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Trees (Single Issues)
Trees #5
Luca has a plan for Eligia. It is not the plan she thinks it is. She is his knife now.
23 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 17, 2014
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37 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 20, 2014
The military in Somalia are planting missile launchers onto the surface of the smallest “tree” in the world (that happens to look like an AT-ST walker from Star Wars!), perhaps to provoke a response from the unseen aliens. Will the aliens do something about this possible threat or are they going to continue to ignore us? Elsewhere, we check in with the other characters in China and Italy, and in Norway the scientists discover the alien black poppies are pretty dangerous.
So at the end of the last issue when military units began deploying, I thought Warren Ellis was finally going to give us the humans vs aliens storyline that a lot of readers have been expecting. But no! The military units simply set up shop and that’s it. It’s almost like Ellis wants to hold off the drama as long as he can or simply not do it altogether. While that might frustrate some readers wanting a kind of Independence Day comic, for me, it makes Trees all the more curious.
Jason Howard’s art isn’t bad but it feels like sub-par Guy Davis art at times, and in this issue especially it’s really noticeable how angular his faces look. One of the African women’s jawlines was so pointy that it looked like something from Piccaso’s cubist phase! I’m really liking the series covers though, they’re stylishly designed and have bold, eye-catching colours like this issue’s, which has a striking yellow look.
The series for the most part has chosen to focus on one or two characters per issue but in #5 Ellis jumps around to nearly all of his storylines. In Chenglei’s pages there are panels of an encroaching military force bearing down on the cultural city around the Chinese tree and, with the quick cuts to the other characters around the world, it feels like Ellis is building up to something dramatic. Then again, it could just be Ellis teasing the reader once more and continue to keep the comics drama-free!
That said, I’m still not sure what all of the characters’ storylines have to do with anything. Chenglei’s sexual and artistic awakening, Eligia’s training by the old man to become a good knife thrower in Cefalu (I’m assuming this means an assassin of sorts?); I mean, I get that their stories are indirectly influenced by the trees but is that all Ellis is saying with these characters?
The Norwegian scientists’ story develops an even more of an X-Files flavour in this issue as we discover just what the effect of the black poppies has on human tech and humans. Maybe the poppies are like the “fallen leaves” of the “trees”? Maybe they’re a by-product of what the trees are actually there for? Ellis is content to keep us guessing.
On a surface level you can follow what happens in Trees from issue to issue but I can’t really say that I understand what all of the pieces mean at this point - things are just too murky still. But I am warming to this series slowly and the mystery, like in TV shows like Lost, works in its favour. Let’s just hope Ellis/Howard are going somewhere satisfyingly interesting with this and the ending doesn’t go tits up like Lost’s did!
So at the end of the last issue when military units began deploying, I thought Warren Ellis was finally going to give us the humans vs aliens storyline that a lot of readers have been expecting. But no! The military units simply set up shop and that’s it. It’s almost like Ellis wants to hold off the drama as long as he can or simply not do it altogether. While that might frustrate some readers wanting a kind of Independence Day comic, for me, it makes Trees all the more curious.
Jason Howard’s art isn’t bad but it feels like sub-par Guy Davis art at times, and in this issue especially it’s really noticeable how angular his faces look. One of the African women’s jawlines was so pointy that it looked like something from Piccaso’s cubist phase! I’m really liking the series covers though, they’re stylishly designed and have bold, eye-catching colours like this issue’s, which has a striking yellow look.
The series for the most part has chosen to focus on one or two characters per issue but in #5 Ellis jumps around to nearly all of his storylines. In Chenglei’s pages there are panels of an encroaching military force bearing down on the cultural city around the Chinese tree and, with the quick cuts to the other characters around the world, it feels like Ellis is building up to something dramatic. Then again, it could just be Ellis teasing the reader once more and continue to keep the comics drama-free!
That said, I’m still not sure what all of the characters’ storylines have to do with anything. Chenglei’s sexual and artistic awakening, Eligia’s training by the old man to become a good knife thrower in Cefalu (I’m assuming this means an assassin of sorts?); I mean, I get that their stories are indirectly influenced by the trees but is that all Ellis is saying with these characters?
The Norwegian scientists’ story develops an even more of an X-Files flavour in this issue as we discover just what the effect of the black poppies has on human tech and humans. Maybe the poppies are like the “fallen leaves” of the “trees”? Maybe they’re a by-product of what the trees are actually there for? Ellis is content to keep us guessing.
On a surface level you can follow what happens in Trees from issue to issue but I can’t really say that I understand what all of the pieces mean at this point - things are just too murky still. But I am warming to this series slowly and the mystery, like in TV shows like Lost, works in its favour. Let’s just hope Ellis/Howard are going somewhere satisfyingly interesting with this and the ending doesn’t go tits up like Lost’s did!
September 28, 2014
So, I have been honestly thinking about possibly putting reading this on hold until the series was completed. Why? Because, it's been really slow going, and I just didn't think I would have the patience waiting month after month for the story to develop.
Well, I definitely don't think I'll be waiting much longer! TREES #5 brought about several major plots, and I cannot wait to see how they all progress. We saw most of the main characters, and while I'm still really anticipating the researchers story the most, I'm happy to say I now give a damn about all of the other characters.
I cannot wait to see what goes down in Africa and the smallest Tree.
I cannot wait to see what Eligia learns from the Professor.
I cannot wait to find out where Cheinglei and Zhen's relationship goes, and how they're going to be a major factor with this story.
And I really cannot wait to see what Marsh and the researchers discover, what these black flowers growing near the Tree are all about, and
Well, I definitely don't think I'll be waiting much longer! TREES #5 brought about several major plots, and I cannot wait to see how they all progress. We saw most of the main characters, and while I'm still really anticipating the researchers story the most, I'm happy to say I now give a damn about all of the other characters.
I cannot wait to see what goes down in Africa and the smallest Tree.
I cannot wait to see what Eligia learns from the Professor.
I cannot wait to find out where Cheinglei and Zhen's relationship goes, and how they're going to be a major factor with this story.
And I really cannot wait to see what Marsh and the researchers discover, what these black flowers growing near the Tree are all about, and
January 11, 2015
I read all eight of the comics in one sitting. Partly as I have not read a comic for far too long but also because the story is interesting. Now I am excited in which direction this will go. I have to admit that this can go awry in a number of ways. But so far I enjoyed everything by Ellis very much. I have confidence.
November 16, 2014
Something strange is happening around the trees ...
December 9, 2014
No es permanente
October 30, 2015
I bought single issues of this series, #4-7, at the same time, so you can find my full review over at issue 7 which is my impression of the 4 comic books together.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews