The Couriers: The Complete Series

The Couriers #0-3

by Brian Wood, Rob G (Illustrator), Brett Weldele (Illustrator)

Collecting the complete four-volume saga, including the prequel graphic novel, Couscous Express, this epic story from 2002-2005 is the hyper-violent, tongue-in-cheek tale of mercenary bike messengers in New York City who do the jobs no one else will: the black market runs, the smuggling, the hits and the double crosses. The Couriers: The Complete Series represents the bulk of creator-writer Brian Wood's (DMZ, Demo, The Massive, The X-Men) early work, with artwork by Rob G (Teenagers From Mars, REPO, Detective Comics) and Brett Weldele (The Surrogates, Southland Tales).

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Graphic Novels Comics, Sequential Art, Fiction, Crime

360 pages, Paperback

First published December 4, 2012

About the author

Brian Wood's history of published work includes over fifty volumes of genre-spanning original material.

From the 1500-page future war epic DMZ, the ecological disaster series The Massive, the American crime drama Briggs Land, and the groundbreaking lo-fi dystopia Channel Zero he has a 20-year track record of marrying thoughtful world-building and political commentary with compelling and diverse characters.

His YA novels - Demo, Local, The New York Four, and Mara - have made YALSA and New York Public Library best-of lists. His historical fiction - the viking series Northlanders, the American Revolution-centered Rebels, and the norse-samurai mashup Sword Daughter - are benchmarks in the comic book industry.

He's written some of the biggest franchises in pop culture, including Star Wars, Terminator, RoboCop, Conan The Barbarian, Robotech, and Planet Of The Apes. He’s written number-one-selling series for Marvel Comics. And he’s created and written multiple canonical stories for the Aliens universe, including the Zula Hendricks character.

Reviews

[Lono · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entertaining read filled with energy and motion. The Couriers:The Complete Series follows the chaotic exploits of two NYC mercenary bike messengers. Not the kind that zip through traffic aggravating cab drivers, the kind that blast away with semi-automatic weapons while on inline skates, dirtbikes, or in muscle cars scaring the living shit out of cab drivers. Moustafa and Special are partners in a courier business that will deliver almost anything...for a price.

Brian Wood appeared to be having a lot of fun with these stories. It’s not dialogue heavy and is a wickedly quick read. Special (Moustafa’s business partner and all-around roughneck) is great and really reminded me of Revy "Two-hand" from the manga and anime Black Lagoon. I really loved the pacing and style in this book. Wood doesn’t drop in hidden metaphors or agendas, just a straight up binge on bullets and bedlam. Probably my favorite story from Wood that I’ve read to date.



Rob G’s art appears at least partially inspired by Japanese manga and further influenced by the frantic style of Asian action cinema. Didn’t appeal to me at first glance, but by the end of the first story he really won me over. And while I felt Brett Weldele’s sketchy art in the final installment was fine, I certainly missed Rob.



An easy recommend for fans of action, Japanese manga, or John Woo movies. As the title suggests The Couriers:The Complete Series contains all four of Wood’s original stories (The Couriers, Dirtbike Manifesto, The Ballad of Johnny Funrwrecker, and Couscous Express) in one hefty book. Just an action packed good time with cool characters to boot.

[Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's "Small Press Comics that You Probably Didn't Know Existed Day!" SPCtYPDKED for short.

This one is just fun. Is it insightful? No. Does it have protagonists who grow as people? Not really. Will it challenge you and make you reconsider your life choices? Not a chance. But it does have a ton of action and bullets and dead people and it reads quickly. It's a really good time.

[Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Earning a bonus star just for collecting the entire series, this is something that fans of Brian Wood and quirky-action-story enthusiasts should take the time to check out. Here are the reviews for each story included:

The Couriers Volume 1
Okay, folks, fasten your seat belts and hold on tight, because this is one craaazy ride. It's basically a John Woo film storyboard involving mercenary couriers, the Chinese triad, a kidnapping, and lots & lots of bullets. Throw some dark humour in the mix and what you've got is something that's unique and thrilling.

The Couriers 02: Dirtbike Manifesto
Quite entertaining, even though (1) the art wasn't as intricately detailed and (2) the story wasn't as engaging as in The Couriers Volume 1. More than worth a read, though.

The Couriers Volume 3: The Ballad of Johnny Funwrecker
A return to The Couriers Volume 1's level of energy & quality, this book (the 3rd of the series) is actually a prequel to the first book. The story takes place in 1993, a full ten years before the events of "The Couriers".

We first meet Special, a street-smart and weapon-savvy 15-year old girl who becomes a gangster's bodyguard (the titular Johnny Funwrecker), before meeting Moustafa, a pot-dealing 12-year old, smart but bored, with ultra-rich but absent parents.

Moustafa actually seeks out Johnny to work for him and, after proving himself, is put under Special's tutelage, later becoming a full-fledged courier, complete with handguns. This is also the story of how the two become partners, screw over Johnny and disband his army of couriers, the latter becoming free-lancers.

Fun, fun, fun!

Couscous Express
Taking place somewhere between the events of The Couriers Volume 3: The Ballad of Johnny Funwrecker and The Couriers Volume 1, and produced even before the first book, "Couscous Express" centers around Olive (Moustafa's girlfriend), a revenge plot threatening Olive's parents, and the couriers' saving them from it.

The art is provided by Brett Weldele, and the art style is more simplistic than in the other 3 "Couriers" books. Inconsistencies as to some of the characters' appearances (in relation to the other books of the series) are present, but that is understandable considering the order of production and the different artists involved (Rob G being the artist for the 3 other stories).

[Seizure Romero · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Couriers: The Complete Series doesn't pretend to be anything other than hyper-violent shenanigans, and that's fine. There's a character named Johnny Funwrecker, and you gotta love that. Ridiculous mayhem and action scenes and it's all good until the last story, "Couscous Express." First off, I thought the art was extra crappy, but the part that put an unpleasant spin on the package is that Moustafa's girlfriend, Olive, is only 16 years old. She's not much of a presence in the other stories, but "Couscous Express" is about how spoiled she is, and how everyone else is running around shooting people and living on the edge while she's delivering food for her parents take out joint. The other (older) characters dump on her a bit for her lack of appreciation, commenting she "needs to grow up"... she's 16! Moustafa's 22. If he wants a grown-up girlfriend MAYBE HE SHOULD STOP FUCKING THE TEENAGER. I get it-- life on the streets is hard, shit happens, and you hang with whomever's got your back. But she's not a street rat. She has a family, a supportive one. Moustafa started out just "looking after her" and now he's sleeping with her. That's still rape. And they've been together for about a year, so a 21 year-old started dating a 15 year-old.

That's fucking creepy. You ever met that guy? The one who dates high-school girls when he's old enough to drink? It's often because women his own age won't go near him, probably because he's still acting like a child. Ten years later and that age difference means almost nothing (though plenty of people still act like children). All the writer had to do was add a few years, make her 18 (hell, age of consent is 17 in NY... still creepy, but legal).

I know I'm making a big deal about some barely-noticeable detail in a comic book, but it put a wrinkle in my enjoyment of an otherwise fun book, and, most importantly, that shit should not be normalized.

[Philip Shade · Rating 3 out of 5]

Speed lines and explodo.

In his preface Brian Wood (no relation to Ashley Wood, not even from the same country) says this early work was written as everything he wanted in an action comic, and it is that. Think Hollywood blockbusters "The Transporter" or "Crank", but with bike couriers on the streets of New York.

I dropped a star from the collection because of the inclusion of "Couscous Express." While adding more depth to the characters i can't get over being kind of creeped out when it's revealed that 22-year-old Moustafa's long time girlfriend, Olive, is only 16. Looking at the main characters heavy criticism of Olive when they're all 6, 10, or more years older, feels unfair; like they're punching down.

[David Schwan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Combine New York City, bike couriers who are more than couriers, a dash of Tank Girl and you get "The Couriers." This volume contains the entire series of 4 story arcs. The action is fast paced, the character "Special" is a girl with extreme attitude. The graphics for for first three stories is great, the fourth stories graphics were below par. Fun fast reading.

[Stewart Tame · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun stuff! I could see these being made into movies. Lots of action and guns and whatnot. Not the greatest comic I've ever read or anything, but definitely well done.

[Matthew WK · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars out of 5. Earliest of Brian Wood's writing. Some of it's good, some of it not so much. At times it's a fun ride, but it was a bit of a slog to get through. The art in the last issue was pretty abysmal - at times I couldn't figure out what was going on or even what the panel was a drawing of. I thought it'd be interesting to see Brian Wood's early work to see how far he's come and if there were any ideas/techniques he was using that were developed more, later in his career. Unfortunately, I didn't get any glimpses and can't recommend this one. Skip it, to many other great books out there.

