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A review by lookhome
The Planetary Omnibus by Warren Ellis
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.