|
Browse categories
|
 |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Warren Ellis Crecy
Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
*Best price found from Amazon Marketplace seller
|
*Amazon: £1.10
|
|
 Customer Reviews
Two fingers to History..., 20 Feb 2008
This is Warren Ellis's take on the Battle of Crecy, a major battle in the Hundred Years war between England and France. If you only know Warren from his Super Hero work then this will be a completely different beast for you, if you know his other works then it is more of the same.
We follow one of the English Peasents during the march to Cercy with he rest of the foot soldiers. The stock troop being the longbow man, and it takes us through the forced archery practice and the standards of life that the average member of the army would have faced at the time.
As with most of Warren's non mainsteam works it is lewd, disturbing, informative and in places crass. It is a warts and all showing of war, expect xenophobic language, expect blood, expect death, expect graphic violence, expect to learn!
The art work is stunning and black and white, which provides an interesting take on the subject material.
We came, we saw, we pillaged, we ravaged, we slaughtered, we left...the French have never forgiven us (and not without reason) and the survivors of Crecy introduced the two fingered salute to the world.
Buy it!
The Archers, 18 Jan 2008
To say how history really was, had been proposed by the historian von Ranke as a measure of the historian's craft. In this case Mr. Ellis definitely succeeds. His main character, an English bowman, who acts as a guide to the battle comes across as both crude and opinionated yet fiercely if parochially patriotic. He is presented in a way that acts as an insight to whys and ways of the period and focuses on the effectiveness of the typical English archer. The artwork itself is crisp and detailed and captures the action and squalor of a medieval campaign. Recommended.
Excellent History Lesson, 06 Oct 2007
Warren Ellis pulls out all the stops with this deluxe edition comic documenting the English invasion of France in Medieval times . You can tell from the writing that Ellis has put in a lot of time researching the material , and the storyline , whilst humourous at times , is essentially a way of detailing the exploits and life and times of an invading army in the fourteenth century .
Thoroughly enjoyable , but beware ! The language is X rated !
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
Customer Reviews
Two fingers to History..., 20 Feb 2008
This is Warren Ellis's take on the Battle of Crecy, a major battle in the Hundred Years war between England and France. If you only know Warren from his Super Hero work then this will be a completely different beast for you, if you know his other works then it is more of the same.
We follow one of the English Peasents during the march to Cercy with he rest of the foot soldiers. The stock troop being the longbow man, and it takes us through the forced archery practice and the standards of life that the average member of the army would have faced at the time.
As with most of Warren's non mainsteam works it is lewd, disturbing, informative and in places crass. It is a warts and all showing of war, expect xenophobic language, expect blood, expect death, expect graphic violence, expect to learn!
The art work is stunning and black and white, which provides an interesting take on the subject material.
We came, we saw, we pillaged, we ravaged, we slaughtered, we left...the French have never forgiven us (and not without reason) and the survivors of Crecy introduced the two fingered salute to the world.
Buy it!
The Archers, 18 Jan 2008
To say how history really was, had been proposed by the historian von Ranke as a measure of the historian's craft. In this case Mr. Ellis definitely succeeds. His main character, an English bowman, who acts as a guide to the battle comes across as both crude and opinionated yet fiercely if parochially patriotic. He is presented in a way that acts as an insight to whys and ways of the period and focuses on the effectiveness of the typical English archer. The artwork itself is crisp and detailed and captures the action and squalor of a medieval campaign. Recommended.
Excellent History Lesson, 06 Oct 2007
Warren Ellis pulls out all the stops with this deluxe edition comic documenting the English invasion of France in Medieval times . You can tell from the writing that Ellis has put in a lot of time researching the material , and the storyline , whilst humourous at times , is essentially a way of detailing the exploits and life and times of an invading army in the fourteenth century .
Thoroughly enjoyable , but beware ! The language is X rated !
More please, 31 Oct 2008
I only checked to see if a second volume was out yet. Shall keep waiting I guess.
You really should buy this one if you haven't. Might hurry the next one along...
Why Comics are Braver and Better than Movies, 20 Dec 2007
Warren Ellis is not the nastiest and sickest comics writer out there - thank God - but there are things about the human condition that clearly get under his skin in the middle of the night. Please, please, please can we have some more?
Ellis's character Richard Fell has a dark secret but a good nature, and it is his emerging humanity and his relationship with a waitress which marks this out from so much similar material. Ben Templesmith's art also takes this to another level, compared to some of Ellis's other work such as Scars, where the drawing style undermines the seriousness of the subject matter: here, Templesmith's ragged edges and weird mixing of the real and surreal match the adult tone of the material.
This is the first time I've ever finished a comic and gone straight back to the first page to read it all over again. Can't really say more than that.
Dark, slightly surreal and very engaging, 17 Jul 2007
A strange one to review, this, as my initial feelings were a little uncertain as to the quality of this graphic novel. But, after reading the first two chapters (issues, really) of eight, I found myself happily floating through this very noire-ish world and eager to follow the footsteps of Detective Richard Fell as he strode his way through Snowtown, meeting absurd and often nauseating characters and wading through the depressing and seemingly hopeless lives of this decrepit City's inhabitants. Fell himself, a man with an almost sixth-sense like ability to 'read' those he encounters (think a more intense Derren Brown), is the only real shining light in this dank and dour place, and his slow but certain approach to doing the right thing obviously has a delicately positive effect on the damaged people around him, so it is a tale of hope, ultimately.
Ben Templesmith's artwork is quite unique. There's nothing of the muscle-bound figures of other graphic novels here. His characters are straight out of the real world and the depiction of Snowtown is as bleak as a Northern Industrial town from the 1970s. Colours are muted and there is an almost ever-present feeling of smog in the city. It's the perfect accompaniment to Warren Ellis's storyline and a dark joy to behold.
BUY THIS EVEN IF YOU DON'T READ COMICS, 21 May 2007
I can't recommend this comic highly enough! I have collected the comic books for around a year now and the fact that they have released a collection of the first issues in this series is fantastic news.
The Stories deal with the happenings of a feral town called Snowtown. And more particularly the daily struggle of policeman Richard Fell, a once big time cop in the big city who now finds himself stuck in a twisted backwater town where the police force seem to be there only to keep the population figures up.
Ellis manages to blend real events into these tales, which adds a new dimension to these cleverly layered stories, that some times seem too garish to be true. Templesmith's art perfectly matches Ellis' stories, and paints a haunting and dreary place that could suck the life and soul out of anyone. The caractors are well thought out and their stories are as gripping as the latest case Fell is working on.
The story and art are dark and eerie, conveying a creepiness not often found in comics.
If you are unsure whether to buy this don't be, so great is this work that the original 1st issue has been re-printed no fewer than 4 times and the second has also. This is to become a true classic in it's genre and will set a benchmark that other comics will try to aspire to.
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Customer Reviews
Two fingers to History..., 20 Feb 2008
This is Warren Ellis's take on the Battle of Crecy, a major battle in the Hundred Years war between England and France. If you only know Warren from his Super Hero work then this will be a completely different beast for you, if you know his other works then it is more of the same.
We follow one of the English Peasents during the march to Cercy with he rest of the foot soldiers. The stock troop being the longbow man, and it takes us through the forced archery practice and the standards of life that the average member of the army would have faced at the time.
As with most of Warren's non mainsteam works it is lewd, disturbing, informative and in places crass. It is a warts and all showing of war, expect xenophobic language, expect blood, expect death, expect graphic violence, expect to learn!
The art work is stunning and black and white, which provides an interesting take on the subject material.
We came, we saw, we pillaged, we ravaged, we slaughtered, we left...the French have never forgiven us (and not without reason) and the survivors of Crecy introduced the two fingered salute to the world.
Buy it! The Archers, 18 Jan 2008
To say how history really was, had been proposed by the historian von Ranke as a measure of the historian's craft. In this case Mr. Ellis definitely succeeds. His main character, an English bowman, who acts as a guide to the battle comes across as both crude and opinionated yet fiercely if parochially patriotic. He is presented in a way that acts as an insight to whys and ways of the period and focuses on the effectiveness of the typical English archer. The artwork itself is crisp and detailed and captures the action and squalor of a medieval campaign. Recommended. Excellent History Lesson, 06 Oct 2007
Warren Ellis pulls out all the stops with this deluxe edition comic documenting the English invasion of France in Medieval times . You can tell from the writing that Ellis has put in a lot of time researching the material , and the storyline , whilst humourous at times , is essentially a way of detailing the exploits and life and times of an invading army in the fourteenth century .
Thoroughly enjoyable , but beware ! The language is X rated ! More please, 31 Oct 2008
I only checked to see if a second volume was out yet. Shall keep waiting I guess.
You really should buy this one if you haven't. Might hurry the next one along... Why Comics are Braver and Better than Movies, 20 Dec 2007
Warren Ellis is not the nastiest and sickest comics writer out there - thank God - but there are things about the human condition that clearly get under his skin in the middle of the night. Please, please, please can we have some more?
Ellis's character Richard Fell has a dark secret but a good nature, and it is his emerging humanity and his relationship with a waitress which marks this out from so much similar material. Ben Templesmith's art also takes this to another level, compared to some of Ellis's other work such as Scars, where the drawing style undermines the seriousness of the subject matter: here, Templesmith's ragged edges and weird mixing of the real and surreal match the adult tone of the material.
