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Seven Soldiers of Victory #1
Seven Soldiers of Victory, Volume 1
One of the most creative minds in comics, Grant Morrison (All-Star Superman, The Invisibles) delivers his most groundbreaking and ambitious project yet: Seven Soldiers!
Comprising seven different 4-issue miniseries and two bookend Specials, this colossal 30-part tale of death, betrayal, failure, joy, loss, romance, triumph and redemption is now collected in a 4-volume series of trade paperbacks!
Independently, each of these characters are featured in a story arc of their own that redefines their purpose in the DCU. But their stories also interweave with the other Soldiers' tales, forming a grander story of a devastating global threat to mankind - with the ties between them becoming more evident in each new volume. Together these reluctant champions must arise and somehow work together to save the world...without ever meeting one another!
Collecting: Seven Soldiers of Victory 0, The Shinning Knight 1-2, The Guardian 1-2, Zatanna 1-2, Klarion, the Witchboy 1
Comprising seven different 4-issue miniseries and two bookend Specials, this colossal 30-part tale of death, betrayal, failure, joy, loss, romance, triumph and redemption is now collected in a 4-volume series of trade paperbacks!
Independently, each of these characters are featured in a story arc of their own that redefines their purpose in the DCU. But their stories also interweave with the other Soldiers' tales, forming a grander story of a devastating global threat to mankind - with the ties between them becoming more evident in each new volume. Together these reluctant champions must arise and somehow work together to save the world...without ever meeting one another!
Collecting: Seven Soldiers of Victory 0, The Shinning Knight 1-2, The Guardian 1-2, Zatanna 1-2, Klarion, the Witchboy 1
224 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
9 people are currently reading
928 people want to read
About the author
Grant Morrison
1,791 books4,570 followersGrant Morrison has been working with DC Comics for twenty five years, after beginning their American comics career with acclaimed runs on ANIMAL MAN and DOOM PATROL. Since then they have written such best-selling series as JLA, BATMAN and New X-Men, as well as such creator-owned works as THE INVISIBLES, SEAGUY, THE FILTH, WE3 and JOE THE BARBARIAN. In addition to expanding the DC Universe through titles ranging from the Eisner Award-winning SEVEN SOLDIERS and ALL-STAR SUPERMAN to the reality-shattering epic of FINAL CRISIS, they have also reinvented the worlds of the Dark Knight Detective in BATMAN AND ROBIN and BATMAN, INCORPORATED and the Man of Steel in The New 52 ACTION COMICS.
In their secret identity, Morrison is a "counterculture" spokesperson, a musician, an award-winning playwright and a chaos magician. They are also the author of the New York Times bestseller Supergods, a groundbreaking psycho-historic mapping of the superhero as a cultural organism. They divide their time between their homes in Los Angeles and Scotland.
In their secret identity, Morrison is a "counterculture" spokesperson, a musician, an award-winning playwright and a chaos magician. They are also the author of the New York Times bestseller Supergods, a groundbreaking psycho-historic mapping of the superhero as a cultural organism. They divide their time between their homes in Los Angeles and Scotland.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews
January 18, 2020
3.5 stars
Ok, so this was a mixed bag for me.
The first story (Seven Soldiers of Victory 0) didn't impress me in the least. None of the characters, least of all the main chick, were relatable or likable. Reading a one-shot about scuzzy c-listers didn't do it for me.
But I trudged on toward the next hero's tale (Shining Knight) and just about quit. Actually, I did quit. A story about a team of loseresque has-beens and then another about some King Arthur bullshit? No thank you.
But I forgot to return it to the library, ended up having to check it out again online, and then decided to give it another shot. <--mainly because I still really wanted to read about Klarion the witchboy.
Well, I didn't get to read about him right away. Had to wade through The Guardian. Which turned out to be...not so bad. Especially considering how dumb the plot was.
A guy gets outfitted by a newspaper to become their own personal superhero - aided by a bunch of newsboys who hand him tools, give him rides, and report happenings in the city.
His nemesis for this comic? Subway Pirates.
Yes. The mentally ill homeless have formed a band of literal pirates.
I honestly can't decide whether I thought it was total crap or a stroke of genius.
On to Zatanna! Now, I like Zatana.
Her story was cool.
And, yes, I finally got Klarion! His stuff was totally worth it. I'd love to read more comics with his character in it. Why aren't there more comics with him?!
Ok, so all the stories are connected by this thread of evil (interdimensional?) aliens, or whatever they are, that want to take over the universe. Or something. I'm not really sure and I think I'd have to read the next volume to find out.
At any rate, the volume picks up the pace as you go on, there's a cool twist to the story about Shining Knight that made me suddenly perk up my interest in that character, and by the end, I was actually kind of sad to shut the book. <--which really shocked me since I almost DNF'd it.
Recommended for anyone looking for something a little oddball.
Ok, so this was a mixed bag for me.
The first story (Seven Soldiers of Victory 0) didn't impress me in the least. None of the characters, least of all the main chick, were relatable or likable. Reading a one-shot about scuzzy c-listers didn't do it for me.
But I trudged on toward the next hero's tale (Shining Knight) and just about quit. Actually, I did quit. A story about a team of loseresque has-beens and then another about some King Arthur bullshit? No thank you.
But I forgot to return it to the library, ended up having to check it out again online, and then decided to give it another shot. <--mainly because I still really wanted to read about Klarion the witchboy.
Well, I didn't get to read about him right away. Had to wade through The Guardian. Which turned out to be...not so bad. Especially considering how dumb the plot was.
A guy gets outfitted by a newspaper to become their own personal superhero - aided by a bunch of newsboys who hand him tools, give him rides, and report happenings in the city.
His nemesis for this comic? Subway Pirates.
Yes. The mentally ill homeless have formed a band of literal pirates.
I honestly can't decide whether I thought it was total crap or a stroke of genius.
On to Zatanna! Now, I like Zatana.
Her story was cool.
And, yes, I finally got Klarion! His stuff was totally worth it. I'd love to read more comics with his character in it. Why aren't there more comics with him?!
Ok, so all the stories are connected by this thread of evil (interdimensional?) aliens, or whatever they are, that want to take over the universe. Or something. I'm not really sure and I think I'd have to read the next volume to find out.
At any rate, the volume picks up the pace as you go on, there's a cool twist to the story about Shining Knight that made me suddenly perk up my interest in that character, and by the end, I was actually kind of sad to shut the book. <--which really shocked me since I almost DNF'd it.
Recommended for anyone looking for something a little oddball.
April 14, 2012
What does a comics writer do when he's written stories about the biggest characters in comics - Superman, Batman, X-Men? He goes after the barely remember kind of course, the Z-list superheroes! Grant Morrison resurrects characters from DC's past (some going back literally 60-70 years) in "Seven Soldiers of Victory".
In this first volume he introduces Shining Knight, an Arthurian Knight sent from his medieval-esque realm along with his winged horse into our own world via a magical cauldron (I know, who hasn't heard that story a million times before, right?); Manhattan Guardian, an ordinary guy given the job of protecting Manhattan and reporting the news at the same time; Klarion the witch boy, a blue skinned teen living in a Puritan netherworld populated with Grundys (think Solomon Grundy from Batman); and Zatanna a magician who can cast real magic while wearing skimpy outfits (and also the only character I recognised thanks to Paul Dini including her in a number of Batman stories).
Grant Morrison has a reputation for going all spacey and avant-garde with his books and, while there is a bit of that here (like in all his books), it's only in small doses and most of the book is accessible to the first time reader. I particularly liked Zatanna's storyline which reminded me of Neil Gaiman's Sandman inspired spinoff "Death" series. None of the four characters meet either but their storylines are intertwined and there are still three more books for the overall story arc of saving the universe to fill out.
Oh and each character's story is illustrated by a different artist so you see the talents of JH Williams III, Cameron Stewart, Ryan Sook, and Frazer Irving provide amazing art throughout. Irving in particular surprised me by producing amazingly gothic and Hammer Horror-y art that was really awesome, when previously I felt his work on "Batman & Robin" was among the worst I'd seen for that series, so good to see another side to his work. Williams III provides his usual extremely high level of staggeringly imaginative layouts while Stewart's artwork is as gorgeous as always.
This is a promising start to an interesting series as these oddball superheroes begin their journeys to save the world somehow from evil faerie folk, inter-dimensional monsters, and an all- powerful sorceress. Great fun, very imaginative, bring on Book 2!
