago, or those who are approaching the medium for the first time, this book is absolutely perfect.

The writing, by comics wunderkind Brian Michael Bendis, is awesome. Dialogue is sharp and sparkling with very authentic voices. The art is attractive and expressive. The stories are easy to follow, even for a first time comics reader. It's a comic that anyone can enjoy, and one which I strongly recommend. I loved it, my girlfriend loved it, and I'm sure that you'll love it.

Spider-Man Revisited
Writer Brian Michael Bendis set out to reinvent and reinvigorate Marvel's hallowed Spider-Man franchise in this landmark series. Judging from the critical acclaim and market success it's had, I'd say he met his goal.

Spider-Man was originally created in 1963 and while his origin story is a comic book classic, let's just say some of the elements within the story have become somewhat dated. Bendis' rehash of Spidey's origin sets him in modern times, with the look of a modern 15-year-old, and the characters speaking in...you guessed it...modern dialogue.

Bendis has done a fine job of updating the character and doesn't give in to the temptation to pace the story too quickly. He takes his time, building up the characters and the story of how Peter Parker is bitten by a radioactive spider and subsequently given super powers.

Mark Bagley competently, though not spectacularly, illustrates the story. Bagley's artistic storytelling skills are excellent, but I think Marvel might have been better served had they gone with a less traditional artistic style on this book.

ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN: POWER AND RESPONSIBILITY is a great new beginning for Spider-Man and appeals to fans of all ages.

Ultimate spider-man is the best!
I have read spider-man comics for years and this series is definitley one of the best! the writing, the art, the inking, and the charecters all work perfectley together!
This series gets you very involved in the stories, it gets you attached to the charecters with great charecter development through out the issues.I would certainly recommend this series to any comic book fan!

Great Start to a Great New Comic Book Series!
After 42 years of stories, Spider-Man, like many other Marvel titles, has become bogged down in its own complex continuities. Many comics have gotten to the point where those who haven't been reading since way back have trouble understanding the plots. It is for this reason that the creation of the Ultimate series is such a smart move on Marvel's part. Now, on to comic being reviewed. Gone are the futile attempts by Lee and Ditko (Spidey's original creators) to come up with good villains and story lines every month (many old fans may look back not-so-fondly on such abysmal creations as the Terrible Tinkerer, or A Guy Named Joe). Since Spider-Man is already established as a great series, Bendis had more time to flesh out the characters, and elaborate on classic story arcs, without struggling to come up with new ideas every month. To make it more appealing to younger readers, Bendis put a more modern spin on Ultimate Spider-Man. This means that the characters act/talk like they're living in the year 2000, not 1963. Many long-time fans will notice several major changes in the continuity and characters. For one, Peter Parker starts out dating MJ Watson, bypassing his relationships with Betty Brant and Gwen Stacy (although they both make cameo appearences in a couple of stories). In addition, rather than being an insane-workaholic-costume-wearing-Spidey-foe, ultimate Green Goblin is an insane-workaholic-mutated-drug-addicted-Spidey-foe. Since it is known from the beginning that Norman Osbourn is the Green Goblin, his origin is told in a different manner, in a much shorter time (which is a change for the better, IMO). Finally, the event of Uncle Ben's murder is pretty similar to the original comic, except for the fact that Peter lets the crook go when he robs a deli, rather than a wrestling manager. Oh, and Aunt May is much younger, so Peter doesn't have to worry about her health (at least for the time being). That about covers all the MAJOR CHANGES in the first story arc, which are necessary for a better retelling of the exploits of the web-head. As for the artwork, Bagley does an excellent job providing the right atmosphere for the stories. In my opinion, his use of detail is top notch, and his style is great. Bagley can only get better as he continues his career. Overall, Power and Responsability is a great start to a promising new Spider-Man series.

This one's the best.... but still far from "Ultimate"
The first storyarc in the rather poor Ultimate Spider-man series is the enevitable origin storyarc. Peter Parker is bitten by a genetically altered spider. Eventually, he soon dons the guise of Spider-man to cash in on fame and fortune. But when a horrible tragedy strikes..... You've read it before, and you're going to read it again. Yes, it has, "mondern," stuff like the internet, but still, it has "R-I-P-O-F-F," written all over it. At least the story is slightly touched upon a bit more between Peter's relationships with Aunt May and Uncle Ben(who, dare I say it, has been redesigned into a hippy. Deny it all you want, its true) before the uncle has the fateful encounter with the burglar, leading to Spider-man's true birth as a superhero. But other than that, it's best to just browse. The entire battle with the Green Goblin afterwards is pointless and doesn't serve much purpose to the story afterwards. Something tells me another 40 years from now, Bendis will most likely have been forgotten from the other Spider-man authors, simply because of the unoriginality his stories contain. Still, if you simply must pick up an "Ultimate" book, this one is probably your best bet. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Outstanding Sequel ! Almost as Good as The Long Halloween
Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale have done it again in "Batman: Dark Victory." The story is still a "whodunnit" and is similiar in formula to the first (killings take place on a Holiday). The target this time are "cops" and many "cops" only mildly remembered in previous Batman stories are quickly brought into this story only to be killed.

The plot thickens as Gordon and Batman try and get the killer. The art work is much better than the Long Halloween. It has a similar style, but is perfected in this series, especially on the Batman. The story is thinner and I easliy figured out the killer after the first death. Neverless, the story is still written so well, I stayed tuned and felt compelled to go on. Enjoying every minute as I turned each page. Robin is skillfully brought in to the story.

Even if you have the magizine format, get this special hardbound edition. You can re-read the story withhout touching the magazine (therefore, not having to take a chance of devaluing the comic)and enjoy the read.

Has action, has mystery, has flaws!
I think this goes for Long Halloween and Dark Victory: Cool, but characters not well enough developed. The whole mystery thing is cool because that is what Batman is really about, man. It would have been nice to not see the mob families again, though. After like 300 pages of them in the last book, I got bored with them. They're not even likeable! I mean, they're bad guys, I get it, but Joker could be even cooler than Batman himself. Plus, Robin sucks plenty in this book. He's on the cover and junk but he's only in the last two issues. Loeb tries to reinvent the Robin story, but fails miserably. He tried to make Robin mad about his parents but I just don't feel bad for Dick Grayson like I should. Someone in the reviews said that this was better than anything Frank Miller has done. Don't believe it! Batman Dark Victory: Don't believe the hype. It is page turning, hence at least three stars, but that could just be denial from paying 20 bucks talking.

Stunning Victory
After reading and enjoying author Jeph Loeb/artist Tim Sale's Batman epic, The Long Halloween, I found out that there was a sequel. I was surprised how hard it was to find a copy. Every time I tried to purchase the follow up, it was either on order or, completely sold out. My months of frustration are now done, having just completed Dark Victory, I can safely state that the tale is a worthy follow up to what came before.
The story follows an intricately woven series of challenges for the Dark Knight of Gotham. Shortly after the events of The Long Halloween, a cop killer, known only as Hangman strikes and plunges Gotham into further chaos. The populace is being over run by a gang of villianous freaks, as the cops are determined to catch this brutal killer, led by the city's new police commissioner, James Gordon. The Falcone crime family takes advantage of the situation and decides to rebuild their now decimated empire. We also meet a new District Attorney, Janice Porter, following Harvey Dent's fall from grace to become the evil Two Face. In the midst of all of this, Batman meets an orphan, that will change his life forever. If it sounds like a "crowded" story, it is, but Loeb, who's also a consuting producer for the Superman as a teen series Smallville, is able to tell a story in such a way, as to draw readers right in. All of these plotlines work well off each other and never bogg down the book.

Sale, who also wrote the trade paperback's intoduction, gives the story some fine contasts, using darker shades with burts of color, for the art. Matching the style created for TLH, his layout is one of tradition and innovation. Betweem the words and pictures, Dark Victory is a feast for the eyes of every comic book fan.

The 392 page book also includes a Falcone "family tree" and some of Sale's character sketches. ****1/2 stars and of course, the book is recommened.

My favorite Batman book, part 2
This is the fantasic sequel to the "The Long Halloween." Another murder mystery, this time the victims are Cops. It's a bit weaker than the "Halloween" but it's still pretty damn good cause it still keeps you guessing. Robin is introduced, linking him to Batman in the classic way. Robin is the ONLY sidekick that ever worked because he is independent from Batman. He doesn't share the costume, his wealthy upbringing, or even his psychologic need!

The art is similar, but a bit darker than "Halloween." It brings everything to a satisfying end.

Batman at his best
I had read many great things about this book and was not even slightly dissapointed. My only previous exposure to the creative team was Daredvil: Yellow, which was good, but it left me completely unprepared for what I was about to read. Batman, in my opinion, has the most potential of any comic book character. His combination of physical prowess and mental acuity, partnered with a deep, lenghty history and top notch supporting cast place him at the top of the super-hero food chain. The problem has always been in execution. Done properly, he is fantastic. Unfortunately, he is so rarely done in away that plays to the characters strengths and makes use of his long and deep history. This story got everthing out of his rogues gallery and made the most of his detective skills. What could have been a typical slugfest with the cream of his rogues gallery was instead a well paced, rivetting detective thriller. Two face had depth I have never seen before. Writers usually beat you over the head with his crimes based on the number two, but here we were given a much deeper view of what drives Harvey Dent. The same can be said of all of the other characters, hero and villian alike. The artwork was perfect for Batman. It was dark and gritty, which is what Batman artwork should be. I also like how the story was retro-fitted to blend with Batman continuity, introducing Robin into the Batman mythology. I didn't want to give away any plot elements with my review, but I hope it gave an idea of the style and flavor of the story. It was Batman at his best, in my opinion as good a story as The Dark Knight Returns. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Its nice to see a more realistic Marvel Universe!
Well this book was good, but Volume 1: The Tomorrow People was better. This book introduces many new and important character's to the Ultimate Marvel Universe, Including Juggernaut, Nightcrawler, Rogue, Sabertooth, and Nick Fury. The story tells of the Weapon X program kidnapping and basically enslaving the X-men and their leader, Professor Charles Xavier. The X-men are forced to do everything that Professor Xavier has tought them is wrong. Using tiny explosive chips planted into each of the X-men's heads, they are forced to do as they are told, or else KABLOOEE! I also like the fact that the whole Cytorak, or whatever its called, crystal was not included. Some of you may not understand, but taking out things like that make the story less confusing and more realistic. The day Marvel start incorporating things like "magic crystals" and such into the Ultimate Universe, is the day I stop reading them. I have come to expect a level of "realism" from these books. Anyway, this book also hints at the future creation of the Ultimates (the Ultimate Universe's version of the Avengers).

A bit inferior to the traditional Weapon-X story
"Return to Weapon X" is the 2nd trade paperback in the Ultimate X-Men series from Marvel, and covers Ultimate X-Men issues 7-12. This book features the popular "Weapon-X" storyline from the traditional X-men comics, with some drastic changes. Purists of the X-Men will probably be very upset, and those that are relatively new to the X-Men (like myself), will be a bit let down. The new Weapon-X storyline that writer Mark Millar has decided to create is just not as good as the original. "Weapon-X" was one of the main sagas in X-Men, if not all of the Marvel Universe. I didn't read X-Men, but I can remember the excitement surrounding this storyline and how much it made me want to start reading X-comics. Millar's version of it is rather boring, and there is too much of a focus on the other mutants rather than how Weapon-X relates to Wolverine. Wolverine's past is explored much more in later issues of "Ultimate," and I feel it was just a bit too soon in this new series to explore it. It all leads up to an anti-climatic finish with some rather large holes that don't make much sense.

The storyline is written by Mark Millar and most of it is pencilled by Adam Kubert, who has done a decent job with the X-Men in my opinion. While it's not the best storyline featured in Ultimate X-Men, I would recommend anyone who enjoys the series to pick it up, but I would encourgae you to start with the first book "The Tomorrow People" and reading the series in order. If you have a limited budget though and can't purchase all the books, you won't really be missing much by skipping this one.

great followup
What we have here is a great follow up to vol one of the Ultimate X-Men. We introduce more characters and get this new take on the Weapon X story. Well done story at that. Still gets high marks for art and character.

If you like X2, you'll like this.
Ultimate X-Men: Return to Weapon X is the second story arc of Ulitmate X-Men. The story starts as the terrorist group, Weapon X, kidnaps the teleporter Nightcrawler and forces him to work along with other mutant victims Rogue and Juggarnaut (who has a strange, new costume.) A few weeks later, Cyclops, Storm, and Colossus are in Tokyo being interviewed on a talk show. Following orders, Rogue secretly absorbs Colossus's memories and leads Weapon X to the Xavier Institute. The X-Men are abducted and forced to be Weapon X agents. This graphic novel is obviously what X2: X-Men United was based on. There are many similarties like Weapon X creating a Cerebro copy, Iceman visting his parents, and the X-Men teaming up with the Brotherhood of Mutants. The only bad thing about this book is the characters. Jaggurnaut was pulled out from out of nowhere and had no connection with the proffesor. Sabretooth is still a volunter agent for Weapon X, but has an adamantium skeleton along with eight claws. I have many more small examples, but these two are the most noticable.

The Weapon-X Program "recruits" 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. ... Read more

Book Description

Follow the Fantastic Four from their original adventure to the height of their success! Caught in a mental maelstrom of alien enemies! Trips into the Negative Zone, Subterranea, and the soul of Ben Grimm! The triumph and tragedy of Mr. Fantastic! The FF rescued from Skrullian straits by an all-new lineup! And who will be the last hero standing in the ultimate war...of practical jokes? Featuring Dr. Doom, Dr. Octopus, the Impossible Man, Daredevil, Spider-Man, Wolverine, and more! Collects Fantastic Four #1, #39-40, #51, #100, #116, #176, #236, #267; Fantastic Four (Vol. 3) #56 and #60; Marvel Fanfare #15; Marvel Two-In-One #50; and Marvel Knights 4 #4. ... Read more

Book Description

The Ultimates vs. the Ultimate X-Men: the battle begins. When the X-Men do the worst thing they could to humanity, the government orders Captain America, Iron Man, Thor and the rest of the Ultimates to bring them down. A small but lethal army, the Ultimates were created to face these and other newly rising threats to mankind. But the X-Men's founder, Professor X, hasn't been training his students for nothing -- and the youngs mutants just might take out the Ultimates first. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

This is more of a delaying action that a full out war
You would think that a showdown between the Ultimate X-Men and the Ultimates (the Nuevo Avengers) would offer an epic battle, but instead "Ultimate War" is pretty much a holding action. This trade paperback which is Volume 5 in the "Ultimate X-Men" series collects the four issue mini-series, which follows up on the conclusion of Volume 4 "Hellfire & Brimstone" where Magneto remembers himself and prepares to put humanity in its proper place. In the wake of the revelation that the Mutant Master of Magnetism was not killed and that Charles Xavier had lied about Magneto's true fate, the X-Men join the Brotherhood of Mutants on the government's hit list and the Ultimates are sent to bring them down.

Of course the lineups of the two groups is substantially different from the first time they fought in "The Avengers" #53, with Captain America, Iron Man, Thor and the Black Widow added on one side and Wolverine, Storm, and Colossus on the other. More importantly, it takes the Ultimates until issue #4 to track down the X-Men, although the Ultimates do get to tangle with Magneto when Daddy Dearest comes looking for Pietro and Wanda (I do hope that Magneto really is their father this time around because that would be a pretty good change from the first time through the Marvel Universe). Writer Mark Millar and artist Chris Bachalo reduce the "war" to a series of one-on-one battles: Iron Man vs. Colossus, Thor vs. Storm, Captain America vs. Wolverine, and the Wasp vs. Professor X. The problem is that they all take place in one issue, which means we only get a couple of pages for each confrontation. To quote Xander: "Big overture, little show."

The biggest problem with "Ultimate War" is that the mini-series is hamstrung from the beginning: not much can actually happen because the big showdown with Magneto has to be with the X-Men. The end effect is not a complete reset to where we started, but its is close all things considered. There are also some implications for down the road, such as when Captain America recalls Wolverine as Corporal James Howlett of the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion (of all of the new and improved Marvel Superheroes in this Ultimate book the one I like the most is Cap; the living legend is now much more of a pragmatist than an idealist, which makes perfect sense for somebody who fought Hitler and the Nazis during World War II). Consequently, it is not like you can skip this without being at something of a disadvantage when the story continues in "The Ultimate X-Men," which is precisely the point of such mini-series.

Ultimate War
Here we have two new Marvel creations meeting and fighting: The Ultimate X-Men and the Ultimates. The art is back up to par in this book. The story still as strong as the previous books. Even this far along they've kept it fresh.

Marvels Ultimates
I don't buy comics anymore I buy manga and graphic novels and stopped collecting comics a couple of years ago as the prices increased while the quality decreased. The Ultimate line from Marvel has been outstanding. This review doesn't apply to this individual trade per se but Marvel Comics as a whole under Joe Quesada. I thought I was done with comics but Quesada brought me back if only for the trades.

Ultimate filler....
I found the matchups also X-biased and without the huge dramatic impact of the Ultimates series -- Colossus tossing Thor around after Thor and Hulk go toe to toe? Wolverine shredding Stark's armor and taking out Iron Man in seconds? Isn't Iron Man the guy who captured the Rhino in U-Spidey without working up a sweat? C'mon. The revisionist stuff is great, and works in Ultimates, U-X and U-Spidey, but Ultimate War is only filler between the two super teams' Ultimate books. Poor use of continuity and very little action payoff.

Good But what About Captain Vs. Wolverine
This was a great comic X-Men vs. Ultimates first of all my two favorite characters Colossus and Wolverine were awesome. Colossus beat up iron for a little and then beat up Thor. And wolverine just killed every one in his path. The only thing i really wanted to see was Capn America vs. Wolverine. INsted all the action ends with Capn america playing a mind trick on wolverine then shooting him with a machine gun. Where is the hand to hand combat even though the better fighter is wolverine that would be great stuff ending is awful though ... Read more

Book Description

Daredevil found new life under the pen and pencil of Frank Miller, and his vision of the Man Without Fear is highlighted in this third volume, collecting the complete run.In this collection, Daredevil once more takes on New York City's criminal underworld, angered over the prevalence of drugs in the schools.Along the way, he has to first compete against and then fight the Punisher, who has a deadlier method for dealing with pushers.

Daredevil also finds himself foiling the Kingpin of crime's latest machinations while precariously handling a crumbling relationship with Heather Glenn.

When the dangerous Hand return from Japan, Daredevil needs help but his last ally against them, Elektra, is dead.Coming to his aid is the Black Widow, an old lover, who only further complicates Daredevil's emotions. ... Read more

Reviews (41)

Brilliant
This first collected edition of Frank Miller's (The Dark Knight Returns) brilliant run on Daredevil features some of the best storytelling to come out of Marvel in years, and the best Daredevil storyline to ever be published. Collecting all the classic issues that let readers read their favorite blind vigilante tangling with his arch nemesis the Kingpin of crime, the insane assassin Bullseye, and the mysterious group known as The Hand. But Miller's run was most notable for the introduction of Elektra: the beautiful assassin who was the love of Matt Murdock's life, and the tragic enemy of Daredevil. Miller's writing gave the Daredevil/Matt Murdock character more depth than he had ever had before, and the fact that when a new character is introduced (Elektra) and dispatched not long after and the reader actually cares, that in itself is a milestone in the comic biz, especially Marvel Comics. The showdown between Elektra and Bullseye gives me chills to this day when I read his dialog; I'm still surprised the comic was printed way back when considering the comic code. The art may turn off some readers, but it manages to grow on you (just like Miller's art on Dark Knight Returns). All these years later and all the writers and artists that have come and gone like Brian Michael Bendis, David Mack, Kevin Smith, Joe Quesada, John Romita Jr., and others (regardless of how great work they all did on the character), it is Frank Miller's which still remains the best. The mega budget feature film which starred Ben Affleck was mainly based off the events from these issues, and if you enjoyed the film than you should definitely pick this up.

Daredevil Becomes Great
During Frank Miller's first nine issues on Daredevil, numbers 158-161 and 163-167, the stories were written by Roger McKenzie with Miller supplying pencils. (Number 162 was a non-McKenzie/Miller fill-in issue.) It was only with number 168 - the first issue in this collection - that Miller was handed the writing chores as well. That's when Daredevil, since its inception in 1964 one of Marvel's second tier books, truly hit its stride.

In his very first outing, Miller slammed a home run when he created Elektra Natchios, ninja assassin and Matt Murdock's (Daredevil's) old college girlfriend. Miller has since admitted the basic plot skeleton was lifted from Will Eisner's famous old Spirit story containing the first appearance of Denny Colt's ex-girlfriend Sand Saref, including the idea of the hero's old flame becoming in the present his criminal enemy, that she was turned evil by her father's violent death, the final kiss on the docks, etc. That doesn't change the fact DD #168 is an incredibly powerful piece of comics storytelling - just not as blindingly original as some people like to believe.

Frank Miller was hardly comic books' first writer/artist. Jack Cole with Plastic Man; Neal Adams with Deadman; Steve Ditko with The Question, Mr. A, The Creeper, E-Man, etc.; Jim Starlin with Warlock; Dave Sim with Cerebus; all predated Miller. But he did weigh-in as an outstanding member of a group that's never been large.

Not to come across like I'm downgrading Miller's accomplishments here - I'm not - but it's worth noting that, for a first time big league comic book writer and neophyte penciller, he had a powerful support team. Marvel Comics' then-Editor-In-Chief, Jim Shooter, one of the greatest writers of comics' Silver Age, and even then penning some of Marvel's best stories (he STILL had it, and in spades), took an early interest in Miller's Daredevil and, as Miller put it, "proceeded to kibitz ferociously." Klaus Janson, a seasoned comics pro, had inked Miller since his start on Daredevil, and (another Miller quote), "had to sand down many a rough edge, and rescue many a panel outright." McKenzie and Miller had spent countless hours discussing the character before Miller ever soloed. So the kid had just a wee little bit of help.

None of which changes the fact that under Miller's tenure as writer/artist, Daredevil began to absolutely kick butt. McKenzie, long before Frank Miller showed up, had already begun the metamorphosis of DD from a second rate Spider-Man, instead casting him as a second rate Batman. Grim 'n' gritty, doncha know. Miller, combining his love of hyper-violent Japanese manga like Lone Wolf and Cub with a penchant for hard-boiled crime writers like Jim Thompson, took that basic idea and ran with it. Under his aegis, Matt Murdock's world became a battleground against street thugs, gangsters, hitmen, secret societies of assassins. Demonstrating an artistic sensibility heavily influenced by Eisner, rooms became chiaroscuro landscapes cut by light and shadow. The Kingpin, a laughable Spider-Man foe, was elevated by Miller to the pantheon of Marvel villains, a grotesque giant ruling New York's underworld with an iron fist inside an iron glove. Bullseye, a minor DD baddie for years, became then and forevermore Daredevil's Joker, his arch-nemesis. In these stories we find love betrayed, murder, revenge, psychosis. Our hero was driven by violence and loss to the very edge of insanity - and maybe just a tiny bit beyond.

All heady stuff, the likes of which comic books had never seen. It was a time, and a comic, where you almost literally couldn't wait 30 days for the next issue. I was there, and I loved it. For those of you who weren't there, or, like me, already own these issues but just want the stories in this square bound, paperback, heavy slick paper format as well - so you can hand the book to Frank Miller Daredevil virgins, showing them how great these stories are without cracking the seal on your mylar encased, backing boarded, mint condition originals - you NEED this book. Daredevil Visionaries: Frank Miller Volume 2 collects some of the greatest super-hero comics ever.

