Killraven: Warrior of the Worlds

Marvel Graphic Novel #7

by Don McGregor, P. Craig Russell

Marvel Graphic Novel Number 7: KILLRAVEN WARRIOR OF THE WORLDS – Contents and Title Page Killraven / illustration / 1 page Credits P. Craig Russell P. Craig Russell Petra Scotese. Killraven / recap / 2 pages Credits Don McGregor P. Craig Russell P. Craig Russell Petra Scotese. Martian Chronology Record Killraven / character profile / 4 pages Credits Don McGregor P. Craig Russell P. Craig Russell Petra Scotese. Martian Elite The High Overlord Killraven / character profile / 2 pages Credits Don McGregor P. Craig Russell P. Craig Russell Petra Scotese. "Last Dreams Broken" Killraven / comic story / 12 pages Credits Don McGregor P. Craig Russell (signed) P. Craig Russell (signed) Petra Scotese Tom Orzechowski. Chapter Cocoa Beach Blues Killraven / comic story / 12 pages Credits Don McGregor P. Craig Russell P. Craig Russell Petra Scotese Tom Orzechowski. Chapter Blood and Passion Killraven / comic story / 9 pages Credits Don McGregor P. Craig Russell (signed) P. Craig Russell (signed) Petra Scotese Tom Orzechowski. Chapter Let It Die Like Fourth of July Killraven / comic story / 22 pages Credits Don McGregor P. Craig Russell P. Craig Russell Petra Scotese Tom Orzechowski; Typeset.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Graphic Novels Comics, Comic Book, Marvel, Post Apocalyptic, Science Fiction

64 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1983

About the author

Donald Francis McGregor is an American comic book writer best known for his work for Marvel Comics, and the author of one of their first graphic novels.

Reviews

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

This graphic novel (and it’s an actual graphic novel, not a collection of comics; people on Goodreads seem to use the term to refer to both, which irks me) was published several years after the original Killraven saga ended in the pages of Amazing Adventures. I can only imagine the creators begged Marvel for a chance to finish the story, which reached no satisfying conclusion in its original run.

Unfortunately, the writing’s not much better. The prose is still of the deepest purple and Don McGregor still forgets his words have to be concise enough to fit in a comicbook panel and still leave room for the artwork. We do at least get the much-foreshadowed confrontation between Killraven and his brother but it plays out predictably and ends much as you’d expect.

The one thing that elevates this graphic novel above the original series is that artist P. Craig Russell is now firing on all cylinders and producing some really beautiful artwork. The only black spot art-wise is when Russell suddenly produces three or four pages of truly awful collage at the book’s conclusion. I was never a huge fan of Jack Kirby’s experiments with collage but at least he did it better than Russell. I’ve seen children produce more aesthetically pleasing collages than the ones in this book.

Ultimately, I have to admit that I should have just left Killraven alone, as per my original instincts. My time could have been better spent. Oh, well...

[Drew Canole · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this a lot more than when I first encountered it years ago. They make some changes from the serialized comic, Killraven looks much younger. It's a bit more concise storytelling, not really the grand ending you want from the series.

Original read 2010: I hate the idea that a brilliant artist like P. Craig Russell had to work with this script. Couldn't the editors at Marvel have put him on a better project? I'm glad he eventually quit and went out on his own, adapting operas and books. Saying that, this book fails to highlight Russell's better characteristics and I he did improve drastically later on. Oddly, this was my introduction to Russell years ago.

[Gary Butler · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not 80 pages so not going on my all time list. This book is pretty boring. It was a real struggle to read

[Rick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read this several times already, it’s the epic finale for the Killraven narrative from Amazing Adventures #18-39. P. Craig Russell does an absolutely brilliant performance on the art. Truly gorgeous and spectacular. Killraven and the Freemen never looked this good.

Also includes in the following:
Marvel Masterworks: Killraven, Vol. 1 - archival quality, out of print
Essential Killraven, Vol. 1 - in black and white reproduction, out of print
Killraven Epic Collection, Vol. 1: Warrior of the Worlds - most recent publication

[Rog Harrison · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was published in 1983 so I probably bought my copy a few years later. I have read this several times over the years but would not have recorded reading it as I would have considered it to be a comic.

I liked the comic series back then but this graphic novel was a bit of a disappointment. Several pages are given to profiles of the various characters which suggests that there was not enough of a story to fill the book. Also I felt P Craig Russell's artwork looked a bit sketchy and unfinished.

[Reyel2107 · Rating 4 out of 5]

one great graphic novel old school !!!!

[StrictlySequential · Rating 4 out of 5]

This ISBN is NOT hardcover and softcover is all that exists.

[Tony Calder · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had expected this to be a stand alone story, and it was to a degree. It made a number of references to events that happened in the monthly comic series (I guess - I haven't read them). This led to the story feeling somewhat incomplete.

The artwork is fine but overall this story didn't really grab me.

[Jefferson · Rating 2 out of 5]

P. Craig Russell's artwork is a treat as always, but the writing in this book is just terrible. We begin with 6 pages of infodump text, and it doesn't get much better, with huge chunks of lengthy dialogue, redundant captions, and very little action. And the less said about the collage sequence, the better.

[Jason Page · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the book because it was set between 2018-2020. The book was written in the 1980’s so was very interested in what the year 2018 looked like. Gorgeous art but a thin War of the Worlds post apocalyptic story. Worth reading once but not a book I ever need to pick back up again.

[Daniel · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was OK. Honestly, the most striking thing about the story is that it takes place in February 2020, which in the comic is the far future. Man, I'm old.

[Eddie B. · Rating 2 out of 5]

5/10
The art of of P. Craig Russell is beautiful here but I expected more from the story. My first encounter with Killraven is probably the last.

[Phillip Goodman]

bought this yesterday, at a charity shop, quite an interesting find. the cover and some of the internal design creates the impression that this is a book for a child, it isn't. the art is lush and incredible, and one is thankful for the larger format pages to better gaze at it, the writing on the other had not so much, i can't quite place my finger on it but the dialogue, especially, is just that bit....off? perhaps....stilted, a bit unnatural.

[Devero · Rating 3 out of 5]

Con questa storia Don McGregor ha cercato di dare un finale alla saga di Killraven, che nonostante alti e bassi soprattutto ai disegni, resta uno dei punti più alti del fumetto americano degli anni '70.
La Graphic Novel ha un finale aperto, è vero, ma alcuni nodi vengono al pettine e la storia, per quanto complessa e troppo verbosa, si lascia leggere. I disegni potevano essere migliori, qui Craig Russell sembra fuori forma rispetto ai suoi standard.

[Little Timmy · Rating 2 out of 5]

An OK comics story. Good art but not a great plot. Not recommended