[Friz Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

mildly dystopic, set inside, aside of the Channel Zero universe but the same societal tone and action-packed story. without doubt one of the fastest paced graphics I’ve ever read; seriously surprised this wasn’t picked up by Tarantino or Stone or somebody. The Mickey and Mallory concept is there, but no romance between the two (Moustafa and Special). Couldn’t put it down. Brian Wood is slowly becoming one of my favorite GN authors/artists.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

I gave this graphic novel series 3 stars - sometimes I loved it - finding the characters interesting and the themes of resistance to to system great and sometimes i found it rather trite, overdone and violent for the sake of violence. I did not like the drawing style in the final segment.

[Sebastian Song · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't be deceived by the art in the first three issues. This is guy ritchie meets mean streets. Violent, loud and wild, this is quite a ride for the adrenaline addict.

[Rumi Bossche · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast, fun, violent, and a great read. Makes me love Brian Wood as a writer even more then i already did.

[Aime' · Rating 3 out of 5]

Murder Ballet meets Independent Comics with a 2000's feel.
A fun ride and nice visit back to some graphic novel roots.

[Eugene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book. I can see the progression from this to Channel Zero to DMZ.

[Lou · Rating 2 out of 5]

was going to give it a 3/5 but couscous express revealed that olive is a 16 year old girl dating a 22 year old man

[Bianca · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started this knowing nothing about the plot, the genre, the characters (except from the obvious asumptions because of the title). Nothing

Taking that into account, it was a nice surprise. Issues #1 and #3 were definitely the best, specially #3, but #2 was awfully boring, and even though #4 had a better storyline, the art was quite rustic and not pleasant to watch at all.

[Stefan Slater · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two words: Johnny Funwrecker.

It’s one of the best names I’ve ever come across for a villain (or any character, for that matter). Part of me wishes I could use it as my nom de plume. I’m not sure if my editor would like that very much.

Anyway, let’s get back on track:

Brian Wood’s The Couriers is a NYC-based tale about street couriers who do whatever it takes to deliver the goods, even if it requires outright murder, stealing semen samples (I guess it’s stealing when the owner of said semen isn’t keen on sharing) or blowing up a Chinese attack helicopter with an RPG in the middle of Brooklyn.

(Word of warning: This comic’s gritty, but in no way realistic. The everyday laws that govern our lives only play a role when Wood deems it necessary, which is pretty much never.)

The book pays homage to John Woo and NYC street culture, and it shows: most of the panels focus on the two main characters, Moustafa and Special, barreling down the graffiti-tagged streets of the Big Apple on their roller blades at blistering speeds, all while blasting away at fez-wearing Mafia soldiers (who usually ride Vespas, not sure why) with an entire arsenal of military-grade pistols, sub-machine guns, shotguns, etc.

Reality is unabashedly absent in this comic, so it’s important that you don’t approach it with the immediate response of, “Well, why haven’t the cops shown up yet?” or “Why haven’t any of the bad guys shot them yet?” or “Can you really shoot a rocket launcher in NYC and not get arrested?” Brian Wood mentions in the foreward that he wanted to create a comic that combined his love for over-the-top action flicks and the NYC street culture that he experienced daily as a bike courier during his college years.

So in other words, this is a study in shoot ‘em up and street cool, and that’s pretty much it.

The Couriers is fun in a late-night B-movie sort of way, with a hint of attitude and humor that’s genuinely entertaining. The plot of the four stories in this collection aren’t overly complicated, and don’t do much to challenge your intellect, but I was glad to see that Wood took the time to create characters who have some element of depth: Moustafa, who’s Egyptian, comes from a privileged background while his partner, Special, was raised on the streets and is far wiser in the street-smarts department (it’s a bit refreshing to have a female character act as the brains and brawn of a story.) The final story, Couscous Express, is a bit heavier than the other three, which are practically devoid of any emotional weight. But each one is fun, and worth the time to read.

For me, though, this collection serves as a nice introduction to Wood’s earlier work. I’m sincerely fond of DMZ, and it’s interesting to see how NYC culture has influenced his comics right from the beginning of his career.

If you’re a fan of Brian Wood, and you’re looking for a quick, action-packed read, make sure to pick up The Couriers.

