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From Hell - New Cover Edition
Alan Moore , and
Eddie Campbell
Manufacturer: Top Shelf Productions
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ASIN: 0958578346 |
Amazon.com
The mad, shaggy genius of the comics world dips deeply into the well of history and pulls up a cup filled with blood in From Hell. Alan Moore did a couple of Ph.D.'s worth of research into the Whitechapel murders for this copiously annotated collection of the independently published series. The web of facts, opinion, hearsay, and imaginative invention draws the reader in from the first page. Eddie Campbell's scratchy ink drawings evoke a dark and dirty Victorian London and help to humanize characters that have been caricatured into obscurity for decades. Moore, having decided that the evidence best fits the theory of a Masonic conspiracy to cover up a scandal involving Victoria's grandson, goes to work telling the story with relish from the point of view of the victims, the chief inspector, and the killer--the Queen's physician. His characterization is just as vibrant as Campbell's; even the minor characters feel fully real. Looking more deeply than most, the author finds in the "great work" of the Ripper a ritual magic working intended to give birth to the 20th century in all its horrid glory. Maps, characters, and settings are all as accurate as possible, and while the reader might not ultimately agree with Moore and Campbell's thesis, From Hell is still a great work of literature. --Rob Lightner
Book Description
Legendary comics writer Alan Moore and artist Eddie Campbell have created a gripping, hallucinatory piece of crime fiction about Jack the Ripper. Detailing the events that led up to the Whitechapel murders and the cover-up that followed, From Hell has become a modern masterpiece of crime noir and historical fiction.
Customer Reviews:
Graphic SF Reader.......2007-09-03
Moore and Campbell have delved deeply into the story of Jack the Ripper, to present a version of what might have happened, based on what they knew and discovered in the research.
While odd looking to start with, the artwork seems to fit the squalor of the times once you start reading, and the density of the work is pretty impressive.
A masterpiece! What did you expect me to say?.......2007-08-07
Thick as a phone-book and often difficult to navigate. 'From Hell' is a comic that demands a lot from the reader and not is possible to finish over a single visit at the restroom. But it will yet be a highly rewarding experience for whoever who dares to give it a try.
In one of his most ambitious works Alan Moore gives his version of the still unsolved crimes of Jack The Ripper. Stories of the police, the prostitutes, citizens of London and the killer himself are neatly meshed together with a enthusiastic analysis and ideas that appears very realistic though most is fiction. Comics are rarely seen as intelligent or complex as this.
Eddie Campbell's drawings has this raw and unpolished look that suits the story just perfect and he makes a great deal of portraying the locations, the people and the gruesome killings in details. The killings are extreme and not for the weaker but they naturally also plays an important part and should certainly not ever be left out.
Now, just imagine the enormous research both must have done for this book!
UNBELIVABLE.......2007-06-06
i made the decision to purchase each of the 10 books individually. only needing #'s 8 and 10 i DO NOT regret my decision. the individual 10 books are WAAAAAAY cooler than the one volume with the whole story in it. it means you get 10 covers with 10 different paintings... cant get cooler than that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Best Graphic Novel written by Alan Moore.......2007-05-25
It's in black and white, a foot thick and will give you nightmares for a month.
If I could sum it up in a few sentences I'd be doing it a disservice and be a liar.
Buy it, read it and weep, for there will never be another book like it.
Watchmen for grown ups.
Superlative.......2007-03-17
'From Hell' has been in the world of literature for quite some time now. Like several other works by Alan Moore, it had also led to a paradigm shift in the world of Graphic Novels right from the beginning. But this work has a particular shade attached to it that we don't encounter elsewhere. Jack the Ripper has been the subject of so many works that sooner or later he/she may also become the butt of jokes like Knights' Templar (e.g. truest sign of one's insanity being his launching of discussions related to Knights' Templar). However, this book is no joke. It is a grim yet fictitous account of the Whitechapel murders based on Stephen Knight's now infamous "Royal Conspiracy" theory.
The story is briefly about the indiscretions of Queen Victoria's grandson Prince Albert Victor (Prince Eddy) that leads to her marriage to a shopkeeping lady and causes the birth of a girl. When the matter is attempted to be suppressed by the Queen through Sir William Withey Gull, Annie Crook (mother of Prince Eddy's child) becomes insane, but this secret is learned by Marie Kellie. She forms a loose confederacy of some of the other "Joy Maiden"-s of Whitechapel to blackmail the royalty through the painter William Sickert, which leads to their being butchered by Sir William Withey Gull, as per masonic rituals. These crimes are finally exposed, but masonic cover-ups as well as other efforts to silence Inspector Abberline succeed in suppressing the actual occurrences and distorting the entire picture.
Like all other works of Moore, it is a research paper, aimed at analysing those killings and to come up with meanings that our philosophy can not explain. This book is not for those who might wish either to read it for pleasure or to brush up their knowledge regarding "Ripperology". It is a work that might very well challenge your sanity and compell yourself to look at those faces, leering at you from the shadows, with a little more concern.
Amazon.com
The Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense. Sound like something out of the X-Files? Well, it's one better; it's Hellboy, the world's greatest paranormal investigator. A mysteriously conjured demon, he's essentially a big red guy who goes looking for trouble. The catch is that he's not really the best investigator; let's face it, he's no Agent Mulder. But Wake the Devil always manages to maintain its creepy edge, in no small part due to Mignola's art, which may seem familiar. He did the set designs for Francis Ford Coppola's Dracula.
Book Description
A murder in a New York wax museum and a missing corpse lead Hellboy into ancient Romanian castles on the trail of a sleeping legend: the original nobleman vampire. Nazi scientists prepare for the return of their occult master and the end of the world, and Hellboy confronts his purpose on earth.
Customer Reviews:
Graphic SF Reader.......2007-09-03
Some good, old fashioned monster hunting. A death in New York leads to a vampire in Romania, the possible offspring of something a lot worse.
The team gets a new member when a homunculus is discovered, and finally, have to deal with that witchy-poo Baba Yaga and some other strangeness.
More top notch Hellboy goodness.
Way Better Than "Seed of Destruction".......2007-07-21
Wake The Devil is better than its predecessor, "Seed of Destruction". The writing is far more cohesive, entertaining, and flows without the hiccups that plagued "Seed".
Rasputin returns with another presence from beyond calling the shots, but Mignola also works in a few more historical or legendary figures, including Dracula (or a stand-in for him), Baba Yaga and the Furies, as well as introducing new characters like the goddess Hecate, the evil industrialist Roderick Zinco, the "brain in a jar" mad scientist Herman Von Klempt and several other well-characterized Nazis. Mignola also adds a touch more overt humor to this volume along with some terrific banter and a sense of history between Hellboy and his B.P.R.D. compatriots, hints more at Hellboy's mysterious destiny without veering into "chosen one" cliches and basically maintains and even widens the eclectic mix of genre influences while seeming more focused and sharper in general. There's nothing really wrong with Seed of Destruction, but Wake The Devil is really where Hellboy comes together.
One of the things that really struck me about Wake The Devil was that the characters seemed to be having more fun, and that comes across in some ways as Mignola having more fun as well. Flying solo without Byrne as scripter and obviously bolstered by the success of his first Hellboy effort, Mignola seems more confident of himself, more sure that Hellboy is what he wants it to be, and that confidence comes across not just in a more complicated backstory for the villains but in a general sense of fun in the characters. There's even some outright slapstick, such as Hellboy's jetpack failing or Abe's sardonic "Hellboy's blowing things up again" when Castle Giurescu goes up.
What I really liked, though, was a slight shift in the dialogue. Though it's not so noticeable as to be jarring, Mignola does sort of get away from the more bombastic and Silver Age elements of Byrne's scripting in this volume, replacing it with a more wry tone that veers from scholarly to regular guy with ease. Quotes from William Blake and pompous, insane rants by Rasputin exist alongside good Hollywood banter like Hellboy heading off to Romania in search of good food with the Bendis-like turn of phrase "paprika chicken, baby!" Hellboy in particular benefits from an infusion of a little more humor and confidence, trash-talking his opponents and muttering to himself in self-deprecating tones when he gets himself into trouble. Of course, it's not just in the humor that the dialogue shines, as Mignola has a gift for the villainous turn of phrase, as when Nazi villainess Ilsa utters the memorable bon mot "Oh, I would cut open the world to see it bleed." Now that's what I call a bad guy line of dialogue!
Leaving aside the manner of the storytelling in terms of dialogue, Wake The Devil also benefits from a complexity of design. The plot that Hellboy goes out in search of is tracking down a vampire who may or may not be the legendary Dracula. In the course of this investigation, he runs afoul of his old nemesis Rasputin, who is tied in with an Elder God-like "Dragon" and a trio of Nazis who originally helped raise Hellboy, as well as a mad scientist villain that Hellboy had a run-in with in a previous short story. What's amazing isn't just that all of these villains (a good half dozen in all) are so interesting and well-fleshed-out on their own, but that Mignola's tale links them all, from vampire to Nazi to mad monk to mad goddess to Russian witch/goddess, and it all just flows so well together. There's a sense of a tapestry behind all of this, and if Mignola hadn't figured out by this point just what Hellboy's actual destiny was and how he tied into all of this, well, his script certainly had this reader fooled on that score.
The only aspect of Wake The Devil that isn't an improvement on Seed of Destruction is the artwork, because it would have been very difficult to improve upon. Mignola does open the book up a little, shedding some sunlight and open spaces on the B.P.R.D. and getting them out of creaky mansions and swamps exclusively, but he maintains the mood with European castles, forgotten labs and haunted forests too. The change in colorists, from Chiarello and Hollingsworth to Sinclair, is also a slight change but can't really be called an improvement, as all are expert colorists and Sinclair's work here is excellent, perhaps a little stronger on the brighter, sunlit aspects than Hollingsworth or Chiarello might have been but otherwise just a continuation of the strong coloring we've already seen. In addition, Mignola has some spectacularly choreographed action scenes in Wake The Devil. Probably the most memorable is Hellboy's brief but powerful showdown with Giurescu, but his fight with Hecate or the Furies is equally impressive.
Hellbot Vol 2.......2007-02-08
This is definitely awesome. Continuing Mignola's story of the big red devil with a giant stone fist, volume two explores deeper into the mythos of Hellboy. A must read.
Excelente! dibujo, historia, narrativa........2007-02-07
Cualquier tomo de Hellboy es garantia de excelencia en todos los sentidos, si lo compras te aseguro que no te arrepentiras y vas a querer tener toda la coleccion.
Simply awesome.......2004-09-26
This second Hellboy mini-series from Dark Horse found Hellboy creator Mike Mignola taking on sole writing duties (legendary X-Men and Fantastic Four scribe John Byrne took script writing credit for Seed of Destruction) as well as art, and he surprisingly managed to craft a slightly better book than Seed of Destruction. The story revolves around our favorite paranormal investigator taking on vampires, while all the while Ilsa and Kroenen await the return of Rasputin and the end of the world: something which Hellboy is the key to. Full of creepy atmosphere, stylish storytelling, gothic art, and loaded with revelations and a few surprises, Wake the Devil reminds us just why comic books are so fun to read. If you're one of the many who saw the recent film and dug it, you should really check out every Hellboy graphic novel you can get your hands on.
Book Description
Hellboy is one of the most celebrated comics series in recent years. The ultimate artists' artist and a great storyteller whose work is in turns haunting, hilarious, and spellbinding, Mike Mignola has won numerous awards in the comics industry and beyond. When strangeness threatens to engulf the world, a strange man will come to save it. Sent to investigate a mystery with supernatural overtones, Hellboy discovers the secrets of his own origins, and his link to the Nazi occultists who promised Hitler a final solution in the form of a demonic avatar.
Customer Reviews:
I LOVE HELLBOY!!.......2007-09-07
Great collection at a great price. I am a big Graphic Novel fan, and Hellboy is without a doubt my favorite. Mike Mignola is a real talent. I've read them all, but this is the first that I have purchased. I am sure that I'll get the other collections soon.
Graphic SF Reader.......2007-09-03
The Seed of Destruction starts with the origin of big red, but does include a couple of other short stories.
A group of soldiers, with the support of some paranormal researchers raid an operation by some nazis and a sorcerer. Things blow up, and a baby Hellboy is found.
Skip to later, and some frog monsters are menacing Hellboy's human father, Bruttenholm. He dies, leaving Hellboy and the organisation to stop what is happening. Events tie in to his coming to our world.
Not Quite Right..........2007-07-21
Having read some of the Hellboy spin-off B.P.R.D. (a mixed bag) and a Hellboy guest artists comic, I've finally got round to reading Mike Mignola's Hellboy (Vol.1) proper. Sadly I found it a bit of an underwhelming experience. All the ingredients for an entertaining or slightly tongue in cheek adventure (a la League of Extraordinary Gentlemen) are here - including Rasputin, lost Himalayan temples, Lovecraftian monsters and Nazi Occultists - but somehow it is not witty enough to be satirical, nor dark or mysterious enough to have real resonance. Hellboy's Chandler-esque narration is also rather cliched and quickly grates. The almost abstract artwork however is very interesting and effectively conveys the shadowy paranormal world in which the story takes place. Overall an artistically ambitious comic let down by a rather limited premise.
FROGS!.......2007-06-26
'Hellboy: Seeds of Destruction' is a brilliant beginning to an awesome series. The art is breathtaking, yet dark and gritty. The storyline is captivating and toughly entertaining. The characters are completely unbelievable, yet feel so real. This series is defiantly one worth reading.
'Seeds of Destruction' is basically the origin story of Hellboy. HB is investigating the death of his father figure, the only lead he has being frogs. A frog demon creature was responsible for the attack, but HB can not put two and two together on this case. He and the rest of the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense follow a new lead to a cursed mansion that is sinking into a cursed lake where all hell breaks loose (almost literally). All the while we're learning more and more about Hellboy and his past.
There are also two bonus stories, one being Hellboy vs. Anubis (aka Giant Dog Monster) and the other Hellboy vs. Brutus and Herman Von Klempt. These two tales were penned too give people a sample of Hellboys flavor before the comic officially hit shelves. So, they are short and to the point, but still decent for what they are.
BUY THIS COLLECTION! You defiantly will not regret it, the book is worth every penny.
Mignola and Byrne tell weak stories............2007-02-02
The Hellboy stories are an example of post internet era comics which are weak in story and try to sell the concept more on the artwork.
But the artwork is awful to look at, I don't know what looks more unstyled, Mignola's concept or Byrne's drawing. Maybe both. Don't let Dark Horse Comics hype fool you, this comic has a smaller audience then you think, and the recent movie was only a moderate success, Very Moderate. I think the weak story is to blame. Then again, I don't think anyone at Dark Horse Comics really knows how to write or read.
Book Description
Gemstone Publishing at long last presents the final component of the Complete EC Library! Seldom seen and highly sought-after for generations, Shock Illustrated, Terror Illustrated, Crime Illustrated and Confessions Illustrated are among the hardest-to-find EC titles. Not only are each of the published issues collected in this deluxe hardcover set, but so are 18 previously unpublished Picto-Fiction stories!
Customer Reviews:
MY HIGHEST POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION.......2007-03-09
Unlike much EC material that's been reprinted many times over the years, EC's Picto Fiction has seldom if ever been reprinted since it's mid-Fifties debut. It failed to find a market niche back then. Perhaps these extremely intense and sometimes contrarian tales weren't in sync with the pressured conformity of the era. Also, many magazine and comic distributors were still holding a grudge against EC publisher Bill Gaines and that too contributed to the magazines' demise. All four Picto Fiction titles are reprinted here (Shock Illustrated, Crime Illustrated, Terror Illustrated and Confessions Illustrated). There are many compelling yarns and absolutely incredible art from EC's finest. I recommend this set without hesitation. You will be wowed.
Average customer rating:
- Great book worth the money
- Ignore the naysayers, this is a worthwhile book!
- Good idea poorly executed
- Should be mandatory reading for anyone that wants to join the military
- War in the Big Apple
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DMZ Vol. 1: On the Ground
Brian Wood
Manufacturer: Vertigo
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ASIN: 1401210627 |
Book Description
In the near future, America's worst nightmare has come true. With military adventurism overseas bogging down the Army and National Guard, the U.S. government mistakenly neglects the very real threat of anti-establishment militias scattered across the 50 states. Like a sleeping giant, Middle America rises up and violently pushes its way to the shining seas, coming to a standstill at the line in the sand - Manhattan. Or as the world now knows it, the DMZ.
Customer Reviews:
Great book worth the money.......2007-05-15
Just finished both DMZ volumes and was sad to see the third is not yet out (May 2007). The impact of the story was wonderful. The art goes from above average to great (re: a previous review: I would like to see the sketchbooks of the high-school students who could create, not copy, art this good).
I heavily use the library, but am ready to buy Volume 3 at full price, let alone at amazon's discount.
Ignore the naysayers, this is a worthwhile book!.......2007-04-17
I'm really quite surprised by the number of negative reviews I've seen for this book on Amazon.
First of all, let me say that this is a very interesting and well-written novel about journalism and war in a civilian environment. The whole question of "why did the Free States break off" etc. is really irrelevant to the book, because 1) this is very early on in the series; and 2) it would be easy to pick apart any explanation, no matter how well thought-out... Ten years ago, if someone told you that the U.S. was going to suffer a devastating attack by a multi-national terrorist cell and then as a result end up occupying Iraq (?) and Afghanistan (!) you would have called them a crackpot. Earth-shaking world events are earthshaking precisely because they were largely unexpected, and thus seemed highly improbably beforehand.
This is not a political thriller, it is a book about urban warfare from the viewpoint of a neutral civilian. It is true that the author has not revealed many details about Matty or his background by the end of this book- duh, he doesn't even have any good friends in the DMZ at this point. Who the hell is he going to spill his guts to? Matty's motivations (an urge to be brave and show the American public what life in NYC is really like during the ongoing conflict) are explained well, but not in an overbearing or ridiculously dramatic/obvious manner. If you want character development through huge flashback sequences and constant gut-spilling and heart-to-heart chat-style dialog, read Matthew Vaughan's _Y - The Last Man_. If you want some kind of ridiculous high-concept plot where a heroic journalist takes on an evil government leader in a duel of wits, see Warren Ellis' _Transmetropolitan_ (I still grieve over how badly that series floundered after the first 1/2 or so). This book has better pacing and a more mature/realistic style than either of those; what it lacks in audacity and weirdness it makes up for with intelligence.
Oddly enough, the only slight turn-off I found with this book has to do with the artwork- on the one hand, the artist is very skilled at drawing cityscapes with just the right level of detail, but I still can't quite get used to how he draws people's faces... for instance, sometimes people's eyes are either drawn pupiless, or so squinted that it looks as though they are closed. Every now and then these and other factors make it difficult to read emotions (beyond extreme surprise), or to tell what a character is looking at, exactly. Still, I managed to more or less get used to it, and it certainly is not a deal-breaking problem for me.
One caveat: I have only read this first volume of the series, so I cannot speak for how it turns out. My review only applies to the arc in this one volume. In any case, I think that Wood has done a wonderful job with this arc, and have high expectations for the rest of the series.
Good idea poorly executed .......2007-04-12
Poor dialog, ho-hum artwork, contrived characters. DMZ promises to deliver a gritty, meaningful story about urban warfare in the US, but fails. We're asked to follow a rich kid turned newspaper reporter through the "DMZ," a Manhattan caught in the middle of a brutal American civil war. The main character, Matty, doesn't seem to have any reason to be in the besieged city, nor any reason to stay. He's truly one-dimensional, lacking motive or background. This novel is devoid of any real story. It's simply a series of brutal scenes seen through the eyes of a naive protagonist. The dialog is stilted, clumsy and, in most cases, cringe worthy. The artwork is barely worth mentioning. It lacks any real originality or style. Art of similar quality could be found in the sketchbook of any marginally talented high school art student. It amazes me that this piece was published.
Should be mandatory reading for anyone that wants to join the military.......2007-02-12
This actually contains some reference to the second trade as well.
DMZ is probably my favourite Vertigo series besides Exterminators. But comparing the two is like comparing Oranges and Curry.
The title is an unflinching look in to life inside a war zone. And I am not the type to use the word "unflinching" carelessly. This title doesn't shy away from showing the American military killing civilians or showing the human cost of war, the kinds of things that CNN and Faux News don't like to report on. At a time when there is a conflict that is a rich man's war and a poor man's fight, a title that handles a politically volitile situation with this kind of integrity is a welcome guest in the discussion. Read it so you know what you are in for.
The story does have two weaknesses. The first is that it can be a bit episodic (but we only have 12 issues in trade right now and about 20 on the stands). The second weakness is that the main character isn't really that accessible of a guy, he lacks a lot of discernable personality traits besides running and wondering why he is there, even after he starts to show some backbone, you are still not entirely sure who he is. These are weaknesses that would normally take at least one star away but Wood's writing is so masterful that you hardly notice.
And if this isn't enough to make you wonder if perpetual war and occuption are good things, there are five words you should memorize. I was only following orders.
War in the Big Apple.......2006-10-31
Vertigo continues to both facinate and frustrate me. With amazing books like "Sloth" and "WE3," it's clear that the line is still capable of publishing comics that can still aside the works that defined the upstart label in the 90's. Unfortunatally it seems that most of the comics coming from the line are content to have big, edgy concepts with little substance behind them. Indy veteran Biran Wood's "DMZ" certianly has a big concept: what if a second American civil war took place in Manhattan? While not a bad title by any means, the introductory volume really did little to convince me to continue buying the comic.
Wood clearly wanted to create a convincing portrait of modern warfare, and he succeeds to a degree thanks in large part ot Riccardo Burchielli's incedibly raw and detailed artwork. While the pacing is fine, if a bit slow, the real problem is the controvied nature of the writing. The entire situation is difficult to believe from the start, as we are given little reason as to why New Jersey would want to break off from the United States; it's simply a convenient excuse to set the story in Manhattan. People have mental breakdowns whenever it's convinent for the plot. The characters are fine, but at times their interaction falls into the same traps as the senario; the sequence where the "tough" survivor lectures the naive hero about the "realities" of war is particuarlly contrived. This sequence reveals the books biggest problem: it wants to make a big, important statement about war (more specifically the war in Iraq) yet tries to do so with convenient plot devices and forced scenarios.
I suppose I sound a bit harsh, and to be fair it is an interesting read on a surface level (certianly more so than the majority of current Vertigo books). It shows potential, and Wood is a talented enough writer to turn it around into a great comic. For now it's yet another Vertigo title that hasn't managed to live up to it's big concept.
Average customer rating:
- interesting enough
- What Price Justice?
- Graphic SF Reader
- The Best Series Out There
- Not Great
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100 Bullets Vol. 1: First Shot, Last Call
Brian Azzarello
Manufacturer: Vertigo
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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100 Bullets Vol. 6: Six Feet Under the Gun
ASIN: 1563896451 |
Book Description
What would you do if you were given the opportunity and the means to get away with murder, scot-free? Thats the question posed in 100 Bullets, a new graphic novel that combines elements of hard-boiled crime stories and paranoid espionage thrillers. The mysterious Agent Graves offers his clients a gun and immunity from prosecution, enabling them to get revenge against those who ruined their lives. Suggested for mature readers.
Customer Reviews:
interesting enough.......2007-09-27
Well, I don't quite know what to say about this book. I have always liked noir world, whether on film or in Raymond Chandler novels. So I might say that I was kinda pre-influenced, and my reception and judgement of this books is somewhat less than adequate.
May it be so, but I must say my two words about it. Many of you out there watched movies by Quentin Tarantino. Well, you take Reservoir dogs, Kill Bill, Pulp fiction, mash it all up, and voila you just have perfect stage for a comic book series.
Now, another thing that is quite essential for good comic book is a charismatic character. If these come in plural, even better. 100 bullets has some of these, and along with interesting storyline, number of cliffhangers and allusions, they make dark and broody, misterious world that is yet to unravel. Watching this world breathe is an adventure in itself. Of course, you can't make noir without some classic clichés, but for the sake of the genre, you should really close one or two eyes on this.
Biggest problem of this comic book is drawing. It has been drawn in clasic DC (Vertigo) style, with pale coloring, without care for details, with rough scetching of characters, and some unskilfull shading. I couldn't help but wonder what would this world be like if it were drawn in more realistic manner, adding some tone and background to the story. The way it looks now, one could say that text far surpasses the picture, and for comic book that does not belong to the magical "indie" label, that is saying much.
All in all, you should really give it a go. It may, as it has done to me, lure you into its pages. And once in there, you will want to continue with your role as a voyeur. Nothing should stop you in that.
What Price Justice?.......2007-09-08
100 Bullets is an ambitious crime drama comic series, of which this graphic novel reprints the first five issues.
These first two story lines, "100 Bullets" and "Shot, Water Back", set up the premise the series is built upon. Individuals from all walks of live are approached by a mysterious man bearing an unusual gift; a suitcase containing a gun, one hundred untraceable bullets, and evidence pointing them to someone who has wronged them in the past.
But the offer of unpunished retribution is far from simple than it sounds, as the people suddenly faced with this blank check for revenge suddenly find themselves dealing with the concepts of Justice, Innocence, Morality, Loyalty, and Retribution.
Azzarello not only brings these philosophical dilemmas into the light, but also enhances them with mystery surrounding 'Agent Graves' and his offer. A chance at vengeance is a tempting offer, but what are the ulterior motives of the man with the briefcase? Does the chance to settle a score outweigh the risk of being used as a weapon for someone else's battle? What is truly at stake here, and who is really pulling the strings?
The first two story lines in 100 Bullets take us from crooked cops and greedy gang bangers in the urban jungles, to internet crimes and corporate power brokers. The stories and situations are modern, yet there is an undeniable Noir tone throughout, an unrelenting mood that never lets you forget that, despite the occasional moments of brightness and levity, there are no happy endings when violence and vengeance become a part of the background.
Graphic SF Reader.......2007-09-03
The title hook is introduced here. Graves, who you presume is some sort of scary super spook, offers 100 bullets and a gun, which if you want to shoot one, is a get out of jail free card. If a cop finds these bullets at a scene, and looks them up, the evidence will completely disappear, and everyone will walk away, is the implication.
This case of weapon and ammo is offered to someone that has a wrong in their past that they would definitely consider doing some shooting over.
The Best Series Out There.......2007-06-29
This is the beginning volume of a series that just blows your mind. The story is more of a crime novel than a classic comic or graphic novel but maintains all the qualities of the latter. The art is outstanding;I got a lot of great tattoo ideas from these books as well. Characters developemnt is very good and new characters continue to be introduced. There are characters from all walks of life. You never know who to route for or who the good guys and bad guys really are and the story never competely unfolds. I am eagerly awaiting volume 11 to come out. Wheher this is your first graphic novel or you are an old pro, pick this one up.
Not Great.......2007-02-07
I heard alot of good things about 100 Bullets, but this book didn't live up to them.
The art is mediocre and it's hard to keep track of who is who. The story is a great concept, but it's not done as well as it could be.
If you're a crime fan pick the book up. I think I'll pick up vol. 2 before calling it quits.
Book Description
Presenting a deluxe hardcover collection of Chester Gould's timeless comic strip, Dick Tracy. The first volume of this multi-year project will include the five sample strips that Gould used to sell his groundbreaking strip, as well as nearly 500 comic strips encompassing the series' beginning, from October 1931-May 1933. Among these strips are the first appearance of many long-time Dick Tracy characters, such as Tess Truehart, Junior and Chief Brandon. This special first volume features an overview and introduction from Consulting Editor and writer Max Allan Collins, as well as a never-before-published interview between Collins and creator Chester Gould. Each volume will feature book design from award-winning designer/artist Ashley Wood.
Customer Reviews:
Long Overdue.......2007-09-14
I've been a huge fan of the Dick Tracy comic strip since I picked up my first comic book reprint of the strip sometime in the latter '40s in the middle of the "Boris Arson" narrative arc from the mid-'30s. It was great stuff, and even at my young age I knew it was the real deal and drew upon some actual events for plot points; "Arson" used an iodine-dyed dummy pistol carved from a raw potato to break out of jail! (Ah there!, John Dillinger!)
I was hooked, and became a dedicated collector with issue #29 (toward the end of the "Flattop" arc) and had every single issue from that point forward 'til #137! (Somewhere, inexplicably, they all disappeared! They survived the disapproval of my father, but not, apparently, my first wife!)
Over the past 30 years I've acquired virtually every "Tracy" reprint I could get my eager mitts on, and they've been for the most part excellent. But due to the selectivity of the reprints (none of which touched on the "Boris Arson" arc), there's been no continuity of the Chester Gould oeuvre until this series debuted, and I was all over it!
I've purchased the first two volumes, devoured both, and, O joy!, "Boris Arson" has appeared toward the end of the second one. The publication date of Volume III is a month away, and I'm like a kid awaiting Christmas morning!
I imagine the reason this "Complete Dick Tracy" project wasn't previously attempted had to do with some sort of "rights" issue, but I'm delighted that it's underway... and I know that unless they accelerate the present two-a-year schedule, I probably won't live to see the "Moon Maid" years, but that's okay!
These early strips show how polished Gould had become since his rather crude beginnings, and how much he developed his technical and creative "chops" over the decades. The format is fine... anything larger to accommodate a fuller sized Sunday strip would probably have put the volumes well above the "widely accessible" price point... so it's but a minor inconvenience for me to wear my reading glasses.
Kudos to IDW Publishing.
Cops and Robbers, Comics Style.......2007-05-14
Around the early 1930s, as Prohibition was coming to an ignominious end, gangster films began to really take hold. James Cagney, Edward G. Robinson and Humphrey Bogart led the way on screen, while Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler wrote the books, and on the comics page, it was Chester Gould, with his strip, Dick Tracy. Volume One of The Complete Chester Gould's Dick Tracy follows the detective from the very beginning in late 1931 to the middle of 1933.
As the comic begins, Dick Tracy isn't even a cop. When the father of his fiancee Tess Trueheart is killed by robbers, Tracy joins the police force and becomes a top detective without even needing to take an exam. He first solves the murder of Tess's father and then proceeds to be a one-man-gang against murderers, kidnappers, thieves and con men. His first real foe is the gang leader Big Boy, and most of the early battles are against Big Boy or members of his organization.
For those familiar with Dick Tracy's more bizarre foes such as Pruneface and Flattop, there may be a little bit of disappointment with the more mundane villains in this volume. Besides the bad guys and Tess, the main characters are Pat, a rather hapless fellow detective and Junior, a street urchin who Tracy takes under his wing. But it's Tracy who is the lead character, constantly meeting out justice with fist and gun. Like many such characters, Tracy himself is not that interesting, but is made more so by others around him.
Well-drawn and decently written, even these early Dick Tracy strips should appeal to fans of older comics. It may not be the best of these old-time comics (I reserve that compliment for other strips like Krazy Kat, Gasoline Alley or Popeye), but it is a fun read.
About time!.......2007-05-03
An excellent start to a much overdue collection! Yes, this first volume was pretty much covered in Tommyguns, but its arrangement and hardcover setup make it worthwhile. I look forward to future volumes!
Worthwhile effort; Sunday strip reproduction not the best.......2007-04-28
While I appreciate the effort to reprint the complete original Dick Tracy comic strips, certainly one of the most uniquely rendered creations in comics, I have reservations about the chosen format. The reproduction size of the Sunday strips is smaller than ideal, making for some challenging reading. To properly accomodate the Sunday strips, surely a larger format would have been better.
However, it's still fascinating to watch the evolution of Gould's trademark graphic style emerge from what started as a very ordinary-looking strip. Since it's probably not going to be done again on this scale, I suppose the best thing to do is accept the Sunday strip reproduction for what it is and board the train -- the best is yet to come.
An Unexpected Treasure.......2007-03-03
I can't say enough about how enjoyable this book is. I got it because I love historic strips, and, really, I was being something of a completist. My interest in Dick Tracy was mild, but not overwhelming. But now, I cannot stop reading it.
The art is, as I expected, somewhat primitive. But I was not expecting it to be bursting with power and originality. There's not a strip that I've read yet that hasn't given me a start, with some bold use of blacks, or a character in an unexpectedly natural and expressive posture, or a striking background or some intricate line work or cross-hatching. For a cartoonist who is not renowned for his artistic skills, Chester Gould has been very seriously underrated.
And the dialog! This is some of the most hard-boiled dialog I've ever read, and I'm a serious fan of James M. Cain, Dashiell Hammett, and Raymond Chandler. Here's an example, where gun moll Texie Garcia is offering Tracy a bribe to get her out of jail:
Texie: "Oh - you're such a sweet kid - I think I could do wonders for you - That is, if you'd let me - Think what you could do with a thousand dollars."
Tracy: "Yeah? I could roll it up in a wad and cram it right down your slippery throat."
Wow! Does this hit right between the eyes! And the book is packed with dialog like that!
As if this wasn't enough, the book itself is a sheer joy to look at and to hold; it's the highest quality comic reprint I've ever seen. The paper has a great look and feel, and the printing is so crisp, it looks like the strips were drawn yesterday. IFG has set new standards for comic strip reprints.
If you like hard-boiled, hard-hitting crime fiction, you will be thrilled with this book. I already can't wait for the subsequent volumes.
Book Description
Cap is awakened in the dead of the night by agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., who need the kind of help only he can provide. But the corpse he finds on the Heli-carrier brings him face-to-face with the unthinkable, and opens doors to terror and manipulation he never dreamed possible! It's a new beginning as four-time Eisner-nominated Best Writer Ed Brubaker makes his Marvel debut, joined by white-hot artist Steve Epting! As the new regular creative team, they will take Cap's life in directions fans will never see coming! Collects Captain America (2005) #1-7.
Customer Reviews:
A litle bit disapointing.......2007-08-20
Well I bought this book with the hope to read a graet story, but the art is just great but the story is too slow and boaring, I fellaslep many times.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Vol. 1.......2007-04-14
This product was excellent. The story line and the ultimate ending which kills Captain America right in front of our eyes. Who knew. Highly recommended.
so-so captain america story..........2007-01-11
average predictable story, the art is nice. this installment is better than part 2, which is a total mess. overall if you are a captain america fan you'll probably hate this for many reasons, if you are a casual comics fan you might think its ok, if you read a lot of comics and are tired of the same overused garbage from the big two publishers you'll hate this.
Brubaker Restores My Faith in the Comic Medium.......2007-01-10
I had bailed out on the comic scene for good following High School, although I continued to pick up Jeff Smith's "Bone", since I knew it was a finite series, so I wouldn't have to be chained to it forever. Well, the day came and the series ended, and quite frankly, I missed my bi-monthly excursions to the comic shop. I missed the smell of paper. I even dreamed about it.
So I was on my Honeymoon in the frozen north when I stopped into a Supermarket and happened to glance at issue #1 of Captain America written by Ed Brubaker. I've never been a fan of Cap or his Avenger buddies. Just a bunch of Government tools. But this issue rocked. The art was really great and when I sat down and read it I found a story I could really dig to. So I was hooked, and I count each new issue as another month of marriage. Since then, I've also opened the door to Ed Brubaker's Daredevil too. Daredevil was my favorite growing up, so I'm glad to have him back in my life.
Writing and art are equally sublime. The perfect creative team. The story is fresh and up to date. Flashbacks to WWII were an added thrill. Real gritty storytelling. This Ed Brubaker knows what he's doing.
I'm with this book for the long haul, and I am grateful to know that each month I have this marvelous little treat to look forward to. EXCELSIOR!
Excellent Reboot for Captain America.......2006-12-09
This is a great Captian America story. As a reboot on his origin, it doesn't try to start at the very beginning. It takes almost all the current elements and lines them up for a total change of perspective. We know who the Red Skull is, we know who Bucky is, we know who Nomad is, we know who Nick Fury and SHEILD is...all of them come together in the story and are essential in changing Cap's life in many ways.
Brubaker does a great service to fans and newcomers alike, giving us a complex story that delivers all that we know with an intelligent refocus. Cap is a different person, making his political views very clear in many cases, most of which were formed during the war by all the fighting as well as the inspirational stories he experienced.
The artwork is outstanding. Cap looks real, not so much the stoic figure that stood an easy 6'5" as a vision of Patriotism. He's suffering a bit, but underneath you know he still believes in the basic principles of the Red, White and Blue, and not the political quagmire that has clouded the views of it's people.
In the story, he is called to help look into the death of a character that has been a part of his life since the war, the Red Skull. As pieces of the puzzle are found he discovers that someone is manipulating his thoughts and memories, that there is greater mystery than the death of an old enemy. He finds inconsistencies in his thoughts and recollections, so much so it affects his fighting ability and concentration.
As the terrorist aspect grows more dangerous and the plot expands, Cap comes closer to the truth, and closer to one of the most shocking revelations of his life.
Book Description
Presenting a deluxe hardcover collection of Chester Gould's timeless comic strip, Dick Tracy. The second volume of this multi-year project includes nearly 500 comic strips from May 1933 to January 1935. This special second volume also features an exclusive essay from Consulting Editor and longtime Tracy writer Max Allan Collins. Each volume will feature book design from award-winning designer/artist Ashley Wood.
Customer Reviews:
Dick Tracy Vol 2.......2007-09-14
I really enjoyed this book. I have recently become quite enamored with Dick Tracy. I am making my way through the Golden Age comic characters and these compiled editions are wonderful to read.
As per Dick Tracy's life, the book is almost like a visual novel. He and Tess have their ups and downs, the kid, Junior, struggles with changes in his life and even falls into a gang of crime, and Dick Tracy shows that though he's good, he's not always perfect.
I really enjoyed the interview with Gould in the beginning of the book that detailed Tracy's orgins as a mob-fighting Sherlock Holmes, and also gives and approximate age for him (around 25 when the strip starts).
If you like love, mystery, suspense, and a bit of 1930's CSI: Dick Tracy style, you will enjoy this book.
Dick Tracy The Thirties.......2007-07-10
This book is OK but not as good as DICK TRACY THE THIRTIES- TOMMY GUNS AND HARD TIMES which was published by Chelsea House about 30 years ago and covered about the same period along with 12 Sunday pages (including Cigarette Sadie) in color.This one starts at a later date while the old one began with the second story. And finally it weighs a ton which makes it uncomfortable for an older person to read.Of course, what is not to like about Tracy in the Thirties.
Fast-paced adventure by an American comics master.......2007-05-10
This review is from my "Tony's Tips" column in COMICS BUYER'S GUIDE...
I planned to pace myself reading The Complete Chester Gould's Dick Tracy Volume Two [IDW Publishing; $29.99], but that plan went awry pretty quick. This volume reprints the strip - both dailies and Sundays - from May 21, 1933 to January 29. 1935. As author and Gould successor Max Allan Collins recounts in his introduction to this volume, Gould was learning while he was earning, refining his storytelling while creating one of the most exciting comic strips of all time. The action moved as fast as speeding bullets and it often seemed like Tracy or sidekick Junior or girlfriend Tess were in mortal peril weekly. It must have been maddening for readers of the era to have to wait an entire day to find out what would happen to Gould's good guys and bad guys. I breezed through eight months' of the strip in a morning and couldn't turn the pages fast enough.
I'd still be reading if I didn't have to stop to write this review. The sacrifices I make for you...
Tracy has already amassed a number of mortal enemies as this volume opens and their aggregate hankering to rid themselves of the detective puts him and his loved ones in life-threatening peril on a far too frequent basis. But the hatred of the villains is just as likely to work against them. It's a dangerous dance and there are casualties on both sides.
Junior emerges as a star in his own right during these strips. He's smart, tough, and a crack shot. But, just when you think he's invincible, his youthful naivety gets him into a seemingly hopeless jam. No wonder he was such a popular character back in the day. Indeed, the more I read of these early strips, the more I'm convinced he was the main inspiration for Batman's Robin.
Besides 20 months of the strips themselves and the insightful Collins introduction, this second book also features the conclusion of the 1980 Gould interview conducted by Collins and Tracy expert Matt Masterson. Though Gould often has to be prompted to remember specific details of his work, his drive, loyalty, and strength of character come through loud and clear.
There are books I can't imagine not being in the library of a serious comics buff. This is one of them.
The Complete Chester Gould's Dick Tracy Volume Two earns the full five out of five Tonys.
Average customer rating:
- Good stories, excellent artwork !!!
- Great old horror comic!!
- Essential, unmissable, 5 stars
- A BEVY OF LEGENDARY ARTISTS!
- THIS IS THE STUFF
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Showcase Presents: The House of Mystery, Vol. 2
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ASIN: 1401212387 |
Customer Reviews:
Good stories, excellent artwork !!!.......2007-07-30
Like i said in my review of Volume I, the stories are rather bland and tame, but they do transport you to a time when this genre was being explored in comic form. A great addition to a comic book buff's bookshelf.
Delve into a story at periodic intervals and you will not get bored or find it repeititive.
Congartulations to the artists for their fabulous artwork, which is exquisite, all hand done, no computer software to help them !
Buy it, read it, enjoy it, don't lend it !
Great old horror comic!!.......2007-07-10
If you are a fan of older horror comics, for instance the EC line, don't miss these! Although not as gruesome as comics like Tales from the Crypt, this still has that classic comic flavor that is lacking in some of the newer horror "graphic novels". Recommended.
Essential, unmissable, 5 stars.......2007-06-03
I was captivated and enthralled by these comics when I was a child -- adults always felt that comics were awful, a distraction from "real" books, from "real" reading.
However, for many of us, these books actually led us to creative writing, and good literature -- these comics led me directly to Ray Bradbury, John Whyndam, M.R. James and countless other quality authors. Later, these kinds of stories led me onto the likes of Chekov.
Of course, reading these comics some 30 years later, they don't have the same enthralling sense of the magical -- but one can appreciate them in other ways. One feels transported back to that time of naivety, when the stories were like a world complete, a space complete unto itself.
The other point to mention is the extraordinary, quality artwork by unsung greats such as Redondo, Nino, Alcala and others , most of whom were from The Philippines.
Get "House of Mystery" as soon as possible if you were a fan of the genre back in the 60's and 70's -- and at the price, how could you go wrong? You will be transported back ( mentally at least ! Though who knows??? ) to the time when you huddled alone under the bed covers, or read alone in a quiet room on a rainy afternoon, enchanted by these odd, weird tales.
A real trip then, back into time of childhood -- a time of naivety, creativity and wonder.
A BEVY OF LEGENDARY ARTISTS!.......2007-04-02
One era/genre of comics that seems to get little attention are the horror comics of the 1970's. For a genre that seemed almost a throwaway back then there certainly were a myriad of titles being produced. DC had House of Secrets, Tales of the Unexpected, Ghosts, Ghost Castle, The Witching Hour, Weird Mystery, Dark Mansion, Phantom Stranger, and of course, The House of Mystery. Funny thing about all these old horror comics that seemed to be so lightly regarded...they had some of the best artwork around. The roll call for the second volume of "Showcase Presents The House of Mystery" includes such masters as Berni Wrightson, Neal Adams, WM Kaluta, Gil Kane, Gray Morrow, Russ Heath, Wally Wood, Nick Cardy, and Jim Aparo. It's an incredible lineup of artists.
The second volume re-prints issues #195 - 211 of the regular comic series, spanning the years 1971 - 1973. By today's graphic standards, the stories are somewhat tame. One must remember that the dreaded Comics Code Authority still had their control, pre-direct distribution. The stories in House of Mystery owed a lot to the EC Comics of the 1950's, often going for shock endings with twists of irony. One can also see influences by many great early horror writers on these stories such as H.P. Lovecraft and Arthur Machen.
"Things Old...Things Forgotten" certainly seems to be one of those tales influenced by Machen's lore of mysterious and ancient woodland beings, far older than the human race. This tale finds a would-be conqueror cutting a path through the wilderness to try and surprise his enemies, until he encounters something far more dangerous than man. Writghtson illustrated this story and its one of the best in the book.
One of those stories of ironic morality is "The Beast's Revenge" illustrated by Mike Kaluta. When a man kills his own sister to get her half of the family farm, nature decides to take its own revenge. An amusing story with art by Jim Aparo is "The Demon Within" about the drastic means a mother and father use to curb their seven year-olds ability to transform into a hideous demon.
I would be remiss if I did not mention the spectacular covers of these issues, the bulk of which were done by Adams, Kaluta, and Wrightson. The ghostly Adams covers for 197 & 198 are masterpieces, My favorite cover, however, is Wrightson's Lovecraft inspired pieces for issue #204. This depicts a gruesome, slime-like creature with multitudes of eyes all over its shapeless body. Wrightson's Dracula cover for #211 is another standout. There's no doubt that the best covers of the early 1970's were found on The House of Mystery. Providing some comic relief throughout the book is longtime Mad cartoonist Sergio Aragones with his always hilarious cartoons.
This is just great stuff and at $16.99 for over 500 pages of comics, it's a great value as well. Five out of Five Stars!
Reviewed by Tim Janson
THIS IS THE STUFF.......2007-03-08
HOUSE OF MYSTERY, HOUSE OF SECRETS, CREEPY AND EERIE...ARE ALL THE COMICS YOU EVER NEED...PERFECT.
LOUISXXX
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