In this first volume he introduces Shining Knight, an Arthurian Knight sent from his medieval-esque realm along with his winged horse into our own world via a magical cauldron (I know, who hasn't heard that story a million times before, right?); Manhattan Guardian, an ordinary guy given the job of protecting Manhattan and reporting the news at the same time; Klarion the witch boy, a blue skinned teen living in a Puritan netherworld populated with Grundys (think Solomon Grundy from Batman); and Zatanna a magician who can cast real magic while wearing skimpy outfits (and also the only character I recognised thanks to Paul Dini including her in a number of Batman stories).
Grant Morrison has a reputation for going all spacey and avant-garde with his books and, while there is a bit of that here (like in all his books), it's only in small doses and most of the book is accessible to the first time reader. I particularly liked Zatanna's storyline which reminded me of Neil Gaiman's Sandman inspired spinoff "Death" series. None of the four characters meet either but their storylines are intertwined and there are still three more books for the overall story arc of saving the universe to fill out.
Oh and each character's story is illustrated by a different artist so you see the talents of JH Williams III, Cameron Stewart, Ryan Sook, and Frazer Irving provide amazing art throughout. Irving in particular surprised me by producing amazingly gothic and Hammer Horror-y art that was really awesome, when previously I felt his work on "Batman & Robin" was among the worst I'd seen for that series, so good to see another side to his work. Williams III provides his usual extremely high level of staggeringly imaginative layouts while Stewart's artwork is as gorgeous as always.
This is a promising start to an interesting series as these oddball superheroes begin their journeys to save the world somehow from evil faerie folk, inter-dimensional monsters, and an all- powerful sorceress. Great fun, very imaginative, bring on Book 2!
December 2, 2024
Grant Morrison's epic and ambitious super-team story about characters who are not superheroes and don't even meet each other. The interconnectedness, the scope of the story with *seven* who miniseries.
Nobody but nobody can take DC mythology and work it so well. A modern classic. I love the imagination of the Guardian (pirates in secret subway stations how cool is that!), the goth aesthetics of Klarion the Witch Boy, the high Arthurian fantasy of the Shining Knight.
I did love best reading these as they were coming out concurrently, flipping through the different chapters again and again to find the connections, and that experience is a little bit worse off when reading in ordered graphic novel reprint versions. Still, I'm sure I'll keep on rereading in the future...
Nobody but nobody can take DC mythology and work it so well. A modern classic. I love the imagination of the Guardian (pirates in secret subway stations how cool is that!), the goth aesthetics of Klarion the Witch Boy, the high Arthurian fantasy of the Shining Knight.
I did love best reading these as they were coming out concurrently, flipping through the different chapters again and again to find the connections, and that experience is a little bit worse off when reading in ordered graphic novel reprint versions. Still, I'm sure I'll keep on rereading in the future...
December 20, 2017
Siete personajes muy segunda y tercer linea de Dc se enfrentan a un mismo enemigo sin tener conocimiento del resto. En este primer volumen de cuatro que reune unos creo 58 episodios distintos originalmente publicados en issues a razón de cuatro por cada personaje y dos finales de libro. En el primer tomo conocemos a cuatro de estos heroes cada historia contada con un estilo particuar y diferente entre sí ademas de contar con distintos artistas. El resultado es de momento confuso pero promisorio.
August 14, 2024
Meant to be read through the full volumes as it does jump around the various mini series.
Here we see Zatanna ...Shining Knight.....Klarion,Witch Boy and Guardian.
Here we see Zatanna ...Shining Knight.....Klarion,Witch Boy and Guardian.
September 12, 2025
I read these individually as they came out and pulled them off my shelf for a re-read, starting with the issues cited in this collection. And it wasn't as good as I remembered, dragging on until the second Guardian installment and the Zatanna and Clarion stories, where things started to pick up. Presumably my memories are more of the later comics being pretty good; this is just about above average.
May 17, 2020
El típico tomo de presentación de personajes y planteo del escenario de cada uno de ellos.
March 7, 2008
The four trade volumes that make up this story were originally put out as a 30 issue series, and in reprinting them the story is presented chronologically, in the order that it's suggested you should read them. But the brilliant thing about Seven Soldiers - and, to an extent, comics in general - is that you don't have to read them that way, and in fact, the series invites you to read the books in almost any order you'd like.