[Joni · Rating 3 out of 5]

Me encanta Brian Wood, es de lo mejor que le pasó al cómic moderno, una bocanada de aire fresco. Mucho ritmo, fluidez en el relato, diálogo descarado, historias violentas. En muchas de sus obras el autor utiliza su NY natal como musa y oda inspiradora. Y este es un caso ejemplar. En un solo tomo se compilan cuatro historias distintas autoconclusivas. The Couriers son un dúo de jóvenes repartidores pero no de pizza ni sushi,, son mercenarios ultra-violentos a prueba de balas que trabajan para mafias, moviendo información, drogas, mercancías invaluables.
Lo bueno, la acción trepidante, sin respiro, tal como lo describe en la introducción el escritor, la violencia explicita y sin sentido de las películas asiáticas de los 80s. La agilidad de la lectura y el entretenimiento pochoclero. Una autentica pasada.
Lo mas flojo es el dibujo, que encima cuando uno se acostumbra al arte de Rob G en las primeras tres historias que sin destacar en lo mas mínimo cumple su papel sin desagradar, la cuarta con Brett Weldele sí ya cuesta un poco mas disfrutar la lectura sin incomodarse por el arte descuidado que por momentos hasta parece hecho a las apuradas sin un acabado mas pulido.
Me quedaba en cuatro estrellas si todas las historias hubiesen sido dibujadas por Rob G.
De todas formas super recomendable para fans del autor, la acción y la vida en NY.

[Cale · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is so over-the-top you can't help but be carried along with it. A group of bicycle couriers who are basically soldiers for hire as well, let by Moustaffa and Special, their adventures are full of violence, gunplay, and foul language. And it works; it shouldn't but it really does. The characters are basically action stereotypes on speed, but their adventures are great. Especially the third section, The Ballad of Johnny Funwrecker, which is basically their origin story.
The art is interesting - it's decent most of the time, but as it gets more action-oriented, it gets sloppier, almost to the point of incomprehensibility. You'll figure it out, but the art doesn't help.
But that's the only thing I have to say against it. Otherwise, it's a wild ride of absurdist violence and dark humor, and a whole lot of fun to ride along with.

[E.A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Couriers was a thrill ride of unrepentant crime action. It was fun and refreshing to read a story like this from the perspective of the street warriors instead of a cop, private detective, victim, or outsider. Also, I appreciated the window into NYC in the early 00s (and the early 90s, in "The Ballad of Johnny Funwrecker.")

I didn't connect with the art style in section four, "Couscous Express," and found it hard to discern the details in many of the panels, which is a pity because I really enjoyed Olive as the driving character for the story. According to Wood's introduction, "Couscous Express" was the first of the four scripts he wrote, which explains some differences in Moustafa's backstory between it and what we read in "The Ballad of Johnny Funwrecker."

Overall, I had exactly what I wanted--a good time.

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brian Wood is one of my favorite comic book writers. He started The Couriers some ten years ago and put it on the shelf. He's refined it over the years before releasing it in comic book form. The time, thought, and effort he spent on this is evident. This is definitely the best action story I've read in a long time, even better than the works of Richard Parker. As soon as I finished it, I started to look at the first pages again, and I couldn't put it down. Any fans of action fiction and cinema should read this.

[Sam · Rating 1 out of 5]

I normally love Brian Wood's work, I really do. He's easily one of my favorite authors working in comicbooks and one of my go-to recommendations at work for people looking for something different. That said, the art in The Couriers was just not something I could get in to. I have nothing against Rob G personally, it just didn't click for me. If you can stomach the art, though, I do recommend this as something to experience if you're familiar with some of Wood's other, more famous works like The Massive, DMZ, or Northlanders.

[zackxdig · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have never heard of this comic before. So I went in without any prior knowledge of what to expect. It blew me away, they got away with so much in the city and it was nonstop ride the whole time. My only negative is that the Couscous part art seems off compared to the rest. But I kept rooting for the characters. It just makes me want to have more stories of Moustafa & Special.

[Ian · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's interesting to see the series evolve from juvenile ultraviolence to slightly less juvenile Sin Cityish brooding, but it never really achieves anything special. At least the artwork is always nice.

[Daniel Vlasaty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok so the art is kind of all over the place and some of the dialogue is cringey. But this book is stupid fun. It’s all action and bravado and despite its faults, it’s highly entertaining and enjoyable.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stylish action and a particular attitude that seems to have faded away from most modern comics (and other media as well, perhaps). This recalled things like Snow Crash and some of Gibson's earlier novels for me, minus the computers angle. Picked this one up basically on a whim, and am glad I did.

[Joe · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of those rare, purely-fun books.

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

Frenetic and kinetic.

[Savaş Manyaslı · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting idea for a story, but the style wasn't so clever.

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this up initially because I love Brett Weldele's art. Stories were far-fetched, but fun.