This is the first time I've ever finished a comic and gone straight back to the first page to read it all over again. Can't really say more than that. Dark, slightly surreal and very engaging, 17 Jul 2007
A strange one to review, this, as my initial feelings were a little uncertain as to the quality of this graphic novel. But, after reading the first two chapters (issues, really) of eight, I found myself happily floating through this very noire-ish world and eager to follow the footsteps of Detective Richard Fell as he strode his way through Snowtown, meeting absurd and often nauseating characters and wading through the depressing and seemingly hopeless lives of this decrepit City's inhabitants. Fell himself, a man with an almost sixth-sense like ability to 'read' those he encounters (think a more intense Derren Brown), is the only real shining light in this dank and dour place, and his slow but certain approach to doing the right thing obviously has a delicately positive effect on the damaged people around him, so it is a tale of hope, ultimately.
Ben Templesmith's artwork is quite unique. There's nothing of the muscle-bound figures of other graphic novels here. His characters are straight out of the real world and the depiction of Snowtown is as bleak as a Northern Industrial town from the 1970s. Colours are muted and there is an almost ever-present feeling of smog in the city. It's the perfect accompaniment to Warren Ellis's storyline and a dark joy to behold. BUY THIS EVEN IF YOU DON'T READ COMICS, 21 May 2007
I can't recommend this comic highly enough! I have collected the comic books for around a year now and the fact that they have released a collection of the first issues in this series is fantastic news.
The Stories deal with the happenings of a feral town called Snowtown. And more particularly the daily struggle of policeman Richard Fell, a once big time cop in the big city who now finds himself stuck in a twisted backwater town where the police force seem to be there only to keep the population figures up.
Ellis manages to blend real events into these tales, which adds a new dimension to these cleverly layered stories, that some times seem too garish to be true. Templesmith's art perfectly matches Ellis' stories, and paints a haunting and dreary place that could suck the life and soul out of anyone. The caractors are well thought out and their stories are as gripping as the latest case Fell is working on.
The story and art are dark and eerie, conveying a creepiness not often found in comics.
If you are unsure whether to buy this don't be, so great is this work that the original 1st issue has been re-printed no fewer than 4 times and the second has also. This is to become a true classic in it's genre and will set a benchmark that other comics will try to aspire to. Spider gets in the ring..., 13 Apr 2005
'Gary Callahan is a genuinely educated, intelligent man. He has honorable people working for him and political fixers tell me he's going to be president. He's also a fake.' Dangerous journalist Spider Jerusalem finally succumbs to covering the presidential election campaign, and immediately finds himself facing a dilemma - who do you endorse when both the candidates are utterly repulsive in different ways? If all this seems rather familiar, there's a reason. Ellis's huge socio-political satire hits its stride with Spider entering the fray, complete with filthy assistants, bowel-disruptor gun and large amounts of narcotics. By turns funny, striking and (certainly at the end) genuinely shocking. A must-read.
Spider gets political, 28 May 2001
In this superd collection of Transmet our hero gets his teeth into politics. Much amusing goings-on involving assistants, the "whore-hopper" editor, a better appartment and more drugs in the background keep our Spider on top form to face his most hated subject - Presidential candidates. Aiming his type writer like a gun at the collective sphincters of the parties making them "loose", "watery", "fiery" and "prolapse". Finding a new setting of $*@* into unconciousness.... Anyway, I won't tell you more of the story suffice to say I loved it and eagerly await the next collection. If you have the rest of them get this one now or I shall arm the ebola bomb behind your toilet. Cheers LostPkt
Cynical, nasty, funny - and accurate. Spider does politics!, 20 Jan 2000
I ought to point out that this is volume three of Transmetropolitan. Read the two previous books ('Back on the Streets' & 'Lust for Life') first, as they set the scene and introduce the characters. They're also very good stories in their own right. 'Year of the Bastard' is where the main theme of Transmetropolitan takes centre stage. Spider's never been happy to simply write about the City - he wants to change it. He sees the president ("The Beast") as a symbol of everything that's wrong with the system. And it's an election year, so he finally gets his chance to shake things up... While it still has moments of pure humour, the vicious slapstick of some earlier tales fades into the background as Spider gets entangled with spin doctors and would-be presidential candidates. This is a plot-driven tale of twists and turns, where everyone has an agenda. To reveal anything further would be to spoil it. Just don't expect to see a resolution where the plot threads are all neatly tied - this is the first section of a longer storyline, and while there's a (very) definite ending to it, it also carries a lot of plot over into the sequel, 'The New Scum'. I think it'll carry an awful lot of readers over, too... If you like politics, or if you loathe politics, this is well worth a look. Warren Ellis has outdone himself on this one.
|
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
Transmetropolitan : Lust For Life
|
Warren EllisDarick Robertson;
;
|
|
Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
*Best price found from Amazon Marketplace seller
|
*Amazon: £6.71
|
|
Customer Reviews
Two fingers to History..., 20 Feb 2008
This is Warren Ellis's take on the Battle of Crecy, a major battle in the Hundred Years war between England and France. If you only know Warren from his Super Hero work then this will be a completely different beast for you, if you know his other works then it is more of the same.
We follow one of the English Peasents during the march to Cercy with he rest of the foot soldiers. The stock troop being the longbow man, and it takes us through the forced archery practice and the standards of life that the average member of the army would have faced at the time.
As with most of Warren's non mainsteam works it is lewd, disturbing, informative and in places crass. It is a warts and all showing of war, expect xenophobic language, expect blood, expect death, expect graphic violence, expect to learn!
The art work is stunning and black and white, which provides an interesting take on the subject material.
We came, we saw, we pillaged, we ravaged, we slaughtered, we left...the French have never forgiven us (and not without reason) and the survivors of Crecy introduced the two fingered salute to the world.
Buy it! The Archers, 18 Jan 2008
To say how history really was, had been proposed by the historian von Ranke as a measure of the historian's craft. In this case Mr. Ellis definitely succeeds. His main character, an English bowman, who acts as a guide to the battle comes across as both crude and opinionated yet fiercely if parochially patriotic. He is presented in a way that acts as an insight to whys and ways of the period and focuses on the effectiveness of the typical English archer. The artwork itself is crisp and detailed and captures the action and squalor of a medieval campaign. Recommended. Excellent History Lesson, 06 Oct 2007
Warren Ellis pulls out all the stops with this deluxe edition comic documenting the English invasion of France in Medieval times . You can tell from the writing that Ellis has put in a lot of time researching the material , and the storyline , whilst humourous at times , is essentially a way of detailing the exploits and life and times of an invading army in the fourteenth century .
Thoroughly enjoyable , but beware ! The language is X rated ! More please, 31 Oct 2008
I only checked to see if a second volume was out yet. Shall keep waiting I guess.
You really should buy this one if you haven't. Might hurry the next one along... Why Comics are Braver and Better than Movies, 20 Dec 2007
Warren Ellis is not the nastiest and sickest comics writer out there - thank God - but there are things about the human condition that clearly get under his skin in the middle of the night. Please, please, please can we have some more?
Ellis's character Richard Fell has a dark secret but a good nature, and it is his emerging humanity and his relationship with a waitress which marks this out from so much similar material. Ben Templesmith's art also takes this to another level, compared to some of Ellis's other work such as Scars, where the drawing style undermines the seriousness of the subject matter: here, Templesmith's ragged edges and weird mixing of the real and surreal match the adult tone of the material.
This is the first time I've ever finished a comic and gone straight back to the first page to read it all over again. Can't really say more than that. Dark, slightly surreal and very engaging, 17 Jul 2007
A strange one to review, this, as my initial feelings were a little uncertain as to the quality of this graphic novel. But, after reading the first two chapters (issues, really) of eight, I found myself happily floating through this very noire-ish world and eager to follow the footsteps of Detective Richard Fell as he strode his way through Snowtown, meeting absurd and often nauseating characters and wading through the depressing and seemingly hopeless lives of this decrepit City's inhabitants. Fell himself, a man with an almost sixth-sense like ability to 'read' those he encounters (think a more intense Derren Brown), is the only real shining light in this dank and dour place, and his slow but certain approach to doing the right thing obviously has a delicately positive effect on the damaged people around him, so it is a tale of hope, ultimately.
Ben Templesmith's artwork is quite unique. There's nothing of the muscle-bound figures of other graphic novels here. His characters are straight out of the real world and the depiction of Snowtown is as bleak as a Northern Industrial town from the 1970s. Colours are muted and there is an almost ever-present feeling of smog in the city. It's the perfect accompaniment to Warren Ellis's storyline and a dark joy to behold. BUY THIS EVEN IF YOU DON'T READ COMICS, 21 May 2007
I can't recommend this comic highly enough! I have collected the comic books for around a year now and the fact that they have released a collection of the first issues in this series is fantastic news.
The Stories deal with the happenings of a feral town called Snowtown. And more particularly the daily struggle of policeman Richard Fell, a once big time cop in the big city who now finds himself stuck in a twisted backwater town where the police force seem to be there only to keep the population figures up.
Ellis manages to blend real events into these tales, which adds a new dimension to these cleverly layered stories, that some times seem too garish to be true. Templesmith's art perfectly matches Ellis' stories, and paints a haunting and dreary place that could suck the life and soul out of anyone. The caractors are well thought out and their stories are as gripping as the latest case Fell is working on.
The story and art are dark and eerie, conveying a creepiness not often found in comics.
If you are unsure whether to buy this don't be, so great is this work that the original 1st issue has been re-printed no fewer than 4 times and the second has also. This is to become a true classic in it's genre and will set a benchmark that other comics will try to aspire to. Spider gets in the ring..., 13 Apr 2005
'Gary Callahan is a genuinely educated, intelligent man. He has honorable people working for him and political fixers tell me he's going to be president. He's also a fake.' Dangerous journalist Spider Jerusalem finally succumbs to covering the presidential election campaign, and immediately finds himself facing a dilemma - who do you endorse when both the candidates are utterly repulsive in different ways? If all this seems rather familiar, there's a reason. Ellis's huge socio-political satire hits its stride with Spider entering the fray, complete with filthy assistants, bowel-disruptor gun and large amounts of narcotics. By turns funny, striking and (certainly at the end) genuinely shocking. A must-read.
Spider gets political, 28 May 2001
In this superd collection of Transmet our hero gets his teeth into politics. Much amusing goings-on involving assistants, the "whore-hopper" editor, a better appartment and more drugs in the background keep our Spider on top form to face his most hated subject - Presidential candidates. Aiming his type writer like a gun at the collective sphincters of the parties making them "loose", "watery", "fiery" and "prolapse". Finding a new setting of $*@* into unconciousness.... Anyway, I won't tell you more of the story suffice to say I loved it and eagerly await the next collection. If you have the rest of them get this one now or I shall arm the ebola bomb behind your toilet. Cheers LostPkt
Cynical, nasty, funny - and accurate. Spider does politics!, 20 Jan 2000
I ought to point out that this is volume three of Transmetropolitan. Read the two previous books ('Back on the Streets' & 'Lust for Life') first, as they set the scene and introduce the characters. They're also very good stories in their own right. 'Year of the Bastard' is where the main theme of Transmetropolitan takes centre stage. Spider's never been happy to simply write about the City - he wants to change it. He sees the president ("The Beast") as a symbol of everything that's wrong with the system. And it's an election year, so he finally gets his chance to shake things up... While it still has moments of pure humour, the vicious slapstick of some earlier tales fades into the background as Spider gets entangled with spin doctors and would-be presidential candidates. This is a plot-driven tale of twists and turns, where everyone has an agenda. To reveal anything further would be to spoil it. Just don't expect to see a resolution where the plot threads are all neatly tied - this is the first section of a longer storyline, and while there's a (very) definite ending to it, it also carries a lot of plot over into the sequel, 'The New Scum'. I think it'll carry an awful lot of readers over, too... If you like politics, or if you loathe politics, this is well worth a look. Warren Ellis has outdone himself on this one.
Buy all 10 in the series! NOW!, 07 Apr 2007
Ok your not going to like this if you are conservative or easily offended. It's irreverent, outspoken and full of righteous indignation and I love it. It is an excellent commentary on modern day society that shows us a future that our present day exploits could take us, without taking itself too seriously remaining cool and exciting. It is excellently written by one of comics/graphic novel living legends, Warren Ellis. It oozes brilliant satire, amazing imagination and shocking ideas that are not all that far from reality. Robertson supports this with some lovely, dynamic artwork to visually create Ellis's future world.
This series is effectively one long book so its silly to say that one book in the series is better than the next. Its like saying a certain chapter in a novel was not as good as the last. With the on going plot there are bound to be part that are not as exciting but they are necessary to drive the plot.
In Spider Jerusalem Ellis has created the ultimate anti-hero. He's obnoxious and generally a right pain in the ass to be around with a highly flawed personality and little social skills. Yet he is driven by a strong and deep sense of justice. All right he takes copious amounts of drugs and has a penchant for stamping on puppies but it is he who has dedicated his work to bringing down the corruption, oppression and exploitation that is rife in his world. He's not perfect, who is? But unlike those in power he makes no pretence to be. He is the ultimate cynic but it is this cynicism that allows him not to be influenced by the propaganda be it from marketing, media, religion or government. Spider refuses to blindly believe what he is told and searches for the answers himself using evidence and facts, something perhaps we could all learn to do.
A tour of hell... or at least the city..., 12 Apr 2005
'Let me say now that with your history of drug abuse it was conceivable that you could produce a child with no head...' Having established Jerusalem in volume 1, and shown us the city he exists in and how disturbingly similar to our own it is, Ellis now takes us on a walking tour of all the ways it's different. All these are just believeable - most likely because of the easy way in which Ellis describes it. Spider tells us what foglets are without turning it into a science lecture, and gives us the horrors of being revived after centuries of cryogenic freezing without making it mawkish. This is quiet work of genius. Enjoy the peace before the real story kicks in next volume...
Bowel disruptors at 20 paces!, 08 Apr 2003
A mixed bag of Transmet stories here, as we build up both Spider as a character & his assistant Channon, and also more fully realise the media-saturated & soulless futuristic world of the City. Here we see: * Spider Jerusalem take on the President in a public toilet. * Spider investigating TV and becoming a broken man... ("Coming up next on the Single Male Virgin Channel...") * Spider visiting a religious convention, with a look at the many bizzare religions of the future. ("My life was nothing before I castrated myself.") * A look at the Foglets, an incredibly cool and thought-provoking sci-fi concept. * Spider visiting the Reservations, areas of the city simulating past cultures. * Spider on the run from the whole city after getting a death threat in the form of a petition signed by 500 and after having his ex-wife's head stolen from cryogenics. ("I have given this considerable thought and have decided I don't give two tugs of a dead dog's c**k what you do with my EX-wife and you can have her.") * And best of all, the deadly serious and emotional "A Cold Place", telling the story of the Revivals- people from previous eras ressurected in the future. It's not a pretty site, and a vicious attack on our culture's willingness to dump our past in the bin. You shall buy this...
Modern day parables for life, 18 Dec 2001
Quite frankly, the pinnacle of graphic novels. Sometimes shocking, always brilliant, Ellis expertly weaves the characterisation, plot and dialogue from seemingly dischordant stories into one brilliant, superlative-defying masterpeice. Darick Robertson's artwork is the best I have seen in a comercial work; his line drawings and use of colour are unparalelled in any other European artist. Plus, because only one artist is used throughout, the novel never feels segmented or restricted by differences of style or art, unlike so many other collections. Hilarious in places, thought provoking and reflective in others, this book is the perfect anecdote for those who are sick of the endless stream of overly - American "Character X Vs. Character Y" stereotypical trash. Spiky, bold, and very, very sharp, this is one hell of a ride.
Not really much good, 19 Nov 2001
The first few stories in this book are readable enough, though Spider Jerusalem isn't really a character, just a mouthpiece for Warren Ellis' own views. Nobody from the other side politically ever gets a fair chance to speak, though sexy women are allowed to put him down sometimes. The art is all right, though its depiction of a dystopian future reminded me of nothing so much as The Electric Hoax - a comic strip that ran in Sounds twenty years ago. Shouldn't we have moved on since then? The best story is a single-issue piece about a woman being revived from cryogenic suspension, told in the form of one of Spider's columns; though apart from the framing device, it really has nothing to do with the ongoing series. Easily the worst is a three-issue arc that takes up the last third of the book. Incomprehensible storytelling meets ugly pictures in a mess that I found too boring and distasteful to finish. I won't be reading any more Transmetropolitan collections, and I don't recommend this one.
|
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
Transmetropolitan: One More Time
|
Darick RobertsonWarren EllisRodney Ramos;
;
|
|
Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
*Best price found from Amazon Marketplace seller
|
*Amazon: £4.80
|
|
Customer Reviews
Two fingers to History..., 20 Feb 2008
This is Warren Ellis's take on the Battle of Crecy, a major battle in the Hundred Years war between England and France. If you only know Warren from his Super Hero work then this will be a completely different beast for you, if you know his other works then it is more of the same.
We follow one of the English Peasents during the march to Cercy with he rest of the foot soldiers. The stock troop being the longbow man, and it takes us through the forced archery practice and the standards of life that the average member of the army would have faced at the time.
As with most of Warren's non mainsteam works it is lewd, disturbing, informative and in places crass. It is a warts and all showing of war, expect xenophobic language, expect blood, expect death, expect graphic violence, expect to learn!
The art work is stunning and black and white, which provides an interesting take on the subject material.
We came, we saw, we pillaged, we ravaged, we slaughtered, we left...the French have never forgiven us (and not without reason) and the survivors of Crecy introduced the two fingered salute to the world.
Buy it! The Archers, 18 Jan 2008
To say how history really was, had been proposed by the historian von Ranke as a measure of the historian's craft. In this case Mr. Ellis definitely succeeds. His main character, an English bowman, who acts as a guide to the battle comes across as both crude and opinionated yet fiercely if parochially patriotic. He is presented in a way that acts as an insight to whys and ways of the period and focuses on the effectiveness of the typical English archer. The artwork itself is crisp and detailed and captures the action and squalor of a medieval campaign. Recommended. Excellent History Lesson, 06 Oct 2007
Warren Ellis pulls out all the stops with this deluxe edition comic documenting the English invasion of France in Medieval times . You can tell from the writing that Ellis has put in a lot of time researching the material , and the storyline , whilst humourous at times , is essentially a way of detailing the exploits and life and times of an invading army in the fourteenth century .
Thoroughly enjoyable , but beware ! The language is X rated ! More please, 31 Oct 2008
I only checked to see if a second volume was out yet. Shall keep waiting I guess.
You really should buy this one if you haven't. Might hurry the next one along... Why Comics are Braver and Better than Movies, 20 Dec 2007
Warren Ellis is not the nastiest and sickest comics writer out there - thank God - but there are things about the human condition that clearly get under his skin in the middle of the night. Please, please, please can we have some more?
Ellis's character Richard Fell has a dark secret but a good nature, and it is his emerging humanity and his relationship with a waitress which marks this out from so much similar material. Ben Templesmith's art also takes this to another level, compared to some of Ellis's other work such as Scars, where the drawing style undermines the seriousness of the subject matter: here, Templesmith's ragged edges and weird mixing of the real and surreal match the adult tone of the material.
This is the first time I've ever finished a comic and gone straight back to the first page to read it all over again. Can't really say more than that. Dark, slightly surreal and very engaging, 17 Jul 2007
A strange one to review, this, as my initial feelings were a little uncertain as to the quality of this graphic novel. But, after reading the first two chapters (issues, really) of eight, I found myself happily floating through this very noire-ish world and eager to follow the footsteps of Detective Richard Fell as he strode his way through Snowtown, meeting absurd and often nauseating characters and wading through the depressing and seemingly hopeless lives of this decrepit City's inhabitants. Fell himself, a man with an almost sixth-sense like ability to 'read' those he encounters (think a more intense Derren Brown), is the only real shining light in this dank and dour place, and his slow but certain approach to doing the right thing obviously has a delicately positive effect on the damaged people around him, so it is a tale of hope, ultimately.
Ben Templesmith's artwork is quite unique. There's nothing of the muscle-bound figures of other graphic novels here. His characters are straight out of the real world and the depiction of Snowtown is as bleak as a Northern Industrial town from the 1970s. Colours are muted and there is an almost ever-present feeling of smog in the city. It's the perfect accompaniment to Warren Ellis's storyline and a dark joy to behold. BUY THIS EVEN IF YOU DON'T READ COMICS, 21 May 2007
I can't recommend this comic highly enough! I have collected the comic books for around a year now and the fact that they have released a collection of the first issues in this series is fantastic news.
The Stories deal with the happenings of a feral town called Snowtown. And more particularly the daily struggle of policeman Richard Fell, a once big time cop in the big city who now finds himself stuck in a twisted backwater town where the police force seem to be there only to keep the population figures up.
Ellis manages to blend real events into these tales, which adds a new dimension to these cleverly layered stories, that some times seem too garish to be true. Templesmith's art perfectly matches Ellis' stories, and paints a haunting and dreary place that could suck the life and soul out of anyone. The caractors are well thought out and their stories are as gripping as the latest case Fell is working on.
The story and art are dark and eerie, conveying a creepiness not often found in comics.
If you are unsure whether to buy this don't be, so great is this work that the original 1st issue has been re-printed no fewer than 4 times and the second has also. This is to become a true classic in it's genre and will set a benchmark that other comics will try to aspire to. Spider gets in the ring..., 13 Apr 2005
'Gary Callahan is a genuinely educated, intelligent man. He has honorable people working for him and political fixers tell me he's going to be president. He's also a fake.' Dangerous journalist Spider Jerusalem finally succumbs to covering the presidential election campaign, and immediately finds himself facing a dilemma - who do you endorse when both the candidates are utterly repulsive in different ways? If all this seems rather familiar, there's a reason. Ellis's huge socio-political satire hits its stride with Spider entering the fray, complete with filthy assistants, bowel-disruptor gun and large amounts of narcotics. By turns funny, striking and (certainly at the end) genuinely shocking. A must-read.
Spider gets political, 28 May 2001
In this superd collection of Transmet our hero gets his teeth into politics. Much amusing goings-on involving assistants, the "whore-hopper" editor, a better appartment and more drugs in the background keep our Spider on top form to face his most hated subject - Presidential candidates. Aiming his type writer like a gun at the collective sphincters of the parties making them "loose", "watery", "fiery" and "prolapse". Finding a new setting of $*@* into unconciousness.... Anyway, I won't tell you more of the story suffice to say I loved it and eagerly await the next collection. If you have the rest of them get this one now or I shall arm the ebola bomb behind your toilet. Cheers LostPkt
Cynical, nasty, funny - and accurate. Spider does politics!, 20 Jan 2000
I ought to point out that this is volume three of Transmetropolitan. Read the two previous books ('Back on the Streets' & 'Lust for Life') first, as they set the scene and introduce the characters. They're also very good stories in their own right. 'Year of the Bastard' is where the main theme of Transmetropolitan takes centre stage. Spider's never been happy to simply write about the City - he wants to change it. He sees the president ("The Beast") as a symbol of everything that's wrong with the system. And it's an election year, so he finally gets his chance to shake things up... While it still has moments of pure humour, the vicious slapstick of some earlier tales fades into the background as Spider gets entangled with spin doctors and would-be presidential candidates. This is a plot-driven tale of twists and turns, where everyone has an agenda. To reveal anything further would be to spoil it. Just don't expect to see a resolution where the plot threads are all neatly tied - this is the first section of a longer storyline, and while there's a (very) definite ending to it, it also carries a lot of plot over into the sequel, 'The New Scum'. I think it'll carry an awful lot of readers over, too... If you like politics, or if you loathe politics, this is well worth a look. Warren Ellis has outdone himself on this one.
Buy all 10 in the series! NOW!, 07 Apr 2007
Ok your not going to like this if you are conservative or easily offended. It's irreverent, outspoken and full of righteous indignation and I love it. It is an excellent commentary on modern day society that shows us a future that our present day exploits could take us, without taking itself too seriously remaining cool and exciting. It is excellently written by one of comics/graphic novel living legends, Warren Ellis. It oozes brilliant satire, amazing imagination and shocking ideas that are not all that far from reality. Robertson supports this with some lovely, dynamic artwork to visually create Ellis's future world.
This series is effectively one long book so its silly to say that one book in the series is better than the next. Its like saying a certain chapter in a novel was not as good as the last. With the on going plot there are bound to be part that are not as exciting but they are necessary to drive the plot.
In Spider Jerusalem Ellis has created the ultimate anti-hero. He's obnoxious and generally a right pain in the ass to be around with a highly flawed personality and little social skills. Yet he is driven by a strong and deep sense of justice. All right he takes copious amounts of drugs and has a penchant for stamping on puppies but it is he who has dedicated his work to bringing down the corruption, oppression and exploitation that is rife in his world. He's not perfect, who is? But unlike those in power he makes no pretence to be. He is the ultimate cynic but it is this cynicism that allows him not to be influenced by the propaganda be it from marketing, media, religion or government. Spider refuses to blindly believe what he is told and searches for the answers himself using evidence and facts, something perhaps we could all learn to do.
A tour of hell... or at least the city..., 12 Apr 2005
'Let me say now that with your history of drug abuse it was conceivable that you could produce a child with no head...' Having established Jerusalem in volume 1, and shown us the city he exists in and how disturbingly similar to our own it is, Ellis now takes us on a walking tour of all the ways it's different. All these are just believeable - most likely because of the easy way in which Ellis describes it. Spider tells us what foglets are without turning it into a science lecture, and gives us the horrors of being revived after centuries of cryogenic freezing without making it mawkish. This is quiet work of genius. Enjoy the peace before the real story kicks in next volume...
Bowel disruptors at 20 paces!, 08 Apr 2003
A mixed bag of Transmet stories here, as we build up both Spider as a character & his assistant Channon, and also more fully realise the media-saturated & soulless futuristic world of the City. Here we see: * Spider Jerusalem take on the President in a public toilet. * Spider investigating TV and becoming a broken man... ("Coming up next on the Single Male Virgin Channel...") * Spider visiting a religious convention, with a look at the many bizzare religions of the future. ("My life was nothing before I castrated myself.") * A look at the Foglets, an incredibly cool and thought-provoking sci-fi concept. * Spider visiting the Reservations, areas of the city simulating past cultures. * Spider on the run from the whole city after getting a death threat in the form of a petition signed by 500 and after having his ex-wife's head stolen from cryogenics. ("I have given this considerable thought and have decided I don't give two tugs of a dead dog's c**k what you do with my EX-wife and you can have her.") * And best of all, the deadly serious and emotional "A Cold Place", telling the story of the Revivals- people from previous eras ressurected in the future. It's not a pretty site, and a vicious attack on our culture's willingness to dump our past in the bin. You shall buy this...
Modern day parables for life, 18 Dec 2001
Quite frankly, the pinnacle of graphic novels. Sometimes shocking, always brilliant, Ellis expertly weaves the characterisation, plot and dialogue from seemingly dischordant stories into one brilliant, superlative-defying masterpeice. Darick Robertson's artwork is the best I have seen in a comercial work; his line drawings and use of colour are unparalelled in any other European artist. Plus, because only one artist is used throughout, the novel never feels segmented or restricted by differences of style or art, unlike so many other collections. Hilarious in places, thought provoking and reflective in others, this book is the perfect anecdote for those who are sick of the endless stream of overly - American "Character X Vs. Character Y" stereotypical trash. Spiky, bold, and very, very sharp, this is one hell of a ride.
Not really much good, 19 Nov 2001
The first few stories in this book are readable enough, though Spider Jerusalem isn't really a character, just a mouthpiece for Warren Ellis' own views. Nobody from the other side politically ever gets a fair chance to speak, though sexy women are allowed to put him down sometimes. The art is all right, though its depiction of a dystopian future reminded me of nothing so much as The Electric Hoax - a comic strip that ran in Sounds twenty years ago. Shouldn't we have moved on since then? The best story is a single-issue piece about a woman being revived from cryogenic suspension, told in the form of one of Spider's columns; though apart from the framing device, it really has nothing to do with the ongoing series. Easily the worst is a three-issue arc that takes up the last third of the book. Incomprehensible storytelling meets ugly pictures in a mess that I found too boring and distasteful to finish. I won't be reading any more Transmetropolitan collections, and I don't recommend this one.
Mood music, 03 May 2005
'Right now, there is a new religion invested in the City every thirty-five minutes. And yet, strangely, flame-throwers are still illegal. There is no balance in this place.' This is a selection of Spider Jerusalem's columns. As another reviewer has observed, it's been published before so beware. Also probably not a good idea to misunderstand the 'volume 0' tag and read it before you've read the volumes 1 to 10 - firstly because you won't understand half of it, and secondly because it contains more than a few spoilers. But a real treat if you're already familiar with Spider. Oh, and don't miss the walk-on appearance by another of Ellis's creations on page 44.
'All fall down.', 03 May 2005
'All news services in the city are currently occupied by troops from the Martial Law detatchment. And now, footage of them killing unarmed students' Chapter 10. End of the road for everyone. The conclusion of this fabulous story arc will leave you amazed, shocked, saddened and utterly satisfied. If it was a movie you'd be on your feet cheering and then chewing your fingernails to the bone - all within a few moments. No spoilers here - buy it and read it. Now.
Endgame begins..., 13 Apr 2005
'I feel a bout of monstering coming on..' Spider's on borrowed time and still has a presidency to bring down. As usual, Ellis takes us through a dreadful situation without playing on any mawkish sentiment - his characters don't want our sympathy. At the same time, the sense of urgency running through the book is palpable, and we never get to forget it, whether the story is in high-action mode, dealing with dark conspiracies or just keeping us laughing..
Let down in a big way, 01 Dec 2004
I have every square inch of Transmetropolitan published in trade paperback form. All of the story, plus "I hate it here" and "Filth of the city" (the two supplementals containing Spiders vitriollic writing) Imagine how exited I was to see that a third supplemental was published. I pre-booked it and sat by my letter box with a puppy-dog expression on my face. When it arrived, I ripped open the packaging only to find that "Tales of human waste" is merely "I hate it here" and "Filth of the city" re-published in one book with no new material whatsoever! I'm a little upset they would expect me to pay for something I already have. On the flipside, if you do not already possess the two earlier books, then I would heartily recommend it.
Doesn't let you down, 02 Jul 2004
This is the final piece of the Transmet jigsaw. I cannot tell you what happens as it will ruin your enjoyment of the book. All I can tell you is that Spider and the Smiler do finally have it out. Spider is still just as bad as you expect, his filthy assistants are still just as bad and there is still corruption everywhere. There is no sense of anticlimax after reading this - buy it now. The filthy monkey wrote it - now you need to buy it! 10/10
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Customer Reviews
Two fingers to History..., 20 Feb 2008
This is Warren Ellis's take on the Battle of Crecy, a major battle in the Hundred Years war between England and France. If you only know Warren from his Super Hero work then this will be a completely different beast for you, if you know his other works then it is more of the same.
We follow one of the English Peasents during the march to Cercy with he rest of the foot soldiers. The stock troop being the longbow man, and it takes us through the forced archery practice and the standards of life that the average member of the army would have faced at the time.
As with most of Warren's non mainsteam works it is lewd, disturbing, informative and in places crass. It is a warts and all showing of war, expect xenophobic language, expect blood, expect death, expect graphic violence, expect to learn!
The art work is stunning and black and white, which provides an interesting take on the subject material.
We came, we saw, we pillaged, we ravaged, we slaughtered, we left...the French have never forgiven us (and not without reason) and the survivors of Crecy introduced the two fingered salute to the world.
Buy it! The Archers, 18 Jan 2008
To say how history really was, had been proposed by the historian von Ranke as a measure of the historian's craft. In this case Mr. Ellis definitely succeeds. His main character, an English bowman, who acts as a guide to the battle comes across as both crude and opinionated yet fiercely if parochially patriotic. He is presented in a way that acts as an insight to whys and ways of the period and focuses on the effectiveness of the typical English archer. The artwork itself is crisp and detailed and captures the action and squalor of a medieval campaign. Recommended. Excellent History Lesson, 06 Oct 2007
Warren Ellis pulls out all the stops with this deluxe edition comic documenting the English invasion of France in Medieval times . You can tell from the writing that Ellis has put in a lot of time researching the material , and the storyline , whilst humourous at times , is essentially a way of detailing the exploits and life and times of an invading army in the fourteenth century .
Thoroughly enjoyable , but beware ! The language is X rated ! More please, 31 Oct 2008
I only checked to see if a second volume was out yet. Shall keep waiting I guess.
You really should buy this one if you haven't. Might hurry the next one along... Why Comics are Braver and Better than Movies, 20 Dec 2007
Warren Ellis is not the nastiest and sickest comics writer out there - thank God - but there are things about the human condition that clearly get under his skin in the middle of the night. Please, please, please can we have some more?
Ellis's character Richard Fell has a dark secret but a good nature, and it is his emerging humanity and his relationship with a waitress which marks this out from so much similar material. Ben Templesmith's art also takes this to another level, compared to some of Ellis's other work such as Scars, where the drawing style undermines the seriousness of the subject matter: here, Templesmith's ragged edges and weird mixing of the real and surreal match the adult tone of the material.
This is the first time I've ever finished a comic and gone straight back to the first page to read it all over again. Can't really say more than that. Dark, slightly surreal and very engaging, 17 Jul 2007
A strange one to review, this, as my initial feelings were a little uncertain as to the quality of this graphic novel. But, after reading the first two chapters (issues, really) of eight, I found myself happily floating through this very noire-ish world and eager to follow the footsteps of Detective Richard Fell as he strode his way through Snowtown, meeting absurd and often nauseating characters and wading through the depressing and seemingly hopeless lives of this decrepit City's inhabitants. Fell himself, a man with an almost sixth-sense like ability to 'read' those he encounters (think a more intense Derren Brown), is the only real shining light in this dank and dour place, and his slow but certain approach to doing the right thing obviously has a delicately positive effect on the damaged people around him, so it is a tale of hope, ultimately.
Ben Templesmith's artwork is quite unique. There's nothing of the muscle-bound figures of other graphic novels here. His characters are straight out of the real world and the depiction of Snowtown is as bleak as a Northern Industrial town from the 1970s. Colours are muted and there is an almost ever-present feeling of smog in the city. It's the perfect accompaniment to Warren Ellis's storyline and a dark joy to behold. BUY THIS EVEN IF YOU DON'T READ COMICS, 21 May 2007
I can't recommend this comic highly enough! I have collected the comic books for around a year now and the fact that they have released a collection of the first issues in this series is fantastic news.
The Stories deal with the happenings of a feral town called Snowtown. And more particularly the daily struggle of policeman Richard Fell, a once big time cop in the big city who now finds himself stuck in a twisted backwater town where the police force seem to be there only to keep the population figures up.
Ellis manages to blend real events into these tales, which adds a new dimension to these cleverly layered stories, that some times seem too garish to be true. Templesmith's art perfectly matches Ellis' stories, and paints a haunting and dreary place that could suck the life and soul out of anyone. The caractors are well thought out and their stories are as gripping as the latest case Fell is working on.
The story and art are dark and eerie, conveying a creepiness not often found in comics.
If you are unsure whether to buy this don't be, so great is this work that the original 1st issue has been re-printed no fewer than 4 times and the second has also. This is to become a true classic in it's genre and will set a benchmark that other comics will try to aspire to. Spider gets in the ring..., 13 Apr 2005
'Gary Callahan is a genuinely educated, intelligent man. He has honorable people working for him and political fixers tell me he's going to be president. He's also a fake.' Dangerous journalist Spider Jerusalem finally succumbs to covering the presidential election campaign, and immediately finds himself facing a dilemma - who do you endorse when both the candidates are utterly repulsive in different ways? If all this seems rather familiar, there's a reason. Ellis's huge socio-political satire hits its stride with Spider entering the fray, complete with filthy assistants, bowel-disruptor gun and large amounts of narcotics. By turns funny, striking and (certainly at the end) genuinely shocking. A must-read.
Spider gets political, 28 May 2001
In this superd collection of Transmet our hero gets his teeth into politics. Much amusing goings-on involving assistants, the "whore-hopper" editor, a better appartment and more drugs in the background keep our Spider on top form to face his most hated subject - Presidential candidates. Aiming his type writer like a gun at the collective sphincters of the parties making them "loose", "watery", "fiery" and "prolapse". Finding a new setting of $*@* into unconciousness.... Anyway, I won't tell you more of the story suffice to say I loved it and eagerly await the next collection. If you have the rest of them get this one now or I shall arm the ebola bomb behind your toilet. Cheers LostPkt
Cynical, nasty, funny - and accurate. Spider does politics!, 20 Jan 2000
I ought to point out that this is volume three of Transmetropolitan. Read the two previous books ('Back on the Streets' & 'Lust for Life') first, as they set the scene and introduce the characters. They're also very good stories in their own right. 'Year of the Bastard' is where the main theme of Transmetropolitan takes centre stage. Spider's never been happy to simply write about the City - he wants to change it. He sees the president ("The Beast") as a symbol of everything that's wrong with the system. And it's an election year, so he finally gets his chance to shake things up... While it still has moments of pure humour, the vicious slapstick of some earlier tales fades into the background as Spider gets entangled with spin doctors and would-be presidential candidates. This is a plot-driven tale of twists and turns, where everyone has an agenda. To reveal anything further would be to spoil it. Just don't expect to see a resolution where the plot threads are all neatly tied - this is the first section of a longer storyline, and while there's a (very) definite ending to it, it also carries a lot of plot over into the sequel, 'The New Scum'. I think it'll carry an awful lot of readers over, too... If you like politics, or if you loathe politics, this is well worth a look. Warren Ellis has outdone himself on this one.
Buy all 10 in the series! NOW!, 07 Apr 2007
Ok your not going to like this if you are conservative or easily offended. It's irreverent, outspoken and full of righteous indignation and I love it. It is an excellent commentary on modern day society that shows us a future that our present day exploits could take us, without taking itself too seriously remaining cool and exciting. It is excellently written by one of comics/graphic novel living legends, Warren Ellis. It oozes brilliant satire, amazing imagination and shocking ideas that are not all that far from reality. Robertson supports this with some lovely, dynamic artwork to visually create Ellis's future world.
This series is effectively one long book so its silly to say that one book in the series is better than the next. Its like saying a certain chapter in a novel was not as good as the last. With the on going plot there are bound to be part that are not as exciting but they are necessary to drive the plot.
In Spider Jerusalem Ellis has created the ultimate anti-hero. He's obnoxious and generally a right pain in the ass to be around with a highly flawed personality and little social skills. Yet he is driven by a strong and deep sense of justice. All right he takes copious amounts of drugs and has a penchant for stamping on puppies but it is he who has dedicated his work to bringing down the corruption, oppression and exploitation that is rife in his world. He's not perfect, who is? But unlike those in power he makes no pretence to be. He is the ultimate cynic but it is this cynicism that allows him not to be influenced by the propaganda be it from marketing, media, religion or government. Spider refuses to blindly believe what he is told and searches for the answers himself using evidence and facts, something perhaps we could all learn to do.
A tour of hell... or at least the city..., 12 Apr 2005
'Let me say now that with your history of drug abuse it was conceivable that you could produce a child with no head...' Having established Jerusalem in volume 1, and shown us the city he exists in and how disturbingly similar to our own it is, Ellis now takes us on a walking tour of all the ways it's different. All these are just believeable - most likely because of the easy way in which Ellis describes it. Spider tells us what foglets are without turning it into a science lecture, and gives us the horrors of being revived after centuries of cryogenic freezing without making it mawkish. This is quiet work of genius. Enjoy the peace before the real story kicks in next volume...
Bowel disruptors at 20 paces!, 08 Apr 2003
A mixed bag of Transmet stories here, as we build up both Spider as a character & his assistant Channon, and also more fully realise the media-saturated & soulless futuristic world of the City. Here we see: * Spider Jerusalem take on the President in a public toilet. * Spider investigating TV and becoming a broken man... ("Coming up next on the Single Male Virgin Channel...") * Spider visiting a religious convention, with a look at the many bizzare religions of the future. ("My life was nothing before I castrated myself.") * A look at the Foglets, an incredibly cool and thought-provoking sci-fi concept. * Spider visiting the Reservations, areas of the city simulating past cultures. * Spider on the run from the whole city after getting a death threat in the form of a petition signed by 500 and after having his ex-wife's head stolen from cryogenics. ("I have given this considerable thought and have decided I don't give two tugs of a dead dog's c**k what you do with my EX-wife and you can have her.") * And best of all, the deadly serious and emotional "A Cold Place", telling the story of the Revivals- people from previous eras ressurected in the future. It's not a pretty site, and a vicious attack on our culture's willingness to dump our past in the bin. You shall buy this...
Modern day parables for life, 18 Dec 2001
Quite frankly, the pinnacle of graphic novels. Sometimes shocking, always brilliant, Ellis expertly weaves the characterisation, plot and dialogue from seemingly dischordant stories into one brilliant, superlative-defying masterpeice. Darick Robertson's artwork is the best I have seen in a comercial work; his line drawings and use of colour are unparalelled in any other European artist. Plus, because only one artist is used throughout, the novel never feels segmented or restricted by differences of style or art, unlike so many other collections. Hilarious in places, thought provoking and reflective in others, this book is the perfect anecdote for those who are sick of the endless stream of overly - American "Character X Vs. Character Y" stereotypical trash. Spiky, bold, and very, very sharp, this is one hell of a ride.
Not really much good, 19 Nov 2001
The first few stories in this book are readable enough, though Spider Jerusalem isn't really a character, just a mouthpiece for Warren Ellis' own views. Nobody from the other side politically ever gets a fair chance to speak, though sexy women are allowed to put him down sometimes. The art is all right, though its depiction of a dystopian future reminded me of nothing so much as The Electric Hoax - a comic strip that ran in Sounds twenty years ago. Shouldn't we have moved on since then? The best story is a single-issue piece about a woman being revived from cryogenic suspension, told in the form of one of Spider's columns; though apart from the framing device, it really has nothing to do with the ongoing series. Easily the worst is a three-issue arc that takes up the last third of the book. Incomprehensible storytelling meets ugly pictures in a mess that I found too boring and distasteful to finish. I won't be reading any more Transmetropolitan collections, and I don't recommend this one.
Mood music, 03 May 2005
'Right now, there is a new religion invested in the City every thirty-five minutes. And yet, strangely, flame-throwers are still illegal. There is no balance in this place.' This is a selection of Spider Jerusalem's columns. As another reviewer has observed, it's been published before so beware. Also probably not a good idea to misunderstand the 'volume 0' tag and read it before you've read the volumes 1 to 10 - firstly because you won't understand half of it, and secondly because it contains more than a few spoilers. But a real treat if you're already familiar with Spider. Oh, and don't miss the walk-on appearance by another of Ellis's creations on page 44.
'All fall down.', 03 May 2005
'All news services in the city are currently occupied by troops from the Martial Law detatchment. And now, footage of them killing unarmed students' Chapter 10. End of the road for everyone. The conclusion of this fabulous story arc will leave you amazed, shocked, saddened and utterly satisfied. If it was a movie you'd be on your feet cheering and then chewing your fingernails to the bone - all within a few moments. No spoilers here - buy it and read it. Now.
Endgame begins..., 13 Apr 2005
'I feel a bout of monstering coming on..' Spider's on borrowed time and still has a presidency to bring down. As usual, Ellis takes us through a dreadful situation without playing on any mawkish sentiment - his characters don't want our sympathy. At the same time, the sense of urgency running through the book is palpable, and we never get to forget it, whether the story is in high-action mode, dealing with dark conspiracies or just keeping us laughing..
Let down in a big way, 01 Dec 2004
I have every square inch of Transmetropolitan published in trade paperback form. All of the story, plus "I hate it here" and "Filth of the city" (the two supplementals containing Spiders vitriollic writing) Imagine how exited I was to see that a third supplemental was published. I pre-booked it and sat by my letter box with a puppy-dog expression on my face. When it arrived, I ripped open the packaging only to find that "Tales of human waste" is merely "I hate it here" and "Filth of the city" re-published in one book with no new material whatsoever! I'm a little upset they would expect me to pay for something I already have. On the flipside, if you do not already possess the two earlier books, then I would heartily recommend it.
Doesn't let you down, 02 Jul 2004
This is the final piece of the Transmet jigsaw. I cannot tell you what happens as it will ruin your enjoyment of the book. All I can tell you is that Spider and the Smiler do finally have it out. Spider is still just as bad as you expect, his filthy assistants are still just as bad and there is still corruption everywhere. There is no sense of anticlimax after reading this - buy it now. The filthy monkey wrote it - now you need to buy it! 10/10
Mood music, 03 May 2005
'Right now, there is a new religion invested in the City every thirty-five minutes. And yet, strangely, flame-throwers are still illegal. There is no balance in this place.' This is a selection of Spider Jerusalem's columns. As another reviewer has observed, it's been published before so beware. Also probably not a good idea to misunderstand the 'volume 0' tag and read it before you've read the volumes 1 to 10 - firstly because you won't understand half of it, and secondly because it contains more than a few spoilers. But a real treat if you're already familiar with Spider. Oh, and don't miss the walk-on appearance by another of Ellis's creations on page 44.