Excellent, an absolute must have
The highlight of Frank Miller's legendary run on Daredevil, Visionaries Volume 2 collects issues 168-182; introducing Elektra and beginning the classic saga which would lead to her death. In this collected volume, DD tangles with Turk, Sewer King, the Kingpin, and the deranged assassin Bullseye; culminating in the classic battle between Bullseye and Elektra which left her dead. Miller's cinematic style artwork and superb storytelling perfectly control the pace of the story, something that is nearly impossible to do in comics. However, while this is an essential book and all, the dialogue can be a bit cheesy and grating at times, but if you can look past that, you'll find one of the greatest stories ever to be written in comic history. If you're new to Daredevil and like this, pick up Miller's Born Again which manages to be even better than this.

Still fresh after 20+ years
I haven't read the issues collected in this trade paperback but when I read it, my respect for Frank Miller has gone up off the scale. Even though it was written in the early 80s, the plot, the pacing and the way he told the story is still compelling, fresh and exciting unlike similar Marvel Visionaries collection. Frank Miller's run has not only defined Daredevil. It has defined comics as well.

From Humble Beginnings--Comic History Was Made!
Five stars for this collection of very decent Daredevil stories is more a tip of the hat to an historic moment in comic history than it is to the actual contents. Without the work of Frank Miller represented in this exact book, you would never have seen a Daredevil movie, guaranteed! For a few years before Miller took over the art chores of the Daredevil comic back in the very late 70's, it was a second tier (maybe third) Marvel title and was on the verge of imminent cancellation. The stories and villains had been so lame for so long that the book was on sale bi-monthly and was ready for the ax. That is, until Marvel gave a promising young artist named Frank Miller a shot at the title and it quickly turned into the (STILL) heavyweight champion of comics. It simply doesn't get much better than Frank Miller's work on Daredevil.
This collection features Miller as an artist rather than a writer as his own stories don't appear until Visionaries Volume 2. And what an artist. Back in the day, the gritty realism and innovative design work accentuated by the inking of Klaus Janson rocked all of us young comic geeks to our collective bones. Quickly evolving from standard comic fare to eye popping visuals, Miller began establishing himself as a cornerstone of modern comic creators.
While Miller's amazing art style dominated the page and quickly won him a shot at writing the title, the scribe of the stories in this volume was the current DD writer of the day Roger McKenzie. When Miller turned up the art a few thousand notches, McKenzie answered back with some great writing of his own. McKenzie gets lost in the shuffle and often gets no credit, but as these stories attest, it was he who was a key figure in establishing a number of things Miller used so well in his run on the series. In these stories, Bullseye becomes the front-runner for making DD's archenemy list, the mob captures a major portion of Daredevil's attention, DD and the Black Widow finally end their long-standing on-again-off-again relationship, reporter Ben Urich becomes a major player in DD's life, Turk and Grotto begin their unfortunate association with old Hornhead, and the Gladiator becomes a tragic rather than a ruthless bad guy. McKenzie also worked with Miller on a duo of stories that made the Punisher a major comic player, but these tales appear in a later volume due to the Comics Code Authority's stand on drugs back in the early 80's. Although Miller had a hand in some of the stuff that went on here, you can't neglect giving McKenzie his due for getting the ball rolling in high fashion. Daredevil #164 which is re-printed here and written by McKenzie is one of the top ten Daredevil stories of all time and possibly the best Daredevil origin story ever.
Miller is and always has been an innovator. While many of his generation have spent much of the past decade churning out the same old thing, he has continued to evolve and experiment and blow the socks off of the comic world (sans the Dark Knight 2 fiasco which simply seemed to be a very fat paycheck). This volume is where Miller really began the ride (he did some earlier and mostly forgettable work for Marvel re-printed in The Complete Frank Miller Spider-Man if you are a completist). The stories presented here aren't the best around, as Miller got very adept very quickly with his own writing, but they are still better than most comics of their day to this one. Daredevil #163 which is re-printed in this volume speaks to Miller's absolute tenacity. Although written by McKenzie, the concept was his--"What if Daredevil had to fight the Hulk?" When this was posed to his editor, comic apocrypha claims that the editor laughed and said, "So what happens in the second panel?" Needless to say the story runs for the full 18 pages. Daredevil fights the Hulk. So what happens in the second panel? How does a blind lawyer with moderate super abilities go one-on-one with the jade giant and survive? Well, you'll just have to buy this work and let Roger and Frank tell you themselves. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

The song sung for the last time?
This TPB reprints Uncanny X-Men #294-296, X-Force #84-86, X-Men #14-16 and X-Factor #16-18.

Cable has been framed into the assasination of Professor Charles Xavier. But nobody knows this except Cable himself. So the X-Men, X-Force and New Mutants suspect each other as they try to find Cable. And the biggest of foes join in. This is also the prologue of the release of the deadly Legacy Virus from Stryfe, which will kill some great characters on later issues of X-Men.

The story is very long, but good enough. The art is okay and differs in style from book to book. But it's nothing bad at all. And at least the characters are drawn well, opposed to some more recent issues that put the characters to shame.

A lot of the X-members feature in this arc, but it's mainly more a Cable story.

a fair story but only for x-men fans
there is a lot going on and not muh is explained, we get some good fights and nice moments but little else.

it has it's place in x-men history to be sure and if you are an x-men fan then this may be imporant since it deals with the summers family, but if your just looking for a book that you can pick up and read with not much knwoledge of the x-men.. then this is not it.

and the art goes from great to really bad, this was a crossover that went into many x-books with many different artists and the change between chapters (issues) can be striking.

