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Vigilante, volume 1 #1-11
Vigilante, Vol. 1
Spinning off from the classic NEW TEEN TITANS!
As a district attorney for New York City, Adrian Chase used the legal system to keep the streets safe. But when it came to protecting his own family, that system failed him. After losing his wife and children in a failed assassination attempt, Chase makes the fateful decision to take justice into his own hands!
Concealed beneath a featureless mask and supported by an arsenal of custom weaponry, Adrian Chase becomes the Vigilante--and declares all-out war on criminals, using their own brutal methods against them. But Chase's new vocation comes with a price. Can inflicting violence on others truly heal the pain of his family's death? Or is the Vigilante doomed to become the final casualty of his all-consuming need for revenge?
DC Comics proudly presents the definitive new edition of this iconic antihero's earliest adventures, written by one of comics' most acclaimed writers, Marv Wolfman, and illustrated by a host of the medium's greatest artists! Spinning off from the legendary series THE NEW TEEN TITANS, VIGILANTE BY MARV WOLFMAN VOL. 1 collects THE NEW TEEN TITANS ANNUAL #2 and VIGILANTE #1-11.
As a district attorney for New York City, Adrian Chase used the legal system to keep the streets safe. But when it came to protecting his own family, that system failed him. After losing his wife and children in a failed assassination attempt, Chase makes the fateful decision to take justice into his own hands!
Concealed beneath a featureless mask and supported by an arsenal of custom weaponry, Adrian Chase becomes the Vigilante--and declares all-out war on criminals, using their own brutal methods against them. But Chase's new vocation comes with a price. Can inflicting violence on others truly heal the pain of his family's death? Or is the Vigilante doomed to become the final casualty of his all-consuming need for revenge?
DC Comics proudly presents the definitive new edition of this iconic antihero's earliest adventures, written by one of comics' most acclaimed writers, Marv Wolfman, and illustrated by a host of the medium's greatest artists! Spinning off from the legendary series THE NEW TEEN TITANS, VIGILANTE BY MARV WOLFMAN VOL. 1 collects THE NEW TEEN TITANS ANNUAL #2 and VIGILANTE #1-11.
320 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 1984
36 people are currently reading
89 people want to read
About the author
Marv Wolfman
2,304 books304 followersMarvin A. "Marv" Wolfman is an award-winning American comic book writer. He is best known for lengthy runs on The Tomb of Dracula, creating Blade for Marvel Comics, and The New Teen Titans for DC Comics.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
November 7, 2022
Pretty much DC's version of Marvel's punisher character but with some slight twists. Some very nice art and writing to start off this series. Recommended
January 21, 2023
Great street level justice in the 80’s Dc style. Obviously heavily influenced by the men’s adventure books of the time such as the Mack Bolan Executioner series. also very reminiscent of the Green Arrow stories of the same time.
August 11, 2021
I was a big fan of the New Teen Titans when the Vigilante was introduced, but I couldn't get into the ongoing VIGILANTE series when it was first published. More than 35 years later I found myself enjoying these stories.
October 10, 2018
An interesting - and evolving! - take on the masked vigilante that holds up really well.
This trade collects the first appearance - from New Teen Titans Annual #2 - of Vigiliante, along with the first eight or so issues of his solo series, all written by Marv Wolfman with art by co-creator George Perez and a handful of others...most notably Keith Pollard, Ross Andru and inker Pablo Marcos.
I really enjoyed revisiting these stories and found them to be well-crafted and thoughtful, and it's even more engrossing when you realize you're basically riding along with the book as it figures out what it wants to be. It starts off as a pretty intense, violent and Punisher-esque look at superheroics, as Adrian Chase decides to take the law into his own hands and become judge, jury and executioner. But as the character evolves, he begins to see the error in his ways, while at the same time learning more about how he came to become the Vigilante. By the end of the collection, Chase isn't murdering much and has built a solid supporting cast - including two "sidekick-like" assistants, a love interest and a pretty impressive gallery of villains. It's hard to tell whether this was Wolfman's plan all along - to veer off from being a Punisher-esque anti-hero and toward establishing a more law-abiding "vigilante" - but he handles the gear-shifts like the pro he is, making the reading experience well-paced and engaging. If you're a fan of his work, this is an often overlooked gem in his catalogue.
This trade collects the first appearance - from New Teen Titans Annual #2 - of Vigiliante, along with the first eight or so issues of his solo series, all written by Marv Wolfman with art by co-creator George Perez and a handful of others...most notably Keith Pollard, Ross Andru and inker Pablo Marcos.
I really enjoyed revisiting these stories and found them to be well-crafted and thoughtful, and it's even more engrossing when you realize you're basically riding along with the book as it figures out what it wants to be. It starts off as a pretty intense, violent and Punisher-esque look at superheroics, as Adrian Chase decides to take the law into his own hands and become judge, jury and executioner. But as the character evolves, he begins to see the error in his ways, while at the same time learning more about how he came to become the Vigilante. By the end of the collection, Chase isn't murdering much and has built a solid supporting cast - including two "sidekick-like" assistants, a love interest and a pretty impressive gallery of villains. It's hard to tell whether this was Wolfman's plan all along - to veer off from being a Punisher-esque anti-hero and toward establishing a more law-abiding "vigilante" - but he handles the gear-shifts like the pro he is, making the reading experience well-paced and engaging. If you're a fan of his work, this is an often overlooked gem in his catalogue.
September 27, 2018
The strength of Vigilante is in the ever-changing hero. This isn't a Punisher who remorselessly kills. This is a man who constantly second guesses his choices and changes his position several times over the course of this volume. Wolfman isn't afraid to really mess with the supporting cast as well.
The weakness of Vigilante is in the plots. Especially early on, the fights against various mobsters and villains are unmemorable. The volume only gains strength later on, as we get more connected stories, dealing with injuries to a few members of the cast and an ultimate fight with the (silly) boss villain.
I also don't know quite what to make of the Vigilante's secret origin, that he was empowered and trained by ghosts ... Weird. I'll be curious to see if it ever comes up again.
The weakness of Vigilante is in the plots. Especially early on, the fights against various mobsters and villains are unmemorable. The volume only gains strength later on, as we get more connected stories, dealing with injuries to a few members of the cast and an ultimate fight with the (silly) boss villain.
I also don't know quite what to make of the Vigilante's secret origin, that he was empowered and trained by ghosts ... Weird. I'll be curious to see if it ever comes up again.
March 9, 2025
I have always been interested in this character but Wolfman’s writing style was always a barrier to me. Early 80’s comics are usually as far back as I can go because of the slow and overly wordy writing style of that time and earlier. This was definitely part of that style.
Being that I’m trying to read the entire 50 issue run, I decided to take it one issue at a time and power through the slow parts. It was still a bit of a slog, but the story gradually got better and by the last story arc I was genuinely interested in what was going on and wanting to continue.
I find Adrian Chase an interesting character that goes through many changes in his vigilante philosophy. At first he’s seems more of a punisher type, but quickly evolves a more nuanced take on taking down criminals. I personally want him to just go full punisher but the inner struggle he’s working through is growing on me.
I would recommend for fans of pre 80’s comics or people who like a deep dive into more obscure DC characters. Definitely going to continue and hope the writing style continues to evolve.
Being that I’m trying to read the entire 50 issue run, I decided to take it one issue at a time and power through the slow parts. It was still a bit of a slog, but the story gradually got better and by the last story arc I was genuinely interested in what was going on and wanting to continue.
I find Adrian Chase an interesting character that goes through many changes in his vigilante philosophy. At first he’s seems more of a punisher type, but quickly evolves a more nuanced take on taking down criminals. I personally want him to just go full punisher but the inner struggle he’s working through is growing on me.
I would recommend for fans of pre 80’s comics or people who like a deep dive into more obscure DC characters. Definitely going to continue and hope the writing style continues to evolve.
June 12, 2023
Adrian Chase is a very interesting character and the art is really good as well the storytelling.
Certain implicit sensuality is the bad point.
I prefer much more the Vigilante than the Punisher
Certain implicit sensuality is the bad point.
I prefer much more the Vigilante than the Punisher
June 11, 2024
Issue #1
Part of me thinks that Wolfman intended this to be a very serious character, but I can’t stop reading vigilante as an absolute nutcase and big goof ball. This doesn’t completely come from the peacemaker tv series, but there are just those moments where he is sitting in his camper that is covered in his colors, and just staring stone faced thinking about his mission of at the end when he whips out his revolver in the final shootout. I get the scene was supposed to be really quick but he just looks so goofy standing there and then pulling out his revolver.
And then it’s the first villain we get to see. A dude named brand, who has just a bunch of hot pokers that he can pull out of his utility belt and then brand people to death, LOL.
Also what is going on with the introductions to this world. His companions had that really odd dialogue choice of just describing who they are and what they do.
Every moment with vigilante just shows him as more of a nutcase. At the end he hurls a guy through a window to get to the boss. And he has these long drawn out monologues about his mission. Like the avoiding cops rule or when they were in Coney Island and was talking about that as a sacred memory being decimated. To him it’s so serious but to me I’m just reading an insane person who flatlined and came back.
Issue #2
Well if I was uncertain about the undertones of nutcasery from the previous issue this issue solidified the parody nature that is vigilante on the judicial system. With the entire issue following a convict who Adrian Chase prosecuted, but who was now let go. Well, vigilante won’t let him get away because the system failed to keep this man locked up. So after a beatdown and tearing the man’s house apart, what does vigilante learn? He learns that his prosecution was wrong, the system was wrong. Not the man, the man was innocent in this incident, even if he had a prior. And he just destroyed the man’s house for nothing.
So it’s already issue 2 and Adrian has hung up the mantle of vigilante. And runs off to join his father’s defense firm for white collar crimes. What does he find here? And even worse system than the one he used to run with. So screw that and those old phonies, let’s grab the kids and get the vigilante band back together.
Issue #3
Great to see the titans again, just under the worst possible circumstances because it’s cyborg having to protect Stryker from the vigilante killing him. This issue brought back memories to the new teen titans issue where vigilante was introduced, and his team up with robin against Stryker which ended up only getting him that 1 year gun charge.
But luckily after learning from the example of cyborg, instead of killing Stryker, vigilante knocked out cyborg and scared Stryker so bad into confessing a bunch of stuff.
One thing I keep noticing those is that no one has any respect for vigilante’s secret identity. He doesn’t even seem to care that much. In this issue, cyborg was able to easily take off his mask then openly called him by his name in front of Stryker. Even last issue vigilante’s companion was calling him by name. Dude, get a lock on that geez.
Issue #4
J.J.: “Whattaya think, boss? I went through hell to get this videotape. It hasn’t been released legally.”
Vigilante: “Great, J.J.! You’re telling that to a guy who calls himself vigilante. What am o supposed to do now? Shoot you dead for video piracy?”
I see more and more where Gunn got his inspiration for vigilante in the peacemaker show, LOL.
But looking at this issue, the big thing I want to point out is the secondary villain. The primary villain was the actress who killed her husband then hired a hit man to take out the witnesses testifying against her. Vigilante was able to protect the final witness, they testified, she broke and lost it on the stand, happy endings.
But that secondary villain, the hit man who was hired. The controller. That intrigues me, and I hope we get to see him again later. It’s almost like the exact opposite of vigilante. Someone who is not physically skilled in the slightest, and hasn’t seen the sun in years and instead strategizes behind the scenes and sends out highly skilled robots to do his work.
Complete opposite of vigilante this guy actually thinks, lol, and has an interesting look. And actually respects tech. Compared to vigilante who just throws his bike into walls and makes JJ repair it.
Issue #5
“My plan was a simple one. I decided I wanted to throw the fear of god in those two. And if they turned out to be atheists, at least they’d know the fear of me!”
Unfortunately we have a slight problem and vigilante being in critical condition at the end may be the solution. Vigilante will have to die. He drove his bike through a park with a sign that said no bikes. I KNOW, I KNOW, it’s unforgivable. Unfortunately Adrian will have to choose between the revolver we see on the covers or the pistol with the vigilante v engraved on it we see in the pages itself, and will have to kill himself. I’m kidding of course, but what is with the gun swapping, choose one to be a staple.
Well the highlight of this issue, at least Adrian was able to get laid again since his wife’s death. And based on the ending of this issue, with vigilante in critical condition and JJ stealing the ambulance he is in, and teasing that we are going to get his secret origins. I have a feeling the next issue will be a dream issue or coma issue.
Issue #6
This has been a very interesting issue indeed. Of course the origins of vigilante have been pushed to the next issue. But the slight memories we did get seem to only lead to one conclusion. Vigilante is part Highlander. He is almost immortal and even the doctors saw him healing himself right in front of their eyes, but he can die by getting his head chopped off. Those are Highlander rules.
This issue also included a few panels with the police trying to investigate vigilante, and they immediately profiled him. Literally took them thinking for less than 10 minutes to find out his psychological profile and now they will probably find it out pretty quick.
But the sub story throughout this issue with the crime families is also very interesting because I very much through the controller would be making a comeback and it seems he is taking over all the crime families, but it also seems like they were the ones to put him in his current disabled state to begin with.
Issue #7
What an absolutely insane origin, and I love it. So it turns out that vigilante was recruited by a group of restless spirits whose killers were not properly brought to Justice. He was then taken and trained for 6 months, where he honed his body and developed a regeneration ability he got from them. Then one day once he has died he will join the teachers to teach more people to become avengers for their cause. That’s so wild and has so many implications, I know this topic is not explored much outside this character but it would be interesting to see if anyone else has come into contact with this group of restless spirits, or if there are other similar groups with different causes.
Issue #8
I continuously love the wacky villains that vigilante deals with. Like the vulture dude that just goes around in a mini copter and can even fly it through a subway station. Or the electrocutioner, who is very similar to vigilante in that he goes out and kills criminals who evade the system of law, but of course vigilante doesn’t like killing, he’s grown since then.
But another topic that was brought up was Adrian possibly taking a judges position, but he is very hesitant to actually get back into the judicial system instead of continuing to fight outside of it. But legitimately with all of his talk about how the system is broken and how he has to do this, you would think that given the chance to directly effect it from within he would take it.
I guess once the police confiscated the vigilante pistol he finally landed back on the revolver as well.
Oh also, electrocutioner, isn’t that the dude that immediately died in Arkham origins, just to give Batman the electro gloves, LOL.
Issue #9
I think the thing that really sets vigilante apart is just how much of a self centered nutcase he is. Hear me out, he sees the electrocutioner, a man very similar to his ideology but much like how he was when he was getting started, he kills criminals. So what does vigilante decide to do? Does he decide to try and reform the man and help him see the light just as vigilante has and show him a different way? NOPE, not in the slightest. Vigilante sees that this guy is just like him and has to immediately take him down.
But other than that this issue didn’t progress a lot, electocutioner is still out there. Adrian hasn’t taken the judge position but is really thinking about it because he needs money. JJ got in too deep trying to follow the controller and may be dead! But I doubt it. Also Susie keeps talking about her family issues and her son getting in fights. Well maybe he is doing that because instead of making breakfast at home is mom is in a camper on Staten Island making breakfast for vigilante. GEEZ, go home!!
Issue #10
Huh… guess I was completely wrong. JJ is actually dead. And now vigilante is without a tech guy to fix all of his stuff and has a newfound vengeance to go after the controller for killing JJ. Which is also splitting his relationship with Susie. This issue followed vigilante using all of his resources to go from perp to perp trying to find any information about the controller, finally ending once he hijacked an FBI agents car with a mob boss and getting the info in the pursuit.
Oh but also, what is with the events adding up for the mob bosses meeting and the events of vigilante. It’s ridiculously untimed. The original meeting was supposed to be an hour, but it’s been days following vigilante before we finally caught back up. Then there was a moment where the criminals were listening into the assistant DA’s office, and Adrian was talking about current events. No way that all happened in an hour, only explanation is that the mob bosses came back for another meeting.
Issue #11
Controller: “And down you go. I admire your persistence almost as much as I deplore your stupidity.”
This issue was one of those classic storming the castle issues with the vigilante tearing through goons and getting his outfit torn up along the way but this castle was full of the most looney toons hijinks I’ve ever seen. Firstly with vigilante luring a guard out with a 50 dollar bill. LOL. Then when vigilante got close to the controller there were just rooms of traps and buzz saws coming out of the walls and trap doors. Omg how absolutely insane.
And then vigilante brought an brutal end to the controller once he disabled his life support system. He technically didn’t kill him. But he basically did and in the most painful way possible. But now they made the crazy sob a judge. JUDGE ADRIAN CHASE. Oh no… I’m very curious to see where this goes.
Part of me thinks that Wolfman intended this to be a very serious character, but I can’t stop reading vigilante as an absolute nutcase and big goof ball. This doesn’t completely come from the peacemaker tv series, but there are just those moments where he is sitting in his camper that is covered in his colors, and just staring stone faced thinking about his mission of at the end when he whips out his revolver in the final shootout. I get the scene was supposed to be really quick but he just looks so goofy standing there and then pulling out his revolver.
And then it’s the first villain we get to see. A dude named brand, who has just a bunch of hot pokers that he can pull out of his utility belt and then brand people to death, LOL.
Also what is going on with the introductions to this world. His companions had that really odd dialogue choice of just describing who they are and what they do.
Every moment with vigilante just shows him as more of a nutcase. At the end he hurls a guy through a window to get to the boss. And he has these long drawn out monologues about his mission. Like the avoiding cops rule or when they were in Coney Island and was talking about that as a sacred memory being decimated. To him it’s so serious but to me I’m just reading an insane person who flatlined and came back.
Issue #2
Well if I was uncertain about the undertones of nutcasery from the previous issue this issue solidified the parody nature that is vigilante on the judicial system. With the entire issue following a convict who Adrian Chase prosecuted, but who was now let go. Well, vigilante won’t let him get away because the system failed to keep this man locked up. So after a beatdown and tearing the man’s house apart, what does vigilante learn? He learns that his prosecution was wrong, the system was wrong. Not the man, the man was innocent in this incident, even if he had a prior. And he just destroyed the man’s house for nothing.
So it’s already issue 2 and Adrian has hung up the mantle of vigilante. And runs off to join his father’s defense firm for white collar crimes. What does he find here? And even worse system than the one he used to run with. So screw that and those old phonies, let’s grab the kids and get the vigilante band back together.
Issue #3
Great to see the titans again, just under the worst possible circumstances because it’s cyborg having to protect Stryker from the vigilante killing him. This issue brought back memories to the new teen titans issue where vigilante was introduced, and his team up with robin against Stryker which ended up only getting him that 1 year gun charge.
But luckily after learning from the example of cyborg, instead of killing Stryker, vigilante knocked out cyborg and scared Stryker so bad into confessing a bunch of stuff.
One thing I keep noticing those is that no one has any respect for vigilante’s secret identity. He doesn’t even seem to care that much. In this issue, cyborg was able to easily take off his mask then openly called him by his name in front of Stryker. Even last issue vigilante’s companion was calling him by name. Dude, get a lock on that geez.
Issue #4
J.J.: “Whattaya think, boss? I went through hell to get this videotape. It hasn’t been released legally.”
Vigilante: “Great, J.J.! You’re telling that to a guy who calls himself vigilante. What am o supposed to do now? Shoot you dead for video piracy?”
I see more and more where Gunn got his inspiration for vigilante in the peacemaker show, LOL.
But looking at this issue, the big thing I want to point out is the secondary villain. The primary villain was the actress who killed her husband then hired a hit man to take out the witnesses testifying against her. Vigilante was able to protect the final witness, they testified, she broke and lost it on the stand, happy endings.
But that secondary villain, the hit man who was hired. The controller. That intrigues me, and I hope we get to see him again later. It’s almost like the exact opposite of vigilante. Someone who is not physically skilled in the slightest, and hasn’t seen the sun in years and instead strategizes behind the scenes and sends out highly skilled robots to do his work.
Complete opposite of vigilante this guy actually thinks, lol, and has an interesting look. And actually respects tech. Compared to vigilante who just throws his bike into walls and makes JJ repair it.
Issue #5
“My plan was a simple one. I decided I wanted to throw the fear of god in those two. And if they turned out to be atheists, at least they’d know the fear of me!”
Unfortunately we have a slight problem and vigilante being in critical condition at the end may be the solution. Vigilante will have to die. He drove his bike through a park with a sign that said no bikes. I KNOW, I KNOW, it’s unforgivable. Unfortunately Adrian will have to choose between the revolver we see on the covers or the pistol with the vigilante v engraved on it we see in the pages itself, and will have to kill himself. I’m kidding of course, but what is with the gun swapping, choose one to be a staple.
Well the highlight of this issue, at least Adrian was able to get laid again since his wife’s death. And based on the ending of this issue, with vigilante in critical condition and JJ stealing the ambulance he is in, and teasing that we are going to get his secret origins. I have a feeling the next issue will be a dream issue or coma issue.
Issue #6
This has been a very interesting issue indeed. Of course the origins of vigilante have been pushed to the next issue. But the slight memories we did get seem to only lead to one conclusion. Vigilante is part Highlander. He is almost immortal and even the doctors saw him healing himself right in front of their eyes, but he can die by getting his head chopped off. Those are Highlander rules.
This issue also included a few panels with the police trying to investigate vigilante, and they immediately profiled him. Literally took them thinking for less than 10 minutes to find out his psychological profile and now they will probably find it out pretty quick.
But the sub story throughout this issue with the crime families is also very interesting because I very much through the controller would be making a comeback and it seems he is taking over all the crime families, but it also seems like they were the ones to put him in his current disabled state to begin with.
Issue #7
What an absolutely insane origin, and I love it. So it turns out that vigilante was recruited by a group of restless spirits whose killers were not properly brought to Justice. He was then taken and trained for 6 months, where he honed his body and developed a regeneration ability he got from them. Then one day once he has died he will join the teachers to teach more people to become avengers for their cause. That’s so wild and has so many implications, I know this topic is not explored much outside this character but it would be interesting to see if anyone else has come into contact with this group of restless spirits, or if there are other similar groups with different causes.
Issue #8
I continuously love the wacky villains that vigilante deals with. Like the vulture dude that just goes around in a mini copter and can even fly it through a subway station. Or the electrocutioner, who is very similar to vigilante in that he goes out and kills criminals who evade the system of law, but of course vigilante doesn’t like killing, he’s grown since then.
But another topic that was brought up was Adrian possibly taking a judges position, but he is very hesitant to actually get back into the judicial system instead of continuing to fight outside of it. But legitimately with all of his talk about how the system is broken and how he has to do this, you would think that given the chance to directly effect it from within he would take it.
I guess once the police confiscated the vigilante pistol he finally landed back on the revolver as well.
Oh also, electrocutioner, isn’t that the dude that immediately died in Arkham origins, just to give Batman the electro gloves, LOL.
Issue #9
I think the thing that really sets vigilante apart is just how much of a self centered nutcase he is. Hear me out, he sees the electrocutioner, a man very similar to his ideology but much like how he was when he was getting started, he kills criminals. So what does vigilante decide to do? Does he decide to try and reform the man and help him see the light just as vigilante has and show him a different way? NOPE, not in the slightest. Vigilante sees that this guy is just like him and has to immediately take him down.
But other than that this issue didn’t progress a lot, electocutioner is still out there. Adrian hasn’t taken the judge position but is really thinking about it because he needs money. JJ got in too deep trying to follow the controller and may be dead! But I doubt it. Also Susie keeps talking about her family issues and her son getting in fights. Well maybe he is doing that because instead of making breakfast at home is mom is in a camper on Staten Island making breakfast for vigilante. GEEZ, go home!!
Issue #10
Huh… guess I was completely wrong. JJ is actually dead. And now vigilante is without a tech guy to fix all of his stuff and has a newfound vengeance to go after the controller for killing JJ. Which is also splitting his relationship with Susie. This issue followed vigilante using all of his resources to go from perp to perp trying to find any information about the controller, finally ending once he hijacked an FBI agents car with a mob boss and getting the info in the pursuit.
Oh but also, what is with the events adding up for the mob bosses meeting and the events of vigilante. It’s ridiculously untimed. The original meeting was supposed to be an hour, but it’s been days following vigilante before we finally caught back up. Then there was a moment where the criminals were listening into the assistant DA’s office, and Adrian was talking about current events. No way that all happened in an hour, only explanation is that the mob bosses came back for another meeting.
Issue #11
Controller: “And down you go. I admire your persistence almost as much as I deplore your stupidity.”
This issue was one of those classic storming the castle issues with the vigilante tearing through goons and getting his outfit torn up along the way but this castle was full of the most looney toons hijinks I’ve ever seen. Firstly with vigilante luring a guard out with a 50 dollar bill. LOL. Then when vigilante got close to the controller there were just rooms of traps and buzz saws coming out of the walls and trap doors. Omg how absolutely insane.
And then vigilante brought an brutal end to the controller once he disabled his life support system. He technically didn’t kill him. But he basically did and in the most painful way possible. But now they made the crazy sob a judge. JUDGE ADRIAN CHASE. Oh no… I’m very curious to see where this goes.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 24, 2020
Started out with a really interesting concept, but about a third of the way into it they made it a typical superhero book. The origin issue was especially disappointing. Still, I enjoyed a lot of the art and Perez designed such a terrific costume so at least every action scene was great to look at. I heard the series gets more interesting after Wolfman left the book so I still want to check out the rest of the series.
December 23, 2022
Very interesting precursor to the grim, street level books that came later. It’s an early attempt at books written for more mature readers, although the ‘tough on crime’ philosophizing seems a little shallow. Visually, it’s interesting. George Perez is always good and the art conceit of the black in his costume being ink black(no shading, merging with shadows) ends up being really cool. Vigilante isn’t my favorite, but it’s promising and worth a revamp.
January 28, 2022
The whole concept was better written, better designed, better executed by the original Punisher. The cowboy hero, the Vigilante, is also better. In short - this book doesn't cut it [honestly, I could only get through 25% before having such a bad case of boredom I had to put it aside and I will NOT be picking it up].
December 11, 2021
A product of an era that saw many heroes and vigilantes going dark, Adrian Chase begins his journey with a promise, although he seems a lot like a pale version of Frank Castle, a.k.a. the Punisher. While soon after starting his crime fighting career Chase develops a moral conscious, vowing to not kill criminals unless in self defense, the plots are rarely interesting and the writing didn't age well (mostly the narrating by Chase, describing every action he makes while also showing it).
One chapter introduces the Vigilante's origin, a supernatural mess that sounds like it has no place in what is supposed to be a grounded series about the failure of the judicial system. I get that it's part of the superhero genre, but not every book is expected to dabble in fantasy and/or sci-fi (which the book also goes into, somewhat, with an half a machine supervillain that can control any computer system, whatever that meant for 1983-84 technology).
If I'm supposed to feel for Adrian Chase, who lost his wife and kids in a mob hit, a tragedy that propelled him to become the Vigilante, he does nothing to show emotion; their deaths are just triggers for his unlawful ways. Add to that a romantic relationship introduced shortly after, a reconnection with a former colleague. The story throws in clues that Marcia, the ADA romantically involved with Adrian, is actually working for the main villain, the Controller, but does nothing with it and the mysterious rat is never revealed.
The thing I hated the most is the use of Adrian's aides, JJ Davies (a young computer whiz whom Adrian helped when he was DA) and Terry Gomez (a former researcher for the DA). They are never developed as characters and all I could tell about Terry was that she's a single mother who really cares about justice with no violence, which makes her leave the scene abruptly when Adrian aims to do some killing towards the end of the book. JJ is only 20YO, but drawn with a moustache that makes him look like a creep ('80s, right?) It doesn't help that he talks and acts like a perv, always using innuendos and referring to Adrian's sex life. What makes it more disturbing is that earlier it's revealed that JJ and his girlfriend were attacked by a criminal while in bed, and after knocking out JJ he sexually abused the girl. She went insane and Chase, then DA, did everything in his power to put the attacker in jail. Ugh...
The art is mostly fine, with greats like George Perez on layouts for the Vigilant's first appearance in New Teen Titans Annual #2; Keith Pollard; Dick Giordano, Mike Decarlo and Romeo Tanghal on inks; and Ross Andru for the second half of the book. At least the action is vibrant, although accompanied by excessive words.
One chapter introduces the Vigilante's origin, a supernatural mess that sounds like it has no place in what is supposed to be a grounded series about the failure of the judicial system. I get that it's part of the superhero genre, but not every book is expected to dabble in fantasy and/or sci-fi (which the book also goes into, somewhat, with an half a machine supervillain that can control any computer system, whatever that meant for 1983-84 technology).
If I'm supposed to feel for Adrian Chase, who lost his wife and kids in a mob hit, a tragedy that propelled him to become the Vigilante, he does nothing to show emotion; their deaths are just triggers for his unlawful ways. Add to that a romantic relationship introduced shortly after, a reconnection with a former colleague. The story throws in clues that Marcia, the ADA romantically involved with Adrian, is actually working for the main villain, the Controller, but does nothing with it and the mysterious rat is never revealed.
The thing I hated the most is the use of Adrian's aides, JJ Davies (a young computer whiz whom Adrian helped when he was DA) and Terry Gomez (a former researcher for the DA). They are never developed as characters and all I could tell about Terry was that she's a single mother who really cares about justice with no violence, which makes her leave the scene abruptly when Adrian aims to do some killing towards the end of the book. JJ is only 20YO, but drawn with a moustache that makes him look like a creep ('80s, right?) It doesn't help that he talks and acts like a perv, always using innuendos and referring to Adrian's sex life. What makes it more disturbing is that earlier it's revealed that JJ and his girlfriend were attacked by a criminal while in bed, and after knocking out JJ he sexually abused the girl. She went insane and Chase, then DA, did everything in his power to put the attacker in jail. Ugh...
The art is mostly fine, with greats like George Perez on layouts for the Vigilant's first appearance in New Teen Titans Annual #2; Keith Pollard; Dick Giordano, Mike Decarlo and Romeo Tanghal on inks; and Ross Andru for the second half of the book. At least the action is vibrant, although accompanied by excessive words.
April 20, 2018
I read this series back in the day and remember it being enjoyable but that was about it. I did get the entire series but got rid of the whole lot not too long after it finished.
Re-reading it now I have changed my opinion, I am so glad that DC decided to release this collection (and please keep going with more) as this is not only an excellent set of stories but is still completely relevant today. Wolfman has written a character we can understand and agree with, even if his actions are illegal. Vigilante is a more human, a more believable and realistic (sort of... he is a superhero after all) version of Marvel's Punisher, and I do like the Punisher as well.
This is a very surprising reliving of comics of my youth, I guess I am getting older when I prefer stuff I was ambivalent about when I was younger, or maybe it can just appreciate the subtleties of it more now that I am an adult!
Re-reading it now I have changed my opinion, I am so glad that DC decided to release this collection (and please keep going with more) as this is not only an excellent set of stories but is still completely relevant today. Wolfman has written a character we can understand and agree with, even if his actions are illegal. Vigilante is a more human, a more believable and realistic (sort of... he is a superhero after all) version of Marvel's Punisher, and I do like the Punisher as well.
This is a very surprising reliving of comics of my youth, I guess I am getting older when I prefer stuff I was ambivalent about when I was younger, or maybe it can just appreciate the subtleties of it more now that I am an adult!
December 31, 2025
Collects The New Teen Titans Annual #2 (1983) and Vigilante #1-11 (November 1983 - October 1984).
Interesting, but still trying a little too hard to be a superhero comic at times (especially with the villains). I preferred Vigilante a little after this collection, when people like Alan Moore would occasionally pop in to write it and it became a little darker and grittier.
I sort of wish this collection would have included a little more of the Adrian Chase Teen Titans material that shows more of his origin and lead up into becoming the Vigilante. Alternately, it would have been nice if the collection would have gone a little further along into the solo run.
Interesting, but still trying a little too hard to be a superhero comic at times (especially with the villains). I preferred Vigilante a little after this collection, when people like Alan Moore would occasionally pop in to write it and it became a little darker and grittier.
I sort of wish this collection would have included a little more of the Adrian Chase Teen Titans material that shows more of his origin and lead up into becoming the Vigilante. Alternately, it would have been nice if the collection would have gone a little further along into the solo run.
April 14, 2018
One of the worst characters of the 80s.
A spin off from the at that time spectacular teen titans, the vigilante (not the superior motorcycle riding cowboy), but former DA Adrian Chase, who becomes super human in healing and the near terror of the underworld - at least he wants to be. Unlike the punisher, who kills, vigilante airways finds a way to weasel his way out. And that costume... Garish and silly. Never one of my favorites. There are better characters to bring out in collections.
A spin off from the at that time spectacular teen titans, the vigilante (not the superior motorcycle riding cowboy), but former DA Adrian Chase, who becomes super human in healing and the near terror of the underworld - at least he wants to be. Unlike the punisher, who kills, vigilante airways finds a way to weasel his way out. And that costume... Garish and silly. Never one of my favorites. There are better characters to bring out in collections.
February 28, 2018
Vigilante is a gem. The origin story's roots in Teen Titan's was genius. The art is colorful and classic. The storytelling includes a satisfying narrative with silent bouts of flowing action. I found the main character, a lawyer fed up with a system that lets bad-guys get away with (literal and figurative) murder, compelling. He's a great mix of Kamen Rider, Batman, the Punisher and Judge Dredd. In fact, Vigilante is the Batman I always wanted but never found; my new favorite vigilante hero.
May 21, 2022
Straight up 80's DC comics. If you know, you know. They just read a certain way. I didn't appreciate it as much when I was younger, but I like to revisit all these and brush up on the characters and their backstories. Vigilante is a mix between Batman and the Punisher. He's willing to kill but wants to bring criminals to justice. The writing is fine, but the bad guys are pedestrian. The art is in that DC vein popular in the early 80s. Overall, if you like Teen Titans, you should enjoy it. If you are looking for the character from the Peacemaker show, this is not that character.
September 24, 2025
Marv Wolfman is a force to be reckoned with. I’ve been interested in checking out Peacemaker, and this has pushed that into overdrive. Vigilante is such a well thought-out deconstruction. His philosophy is approached with such nuance and reality, as we follow his noir-esque journey into the vigilante space. It feels so brimming with rage, making Vigilante an unfortunately timeless hero. If you liked Wolfman’s Deathstroke run, you’ll like this.
January 30, 2018
I had always thought that The Vigilante was DC's answer to The Punisher. Having now read the entire run put together in TPB, I'm not so sure. Turns out to be something a little different from Frank Castle. It wasn't bad, but didn't do a whole lot for me emotionally either.
June 11, 2021
This is the first graphic novel I've read in years and was not disappointed. Marv Wolfman's Vigilante was a great adventure featuring a unique antihero, so compelling and a wonderful addition to the DC Universe. I look forward to reading more in the series.
April 3, 2022
Budget Punisher
The introduction of Vigilante from Teen Titans is fun but the main character is really awful at crime fighting. (murder criminals or represent them as their lawyer - there is no middle ground!) But the art is very good.
The introduction of Vigilante from Teen Titans is fun but the main character is really awful at crime fighting. (murder criminals or represent them as their lawyer - there is no middle ground!) But the art is very good.
May 8, 2022
Long cringey monologues and constant moralizing, ugh
Got this to check out Wolfman's early work. It's like reading a Chuck Norris movie going on for 11 issues without the one-liners and Chuck's charisma.
Got this to check out Wolfman's early work. It's like reading a Chuck Norris movie going on for 11 issues without the one-liners and Chuck's charisma.
November 20, 2019
Fun to revisit this New Teen Titans spin-off. I remember liking some of the later issues more, so hopefully DC will continue collecting these.
February 2, 2022
Punisher the ex district attorney? Sorry, but it got boring real fast
February 23, 2022
Off brand punished but works
Good read I personally like the characters and what they stand
Vigilante is like and off brand punisher frankly it close but no cigar
Good read I personally like the characters and what they stand
Vigilante is like and off brand punisher frankly it close but no cigar
Read
August 20, 2022Counting this log as the whole series. I enjoyed it a lot though. Depressing overall but I was hooked. Adrian is an amazing character and this story holds up pretty well!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 18, 2025
Just read Punisher instead or better yet the Executioner books by Don Pendleton.
November 24, 2025
Excellent story
I used to own this series. Rediscovered it recently in digital form. Got it for a great price. It was a bladt
I used to own this series. Rediscovered it recently in digital form. Got it for a great price. It was a bladt
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews