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Planetary #1-4
Absolute Planetary
Planetary has been hailed as a timeless story that turned modern superhero conventions on their heads.
Written by Warren Ellis (Transmetropolitan) and with stunning art by John Cassaday (Astonishing X-Men), this critically acclaimed, landmark series took a look at the inter-dimensional peace-keeping force known as Planetary.
The trio on the ground includes Elijah Snow, a hundred-year-old man, Jakita Wagner, an extremely powerful woman, and The Drummer, a man with the ability to communicate with machines. Tasked with tracking down evidence of super-human activity, these mystery archaeologists uncover unknown paranormal secrets and histories, such as a World War II supercomputer that can access other universes, a ghostly spirit of vengeance, and a lost island of dying monsters.
Collecting: Planetary 1-27, Preview; Planetary/Authority: Ruling the World; Planetary/JLA: Terra Occulta; Planetary/Batman: Night on Earth
Written by Warren Ellis (Transmetropolitan) and with stunning art by John Cassaday (Astonishing X-Men), this critically acclaimed, landmark series took a look at the inter-dimensional peace-keeping force known as Planetary.
The trio on the ground includes Elijah Snow, a hundred-year-old man, Jakita Wagner, an extremely powerful woman, and The Drummer, a man with the ability to communicate with machines. Tasked with tracking down evidence of super-human activity, these mystery archaeologists uncover unknown paranormal secrets and histories, such as a World War II supercomputer that can access other universes, a ghostly spirit of vengeance, and a lost island of dying monsters.
Collecting: Planetary 1-27, Preview; Planetary/Authority: Ruling the World; Planetary/JLA: Terra Occulta; Planetary/Batman: Night on Earth
664 pages, Hardcover
First published December 8, 2011
92 people are currently reading
2278 people want to read
About the author
Warren Ellis
1,971 books5,765 followersWarren Ellis is the award-winning writer of graphic novels like TRANSMETROPOLITAN, FELL, MINISTRY OF SPACE and PLANETARY, and the author of the NYT-bestselling GUN MACHINE and the “underground classic” novel CROOKED LITTLE VEIN, as well as the digital short-story single DEAD PIG COLLECTOR. His newest book is the novella NORMAL, from FSG Originals, listed as one of Amazon’s Best 100 Books Of 2016.
The movie RED is based on his graphic novel of the same name, its sequel having been released in summer 2013. IRON MAN 3 is based on his Marvel Comics graphic novel IRON MAN: EXTREMIS. He is currently developing his graphic novel sequence with Jason Howard, TREES, for television, in concert with HardySonBaker and NBCU, and continues to work as a screenwriter and producer in film and television, represented by Angela Cheng Caplan and Cheng Caplan Company. He is the creator, writer and co-producer of the Netflix series CASTLEVANIA, recently renewed for its third season, and of the recently-announced Netflix series HEAVEN’S FOREST.
He’s written extensively for VICE, WIRED UK and Reuters on technological and cultural matters, and given keynote speeches and lectures at events like dConstruct, ThingsCon, Improving Reality, SxSW, How The Light Gets In, Haunted Machines and Cognitive Cities.
Warren Ellis has recently developed and curated the revival of the Wildstorm creative library for DC Entertainment with the series THE WILD STORM, and is currently working on the serialising of new graphic novel works TREES: THREE FATES and INJECTION at Image Comics, and the serialised graphic novel THE BATMAN’S GRAVE for DC Comics, while working as a Consulting Producer on another television series.
A documentary about his work, CAPTURED GHOSTS, was released in 2012.
Recognitions include the NUIG Literary and Debating Society’s President’s Medal for service to freedom of speech, the EAGLE AWARDS Roll Of Honour for lifetime achievement in the field of comics & graphic novels, the Grand Prix de l’Imaginaire 2010, the Sidewise Award for Alternate History and the International Horror Guild Award for illustrated narrative. He is a Patron of Humanists UK. He holds an honorary doctorate from the University of Essex.
Warren Ellis lives outside London, on the south-east coast of England, in case he needs to make a quick getaway.
The movie RED is based on his graphic novel of the same name, its sequel having been released in summer 2013. IRON MAN 3 is based on his Marvel Comics graphic novel IRON MAN: EXTREMIS. He is currently developing his graphic novel sequence with Jason Howard, TREES, for television, in concert with HardySonBaker and NBCU, and continues to work as a screenwriter and producer in film and television, represented by Angela Cheng Caplan and Cheng Caplan Company. He is the creator, writer and co-producer of the Netflix series CASTLEVANIA, recently renewed for its third season, and of the recently-announced Netflix series HEAVEN’S FOREST.
He’s written extensively for VICE, WIRED UK and Reuters on technological and cultural matters, and given keynote speeches and lectures at events like dConstruct, ThingsCon, Improving Reality, SxSW, How The Light Gets In, Haunted Machines and Cognitive Cities.
Warren Ellis has recently developed and curated the revival of the Wildstorm creative library for DC Entertainment with the series THE WILD STORM, and is currently working on the serialising of new graphic novel works TREES: THREE FATES and INJECTION at Image Comics, and the serialised graphic novel THE BATMAN’S GRAVE for DC Comics, while working as a Consulting Producer on another television series.
A documentary about his work, CAPTURED GHOSTS, was released in 2012.
Recognitions include the NUIG Literary and Debating Society’s President’s Medal for service to freedom of speech, the EAGLE AWARDS Roll Of Honour for lifetime achievement in the field of comics & graphic novels, the Grand Prix de l’Imaginaire 2010, the Sidewise Award for Alternate History and the International Horror Guild Award for illustrated narrative. He is a Patron of Humanists UK. He holds an honorary doctorate from the University of Essex.
Warren Ellis lives outside London, on the south-east coast of England, in case he needs to make a quick getaway.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 369 reviews
June 27, 2023
I read the complete series of Planetary and the specials all in comic book format. Planetary is a world wide organisation of archaeologists aiming to uncover the secret superhuman history of Earth. Elijah Snow, Ambrose Chase, The Drummer and Jakita Wagner are the frontline team that over time discover that there is an opposing force intent on keeping the the secret history secret. Another innovative and worthy of the appellation 'cult' series by the UK born writer Warren Ellis. A Four Star, 9 out of 12 rating earned on re-reading.
2017 and 2011 read
2017 and 2011 read
September 5, 2024
Elijah Snow is recruited for Planetary, a secret group of archaeologists uncovering the secret history of the 20th century. But who is the mysterious Fourth Man of Planetary? And why are there gaps in Snow's memory?
I read the first few issues of Planetary in singles as they were published. Frankly, I didn't appreciate it as much as I should have, probably because I didn't get a lot of the references. Now, almost twenty years later, I'm reading the big honkin' omnibus I've had in my possession for at least a couple years.
Planetary is both a love letter to comics and an examination of what super beings with access to advanced technology would do in the real world. Why isn't Reed Richards using his knowledge to change the world? Maybe he is and you're just not aware of it. There's a conspiracy behind everything and the super humans are pulling the strings. That's the core premise of Planetary, as I see it as of the 35% mark. There might be changes farther down in the review since I'm cobbling this one as I go. There's a lot of shit to keep track of in almost 900 pages.
Planetary takes place in the Wildstorm Universe, so The Bleed is prominently featured. Stormwatch is mentioned but I think that's pretty much it. Planetary is largely its own animal, a tangled web of conspiracies going back a hundred years.
There are analogues and homages galore, starting with the first issue. Planetary finds a secret cavern in the Aidirondack mountains with Doc Brass, a Doc Savage analogue, inside. Brass is crippled and has been awake for over 50 years, watching the gate some of his mystery man companions created in the 40s. Brass is straight out of the Bama cover Doc Savage books, complete with widow's peaked hair resembling a skull cap.
From there, Planetary keep digging and Snow keeps getting more and more suspicious. I noticed references to all sorts of characters: Fu Manchu, The Shadow, Tarzan, the Fantastic Four, Constantine, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, Superman, Nick Fury, and the Hulk, and that was just in the first third of the book. Sherlock Holmes, Captain Nemo, Carnacki, and others were also in attendance. I'd read an annotated version of Planetary just to see all the references I'm missing. The Planetary has things in common with The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Philip Jose Farmer's Wold Newton universe, and the X-Files.
Many of the issues were self-contained, a rarity in this day and age. Then again, the series did start almost 20 years ago. There's some decompression but nothing like today. John Cassady's art is decent but nothing I'd compose a sonnet about. Ellis' writing shows a love for comics and their progenitors, the pulps, but also an exasperation that super beings would spend so much time punching each other instead of fixing the world. The weirdness level is high but it's a coherent weirdness, more or less.
As Snow gets closer and closer to going up against the Four, things pick up and I had to restrain myself from going into seclusion to devour it. When the Arthur C. Clarke by way of Jack Kirby event happened, it was agony to put the book down. The sheer scope of Planetary is impressive. The truth behind the Four makes me think twice about Mister Fantastic's intentions that fateful day.
The ending was good, though a little anticlimactic. Also, I didn't know a fourth of the book was going to be crossovers outside of the main Planetary tale. Fortunately, the crossovers were very well done. Planetary teams with The Authority, meets versions of Batman from across the multiverse, and a future version of The Planetary go up against the Planetary earth versions of Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman. Honestly, my only gripe with the crossovers is that they weren't placed chronologically in the book.
And now that I've finished this kitten squisher of a tome, I've got a Planetary-shaped void in my life. Planetary takes some over the top concepts common to comics, ratchets them up, and places them in the background of a slow-burning detective story. There's not much else like it out there. I'm glad I have this massive version of it so I can read it again in years to come.
24 reread I still like this book quite a bit but some of the shine has worn off the penny. The main story simultaneously manages to feel too long and too short. Ellis is at the intersection of Alan Moore and Grant Morrison but not in a complementary way. There are lots of amazing ideas in this but the story around them manages to be uninteresting at times. Ellis takes the long way around and somehow rushes in the climax in three issues.
Like I said, I still like the book quite a bit but it's very much an idea book. Picking out the analogs is still great fun. I didn't equate Opak-Re with Wakanda the first time through, for example. My favorite bits the first time around were my favorite bits this time around.
Was some of my reading colored by Ellis being outed as a sex pest? I don't really think so. I think my changing feelings are partly the accumulated cynicism of age and partly simply shifting tastes.
I'm still giving this a four but it'll be a while before I read it again.
I read the first few issues of Planetary in singles as they were published. Frankly, I didn't appreciate it as much as I should have, probably because I didn't get a lot of the references. Now, almost twenty years later, I'm reading the big honkin' omnibus I've had in my possession for at least a couple years.
Planetary is both a love letter to comics and an examination of what super beings with access to advanced technology would do in the real world. Why isn't Reed Richards using his knowledge to change the world? Maybe he is and you're just not aware of it. There's a conspiracy behind everything and the super humans are pulling the strings. That's the core premise of Planetary, as I see it as of the 35% mark. There might be changes farther down in the review since I'm cobbling this one as I go. There's a lot of shit to keep track of in almost 900 pages.
Planetary takes place in the Wildstorm Universe, so The Bleed is prominently featured. Stormwatch is mentioned but I think that's pretty much it. Planetary is largely its own animal, a tangled web of conspiracies going back a hundred years.
There are analogues and homages galore, starting with the first issue. Planetary finds a secret cavern in the Aidirondack mountains with Doc Brass, a Doc Savage analogue, inside. Brass is crippled and has been awake for over 50 years, watching the gate some of his mystery man companions created in the 40s. Brass is straight out of the Bama cover Doc Savage books, complete with widow's peaked hair resembling a skull cap.
From there, Planetary keep digging and Snow keeps getting more and more suspicious. I noticed references to all sorts of characters: Fu Manchu, The Shadow, Tarzan, the Fantastic Four, Constantine, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, Superman, Nick Fury, and the Hulk, and that was just in the first third of the book. Sherlock Holmes, Captain Nemo, Carnacki, and others were also in attendance. I'd read an annotated version of Planetary just to see all the references I'm missing. The Planetary has things in common with The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Philip Jose Farmer's Wold Newton universe, and the X-Files.
Many of the issues were self-contained, a rarity in this day and age. Then again, the series did start almost 20 years ago. There's some decompression but nothing like today. John Cassady's art is decent but nothing I'd compose a sonnet about. Ellis' writing shows a love for comics and their progenitors, the pulps, but also an exasperation that super beings would spend so much time punching each other instead of fixing the world. The weirdness level is high but it's a coherent weirdness, more or less.
As Snow gets closer and closer to going up against the Four, things pick up and I had to restrain myself from going into seclusion to devour it. When the Arthur C. Clarke by way of Jack Kirby event happened, it was agony to put the book down. The sheer scope of Planetary is impressive. The truth behind the Four makes me think twice about Mister Fantastic's intentions that fateful day.
The ending was good, though a little anticlimactic. Also, I didn't know a fourth of the book was going to be crossovers outside of the main Planetary tale. Fortunately, the crossovers were very well done. Planetary teams with The Authority, meets versions of Batman from across the multiverse, and a future version of The Planetary go up against the Planetary earth versions of Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman. Honestly, my only gripe with the crossovers is that they weren't placed chronologically in the book.
And now that I've finished this kitten squisher of a tome, I've got a Planetary-shaped void in my life. Planetary takes some over the top concepts common to comics, ratchets them up, and places them in the background of a slow-burning detective story. There's not much else like it out there. I'm glad I have this massive version of it so I can read it again in years to come.
24 reread I still like this book quite a bit but some of the shine has worn off the penny. The main story simultaneously manages to feel too long and too short. Ellis is at the intersection of Alan Moore and Grant Morrison but not in a complementary way. There are lots of amazing ideas in this but the story around them manages to be uninteresting at times. Ellis takes the long way around and somehow rushes in the climax in three issues.
Like I said, I still like the book quite a bit but it's very much an idea book. Picking out the analogs is still great fun. I didn't equate Opak-Re with Wakanda the first time through, for example. My favorite bits the first time around were my favorite bits this time around.
Was some of my reading colored by Ellis being outed as a sex pest? I don't really think so. I think my changing feelings are partly the accumulated cynicism of age and partly simply shifting tastes.
I'm still giving this a four but it'll be a while before I read it again.
February 2, 2015
I thought that this would take me a few days to read. It's 800+ pages, and nearly every page is content: 27 regular issues of Planetary, a promotional issue, and three special crossover issues. It's a lot of comics. And I actually read it all in one day, because I just didn't want to stop reading.
This is in the same microgenre as The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, a new piece of fiction that functions, at least in part, as a collection of homages to fictional works of the past. Ellis's target is pulp fiction of the 20th century. Which is a great field, broad enough to include Tarzan and King Kong and Superman all at once. As a collection of homages, I think I like it better than Moore's takes on Victorian pulp. Moore could get carried away with himself, filling his books so full of references that they could become claustrophobic, where Ellis is somewhat more restrained. If Moore had done an issue revolving around a Godzilla-esque island of monsters, he would have specifically referenced twenty or thirty monsters instead of the three or so Ellis pays tribute to. It gives the story more room to be a story instead of just a scrapbook.
About that story. Planetary seems to be Ellis's expression of regret that superhero comics have entirely taken over the comics scene, leaving little room for the full breadth that pulp has been. I don't get the impression that Ellis dislikes superheroes as a general concept, only in some of the ways they've been used. And honestly, much of the book isn't even really about that anyways. Many of the issues are self-contained stories, dedicated to paying tribute to just one thing: kaiju, darkest Africa stories, etc.
I enjoyed this book enough that I read all 800+ pages in one day. I didn't expect that at all, even though I generally trust Ellis to deliver a well-written book. This is some particularly good stuff, even from him.
This is in the same microgenre as The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, a new piece of fiction that functions, at least in part, as a collection of homages to fictional works of the past. Ellis's target is pulp fiction of the 20th century. Which is a great field, broad enough to include Tarzan and King Kong and Superman all at once. As a collection of homages, I think I like it better than Moore's takes on Victorian pulp. Moore could get carried away with himself, filling his books so full of references that they could become claustrophobic, where Ellis is somewhat more restrained. If Moore had done an issue revolving around a Godzilla-esque island of monsters, he would have specifically referenced twenty or thirty monsters instead of the three or so Ellis pays tribute to. It gives the story more room to be a story instead of just a scrapbook.
About that story. Planetary seems to be Ellis's expression of regret that superhero comics have entirely taken over the comics scene, leaving little room for the full breadth that pulp has been. I don't get the impression that Ellis dislikes superheroes as a general concept, only in some of the ways they've been used. And honestly, much of the book isn't even really about that anyways. Many of the issues are self-contained stories, dedicated to paying tribute to just one thing: kaiju, darkest Africa stories, etc.
I enjoyed this book enough that I read all 800+ pages in one day. I didn't expect that at all, even though I generally trust Ellis to deliver a well-written book. This is some particularly good stuff, even from him.
February 27, 2025
What Neil Gaiman did for myths, legends and folk stories in Sandman, Warren Ellis did for the pulp fiction and pre-superhero genre literature.
Planetary was billed as a book that featured the archaeologists of the unknown, in a way, Ellis did dig into the pulp roots of superhero comics to give us a pretty expansive back story.
Although Planetary is about superheroes, it is also Ellis' statement on how superheroes have stunted the growth of comics. The industry once housed a variety of genres but only superhero books sell now. In a way, the series' main villains, the Four is a veiled pastiche of the Fantastic Four and Marvel Comics. The Four stunted humanity's growth, the way Marvel has flooded the market with superhero comics.
Another thought that came up to me while reading it was the similarities this book had with Grant Morrison's JLA run, except that Morrison is the champion of the superhero genre.
This wouldn't be the memorable work it is if it wasn't for John Cassaday's own contribution. The artist showed his mastery of sequential art in his 27 issue run. Truly, one of the best comics of the 21st Century.
Planetary was billed as a book that featured the archaeologists of the unknown, in a way, Ellis did dig into the pulp roots of superhero comics to give us a pretty expansive back story.
Although Planetary is about superheroes, it is also Ellis' statement on how superheroes have stunted the growth of comics. The industry once housed a variety of genres but only superhero books sell now. In a way, the series' main villains, the Four is a veiled pastiche of the Fantastic Four and Marvel Comics. The Four stunted humanity's growth, the way Marvel has flooded the market with superhero comics.
Another thought that came up to me while reading it was the similarities this book had with Grant Morrison's JLA run, except that Morrison is the champion of the superhero genre.
This wouldn't be the memorable work it is if it wasn't for John Cassaday's own contribution. The artist showed his mastery of sequential art in his 27 issue run. Truly, one of the best comics of the 21st Century.
September 28, 2014
Great read. Not really an Ellis or Cassaday fan, but this was something special. Different than what I expected in a good way. I am something of a blue collar geek and was afraid this might lean more towards a "Grant Morrison" or "Alan Moore" type of story. While both of them have written some classic stuff, I'm just not smart enough to get some of their work. Ellis's universe is smart without being overly obscure, confusing, or wordy and anyone with a general knowledge of pop culture will see the obvious nods to past genres or characters. Great new characters too. And the way Ellis tied the individual issues into one story towards the end was awesome. Cassaday has also won me over as his art was some of the best I've seen him do. Bought this based on the numerous recommendations read on this site and was not disappointed. The Omnibus contains the entire series including the JLA, Batman, and Authority crossovers in one beautiful book. I didn't feel the crossovers were as great as the series itself, but was glad that DC collected them here as part of book.
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Get this review and more at:
December 29, 2019
This is the pinnacle of comic book writing. I hadn't read Planetary since the original issues trickled out from 1999 to 2009. It still holds up as one of the best things I've ever read. Ellis has taken some of the most well known characters from literature and pop culture of the last hundred years and turned them on their head. They make up the secret history of the world that the Planetary team is trying to unearth.
And John Cassaday, what can I say about his art that hasn't already been said. He's one of the best artists working today. His artwork should be hanging from museum walls around the world. He's able to take each self contained issue and give it it's own feel and vibe, from Japanese monster movies to the glory days of Vertigo, this man can do it all.
And John Cassaday, what can I say about his art that hasn't already been said. He's one of the best artists working today. His artwork should be hanging from museum walls around the world. He's able to take each self contained issue and give it it's own feel and vibe, from Japanese monster movies to the glory days of Vertigo, this man can do it all.
September 17, 2022
9/10 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Si a Greg Egan le hubiese dado por hacer un cómic, seguramente se parecería mucho a este.
Con una base muy sólida de ciencia ficción, Warren Ellis (guionista), ofrece un relato de 27 números con la organización Planetary como protagonista. Estos se encargarán de investigar los secretos y rarezas del mundo, sucesos fantásticos o paranormales, siempre de la mano de la ciencia ficción. Sus componentes tienen extraños poderes, como convertir en hielo cualquier cosa solo con la mente (Sr. Snow), procesar y controlar información de las máquinas ("El Batería"), y algunos más clásicos como fuerza física y velocidad (Jakita).
Un dibujo espectacular de John Cassaday donde sorprenden las viñetas de acción o los efectos especiales, por así decirlo. Un humor gamberro, casi siempre del resultado de la vacilada de un personaje a otro, que me ha hecho reír mucho. Y dos números extra, independientes, donde Planetary visita el universo Batman. Siendo el segundo (Night on earth) Un homenaje a Batman buenísimo y muy original.
Un imprescindible del cómic.
“_El mundo es raro.
_Procuremos que siga así.”
Si a Greg Egan le hubiese dado por hacer un cómic, seguramente se parecería mucho a este.
Con una base muy sólida de ciencia ficción, Warren Ellis (guionista), ofrece un relato de 27 números con la organización Planetary como protagonista. Estos se encargarán de investigar los secretos y rarezas del mundo, sucesos fantásticos o paranormales, siempre de la mano de la ciencia ficción. Sus componentes tienen extraños poderes, como convertir en hielo cualquier cosa solo con la mente (Sr. Snow), procesar y controlar información de las máquinas ("El Batería"), y algunos más clásicos como fuerza física y velocidad (Jakita).
Un dibujo espectacular de John Cassaday donde sorprenden las viñetas de acción o los efectos especiales, por así decirlo. Un humor gamberro, casi siempre del resultado de la vacilada de un personaje a otro, que me ha hecho reír mucho. Y dos números extra, independientes, donde Planetary visita el universo Batman. Siendo el segundo (Night on earth) Un homenaje a Batman buenísimo y muy original.
Un imprescindible del cómic.
“_El mundo es raro.
_Procuremos que siga así.”
May 30, 2014
In this book, I found a great example of something difficult to capture.
So many books, comics especially, rely on creating a bizarre, almost trippy experience for the reader. Like Swamp Thing or Sandman, they take readers on a trip, almost trying to re-create in readers the sense of confusion and disorientation that the characters would feel.
I've always disliked that feeling. Or rather, I think it can get lazy here and there. If someone drugs Batman and he starts hallucinating, well, I just don't care anymore.
What Planetary does beautifully, it has science that's confusing as hell, and I suspect that even if I took a lot of time to plot it all out and make sense of it, a lot of it would still be complete nonsense anyway.
HOWEVER, the book has a heart to it. It's revealed slowly, not even coming in to play until much later. But as you progress just beyond half way you start seeing that there's a purpose to the weirdness. More importantly, you don't need to understand the weird science-y stuff to understand the emotional core of the book.
Which brings me to something else entirely.
Is a graphic novel review the right place to talk about a tragic shooting, the latest in a series of never-ending acts of violence we seem to be stuck with?
For me is it the right place? Yeah.
Here's the comparison I just want to make.
After every tragedy we spend a lot of time discussing why it happened. This time, the big theory has to do with some sort of misogyny machine that's operating in the background of human society all the time (please note that I'm not invalidating that as it's own issue, but..well, just humor me and keep going). In the past we've also discussed any number of other possibilities too. Violent video games. Music with dark lyrics. Mental illness is always a factor.
In Planetary, one of the goals was to get rid of these bastards known as The Four. The Planetary organization could have gone about this by trying to figure out their every motive, quirk, and origin. And certainly some of that happened, but more importantly, the goal was to remove The Four from their positions of power. If you can figure out where this asshole is going to show up next, you can launch him into space forever without knowing his personal philosophy. Done.
So here's what I'm saying: Does a big bad goal always require knowing the origin of the problem?
We can spend the rest of our (possibly foreshortened by violence) lives trying to figure out why these shootings happen. Why this guy did this, why he did that. We can try to suss out motives, find that common thread, and then prevent this in the future.
Again, I do think that these issues are important. I'm not invalidating the problems of misogyny or mental illness. They are important issues, even if nobody is ever shot again.
However, what I'm saying is that in this case, talking about the motives seems to distract us from the problem at hand.
The problem at hand is that nobody can keep us safe. Seriously. And I don't want to sound like a total conspiracy nut, but wouldn't it be nice, say as a lawmaker who is pro-gun, if the public turned to a discussion of feminism and misogyny as opposed to gun control? Because that's a conversation where there are no clear answers.
I mean, yes, the clear answer is Misogyny Bad. Duh. But what I mean is, the discussion gets insane. What IS misogyny? Is a misogynist someone who FEELS a certain way, or ACTS a certain way? Can we change how people FEEL? Look at all these examples of people treating each other like shit.
In one particularly appalling example from the New Statesman, an otherwise decent article is marred by this line:
This is not the first time that women and unlucky male bystanders have been massacred by men claiming sexual frustration as justification for their violence.
So you weren't a real victim. You were just an unlucky male bystander. Thanks. I'm sure a man's loved ones would appreciate that. It will probably be a big comfort to them, knowing that the death of someone they cared for was just a side effect.
And then, holy shit, we're not even really talking about a shooting anymore. We swirl off into something else, and it's good that we're having more discussion, but goddamn it, we're not solving these shootings. We're not. Have they decreased in scope? Frequency? Have we learned anything of importance from these shootings?
If there's something I'd like us to take from this one, a little something I learned from Planetary, it's this: We don't need to know the origin of the motive in order to stop these things from happening. Just as the Planetary folks didn't need to know about the personal philosophies of their enemies to try and stop them, we don't need to know the motive to stop this from happening. Or hell, at least slow it down. Make an effort.
Why hasn't a school said, "We only allow students in our school who have no access to guns"? That means no guns in the home. Hey, it's a constitutional right. And it's also a constitutional right to attend a different school.
If the NRA truly believes that guns don't kill people, people kill people, then why don't they put some of their considerable funding into setting up free mental health for youth? Show us. Show us that the world is still safe when it's full of guns but our emotional needs are met.
How is it that I was given access to guns at age 14 and this was perfectly legal? You aren't seen as being responsible enough to see Rated R movies, drive a car, even play the Powerball. Yet, here, have a gun. I wasn't responsible enough to handle my own boy parts. And those were FAR from capable of doing much harm, believe me.
Fuck, if people are proud to be card-carrying NRA members, why can't I get some kind of card that proves I DON'T own a gun? And then, hey, a business owner could choose to give me 10% off. I bet a movie theater in Aurora would probably be down with upgrading my popcorn from small-giant to medium-giant for free if I could show my non-gun card.
What I want to get across here, I'm ready to try some shit to solve this problem. What no longer interests me is the shooter's mindset. I am interested in the issues that face young people and how those issues are expressed through violence and treating people the wrong way. But for me, the priority is stopping this shit. I don't think that I, as the man I am, can solve the big problems. I can't solve misogyny. I can't solve the fact that bad parenting is a big, big deal. I can't overhaul the mental health industry of the United States. What I can do is my part. I can say that I'm willing to live in a town that doesn't have guns. Period. I'd be willing to submit to a background check and not purchase or own firearms if it meant my child was in a school where all the other parents of students had done the same. I'm willing to give up what some people interpret as my right in order to possibly, just for even a fraction of a silver of a chance, I'd give up a concrete right just for the very small hypothetical, mathematical improbability that it MIGHT save a stranger's life. In this case, when there's a demonstrable causation, I'm willing to give up a right that I have exercised in the past if it means the POSSIBILITY of making a small difference.
That's all.
Oh, and I guess definitely read Planetary.
So many books, comics especially, rely on creating a bizarre, almost trippy experience for the reader. Like Swamp Thing or Sandman, they take readers on a trip, almost trying to re-create in readers the sense of confusion and disorientation that the characters would feel.
I've always disliked that feeling. Or rather, I think it can get lazy here and there. If someone drugs Batman and he starts hallucinating, well, I just don't care anymore.
What Planetary does beautifully, it has science that's confusing as hell, and I suspect that even if I took a lot of time to plot it all out and make sense of it, a lot of it would still be complete nonsense anyway.
HOWEVER, the book has a heart to it. It's revealed slowly, not even coming in to play until much later. But as you progress just beyond half way you start seeing that there's a purpose to the weirdness. More importantly, you don't need to understand the weird science-y stuff to understand the emotional core of the book.
Which brings me to something else entirely.
Is a graphic novel review the right place to talk about a tragic shooting, the latest in a series of never-ending acts of violence we seem to be stuck with?
For me is it the right place? Yeah.
Here's the comparison I just want to make.
After every tragedy we spend a lot of time discussing why it happened. This time, the big theory has to do with some sort of misogyny machine that's operating in the background of human society all the time (please note that I'm not invalidating that as it's own issue, but..well, just humor me and keep going). In the past we've also discussed any number of other possibilities too. Violent video games. Music with dark lyrics. Mental illness is always a factor.
In Planetary, one of the goals was to get rid of these bastards known as The Four. The Planetary organization could have gone about this by trying to figure out their every motive, quirk, and origin. And certainly some of that happened, but more importantly, the goal was to remove The Four from their positions of power. If you can figure out where this asshole is going to show up next, you can launch him into space forever without knowing his personal philosophy. Done.
So here's what I'm saying: Does a big bad goal always require knowing the origin of the problem?
We can spend the rest of our (possibly foreshortened by violence) lives trying to figure out why these shootings happen. Why this guy did this, why he did that. We can try to suss out motives, find that common thread, and then prevent this in the future.
Again, I do think that these issues are important. I'm not invalidating the problems of misogyny or mental illness. They are important issues, even if nobody is ever shot again.
However, what I'm saying is that in this case, talking about the motives seems to distract us from the problem at hand.
The problem at hand is that nobody can keep us safe. Seriously. And I don't want to sound like a total conspiracy nut, but wouldn't it be nice, say as a lawmaker who is pro-gun, if the public turned to a discussion of feminism and misogyny as opposed to gun control? Because that's a conversation where there are no clear answers.
I mean, yes, the clear answer is Misogyny Bad. Duh. But what I mean is, the discussion gets insane. What IS misogyny? Is a misogynist someone who FEELS a certain way, or ACTS a certain way? Can we change how people FEEL? Look at all these examples of people treating each other like shit.
In one particularly appalling example from the New Statesman, an otherwise decent article is marred by this line:
This is not the first time that women and unlucky male bystanders have been massacred by men claiming sexual frustration as justification for their violence.
So you weren't a real victim. You were just an unlucky male bystander. Thanks. I'm sure a man's loved ones would appreciate that. It will probably be a big comfort to them, knowing that the death of someone they cared for was just a side effect.
And then, holy shit, we're not even really talking about a shooting anymore. We swirl off into something else, and it's good that we're having more discussion, but goddamn it, we're not solving these shootings. We're not. Have they decreased in scope? Frequency? Have we learned anything of importance from these shootings?
If there's something I'd like us to take from this one, a little something I learned from Planetary, it's this: We don't need to know the origin of the motive in order to stop these things from happening. Just as the Planetary folks didn't need to know about the personal philosophies of their enemies to try and stop them, we don't need to know the motive to stop this from happening. Or hell, at least slow it down. Make an effort.
Why hasn't a school said, "We only allow students in our school who have no access to guns"? That means no guns in the home. Hey, it's a constitutional right. And it's also a constitutional right to attend a different school.
If the NRA truly believes that guns don't kill people, people kill people, then why don't they put some of their considerable funding into setting up free mental health for youth? Show us. Show us that the world is still safe when it's full of guns but our emotional needs are met.
How is it that I was given access to guns at age 14 and this was perfectly legal? You aren't seen as being responsible enough to see Rated R movies, drive a car, even play the Powerball. Yet, here, have a gun. I wasn't responsible enough to handle my own boy parts. And those were FAR from capable of doing much harm, believe me.
Fuck, if people are proud to be card-carrying NRA members, why can't I get some kind of card that proves I DON'T own a gun? And then, hey, a business owner could choose to give me 10% off. I bet a movie theater in Aurora would probably be down with upgrading my popcorn from small-giant to medium-giant for free if I could show my non-gun card.
What I want to get across here, I'm ready to try some shit to solve this problem. What no longer interests me is the shooter's mindset. I am interested in the issues that face young people and how those issues are expressed through violence and treating people the wrong way. But for me, the priority is stopping this shit. I don't think that I, as the man I am, can solve the big problems. I can't solve misogyny. I can't solve the fact that bad parenting is a big, big deal. I can't overhaul the mental health industry of the United States. What I can do is my part. I can say that I'm willing to live in a town that doesn't have guns. Period. I'd be willing to submit to a background check and not purchase or own firearms if it meant my child was in a school where all the other parents of students had done the same. I'm willing to give up what some people interpret as my right in order to possibly, just for even a fraction of a silver of a chance, I'd give up a concrete right just for the very small hypothetical, mathematical improbability that it MIGHT save a stranger's life. In this case, when there's a demonstrable causation, I'm willing to give up a right that I have exercised in the past if it means the POSSIBILITY of making a small difference.
That's all.
Oh, and I guess definitely read Planetary.
July 20, 2015
A fantastic book, which should have more recognition.
I think this is definitely Ellis' best. A complicated yet satisfying story with plenty to keep you entertained and thinking.
I think this is definitely Ellis' best. A complicated yet satisfying story with plenty to keep you entertained and thinking.
April 18, 2015
I'm sure I'm not saying anything other people haven't said before, but Planetary is astoundingly good. Like, really, really good.
The story begins quite simply, with a series of done-in-one stories that are awesome, but don't seem to have much connective tissue, before dovetailing into a massive conspiracy that has the three main characters traveling the world and discovering wonders that bring them closer to their ultimate goal which is at once enormously important and deeply personal. The three main characters are varied and brilliant, from the enigmatic Elijah Snow who at first seems to be the outsider but is anything but, Jakita Wagner who likes beating stuff up or she gets bored, and my personal favourite, The Drummer, who can tap into the informational signals of the entire planet, but is a little...quirky, to say the least.
The 27 issues of the main series culminate spectacularly, and being collected together here enables you to enjoy everything all in one go and then go back and see how it all links together right from the beginning.
Also included are the three Planetary crossover specials. The Authority crossover is pretty much a no-brainer since their mandate is similar and of course Warren Ellis pretty much created them too. It's a shame the two teams don't exactly meet during the crossover, because that could have been enormous fun otherwise. There's a JLA crossover set on an alternate Earth which is various levels of depressing, but my favourite is the Batman crossover that sees the Planetary team dealing with a multiverse-full of Batmen as they try to track down a criminal. It's all excellent stuff, and holds up next to the main series very well.
John Cassaday pencils all 27 issues of the main series, and he's at the top of his game here. No dodgy faces or rushed pencil lines like some of his more current work, and he also draws the Batman crossover. The Authority special is pencilled by Phil Jimenez of Infinite Crisis fame, which is of course a treat, and Jerry Ordway's more retro style is appropriate for the JLA crossover too, reminding me more of George Perez than anything else actually.
Planetary is one of those books that only comes along once in a blue moon, when someone has the idea to really try and explore something different within the comics medium. It's not a straight up superhero book, it's not just plain sci-fi, there are even a few horror elements too. It really is a fantastic showing of what comics can achieve when the writer and artist are in perfect synch and have a clear idea of what they're doing before they even start. Do yourself a favour if you like comics at all, and go read Planetary.
The story begins quite simply, with a series of done-in-one stories that are awesome, but don't seem to have much connective tissue, before dovetailing into a massive conspiracy that has the three main characters traveling the world and discovering wonders that bring them closer to their ultimate goal which is at once enormously important and deeply personal. The three main characters are varied and brilliant, from the enigmatic Elijah Snow who at first seems to be the outsider but is anything but, Jakita Wagner who likes beating stuff up or she gets bored, and my personal favourite, The Drummer, who can tap into the informational signals of the entire planet, but is a little...quirky, to say the least.
The 27 issues of the main series culminate spectacularly, and being collected together here enables you to enjoy everything all in one go and then go back and see how it all links together right from the beginning.
Also included are the three Planetary crossover specials. The Authority crossover is pretty much a no-brainer since their mandate is similar and of course Warren Ellis pretty much created them too. It's a shame the two teams don't exactly meet during the crossover, because that could have been enormous fun otherwise. There's a JLA crossover set on an alternate Earth which is various levels of depressing, but my favourite is the Batman crossover that sees the Planetary team dealing with a multiverse-full of Batmen as they try to track down a criminal. It's all excellent stuff, and holds up next to the main series very well.
John Cassaday pencils all 27 issues of the main series, and he's at the top of his game here. No dodgy faces or rushed pencil lines like some of his more current work, and he also draws the Batman crossover. The Authority special is pencilled by Phil Jimenez of Infinite Crisis fame, which is of course a treat, and Jerry Ordway's more retro style is appropriate for the JLA crossover too, reminding me more of George Perez than anything else actually.
Planetary is one of those books that only comes along once in a blue moon, when someone has the idea to really try and explore something different within the comics medium. It's not a straight up superhero book, it's not just plain sci-fi, there are even a few horror elements too. It really is a fantastic showing of what comics can achieve when the writer and artist are in perfect synch and have a clear idea of what they're doing before they even start. Do yourself a favour if you like comics at all, and go read Planetary.
December 7, 2016
So I'm not done. In fact I'm only 200 pages in. But it's neither Transmetropolitan nor can I continue at this point. Gonna shelve it for now and pick up again later. It does have potential though, and nods to Top 10, Multiversity, and Final Crisis.
March 3, 2015
The start is weird and hard to understand, but if you stick around you start grabbing bits and pieces here and there until it mostly start making sense. It does stay weird the whole time but a good kind of weird. This is definitly not your standard super hero.
One nice feature ( although in the context of an Omnibus it doesn't matter much) most of the collected issues are standalone while at the same time revealing a little of the bigger plot.
As for the art it is just top notch.
Overall, provided you are willing to invest in the story and are not looking for a quick easy read, this is a very rewarding experience.
One nice feature ( although in the context of an Omnibus it doesn't matter much) most of the collected issues are standalone while at the same time revealing a little of the bigger plot.
As for the art it is just top notch.
Overall, provided you are willing to invest in the story and are not looking for a quick easy read, this is a very rewarding experience.
February 7, 2020
Que raro no haber oído hablar antes de este espectacular cómic. Totalmente recomendable.
June 24, 2020
Warren Ellis puts a dark X-Files spin on a century of pop culture heroes. The three members of the Planetary field team pry into the secret history of their world with eerie and disturbing short stories that pay homage and cruelly tweak pastiche versions of classic characters like Sherlock Holmes, Tarzan, Doc Savage, and the Lone Ranger as well as superheroes like the Hulk, Fantastic Four, Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman. Everything slowly threads together into an epic showdown.
Ellis at his best.
Unfortunately and coincidentally, the morning after I finished reading this monster, Twitter was all abuzz about Ellis at his worst, with allegations of him being a sexual predator flying about. A hero with a dark side? Talk about irony.
Ellis at his best.
Unfortunately and coincidentally, the morning after I finished reading this monster, Twitter was all abuzz about Ellis at his worst, with allegations of him being a sexual predator flying about. A hero with a dark side? Talk about irony.
January 31, 2015
Great art work and an intriguing story. Perhaps Warren Ellis' best work? Certainly the best of his that I have read. The story telling here gets you curious, waxes philosophical, and makes you think. We've probably all looked out at a sunset and paused to wonder at it's beauty. But, there is a similar wonder and curiosity that strikes the heart at the edges of the unknown. Space, aliens, scientific advances, and the curious people that create/find them. Ellis captures some of this with the help of Cassaday's excellent art work.
This is not a normal comic book. I loved the homage to Doc Savage, Jules Verne, and other classic sci-fi characters. :)
This is not a normal comic book. I loved the homage to Doc Savage, Jules Verne, and other classic sci-fi characters. :)
October 30, 2019
This omnibus contained the four awesome volumes of Planetary, and a few extra stories which were...meh. I really liked the story of Planetary. The three main characters were really cool. Mr Snow has a great story and his calm demeanor in the face of chaos made him my favorite character. Drummer seemed a bit useless at times but overall he was a fun character. I’m glad I found this copy at the library.
August 25, 2020
Elijah Snow, a man who is 100 years old and has the ability to control the weather, Jakita Wagner, a very powerful and incredibly fast woman, and The Drummer, a man who has the ability to communicate and control all the machines, together they make the trio of planetary. Planetary is an organization that uncovers the mysteries of the twentieth century. They call themselves "Archeologists of the impossible". In the first half of the book they mostly just go into places where something weird happened in the twentieth century and they learn some stuff about it. But then there's a huge plot twist and things get a lot more interesting.
For me this is one of the best deconstructing comics. In this book you will find characters that represent "Zoro", " Tarzan", "James Bond", "Superman", "Wonder Woman", " Fantastic Four" "Sherlock Holmes" and more. Also you will find a lot of different areas of comics, movies and literature.
The artwork by John Cassaday is remarkable. The way he uses different art styles and techniques for different kinds of stories is amazing.
8/10
For me this is one of the best deconstructing comics. In this book you will find characters that represent "Zoro", " Tarzan", "James Bond", "Superman", "Wonder Woman", " Fantastic Four" "Sherlock Holmes" and more. Also you will find a lot of different areas of comics, movies and literature.
The artwork by John Cassaday is remarkable. The way he uses different art styles and techniques for different kinds of stories is amazing.
8/10
January 21, 2014
Un repaso magistral, inteligente y muy bien orquestado a los mitos narrativos de los últimos 150 años, sin descuidar pinceladas críticas a la lógica del poder desplegada por diversas facciones a lo largo del siglo XX. Libre de las restricciones que impone la pantalla, el trabajo de Warren Ellis (acompañado de los esmerados lápices de John Cassaday) ilustra una propuesta que supera el ejercicio nostálgico para proponer un revisionismo adulto, deslavado y brillante; mismo que hace de PLANETARY una obligada referencia a la hora de otear el por qué de nuestra cultura popular. Más que una historieta,un verdadero hito de la ficción moderna.
March 15, 2025
(Zero spoiler review) 4.5/5
God only knows how you would go about spoiling this book anyway. I've literally just finished it and my head is still floating out there, somewhere. Trying to make sense of this wonderful little conundrum of a book. Like a pleasant headache with beautiful colours. Long story short, I'm not exactly sure what Planetary is, but I know that I really like it. I'm not even exactly sure if Warren Ellis knew what it was, half the time, although that never seemed to stop him from turning in one hum dinger of a read. Seriously, you think you could get a comic book series like this anymore? We don't do forward thinking, philosophical, metaphysical exploration these days. It's hard to pose the big questions through art when what art is, has been thoroughly decimated, ironically enough by a mysterious group that Planetary would likely have investigated and tried to stop. This book had endless scope to go into some wonderfully dark and realistic places. The fact that the mandate of the earlier issues falls to the wayside to encompass a plot that was not always entirely riveting, although done in an entirely riveting way. Simple, one and done stories about fantastical creations, worlds beyond the veil, the supernatural... I wish that was what Planetary was, and I wish on forever. What we got wasn't exactly terrible though let's be honest.
I read Ellis' Cemetery Beach a week or so ago. That these two books were written by the same author is practically unfathomable. Planetary is a work of fractured genius. Cemetery Beach is the worst kind of rancid turd one could imagine. Why Ellis felt the need to turn in such garbage will forever be a mystery... until someone asks him.
Perhaps the greatest highlight of all is the artwork. John Cassaday instantly became one of my favourite artists within a couple of issues. Having him pencil the entire run, even if it took quite a while, was more than worth it. (of course I wasn't around to wait on the single issues). To have an artist change halfway through a book, when the art is just as important to the story as the story its self, would have been a tragedy. Thankfully, its a tragedy we avoided. His shapes, and the accompanying colours were a thing of beauty throughout. Worth it for the visuals alone.
Planetary is something a little bit special. Even if the story didn't go exactly as I may have wanted, the fact that a comic book like this exists at all is wonderful in and of its self. This is easily the antidote to the muck and malaise that is modern comics. Damn near essential reading, and even better upon a reread when you've forgotten practically everything about it from the first time round. 4.5/5
OmniBen.
God only knows how you would go about spoiling this book anyway. I've literally just finished it and my head is still floating out there, somewhere. Trying to make sense of this wonderful little conundrum of a book. Like a pleasant headache with beautiful colours. Long story short, I'm not exactly sure what Planetary is, but I know that I really like it. I'm not even exactly sure if Warren Ellis knew what it was, half the time, although that never seemed to stop him from turning in one hum dinger of a read. Seriously, you think you could get a comic book series like this anymore? We don't do forward thinking, philosophical, metaphysical exploration these days. It's hard to pose the big questions through art when what art is, has been thoroughly decimated, ironically enough by a mysterious group that Planetary would likely have investigated and tried to stop. This book had endless scope to go into some wonderfully dark and realistic places. The fact that the mandate of the earlier issues falls to the wayside to encompass a plot that was not always entirely riveting, although done in an entirely riveting way. Simple, one and done stories about fantastical creations, worlds beyond the veil, the supernatural... I wish that was what Planetary was, and I wish on forever. What we got wasn't exactly terrible though let's be honest.
I read Ellis' Cemetery Beach a week or so ago. That these two books were written by the same author is practically unfathomable. Planetary is a work of fractured genius. Cemetery Beach is the worst kind of rancid turd one could imagine. Why Ellis felt the need to turn in such garbage will forever be a mystery... until someone asks him.
Perhaps the greatest highlight of all is the artwork. John Cassaday instantly became one of my favourite artists within a couple of issues. Having him pencil the entire run, even if it took quite a while, was more than worth it. (of course I wasn't around to wait on the single issues). To have an artist change halfway through a book, when the art is just as important to the story as the story its self, would have been a tragedy. Thankfully, its a tragedy we avoided. His shapes, and the accompanying colours were a thing of beauty throughout. Worth it for the visuals alone.
Planetary is something a little bit special. Even if the story didn't go exactly as I may have wanted, the fact that a comic book like this exists at all is wonderful in and of its self. This is easily the antidote to the muck and malaise that is modern comics. Damn near essential reading, and even better upon a reread when you've forgotten practically everything about it from the first time round. 4.5/5
OmniBen.
April 18, 2019
What Warren Ellis created here is really original sci-fi worthy of a big on screen adaptation, its surely one of the best comics to emerge since the new millenium. I wasn't the biggest fan of transmetropolitan, but here he went all they way serious and man did it pay off.
I am not gonna say anything about it because I think this story is best when you don't know anything about it. Very recommended.
5 out of 5 stars
I am not gonna say anything about it because I think this story is best when you don't know anything about it. Very recommended.
5 out of 5 stars
May 5, 2015
Whether one remembers the original Doc Savage (pulp hero from which some of the Superman ideas for Fortress of Solitude and Man of Bronze (Steel) may have been lifted) or the Tom Strong of “America’s Best Comics,” there is a place for the myth of the individual of destiny. Warren Ellis brews a heady tea of the mythic, the epic, the human, and the multiverse in his comic series turned graphic novel, The Planetary Omnibus. This massive tome contains the full run of Planetary as well as the two “post-quel” volumes that seemed rather anti-climactic to me.
A friend advised me not to binge read this anthology. Knowing me and my taste, he encouraged me to read each portion of the story as though I had just purchased said “episode” from my local comic retailer. Mr. Coleman, you were absolutely correct. After the initial episode set things up with the introduction of the mysterious Mr. Snow, there were mysteries, homages, and discoveries aplenty throughout the rest of the epic story. When I came to issue #2, though, I was truly hooked. The story was as if Godzilla and the other Toei monsters had congregated on Jules Verne’s Mysterious Island. The color was brilliant for highlighting monsters that would seem analogous to the radioactive spawn of 20th century “B” movies. I thought Cassaday was at the top of his game on that issue, but the lead artist was soon to eclipse even this masterwork.
In the third issue, Ellis and Cassaday treat us to urban Asian environments worthy of William Gibson unfolding a tale against a backdrop reminiscent of one of the better Hong Kong revenge movies. The dark palette with occasional bright flashes and splashes of color to provide neon illumination is really effective. I liked the story, but Cassaday was really jacking into my aesthetic nodes. But he wasn’t finished yet.
Both the sweeping story and the exceptional art made me think of Kirby’s “New Gods.” The only thing is, the anthology had such quality paper and the print technology has improved so much that the dazzling color combined with vast ornate spaces (the stained glass effect on one full-page splash was so realistic I almost wanted to touch it) and the entire effect was significantly more vibrant than anything I’ve ever seen in comics or perfect bound graphic narratives.
I suddenly hoped that Cassaday would dial it back a little to let me catch my breath. In the fifth issue, Ellis helped him out with a bit of retro story line. Instead of the famous “Man of Bronze,” Ellis gives us Axel Brass, another seeming ageless hero with a graphic style that screams, “Doc Savage” (even to the logo on the cover with its pulp feel). And, to my delight, Ellis included something that reminded me of the comics when I was a child—actual prose in the middle of the comics depictions, prose with black and white line drawings reminiscent of the pulp adventure magazines.
At the risk of touching on a partial spoiler, the next “episode” offered the start of an interesting twist on the classic Marvel origin story. It really took me off guard. With the exception of one full-page where an out-of-scale picture of a chaotic universe rests at the top of a red-carpeted stairway, this section was about the story. Here is where we get a hint that, in spite of homages to familiar characters, this isn’t the Marvel universe you think it is.
With that kind of twist, I wondered where this could go. Shadows and specters against the backdrop of London provided the canvas for a supernatural story that helped me connect more empathically with the character of Jakita Wagner.
And, for my taste, the supernatural story with all of its darkness brilliantly set up the hot orange palette that introduced the 50’s “B-movie” episode called “The Day The Earth Turned Slower” (with shades of the 1954 film, Them!). The next couple of issues continue the tradition of alternating retro-science-fiction (presented with, usually, a horrendous twist) with “supernatural” story (and multiverse explanations reminiscent of the trope that any sufficiently advanced technology seems like magic). The “magic” story features a certain imagery with a red blanket with a symbol on it. The symbol isn’t an “S,” but the red seems pretty familiar (and is used almost like a “spot” color in the most effective way I’ve seen since Schindler’s List and the little girl’s coat). After a “Cold War” issue and a few typical issues (not typical for this series), my interest was piqued again with the thirteenth issue and a playful story involving Sherlock Holmes and a certain doctor immortalized in a James Whale movie (and the name Dr. Whale in Disney’s Once Upon A Time). In fact, there are some scenes that could have served as sets for that famous black and white film. A certain Transylvanian count also makes an appearance in this “episode.”
Typing of homages, I don’t suppose the huge, golden hammer in the next episode would jog any memories? Well, if you think the saga was getting stale, you’re wrong. The next issue was executed in the style of a Native American myth and also offers some humanizing elements for the character of Snow.
Martial arts fans would love the next “episode,” but even though fight scenes are standard fare for comics, Ellis and Cassaday provide a resplendent romp through familiar territory. Then, it’s back in the time machine for a tribute to a “Tarzan” or “Jungle Jim” type character. You think you know where the story is going, but it has a great climax that I didn’t anticipate at all.
One of my favorite “issues” in the collection had a cover that looked like an old Jefferson Airplane record album jacket. Portions of the “episode” reminded me of ‘60s era light shows. The story has something of a philosophical grounding in Aldous Huxley’s Doors of Perception. In terms of story combined with art, this was a moving story that provided a sense of grounding for Snow. Yet, once again, just when you think you’ve seen it all, Ellis makes call-backs to a weird variant of the Lone Ranger, complete with relationship to a Britt Reid/Green Arrow-type crusading vigilante. This was another stunning issue.
Then, just when you think the whole story is veering off the rails after some basic “expositional” story lines, there is dramatic tension between the Planetary team. Drummer, in particular, disapproves of Snow’s methods and it looks like the whole project is going to fall apart. That all opens up room for an H. P. Lovecraft homage (complete with giant alien creature with Cthulhu-style tentacles). That episode even takes place in Rhode Island.
This entire anthology is so full of conspiracy, betrayal, and wicked takes on familiar characters and tropes that I’m sure I’ll read it over and over. Even writing this review, I found intense pleasure re-reading sections of this marvelous anthology, omnibus, or graphic novel. It earns my highest rating.
A friend advised me not to binge read this anthology. Knowing me and my taste, he encouraged me to read each portion of the story as though I had just purchased said “episode” from my local comic retailer. Mr. Coleman, you were absolutely correct. After the initial episode set things up with the introduction of the mysterious Mr. Snow, there were mysteries, homages, and discoveries aplenty throughout the rest of the epic story. When I came to issue #2, though, I was truly hooked. The story was as if Godzilla and the other Toei monsters had congregated on Jules Verne’s Mysterious Island. The color was brilliant for highlighting monsters that would seem analogous to the radioactive spawn of 20th century “B” movies. I thought Cassaday was at the top of his game on that issue, but the lead artist was soon to eclipse even this masterwork.
In the third issue, Ellis and Cassaday treat us to urban Asian environments worthy of William Gibson unfolding a tale against a backdrop reminiscent of one of the better Hong Kong revenge movies. The dark palette with occasional bright flashes and splashes of color to provide neon illumination is really effective. I liked the story, but Cassaday was really jacking into my aesthetic nodes. But he wasn’t finished yet.
Both the sweeping story and the exceptional art made me think of Kirby’s “New Gods.” The only thing is, the anthology had such quality paper and the print technology has improved so much that the dazzling color combined with vast ornate spaces (the stained glass effect on one full-page splash was so realistic I almost wanted to touch it) and the entire effect was significantly more vibrant than anything I’ve ever seen in comics or perfect bound graphic narratives.
I suddenly hoped that Cassaday would dial it back a little to let me catch my breath. In the fifth issue, Ellis helped him out with a bit of retro story line. Instead of the famous “Man of Bronze,” Ellis gives us Axel Brass, another seeming ageless hero with a graphic style that screams, “Doc Savage” (even to the logo on the cover with its pulp feel). And, to my delight, Ellis included something that reminded me of the comics when I was a child—actual prose in the middle of the comics depictions, prose with black and white line drawings reminiscent of the pulp adventure magazines.
At the risk of touching on a partial spoiler, the next “episode” offered the start of an interesting twist on the classic Marvel origin story. It really took me off guard. With the exception of one full-page where an out-of-scale picture of a chaotic universe rests at the top of a red-carpeted stairway, this section was about the story. Here is where we get a hint that, in spite of homages to familiar characters, this isn’t the Marvel universe you think it is.
With that kind of twist, I wondered where this could go. Shadows and specters against the backdrop of London provided the canvas for a supernatural story that helped me connect more empathically with the character of Jakita Wagner.
And, for my taste, the supernatural story with all of its darkness brilliantly set up the hot orange palette that introduced the 50’s “B-movie” episode called “The Day The Earth Turned Slower” (with shades of the 1954 film, Them!). The next couple of issues continue the tradition of alternating retro-science-fiction (presented with, usually, a horrendous twist) with “supernatural” story (and multiverse explanations reminiscent of the trope that any sufficiently advanced technology seems like magic). The “magic” story features a certain imagery with a red blanket with a symbol on it. The symbol isn’t an “S,” but the red seems pretty familiar (and is used almost like a “spot” color in the most effective way I’ve seen since Schindler’s List and the little girl’s coat). After a “Cold War” issue and a few typical issues (not typical for this series), my interest was piqued again with the thirteenth issue and a playful story involving Sherlock Holmes and a certain doctor immortalized in a James Whale movie (and the name Dr. Whale in Disney’s Once Upon A Time). In fact, there are some scenes that could have served as sets for that famous black and white film. A certain Transylvanian count also makes an appearance in this “episode.”
Typing of homages, I don’t suppose the huge, golden hammer in the next episode would jog any memories? Well, if you think the saga was getting stale, you’re wrong. The next issue was executed in the style of a Native American myth and also offers some humanizing elements for the character of Snow.
Martial arts fans would love the next “episode,” but even though fight scenes are standard fare for comics, Ellis and Cassaday provide a resplendent romp through familiar territory. Then, it’s back in the time machine for a tribute to a “Tarzan” or “Jungle Jim” type character. You think you know where the story is going, but it has a great climax that I didn’t anticipate at all.
One of my favorite “issues” in the collection had a cover that looked like an old Jefferson Airplane record album jacket. Portions of the “episode” reminded me of ‘60s era light shows. The story has something of a philosophical grounding in Aldous Huxley’s Doors of Perception. In terms of story combined with art, this was a moving story that provided a sense of grounding for Snow. Yet, once again, just when you think you’ve seen it all, Ellis makes call-backs to a weird variant of the Lone Ranger, complete with relationship to a Britt Reid/Green Arrow-type crusading vigilante. This was another stunning issue.
Then, just when you think the whole story is veering off the rails after some basic “expositional” story lines, there is dramatic tension between the Planetary team. Drummer, in particular, disapproves of Snow’s methods and it looks like the whole project is going to fall apart. That all opens up room for an H. P. Lovecraft homage (complete with giant alien creature with Cthulhu-style tentacles). That episode even takes place in Rhode Island.
This entire anthology is so full of conspiracy, betrayal, and wicked takes on familiar characters and tropes that I’m sure I’ll read it over and over. Even writing this review, I found intense pleasure re-reading sections of this marvelous anthology, omnibus, or graphic novel. It earns my highest rating.
May 22, 2024
This was a very interesting one for me. The first quarter (250 pages) were an absolute slog where the story was interesting but had complex elements and a mystery but the way it was being told felt convoluted and I wasn’t enjoying it. However, once Elijah got his memory restored the story picked up and started to make sense of what came before and from there this was absolutely brilliant.