To elaborate: there are 7, four-issue stories that all interlock, and are bookended by a pair of individual comics that kick-start and wrap-up the entire affair. DC is very good at "event" publishing, where different titles all cross-over into a continuous story that, in order to follow, you have to read all the cross-overs. The hope is that they'll gain new readers when a Superman Fan has to buy Wonder Woman to find out what happens, and gets hooked.
However, this story takes the form of event publishing, but instead introduces 8 new, limited-series titles to readers. The interlocking nature of the different series creates a very unique reading experience. While the trades present the series in single, forward-moving narrative, the single-issue presentations offer readers a chance to "dip in" to the series where ever they would like. You could read each mini-series separately; you could read all the first issues, then the second issues, etc. In many ways, it mimics the way fans pick up comics; many get new issues as they are published, but others pick up a few things here and a few things there, and aren't always able to read through things chronologically. In Seven Soldiers, how you read it is up to you.
Seven Soldiers is presented as a microcosm of the DC Universe; all the characters involved exist within the same world, but this fact doesn't necessarily affect each person individually. Most of the time, you can read Hellblazer and you don't have to read Justice League, but the two stories happen in the same world. Seven Soldiers takes this idea to the nth degree; all seven characters are each inside the same story, only none of them are fully cognizant of how they interconnect. This nuance, in many ways, is a means of amplifying the very essence of comics. The stuff that fans like about the medium as a whole is distilled and brought to the foreground.
If the metatextual elements aren't quite your cup of tea, there is plenty of knock-down, drag-out story to keep you going. All seven of the main characters have self-contained stories, and they all fit a certain type or genre. Looking for someone without powers, but brings the good fight to the streets with strength, courage, and quick-thinking? Check out The Manhattan Guardian. Like sexy bombshell characters in skimpy costumes who then struggle with the perceived role of women in the world of superheroes? You need Bulleteer. Etc., etc. Grant Morrison uses some of these stereotypes and stock characters to offer up something that is familiar, but then manipulates those ideas to serve his own twisted goals.
But if you want to ignore all that hifalutin rigmarole, and just get down to something fun, Seven Soldiers has that, too. It's too easy to get lost in the minutia of comics, and with a series like this (which brings back many B- and C-List characters that have been out-of-circulation for years), it wouldn't be hard to alienate new readers by only offering something that continuity watch-dogs and druggy-minded academics can enjoy. Fortunately, Seven Soldiers focuses on a good story first, with lots of action and twists and turns that make up good storytelling. How much further you go beyond that is entirely up to you.
To elaborate: there are 7, four-issue stories that all interlock, and are bookended by a pair of individual comics that kick-start and wrap-up the entire affair. DC is very good at "event" publishing, where different titles all cross-over into a continuous story that, in order to follow, you have to read all the cross-overs. The hope is that they'll gain new readers when a Superman Fan has to buy Wonder Woman to find out what happens, and gets hooked.
However, this story takes the form of event publishing, but instead introduces 8 new, limited-series titles to readers. The interlocking nature of the different series creates a very unique reading experience. While the trades present the series in single, forward-moving narrative, the single-issue presentations offer readers a chance to "dip in" to the series where ever they would like. You could read each mini-series separately; you could read all the first issues, then the second issues, etc. In many ways, it mimics the way fans pick up comics; many get new issues as they are published, but others pick up a few things here and a few things there, and aren't always able to read through things chronologically. In Seven Soldiers, how you read it is up to you.
Seven Soldiers is presented as a microcosm of the DC Universe; all the characters involved exist within the same world, but this fact doesn't necessarily affect each person individually. Most of the time, you can read Hellblazer and you don't have to read Justice League, but the two stories happen in the same world. Seven Soldiers takes this idea to the nth degree; all seven characters are each inside the same story, only none of them are fully cognizant of how they interconnect. This nuance, in many ways, is a means of amplifying the very essence of comics. The stuff that fans like about the medium as a whole is distilled and brought to the foreground.
If the metatextual elements aren't quite your cup of tea, there is plenty of knock-down, drag-out story to keep you going. All seven of the main characters have self-contained stories, and they all fit a certain type or genre. Looking for someone without powers, but brings the good fight to the streets with strength, courage, and quick-thinking? Check out The Manhattan Guardian. Like sexy bombshell characters in skimpy costumes who then struggle with the perceived role of women in the world of superheroes? You need Bulleteer. Etc., etc. Grant Morrison uses some of these stereotypes and stock characters to offer up something that is familiar, but then manipulates those ideas to serve his own twisted goals.
But if you want to ignore all that hifalutin rigmarole, and just get down to something fun, Seven Soldiers has that, too. It's too easy to get lost in the minutia of comics, and with a series like this (which brings back many B- and C-List characters that have been out-of-circulation for years), it wouldn't be hard to alienate new readers by only offering something that continuity watch-dogs and druggy-minded academics can enjoy. Fortunately, Seven Soldiers focuses on a good story first, with lots of action and twists and turns that make up good storytelling. How much further you go beyond that is entirely up to you.
February 14, 2014
I enjoyed this, but there were parts of the cosmic weirdness of Morrison that I skimmed. The intro tells of I'm guessing, the old Seven Soldiers and what happens to them (but not entirely, and I'm not sure the time difference from when our newer ones start working on things). Ystin, The Shining Knight, I'm glad to see, as I've recently read some of her in 'Demon Knights'. Klarion the Witch Boy lives in a Grundy world of Puritans and undead, has the potential to be very interesting, I know I've seen him before somewhere, I just can't place it...The Guardian is just a new version of the one from Superman's past (alongside the Newsboy Legion) so that doesn't really excite much. Then there's good old Fetish-Queen Zatana. Yum.
They all run on their own in 2 part stories of weirdness. That's about it.
It was pretty good, but not really cohesive yet as to what's tying them all together...I will likely seem out Vol 2 to see that.
They all run on their own in 2 part stories of weirdness. That's about it.
It was pretty good, but not really cohesive yet as to what's tying them all together...I will likely seem out Vol 2 to see that.
November 3, 2020
Not gonna lie, the first half or more is tough to get through and I didn't like it. Then things start to pick up and get interesting, with the various characters' stories starting to interconnect. By the end, I still didn't love it, but I might read the next volume to see what happens. Maybe. I only read this for Zatanna and her stuff is alright. What I was surprised I ended up liking is the Klarion stuff! I quite like the art style and his story is, for me, more interesting then the others.
July 30, 2011
This is supposed to be this great thing; this great thing that leads to all of Grant Morrison's other current great things. I did not get this great thing; this great thing this was supposed to be.
August 30, 2020
A few interesting tidbits here and there, but I found most of this to be pretty uninspired.
April 25, 2015
Picture this, you have loved comics for a while and made it your goal to learn everything about them, then when you think you do, so you pick up a book by one of you favorite writers Grant Morrison now you know four new characters that you want to know more about and now like three characters you previously disregarded or disliked. That was my experience with this book, I didn't enjoy the first five pages of the book but then when I read I was sad to find out that someone had volumes two through four checked out, I am proud to give this book a five star rating and only hope that I can right such an ingeniously woven together story when I wright comics in the future. In the end this made me interested in seven new characters I either didn't know about, or didn't like.
Five stars
Five stars
April 3, 2012
Honestly not some of DC's better re-imaginings. Zatanna's storyline was a potential saving grace but Klarion the Witch boy, Manhattan Guardian, and the Shining Knight pieces were snoozers. This was a surprise revelation to me as I personally really prefer DC over Marvel because of the attention they pay to the minor characters. Every DC storyline does not need to have Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, ...etc. They focus on the real-life problems and flawed characteristics of their 'Super'heroes which makes for a better read than the mundane, "I beat up a bad guy, The End" approach. This book attempts to go there with some minor characters, but ends up falling flat.
July 15, 2016
I'm intrigued. But there wasn't enough story for me to be hooked yet. A book full of intros, essentially. I'm glad there was at least a couple storylines that got to the second issue in this collection. I've seen this chronological approach in collected trades a couple times, but I'm not sure I like jumping around from plot to plot so much. The Guardian and Limbo Town stories are most interesting to me for now. Then probably Zatanna's. I've had an increased fondness for the character since her ongoing a few years back.
July 5, 2010
This is Grant Morrison at his best. A prophecy to vanquish the evil that has taken over Earth says that a group of seven soldiers will over throw the reign of evil on Earth. But it never said that all the soldiers would a)know about one another or b)be from the same time. This four volume series is a mind binder and is full of amazing writing a fight sequences. A brilliant graphic novel thriller.
January 29, 2018
BCDER: 84
A great start to this four volume series, although the very start (the first issue / chapter) was a bit confusing. Four seeming independent story lines featuring distinct “soldiers” are well laid out. My assumption is they will all be tied together somehow in the following three volumes. I’m hooked on each storyline so far and am eager to read the other volumes.
A great start to this four volume series, although the very start (the first issue / chapter) was a bit confusing. Four seeming independent story lines featuring distinct “soldiers” are well laid out. My assumption is they will all be tied together somehow in the following three volumes. I’m hooked on each storyline so far and am eager to read the other volumes.
June 22, 2011
your time will come
April 27, 2012
Subway pirates!
February 14, 2017
Great start to the series, letting us slowly meet the soldiers (which, we only meet 4 of the 7). Good writing and some fantastic art--I especially love Simone Bianchi's work.
February 6, 2015
I'm glad that first team wasn't the one we were stuck with xD
this looks to be a very interesting series and I can't wait to read the next installment!
this looks to be a very interesting series and I can't wait to read the next installment!
March 3, 2018
Man, this was good. A little shaky at first, with all the changes in mood/tone/art, but so far I'm enjoying things.
March 23, 2018
Overall, I liked it. I was, frankly, somewhat underwhelmed by the experience, as I think I expected more from the individual miniseries than I got. I like how Morrison wove different supporting characters through the various miniseries, but I never quite felt any danger from the Sheeda. It became more an experiment in putting together a puzzle than a fun story.
I thought that the individual series were somewhat mixed - Guardian was terrific, as was Bulleteer. Zatanna - despite being a character I typically loathe - worked well in her story. Mister Miracle was fun, but I felt like it was only vaguely tied to the Seven Soldiers storyline. Klarion wasn't clicking for me - he never seemed to have much direction, going from the "wow wow wow" excitement of the outside world to... well, whatever he did in the final chapter.
Frankenstein was the series I expected the most from and wound up being the most letdown by. Everyone described it as fun, one-liner-heavy good stuff. I didn't see that. Mahnke drew some great alien landscapes, but it was just Frank showing up somewhere and shooting something, while talking to S.H.A.D.E. I was expecting some more excitement. Shining Knight was solid too. I liked Bianchi's linework and gorgeous shading, but was confused by some of his page layouts.
I guess I enjoyed it, but I felt that most of the miniseries weren't exceptional. They were merely good, with the connections between them being the main "plus" quality of the entire Seven Soldiers super-story.
I didn't feel disappointed by the final issue at all. It was rushed, but I didn't feel that it was necessarily less clear than the rest of the series. Noteworthy: A few Soldiers did meet in the finale! It was fun. I probably need to read it again with the hype and expectations stripped away though. I'm sure that there were themes and connections that I didn't get from the first read anyway.
I thought that the individual series were somewhat mixed - Guardian was terrific, as was Bulleteer. Zatanna - despite being a character I typically loathe - worked well in her story. Mister Miracle was fun, but I felt like it was only vaguely tied to the Seven Soldiers storyline. Klarion wasn't clicking for me - he never seemed to have much direction, going from the "wow wow wow" excitement of the outside world to... well, whatever he did in the final chapter.
Frankenstein was the series I expected the most from and wound up being the most letdown by. Everyone described it as fun, one-liner-heavy good stuff. I didn't see that. Mahnke drew some great alien landscapes, but it was just Frank showing up somewhere and shooting something, while talking to S.H.A.D.E. I was expecting some more excitement. Shining Knight was solid too. I liked Bianchi's linework and gorgeous shading, but was confused by some of his page layouts.
I guess I enjoyed it, but I felt that most of the miniseries weren't exceptional. They were merely good, with the connections between them being the main "plus" quality of the entire Seven Soldiers super-story.
I didn't feel disappointed by the final issue at all. It was rushed, but I didn't feel that it was necessarily less clear than the rest of the series. Noteworthy: A few Soldiers did meet in the finale! It was fun. I probably need to read it again with the hype and expectations stripped away though. I'm sure that there were themes and connections that I didn't get from the first read anyway.
May 10, 2017
I'm struggling to know how to rate this. Did I like it? No. Did I like the illustrations? Yes. Did I know anyone in these stories? Not a one! (But I still consider myself a graphic novel baby.) If I did know anyone in here I might have liked it. It was pretty disjointed, with nothing seeming to connect.
I found this at the library. The cover stood out to me, and I was so blown away that the first four volumes were there, I just borrowed them all. However, after reading this first one -- I'm not going to bother with the others. Maybe I'll try them out again when I'm a graphic novel toddler.
I found this at the library. The cover stood out to me, and I was so blown away that the first four volumes were there, I just borrowed them all. However, after reading this first one -- I'm not going to bother with the others. Maybe I'll try them out again when I'm a graphic novel toddler.
December 15, 2018
3.5
Here's the thing about non-linear storytelling, you have to make sure that people know what is going on from scene to scene. Since the story as a whole is taking a non-traditional flow, a stream of consciousness, that makes each individual scene all the more important. When you refuse to flat-out say what's going on and use flowery prose and vague references, it just makes things all the more difficult.
That being said, even though I had to read and reread things several times, I did enjoy the individual stories. They were thematic and unique and in some cases fun and the hints to the larger story were intriguing enough to keep me reading.
Here's the thing about non-linear storytelling, you have to make sure that people know what is going on from scene to scene. Since the story as a whole is taking a non-traditional flow, a stream of consciousness, that makes each individual scene all the more important. When you refuse to flat-out say what's going on and use flowery prose and vague references, it just makes things all the more difficult.
That being said, even though I had to read and reread things several times, I did enjoy the individual stories. They were thematic and unique and in some cases fun and the hints to the larger story were intriguing enough to keep me reading.
February 19, 2019
This is such an interesting idea, reimagining minor characters into a mismatched superteam that never actually meets. Each of the stories is fun to get into (with the possible exception of Klarion), but the real fun is in making the connections and piecing it all together. I'm almost completely ignorant of Shining Knight and Guardian, but they are real standouts here. I especially want more of Justin and Vanguard; like are they from a historical King Arthur scenario or an alternate universe of what? Zatana is pretty darn cool too - her mind bending magical mystery tour (along with Spyder's intro) allowed the artists to really stretch and play in very creative ways.
March 2, 2019
This book was so much better than I expected! I decided to read it due to Zatanna being in it, but I never expected it to be as good as it was! Essentially, Grant Morrison (one of the most popular writers in all of comics who has written for many of the huge characters like Batman, Superman etc) decided to write a story with the completely unknown characters from DC. All of the characters individual stories were great and all intertwined ever so slightly, relating to the overarching story. And yes, the Zatanna parts were fantastic and my favourite parts of the book
And there are subway pirates in the book, which is probably the coolest thing ever.
And there are subway pirates in the book, which is probably the coolest thing ever.
October 28, 2021
A sterling example of why Grant Morrison can produce work that is veritable unmatched in the genre.
This opening stanza in his sprawling epic introduces us to the first four heroes. Each story stands as its own unique pillar, holding up what promises to be an exciting structure.
What makes this all the more incredible is how each character exists in its own universe; each story is so singularly unique in its style and tone. Yet despite this, they also consist of a larger whole that intermingles and melts into the larger pool of stories.
Incredible storytelling that rewards with each issue.
This opening stanza in his sprawling epic introduces us to the first four heroes. Each story stands as its own unique pillar, holding up what promises to be an exciting structure.
What makes this all the more incredible is how each character exists in its own universe; each story is so singularly unique in its style and tone. Yet despite this, they also consist of a larger whole that intermingles and melts into the larger pool of stories.
Incredible storytelling that rewards with each issue.
February 1, 2023
IDK what it is about Morrison but their pacing just works so well for me. After bingeing Agent of Shade and Creature Commando, I've come here to see Frankenstein's monster. Everything is just slower but more intruiging. I don't feel like the author is rushing through an introduction and then presupposing my knowledge or care for a character.
Seven Soldiers does that really well which is good because volume 1 is almost entirely setup and world building.
Seven Soldiers does that really well which is good because volume 1 is almost entirely setup and world building.
September 19, 2025
Moebius' Blueberry! Jessica Rabbit! Blaxploitation supercop! Klarion the Witch Boy and Teekl the cat! The scary face from that Aphex Twin music video! All this and more in Seven Soldiers, volume one! Enjoy! Enjoy! Enjoy!
"My ideal man is revealed as a mindless elemental midget with the power to assume any form I tell him to. I can feel years of therapy coming undone in moments. What do I feed my new boyfriend? Birdseed?"
"My ideal man is revealed as a mindless elemental midget with the power to assume any form I tell him to. I can feel years of therapy coming undone in moments. What do I feed my new boyfriend? Birdseed?"
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