Possibly one of the finest....
this book is possibly one of the finest marvel comics books ever written. If you are an X-men fan you will enjoy it through and through. You form attactments to the character. it is well written. thoroughly enjoyable.

very good
this was a very good story, & well-done crossover. it had a lot of things going on at the same time, but it wasn't hard to follow. this is a must-read

GREAT BOOK
Strfye puts a nice developed plan pitting the Xteams against one another. Great book! ... Read more

Reviews (6)

In Love With Comics Again
The Ultimate Spider-Man series is the best thing that has happened to comics in a long time. I love what Bendis and the crew have done with my favorite web-slinger. I get done reading a few pages and just smile. The artwork in this series is pure and clean. I can't see any way to make it any better except to keep the issues coming. Gwen was always the one I wanted for Pete, even though MJ is the best. I hope this time around Gwen is here to stay.

ugh
I started loosing interst in the newer spider man books after this comic, i found a disturbance with the second one that was more artist than story but volume 3's story is cheezy but spider man is still the man, even if they try to change his persona and twist the story.

Spider-Man takes on Doctor Octopus and Kraven the Hunter
Just when I thought the game plan of the "Ultimate Spider-Man" with regards to the love life of his alter-ego Peter Parker was to go directly to Mary Jane Watson, passing Betty Bryant and Gwen Stacy, when scribe Brian Michael Bendis drops the later into the action. This version of Gwen is big on the mascara and perfectly willing to pull a switchblade on a bully, both of which are completely valid reasons for Peter to have his eyes pop out of his head when he looks at her. Not even her police Captain father can reign in this blonde tornado.

At this point in the comic book the stage is merely being set for the impending love triangle, but I have to tell you that what is happening here is clearly a take off on "Dawson's Creek." Seriously. Peter is Dawson, Mary Jane is Joey, and Gwen is Jen (No, Flash is not Pacey; Kong is closer to being Pacey than Flash, but Peter Parker does not have a friend, which means Harry is not Pacey either). This should prove to be interesting, especially given that Mary Jane already know's Peter's big secret. But at this point the main problem is that Aunt May has an over inflated opinion about her nephew's love life. Yes, things might actually be worse for our hero this time around.

The title of "Double Trouble" has to do with the fact that in this collection of "Ultimate Spider-Man" #14-21, Spider-Man has not one but two villains after him (I was going to say two super villains, but that would not be the case). The new and improved bad guys this time around are Doctor Octopus, who has come out of his coma to discover his tentacles are fused to his skin, and Kraven the Hunter, who is now a reality television star from Down Under. Clearly, the more you know about the original Spider-Man comics and his various foes the more you will enjoy Bendis's refinements and provocative changes. At the end of this collection Spider-Man enjoys his biggest moment in the sun since the spider bit him, which quickly follows with a particularly low moment for Peter. Even when we think we know the rules of the game, Bendis continues to surprise us.

"Double Trouble" is the third trade paperback collection of "Ultimate Spider-Man" comics, which re-imagines the webhead as a younger Peter Parker trying to learn the ropes of being a superhero. But for those who read the first couple hundred issues of the original "Amazing Spider-Man" this is a hyper retelling of the tale. Forget all the ... superheroes Spidey had to fight with; this time around the focus is on the best and the baddest. The biggest difference between these first 21 issues of "Ultimate Spider-Man" and the original comic is that a single issue is no longer a complete story; it takes eight issues for the conflict between Spidey and Doc Ock to develop and be resolved. Consequently, we have the rather paradoxical fact that things are happening much faster for Spider-Man in this retelling of the tale while taking longer to develop. I continue to be impressed by this brilliant "re-imagining," which is drawn by Mark Bagley with inks by Art Thibert and Erik Benson.

my favorite villan done right.
this is spideys best villans first apperance Doc Ock and it shows spideys but being handed to him and becoming infamous. But kraven fans beware he isnt at his best. it even has a sneak peek of sandman. and this is a must have

Breathing new life into Spiderman
I just can't believe how much I'm enjoying Ultimate Spiderman, and this collection is the best story arc yet.

Brian Michael Bendis flawlessly introduces two major villains from Spiderman's rogue gallery, Doc Octopus and Kraven the Hunter. There is such a quality to this work, such an attention to detail. Bendis is really building this series from the ground up, really breathing new life and fleshing out Peter Parker. And while Bendis respects the history of Spiderman, he by no means is hampered by it, and has no problem discarding details that make no sense.

Mark Bagley is definitely improving as this series progresses. I have been really quite impressed, it seems his storytelling is improving, and the action is very easy to follow. To me, Bagley has become a part of the book, an integral part of the experience.

This is a very intelligent Spider-title, and it only stands that it will get better and better, as has been the case so far. ... Read more

Reviews (29)

Classic issues yes, but not the best collection
First off I will say that the issues collected here from Chris Claremont's early legendary run on the X-Men are essential reads for any X-Men fan, but Marvel should have really put more thought and money into this volume of Essential X-Men. The entire book is in black and white, no color at all except for the covers of the book. Also, the cover itself is made of poor quality material and scratches up and tears easily. All that aside, this TPB brings us the new team of X-Men which includes Wolverine and Banshee, and also introduces us to Colossus, Nightcrawler, and Storm. The new X-Men face off against Magneto, Juggernaut, the Shi'ar, and we also see the death of a fellow X-Man who actually managed to stay dead for quite some time (and in the Marvel universe, especially in the X-Men universe, that is a hard thing to do). All in all, this collection is a good pick up for any X-Men fan, just beware before you buy.

The relaunch of a comic series that changed everything
The New X-Men became the most popular comic book series in the late Seventies and early Eighties and has continued to be so almost to this day. You can see why by looking at this reprint edition, which carries (unfortunately in black and white newsprint reproduction) the first twenty or so issues of the relaunched series. One of the most interesting things is to see how long it took for Chris Claremont, the main writer, to get the series "right." For the first ten or so issues the stories were pretty standard early Seventies Marvel cheesiness, with far too many characters and hyperdramatic posturing (there's so much going on in the Empress Lilandra story--featuring the introduction of not of two sets of heroes, the Starjammers and the Imperial guard, but also an entirely new Marvel interstellar empire--that it's very confusing to see what kind of effect Claremont and his illustrator, dave Cockrum, had in mind). With the introduction of John Byrne into the series as the artist, however, Claremont begins to take his time with his stories, and focus on subtler characterization. The superb Mesmero story, "Mind Games," is the first where you feel both the writer and the artist are doing something truly innovative. And from then on, it just gets better and better.

"Essential" is right
I think these Essential collections are awesome. The important thing is that you get a lot of comic for a pretty cheap price. Everyone keeps complaining that they aren't color - but think of how much it would cost if they were. With a series as long as the X-Men and all it's sub-series, I know I, and probably quite a few other fans, wouldn't be able to afford a higher price. Here you get all the back issues and back story you wouldn't be able to read otherwise (unless you have the time/money to go hunting for all the back issues) for a good price. I have no complaints.

In the begining
I have always loved the X-men. My cousin and I grew up reading these comics. These "Essential" series comics are great. they are a cheap way to catch up on all the ones I missed as well as reading those issues I fondly remember. I really like the fact that I can read them from the begining, and with out gaps (I hate getting a comic book that keeps refering to an issue I don't have.)
For many the fact that they are black and white, has been a problem, but I still have many of my old issues, and I found that in general the black and white "essential" was clearer.
I got over the lack of color quickly (However my ten year old nephew keeps telling me to get them in color, so maybe its just me.)
I plan on buying all of the Marvel Essentials books; I think they are great.

Essential X-Men I
I purchased this for a x-mas gift and it is all in color.
every page is full color.
I keep reading that it's black and white well mine aint.
I had the original X-men comic way back when and sadly did not retain it.
anyine else get a colored one? ... Read more

Book Description

The early adventures of Marvel's First Family continues, featuring showdowns with the Incredible Hulk, Namor, Dr. Doom and the shape-shifting Super-Skrull, who has all the combined powers of the FF! Plus Ant-Man, Spider-Man and the mysterious Watcher! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

SKleefeld's Assesment
This volume reprints Fantastic Four #s 1 - 10 in a high quality, hardcover format. This provides an excellent opportunity to examine Jack Kirby's great artwork without worrying about damaging the rare comics this reproduces. Stan Lee's introduction boats nothing very insightful and is written in Lee's usually commercial format ... Read more

Book Description

After he watched his family murdered by the Mafia, ex-Marine Frank Castle vowed to use his skills to eliminate all criminals from the face of the Earth as the one-man army known only as the Punisher. Now, the deadly vigilante attempts to cleanse the entire world of thugs, traveling from the jungles of South America to the war-torn streets of Northern Ireland. In a time when people are hungry for justice, the Punisher satisfies by taking the fight directly to the evil men that threaten life around the world. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Punisher, Vol. 2
The second hardcover edition of Ennis' Frank Castle, this book collects issues 1-7 and 13-18 from the now ended 37-issue Marvel Knights run of the Punisher series.

The first five issues starts off with Frank nearly being killed by the resurrected Russian. He's saved by Spider-Man and in one of the greatest 'team-ups' ever is able to subdue the Russian. Afterwards he finds that the Russian was rebuilt by order of an infamous U.S. General who now runs an island full of mercenaries and former special forces who he hires out for top dollar. Frank manages to sneak on the island and manages to take out the Russian and pretty much everyone else. This is one of the better stories as it shows Castle fighting it out in the jungle where he was born, so to speak.

The next two issues following it are one shots. The first is a story of Frank chasing down an old war buddy whose life has been terrible. The other is a Steve Dillon silent issue that shows Frank chasing down a mob boss.

It skips to issues 13 and 14, which deal with the Punisher freeing a big time mob boss from drug lords in Columbia; these two issues are hilarious as well as action-packed. I guarantee that you'll be grinning madly when you read the last few pages of that arc.

Following that is another one-shot of a reporter following Castle on a typical night, which ends in great carnage.

Issues 16 and 17 are a bizarre story dealing with mob guys with their legs sawed off, midgets, and Wolverine getting beat down.

The final issue in the book involves the Punisher tracking a drug shipment from Brooklyn to Ennis' home country of Ireland. Besides Castle killing the bad guys, it also has a commentary on the situation in Ireland.

All in all a good book to buy if you're interested in the character. Unlike the trade paperbacks, the pages of the book use thicker paper and are larger than a normal tpb or comic. For first time readers buy this and 'Welcome Back, Frank'. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Busiek offers another brilliant work
This is quite possibly the best Superman story since Alan Moore's "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?" Busiek's skill for dialogue, characterization, and a presentation of superpowers that is both realistic and fantastic. It is at times evocative of the Lee/Ditko Spider-Man, but that speaks only to both the universality of Lee's work and the Silver Age mentality that fuels "Superman: Secret Identity." It's touching, it's entertaining, it's powerful and fun, and I'm hard-pressed to think of a better Superman story in the last fifteen years. Every Superman fan, every comic book fan, should own a copy. It's *that* good.

this should become a classic
Let me start by saying that I have never and will probably never read Superman comics. I don't really like Superman as a character that much. Why did I pick this up? I read Busiek's Astro City and enjoyed the human drama approach to his writing in "the tarnished Angel". I see this as somewhat similar in story telling approach. There is a definite melancholy to his writing in Superman SI, but it's not depressing. He talks about mortality, identity, our inherent weaknesses and how this conflicts with our desire to do good. If one needed a movie equivalent I guess you could say it's in the same vein as the Shawshank redemption in tone. The story's greatest strength I believe is it's ability to convey something that we comic book readers have always wanted/day dreamed about/wished for: super powers. What would it be like if suddenly we had super powers like that of Superman? How would we use them? What would happen to us? Unlike many superhero stories, this is grounded in our real world. Not Gotham or Metropolis. And as such we get to see what might happen in the case of powers suddenly thrusted upon us. It's detailed story telling with an emphasis on minutiae that ultimately do make a difference. there isn't a lot of action, so beware if you are expecting a rock 'em, sock 'em Superman. But, I found myself unable to put the book down. And although (as i said before) there is a certain elegy to the story, it's beautifully written and quite uplifting. One of the best "in the life and times of" stories I have ever read.And the artwork is excellent and well suited to the tone of the book. ... Read more

Reviews (81)

A Great Start to a Great Series
What happens when one of comicdom's greatest writers creates a story in an alternative Victorian-era England, with famous literary characters as super-heroes? Alan Moore's "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen," part homage to 19th-Century literature, part unconventional superhero story, and an introduction to a new, periodical series from Moore and artist Kevin O'Neil. In less-capable hands, such a project would be doomed to failure from the start, but Moore's writing and O'Neil's Manga-influenced comic art make "League" a triumphant piece of literature.

In the soot-choked London of "League," where giant cranes construct gothic bridges and dirigibles are as commonplace as hansom cabs, Mina Murray, former wife of Jonathan Harker and object of Dracula's affection, is recruited by a Mr. Bond for an unusual mission. Mr. Bond's supervisor, "M", wants Murray to team up with Captain Nemo and his Nautilus submarine to track down Allan Quatermain in Egypt. Once they force his opium addiction into remission, the team recruits Mr. Edward Hyde, and his meek alter-ego Dr. Jeckyll, and a Mr. Griffin, better known as The Invisible Man, who is creating a series of "miraculous" pregnancies at a school for delinquent girls.

Once the team unites, "M" gives them their first mission: to investigate a Chinese gang ruled by a criminal mastermind, who has stolen a device that allows massive ships to fly. There is concern that the gang leader will create a giant airship that will allow him to bomb and destroy any part of London he desires - which would be disastrous for the Crown. While investigating, the League discovers that things aren't quite as they appear, which leads to a final showdown with a famous literary villain.

Moore's writing and O'Neil's art save what could have been a trite story and make it not only passable, but enjoyable and fun. It lacks the literary and philosophical depth of Moore's other works, like "Watchmen" or "From Hell," but "League" isn't really designed to offer some genre-shattering thesis. It's just good fun, especially for those who have read some late 19th-Century literature. Don't overanalyze it, enjoy it, and you can't go wrong with "League."

Final Grade: B

dark, delightful graphic novel
I used to read comic books a lot when I was younger and recently, having heard good things about graphic novels, decided to check out some of the highly rated ones. I was certainly not disappointed by this extraordinary tale with its fantastical characters and settings.

In this story, the mysterious Mr. M has commissioned Wilhelmina Harker Murray (from Bram Stoker's Dracula) to gather a league of adventurers who will perform extraordinary tasks when the need arises. The first part of the story is devoted to the formidable Miss Murray's finding and assembling her group: Allan Quatermain, H. Rider Haggard's hero; Captain Nemo from Jules Verne's tale; Robert Louis Stevenson's Dr. Jekyll (and his counterpart Mr. Edward Hyde); and Hawley Griffin, from H.G. Wells' The Invisible Man. Along the way they are assisted by Auguste Dupin, literature's first detective, and threatened by Fu Manchu. There are lots of other literary references and these are fun, but you can easily enjoy this fine graphic novel without catching them.

Throughout the book, in editorial notes, author blurbs, etc, the conceit is maintained that this tale was written and published in the 19th century. Also included is a heavily-illustrated prose tale, 'Allan and the Sundered Veil'.

Caveat: If you are a parent buying for children, you might want to find something else -- there is a lot of graphic violence and coercive [explicits].

great story but where's Dorian Gray?
I got this graphic novel after I collected all the books on the chracters in the movie League of Extraordinary Gentleman, And it was great, but I kept wondering where Dorian Gray was. You see his portrait on the front cover, but he's not in the book. You would think since this stroy is based in 19th centry England he would be in this stroy, but no. Anyway this is a great novel to have. It has great graphics, great story, great chracters too. But there are somethings I wish theyed put in there, like how miss Murry is, and I'd wish you could see more of Nemo's crew. One of the many cool things in this book is if you look in some pages there are news papers that say Mars is Volcanic(guess who's gonna drop to earth in the next stroy). Another cool thing in this stroy is when someone is talking to someone in another launge it's written in that launge like Aribic, and Chinese. This is a great novel to add to your collection.

Fun
This was the first Alan Moore comic I read, and I could tell right off the bat why comic fans always speak so reverentially about the man. After reading just a few panels, it was clear that Moore is someone concerned about the texture of language, the subtext of character, and nuance of meaning.

I had heard this one wasn't Moore's best effort, but I wanted to read it before I saw the Sean Connery movie based on it. I was still highly impressed, however, and thought it was one of the best written comic I'd ever read. But after just recently finishing Moore's mesmerizing FROM HELL, I can see that by comparison, LEAGUE is a slightly inferior work. But that's just because FROM HELL is hands-down the most amazingly complex and well written comic novel I've ever read.

Still, LEAGUE, a high concept literary action hero romp is a lot of fun, and if it's not quite the toure-de-force that Moore achieved with FROM HELL, it's still a thrilling story.

Crazy fun
This 'graphic novel' by Alan Moore is filled with fascinating characters, literary references, and very dry humor. It's a hundred times smarter than the movie that came out last summer under the same title.

This tells the story of five famous characters from Victorian literature who join forces in a 'league of extraordinary gentlemen' to save the world. Allan Quatermain from 'King Solomon's Mines', Mina Murray from 'Dracula', Dr. Jekyll and his Hyde counterpart, the invisible man and Captain Nemo from '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea' come together, bantering over cups of tea(...).

The graphic element of this graphic novel is absolutely stunning. The artist O'Neill assembles crowded street scenes in Paris and London with a few quick strokes of his brush, and lovingly creates detailed images of the macabre and sometimes perverse world Moore has created in words. Take a look at the all girls 'school' the characters visit while recruiting the invisible man. Whew.

The action is fast paced, the dialogue is biting and believable, and the characters are great fun. Overall, a good, smart story.(...)Enjoy. ... Read more