Comic Review- The Wild Storm

[bedsitter23]

The Wild Storm #1 by Warren Ellis

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


DC having not done much worthwhile with the WildStorm universe has decided for a big bang by bringing Warren Ellis in to write the relaunch.

I loved the 90s WildStorm books which were of course drawn by people like Jim Lee (the creator) and people who drew like Jim Lee, but also had a great stable of writers. These were great books- WildCATS as written by Alan Moore and later Joe Casey, Stormwatch by Warren Ellis, Authority by Ellis, and later Mark Millar, Planetary by Ellis, Voodoo by Moore, and I am probably forgetting some. These were great, memorable titles. The funny thing is I am not particularly nostalgic for these titles, and I mean insomuch as I don't know that DC needs to bring them back.

I may be showing some of my bias (I should recognize my own bias because I often criticize others' biases)- the main one being I prefer titles about individuals to team titles. I have always preferred that. Also, as much as it pains me to say this, it's hard to compare these characters to their peers in the Marvel universe who are much better known.

But it's also I feel that the time has passed. it was a great time where Moore was cementing his comic legend and Millar and Ellis were building theirs. I am much more nostalgic for some of the other titles Lee put out at that time. I can name a half dozen I loved and barely skim the surface- Promethea, Ex Machina, Astro City, Top Ten, Red, Leave it to Chance, Global Frequency, not to mention Danger girl, the Maxx and Strangers in Paradise.

Anyway, we're here now, so how is the relaunch?

It's pretty dang good. Jon Davis-Hunt is a perfect artist for a work like this. It's a very clean comic, well in line some previous WildStorm stuff, which makes it feel like a movie on comic pages.

It's now 20 years since most of us have been reading Ellis, and so with each subsequent title, we tend to be less shocked and awed. That said, it's a strong start. It's accessible and it leaves with an appropriate cliffhanger. I am unsure where this headed (though I have seen some ideas), but it works perfectly as an introductory work.

The story grabbed me at the beginning and left me at the end wondering where things were going. I no doubt would be buying issue 2 based on his previous work, but it did compel me to see what happened next. It felt fresh even when by the very nature of superhero comics has to travel down some very familiar tropes. I felt that it worked well across the board- plotting, characterization, dialogue, etc. - and again I think Davis-Hunt is a good fit for this particular book.

So with all that said, I was impressed. I am trying to avoid clichés like Ellis still has it (not that he ever lost it), but I feel this one will be a standout. Also, to look at it from the other angle, I doubt this would work as well in anyone's else hands. Now, given his track record, Ellis might move on quickly, so I hope he stays as this is a keeper.



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