Elijah is essentially a superpowered indiana johns, someone who uncovers strange artefacts in the world and documents them under the planetary organisation. That alone is a really cool premise that’s explored but the main overarching story with the four voyagers is amazing. There’s also references to lots of things in here, a lot I probably didn’t even notice. The Batman story at the end was great too but I’m probably bias.
Overall apart from the start of the book this was a great read and I’m glad I pushed through because the story was worth it in the end.
Elijah is essentially a superpowered indiana johns, someone who uncovers strange artefacts in the world and documents them under the planetary organisation. That alone is a really cool premise that’s explored but the main overarching story with the four voyagers is amazing. There’s also references to lots of things in here, a lot I probably didn’t even notice. The Batman story at the end was great too but I’m probably bias.
Overall apart from the start of the book this was a great read and I’m glad I pushed through because the story was worth it in the end.
November 21, 2024
Un comic excepcional. Warren Ellis es un genio que toma mil referentes y los introduce en una historia de investigación y supertipos, que es un repaso al género y a otros géneros. El dibujo de John Cassidy es espectacular y casa completamente con la historia.
Es muy complicado hacer lo que hace Ellis en esta saga, y aun más complicado hacerlo asi de bien y quede todo integrado, formando parte de una historia superior que no se resiente en ningun momento de la carga meta que le imprime.
Como añadido, es facil reconocer en algunos de los personajes los rasgos que definen a Warren Ellis como delicuente sexual y groomer, como la arrogancia de creer que uno está por encima de las normas y convenciones sociales. Algo que en un supertipo es muy atractivo, pero en un autor, no tanto.
Es muy complicado hacer lo que hace Ellis en esta saga, y aun más complicado hacerlo asi de bien y quede todo integrado, formando parte de una historia superior que no se resiente en ningun momento de la carga meta que le imprime.
Como añadido, es facil reconocer en algunos de los personajes los rasgos que definen a Warren Ellis como delicuente sexual y groomer, como la arrogancia de creer que uno está por encima de las normas y convenciones sociales. Algo que en un supertipo es muy atractivo, pero en un autor, no tanto.
December 8, 2019
(do you see a banner that says "spoiler alert"? It's not mine, and I can't make it go away...)
The first thing you should know about Planetary is that the uncommon name and off-brand publisher (Wildstorm) mask the fact that this is a story of epic, awesome, fantastic, and even planetary proportions, brilliantly plotted and wonderfully drawn.
We start with a mysterious organization recruiting a detective with mysterious powers to help research unusual occurrences around the world, under the guise of archeological coverage of the hidden secrets of planet Earth, and we slowly find the team involved with alien artifacts, hidden superhero teams, the reality of pulp-era action-adventurers, and as promised, conspiracies and discoveries of planetary proportions.
Now, I grew up with a library that held Just enough Tarzan, John Carter, and Doc Savage books to give me an introduction to pulp heroes, and my geekery was nurtured in college and adulthood by comics and superhero movies, so I was able to recognize the other works that touched the Planetary organization. I don't know if this omnibus would be well-received by readers unfamiliar with many icons of pulp and comic book adventures.
I'd recommend "go for it". Planetary is best for readers who enjoy some complexity to their plots (at both the 28-page scale and the 700-page scale). A passing familiarity with some of the big events of comic history (the DC "trinity", the origin of Marvel's Fantastic Four, that there was once a Crisis on Infinite Earths) will be of benefit, although not necessarily required.
The high-quality of the primary run of 27 issues of Planetary gets watered-down by the release of three cross-over events: Planetary/The Authority, Planetary/JLA, & Planetary/Batman. These seem to tap into the DC Elseworlds line, as neither Planetary nor the uperhero teams they encounter seem of the same "cut" as the "originals". Ah, well.
The first thing you should know about Planetary is that the uncommon name and off-brand publisher (Wildstorm) mask the fact that this is a story of epic, awesome, fantastic, and even planetary proportions, brilliantly plotted and wonderfully drawn.
We start with a mysterious organization recruiting a detective with mysterious powers to help research unusual occurrences around the world, under the guise of archeological coverage of the hidden secrets of planet Earth, and we slowly find the team involved with alien artifacts, hidden superhero teams, the reality of pulp-era action-adventurers, and as promised, conspiracies and discoveries of planetary proportions.
Now, I grew up with a library that held Just enough Tarzan, John Carter, and Doc Savage books to give me an introduction to pulp heroes, and my geekery was nurtured in college and adulthood by comics and superhero movies, so I was able to recognize the other works that touched the Planetary organization. I don't know if this omnibus would be well-received by readers unfamiliar with many icons of pulp and comic book adventures.
I'd recommend "go for it". Planetary is best for readers who enjoy some complexity to their plots (at both the 28-page scale and the 700-page scale). A passing familiarity with some of the big events of comic history (the DC "trinity", the origin of Marvel's Fantastic Four, that there was once a Crisis on Infinite Earths) will be of benefit, although not necessarily required.
The high-quality of the primary run of 27 issues of Planetary gets watered-down by the release of three cross-over events: Planetary/The Authority, Planetary/JLA, & Planetary/Batman. These seem to tap into the DC Elseworlds line, as neither Planetary nor the uperhero teams they encounter seem of the same "cut" as the "originals". Ah, well.
November 2, 2015
Great art, fantastic concept, strong characters... so what falls a little short? Unfortunately, the execution. This book falls into the camp of 'now that I've finished the book, I need to re-read it to fully appreciate it'. Generally speaking, I find books like this too clever for their own good. The 'setup' storyline (ie: the first third of the story) is a bit of a chore to work through. Like watching some of the vague X-Files episodes where Mulder is piecing things together and the viewer 'gets what's happening' but can't really describe it.
It's tough to recommend this to others. I realize I'm in the minority and I also realize when I'm criticizing something which is great... I just couldn't get into it until the last third of the story and by then, it was too late.
It's tough to recommend this to others. I realize I'm in the minority and I also realize when I'm criticizing something which is great... I just couldn't get into it until the last third of the story and by then, it was too late.
January 13, 2019
A detective hiding out in the desert gets an offer: a million dollars a year to investiate the weird. The weird is weirder than advertised...but that's okay. So is the detective.
Right up my alley; I liked this well enough that I'm not going to pretend to be objective about it here. Intricate plotting, lots of references to other books. Recommend Planetary Comic Appreciation Page to help picking up on the references! http://home.earthlink.net/~rkkman/fra...
Recommend for fans of Alan Moore and Neil Gaiman. Thank your lucky stars that you're not reading this as it was coming out--apparently it was sheer torture to have to wait for each issue. But we can binge-read. Huzzah!
Right up my alley; I liked this well enough that I'm not going to pretend to be objective about it here. Intricate plotting, lots of references to other books. Recommend Planetary Comic Appreciation Page to help picking up on the references! http://home.earthlink.net/~rkkman/fra...
Recommend for fans of Alan Moore and Neil Gaiman. Thank your lucky stars that you're not reading this as it was coming out--apparently it was sheer torture to have to wait for each issue. But we can binge-read. Huzzah!
February 10, 2017
A really good, fun book. Good art, good story. My only complaint is Ellis seemed to decide he had gone far enough with the crazy so he started to reel it in towards the end. So somewhat disappointing in the ending but still super enjoyable.
September 9, 2024
This series is the comic book equivalent gintama for anime. Full of references to other comic books and it's supposed to impose a big sense of awe and wonder at the power of comics in general
But if you don't read any comics and pick this up as you're first go of it, it's just a story that has a super anticlimactic ending that I just can't help but feel has too many plot holes for me to really enjoy.
I'm sure if you love comic books, this series probably speaks to you in a deep way, but as an outsider looking on, this series kinda sucked for me 🫤.
That being said, while the overall plot was honestly truly terrible in my eyes, the "short stories" here are pretty good and enjoyable if a bit uninspired (or too referential making them overly inspired if you catch my drift). Only reason why I didn't out right hate it.
Believe me I'm just as disappointed that I didn't enjoy this after hearing so many good things about it.
But if you don't read any comics and pick this up as you're first go of it, it's just a story that has a super anticlimactic ending that I just can't help but feel has too many plot holes for me to really enjoy.
I'm sure if you love comic books, this series probably speaks to you in a deep way, but as an outsider looking on, this series kinda sucked for me 🫤.
That being said, while the overall plot was honestly truly terrible in my eyes, the "short stories" here are pretty good and enjoyable if a bit uninspired (or too referential making them overly inspired if you catch my drift). Only reason why I didn't out right hate it.
Believe me I'm just as disappointed that I didn't enjoy this after hearing so many good things about it.
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