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The Private Eye #1-5

The Private Eye, Volumen Uno

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The Private Eye: la edición analógica Antes de que Edward Snowden saltara a la fama, antes de que Cambridge Analytica exprimiese los datos que tan alegremente subimos a las redes, antes de que nuestra intimidad permease la nube, ya nos avisó… The Private Eye. The Private Eye se desarrolla en un futuro inexorable en el que, tras reventar la nube, los datos de todo el mundo han quedado expuestos y la gente acaba protegiendo su intimidad tras una identidad secreta. Es una historia de ciencia ficción noir sobre un detective sin licencia, involucrado en una trama de insospechadas consecuencias sociales, y que alerta sobre la renuncia a la privacidad con alarmante precisión. Presentamos la obra de Brian K. Vaughan (Saga, Paper Girls), Marcos Martín (The Amazing Spider-Man, Doctor Strange: The Oath) y la colorista Muntsa Vicente en una lujosa edición con extras y un completo dosier sobre la génesis de la obra, ganadora del Premio Eisner al mejor cómic digital y publicada originalmente en PanelSyndicate.com. «The Private Eye aúna la tradición trepidante de los mejores cómics pulp (identidades secretas, detectives privados y un villano con cohete incluido) con una seria reflexión sobre el miedo a que nuestra huella digital acabe llevándonos a la perdición.» Slate Magazine

152 pages, ebook

First published March 12, 2014

7 people are currently reading
528 people want to read

About the author

Brian K. Vaughan

1,059 books14.2k followers
Brian K. Vaughan is the writer and co-creator of comic-book series including SAGA, PAPER GIRLS, Y THE LAST MAN, RUNAWAYS, and most recently, BARRIER, a digital comic with artist Marcos Martin about immigration, available from their pay-what-you-want site www.PanelSyndicate.com

BKV's work has been recognized at the Eisner, Harvey, Hugo, Shuster, Eagle, and British Fantasy Awards. He sometimes writes for film and television in Los Angeles, where he lives with his family and their dogs Hamburger and Milkshake.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
Profile Image for Sam Quixote.
4,809 reviews13.4k followers
March 26, 2014
A man with a camera lurks in the shadows of a building looking across at a building opposite where a beautiful woman is undressing. She takes off her coat; she takes off her jewellery; she takes off her dress; and then she takes off her skin to reveal another person underneath!!! The world of the future is a pretty weird place to say the least!

In 2075 the internet is no more. Everyone stored information in The Cloud until The Cloud “burst” and ruined everyone’s lives. Search histories, recorded conversations, private emails, texts and tweets – all of it came out and inverted the world. Now privacy is a premium with everyone – EVERYONE – wearing masks and disguises in their day to day lives and if anyone wants to find out about anyone else, they hire a paparazzo like Patrick Immelmann aka PI to get information.

Ayoung woman called Taj McGill hires PI to investigate her. PI reluctantly agrees but things become more complicated when Taj is murdered and PI realises he’s stumbled into a massive terrorist plot. Hunted by international assassins, global conglomerates, and a maniac with a modified space shuttle, PI, Raveena (Taj’s sister) and his faithful chauffeur, the teenage Mel (aka Lady Nunchuk), must survive it all and stop the madman.

Brian Vaughan and Marcos Martin’s The Private Eye is the most entertaining neo-noir story you’re likely to read. It follows the conventions of the classic sleuth story – the jaded investigator, the femme fatale, the underdog against the powerful, a mystery that leads to a greater mystery, even the sassy accomplice – but does so with a freshness and lightness that’s enormously invigorating. It also helps that this is an incredibly good looking comic thanks to Martin’s stunning art and Muntsa Vicente’s bright and beautiful colours.

While it’s set 60 years in the future and is clearly futuristic, it’s not implausibly so. The vehicle designs are different (especially Mel’s car which rocks) but they’re not a million miles away from what’s on the road now, and there are still high street shops (including, depressingly, McDonald’s). The changes are there but subtle – nobody has smart phones anymore since the internet no longer exists, but computer games are still played on wall-sized screens, just not online. Bizarrely the press have replaced the police as the guardians of law and order and libraries have become fortresses since information is the new currency.

The new world order, where disguises are de rigueur as people have become their former internet avatars, means Martin can let his imagination loose leading to some eye-popping pages where crowds of superheroes, monsters, cartoon characters, and animals populate the streets and the ones not wearing costumes are the “weird” ones - it’s a world filled with cosplayers!

Vaughan’s on top form with this series. His characters are sharply realised, his plot clicks along at a perfect pace with the mystery unfolding in satisfactory pieces, and his future world and it’s society is convincing and fascinating. Even the small details are brilliant like the Schwartzenegger Medical Center, PI’s office in the Chateau Marmont, and the hint that Rand Paul (or Ron) was once President! I really like PI’s Gramps too. You know everyone these days who has tattoo sleeves? Gramps was one of those people when he was younger; as an old guy with those tats? Ergh – doesn’t look right!

You might be looking for the book on Amazon or on your library catalogue and you won’t find it because here’s the thing about The Private Eye: it’s available only digitally and only on the website, www.panelsyndicate.com, owned and operated by Vaughan, Martin and Vicente. It’s also designed to be read on tablets/laptop screens because the pages are rectangular. Here’s the other thing about The Private Eye: it’s completely free! Well, you can download it for free as a DRM-free PDF OR you could be cool and chip in a few bucks to show your appreciation. Even if you don’t want to pay full graphic novel price for it, give them something rather than take it for nothing: quality work deserves to be rewarded.

The Private Eye is an utterly brilliant and highly original neo-noir story that crime and comics fans will absolutely adore. First class storytelling, writing and art, The Private Eye is the full comics package – don’t miss it!
Profile Image for Sandee is Reading.
696 reviews1,253 followers
June 16, 2016
We're only as sick as our secrets.



This was good. In fact, it was very good.

Can you imagine what it would be like when all your secrets that you think the internet could keep goes out in the open? Can you imagine how someone's search history could ruin someone's reputation?

That was exactly what happened to the world where Private Eye is set. It's pretty genius.

The main protagonist, PI, is a private investigator in a world where being one is illegal. I think, it's even illegal to be a paparazzi or those things. Basically, he's an underground investigator who people hire to find out stuff that no one else could because it's illegal to investigate other people. What happens behind closed doors are one person's business, and no one else. At least, that's the ideal scenario. But of course, not everyone would be okay with that.

Oh and did I mention that Internet is gone. Banned. Yep. In this futuristic world, internet is phased-out. Cool, huh?

I won't get into detail with the plot because I don't want to spoil it for you. All I can say is, it was great.

Here are the some of the things I liked about it:

- It wasn't trying to be too ambitious with its depiction of the future, which I think, worked really well. It’s so easy to see these things happening in a few years. Being set in the future, doesn't necessarily mean you get to have out-of-this-world things. You can be advanced, but still grounded to reality.
- If you have been following me for a while, you'll probably already know how much I love mystery. I love being kept in the dark until the right time comes and the truth is revealed for everyone. This definitely was like that.
- PI's grandfather was sort of how we are shown what the past was like. He throws in stuff from the past where PI just says it's from the past. Blah. Blah. But I liked that. I liked how they use that way to tell us how the past was in a non-boring kind of way.
- THAT FUCKING KISS! An unexpected one. Haha
- The ending was a big WTF.
- The characters were great! I really liked this girl who drives PI around. All of them had their own persona, which was great. It was so easy to connect to them.

But of course, there were some stuff that I wasn't really a fan of:

- The cronies of the main antagonist speaks French. Do I understand French? No, I don't. I want to, but I really could not understand anything in French. Did they translate what they were saying in English? Nope. Was there any attempt? Nope.
- The illustrations wasn't really for me. I prefer more details ones, but the colors were vibrant which I liked.
- The illustrations were okay, but the colors were what stood out for me the most. I really liked the vibrancy of it. You’d assume they're going to use a noir-like coloring, but they didn't. They used colorful and vibrant colors which I give


FINAL THOUGHTS:

I really liked this. Brian K. Vaughan knows how to make interesting and unique stories. If you haven't read Saga where he worked on it with Fiona Staples, then you definitely should pick that one up. I ADORE THAT ONE! Highly recommended.

I'm buddy reading this with my special someone and we both ended up liking it. We're really excited to read the second volume because of how this one ended. It was a big cliffie! Haha. Just a warning.

Profile Image for Jim Ef.
440 reviews105 followers
September 30, 2021
8.8/10
So good!!! I was expecting something good from the man that writes one of my favorite series (Saga) but this is just amazing. The story pulls you in it from the first page and the art is just fantastic.
Profile Image for Nuno R..
Author 6 books72 followers
October 16, 2018
A surprising intensification of Vaughan's sense of humour. The premise is absolutely relevant. And an edgy irony becomes a very good vehicle to create what is a post-dystopian world. Maybe the first narrative in comics I have seen that uses privacy as leitmotif. And now, with the Institute for Humane Technology, Jaron Lainer's books and conferences, the encryption "offered" in whatsapp and messenger and Apple's and Google's very subtle new features to help users control their screen time, maybe we will see more of it. I do hope so.
Profile Image for Sooraya Evans.
939 reviews65 followers
March 17, 2018
Set in a futuristic world where people wear silly over the top disguises. Fast-paced. Witty dialogue. And some really hilarious moments. Like what Lady Nunchuck used as her improvised mask. Haha. Despite being in the future, the artstyle chosen is rather retro. A thoroughly enjoyable read. But I don’t think I’ll continue with the series. The artstyle turned me off.
Profile Image for Jenbebookish.
720 reviews200 followers
August 10, 2017
Read June/July 2017

So far I'm not that into this. Brian Vaughan is the head writer, & he's basically the whole reason I got into graphic novels to begin with, being the head writer on Saga, The Last Man, Ex Machina, & Paper Girls, all of those series being some of my first graphic novels I'd read, ever, & Saga was literally THEE 1st!

So that being said, I'm gonna see this one thru. So far the story line hasn't caught me, and the artwork is great, & interesting, but just not exactly my type of stuff. But I have faith in Brian Vaughan! Enough so that I'm willing to see this one till the end. Fingers crossed that Mr. B.V. will keep his streak going, & I'll be adding this to my lists of B.V. graphic novels that I love.
Profile Image for Alex Sarll.
7,080 reviews363 followers
Read
January 18, 2015
Saga is one of the most-loved comics of the moment, but lots of people (including me, until yesterday) don't seem to be paying anything like the same attention to the writer's other current series. Perhaps that's because it's online-only - a wonderfully perverse delivery system for a story set in a post-internet future (the cloud burst). Removing so much of the modern world at a stroke is of course a way of talking about the modern world, but also enables a retro-futurist noir story, all gumshoes and LA sleaze. It's not Saga's equal, but it's still well worth a look.
Profile Image for Tar Buendía.
1,283 reviews79 followers
September 5, 2015
Algunas partes son mejores que otras en cuanto a ritmo narrativo pero la historia y la ambientación son muy buenas.

Además los guiños culturales son geniales y el diseño es una pasada.

Al final del archivo venían bocetos y el texto que Vaughan mandó al dibujante para contarle la historia y ha sido un detalle que me ha encantado.

El cómic lo dan por la voluntad en su página web http://panelsyndicate.com/ pero el donativo puede ser también de cero euros si no tenéis un duro. Está para elegir en inglés, español, catalán y portugués.

Muy recomendable.
Profile Image for Bogdan.
989 reviews1 follower
January 3, 2016
In the begining I was thinking that this will be only a one volume story but it looks that it will be a longer run.

A science fiction detective story with all the advantages the future could offer. I loved the artwork. There are really some ingenious stuff like the thing with the masks. Philip K. Dick had some story about something like this.

The settings and the troubled main hero are the strong points in here because the story itself isn`t somekind of a big mistery.

But it`s an interesting start…
Profile Image for Camilla.
209 reviews6 followers
March 6, 2022
3.5? Maybe 4 stars?
The concept is very interesting. This world intrigues me but the story itself feels forgettable. I'm yet to be gripped.
Profile Image for Wendy.
621 reviews144 followers
September 28, 2014
Clicking Amazon’s “one-click” button to make a purchase with a credit card. The latest celebrity harassed with leaked photos. These are examples of how much faith we put in the technology that connects us; technology that has come to dictate our day-to-day way of life. But what happens when that technology fails all of us, unleashing our personal information and our dirty little secrets to the world. This is the concept behind The Private Eye, a comic that my thoughts spin back to every time I upload something to the cloud.

The irony is that, when writer Brian K. Vaughan and artist Marcos Martin came up with the idea, they decided to make The Private Eye only available online. Better yet, the DRM-free, creator-owned comic, is available for whatever the hell you want to pay for it at www.panelsyndicate.com, where Vaughan and Martin, along with colourist Muntsa Vincente intend to offer more stories in the future, in as many languages as they can.

The year is 2076, and after the “cloud burst,” anonymity has become an imperative. Not online — because there no longer is an online. “Internet” is a curious thing of the past. Now, the greatest celebrities are librarians, and the law? Journalists with integrity (*gasp*) who are licensed to get the truth, no matter what masks you try to hide behind. But there are still paparazzi who will try to skirt the law to get that information for a good price.

Paparazzi like “P.I.” who are paid by jilted spouses to find their cheating significant others, or to hunt down highschool crushes, or to find out just how many of your dirty little secrets a potential employer could find out about you if they dig too deeply.

And that’s when the beautiful woman walks into the private detective’s office…

Much like the futuristic Bladerunner, The Private Eye pays homage to the old noir detective stories, though it is, ironically, not as dark. Vincente uses vibrant colours to enhance Martin’s artwork, which initially seems a bit sparse in its lines and details. Until you look more closely and spot all the little references. Don’t be distracted by the outlandish costumes, no matter how elaborate they might be. In both Martin’s art and Vaughan’s writing are more than enough remnants of our current world in this strange future. The more I read The Private Eye, the more I wonder when its fantasy will become our reality.

Getting back to the story, the beautiful Taj walks through P.I.’s door, sending him on a seemingly wild goose change involving a lot of murder and mayhem. If you aren’t already following the mystery of The Private Eye, then grab a copy of volume one, which collects issues #1-5 and costs–whatever you want it to cost!

Originally posted at www.WomenWriteAboutComics.com
Profile Image for Cristhian.
Author 1 book54 followers
October 29, 2014
Es increíble lo que Brian K. Vaughan, Marcos Martin y Muntsa Vicente están haciendo.
Si bien no es algo innovador (que la gente pague lo que cree que vale el comic) sí ofrece cosas que no se han visto mucho:

Por el mismo precio (desde 1 dolar/euro) puedes obtener tu copia electrónica en alta definición en varios lenguajes. El comic está pensado para ser leído en tablet/celular/pc por su ratio. ¿Lo mejor de todo? La historia y el contenido gráfico es de lo mejor que hay actualmente, sinceramente hay muy pocos comics de este nivel en estos momentos.
Profile Image for Maya Senen.
464 reviews22 followers
August 3, 2015
Yes. It's SAGA meets crime/detective/noir, set in the future, with the main theme being identity. Rich writing complemented with whimsical art and bright colors. I can't wait to read Book Two!
Profile Image for Bryan.
695 reviews7 followers
January 24, 2021
I've read too much of him to expect anything but greatness when picking up work by Brian K. Vaughan, and this was a great comic.

The Private Eye is the creator-owned brainchild of BKV and artist Marcos Martin. They began producing this on their website Comic Syndicate as a name-your-price release. Generous? Extremely. It doesn't really get much better than that. Creators creating for the love of creation. And these days, this is far from the website's only offering. Go check it out and put (as much or as little of) your hard-earned cash into the pockets of the people putting in the work.

Now then, The Private Eye. The cynical-yet-plausible reality born from the fears of the digital age. A strange event called "The Flood" by some caused the digital cloud to burst, and everything we once thought was private became anything but. Lives were ruined, everything changed. Now, as our country celebrates its tricentennial, we get a look at a conceivably represented Los Angeles of the future, as hiding ones identity has become the norm. These days, information is more valuable than gold. And our P.I. is a lucrative man indeed...

It's a really cool premise. BKV is chock-full of really cool premises, the man is a natural storyteller with an eye that sinks through and into the issues of our day. Marcos Martin's stylings fit well with the story they've cooked up; his art feels classic but with a modern flavor. Muntsa Vicente rounds out the creative team on colors.

Volume two coming up.
Profile Image for 47Time.
3,475 reviews95 followers
May 16, 2020
After embracing the cloud and pouring every personal detail into it, then having everything be revealed for anyone to use as they saw fit in an event called the Flood, the whole world changed. Decades into the future the world is very different from what we know today - journalists act as police, paparazzi are vigilantes, the internet doesn't exist any more and most everyone is hiding their identity from the outside world. It's an original universe with a cool story that would look great as a movie.

The Private Eye, a paparazzi, is hired by a woman named Taj McGill to look into her own past. Before PI can even start the investigation, Taj winds up dead at the hands of a man named Khalid DeGuerre from her past. Her sister Raveena blackmails PI into working out why her sister was killed, even though this upsets powerful individuals with access to professional killers. PI will resort to favors from several people to keep the ball rolling and some of them will end up hurt.
Profile Image for Andrew.
784 reviews13 followers
April 9, 2018
Wow, this was pretty great. The premise is original and particularly relevant, given all the recent nonsense related to Facebook and Cambridge Analytica. This is real, well thought-out, science fiction, not just action movie stuff, though there is plenty of action too. It's interesting to look at this world and think about whether it's a utopia, a dystopia, or something in between.

I wasn't really familiar with the artist, Marcos Martin, prior to this, but I really like his art here. It's quite imaginative and distinct.

This actually reminds me a bit of Warren Ellis' Transmetropolitan (in a good way).
Profile Image for Greg Kerestan.
1,287 reviews19 followers
February 6, 2021
Brian K. Vaughn's future-noir miniseries "The Private Eye" is off to a strong start. The world-building begins vague, but little by little the pieces start to come together. The characters are the same way: it takes a while to get to know them, and then a while longer to realize you don't know them at all yet. "Blade Runner" is the obvious comparison, but this is very much its own thing.
Profile Image for aguacate.
14 reviews
April 23, 2021
Futuristic noir, reminds me of Transmetropolitan but is unique enough to stand on its own. Explores identity and privacy. Solid artstyle and colour palette. Looking forward to Volume 2 and more from Brian K. Vaughan.
Profile Image for Xavfro.
231 reviews6 followers
December 26, 2018
Nice art and cool story about what if nothing is private anymore in the cloud and how the world would look like after
Profile Image for Hung.
961 reviews
July 25, 2020
Did not disappoint. A cool murder mystery story with a futuristic setting about a post internet society. Bonus point for the kickass librarian.
Profile Image for Hiko.
361 reviews7 followers
July 6, 2022
Voqanın xəyal gücünə heyranam!
İlk hissə çox yaxşı idi. Görüm silsilənin 2-ci hissəsi necə olacaq. ^_^
Profile Image for Emily Matview.
Author 10 books25 followers
October 31, 2015
Society is more concerned with anonymity than ever in this futuristic noir comic by Brian K Vaughan and Marcos Martin.
gramps

Originally released in digital-only issues formatted specifically for tablet reading, "The Private Eye" takes place in a possible future of our own, one where everyone’s personal info - from revealing photos to angry emails - is made public in an event known as the “cloud burst.”

Imagine your family members getting a hold of your complete browser history from the moment you first used AOL up through now and you’ll get an idea of why this is bad.
worried

At least my history is mostly just Goodreads. That’s right, no need to look any further. Just Goodreads.

The internet is outlawed and the youth of today grow into the tattooed grandparents of the future, talking about the days of social media and iPhones in the same, slightly senile way Abe Simpsons reminiscences about the onion on his belt:
onion

Meanwhile, people in the real world value anonymity above all us, going so far as to hide behind masks called “nyms” and refer to each other in pseudonym.

In comes our leading man, a “paparazzo” with the skills to get you info on pretty much anyone you want to know. This is a world people aren't a simple Google search, so his skills are in high demand. He’s a risk taker but still low key enough not to get caught.

But like every good noir story, his life is thrown into a world of chaos after a mysterious dame comes to his office looking for help.

Vaughan creates a chilling vision of the future and impressively slips into the type of writing you’d find in classic noir like "The Maltese Falcon." The dialog is wonderfully hardboiled, but also quite funny. The commentary of our social media driven society is clever and never feels mean-spirited.

However, the real star of this book is Martin. He has been responsible for some of the most creative layouts in mainstream comics in recent years with runs on Spider-Man and Daredevil, but using a tablet friendly “widescreen” style really gives him room to shine.
tpe

Being only 10 issues in length, don’t expect a story as deep or affecting as "Y the Last Man" or "Saga." But for readers looking for a thought provoking, wonderfully illustrated noir? Well, look at it this way — you could do a lot worse, but not much better.

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