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The Sheriff of Babylon #1-2
The Sheriff of Babylon
Inspired by his real-life experiences as a CIA operations officer in Iraq, writer Tom King teams with artist Mitch Gerads--the creative team behind the critically acclaimed Mister Miracle--to deliver a wartime crime thriller like no other. The Sheriff of Babylon: The Deluxe Edition collects all 12 issues of the groundbreaking Vertigo series. This special hardcover volume also features a new introduction by King and afterword by Gerads, as well as a gallery of preliminary artwork from Gerads and cover artist John Paul Leon.
Baghdad, 2003. The reign of Saddam Hussein is over. The Americans are in command. And no one is in control.
Former cop turned military contractor Christopher Henry knows that better than anyone. He's in country to train up a new Iraqi police force, and one of his recruits has just been murdered. With civil authority in tatters and dead bodies clogging the streets, Chris is the only person in the Green Zone with any interest in finding out who killed him--and why.
Chris' inquiry brings him first to Sofia, an American-raised Iraqi who now sits on the governing council, and then to Nassir, a grizzled veteran of Saddam's police force--and probably the last real investigator left in Baghdad.
United by death but divided by conflicting loyalties, the three must help each other navigate the treacherous landscape of post-invasion Iraq in order to hunt down the killers. But are their efforts really serving justice--or a much darker agenda?
Collects all 12 issues.
Baghdad, 2003. The reign of Saddam Hussein is over. The Americans are in command. And no one is in control.
Former cop turned military contractor Christopher Henry knows that better than anyone. He's in country to train up a new Iraqi police force, and one of his recruits has just been murdered. With civil authority in tatters and dead bodies clogging the streets, Chris is the only person in the Green Zone with any interest in finding out who killed him--and why.
Chris' inquiry brings him first to Sofia, an American-raised Iraqi who now sits on the governing council, and then to Nassir, a grizzled veteran of Saddam's police force--and probably the last real investigator left in Baghdad.
United by death but divided by conflicting loyalties, the three must help each other navigate the treacherous landscape of post-invasion Iraq in order to hunt down the killers. But are their efforts really serving justice--or a much darker agenda?
Collects all 12 issues.
294 pages, Hardcover
First published March 20, 2018
43 people are currently reading
528 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 129 reviews
July 7, 2018
You can find my review on my blog by clicking here.
Way before Tom King got on board to write Batman for the Rebirth era of DC Comics, he was an ex-CIA operations officer in Iraq and racked up a couple of months of experience that he later translated into a phenomenal wartime crime thriller known as The Sheriff of Babylon. It was when Vertigo came in contact with him to write a series for them that the idea of drawing upon his time in Baghdad came to mind. What he ultimately conjured thanks to the help of artist Mitch Gerads is a 12 part story that reveals the twisted and dark post-invasion Iraq climate. Through impeccable characterization and stellar artwork, The Sheriff of Babylon envelops the reader into a depressing and complex reality that lingers on the edge of insanity and chaos.
Set in the year 2003, right after Saddam Hussein’s reign reached its end, this story follows military contractor Christopher Henry into the heart of the post-9/11 Middle East. When one of his trainees is found dead, he is forced into seeking help from the last policeman in Baghdad. His journey into finding the culprit behind that gruesome death brings him to traverse some of the loneliest and most bleak corners of the world. Added with the point of view of Sofia, an Iraqi-American woman who plays a dangerous game within various circles, The Sheriff of Babylon throws the readers into a whirlwind of violence, and softens it all with a poignant emotional cushion to fall back on.
This is an exquisite masterpiece by one of the greatest creative teams out there. With Tom King’s impeccable story-telling and Mitch Gerads unbelievable and realistic artwork, they were able to convey some of the most brutal and tragic moments through the comic book medium. Panels would constantly focus on the weight of each word and accentuate the intensity through the facial expressions and the cruelty of the events that unfolded. In all honesty, flipping through this volume was one of the most intensive experience ever. There are moments that effortlessly grabs you by the throat and forbids you the freedom to breath with ease. The intensity is never toned down and everything unravels in unimaginable ways. In fact, the artwork coupled with the dialogue controls the pace and assures to leave you feeling powerless and staggered more often than not. Tom King and Mitch Gerads portrayal of this time period was simply flawless.
The story isn’t told in a linear fashion and tends to highlight its complexity in many ways. Following the story through the eyes of three different characters helps extensively in accomplishing just that. With different backgrounds and different goals for each of these characters, the story easily puts everything into perspective and helps readers understand the reality that everyone is facing. In a world where everyone seem shook to their core by the war in which they bathe, it is the methods they all embrace to cope with it that truly sends a punch right to the gut. Whether it’s laughter or sadness, Tom King really knew how to develop it and make it feel authentic. He does a phenomenal job in portraying the complexity of the decisions that need to be made as well as putting emphasis on the grey area of every behaviour. In this world, anything could turn the kindest soul into the savagest demon.
The Sheriff of Babylon focuses on the intangible web that hides underneath Baghdad as the Americans attempt to control it fruitlessly. Without ever shying away from graphic content and continuously hammering readers with memorable and powerful scenes, this graphic novel packs a hell of a punch and demonstrates the complicated nature of human beings.
Yours truly,
Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: https://bookidote.com/
Way before Tom King got on board to write Batman for the Rebirth era of DC Comics, he was an ex-CIA operations officer in Iraq and racked up a couple of months of experience that he later translated into a phenomenal wartime crime thriller known as The Sheriff of Babylon. It was when Vertigo came in contact with him to write a series for them that the idea of drawing upon his time in Baghdad came to mind. What he ultimately conjured thanks to the help of artist Mitch Gerads is a 12 part story that reveals the twisted and dark post-invasion Iraq climate. Through impeccable characterization and stellar artwork, The Sheriff of Babylon envelops the reader into a depressing and complex reality that lingers on the edge of insanity and chaos.
Set in the year 2003, right after Saddam Hussein’s reign reached its end, this story follows military contractor Christopher Henry into the heart of the post-9/11 Middle East. When one of his trainees is found dead, he is forced into seeking help from the last policeman in Baghdad. His journey into finding the culprit behind that gruesome death brings him to traverse some of the loneliest and most bleak corners of the world. Added with the point of view of Sofia, an Iraqi-American woman who plays a dangerous game within various circles, The Sheriff of Babylon throws the readers into a whirlwind of violence, and softens it all with a poignant emotional cushion to fall back on.
This is an exquisite masterpiece by one of the greatest creative teams out there. With Tom King’s impeccable story-telling and Mitch Gerads unbelievable and realistic artwork, they were able to convey some of the most brutal and tragic moments through the comic book medium. Panels would constantly focus on the weight of each word and accentuate the intensity through the facial expressions and the cruelty of the events that unfolded. In all honesty, flipping through this volume was one of the most intensive experience ever. There are moments that effortlessly grabs you by the throat and forbids you the freedom to breath with ease. The intensity is never toned down and everything unravels in unimaginable ways. In fact, the artwork coupled with the dialogue controls the pace and assures to leave you feeling powerless and staggered more often than not. Tom King and Mitch Gerads portrayal of this time period was simply flawless.
The story isn’t told in a linear fashion and tends to highlight its complexity in many ways. Following the story through the eyes of three different characters helps extensively in accomplishing just that. With different backgrounds and different goals for each of these characters, the story easily puts everything into perspective and helps readers understand the reality that everyone is facing. In a world where everyone seem shook to their core by the war in which they bathe, it is the methods they all embrace to cope with it that truly sends a punch right to the gut. Whether it’s laughter or sadness, Tom King really knew how to develop it and make it feel authentic. He does a phenomenal job in portraying the complexity of the decisions that need to be made as well as putting emphasis on the grey area of every behaviour. In this world, anything could turn the kindest soul into the savagest demon.
The Sheriff of Babylon focuses on the intangible web that hides underneath Baghdad as the Americans attempt to control it fruitlessly. Without ever shying away from graphic content and continuously hammering readers with memorable and powerful scenes, this graphic novel packs a hell of a punch and demonstrates the complicated nature of human beings.
Yours truly,
Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: https://bookidote.com/
February 15, 2021
This present a dark view of the war in Iraq. Death and destruction are a part of daily life. Life is cheap. Multiple factions vie for power while individuals struggle to find their place in the war. The story is quite confusing at the beginning, but as the story comes to a conclusion, all of the threads come together.
December 18, 2022
Un relat que navega en la complexitat de l'ésser humà i les decisions que aquest pren dins un conflicte bèlic. Tom King construeix tres personatges principals que li fan de crossa per tal d'incidir en aquestes zones grises d'un escenari sanguinolent on res mai conclou. És un guió molt ben filat de la mà d'un dibuix idoni per aquest tipus d'història.
'It is not your fault, but you are the one who is here'
'It is not your fault, but you are the one who is here'
December 7, 2020
Originally posted https://amanjareads.com/2020/12/04/th...
The Sheriff of Babylon is a book that only Tom King could write. As far as I know King is the only CIA operative turned best selling comic book writer on the planet. He's translated some of his bleakest experiences in Iraq into The Sheriff of Babylon, this 12 isssue standalone series.
This is still a work of fiction, it's not a biopic or documentary. But he discusses very real themes, emotions, and violence. Extreme violence. Real war zone violence.
In nearly every Tom King book I've read he uses a style that is instantly recognizable. He uses short panels, often a 9 square grid on the page. And he juxtaposes action and violence against almost mudane dialogue. It effectively splits a story between world consequences and personal consequences for the individual characters.
The Sheriff of Bablyon waxes a bit more philisophical than some of his other works, especially since the characters are just humans and not superheroes. These humans wonder out loud about what war could ever accomplish and whether or not they'll live through it, or if they even want to.
Characters form unlikely bonds through these honest and open discussions while bombs and gunfire can be heard not too far away. The value of the book is in its heart. To sympathize with characters of all sorts and to see the war from more than one position.
King has likely placed himself in the shoes of Christopher, a military police trainer, the protagonist of the story. However, it is Sofia who really stole the show for me. She's an Iraqi American, born and raised in America but now working in Iraq.
She is one of the most complex, bold, nuanced, and undeniably strong characters I've read in a long time. She faces some serious incidents, many involving physical scars as well as emotional, and she never backs down. The culture in Iraq does not respect her, but I sure as hell did.
The end of the book captures what all the best war books and movies do, that it's never really concluded. War doesn't just end one day. The consequences last for generations and nothing ever really gets solved. It's not a satisfying ending but it is the ending that war always provides.
The Sheriff of Bablyon is not a light read. It's heavy material from page one. But it is a story you wont get anywhere else, told by the one person who can tell it in this fashion. Read it, and then read something light afterwards.
The Sheriff of Babylon is a book that only Tom King could write. As far as I know King is the only CIA operative turned best selling comic book writer on the planet. He's translated some of his bleakest experiences in Iraq into The Sheriff of Babylon, this 12 isssue standalone series.
This is still a work of fiction, it's not a biopic or documentary. But he discusses very real themes, emotions, and violence. Extreme violence. Real war zone violence.
In nearly every Tom King book I've read he uses a style that is instantly recognizable. He uses short panels, often a 9 square grid on the page. And he juxtaposes action and violence against almost mudane dialogue. It effectively splits a story between world consequences and personal consequences for the individual characters.
The Sheriff of Bablyon waxes a bit more philisophical than some of his other works, especially since the characters are just humans and not superheroes. These humans wonder out loud about what war could ever accomplish and whether or not they'll live through it, or if they even want to.
Characters form unlikely bonds through these honest and open discussions while bombs and gunfire can be heard not too far away. The value of the book is in its heart. To sympathize with characters of all sorts and to see the war from more than one position.
King has likely placed himself in the shoes of Christopher, a military police trainer, the protagonist of the story. However, it is Sofia who really stole the show for me. She's an Iraqi American, born and raised in America but now working in Iraq.
She is one of the most complex, bold, nuanced, and undeniably strong characters I've read in a long time. She faces some serious incidents, many involving physical scars as well as emotional, and she never backs down. The culture in Iraq does not respect her, but I sure as hell did.
The end of the book captures what all the best war books and movies do, that it's never really concluded. War doesn't just end one day. The consequences last for generations and nothing ever really gets solved. It's not a satisfying ending but it is the ending that war always provides.
The Sheriff of Bablyon is not a light read. It's heavy material from page one. But it is a story you wont get anywhere else, told by the one person who can tell it in this fashion. Read it, and then read something light afterwards.
December 30, 2020
Cítím se občas trochu trapně když hodnotím něco od Toma Kinga protože jeho věci mám hrozně rád. Líbí se mi jak si během vaření kafe v CIA vysnil jak by to mohlo vypadat v akci. Sheriff of Aquapark Babylon Liberec je upřímně fakt skvělej, protože se s tím zkrátka nesere a nebojí se ošklivé věci ukazovat tak jak jsou, v podstatě jde o jakýsi pamflet jak je válka a následky z ní strašná. Tom King tady paradoxně tolik neoperuje s tématem traumatu ale víc se zaměřuje na postavy kdy každý je zcela jiný a tím pádem zajímavý a jedinečný+si všichni projdou výborným vývojem. Přečíst si tohle a postupně vidět jak King buduje osobní dramata přes Visiona a dotáhne je k dokonalosti v Mistru Miraclovi je pro mě hrozná pecka.
Ale jako nejsilnější stránku celého komiksu shledávám kresbu. Tomíkovi komiksy vždy vypadají výborně ale jakmile něco dělá s Mitchem Geradsem smrdí z toho něco skvělého. Tady funguje neuvěřitelně a nevím jestli tohle není jeho nejlepší práce vůbec protože Geradsovi tento military styl hodně sedí. Zároveň ale cítím v určitých místech plácání se z hlediska scénáře, některé události bych asi více rozvedl, což bych třeba u zmiňovaného Visiona a Miracla nedělal i když mají stejně sešitů.
Sumec Sumárum? Bezpochyby velký dobrý ale jako třeba u Tomova runu na Batmanovi cítím, že si tohle budu muset přečíst vícekrát protože mám pocit, že mi některé skryté motivy apod. unikly a rozhodně budu chtít hledat. I tak to na mě strašně zapůsobilo protože to je ale i není jako něco od Kinga.
Ale jako nejsilnější stránku celého komiksu shledávám kresbu. Tomíkovi komiksy vždy vypadají výborně ale jakmile něco dělá s Mitchem Geradsem smrdí z toho něco skvělého. Tady funguje neuvěřitelně a nevím jestli tohle není jeho nejlepší práce vůbec protože Geradsovi tento military styl hodně sedí. Zároveň ale cítím v určitých místech plácání se z hlediska scénáře, některé události bych asi více rozvedl, což bych třeba u zmiňovaného Visiona a Miracla nedělal i když mají stejně sešitů.
Sumec Sumárum? Bezpochyby velký dobrý ale jako třeba u Tomova runu na Batmanovi cítím, že si tohle budu muset přečíst vícekrát protože mám pocit, že mi některé skryté motivy apod. unikly a rozhodně budu chtít hledat. I tak to na mě strašně zapůsobilo protože to je ale i není jako něco od Kinga.
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December 24, 2023Поліцейський допитує підозрюваного, на якого надійшла скарга - той, мовляв, всякі погрози озвучує. Поліцейський не виявляє нічого підозрілого і відпускає його. Уже незабаром той підозрюваний разом з гуртом інших терористів уганяє літаки і вганяється у вежі Всесвітнього торгового центру. Невдобненько вийшло.
Минає скількись часу. Поліцейський, усвідомлюючи марноту марнот своїх занять, звільняється і подається тренувати нову поліцію нового пост-саддамівського Іраку - він уже зафейлив своє завдання один раз, таким чином, він теж трошки призвідця катастрофічної американської війни з терором, але він виправить помилки і допоможе будувати нове світліше майбутнє на випалених руїнах Багдаду.
Спойлер: важко будувати нове світліше майбутнє з тими, хто тебе ненавидить (небезпідставно, загалом) - і то ненавидить лише трошечки менше, ніж ненавидить інші фракції своїх співвітчизників (це ж Вавилон, кожен говорить своєю мовою, не буде ніякого порозуміння). Та й яке майбутнє, якщо чи не всі діти, яких ми бачимо на сторінках коміксу, гинуть.
Хороша військова драма, відірватися неможливо. Сам Том Кінґ, автор цього коміксу, в минулому офіцер ЦРУ з антитерористичної діяльності, зокрема за кордоном, тож припускаю, що весь цей смертоносний бардак описує зі знанням справи.
Минає скількись часу. Поліцейський, усвідомлюючи марноту марнот своїх занять, звільняється і подається тренувати нову поліцію нового пост-саддамівського Іраку - він уже зафейлив своє завдання один раз, таким чином, він теж трошки призвідця катастрофічної американської війни з терором, але він виправить помилки і допоможе будувати нове світліше майбутнє на випалених руїнах Багдаду.
Спойлер: важко будувати нове світліше майбутнє з тими, хто тебе ненавидить (небезпідставно, загалом) - і то ненавидить лише трошечки менше, ніж ненавидить інші фракції своїх співвітчизників (це ж Вавилон, кожен говорить своєю мовою, не буде ніякого порозуміння). Та й яке майбутнє, якщо чи не всі діти, яких ми бачимо на сторінках коміксу, гинуть.
Хороша військова драма, відірватися неможливо. Сам Том Кінґ, автор цього коміксу, в минулому офіцер ЦРУ з антитерористичної діяльності, зокрема за кордоном, тож припускаю, що весь цей смертоносний бардак описує зі знанням справи.
October 30, 2021
King can basically write about any topic I am not interested in, and I would buy it and read it and admire it. The Sheriff of Babylon was, in a long time, comics I needed to read in several runs, because some scenes were too much. The character development, for all of the three main ones, is incredible. The Gerads work on this is something that suits him so much, I can imagine him working on more military stuff. I believe this would work even better with a few more issues, but it was amazing like this too. All together - I cried, I was shocked, I stopped breathing sometimes. This was one of the best things I have ever read.
October 8, 2018
The Sheriff of Babylon is a brutal look at Iraq after Saddam by comic super-star Tom King, based on his real-life experiences there.
It's slightly hard to write a review of it, because the story is complex enough and muddy enough that I think it requires a second read for full understanding. This isn't unusual for a King story, but I think it's more pronounced in this early work.
Nonetheless this a shocking and soulful story of an Iraq descending into cruelty and barbarism. It's heartfelt because we know that King was there and that he's telling a true-ish story. It's got great characters and terrible happenings. I'd like to see more of what King saw in the land we shattered.
It's slightly hard to write a review of it, because the story is complex enough and muddy enough that I think it requires a second read for full understanding. This isn't unusual for a King story, but I think it's more pronounced in this early work.
Nonetheless this a shocking and soulful story of an Iraq descending into cruelty and barbarism. It's heartfelt because we know that King was there and that he's telling a true-ish story. It's got great characters and terrible happenings. I'd like to see more of what King saw in the land we shattered.
September 14, 2018
This is another title that I've been meaning to read, or finish, for a while. I had started The Sheriff of Babylon a couple of times, reading the first few issues in the 12-issue series. But now that I got the Deluxe Edition, I made it a point of finishing the entire thing. Tom King is an incredible writer, and this is notable example of his more realistic or real-world narrative style. Incredible! Next, I want to read his Vision, about which I've also heard wonderful things.
November 16, 2021
El Sheriff de Babilonia se ambienta en Bagdad en el año 2003, la ocupación estadounidense ha comenzado luego de la guerra de Irak, en una especie de lejano oeste en el Medio Oriente.
Tom King, con guiones “supervisados” por la CIA, presenta una trama densa y realista, apoyado en intensos diálogos que intercala con duras escenas de violencia de todo tipo.
En el marco de la investigación de un asesinato, los protagonistas, dos ex policías y una negociadora que forma parte del gobierno, reflejan las facciones que desde hace cientos de años se enfrentan en esas tierras, sunitas, chiitas y los extranjeros de turno. King exhibe conflictos e intereses de cada uno de ellos, sin dejar de lado el sufrimiento generalizado que al igual que el guionista, no toma partido.
Mitch Gerards es de mis artistas favoritos de la actualidad, su estilo crudo y “sucio” contrasta con la envidiable fluidez de su narrativa. Logra plasmar ese ambiente cálido y polvoriento con una elección de tonos perfecta, del mismo modo maneja la expresividad de sus personajes y el ritmo de la acción.
El Sheriff de Babilonia no es por su temática y crudeza un comic para todo público, pero sí sin dudas una obra fundamental del dúo creativo.
Tom King, con guiones “supervisados” por la CIA, presenta una trama densa y realista, apoyado en intensos diálogos que intercala con duras escenas de violencia de todo tipo.
En el marco de la investigación de un asesinato, los protagonistas, dos ex policías y una negociadora que forma parte del gobierno, reflejan las facciones que desde hace cientos de años se enfrentan en esas tierras, sunitas, chiitas y los extranjeros de turno. King exhibe conflictos e intereses de cada uno de ellos, sin dejar de lado el sufrimiento generalizado que al igual que el guionista, no toma partido.
Mitch Gerards es de mis artistas favoritos de la actualidad, su estilo crudo y “sucio” contrasta con la envidiable fluidez de su narrativa. Logra plasmar ese ambiente cálido y polvoriento con una elección de tonos perfecta, del mismo modo maneja la expresividad de sus personajes y el ritmo de la acción.
El Sheriff de Babilonia no es por su temática y crudeza un comic para todo público, pero sí sin dudas una obra fundamental del dúo creativo.
August 20, 2018
Great characters, great story, beautiful art and an amazing setting.
This comic is all that the Green Zone movie wanted to be.
There are no heroes in this comic, you will root for all of them and at the same time they will disgust you in some way.
You will laugh, cry and stop to think A LOT.
In the end you will be coming back for seconds, just to see if you missed something.
This comic is all that the Green Zone movie wanted to be.
There are no heroes in this comic, you will root for all of them and at the same time they will disgust you in some way.
You will laugh, cry and stop to think A LOT.
In the end you will be coming back for seconds, just to see if you missed something.
April 4, 2023
I don't read many new comics any more but one of the last superhero books I did dip into was Tom King's amazing take on the old Marvel Comics character The Vision. I've read another book or two by King since and was looking for more when my local library offered this war story written by King, who was a CIA operative in Iraq in 2004.
A long way from any superhero fable, even an innovative one, this is a classic take on the War is Hell theme and its corollary that Hell is usually other people. Extremely grim with no heroes, certainly not the clueless, homicidal good old boys on the US side; the jihadis are nothing to admire either. The protagonist is a camo-clad detective on some very mean streets indeed, and the whole book is a well-told page-turner with an edge.
The art by Mitch Gerads is realistic by comic standards, mostly free from the absurdity of super heroic anatomy, and vaguely reminiscent of the stories John Severin drew for Harvey Kurtzman back in the 50s. I'm pretty sure Kurtzman would have approved of this book too.
Recommended for comic readers looking for a little more grit in their cereal.
A long way from any superhero fable, even an innovative one, this is a classic take on the War is Hell theme and its corollary that Hell is usually other people. Extremely grim with no heroes, certainly not the clueless, homicidal good old boys on the US side; the jihadis are nothing to admire either. The protagonist is a camo-clad detective on some very mean streets indeed, and the whole book is a well-told page-turner with an edge.
The art by Mitch Gerads is realistic by comic standards, mostly free from the absurdity of super heroic anatomy, and vaguely reminiscent of the stories John Severin drew for Harvey Kurtzman back in the 50s. I'm pretty sure Kurtzman would have approved of this book too.
Recommended for comic readers looking for a little more grit in their cereal.
December 12, 2024
I was on the fence with this one for quite a while. I liked the characters and Gerad's art, but the story feels very aimless for a majority of the time. The other Tom King maxi-series I've read have pretty distinctive identities and themes early on - The Vision is about family, Mister Miracle is about trauma and fatherhood, Strange Adventures is about lies and truth. I couldn't really tell what The Sheriff of Babylon was trying to say other than the typical "war is horrible" message. Once the final issues hit, though, it all fell into place. This is a story about the blunders of intelligence organizations, about the individuals who suffer when you have a massive body with compartmentalized information operating on foreign soil. The ending is unsatisfactory, but intentionally so, and it works well for that purpose.
The book still has problems - Chris is by far the most underdeveloped character, some of Tom King's philosophical dialogue doesn't quite pass for relevancy, and I'd still argue it takes too long to really get going. This is very much the prototype for King's later and greater works, and there's fun in recognizing the seeds that will become Mister Miracle, Strange Adventures, and otherwise. Much of my overall opinion will likely be solidified upon re-read.
The book still has problems - Chris is by far the most underdeveloped character, some of Tom King's philosophical dialogue doesn't quite pass for relevancy, and I'd still argue it takes too long to really get going. This is very much the prototype for King's later and greater works, and there's fun in recognizing the seeds that will become Mister Miracle, Strange Adventures, and otherwise. Much of my overall opinion will likely be solidified upon re-read.
March 20, 2025
A frightening fictional story based on Tom’s experience serving in Iraq in 2004. War is hell and Tom didn’t pull any punches writing this. Top tier art from Mitch, the first of their many great collaborations 🤝 4.5
January 11, 2019
Review pending.
June 4, 2018
“The Sheriff of Babylon” by Tom King (Writer), Mitch Gerads (Illustrator)
*****
“The Sheriff of Babylon” Vol.1 “BANG.BANG.BANG.” by Tom King (Writer), Mitch Gerads (Illustrator)
*****
Phenomenal series. The best presentation of the brutal reality of the immediate aftermath of the USA's doomed military invasion of Iraq at the start of the 21st century. Deeply empathetic it highlights the injustice and arrogance of personalities in pursuit of their own agendas in a politically hostile and physically precarious devastated country.
#1
A pair of US marines view a dead man's blood strewn corpse.
“Orders is orders. They say keep the place clean, you clean it.”
“I'm supposed to pick up garbage. Is this garbage?”
- - -
#2
A street vendor vies for the attention of Christopher (US police instructor)
“Here! Thanks, America! FREEDOM! Sir, for America! All for America!”
- - -
#3
Ravi: “But a good woman should never be alone.”
Saffiya: “My dear, a good woman is ALWAYS alone.”
- - -
#4
Sofia / Saffiya:
“Fine, fine.
I will find out who this man is: ABU RAHIM, whatever he is.
I will ask who needs to be asked. I will find for certain if he has done this to me.
And if he has, then we will find him.
And we will do what we will.”
- - -
#5
Just gets better and better. The midnight dialogue between Chris and Fatima (Nassir's wife) is splendid in its candor and humanity, commencing with:
Fatima: “Do you drink?”
Chris: “What?”
Fatima: “Nassir does not drink. He is a good muslim trying to be a bad one.
My father was this, but the other way...”
- - -
#6
US General talking to Saffiya:
“GODDAMN IT!
I gave your GODDAMN stuff to our people! They'll handle it, GODDAMN IT!
What the hell more do you people want?
Jesus Christ. Jesus FUCKING Christ.
I don't know what you want.”
- - -
“The Sheriff of Babylon” Vol.2 “POW.POW.POW.” by Tom King (Writer), Mitch Gerads (Illustrator)
*****
#7
Interrogator: “Because of a lot of things that go beyond me and this room and all of it. We have to talk.”
...
Nassir: “I want a cigarette before you kill me.”
- - -
#8
“However, due to a bureaucratic problem in Washington your house was confused with some targets you had gotten. Resulting in the house being bombed when coalition forces invaded Bagdad.”
- - -
#9
American 'The Big Boss':
“This right here! THIS! We're what this country needs!”
Chris to Bob:
“I know your name. You came for Nassir Al Magreb. You came to my bunk and shot his wife. HER name was Fatima. You shot her. You shot her. She's dead.”
- - -
#10
Abu Rahim:
“I read it in THE WASHINTON POST. Do you know Charles Krauthammer? He said we were using children instead of ourselves. The leaders of OUR revolution were cowards compared to the Americans.”
- - -
#11
Bob: “Like, like damn wolves, waiting for their PREY. And when we left – well, that's when the wolves feed, right? I mean, that's what it's all about. The whole war. We go out, and the wolves go in. so we stay. But then, man, then we didn't stay. We let the wolves so what the wolves do.”
- - -
#12
“My wife's name was Fatima. She was lovely.” POW
Fantastic conclusion to a phenomenal series.
*****
“The Sheriff of Babylon” Vol.1 “BANG.BANG.BANG.” by Tom King (Writer), Mitch Gerads (Illustrator)
*****
Phenomenal series. The best presentation of the brutal reality of the immediate aftermath of the USA's doomed military invasion of Iraq at the start of the 21st century. Deeply empathetic it highlights the injustice and arrogance of personalities in pursuit of their own agendas in a politically hostile and physically precarious devastated country.
#1
A pair of US marines view a dead man's blood strewn corpse.
“Orders is orders. They say keep the place clean, you clean it.”
“I'm supposed to pick up garbage. Is this garbage?”
- - -
#2
A street vendor vies for the attention of Christopher (US police instructor)
“Here! Thanks, America! FREEDOM! Sir, for America! All for America!”
- - -
#3
Ravi: “But a good woman should never be alone.”
Saffiya: “My dear, a good woman is ALWAYS alone.”
- - -
#4
Sofia / Saffiya:
“Fine, fine.
I will find out who this man is: ABU RAHIM, whatever he is.
I will ask who needs to be asked. I will find for certain if he has done this to me.
And if he has, then we will find him.
And we will do what we will.”
- - -
#5
Just gets better and better. The midnight dialogue between Chris and Fatima (Nassir's wife) is splendid in its candor and humanity, commencing with:
Fatima: “Do you drink?”
Chris: “What?”
Fatima: “Nassir does not drink. He is a good muslim trying to be a bad one.
My father was this, but the other way...”
- - -
#6
US General talking to Saffiya:
“GODDAMN IT!
I gave your GODDAMN stuff to our people! They'll handle it, GODDAMN IT!
What the hell more do you people want?
Jesus Christ. Jesus FUCKING Christ.
I don't know what you want.”
- - -
“The Sheriff of Babylon” Vol.2 “POW.POW.POW.” by Tom King (Writer), Mitch Gerads (Illustrator)
*****
#7
Interrogator: “Because of a lot of things that go beyond me and this room and all of it. We have to talk.”
...
Nassir: “I want a cigarette before you kill me.”
- - -
#8
“However, due to a bureaucratic problem in Washington your house was confused with some targets you had gotten. Resulting in the house being bombed when coalition forces invaded Bagdad.”
- - -
#9
American 'The Big Boss':
“This right here! THIS! We're what this country needs!”
Chris to Bob:
“I know your name. You came for Nassir Al Magreb. You came to my bunk and shot his wife. HER name was Fatima. You shot her. You shot her. She's dead.”
- - -
#10
Abu Rahim:
“I read it in THE WASHINTON POST. Do you know Charles Krauthammer? He said we were using children instead of ourselves. The leaders of OUR revolution were cowards compared to the Americans.”
- - -
#11
Bob: “Like, like damn wolves, waiting for their PREY. And when we left – well, that's when the wolves feed, right? I mean, that's what it's all about. The whole war. We go out, and the wolves go in. so we stay. But then, man, then we didn't stay. We let the wolves so what the wolves do.”
- - -
#12
“My wife's name was Fatima. She was lovely.” POW
Fantastic conclusion to a phenomenal series.
June 21, 2018
Це одна з тих історій, яка проникає глибоко в душу й розум, змінюючи щось в тобі фундаментально. Про Тома Кінга вже лінивий не писав: колишній працівник ЦРУ, який пішов у комікс індустрію, написавши за не повні 5-7 років декілька бестселерів. Як на мене, це найкраща річ Кінга й "реалістичних" коміксів за останні роки.
Події відбуваються в Іраці, 2004 року. На головній площі міста знаходять труп американця, але воєнні (теж американці, звісно ж), що патрулюють тут, не знають як діяти. Спека випалює все живе. Два гігантські мечі перетинають небо й запилений ландшафт Багдаду. Солдати забирають труп. Цитата з Біблії. Такий лаконічний вступ нічого наче не говорить, але інтригує, перекидаючи в Зелену Зону, до американців. Там ми зустрічаємо Крістофера, поліцейського й бравого хлопця, який намагається розібратись що тут і до чого. Він є втіленням чесності, сміливості й благородності - трохи ідеалізований персонаж, але на війні такі люди бувають, якісно протиставляючи свої моральні імперативи випадковості й безкарності. Далі включається ще один персонаж Нассір -вже араб, який втратив свою дітей через бомбардування. Він один із багатьох. Лишилась тільки дружина й біль. Нарешті нам відкривають Софію, чи не найбільш цікаву й загадкову героїню. Закутана в хіджаб, зі шрамом на обличчі, вона наче допомає Westerners, але водночас керується своїми інтересами, замішаними на кровних, релігійних і ґендерних аспектах.
Усе це розкидано як скельця мозаїки, що просто геніально відтворено не тільки ритмічним письмом Кінга, але й Мітча Герадса - ідеального художника для цієї історії і в цілому письма Кінга. Історія напружена, місцями незрозуміла, пронизана цитатами із Корану й Біблії, місцевими легендами й байками, а також фірмовими діалогами/репліками, які працюють подібно до барабанного стукоту. Тут нема переможців, а лише переможені, адже війна лишила шрами не тільки на обличчі Софії, але й усього людства. Кінг показує, що кожен конфлікт пов'язаний із ланцюгом безглуздих і невинних жертв, втрат, зокрема й всередині кожної людини. Ось цей душевний кратер, який присутній практично у всіх в історії, працює як мисленнєва чорна діра: ти поступово потрапляєш в її епіцентр, кружляючи над темами болю, втрати, спокути, помсти й надії. Не знаю чи це основні теми Тома Кінга, але точно основні теми війни й нашого часу. Темні теми, але цілком реалістичні. Як і чорні діри, хоча й непомітні для нас на зоряному небі.
Події відбуваються в Іраці, 2004 року. На головній площі міста знаходять труп американця, але воєнні (теж американці, звісно ж), що патрулюють тут, не знають як діяти. Спека випалює все живе. Два гігантські мечі перетинають небо й запилений ландшафт Багдаду. Солдати забирають труп. Цитата з Біблії. Такий лаконічний вступ нічого наче не говорить, але інтригує, перекидаючи в Зелену Зону, до американців. Там ми зустрічаємо Крістофера, поліцейського й бравого хлопця, який намагається розібратись що тут і до чого. Він є втіленням чесності, сміливості й благородності - трохи ідеалізований персонаж, але на війні такі люди бувають, якісно протиставляючи свої моральні імперативи випадковості й безкарності. Далі включається ще один персонаж Нассір -вже араб, який втратив свою дітей через бомбардування. Він один із багатьох. Лишилась тільки дружина й біль. Нарешті нам відкривають Софію, чи не найбільш цікаву й загадкову героїню. Закутана в хіджаб, зі шрамом на обличчі, вона наче допомає Westerners, але водночас керується своїми інтересами, замішаними на кровних, релігійних і ґендерних аспектах.
Усе це розкидано як скельця мозаїки, що просто геніально відтворено не тільки ритмічним письмом Кінга, але й Мітча Герадса - ідеального художника для цієї історії і в цілому письма Кінга. Історія напружена, місцями незрозуміла, пронизана цитатами із Корану й Біблії, місцевими легендами й байками, а також фірмовими діалогами/репліками, які працюють подібно до барабанного стукоту. Тут нема переможців, а лише переможені, адже війна лишила шрами не тільки на обличчі Софії, але й усього людства. Кінг показує, що кожен конфлікт пов'язаний із ланцюгом безглуздих і невинних жертв, втрат, зокрема й всередині кожної людини. Ось цей душевний кратер, який присутній практично у всіх в історії, працює як мисленнєва чорна діра: ти поступово потрапляєш в її епіцентр, кружляючи над темами болю, втрати, спокути, помсти й надії. Не знаю чи це основні теми Тома Кінга, але точно основні теми війни й нашого часу. Темні теми, але цілком реалістичні. Як і чорні діри, хоча й непомітні для нас на зоряному небі.
April 25, 2021
I had quite a high bar going in because of the creative team (absolutely loved Mister Miracle) yet I was still massively impressed with this one.
A very honest feeling book about a complex situation/setting where morality is being blurred everywhere you look. The writing does a great job of not feeling like it's damning or glorifying anything too much, as a lot of things can tend to do with this kind of subject matter. And the art does an incredible job of making this feel like a very messy, gritty, ground level story involving very human characters.
There's some very hard hitting moments in this book, and it may not be for everyone. But I think the authentic feel of what life might have been like for various different groups during the time and place in question is expertly presented here.
A very honest feeling book about a complex situation/setting where morality is being blurred everywhere you look. The writing does a great job of not feeling like it's damning or glorifying anything too much, as a lot of things can tend to do with this kind of subject matter. And the art does an incredible job of making this feel like a very messy, gritty, ground level story involving very human characters.
There's some very hard hitting moments in this book, and it may not be for everyone. But I think the authentic feel of what life might have been like for various different groups during the time and place in question is expertly presented here.
April 30, 2021
I felt like I was watching a Denis Villenueve movie. A movie that becomes clarified by the end. It begins slow, introducing characters, setting, ideologies and builds a whole mystery set in the Iraq war. Knowing Tom King lifted personal experience from his time in the war to create this war-noir makes it all the more shocking. I loved the cast of characters, I loved the twists. This was a movie. Did I get everything? Nope. Looks like I'll have to reread it again. Aw nuts. 😇
March 17, 2024
This book blew me away, and it was one I wanted to reread the second I was finished. Tom King has written many excellent graphic novels over the course of his career, some that I’ve even enjoyed more, but this is clearly his masterpiece.
In the beginning, The Sheriff of Babylon appears to be a whodunnit, set in Baghdad sure, but framed as your classic murder mystery. As the story progresses though, it becomes clear it is so much more. At its core, it’s a story about people who are talking, but not communicating. Hearing, but not listening, not understanding. Often in a scene, both characters will be speaking English to one another, but neither is talking about the same thing. If language is the tools we use to not communicate, then this book is a prime demonstration of that idea.
I love King’s writing here and especially his dialogue. It can be difficult sometimes to discern what is happening, but that is only because it is so layered. The characters may be saying one thing, but King is communicating something else. I found myself rereading single pages over and over again, attempting to absorb all of their meaning. Other times the characters’ words come across as opaque, but the impenetrability of the words works for the story in this instance, rather than against it. Between the circumstances and the conflict of linguistic and cultural differences, so much confusion has been wrought. The characters are struggling to understand, and so are we.
There are a number of aesthetic choices that I love about this book that King and Gerads will go on to employ again in future works, but that reverberate greatest here. When characters speak in Arabic or Kurdish, the words are shown in English, not in the usual brackets seen in the medium, but instead in an elegant serif font. When guns and bombs go off, there are no overly-sized, illustrated “KABAM”s or “SHABOOM”s. There is only an all black panel and a single word: Bang. These choices move away from the typical tropes of comics, and add to the hyperrealism of the book. This happened, King and Gerads are saying. Maybe not quite like this, but it happened.
In the foreword, King says his goal when he started this book was to write something that wasn’t political. But in reading it, I find it hard to believe. He clearly has things to say. This is Iraq. A place run by the Americans, but who are not in control. Where freedom is spoken of at length, but no rights are given, much less guaranteed.
In one scene for example, an American accompanied by two armed soldiers extends his hand, smiles and introduces himself as Bob. He does not identify what authority he has or what division he is from, but he is here to take an Iraqi police officer away. The Iraqi’s American partner attempts to intercede, but tensions only escalate until finally he yells, “This man’s a police officer! For fucks sake! Are you people fucking crazy?” Bob, who had been smiling only a minute earlier, gestures around and screams back, “Sir, look where you are!”
What Bob is saying—while not saying it—is this is not America. This is the Wild West. There are no rights here, no judges or juries. There is only power and will. Who has it and who doesn’t.
Lastly, I appreciated that in the setting of the story, King does not ignore the massive shadow that September 11th cast over the Iraq War. It seems obvious now, but at the time, the two seemed like unrelated events instead of a direct cause and effect, and King does not shy away from this while never beating us over the head with it.
If you have a soul, this book will make you furious. It will break your heart. It will make you question things. As someone who was initially for the war when the U.S. invaded in 2003, even though I was nothing more than a teenager at the time, it made me question myself.
As an Iraqi explains to a confused American at one point, “Not in your war. Iran-Iraq War. Not every war is your war.” To which the American responds, “Is this my war?” By the end, you will be asking yourself, was it my war?
In the beginning, The Sheriff of Babylon appears to be a whodunnit, set in Baghdad sure, but framed as your classic murder mystery. As the story progresses though, it becomes clear it is so much more. At its core, it’s a story about people who are talking, but not communicating. Hearing, but not listening, not understanding. Often in a scene, both characters will be speaking English to one another, but neither is talking about the same thing. If language is the tools we use to not communicate, then this book is a prime demonstration of that idea.
I love King’s writing here and especially his dialogue. It can be difficult sometimes to discern what is happening, but that is only because it is so layered. The characters may be saying one thing, but King is communicating something else. I found myself rereading single pages over and over again, attempting to absorb all of their meaning. Other times the characters’ words come across as opaque, but the impenetrability of the words works for the story in this instance, rather than against it. Between the circumstances and the conflict of linguistic and cultural differences, so much confusion has been wrought. The characters are struggling to understand, and so are we.
There are a number of aesthetic choices that I love about this book that King and Gerads will go on to employ again in future works, but that reverberate greatest here. When characters speak in Arabic or Kurdish, the words are shown in English, not in the usual brackets seen in the medium, but instead in an elegant serif font. When guns and bombs go off, there are no overly-sized, illustrated “KABAM”s or “SHABOOM”s. There is only an all black panel and a single word: Bang. These choices move away from the typical tropes of comics, and add to the hyperrealism of the book. This happened, King and Gerads are saying. Maybe not quite like this, but it happened.
In the foreword, King says his goal when he started this book was to write something that wasn’t political. But in reading it, I find it hard to believe. He clearly has things to say. This is Iraq. A place run by the Americans, but who are not in control. Where freedom is spoken of at length, but no rights are given, much less guaranteed.
In one scene for example, an American accompanied by two armed soldiers extends his hand, smiles and introduces himself as Bob. He does not identify what authority he has or what division he is from, but he is here to take an Iraqi police officer away. The Iraqi’s American partner attempts to intercede, but tensions only escalate until finally he yells, “This man’s a police officer! For fucks sake! Are you people fucking crazy?” Bob, who had been smiling only a minute earlier, gestures around and screams back, “Sir, look where you are!”
What Bob is saying—while not saying it—is this is not America. This is the Wild West. There are no rights here, no judges or juries. There is only power and will. Who has it and who doesn’t.
Lastly, I appreciated that in the setting of the story, King does not ignore the massive shadow that September 11th cast over the Iraq War. It seems obvious now, but at the time, the two seemed like unrelated events instead of a direct cause and effect, and King does not shy away from this while never beating us over the head with it.
If you have a soul, this book will make you furious. It will break your heart. It will make you question things. As someone who was initially for the war when the U.S. invaded in 2003, even though I was nothing more than a teenager at the time, it made me question myself.
As an Iraqi explains to a confused American at one point, “Not in your war. Iran-Iraq War. Not every war is your war.” To which the American responds, “Is this my war?” By the end, you will be asking yourself, was it my war?
February 6, 2023
Strange story to be reading a second time for the joy meant of it. This is a very depressing and intense story. But it is also what makes it so unique and fantastic. On the surface, this is a military story, in some ways, this is a crime story set in American occupied Iraq, but in other ways this is a culmination of the years the author himself serves as a CIA operative. I’m guessing it feels just as confusing as the real thing. Because sometimes this comic book will startle you with its brutality and violence. And other times it will make you laugh in the most absurd places. The setting is a clouded by bureaucracy, where things become so intangible, that you, just like the characters, are just looking for someone to blame to make sense of it all.
I absolutely adore this comic. I have been found to say this is my favourite comic, and it has to do with the attitude of the storytelling and the characters. I love a good unapologetic author and I love the three main characters. Especially Sofia, who is just a badass.
I love the drawings, where the subtleties are key and the montane is in focus. Mitch Gerads is an artist I have adored in many of his works, mostly when he collaborates with Tom King. And how, even though I know he draws digitally, the drawings have a certain roughness to them, and some pages looks a little smoughed, like someone drew the picture and then rubbed their fingers across it. I love it, makes it seem like you found some ancient treasure of truth.
What else can I praise? The humour? How it can feel out of place, but that just makes it all the more authentic. We humans have a tendency to make jokes about things, because it is a way of making sense of things. If we can joke about it, it means we have overcome it mentally. But it clear to all the audience, that the characters have not overcome it, because they are facing an enemy that is impossible to overcome.
I love The Sheriff of Babylon and I recommend everyone read, if you only had one graphic novel to read, let it be this one!
I absolutely adore this comic. I have been found to say this is my favourite comic, and it has to do with the attitude of the storytelling and the characters. I love a good unapologetic author and I love the three main characters. Especially Sofia, who is just a badass.
I love the drawings, where the subtleties are key and the montane is in focus. Mitch Gerads is an artist I have adored in many of his works, mostly when he collaborates with Tom King. And how, even though I know he draws digitally, the drawings have a certain roughness to them, and some pages looks a little smoughed, like someone drew the picture and then rubbed their fingers across it. I love it, makes it seem like you found some ancient treasure of truth.
What else can I praise? The humour? How it can feel out of place, but that just makes it all the more authentic. We humans have a tendency to make jokes about things, because it is a way of making sense of things. If we can joke about it, it means we have overcome it mentally. But it clear to all the audience, that the characters have not overcome it, because they are facing an enemy that is impossible to overcome.
I love The Sheriff of Babylon and I recommend everyone read, if you only had one graphic novel to read, let it be this one!
October 7, 2020
En 2003 el ejército Estadounidense invadió Irak a partir de la mentira de las armas de destrucción masiva. Entre muchos de los americanos que participaron en esta operación militar y que acudieron a la llamada del patriotismo post 11-S estaba Tom King como agente de la CIA dentro de las operaciones antiterroristas.
Apenas estuvo unos meses pero plasmó lo vivido en estas páginas. El Sheriff de Babilonia cuenta a lo largo de tres meses de 2004 una historia que entrelaza la vida de tres personas y por lo tanto tres puntos de vista y tres intereses distintos. Sadam ha caído y contra todo pronóstico la situación está muy lejos de estar controlada.
Es una historia ficticia, claro (King tuvo que enviar el guión para que la CIA lo aprobara antes de publicarlo, asegurándose que no se revelaba ninguna información delicada), pero uno se siente en el calor pegajoso de Bagdad y la situación terrible y caótica que se vivía allí. Gran parte de la culpa la tiene como King da vida a sus personajes pero también los lápices sucios pero precisos y con un dominio del color excepcional de Mitch Gerards que sigue haciendo de las 9 viñetas su fortaleza inexpugnable.
Un buen thriller que deja entrever como las distintas facciones usaron el conflicto en su propio beneficio, como nadie supo muy bien que hacía allí, ni porque se estaba luchando y como al final lo único en que desembocó no fue en encontrar la solución, sino la justificación.
Tom King lo ha vuelto a hacer.
Apenas estuvo unos meses pero plasmó lo vivido en estas páginas. El Sheriff de Babilonia cuenta a lo largo de tres meses de 2004 una historia que entrelaza la vida de tres personas y por lo tanto tres puntos de vista y tres intereses distintos. Sadam ha caído y contra todo pronóstico la situación está muy lejos de estar controlada.
Es una historia ficticia, claro (King tuvo que enviar el guión para que la CIA lo aprobara antes de publicarlo, asegurándose que no se revelaba ninguna información delicada), pero uno se siente en el calor pegajoso de Bagdad y la situación terrible y caótica que se vivía allí. Gran parte de la culpa la tiene como King da vida a sus personajes pero también los lápices sucios pero precisos y con un dominio del color excepcional de Mitch Gerards que sigue haciendo de las 9 viñetas su fortaleza inexpugnable.
Un buen thriller que deja entrever como las distintas facciones usaron el conflicto en su propio beneficio, como nadie supo muy bien que hacía allí, ni porque se estaba luchando y como al final lo único en que desembocó no fue en encontrar la solución, sino la justificación.
Tom King lo ha vuelto a hacer.
April 27, 2021
The Sheriff of Babylon collects issues 1-12 of the series written by Tom King with art by Mitch Gerards.
The Shefiff of Babylon is inspired by King's real life experiences as a CIA agent who served in Iraq. Christopher Henry is a contractor who is training Iraqi citizens to be future police officers. One of his cadets is found murdered within the Green Zone. With the help of a former officer who served under Saddam Hussain's regime, Chris starts an investigation that will lead him face to face with a terrorist leader.
The beginning of this book is a bit confusing but as it plays out you become more familiar with the characters and the different plot points start coming together. This is a gritty story that is as much a crime story as it is a political war story. Gerard's art does a wonderful job of making you feel like you are there and that danger could be around any corner. But even in the face of danger, the story does a great job humanizing it's characters. If you are a fan of Tom King and enjoy war stories, give this one a shot.
The Shefiff of Babylon is inspired by King's real life experiences as a CIA agent who served in Iraq. Christopher Henry is a contractor who is training Iraqi citizens to be future police officers. One of his cadets is found murdered within the Green Zone. With the help of a former officer who served under Saddam Hussain's regime, Chris starts an investigation that will lead him face to face with a terrorist leader.
The beginning of this book is a bit confusing but as it plays out you become more familiar with the characters and the different plot points start coming together. This is a gritty story that is as much a crime story as it is a political war story. Gerard's art does a wonderful job of making you feel like you are there and that danger could be around any corner. But even in the face of danger, the story does a great job humanizing it's characters. If you are a fan of Tom King and enjoy war stories, give this one a shot.
July 22, 2019
**The Sheriff of Babylon | 85%** | #1-12, Tom King, war, crime, thriller | American military contractor trains new Iraqi police in 2003 until one of his recruits is murdered. A realistic glimpse into war-torn Iraq, the Green Zone, disenfranchised people, culture clash, jingoism, and shady political atmosphere. Guns, bodies, terror, family, bureaucracy, corruption, religion, unlikely alliances, backroom deals. Loved Gerads’ efficient movement, 9-panel grids, grit, and captured body language/facial expressions. Some great multidimensional characters: beautiful/powerful female community leader and a disgruntled ex-enforcer from Saddam’s old regime. Tom King’s CIA background shows (required government approval to publish). No good guys vs bad guys here, everything is just a mess. Unexpected ending.
September 5, 2024
Deeply frustrating series.
A fresh setting and an excellent artist paring are more or less wasted here on a murder mystery that had little interest in the mystery and/out its characters and feels very much like a pitch for a HBO series.
Considering the reader spends over 200 pages reading dialogue between the three main characters, it's astounding how flat and reduced to one character trait they remain and how mechanical the plot developments feel for it ( a love story, a miscarriage and an insertion of 9/11 responsibilty feel exactly like they're just there to further the plot and not at all like King had anything to say about either).
And the resolution to the central mystery is basically a last issue where a character sits down and explains the entire thing to the protagonist, who didn't find out anything in the preceding 11 issues.
A fresh setting and an excellent artist paring are more or less wasted here on a murder mystery that had little interest in the mystery and/out its characters and feels very much like a pitch for a HBO series.
Considering the reader spends over 200 pages reading dialogue between the three main characters, it's astounding how flat and reduced to one character trait they remain and how mechanical the plot developments feel for it ( a love story, a miscarriage and an insertion of 9/11 responsibilty feel exactly like they're just there to further the plot and not at all like King had anything to say about either).
And the resolution to the central mystery is basically a last issue where a character sits down and explains the entire thing to the protagonist, who didn't find out anything in the preceding 11 issues.
January 17, 2022
Klimat niczym w "Homeland". Mroczny, nerwowy, grający często tym co między kadrami, kryminał wojenny. King wnikliwie przygląda się postaciom i stopniowo piętrzy emocje. Realistyczne rysunki Geradsa bardzo pasują do tej historii. Mam wrażenie, że są lepkie od kurzu, potu i krwi. Tylko szkoda, że główny bohater nie wychodzi poza schemat "prawego gliny", jaki znamy z takich opowieści na pamięć. No i sama końcówka chyba trochę zbyt toporna. W każdym razie - warto
June 3, 2018
Bagdad 2004 - Amerika “osvobodila” Irak, Saddam je svrzen. American Chris ma na starosti vycvik nove policie a situace se komplikuje, kdyz je jeden z jeho rekrutu nalezen s dirou v hlave. Vrazdu mu ma pomahat resit Nassir, byvaly clen Saddamovi policie a clovek, ktereho Chrisovi doporuci mlada iracka politicka Sofia. Napeti okolo ustredni trojice graduje a kazdy ma sva tajemstvi... Tom King by mel psat tyhle pribehy a ne ztracet cas s Batmanem, ale hypoteka se sama nezaplati :).
February 28, 2021
Excellent creative team cant wait to try more of them.
June 20, 2021
Awesome!
June 20, 2020
Another reason to love Tom King. I only recently have gotten into reading comics and he has taught me that there is so much diversity within this genre.
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