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Wild Cards - Comics 1990 #1-4 omnibus
Wild Cards: Graphic Novel
It all began in 1946, when the bizarre, gene-altering "Wild Cards" virus was unleashed in the skies over New York City. A virus that created superpowered Aces and bizarre, disfigured Jokers. Now, thirty years later, the victims face a new nightmare. From the far reaches of space comes The Swarm, a deadly menace that could very well destroy the planet. Putting aside their hatred and mistrust, Aces and Jokers must form an uneasy alliance and prepare for a battle they must not lose...
192 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 1990
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
September 4, 2018
This was my gateway to Wild Cards. Should you read it? Might as well, can't dance...
September 14, 2019
This is a review of the original graphic novel based on George R. R. Martin's Wild Card series. It was published by Epic Comics in 1990, a few months after the seventh book, but chronologically it takes place in 1988, between the events of Down & Dirty and Ace in the Hole. The trade paperback edition collects all four issues, each about 50 pages in length.
The comic book miniseries was designed to reflect the mosaic nature of the books. Nine writers were used, with each section illustrated by a different artist. It was a bit jarring to transition abruptly between so many visual styles, but it also reflected the variety of vision that makes this series unique. On the whole, I was pleased with the artwork.
However, the story itself did not resonate with me, and it is hard to pinpoint exactly why. Much of the content was flashbacks to character origin stories and key events from the earlier novels. There was very little new story. It was not exactly an adaptation of the books; it felt more like an advertisement to entice new readers. (I find irony in the fact a series of novels explicitly based on comic book tropes translated so poorly to the comic book format.)
Issue 1 - "Heart of the Matter"
Introduces Lewis Shiner's frame story for the series arc. A terrorist has blown up Jetboy's statue, and Tachyon hires Popinjay to investigate the crime. Also retells the origin stories of Tachyon and Jetboy.
My favorite scenes were the first few glimpses of the planet Takis, which readers have not yet seen in the novels. I was vaguely disappointed in the Jetboy aerial fight scenes, which were grander in my imagination.
I disliked the way Chrysalis was illustrated. Here she is drawn with only transparent skin, so all her muscles are exposed. In the books, she is described as having a sort of decreasing transparency, so muscles are glimpsed in shades of gray but you can also see her internal organs and skeleton.
Issue 2 - "Diamond in the Rough"
In the frame story, Jack saves Aces High from a bomb, but no one wants to give him any credit because they still think of him as Judas Ace. This episode essentially ignores the events of "Mirrors of the Soul" when Tachyon and Jack made amends and agreed to set aside old hostilities. This issue includes abbreviated origin stories for Croyd Crenson, Yeoman, and Jack Braun.
Issue 3 - "Welcome to the Club"
Includes recaps of the events of Aces High, Joker's Wild, and Aces Abroad from the viewpoints of Fortunado and Peregine. Also includes The Great and Powerful Turtle origin story.
Issue 4 - "Spadework"
Dr. Tachyon's clinic in Jokertown is blown up, an event that will surely impact the subsequent novels going forward. We get the Puppetman origin story. Popinjay identifies and confronts the terrorist. Anti-wild card hysteria and discrimination are reaching fever pitch in New York, which segues directly into the events of the next novel Ace in the Hole.
The comic book miniseries was designed to reflect the mosaic nature of the books. Nine writers were used, with each section illustrated by a different artist. It was a bit jarring to transition abruptly between so many visual styles, but it also reflected the variety of vision that makes this series unique. On the whole, I was pleased with the artwork.
However, the story itself did not resonate with me, and it is hard to pinpoint exactly why. Much of the content was flashbacks to character origin stories and key events from the earlier novels. There was very little new story. It was not exactly an adaptation of the books; it felt more like an advertisement to entice new readers. (I find irony in the fact a series of novels explicitly based on comic book tropes translated so poorly to the comic book format.)
Issue 1 - "Heart of the Matter"
Introduces Lewis Shiner's frame story for the series arc. A terrorist has blown up Jetboy's statue, and Tachyon hires Popinjay to investigate the crime. Also retells the origin stories of Tachyon and Jetboy.
My favorite scenes were the first few glimpses of the planet Takis, which readers have not yet seen in the novels. I was vaguely disappointed in the Jetboy aerial fight scenes, which were grander in my imagination.
I disliked the way Chrysalis was illustrated. Here she is drawn with only transparent skin, so all her muscles are exposed. In the books, she is described as having a sort of decreasing transparency, so muscles are glimpsed in shades of gray but you can also see her internal organs and skeleton.
Issue 2 - "Diamond in the Rough"
In the frame story, Jack saves Aces High from a bomb, but no one wants to give him any credit because they still think of him as Judas Ace. This episode essentially ignores the events of "Mirrors of the Soul" when Tachyon and Jack made amends and agreed to set aside old hostilities. This issue includes abbreviated origin stories for Croyd Crenson, Yeoman, and Jack Braun.
Issue 3 - "Welcome to the Club"
Includes recaps of the events of Aces High, Joker's Wild, and Aces Abroad from the viewpoints of Fortunado and Peregine. Also includes The Great and Powerful Turtle origin story.
Issue 4 - "Spadework"
Dr. Tachyon's clinic in Jokertown is blown up, an event that will surely impact the subsequent novels going forward. We get the Puppetman origin story. Popinjay identifies and confronts the terrorist. Anti-wild card hysteria and discrimination are reaching fever pitch in New York, which segues directly into the events of the next novel Ace in the Hole.
March 8, 2022
If you're curious about the Wild Card series of novels/anthologies edited by George R. R. Martin, please do not start here. This is a mess. Not only will you walk away confused and not sure if you want to pick up any of the books (I recommend that you do) but you'll most likely be bored (can't wait for it to be over, like me). The series of books have a lot of heart. This does not. It's just a shell.
I bought many of the Wild Card paperback volumes when they were originally published in the 1980's and couldn't get enough. I didn't get tired of the format until I had finished ten volumes before finally stopping. While they lacked illustrations, these were bold, inventive novels allowing various authors to play around in a crazy world under George R. R. Martin's supervision. In this format the characters were fully developed, and so much more mature, adult-themed (sometimes shocking) than what was available in regular super-hero comics of that time. I liked it so much that I scooped up the four over-sized comics (under Marvel's Epic banner) with great anticipation. I liked them much better then than I did on a repeat reading now.
The Epic Comics series was described as an all-original story taking place in 1988 between the events of Wild Cards Book V: Down and Dirty and Wild Cards Book VI: Ace In The Hole. Like the novels, this series was co-written by various writers and multiple artists. The formula which worked quite well in the novels does not succeed in this format. (Most of the art is quite good, but that isn't enough to satisfy).
Back in 1946, the alien visitor Dr. Tachyon accidentally unleashed the wild card virus, resulting in the death of heroic Jet Boy as well as 90% of the infected. Ninety percent of the remaining survivors became monstrous "jokers". But one out of a hundred became an "ace", more than human, with a gift, a talent, a power.
Still feeling guilty in 1988, Dr. Tachyon hires Jay Ackroyd to investigate the bombing of Jet Boy's tomb, fearing the beginning cycle of a mad bomber. In the novels, Ackroyd can teleport anyone or anything by pointing. He rarely utilizes that power in this series, instead reduced to interviewing character after character and hearing their back-stories all over again, but in a severely condensed form that takes the guts/feeling out of it. There is very little original story between all these flashbacks, until the final issue confrontation. By that time I was too pissed off to care.
Avoid this. Also avoid the Wild Cards: Hard Times min-series published by Dynamite in the early 2000's. But do give the novels a chance, beginning with Wild Cards: Volume One.
I bought many of the Wild Card paperback volumes when they were originally published in the 1980's and couldn't get enough. I didn't get tired of the format until I had finished ten volumes before finally stopping. While they lacked illustrations, these were bold, inventive novels allowing various authors to play around in a crazy world under George R. R. Martin's supervision. In this format the characters were fully developed, and so much more mature, adult-themed (sometimes shocking) than what was available in regular super-hero comics of that time. I liked it so much that I scooped up the four over-sized comics (under Marvel's Epic banner) with great anticipation. I liked them much better then than I did on a repeat reading now.
The Epic Comics series was described as an all-original story taking place in 1988 between the events of Wild Cards Book V: Down and Dirty and Wild Cards Book VI: Ace In The Hole. Like the novels, this series was co-written by various writers and multiple artists. The formula which worked quite well in the novels does not succeed in this format. (Most of the art is quite good, but that isn't enough to satisfy).
Back in 1946, the alien visitor Dr. Tachyon accidentally unleashed the wild card virus, resulting in the death of heroic Jet Boy as well as 90% of the infected. Ninety percent of the remaining survivors became monstrous "jokers". But one out of a hundred became an "ace", more than human, with a gift, a talent, a power.
Still feeling guilty in 1988, Dr. Tachyon hires Jay Ackroyd to investigate the bombing of Jet Boy's tomb, fearing the beginning cycle of a mad bomber. In the novels, Ackroyd can teleport anyone or anything by pointing. He rarely utilizes that power in this series, instead reduced to interviewing character after character and hearing their back-stories all over again, but in a severely condensed form that takes the guts/feeling out of it. There is very little original story between all these flashbacks, until the final issue confrontation. By that time I was too pissed off to care.
Avoid this. Also avoid the Wild Cards: Hard Times min-series published by Dynamite in the early 2000's. But do give the novels a chance, beginning with Wild Cards: Volume One.
January 3, 2018
I like the first book (novel) and I thought this would be a good read. Unfortunately, I didn't like it as much. Uneven drawings and not a very well presented storyline. I had high hopes for it, maybe that's why only 3 stars.
June 4, 2020
2.5, the world is much more interesting than the story itself and way too many creative cooks in the kitchen with wild changes in art style. Also too much clunky exposition. A next volume probably would have been better with the introductions out of the way.
April 30, 2023
People have given different places in which this should be read, but due to the presence of certain characters and the way that they interact with one another, it would have to come before Ace in the Hole, not Dead Man's Hand like the listing and other people have said.
August 18, 2017
Good, but it felt more like a clips show than a fresh storyline.
February 14, 2022
Pretty good story, but not a fan of the art
Read
September 1, 2010This was pretty ambitious, though not especially well told. Mostly exposition and world-building of an alternate history where New York was bombarded by a renegade alien experiment that turned 90 of 100 people dead, 9 into mutants, and 1 into a super-power- an Ace. The lackluster, screwy history of all the characters is fun to read, and some of the characters are pretty ingenious, though ultimately the story (bit of a rip off of Watchmen?) doesn't go anywhere. I liked the amateurish art, amateurish prose. Striving to accomplish something big when you don't have the talent. Strive big anyway, I say.
Then I read the introduction and found out this is just part of some mammoth fantasy book franchise that was popular in the 80's, a collaboration thing along the lines of Thieve's World. Bit of a disappointment when seen from that light, but still something fun and random and imaginative to read. I realized afterwards I have the collection of short stories this graphic novel was based on so maybe one of these days I tackle that on a beach.
Then I read the introduction and found out this is just part of some mammoth fantasy book franchise that was popular in the 80's, a collaboration thing along the lines of Thieve's World. Bit of a disappointment when seen from that light, but still something fun and random and imaginative to read. I realized afterwards I have the collection of short stories this graphic novel was based on so maybe one of these days I tackle that on a beach.
November 21, 2016
A semi-original graphic novel set after Down and Dirty. Unfortunately it's the "semi" part of the original that's the problem.
The main plot here surrounds a mad bomber. It's used rather inelegantly to give a tour of Wild Card New York, but the story itself (starring Popinjay) is fun.
Unfortunately part of that tour involves giving extensive backstories for everyone that Popinjay meets. Multi-page info dumps. Oh, it's kind of fun seeing these stories from past Wild Cards volumes fully illustrated, but they really kill any momentum in the current story. Meanwhile, they're so scattered that's it's hard to love them on their own too.
So this is a volume that's neither here nor there. It's not a good adaptation, it's not a good history-to-date, and it's not a good new story. Because it tries to do everything and is good at none of them.
The main plot here surrounds a mad bomber. It's used rather inelegantly to give a tour of Wild Card New York, but the story itself (starring Popinjay) is fun.
Unfortunately part of that tour involves giving extensive backstories for everyone that Popinjay meets. Multi-page info dumps. Oh, it's kind of fun seeing these stories from past Wild Cards volumes fully illustrated, but they really kill any momentum in the current story. Meanwhile, they're so scattered that's it's hard to love them on their own too.
So this is a volume that's neither here nor there. It's not a good adaptation, it's not a good history-to-date, and it's not a good new story. Because it tries to do everything and is good at none of them.
November 9, 2013
I haven`t read any of the Wild Cards novels, just this comic book adaptation. And the comics aren`t really compelling me to go out and read the novels.
Both the story and art vary in tone from one author and/or artist to the other. Some of it`s good, but sadly, the rotten apples thrown into the mix just ruin it for the rest of it.
I had bought these as they were published in 1980 as "Pestige Graphic Novels", which is just fancy-words for square-bound comic-books printed on glossy paper. There was a time when those Prestige Graphic Novels really impressed the hell out of me and I just decided to dig these up last evening and give them a re-read.
They`ll be going in the "give-away" to the nieces and nephews box.
Both the story and art vary in tone from one author and/or artist to the other. Some of it`s good, but sadly, the rotten apples thrown into the mix just ruin it for the rest of it.
I had bought these as they were published in 1980 as "Pestige Graphic Novels", which is just fancy-words for square-bound comic-books printed on glossy paper. There was a time when those Prestige Graphic Novels really impressed the hell out of me and I just decided to dig these up last evening and give them a re-read.
They`ll be going in the "give-away" to the nieces and nephews box.
April 21, 2011
This is an okay Wild Cards story; it's a little uneven in both art and narration. I may have been a bit let down because, as a long-time fan of the books, the way the characters were presented didn't match my own ideas. The story itself bogs down with a bit too much explanation each time a major new characteer is introduced; they didn't really need all of those origin details for every one of them. There are some fun bits and some good bits, but overall I didn't feel that it quite lived up to the source material.
April 30, 2015
Good thing I got this muy, muy cheap!
I have all the Wild Cards books and I love some and like most of them. This adaptation/retelling is not a good starting point as I doubt I would have followed the series based on this.
This is for the completist only.
I have all the Wild Cards books and I love some and like most of them. This adaptation/retelling is not a good starting point as I doubt I would have followed the series based on this.
This is for the completist only.
February 1, 2016
A good comic book adaptation of the first few books of the Wild Cards novels. Recommended
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews