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StormWatch (Collected Editions) #3-5
Stormwatch, Vol. 2
Warren Ellis concludes his run on Stormwatch, redefining the team and introducing new members, including the powerhouse Apollo and brutal Midnighter. But when disaster strikes in the form of aliens creatures, can the team survive? Plus, Warren Ellis introduces the concept of The Bleed, the fabric between realities that becomes a major aspect of the Wildstorm and DC Universe!
This volume collects Stormwatch Vol. 1 #48-50 and Stormwatch Vol. 2 #1-11.
This volume collects Stormwatch Vol. 1 #48-50 and Stormwatch Vol. 2 #1-11.
379 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1999
17 people are currently reading
199 people want to read
About the author
Warren Ellis
1,972 books5,763 followersWarren Ellis is the award-winning writer of graphic novels like TRANSMETROPOLITAN, FELL, MINISTRY OF SPACE and PLANETARY, and the author of the NYT-bestselling GUN MACHINE and the “underground classic” novel CROOKED LITTLE VEIN, as well as the digital short-story single DEAD PIG COLLECTOR. His newest book is the novella NORMAL, from FSG Originals, listed as one of Amazon’s Best 100 Books Of 2016.
The movie RED is based on his graphic novel of the same name, its sequel having been released in summer 2013. IRON MAN 3 is based on his Marvel Comics graphic novel IRON MAN: EXTREMIS. He is currently developing his graphic novel sequence with Jason Howard, TREES, for television, in concert with HardySonBaker and NBCU, and continues to work as a screenwriter and producer in film and television, represented by Angela Cheng Caplan and Cheng Caplan Company. He is the creator, writer and co-producer of the Netflix series CASTLEVANIA, recently renewed for its third season, and of the recently-announced Netflix series HEAVEN’S FOREST.
He’s written extensively for VICE, WIRED UK and Reuters on technological and cultural matters, and given keynote speeches and lectures at events like dConstruct, ThingsCon, Improving Reality, SxSW, How The Light Gets In, Haunted Machines and Cognitive Cities.
Warren Ellis has recently developed and curated the revival of the Wildstorm creative library for DC Entertainment with the series THE WILD STORM, and is currently working on the serialising of new graphic novel works TREES: THREE FATES and INJECTION at Image Comics, and the serialised graphic novel THE BATMAN’S GRAVE for DC Comics, while working as a Consulting Producer on another television series.
A documentary about his work, CAPTURED GHOSTS, was released in 2012.
Recognitions include the NUIG Literary and Debating Society’s President’s Medal for service to freedom of speech, the EAGLE AWARDS Roll Of Honour for lifetime achievement in the field of comics & graphic novels, the Grand Prix de l’Imaginaire 2010, the Sidewise Award for Alternate History and the International Horror Guild Award for illustrated narrative. He is a Patron of Humanists UK. He holds an honorary doctorate from the University of Essex.
Warren Ellis lives outside London, on the south-east coast of England, in case he needs to make a quick getaway.
The movie RED is based on his graphic novel of the same name, its sequel having been released in summer 2013. IRON MAN 3 is based on his Marvel Comics graphic novel IRON MAN: EXTREMIS. He is currently developing his graphic novel sequence with Jason Howard, TREES, for television, in concert with HardySonBaker and NBCU, and continues to work as a screenwriter and producer in film and television, represented by Angela Cheng Caplan and Cheng Caplan Company. He is the creator, writer and co-producer of the Netflix series CASTLEVANIA, recently renewed for its third season, and of the recently-announced Netflix series HEAVEN’S FOREST.
He’s written extensively for VICE, WIRED UK and Reuters on technological and cultural matters, and given keynote speeches and lectures at events like dConstruct, ThingsCon, Improving Reality, SxSW, How The Light Gets In, Haunted Machines and Cognitive Cities.
Warren Ellis has recently developed and curated the revival of the Wildstorm creative library for DC Entertainment with the series THE WILD STORM, and is currently working on the serialising of new graphic novel works TREES: THREE FATES and INJECTION at Image Comics, and the serialised graphic novel THE BATMAN’S GRAVE for DC Comics, while working as a Consulting Producer on another television series.
A documentary about his work, CAPTURED GHOSTS, was released in 2012.
Recognitions include the NUIG Literary and Debating Society’s President’s Medal for service to freedom of speech, the EAGLE AWARDS Roll Of Honour for lifetime achievement in the field of comics & graphic novels, the Grand Prix de l’Imaginaire 2010, the Sidewise Award for Alternate History and the International Horror Guild Award for illustrated narrative. He is a Patron of Humanists UK. He holds an honorary doctorate from the University of Essex.
Warren Ellis lives outside London, on the south-east coast of England, in case he needs to make a quick getaway.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
July 3, 2013
Whoever devised this collection is a genuine nutcase. I'm completely confused by the decisions that went into putting this book together. First of all, this volume begins with the 3-issue finale of Stormwatch Volume 1, which would have fit PERFECTLY in the first deluxe Stormwatch volume. It makes absolutely no sense that it was held until this volume, except that DC clearly wanted to end the first volume on a cliffhanger so that people would still buy this volume. I'm sorry, DC, but the people who are going around buying deluxe editions of nearly 20-year-old comics don't need that extra enticement. Your book would've sold AND it wouldn't have felt completely disjointed.
Second, whoever decided to leave out the incredibly important "Wildcats/Aliens" crossover (which COMPLETES THE STORY) should be fired. This is like reading Moby Dick without all the parts about the whale. Instead, since that chapter is missing, the series just suddenly stops for seemingly no reason. I mean, I understand there may have been licensing issues since Dark Horse was involved, but at the very least put in a quick explanation of what the hell happened between issues 10 and 11, instead of making us go to Wikipedia to figure why the story suddenly made zero sense.
It takes a lot for a book to make me angry, and really, I'm not even mad at the book. I'm mad at the publisher for manipulating people into buying incomplete stories that are inexplicably marked "deluxe" and sold at a much higher price just because the pictures are bigger.
Now, why am I giving a book 3 stars that I clearly am not a fan of? Well, Ellis's writing. For all the problems inserted by the publisher here, the writing and artwork are still top notch. I found myself very engaged by Ellis's superhero team, and there's some genuinely cool stuff in here. The origin of Apollo and The Midnighter. The discovery of The Bleed (the space between worlds in the Wildstorm Universe). Ellis laying the foundation for what would become The Authority, possibly his best superhero work (and some of the best of all time). All of that is enjoyable. But as a collection, there's something to be desired here. The abrupt, unearned ending for one.
I personally suggest finding the trade paperbacks instead of these deluxe hardcovers. They're generally available and inexpensive, whereas this collection seems designed to rip you off. It's great stuff in a terrible package.
Second, whoever decided to leave out the incredibly important "Wildcats/Aliens" crossover (which COMPLETES THE STORY) should be fired. This is like reading Moby Dick without all the parts about the whale. Instead, since that chapter is missing, the series just suddenly stops for seemingly no reason. I mean, I understand there may have been licensing issues since Dark Horse was involved, but at the very least put in a quick explanation of what the hell happened between issues 10 and 11, instead of making us go to Wikipedia to figure why the story suddenly made zero sense.
It takes a lot for a book to make me angry, and really, I'm not even mad at the book. I'm mad at the publisher for manipulating people into buying incomplete stories that are inexplicably marked "deluxe" and sold at a much higher price just because the pictures are bigger.
Now, why am I giving a book 3 stars that I clearly am not a fan of? Well, Ellis's writing. For all the problems inserted by the publisher here, the writing and artwork are still top notch. I found myself very engaged by Ellis's superhero team, and there's some genuinely cool stuff in here. The origin of Apollo and The Midnighter. The discovery of The Bleed (the space between worlds in the Wildstorm Universe). Ellis laying the foundation for what would become The Authority, possibly his best superhero work (and some of the best of all time). All of that is enjoyable. But as a collection, there's something to be desired here. The abrupt, unearned ending for one.
I personally suggest finding the trade paperbacks instead of these deluxe hardcovers. They're generally available and inexpensive, whereas this collection seems designed to rip you off. It's great stuff in a terrible package.
July 18, 2023
Some solid stuff. The opening of this book is great. Basically, ending volume 1 of stormwatch before second series begins. Some good issues, though, some very slow ones. The best stuff was with Midnighter and Apollo.
May 29, 2019
I was craving a bit of action, and the second half of Warren Ellis' Stormwatch run delivered in spades!
Picking up from the previous volume, the Weatherman seems to have nefarious plans that will be dealt with in a three-issue story. I'm a bit puzzled as to why this wasn't included in the first hardcover collection since the rest of the book takes off with a relaunch of the series that features big-name debuts like Bryan Hitch.
In any case, there's lots of good, atypical superhero storytelling mixed in with some old-fashioned gratuitous violence. My sole complaint would be that the final issue of the series seems to leave out what must have been an entire event's worth of plot. So, when you leave from the cliffhanger of Stormwatch #10, you are dropped into Stormwatch #11 which is an epilogue to a conflict that we never see happen. This is doubly unfortunate since some of the long-standing heroes meet their untimely end!
Nonetheless, there's some stuff here that is worth revisiting even though the comic is a good 20 years old. There's some great art, interesting concepts, and a more late-teens/adult oriented violence that worked for me more often than not. What's more, there's some experimentation of genre within the superhero field which predates Ellis' Planetary which, in my opinion, is the far superior overview of superhero comics.
Now, where am I supposed to read from here to find out about these characters?
Picking up from the previous volume, the Weatherman seems to have nefarious plans that will be dealt with in a three-issue story. I'm a bit puzzled as to why this wasn't included in the first hardcover collection since the rest of the book takes off with a relaunch of the series that features big-name debuts like Bryan Hitch.
In any case, there's lots of good, atypical superhero storytelling mixed in with some old-fashioned gratuitous violence. My sole complaint would be that the final issue of the series seems to leave out what must have been an entire event's worth of plot. So, when you leave from the cliffhanger of Stormwatch #10, you are dropped into Stormwatch #11 which is an epilogue to a conflict that we never see happen. This is doubly unfortunate since some of the long-standing heroes meet their untimely end!
Nonetheless, there's some stuff here that is worth revisiting even though the comic is a good 20 years old. There's some great art, interesting concepts, and a more late-teens/adult oriented violence that worked for me more often than not. What's more, there's some experimentation of genre within the superhero field which predates Ellis' Planetary which, in my opinion, is the far superior overview of superhero comics.
Now, where am I supposed to read from here to find out about these characters?
April 4, 2020
It definitely did get better but it still feels kind of uneven. I really love the last 3 issues of the first series and thought that it was a really cool way to start the theme of like "if a hero stops the bad guy then leaves the world the same, more bad guys will keep coming because nothings changed." This was a really powerful analysis of superhero comics but I feel like it kind of dissipated, it showed up at the end of the second series but it wasn't consistent. There was more cool stuff in the second series, particularly the Midnighter/Apollo arc, but I feel like it just didn't stick the landing at having that consistent development. The closest we get is the new Weatherman realising how screwed things are and that's like the last two issues.
The ending is what really bummed me out because having the last arc tie into an Aliens crossover is fun in spirit but because of legal stuff that couldn't be collected here, luckily I knew ahead of time so I read that in order but I was still let down. So many character died offscrean and the effort to make it also feel like a stand alone story made the whole arc feel very disjointed. The last issue was good but it felt very much like Ellis was just done with Stormwatch and wanted to end it and move on to Authority, so very little satisfying resolution is given to some of the characters. I'd like to see something for them in Authority but I don't have my hopes up.
This review feels pretty negative so I just wanted to end it saying that I did enjoy reading this volume more than the first and Bryan Hitch on the artwork was great.
The ending is what really bummed me out because having the last arc tie into an Aliens crossover is fun in spirit but because of legal stuff that couldn't be collected here, luckily I knew ahead of time so I read that in order but I was still let down. So many character died offscrean and the effort to make it also feel like a stand alone story made the whole arc feel very disjointed. The last issue was good but it felt very much like Ellis was just done with Stormwatch and wanted to end it and move on to Authority, so very little satisfying resolution is given to some of the characters. I'd like to see something for them in Authority but I don't have my hopes up.
This review feels pretty negative so I just wanted to end it saying that I did enjoy reading this volume more than the first and Bryan Hitch on the artwork was great.
May 15, 2025
This was stellar. The original team gets increasingly sidelined in favor of the new characters who would go on to become The Authority, which I’m sure bugged readers at the time, but I thought that was to its benefit, particularly as a big fan of Jack Hawksmoor. Seeing the earlier work of Brian Hitch was also neat.
Read
August 21, 2023This was rad. First story arc had an anarchist Superman confront the team and the world with the potential of a life without authority, bringing into full focus the trend of moral, ethical, and philosophical conflicts driving the characters for the remainder of the series. It’s top tier speculative science fiction, and as the writing improves so does the art, especially with the addition of Bryan Hitch, who developes his skills right before your eyes across the issues. This volume continues to investigate the relationshop between authority and power from moral, political, personal, and utilitarian perspectives, ultimately questioning if proper authority of one being over another exists at all. As a superhero comic, this subtext is frequently made text in ways that involve freaky monsters, Justice League pastiches, alternate universes, and a sequel series just titled “The Authority” of course.
The two downsides, as many have mentioned, are that Warren Ellis is an absolute scumbag irl and this volume doesn’t collect the second to last chapter, WildCATS/Aliens, due do publishing disputes with Dark Horse. Solve both of these problems by pirating the comics online 🏴☠️
The two downsides, as many have mentioned, are that Warren Ellis is an absolute scumbag irl and this volume doesn’t collect the second to last chapter, WildCATS/Aliens, due do publishing disputes with Dark Horse. Solve both of these problems by pirating the comics online 🏴☠️
May 4, 2023
This isn’t as good as vol 1 and is really only saved by issues 48-50 which are actually the end of vol 1. I think the real reason they are collected in this volume was to boost the sales since they are the end of vol 1 and really are a lot better than most everything that comes after. Honestly, I would consider this more like a 3.5 I’m only rounding up to 4.
It was still good, but missing the Wildcats/Aliens crossover (which isn’t that great) still hurts the collection because of context and characters that are killed offscreen. Who by the way are also killed offscreen in the crossover. It is kind of a mess and then it abruptly ends to tell you The Authority is next…
Well RIP Stormwatch it was fun, but onwards to “better” things.
It was still good, but missing the Wildcats/Aliens crossover (which isn’t that great) still hurts the collection because of context and characters that are killed offscreen. Who by the way are also killed offscreen in the crossover. It is kind of a mess and then it abruptly ends to tell you The Authority is next…
Well RIP Stormwatch it was fun, but onwards to “better” things.
August 30, 2020
El Ellis que me gusta: irónico, con personajes over the top, misiones imposibles y tecnología avanzada a su época.
January 26, 2019
I've been reading up on Stormwatch as part of some research into other comic book characters and stories (it's how I have fun), but had never had a chance to read any of it until now. This particular book I found cheap at 2nd and Charles after trading in some old CDs I didn't want anymore.
While I normally am opposed to jumping into a story half-way through (or, in this case, more than half-way), the way this particular volume is set up allows for some midstream catching up, so it was fine.
Included here are the last three issues of Stormwatch Volume 1, issues 48-50, as well as the entire run of Stormwatch Volume 2, issues 1-11. The only thing missing from that particular storyline is the WildC.A.T.S./Aliens one-shot that fills in the story between Stormwatch 10 and 11. While other reviewers have been upset that this issue was not included, and I can understand that from a completionist point of view, having not read the issue previously I didn't really miss it. But, it would have been nice to have that story in this set just so we know how we wound up at the start of issue 11.
What was interesting about this particular set of issues was the set-up that Ellis was doing for some of his future books. For one, Stormwatch would become The Authority, which we get hints of throughout this final run. Also, he introduces the Bleed, the space between universes that connect the multiverse together. This would not only tie-in heavily to Planetary, it would also set up the eventual melding of the Wildstorm and DC universes (while this may not have been Ellis' original plan, it did come in handy for DC).
The other thing I really enjoyed about this particular collection was the archetypal characters introduced that are quite clearly representative of other, more well known characters from other companies. The group on the cover is one such set of characters, all clearly representative of a very well known group of superheroes who also have their own satellite base. It's interesting to see what Ellis does with these characters. Between this group and the character of The High, Ellis has some clear thoughts about some classic characters and he uses Stormwatch to share.
Definitely a good read. Need to get the first collection, and see if there's any way to get the first 36 issues of Stormwatch in a collected set just for some background information.
While I normally am opposed to jumping into a story half-way through (or, in this case, more than half-way), the way this particular volume is set up allows for some midstream catching up, so it was fine.
Included here are the last three issues of Stormwatch Volume 1, issues 48-50, as well as the entire run of Stormwatch Volume 2, issues 1-11. The only thing missing from that particular storyline is the WildC.A.T.S./Aliens one-shot that fills in the story between Stormwatch 10 and 11. While other reviewers have been upset that this issue was not included, and I can understand that from a completionist point of view, having not read the issue previously I didn't really miss it. But, it would have been nice to have that story in this set just so we know how we wound up at the start of issue 11.
What was interesting about this particular set of issues was the set-up that Ellis was doing for some of his future books. For one, Stormwatch would become The Authority, which we get hints of throughout this final run. Also, he introduces the Bleed, the space between universes that connect the multiverse together. This would not only tie-in heavily to Planetary, it would also set up the eventual melding of the Wildstorm and DC universes (while this may not have been Ellis' original plan, it did come in handy for DC).
The other thing I really enjoyed about this particular collection was the archetypal characters introduced that are quite clearly representative of other, more well known characters from other companies. The group on the cover is one such set of characters, all clearly representative of a very well known group of superheroes who also have their own satellite base. It's interesting to see what Ellis does with these characters. Between this group and the character of The High, Ellis has some clear thoughts about some classic characters and he uses Stormwatch to share.
Definitely a good read. Need to get the first collection, and see if there's any way to get the first 36 issues of Stormwatch in a collected set just for some background information.
February 1, 2014
Well, what a ride that was. Warren Ellis brings Stormwatch to an explosive end in this second volume, which deals with the aftermath of the first volume in its first concluding story before another 11 issue series that turns Stormwatch on its head. The format here is longer, 3 part stories as opposed to the previous volume's one and done format, which gives these stories more room to grow and the space they deserve. The big downfall of this volume is the omission of the WildCATS/Aliens issue that comes between issues 10 and 11. Without this crucial issue, the impact of issue 11 is lost and most of it makes little sense, which is a shame, and keeps this volume from the full 5 star rating. So, a word to the wise - if you're going to get this, try to find a way to read the missing issue to enjoy the final issue the way it should be enjoyed.
January 1, 2018
It was very interesting to read Warren Ellis' books about Stormwatch, after having earlier read his take on Authority (to which these were essentially a prequel), and also reading Planetary and his reboot of WildC.A.T.S., both of which tie into this universe of stories.
This had moments which were amazing and I loved the writing and dialogue (as I have with all of Ellis' books I've read so far), but the only reason I didn't give it a higher rating is that the plotline was at times a bit hard to follow, especially with some twists and turns that weren't fully explained. Storylines with parallel universes didn't throw me so much as breaks between issues where major events apparently occurred without being revealed in the overall story. I wonder if this was due to demands from the publishers, as this was apparently the end of the series for the time being (similar to when a TV show gets canceled prematurely and the writers can't unfold the story in the way they had planned.
This had moments which were amazing and I loved the writing and dialogue (as I have with all of Ellis' books I've read so far), but the only reason I didn't give it a higher rating is that the plotline was at times a bit hard to follow, especially with some twists and turns that weren't fully explained. Storylines with parallel universes didn't throw me so much as breaks between issues where major events apparently occurred without being revealed in the overall story. I wonder if this was due to demands from the publishers, as this was apparently the end of the series for the time being (similar to when a TV show gets canceled prematurely and the writers can't unfold the story in the way they had planned.
October 18, 2023
Things really start cooking in this volume, which is the direct lead up to The Authority Omnibus. Character development is in full swing. New characters get introduced. Old characters get new roles. Shit goes down and it goes down hard.
My only beef with this collection, along with several other people apparently, is the ommission of WildC.A.T.s / Aliens #1, which has some surprisingly serious implications for the future of the team. However, the exclusion of this issue seems pretty understandable to me, given that by the time this hardcover was released, DC probably didn't have the rights to Aliens any longer and corporate bullshit is bullshit.
Does that suck? Kinda.
Is it the end of the world? Hell to the nah, son.
I just went on Ye Olde eBay and acquired an old trade paperback copy of StormWatch, Vol. 5: Final Orbit because I'm a big boi and I solve my own problems as best I can.
I guess what I'm trying to saying is: follow me if you want to live.
My only beef with this collection, along with several other people apparently, is the ommission of WildC.A.T.s / Aliens #1, which has some surprisingly serious implications for the future of the team. However, the exclusion of this issue seems pretty understandable to me, given that by the time this hardcover was released, DC probably didn't have the rights to Aliens any longer and corporate bullshit is bullshit.
Does that suck? Kinda.
Is it the end of the world? Hell to the nah, son.
I just went on Ye Olde eBay and acquired an old trade paperback copy of StormWatch, Vol. 5: Final Orbit because I'm a big boi and I solve my own problems as best I can.
I guess what I'm trying to saying is: follow me if you want to live.
February 7, 2019
It's fascinating to watch the transition of the superhero ensemble from the juvenile antics of the 80s and early 90s into something grittier and more mature. The uniforms become more functional, the drama becomes more personal and the consequences of our heroes actions cut that much deeper. While this run doesn't live up to planetary or the authority it's certainly interesting to see where they came from and it easily stands up against the big brands. Just a shame about the rushed ending.
September 3, 2019
This series is lowkey a hidden gem. It's one of Warren Ellis's first works, and it's made me crave more. I only deducted a star because this collection doesn't include a crucial standalone that needs to be read in between issues 10 and 11, namely the WildC.A.T.s/Aliens one-shot. I don't know what DC was thinking - maybe there were some licensing issues? Regardless, if you search hard enough, you can find it online and it's worth the effort! This was a great run
January 29, 2020
Not as good as the first volume. I kept feeling like I had missed an issue. And, the mini arcs made it feel too segmented.
And, then, the end? Xenomorphs? Sigh.
It doesn't help that the StormWatch characters that died were killed of camera. It all feels arbitrary.
And, then, the end? Xenomorphs? Sigh.
It doesn't help that the StormWatch characters that died were killed of camera. It all feels arbitrary.
August 31, 2021
Me encanta (y sin spoilers) que en este mundo los Estados Unidos aparezcan como realmente son. Es una de las partes más interesantes en The Authority porque aún deben moverse los protagonistas con las reglas normales de la diplomacia y los conflictos geopolíticos. Es una joya. ❤️
October 30, 2018
I really liked reading these two volumes of prelude to The Authority, but having characters die in crossover issues that were not included was a bummer...
March 27, 2019
Highly recommend reading WildC.A.T.S/Aliens between the last two issues of this volume to explain the beginning of the final issue.
August 22, 2021
The ending was rushed but all in all, a pretty good story.
Want to read
February 3, 2022Recommended by Ezra Klein
May 25, 2022
Must read.
February 28, 2023
Very good but a disappointing ending. (I understand the actual end story is in wildcats Aliens but its not in this volume or on Dc universe)
December 4, 2023
4.5
Vraiment très cool !
Vraiment très cool !
January 22, 2025
It’s the background reading for one of my favorite comics of all time, so I loved it.
January 26, 2023
In the back half of Ellis' run, it really feels like he's found his own voice for this book - and blowing it all up to make way for the Authority, even more in his voice, only makes that clearer.
Read
September 18, 2019As other reviewers have noted, editorial dropped the ball on these collections. The three-issue conclusion to the original Stormwatch series opens this book, when it would have made much more sense to close out volume one. Yes, the three issues can stand on their own, but plot threads are referenced and tied up, making it feel like a true ending to Ellis' first story. And if that wasn't enough, collection editors chose to omit the WildC.A.T.s/Aliens crossover, which plays a major part in the last arc. I ask: why?
Editorial fumbles aside, volume two is even better than the first. It’s packed with big ideas about superheroes, their responsibility to the world, and the nature of power and authority (hint, hint). Every arc brings something exciting to the table, whether it’s Stormwatch’s secret team featuring Midnighter and Apollo, or an alternate Earth on the brink of extinction. You can see how the whole “widescreen comics” genre got started here: superheroes confronting world-shattering events bolstered by cinematic visuals. I like the characters more in this volume, too. Jackson takes center stage, and his story is a fascinating examination of leadership.
I think any superhero fan would enjoy Ellis’ Stormwatch. It’s maybe not as strong as similarly epic team books that followed (e.g. The Authority and The Ultimates) but there’s plenty to like here. The writing, art, and ideas stand out to this day.
Editorial fumbles aside, volume two is even better than the first. It’s packed with big ideas about superheroes, their responsibility to the world, and the nature of power and authority (hint, hint). Every arc brings something exciting to the table, whether it’s Stormwatch’s secret team featuring Midnighter and Apollo, or an alternate Earth on the brink of extinction. You can see how the whole “widescreen comics” genre got started here: superheroes confronting world-shattering events bolstered by cinematic visuals. I like the characters more in this volume, too. Jackson takes center stage, and his story is a fascinating examination of leadership.
I think any superhero fan would enjoy Ellis’ Stormwatch. It’s maybe not as strong as similarly epic team books that followed (e.g. The Authority and The Ultimates) but there’s plenty to like here. The writing, art, and ideas stand out to this day.
December 24, 2013
The first three issues included in this book really should have been in the last collection in order to make room for Final Orbit. There's a gap at the end that needs filling and the bizarre choice about how to collect the issues is what leaves it. It was a terrible decision.
But on to the meat.
This collection sees the introduction of the Midnighter and Apollo, Stormwatch's (and the Authority's) Batman and Superman. I make that a team specific analogy because Wildstorm already had a few analogs like that in Majestic (Superman) and Zealot (Wonder Woman). Their introduction is a lot of fun, one of the better storylines.
This collection flows a bit better than the other, though the individual-focused issues aren't all that compelling all things considered (probably because they were characters and situations that bored me). But if you like those characters those issues probably read a lot better.
I suppose in the end, this volume and the one that preceded it show a writer that isn't doing what he wants and is doing everything he can to turn the book he's writing into the book he really wants to be writing. It lacks the genius of his other works, the investment in any characters other than the ones he created for the run, and in all is one of the lesser efforts by a titan of a writer.
That means, though, that it's still better than most other superhero books and I'd still say it's worth reading...but go read the Authority first. Then read Planetary. You'll be happier unless like me, you really need a Stormwatch fix.
But on to the meat.
This collection sees the introduction of the Midnighter and Apollo, Stormwatch's (and the Authority's) Batman and Superman. I make that a team specific analogy because Wildstorm already had a few analogs like that in Majestic (Superman) and Zealot (Wonder Woman). Their introduction is a lot of fun, one of the better storylines.
This collection flows a bit better than the other, though the individual-focused issues aren't all that compelling all things considered (probably because they were characters and situations that bored me). But if you like those characters those issues probably read a lot better.
I suppose in the end, this volume and the one that preceded it show a writer that isn't doing what he wants and is doing everything he can to turn the book he's writing into the book he really wants to be writing. It lacks the genius of his other works, the investment in any characters other than the ones he created for the run, and in all is one of the lesser efforts by a titan of a writer.
That means, though, that it's still better than most other superhero books and I'd still say it's worth reading...but go read the Authority first. Then read Planetary. You'll be happier unless like me, you really need a Stormwatch fix.
July 18, 2013
En sí la historia está muy armada, los dibujos arrancan bien y mejoran número a número y es muy interesante cómo todo va llevando a lo que sería uno de los mejores comics de "superhéroes" de la historia: The Authority (ya que, pese a lo que insinúa el título, este tomo no tiene ningún número de esa serie sino de su precuela inmediata: StormWatch vol. 2). Pero una gran cagada de la edición es... La edición en sí. Salvo por el texto de la contratapa, la buena gente de Norma no se molestó en explicar nada. Ni cuándo está ubicada esta historia, ni qué había pasado justo a continuación (en capítulos que, si no me equivoco, están inéditos en castellano), ni -y esto es lo peor de todo- que los últimos capítulos eran un crossover con una miniserie con Aliens. Así que, de una página para la siguiente, la mitad de los personajes están muertos, el equipo queda desmantelado y a otra cosa mariposa. Está bien que los de Norma deben haber sacado este tomo a los pedos para poder venderlo antes de perder los derechos de Wildstorm, pero de ahí a comerse olímpicamente capítulos y que no se entienda nada hay todo un mundo. Además, si ellos también publican (¿publicaban?) los comics de Alien, tampoco entiendo por qué no se molestaron en meter la mini en el tomo. En fin, una vez más una excelente historia termina promediada para abajo por culpa de tontísimos criterios de edición...
July 21, 2013
Just as damn good as the first one, and possibly even better. The stories are a bit longer, which means we don't get as many - but the upside is that they have more room to breathe, and aren't getting quite as lost in the dense stories and sprawling cast of characters, as could happen before. Everyone cites The Authority as having ushered in the changes in superhero comics in the late '90s and early 2000s, but those changes really first happen here.
The only downside to this otherwise great collection is that the second-to-last story - the Aliens / Wildcats intercompany crossover - is omitted, presumably due to rights issues. And that's a damn shame, because that really is the climax to the story, with the final issue included really just the aftermath. I imagine that the story can be read and understood even with that segment missing - but it's a damn shame anyway.
The only downside to this otherwise great collection is that the second-to-last story - the Aliens / Wildcats intercompany crossover - is omitted, presumably due to rights issues. And that's a damn shame, because that really is the climax to the story, with the final issue included really just the aftermath. I imagine that the story can be read and understood even with that segment missing - but it's a damn shame anyway.
December 26, 2015
I really enjoyed the first half of this collection, and the second half was good. The first Weatherman character is an interesting and sinister character. The costumes get a slight redesign, although I do not think the artists switched, so purely aesthetics. There is a lot of conflict between the United Nations sanctioned Storm Watch and various nations that drives a lot of the plot. It also delves into the idea of superheroes as being societal crutches that address symptoms of issues but never the root causes. This leads to some interesting attempted heroics, and that plot really stood above the rest for me as a fun concept.
Having read this, I may need to reread The Authority, Vol. 1 to see how it fits together. I'd probably enjoy it more now.
Having read this, I may need to reread The Authority, Vol. 1 to see how it fits together. I'd probably enjoy it more now.
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