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The Crew #1-7
Crew (1)
In the worst neighborhood in the worst section of New York, Jim Rhodes, the one-time War Machines, will need more than his wits to achieve justice on the street. He'll need...the Crew. Four men who are inspired to make a difference, even if they can't agree on how!
160 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
2 people are currently reading
49 people want to read
About the author
Christopher J. Priest
1,058 books189 followersFormerly (before 1993) known as James or Jim Owsley.
Christopher James Priest is a critically acclaimed novelist and comic book writer. Priest is the first African-American writer and editor for Marvel and DC Comics. His groundbreaking Black Panther series was lauded by Entertainment Weekly and The Village Voice and will serve as the basis for the 2018 Marvel Cinematic Universe adaption.
Besides Black Panther, Priest has written comics for Conan, Steel, Green Lantern, The Crew and edited The Amazing Spider-Man. He also co-created Quantum & Woody along with Mark Bright and co-founded Milestone Media.
After a decade long hiatus he is currently writing comic books again and recently concluded a stint writing the comic book Deathstroke (2016-2019).
In addition to being a writer, Christopher J. Priest is also a baptist minister.
Christopher James Priest is a critically acclaimed novelist and comic book writer. Priest is the first African-American writer and editor for Marvel and DC Comics. His groundbreaking Black Panther series was lauded by Entertainment Weekly and The Village Voice and will serve as the basis for the 2018 Marvel Cinematic Universe adaption.
Besides Black Panther, Priest has written comics for Conan, Steel, Green Lantern, The Crew and edited The Amazing Spider-Man. He also co-created Quantum & Woody along with Mark Bright and co-founded Milestone Media.
After a decade long hiatus he is currently writing comic books again and recently concluded a stint writing the comic book Deathstroke (2016-2019).
In addition to being a writer, Christopher J. Priest is also a baptist minister.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
October 22, 2017
Before I get to the actual book it self, I should explain how to get it. The original trade paperback is long out of print, but it became available as part of Black Panther by Christopher Priest: The Complete Collection Vol. 4, or you can do what I did and buy the issues individually on comixology.com (I tend to read most of my comics digitally).
This is a tragic story--not the actual story, but the meta-one of the book and what it did to its writer. Christopher J. Priest was Marvel Comics' first African-American writer & editor (in 1978). As is the standard, being the first black anything means his career has been a perpetual up-hill challenge. Though he was never considered for the "big" characters as an ongoing writer, he was given the b-class and lower characters. One of those characters was called Black Panther. As his run on that comic was winding down he conceived of another story that would be his magnum opus, his statement on superheroes, race, and comics--except he was never given a chance. Before the first issue of this series was published it was cancelled and it was the final straw for the man who integrated mainstream comics: "The abrupt and premature cancellation of The Crew, which I was terribly invested in and extremely proud of, was, for me, the death knell. I threw up my hands, that’s it for me and comics...It’s not the art form I despise so much, it’s the idiocy of the people controlling it. Billions of dollars lying on the floor. So many bills we’re slipping in them as we walk past trying to sell the same old crap to the same old people." That was his opinion in 2011, not much has changed, though he is writing comics again for both Marvel and DC Comics (though mainly at DC Comics).
This comic takes place in a rough neighborhood in Brooklyn after the killing of James Rhodes' (Tony Stark's best friend) sister. He assembles a team of very different heroes to take down the organization responsible.
That synopsis sounds simple, but there is a lot more going on to this work. I had heard about this story early on when I first began reading comics, but when I read The Blackest Superhero Story That Marvel Comics Ever Published I knew I had to track this series down. Thanks to the renaissance of Black Panther, I would get this chance. It kills me to think what could have happened if this story was not cancelled before the first issue was published. Its spiritual successor Black Panther And The Crew: We Are The Streets (Black Panther And The Crew was cancelled after the first issue. 2003 to 2017 and things don't change.
This is a tragic story--not the actual story, but the meta-one of the book and what it did to its writer. Christopher J. Priest was Marvel Comics' first African-American writer & editor (in 1978). As is the standard, being the first black anything means his career has been a perpetual up-hill challenge. Though he was never considered for the "big" characters as an ongoing writer, he was given the b-class and lower characters. One of those characters was called Black Panther. As his run on that comic was winding down he conceived of another story that would be his magnum opus, his statement on superheroes, race, and comics--except he was never given a chance. Before the first issue of this series was published it was cancelled and it was the final straw for the man who integrated mainstream comics: "The abrupt and premature cancellation of The Crew, which I was terribly invested in and extremely proud of, was, for me, the death knell. I threw up my hands, that’s it for me and comics...It’s not the art form I despise so much, it’s the idiocy of the people controlling it. Billions of dollars lying on the floor. So many bills we’re slipping in them as we walk past trying to sell the same old crap to the same old people." That was his opinion in 2011, not much has changed, though he is writing comics again for both Marvel and DC Comics (though mainly at DC Comics).
This comic takes place in a rough neighborhood in Brooklyn after the killing of James Rhodes' (Tony Stark's best friend) sister. He assembles a team of very different heroes to take down the organization responsible.
That synopsis sounds simple, but there is a lot more going on to this work. I had heard about this story early on when I first began reading comics, but when I read The Blackest Superhero Story That Marvel Comics Ever Published I knew I had to track this series down. Thanks to the renaissance of Black Panther, I would get this chance. It kills me to think what could have happened if this story was not cancelled before the first issue was published. Its spiritual successor Black Panther And The Crew: We Are The Streets (Black Panther And The Crew was cancelled after the first issue. 2003 to 2017 and things don't change.
June 21, 2014
Probably the most tragic premature cancellation in the history of comics. Truly special book that never got a chance to get going. James Rhodey's never been half this interesting, and Kasper, Josiah, and Junta were all much more complex, interesting, and compelling after seven issues (ok, ok, Panther fans had seen Junta and Kasper before) than, say for example, the Sentry was after sixty.
Little Mogadishu was a unique, horrifying little corner of the Marvel Universe that deserves a mention of its own.
Tragically, tragically short book. You should read it anyways.
Little Mogadishu was a unique, horrifying little corner of the Marvel Universe that deserves a mention of its own.
Tragically, tragically short book. You should read it anyways.
November 14, 2020
This started a bit slow and then ended just as it was getting good
May 10, 2016
Great writing that will leave you wanting more.
May 19, 2017
An interesting black-exploitation comic that channels a mix of Black Panther and Daredevil. Some good artwork, plot and character development, but a few times I felt confused with what was going on and the ending fell a bit flat given the lengthy build up.
November 7, 2020
the storytelling isn't phenomenal but i love the concept and the characters
January 1, 2021
This is one of those stories that gels just in time to end.
For more, check out Comic Book Coffee Break: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMQZz...
For more, check out Comic Book Coffee Break: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMQZz...
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August 1, 2009Finally, also in the comics world, there's the short-lived seven issues of The Crew, by Priest, which was basically canceled before it got started. It drew together several heroes of color but was not directly about race; it was about a bunch of down-on-their-luck superheroes who were forced to band together out of necessity, not out of choice. For all that it wasn't directly about race, the contrasts between the characters and where they've ended up (through either backstories that couldn't be avoided or years of mistreatment by other writers) versus where all-white teams started out is pretty stark. A carryover from Truth is the son of the Black Captain America, Josiah X -- a character that I'm sorry to say hasn't been seen in the Marvel Universe since, as far as I can tell.
April 7, 2013
It is a solid read and a great idea. The execution could have used a little work but well worth the read!
August 7, 2016
A good, post-blaxploitation take on Captain America, the Black Panther, and War Machine.
April 10, 2017
My first time learning about Isaiah and Josiah Bradley (apparently, I didn't pay close enough attention during the Black Panther/Storm wedding issue back when). That was easily the highlight of this somewhat convoluted story. After some extensive wiki-surfing (Ah! Patriot! It all fits together!), I'm now looking forward to going back and reading Truth: Red, White, and Black.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews