Stormwatch shows off, 10 Jun 2003
Collecting issues 43-47 of the popular Warren Ellis penned Stormwatch, this book lets some of the best of the series characters go solo - well sort of. Jack Hawksmoor tracks a killer, Battalion clashes with anti U.N. terrorists and Jenny Sparks tells the story of her century spanning life.
The Jenny Sparks issue is the best in the book, using retro comic art to illustrate and chart Jenny's career; I loved the famous Gibbons Watchmen pull back, substituting a discarded smiley clock faces dressed doll for the Comedian and his smiley badge; but there's also a century's worth of influences and styles to go with it - just brilliant. Other highlights are the international pub crawl and a whole issue illustrated with full page panels.

Only essential for hardcore Stormwatch and Authority Fans., 27 May 2003
Set just before "Change or Die", "Lighting Strikes" is a collection of one off stories set in the Wildstorm Universe. Again, Ellis tends to stay away from the previous established Stormwatch characters (with the exception of Jackson King and the Weatherman, Henry Bendix) to focus on his newly introduced characters Jenny Sparks and Jack Hawksmore.

The artwork is adequate in this book, certainly better than the two previous Stormwatch books. In particular, the Jenny Sparks story, where she describes her life is wonderful, with the artwork changing styles to in a homage to the comics of the decade being described.

Whilst the stories are one-offs, they do tie into the main Stormwatch continuity with Jackson Kings story setting up future conflict between America and Stormwatch and Rose Tattoo's story directly leading onto the events in "Change or Die". As a result, its not an essential purchase for non hardcore Stormwatch/Authority fans (I left it until the last of my Stormwatch/Authority purchases).

However the Jenny Sparks life history and Bendix journal stories make this well worth the cost of purchase and certainly essential for fans.

Focus on character development in a mature superhero world., 27 Feb 2001
The Wildstorm world is like our own, but with higher technology and a history of superhumans. The United Nations has its own superhuman crisis unit, Stormwatch, who do whatever it takes to combat superhuman threats (hint: their opponents hardly ever end up in prison). This is the second of four volumes collecting the issues written by Warren Ellis which led up to the excellent 'The Authority' title. Much of this volume is taken up with stories focusing on individual team members. Jack Hawksmoor has a detective story in New York, drawing out the abilities of one of the strangest superheroes ever. Jenny Sparks tells Jackson King the story of her nearly 100-year life, with different decades drawn in the appropriate comic/cartoon art style. King, aka Battalion, gets a rumble with some terrorists. We get a lot of character development as established team members go out on a social trip, with humour that's lacking in the other stories here (and a couple of pages in the wrong order, which was confusing), while the ongoing plot with commander Henry Bendix simmers in the background. Finally there's a rather throwaway episode with some of the team in action exploring a hidden complex. Artwork and story are good throughout. It's definitely a stage on the way from somewhere to somewhere else, getting us closer to the characters before the stuff hits the fan in the next volume.

Stormwatch shows off, 10 Jun 2003
Collecting issues 43-47 of the popular Warren Ellis penned Stormwatch, this book lets some of the best of the series characters go solo - well sort of. Jack Hawksmoor tracks a killer, Battalion clashes with anti U.N. terrorists and Jenny Sparks tells the story of her century spanning life.
The Jenny Sparks issue is the best in the book, using retro comic art to illustrate and chart Jenny's career; I loved the famous Gibbons Watchmen pull back, substituting a discarded smiley clock faces dressed doll for the Comedian and his smiley badge; but there's also a century's worth of influences and styles to go with it - just brilliant. Other highlights are the international pub crawl and a whole issue illustrated with full page panels.

Only essential for hardcore Stormwatch and Authority Fans., 27 May 2003
Set just before "Change or Die", "Lighting Strikes" is a collection of one off stories set in the Wildstorm Universe. Again, Ellis tends to stay away from the previous established Stormwatch characters (with the exception of Jackson King and the Weatherman, Henry Bendix) to focus on his newly introduced characters Jenny Sparks and Jack Hawksmore.

The artwork is adequate in this book, certainly better than the two previous Stormwatch books. In particular, the Jenny Sparks story, where she describes her life is wonderful, with the artwork changing styles to in a homage to the comics of the decade being described.

Whilst the stories are one-offs, they do tie into the main Stormwatch continuity with Jackson Kings story setting up future conflict between America and Stormwatch and Rose Tattoo's story directly leading onto the events in "Change or Die". As a result, its not an essential purchase for non hardcore Stormwatch/Authority fans (I left it until the last of my Stormwatch/Authority purchases).

However the Jenny Sparks life history and Bendix journal stories make this well worth the cost of purchase and certainly essential for fans.

Focus on character development in a mature superhero world., 27 Feb 2001
The Wildstorm world is like our own, but with higher technology and a history of superhumans. The United Nations has its own superhuman crisis unit, Stormwatch, who do whatever it takes to combat superhuman threats (hint: their opponents hardly ever end up in prison). This is the second of four volumes collecting the issues written by Warren Ellis which led up to the excellent 'The Authority' title. Much of this volume is taken up with stories focusing on individual team members. Jack Hawksmoor has a detective story in New York, drawing out the abilities of one of the strangest superheroes ever. Jenny Sparks tells Jackson King the story of her nearly 100-year life, with different decades drawn in the appropriate comic/cartoon art style. King, aka Battalion, gets a rumble with some terrorists. We get a lot of character development as established team members go out on a social trip, with humour that's lacking in the other stories here (and a couple of pages in the wrong order, which was confusing), while the ongoing plot with commander Henry Bendix simmers in the background. Finally there's a rather throwaway episode with some of the team in action exploring a hidden complex. Artwork and story are good throughout. It's definitely a stage on the way from somewhere to somewhere else, getting us closer to the characters before the stuff hits the fan in the next volume.

Violent, realistic, great, 13 Aug 1999
I've just picked up reading comics again after a couple of years off and when I finished reading "Change or Die" I went on a buying spree, searching for everything with Stormwatch - the UN special crisis intervention team of superhumans.

This comic is telling a story of trust, power, love and betrayal.

The artwork is decent but the best thing about this book is the story. For one thing, it's pretty realistic and differs in this way from most Marvel/DC superhero-stuff I've read. Stormwatch really kick serious butt when they go on a mission. People do get hurt when a superstrong person punches them with all their might...

Politics and Superheroes and Insanity...oh my!, 25 Jun 1999
One of the strongest trends within superhero stories over the last 20 years has been the superhero with too much power...Dark Knight Returns, Watchmen, Squadron Supreme, and Kingdom Come all mined that territory. With all that power, should a superhero or group of superheroes have the right to make decisions for the rest of the world? What Ellis has done in Change or Die is make it feel a lot closer to our own reality. Rather than setting it in the future or an alternate universe, he has set Change or Die in the mainstream continuity of a major superhero universe, using characters and storylines that had been introduced over the previous few years. Also, by using Stormwatch, a UN sponsored superteam, he draws effective analogies to real life, raising the issue of superpower politics and ethics. The biggest problem with this collection is that it doesn't have the whole story, though. Warren came on to Stormwatch with issue #37, and this trade collects #48-50 of Volume I and #1-3 of Volume II. The entire arc building up to Change Or Die started the moment Warren began writing the book, and without the hints and suggestions layered throughout his run, you can't get quite as good an appreciation for what he's doing. Still, this was my favorite comic story of the late '90s, hands down.

Stormwatch shows off, 10 Jun 2003
Collecting issues 43-47 of the popular Warren Ellis penned Stormwatch, this book lets some of the best of the series characters go solo - well sort of. Jack Hawksmoor tracks a killer, Battalion clashes with anti U.N. terrorists and Jenny Sparks tells the story of her century spanning life.
The Jenny Sparks issue is the best in the book, using retro comic art to illustrate and chart Jenny's career; I loved the famous Gibbons Watchmen pull back, substituting a discarded smiley clock faces dressed doll for the Comedian and his smiley badge; but there's also a century's worth of influences and styles to go with it - just brilliant. Other highlights are the international pub crawl and a whole issue illustrated with full page panels.

Only essential for hardcore Stormwatch and Authority Fans., 27 May 2003
Set just before "Change or Die", "Lighting Strikes" is a collection of one off stories set in the Wildstorm Universe. Again, Ellis tends to stay away from the previous established Stormwatch characters (with the exception of Jackson King and the Weatherman, Henry Bendix) to focus on his newly introduced characters Jenny Sparks and Jack Hawksmore.

The artwork is adequate in this book, certainly better than the two previous Stormwatch books. In particular, the Jenny Sparks story, where she describes her life is wonderful, with the artwork changing styles to in a homage to the comics of the decade being described.

Whilst the stories are one-offs, they do tie into the main Stormwatch continuity with Jackson Kings story setting up future conflict between America and Stormwatch and Rose Tattoo's story directly leading onto the events in "Change or Die". As a result, its not an essential purchase for non hardcore Stormwatch/Authority fans (I left it until the last of my Stormwatch/Authority purchases).

However the Jenny Sparks life history and Bendix journal stories make this well worth the cost of purchase and certainly essential for fans.

Focus on character development in a mature superhero world., 27 Feb 2001
The Wildstorm world is like our own, but with higher technology and a history of superhumans. The United Nations has its own superhuman crisis unit, Stormwatch, who do whatever it takes to combat superhuman threats (hint: their opponents hardly ever end up in prison). This is the second of four volumes collecting the issues written by Warren Ellis which led up to the excellent 'The Authority' title. Much of this volume is taken up with stories focusing on individual team members. Jack Hawksmoor has a detective story in New York, drawing out the abilities of one of the strangest superheroes ever. Jenny Sparks tells Jackson King the story of her nearly 100-year life, with different decades drawn in the appropriate comic/cartoon art style. King, aka Battalion, gets a rumble with some terrorists. We get a lot of character development as established team members go out on a social trip, with humour that's lacking in the other stories here (and a couple of pages in the wrong order, which was confusing), while the ongoing plot with commander Henry Bendix simmers in the background. Finally there's a rather throwaway episode with some of the team in action exploring a hidden complex. Artwork and story are good throughout. It's definitely a stage on the way from somewhere to somewhere else, getting us closer to the characters before the stuff hits the fan in the next volume.

Violent, realistic, great, 13 Aug 1999
I've just picked up reading comics again after a couple of years off and when I finished reading "Change or Die" I went on a buying spree, searching for everything with Stormwatch - the UN special crisis intervention team of superhumans.

This comic is telling a story of trust, power, love and betrayal.

The artwork is decent but the best thing about this book is the story. For one thing, it's pretty realistic and differs in this way from most Marvel/DC superhero-stuff I've read. Stormwatch really kick serious butt when they go on a mission. People do get hurt when a superstrong person punches them with all their might...

Politics and Superheroes and Insanity...oh my!, 25 Jun 1999
One of the strongest trends within superhero stories over the last 20 years has been the superhero with too much power...Dark Knight Returns, Watchmen, Squadron Supreme, and Kingdom Come all mined that territory. With all that power, should a superhero or group of superheroes have the right to make decisions for the rest of the world? What Ellis has done in Change or Die is make it feel a lot closer to our own reality. Rather than setting it in the future or an alternate universe, he has set Change or Die in the mainstream continuity of a major superhero universe, using characters and storylines that had been introduced over the previous few years. Also, by using Stormwatch, a UN sponsored superteam, he draws effective analogies to real life, raising the issue of superpower politics and ethics. The biggest problem with this collection is that it doesn't have the whole story, though. Warren came on to Stormwatch with issue #37, and this trade collects #48-50 of Volume I and #1-3 of Volume II. The entire arc building up to Change Or Die started the moment Warren began writing the book, and without the hints and suggestions layered throughout his run, you can't get quite as good an appreciation for what he's doing. Still, this was my favorite comic story of the late '90s, hands down.

Intelligent Superheroics, 01 Feb 2004
SW:TA is the re-launch of one of the original Image/Wildstorm titles. The original series is only memorable as the place Warren Ellis started redefining American superhero comics.

SW:TA writer Micah Ian Wright is blessed with a number of traits absent from the arsenal of almost all mainstream comic book writers. A few are witty. Some have a firm grasp of satire. Very few really know parody. Many can create engaging characters. Almost none understand farce. Wright embodies the writer that has it all, and he shows it in what is ostensibly an superhero/Tom Clancy comic.

The art could use a bit of work, but it gets tremendously better in Volume 2 when Whilce Portacio leaves the book.

Don't miss this book... it's high comedy with a superheroic bite.

solidly crafted, but bland, 14 Nov 2003
Well, I like the Stormwatch/Wildstorm universe, its premises, its particular characters and its excentrities - like not being shy of taking sides, killing people wholesale or kicking shins on real life issues.
But I cannot honestly say I like this book set in it.

As for the stories framework - while well and professionally drawn, neither the colours and lighting are captivating and thrilling, nor are they drab and somber enough (both equally acceptable variations to me, depending on story type and style ) to really pull the reader into the story.
As for the plot, it revolves around the early, forming activities of yet another "Stormwatch" team, this one distinctively " non-super-powered", although the characters ability, skills and composition do not really make this easy to distinguish - I mean, where is the big difference between characters going invisible or teleporting through "gadgets" to those doing it by "super-powered-MCGuffins" ???
To me, little....

As to the moralities, attitudes and methods showcased by the new "Stormwatch", well, they definitely are not the good, clean-shaven and soft-spoken type you come to expect from most super-power stories, even those set in the "Wildstorm" universe. Their uncaring attitude to the taking of life, bullying/torturing any opposition and commonplace summary execution of perpetrators (what else to call blasting off the head of a captured villain in cold blood to "provoke a reaction" ? ) may well be very "real-life"/clicheed Special forces attitude, but does nothing to make you like them.
Why ? Because they serve no just cause or higher ideal (at least none such is ever espoused, explained or cited), simply acting for the purpose and immediate necessity of "taking down" aka killing super powered beings because they are deemed stronger than, and threatening to the average human. If they stand in the way of "Stormwatch" anyone is fair game for the snipers, invisible, ahem, stealthed assassins and teleported bashers. While super-hero comics can be/often are chauvinist, "Team Achilles" sets a new highwater-mark....

Also the team is rather big - eight persons, and the style of drawing in combination with the uniform to be expected in a "special forces" outfit makes it hard to distinguish just what is happening to who at any moment... While varied at first glance, during the story each and everyone turns out to be a smart-ass, hardened and cynic "professional".... If you have to watch out for the scars to distinguish an Afro-American from a Finn (!) in a scene, something _has_ gone awry.

For an interesting team of bad guys, Team Achilles is far too bland, clicheed (very !) and self-righteous to be of more than passing interest, thereby spoiling even this angle of the story.

What you get is a well (if not exceptionally ) drawn story that may be amusing in a detached and cynic way for one or two readings, but gets bland after. Nothing you pull from the shelf years after, fondly remembering...