'All fall down.', 03 May 2005
'All news services in the city are currently occupied by troops from the Martial Law detatchment. And now, footage of them killing unarmed students' Chapter 10. End of the road for everyone. The conclusion of this fabulous story arc will leave you amazed, shocked, saddened and utterly satisfied. If it was a movie you'd be on your feet cheering and then chewing your fingernails to the bone - all within a few moments. No spoilers here - buy it and read it. Now.
Endgame begins..., 13 Apr 2005
'I feel a bout of monstering coming on..' Spider's on borrowed time and still has a presidency to bring down. As usual, Ellis takes us through a dreadful situation without playing on any mawkish sentiment - his characters don't want our sympathy. At the same time, the sense of urgency running through the book is palpable, and we never get to forget it, whether the story is in high-action mode, dealing with dark conspiracies or just keeping us laughing..
Let down in a big way, 01 Dec 2004
I have every square inch of Transmetropolitan published in trade paperback form. All of the story, plus "I hate it here" and "Filth of the city" (the two supplementals containing Spiders vitriollic writing) Imagine how exited I was to see that a third supplemental was published. I pre-booked it and sat by my letter box with a puppy-dog expression on my face. When it arrived, I ripped open the packaging only to find that "Tales of human waste" is merely "I hate it here" and "Filth of the city" re-published in one book with no new material whatsoever! I'm a little upset they would expect me to pay for something I already have. On the flipside, if you do not already possess the two earlier books, then I would heartily recommend it.
Doesn't let you down, 02 Jul 2004
This is the final piece of the Transmet jigsaw. I cannot tell you what happens as it will ruin your enjoyment of the book. All I can tell you is that Spider and the Smiler do finally have it out. Spider is still just as bad as you expect, his filthy assistants are still just as bad and there is still corruption everywhere. There is no sense of anticlimax after reading this - buy it now. The filthy monkey wrote it - now you need to buy it! 10/10
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Customer Reviews
Two fingers to History..., 20 Feb 2008
This is Warren Ellis's take on the Battle of Crecy, a major battle in the Hundred Years war between England and France. If you only know Warren from his Super Hero work then this will be a completely different beast for you, if you know his other works then it is more of the same.
We follow one of the English Peasents during the march to Cercy with he rest of the foot soldiers. The stock troop being the longbow man, and it takes us through the forced archery practice and the standards of life that the average member of the army would have faced at the time.
As with most of Warren's non mainsteam works it is lewd, disturbing, informative and in places crass. It is a warts and all showing of war, expect xenophobic language, expect blood, expect death, expect graphic violence, expect to learn!
The art work is stunning and black and white, which provides an interesting take on the subject material.
We came, we saw, we pillaged, we ravaged, we slaughtered, we left...the French have never forgiven us (and not without reason) and the survivors of Crecy introduced the two fingered salute to the world.
Buy it! The Archers, 18 Jan 2008
To say how history really was, had been proposed by the historian von Ranke as a measure of the historian's craft. In this case Mr. Ellis definitely succeeds. His main character, an English bowman, who acts as a guide to the battle comes across as both crude and opinionated yet fiercely if parochially patriotic. He is presented in a way that acts as an insight to whys and ways of the period and focuses on the effectiveness of the typical English archer. The artwork itself is crisp and detailed and captures the action and squalor of a medieval campaign. Recommended. Excellent History Lesson, 06 Oct 2007
Warren Ellis pulls out all the stops with this deluxe edition comic documenting the English invasion of France in Medieval times . You can tell from the writing that Ellis has put in a lot of time researching the material , and the storyline , whilst humourous at times , is essentially a way of detailing the exploits and life and times of an invading army in the fourteenth century .
Thoroughly enjoyable , but beware ! The language is X rated ! More please, 31 Oct 2008
I only checked to see if a second volume was out yet. Shall keep waiting I guess.
You really should buy this one if you haven't. Might hurry the next one along... Why Comics are Braver and Better than Movies, 20 Dec 2007
Warren Ellis is not the nastiest and sickest comics writer out there - thank God - but there are things about the human condition that clearly get under his skin in the middle of the night. Please, please, please can we have some more?
Ellis's character Richard Fell has a dark secret but a good nature, and it is his emerging humanity and his relationship with a waitress which marks this out from so much similar material. Ben Templesmith's art also takes this to another level, compared to some of Ellis's other work such as Scars, where the drawing style undermines the seriousness of the subject matter: here, Templesmith's ragged edges and weird mixing of the real and surreal match the adult tone of the material.
This is the first time I've ever finished a comic and gone straight back to the first page to read it all over again. Can't really say more than that. Dark, slightly surreal and very engaging, 17 Jul 2007
A strange one to review, this, as my initial feelings were a little uncertain as to the quality of this graphic novel. But, after reading the first two chapters (issues, really) of eight, I found myself happily floating through this very noire-ish world and eager to follow the footsteps of Detective Richard Fell as he strode his way through Snowtown, meeting absurd and often nauseating characters and wading through the depressing and seemingly hopeless lives of this decrepit City's inhabitants. Fell himself, a man with an almost sixth-sense like ability to 'read' those he encounters (think a more intense Derren Brown), is the only real shining light in this dank and dour place, and his slow but certain approach to doing the right thing obviously has a delicately positive effect on the damaged people around him, so it is a tale of hope, ultimately.
Ben Templesmith's artwork is quite unique. There's nothing of the muscle-bound figures of other graphic novels here. His characters are straight out of the real world and the depiction of Snowtown is as bleak as a Northern Industrial town from the 1970s. Colours are muted and there is an almost ever-present feeling of smog in the city. It's the perfect accompaniment to Warren Ellis's storyline and a dark joy to behold. BUY THIS EVEN IF YOU DON'T READ COMICS, 21 May 2007
I can't recommend this comic highly enough! I have collected the comic books for around a year now and the fact that they have released a collection of the first issues in this series is fantastic news.
The Stories deal with the happenings of a feral town called Snowtown. And more particularly the daily struggle of policeman Richard Fell, a once big time cop in the big city who now finds himself stuck in a twisted backwater town where the police force seem to be there only to keep the population figures up.
Ellis manages to blend real events into these tales, which adds a new dimension to these cleverly layered stories, that some times seem too garish to be true. Templesmith's art perfectly matches Ellis' stories, and paints a haunting and dreary place that could suck the life and soul out of anyone. The caractors are well thought out and their stories are as gripping as the latest case Fell is working on.
The story and art are dark and eerie, conveying a creepiness not often found in comics.
If you are unsure whether to buy this don't be, so great is this work that the original 1st issue has been re-printed no fewer than 4 times and the second has also. This is to become a true classic in it's genre and will set a benchmark that other comics will try to aspire to. Spider gets in the ring..., 13 Apr 2005
'Gary Callahan is a genuinely educated, intelligent man. He has honorable people working for him and political fixers tell me he's going to be president. He's also a fake.' Dangerous journalist Spider Jerusalem finally succumbs to covering the presidential election campaign, and immediately finds himself facing a dilemma - who do you endorse when both the candidates are utterly repulsive in different ways? If all this seems rather familiar, there's a reason. Ellis's huge socio-political satire hits its stride with Spider entering the fray, complete with filthy assistants, bowel-disruptor gun and large amounts of narcotics. By turns funny, striking and (certainly at the end) genuinely shocking. A must-read.
Spider gets political, 28 May 2001
In this superd collection of Transmet our hero gets his teeth into politics. Much amusing goings-on involving assistants, the "whore-hopper" editor, a better appartment and more drugs in the background keep our Spider on top form to face his most hated subject - Presidential candidates. Aiming his type writer like a gun at the collective sphincters of the parties making them "loose", "watery", "fiery" and "prolapse". Finding a new setting of $*@* into unconciousness.... Anyway, I won't tell you more of the story suffice to say I loved it and eagerly await the next collection. If you have the rest of them get this one now or I shall arm the ebola bomb behind your toilet. Cheers LostPkt
Cynical, nasty, funny - and accurate. Spider does politics!, 20 Jan 2000
I ought to point out that this is volume three of Transmetropolitan. Read the two previous books ('Back on the Streets' & 'Lust for Life') first, as they set the scene and introduce the characters. They're also very good stories in their own right. 'Year of the Bastard' is where the main theme of Transmetropolitan takes centre stage. Spider's never been happy to simply write about the City - he wants to change it. He sees the president ("The Beast") as a symbol of everything that's wrong with the system. And it's an election year, so he finally gets his chance to shake things up... While it still has moments of pure humour, the vicious slapstick of some earlier tales fades into the background as Spider gets entangled with spin doctors and would-be presidential candidates. This is a plot-driven tale of twists and turns, where everyone has an agenda. To reveal anything further would be to spoil it. Just don't expect to see a resolution where the plot threads are all neatly tied - this is the first section of a longer storyline, and while there's a (very) definite ending to it, it also carries a lot of plot over into the sequel, 'The New Scum'. I think it'll carry an awful lot of readers over, too... If you like politics, or if you loathe politics, this is well worth a look. Warren Ellis has outdone himself on this one.
