Scan barcode
jekutree's review
5.0
Planetary is one of the best stories that the comics medium has to offer. It’s as simple as that. Comics such as League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and Black Hammer both do the same thing as Planetary, honor the fiction of the past while shining a new light on it. Planetary does it more subtly and crafts a unique story that can be enjoyed without understanding all the little references. But that’s what makes Planetary so great. The fact that all the little nuances and references allow for near unlimited re-readability.
The art and writing both feature Cassaday and Ellis at the tip tops of their games. Both crank out a product that is endlessly entertaining, rewarding and captivating. The characters are all very likable and the pastiches of The Fantastic Four, James Bond, John Constantine and Tarzan are among the most well done in my opinion. Even the original characters, are awesome. Elijah Snow is definitely in the running for coolest comic book characters of all time.
Ellis writes an amazingly creative narrative that also serves as a love letter to 20th century media and tells it in the most 21st century way.
Planetary is one of the greatest works of the comics medium and for that reason I’m giving it the easiest 10/10 I’ve ever given.
The art and writing both feature Cassaday and Ellis at the tip tops of their games. Both crank out a product that is endlessly entertaining, rewarding and captivating. The characters are all very likable and the pastiches of The Fantastic Four, James Bond, John Constantine and Tarzan are among the most well done in my opinion. Even the original characters, are awesome. Elijah Snow is definitely in the running for coolest comic book characters of all time.
Ellis writes an amazingly creative narrative that also serves as a love letter to 20th century media and tells it in the most 21st century way.
Planetary is one of the greatest works of the comics medium and for that reason I’m giving it the easiest 10/10 I’ve ever given.
jammasterjamie's review
5.0
I love when a story lives up to the hype, and this one absolutely does! An incredibly intricate, yet tightly told story that is complimented by top of the line art, I really can't think of anything that was wrong or bad about this book.
vartakhimanshu's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
lookhome's review
5.0
Ellis's writing is wonderful. There's no other way around this.
He not only creates wonderful characters, he creates worlds.
Planetary combines the best of Indiana Jones, the Matrix, 50's adventure films, Paris,Texas and Men In Black but does so while exploring the conventions and frailties of the genre.
Throughout the 25 volumes, you'll find alien technology, humour, adventure, angst, misery and the very real threat of human annihilation.
The reasons are clear, the plotting consistent, the character loveably awkward and delightfully flawed.
The superpowers play on superhero conventions without ever feeling false, sappy or fake edgy.
How is this possible? Ellis stories focused on characters whose actions create situations that rapidly expand from the individual, to the global, to the cosmic. He takes his time and he lets the reader understand and evaluate the situation as it expands, providing context and encounters that expand the main character's sense of identity while still fulfilling a purpose in the plot.
This is a true masterwork of Comic writing. For me, it's up there with Gaiman's Sandman, Moore's Swamp Thing and Vaughan's Y:The Last Man. While Injection continues to be my favourite Ellis work, this is a very close second.
Ps. Look for the not so subtle knocks at 80/90's comic characters, keep an eye out for Dream and Death's cameo as well as 3rd rate versions of the Swamp Thing and Etrigan the demon.
He not only creates wonderful characters, he creates worlds.
Planetary combines the best of Indiana Jones, the Matrix, 50's adventure films, Paris,Texas and Men In Black but does so while exploring the conventions and frailties of the genre.
Throughout the 25 volumes, you'll find alien technology, humour, adventure, angst, misery and the very real threat of human annihilation.
The reasons are clear, the plotting consistent, the character loveably awkward and delightfully flawed.
The superpowers play on superhero conventions without ever feeling false, sappy or fake edgy.
How is this possible? Ellis stories focused on characters whose actions create situations that rapidly expand from the individual, to the global, to the cosmic. He takes his time and he lets the reader understand and evaluate the situation as it expands, providing context and encounters that expand the main character's sense of identity while still fulfilling a purpose in the plot.
This is a true masterwork of Comic writing. For me, it's up there with Gaiman's Sandman, Moore's Swamp Thing and Vaughan's Y:The Last Man. While Injection continues to be my favourite Ellis work, this is a very close second.
Ps. Look for the not so subtle knocks at 80/90's comic characters, keep an eye out for Dream and Death's cameo as well as 3rd rate versions of the Swamp Thing and Etrigan the demon.
mjfmjfmjf's review
4.0
And that was a big ass book. Almost too heavy to read. But otherwise a pretty good form. I appreciated when the chapter breaks with the original book covers and the issue numbers. They could have done better for my needs with a table of contents. And maybe an actual issue number. The extra crossover bits worked pretty well. I can't say I'm a huge fan of Planetary after this. But it was an interesting world, that I'm glad I read. 3.5 of 5.
wedgelovespizza's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
jonmhansen's review
5.0
Classic Ellis. Quite the challenge spotting all the various homages to other comics figures.
ravenousbibliophile's review
5.0
Blurb: What you get when The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen & The DC Universe have a drug-fueled orgy.
I haven't binged through a Comic-book series in a long time, and while I might be late to the party in 2019, I'm glad that I binged on Planetary. The series delivers on its promise on turning the super-hero genre on its head; and it does so by embracing certain cliches (with modifications) and completely destroying the others. Like the members of Moore's League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, the members of Planetary are all steeped in grey, and it's been a while since I've come across a collection of characters who continue to develop and grow right until the very end.
Another aspect of the series is the level of intelligence it bestows upon its readers. Be it the inter-personal chemistry, the overarching story-line or the powers shown by the characters, the series doesn't spoon-feed you extraneous information, but tells you just enough to keep you interested in the contents of the next page. And while some might consider this a hassle, I for one loved it. However, from this positive, may also come a negative. In that there are several interesting aspects & characters of the story that are left unexplained. I say that it 'may' be a negative because some might find these moments of unsatisfied curiosity to be vexing, but not me. I'm perfectly satisfied with letting strange people with strange powers have strangely mysterious origin-stories. Because the world of Planetary is strange, and its characters try their damnedest to keep it that way.
P.S. : The series also has perhaps the most deliciously complicated and totally novel way of treating the principals of space-time continuum.
I haven't binged through a Comic-book series in a long time, and while I might be late to the party in 2019, I'm glad that I binged on Planetary. The series delivers on its promise on turning the super-hero genre on its head; and it does so by embracing certain cliches (with modifications) and completely destroying the others. Like the members of Moore's League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, the members of Planetary are all steeped in grey, and it's been a while since I've come across a collection of characters who continue to develop and grow right until the very end.
Another aspect of the series is the level of intelligence it bestows upon its readers. Be it the inter-personal chemistry, the overarching story-line or the powers shown by the characters, the series doesn't spoon-feed you extraneous information, but tells you just enough to keep you interested in the contents of the next page. And while some might consider this a hassle, I for one loved it. However, from this positive, may also come a negative. In that there are several interesting aspects & characters of the story that are left unexplained. I say that it 'may' be a negative because some might find these moments of unsatisfied curiosity to be vexing, but not me. I'm perfectly satisfied with letting strange people with strange powers have strangely mysterious origin-stories. Because the world of Planetary is strange, and its characters try their damnedest to keep it that way.
P.S. : The series also has perhaps the most deliciously complicated and totally novel way of treating the principals of space-time continuum.
rikki's review
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0