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the_graylien's review
3.0
What do you get when you keep a man awake for a year? Read this and find out.
jgkeely's review
4.0
Another self-centered, curmudgeonly asshole protagonist from Ellis, so why do I always find them so charming? Well, it's always good to write what you know. The albino thing seems to be a pattern, too: Elijah Snow, Jones, then Fell (at least on the covers). You can never escape the wrath of the Evil Albino.
Well-written, as usual, especially after suffering through the New Vegas one-shot. Then again, Ellis has a great artist behind him. Williams' characters are emotionally responsive, recognizable, and interesting, and the way he changes the art style with the mood gives a pleasing variety without straying too far from the characteristic look of the book.
I'm hesitant to mention, due to 'can't unsee', though maybe it's just me, but Williams' hands always look off. There's a lack of depth and internal structure there that I found ceaselessly annoying, especially in comparison to his great faces and design work. They say the measure of an artist is how he draws the hands, but Williams is much better than his hands would indicate.
I mentioned Ellis' love for unlovable characters, but Jones takes it in a whole new sociopathic direction. He's beyond antihero, he's more like a charming, downtrodden villain who we sympathize with because he's fighting people worse than himself.
Ellis is definitely pushing the boundary in this neo-noir spy story, and doing it well, because Jones' heartlessness isn't played for shock value; somehow, callousness ends up as the emotional center of the story.
The 'ugly men, beautiful women' characters get a bit annoying, especially when Jones starts collecting a strong-women harem, something else Ellis is fond of, though he fights off the urge doggedly. The plotting is a bit abrupt, but there are indications that he was working toward a larger arc. Too bad he'll probably never get there.
Ah well, I long ago learned to appreciate what I do get instead of driving myself mad over what could have been (except for the Moebius/Jodorowski European Dune; that still smarts). Desolation Jones is a good book, even if Ellis never gets back to it. It's not his strongest work, and despite some similarity in style with other Ellis stories, it stands on its own.
My Suggested Reading In Comics
Well-written, as usual, especially after suffering through the New Vegas one-shot. Then again, Ellis has a great artist behind him. Williams' characters are emotionally responsive, recognizable, and interesting, and the way he changes the art style with the mood gives a pleasing variety without straying too far from the characteristic look of the book.
I'm hesitant to mention, due to 'can't unsee', though maybe it's just me, but Williams' hands always look off. There's a lack of depth and internal structure there that I found ceaselessly annoying, especially in comparison to his great faces and design work. They say the measure of an artist is how he draws the hands, but Williams is much better than his hands would indicate.
I mentioned Ellis' love for unlovable characters, but Jones takes it in a whole new sociopathic direction. He's beyond antihero, he's more like a charming, downtrodden villain who we sympathize with because he's fighting people worse than himself.
Ellis is definitely pushing the boundary in this neo-noir spy story, and doing it well, because Jones' heartlessness isn't played for shock value; somehow, callousness ends up as the emotional center of the story.
The 'ugly men, beautiful women' characters get a bit annoying, especially when Jones starts collecting a strong-women harem, something else Ellis is fond of, though he fights off the urge doggedly. The plotting is a bit abrupt, but there are indications that he was working toward a larger arc. Too bad he'll probably never get there.
Ah well, I long ago learned to appreciate what I do get instead of driving myself mad over what could have been (except for the Moebius/Jodorowski European Dune; that still smarts). Desolation Jones is a good book, even if Ellis never gets back to it. It's not his strongest work, and despite some similarity in style with other Ellis stories, it stands on its own.
My Suggested Reading In Comics
dulfbarglin's review
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
booknooknoggin's review
3.0
I wonder how many times the phrase "Hitler's Homemade Porn" was used in this trade? I remember reading it so many times, but seriously this wasn't too bad. Written by Warren Ellis about a man who was created to feel no pain, and used to work for the UK's Special mission squad.
ehawk's review
5.0
Excellent story, dark and distubring, with vivid artwork that does the story justice. Loved this.
marksutherland's review
3.0
This must be Ellis at peak miserable dirty old man. The pitch is Bond gets subjected to IPCRESS then put out to pasture as a diamond hard boiled detective in LA where all the other washed up spooks get dumped. There is a lot to like here, particularly the art work, but ultimately it's a bummer of a story that lives up to its name.
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