Buy all 10 in the series! NOW!, 07 Apr 2007
Ok your not going to like this if you are conservative or easily offended. It's irreverent, outspoken and full of righteous indignation and I love it. It is an excellent commentary on modern day society that shows us a future that our present day exploits could take us, without taking itself too seriously remaining cool and exciting. It is excellently written by one of comics/graphic novel living legends, Warren Ellis. It oozes brilliant satire, amazing imagination and shocking ideas that are not all that far from reality. Robertson supports this with some lovely, dynamic artwork to visually create Ellis's future world.
This series is effectively one long book so its silly to say that one book in the series is better than the next. Its like saying a certain chapter in a novel was not as good as the last. With the on going plot there are bound to be part that are not as exciting but they are necessary to drive the plot.
In Spider Jerusalem Ellis has created the ultimate anti-hero. He's obnoxious and generally a right pain in the ass to be around with a highly flawed personality and little social skills. Yet he is driven by a strong and deep sense of justice. All right he takes copious amounts of drugs and has a penchant for stamping on puppies but it is he who has dedicated his work to bringing down the corruption, oppression and exploitation that is rife in his world. He's not perfect, who is? But unlike those in power he makes no pretence to be. He is the ultimate cynic but it is this cynicism that allows him not to be influenced by the propaganda be it from marketing, media, religion or government. Spider refuses to blindly believe what he is told and searches for the answers himself using evidence and facts, something perhaps we could all learn to do.
A tour of hell... or at least the city..., 12 Apr 2005
'Let me say now that with your history of drug abuse it was conceivable that you could produce a child with no head...' Having established Jerusalem in volume 1, and shown us the city he exists in and how disturbingly similar to our own it is, Ellis now takes us on a walking tour of all the ways it's different. All these are just believeable - most likely because of the easy way in which Ellis describes it. Spider tells us what foglets are without turning it into a science lecture, and gives us the horrors of being revived after centuries of cryogenic freezing without making it mawkish. This is quiet work of genius. Enjoy the peace before the real story kicks in next volume...
Bowel disruptors at 20 paces!, 08 Apr 2003
A mixed bag of Transmet stories here, as we build up both Spider as a character & his assistant Channon, and also more fully realise the media-saturated & soulless futuristic world of the City. Here we see: * Spider Jerusalem take on the President in a public toilet. * Spider investigating TV and becoming a broken man... ("Coming up next on the Single Male Virgin Channel...") * Spider visiting a religious convention, with a look at the many bizzare religions of the future. ("My life was nothing before I castrated myself.") * A look at the Foglets, an incredibly cool and thought-provoking sci-fi concept. * Spider visiting the Reservations, areas of the city simulating past cultures. * Spider on the run from the whole city after getting a death threat in the form of a petition signed by 500 and after having his ex-wife's head stolen from cryogenics. ("I have given this considerable thought and have decided I don't give two tugs of a dead dog's c**k what you do with my EX-wife and you can have her.") * And best of all, the deadly serious and emotional "A Cold Place", telling the story of the Revivals- people from previous eras ressurected in the future. It's not a pretty site, and a vicious attack on our culture's willingness to dump our past in the bin. You shall buy this...
Modern day parables for life, 18 Dec 2001
Quite frankly, the pinnacle of graphic novels. Sometimes shocking, always brilliant, Ellis expertly weaves the characterisation, plot and dialogue from seemingly dischordant stories into one brilliant, superlative-defying masterpeice. Darick Robertson's artwork is the best I have seen in a comercial work; his line drawings and use of colour are unparalelled in any other European artist. Plus, because only one artist is used throughout, the novel never feels segmented or restricted by differences of style or art, unlike so many other collections. Hilarious in places, thought provoking and reflective in others, this book is the perfect anecdote for those who are sick of the endless stream of overly - American "Character X Vs. Character Y" stereotypical trash. Spiky, bold, and very, very sharp, this is one hell of a ride.
Not really much good, 19 Nov 2001
The first few stories in this book are readable enough, though Spider Jerusalem isn't really a character, just a mouthpiece for Warren Ellis' own views. Nobody from the other side politically ever gets a fair chance to speak, though sexy women are allowed to put him down sometimes. The art is all right, though its depiction of a dystopian future reminded me of nothing so much as The Electric Hoax - a comic strip that ran in Sounds twenty years ago. Shouldn't we have moved on since then? The best story is a single-issue piece about a woman being revived from cryogenic suspension, told in the form of one of Spider's columns; though apart from the framing device, it really has nothing to do with the ongoing series. Easily the worst is a three-issue arc that takes up the last third of the book. Incomprehensible storytelling meets ugly pictures in a mess that I found too boring and distasteful to finish. I won't be reading any more Transmetropolitan collections, and I don't recommend this one.
Mood music, 03 May 2005
'Right now, there is a new religion invested in the City every thirty-five minutes. And yet, strangely, flame-throwers are still illegal. There is no balance in this place.' This is a selection of Spider Jerusalem's columns. As another reviewer has observed, it's been published before so beware. Also probably not a good idea to misunderstand the 'volume 0' tag and read it before you've read the volumes 1 to 10 - firstly because you won't understand half of it, and secondly because it contains more than a few spoilers. But a real treat if you're already familiar with Spider. Oh, and don't miss the walk-on appearance by another of Ellis's creations on page 44.
'All fall down.', 03 May 2005
'All news services in the city are currently occupied by troops from the Martial Law detatchment. And now, footage of them killing unarmed students' Chapter 10. End of the road for everyone. The conclusion of this fabulous story arc will leave you amazed, shocked, saddened and utterly satisfied. If it was a movie you'd be on your feet cheering and then chewing your fingernails to the bone - all within a few moments. No spoilers here - buy it and read it. Now.
Endgame begins..., 13 Apr 2005
'I feel a bout of monstering coming on..' Spider's on borrowed time and still has a presidency to bring down. As usual, Ellis takes us through a dreadful situation without playing on any mawkish sentiment - his characters don't want our sympathy. At the same time, the sense of urgency running through the book is palpable, and we never get to forget it, whether the story is in high-action mode, dealing with dark conspiracies or just keeping us laughing..
Let down in a big way, 01 Dec 2004
I have every square inch of Transmetropolitan published in trade paperback form. All of the story, plus "I hate it here" and "Filth of the city" (the two supplementals containing Spiders vitriollic writing) Imagine how exited I was to see that a third supplemental was published. I pre-booked it and sat by my letter box with a puppy-dog expression on my face. When it arrived, I ripped open the packaging only to find that "Tales of human waste" is merely "I hate it here" and "Filth of the city" re-published in one book with no new material whatsoever! I'm a little upset they would expect me to pay for something I already have. On the flipside, if you do not already possess the two earlier books, then I would heartily recommend it.
Doesn't let you down, 02 Jul 2004
This is the final piece of the Transmet jigsaw. I cannot tell you what happens as it will ruin your enjoyment of the book. All I can tell you is that Spider and the Smiler do finally have it out. Spider is still just as bad as you expect, his filthy assistants are still just as bad and there is still corruption everywhere. There is no sense of anticlimax after reading this - buy it now. The filthy monkey wrote it - now you need to buy it! 10/10
Mood music, 03 May 2005
'Right now, there is a new religion invested in the City every thirty-five minutes. And yet, strangely, flame-throwers are still illegal. There is no balance in this place.' This is a selection of Spider Jerusalem's columns. As another reviewer has observed, it's been published before so beware. Also probably not a good idea to misunderstand the 'volume 0' tag and read it before you've read the volumes 1 to 10 - firstly because you won't understand half of it, and secondly because it contains more than a few spoilers. But a real treat if you're already familiar with Spider. Oh, and don't miss the walk-on appearance by another of Ellis's creations on page 44.
'All fall down.', 03 May 2005
'All news services in the city are currently occupied by troops from the Martial Law detatchment. And now, footage of them killing unarmed students' Chapter 10. End of the road for everyone. The conclusion of this fabulous story arc will leave you amazed, shocked, saddened and utterly satisfied. If it was a movie you'd be on your feet cheering and then chewing your fingernails to the bone - all within a few moments. No spoilers here - buy it and read it. Now.
Endgame begins..., 13 Apr 2005
'I feel a bout of monstering coming on..' Spider's on borrowed time and still has a presidency to bring down. As usual, Ellis takes us through a dreadful situation without playing on any mawkish sentiment - his characters don't want our sympathy. At the same time, the sense of urgency running through the book is palpable, and we never get to forget it, whether the story is in high-action mode, dealing with dark conspiracies or just keeping us laughing..
Let down in a big way, 01 Dec 2004
I have every square inch of Transmetropolitan published in trade paperback form. All of the story, plus "I hate it here" and "Filth of the city" (the two supplementals containing Spiders vitriollic writing) Imagine how exited I was to see that a third supplemental was published. I pre-booked it and sat by my letter box with a puppy-dog expression on my face. When it arrived, I ripped open the packaging only to find that "Tales of human waste" is merely "I hate it here" and "Filth of the city" re-published in one book with no new material whatsoever! I'm a little upset they would expect me to pay for something I already have. On the flipside, if you do not already possess the two earlier books, then I would heartily recommend it.
Doesn't let you down, 02 Jul 2004 | | |