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Stephen King's The Dark Tower #1-5
Stephen King's The Dark Tower: Beginnings: The Complete Graphic Novel Series
Enter once more the world of Roland Deschain—and the world of the Dark Tower...now presented in a stunning graphic novel form that will unlock the doorways to terrifying secrets and bold storytelling as part of the dark fantasy masterwork and magnum opus from #1 New York Times bestselling author Stephen King.
“The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed.” With these unforgettable words, millions of readers were introduced to Stephen King’s iconic character Roland Deschain of Gilead. Roland is the last of his kind, a “gunslinger” charged with protecting whatever goodness and light remains in his world—a world that “moved on,” as they say. In this desolate reality—a dangerous land filled with ancient technology and deadly magic, and yet one that mirrors our own in frightening ways—Roland is on a spellbinding and soul-shattering quest to locate and somehow save the mystical nexus of all worlds, all universes: the Dark Tower.
Now, in the graphic novel series Stephen King’s The Dark Tower: Beginnings, originally published by Marvel Comics in single-issue form and creatively overseen by Stephen King himself, the full story of Roland's troubled past and coming-of-age is revealed. Sumptuously drawn by Jae Lee and Richard Isanove, plotted by longtime Stephen King expert Robin Furth, and scripted by New York Times bestselling author Peter David, Beginnings is an extraordinary and terrifying journey into Roland’s origins—ultimately serving as the perfect introduction for new readers to Stephen King’s modern literary classic The Dark Tower, while giving longtime fans thrilling adventures merely hinted at in his blockbuster novels.
This boxed set includes the complete graphic novel series BEGINNINGS: THE GUNSLINGER BORN * THE LONG ROAD HOME * TREACHERY * THE FALL OF GILEAD * THE BATTLE OF JERICHO HILL
“The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed.” With these unforgettable words, millions of readers were introduced to Stephen King’s iconic character Roland Deschain of Gilead. Roland is the last of his kind, a “gunslinger” charged with protecting whatever goodness and light remains in his world—a world that “moved on,” as they say. In this desolate reality—a dangerous land filled with ancient technology and deadly magic, and yet one that mirrors our own in frightening ways—Roland is on a spellbinding and soul-shattering quest to locate and somehow save the mystical nexus of all worlds, all universes: the Dark Tower.
Now, in the graphic novel series Stephen King’s The Dark Tower: Beginnings, originally published by Marvel Comics in single-issue form and creatively overseen by Stephen King himself, the full story of Roland's troubled past and coming-of-age is revealed. Sumptuously drawn by Jae Lee and Richard Isanove, plotted by longtime Stephen King expert Robin Furth, and scripted by New York Times bestselling author Peter David, Beginnings is an extraordinary and terrifying journey into Roland’s origins—ultimately serving as the perfect introduction for new readers to Stephen King’s modern literary classic The Dark Tower, while giving longtime fans thrilling adventures merely hinted at in his blockbuster novels.
This boxed set includes the complete graphic novel series BEGINNINGS: THE GUNSLINGER BORN * THE LONG ROAD HOME * TREACHERY * THE FALL OF GILEAD * THE BATTLE OF JERICHO HILL
832 pages, Hardcover
First published September 21, 2011
32 people are currently reading
810 people want to read
About the author
Robin Furth
220 books208 followersRobin Furth is the personal research assistant to Stephen King and the author of Stephen King's The Dark Tower: A Complete Concordance, which was published by Scribner on December 5, 2006. It is a compilation of her two previous encyclopedic books dealing with King's magnum opus, The Dark Tower: A Concordance, volume I - which explores the first four books in King's series - and A Concordance II, which gives the reader definitions and explanations of pivotal terms used over the course of the final three books of The Dark Tower. She is now currently working on the graphic novel adaptation of the Dark Tower for Marvel Comics.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
July 14, 2018
"That's how it always is when star-crossed lovers first lock eyes. And they are like stars, they really are... burning hot and bright, and then flaring out. For all I know, they may even be the same ones, do ya kennet? The same souls, always meeting, always hoping to beat the long odds... and always failing."
This omnibus is comprised of the first 5 graphic novels in the Dark Tower series. It is basically an adaptation of Wizard and Glass, so the story starts chronologically in this format.
Let's get one thing straight: these will never be anywhere near as good as the books. Obviously. But once you accept that, you can enjoy them for what they are. I LOVED seeing the story told in this format - the illustrations are fucking incredible and the writing has all the Dark Tower lingo that we've come to know and love.
This omnibus has the basic events of Wizard and Glass, but also has the bonus of certain happenings being expanded upon - like The Fall of Gilead and The Battle of Jericho Hill. And those were actually my fave two instalments in the omnibus - I GOT SHIVERS.
I also got shivers and mayhaps shed a few tears at the story of Susan and Roland <3 one of my favourite love stories. I would say it isn't as fleshed out here as in the book, but it's still beautiful. And it's so nice to see Cuthbert and Alain again, the original ka-tet.
I'm a Dark Tower junkie and I did thoroughly enjoy this adaptation. Some parts dragged on slightly... The Long Road Home was fucking long indeed. But overall, I really liked it. Excited to get to the next omnibus shitting on my shelf.
4 stars.
This omnibus is comprised of the first 5 graphic novels in the Dark Tower series. It is basically an adaptation of Wizard and Glass, so the story starts chronologically in this format.
Let's get one thing straight: these will never be anywhere near as good as the books. Obviously. But once you accept that, you can enjoy them for what they are. I LOVED seeing the story told in this format - the illustrations are fucking incredible and the writing has all the Dark Tower lingo that we've come to know and love.
This omnibus has the basic events of Wizard and Glass, but also has the bonus of certain happenings being expanded upon - like The Fall of Gilead and The Battle of Jericho Hill. And those were actually my fave two instalments in the omnibus - I GOT SHIVERS.
I also got shivers and mayhaps shed a few tears at the story of Susan and Roland <3 one of my favourite love stories. I would say it isn't as fleshed out here as in the book, but it's still beautiful. And it's so nice to see Cuthbert and Alain again, the original ka-tet.
I'm a Dark Tower junkie and I did thoroughly enjoy this adaptation. Some parts dragged on slightly... The Long Road Home was fucking long indeed. But overall, I really liked it. Excited to get to the next omnibus shitting on my shelf.
4 stars.
August 8, 2015
This was an experience. I mean a real, honest to God, experience. Not only is this gorgeous (and heavy), but it was like a love letter to those of us who feel connected in some way to King's magnum opus. This omnibus not only gives us every panel, page and cover of the entire series, it gives us so, so much more!
I am pretty much in love with Jae Lee. I knew that going in. I always see him at Comic on and seek out his comics, even the ones I don't read just to soak up his genius. Our local comic shop, Comics n Stuff, knows I am going to flip through the new books (very carefully) just to look at what he has drawn now. I don't read them, or buy them, for that matter, but I need to see them!
The extra pages of his illustrations and first attempts were worth the cost of the book, but the extras from Robin Furth make this priceless. That's saying a lot. We get interviews, fables, folklore, backstories, glimpses into her working relationship with Stephen King, you name it. You ever doubt there is a higher power in the world, read about how she got the job. Geesh! Talk about lucky. Her story is on par with Owen's wife's as far as dreams come true go.
I am so pleased I bought this. I own a copy of every book King has ever written with the exception of the 2003 re-write of The Gunslinger. I only have the original Plume edition. As soon as I finish this I am going online to buy the rewrite. Because of this omnibus!
I am pretty much in love with Jae Lee. I knew that going in. I always see him at Comic on and seek out his comics, even the ones I don't read just to soak up his genius. Our local comic shop, Comics n Stuff, knows I am going to flip through the new books (very carefully) just to look at what he has drawn now. I don't read them, or buy them, for that matter, but I need to see them!
The extra pages of his illustrations and first attempts were worth the cost of the book, but the extras from Robin Furth make this priceless. That's saying a lot. We get interviews, fables, folklore, backstories, glimpses into her working relationship with Stephen King, you name it. You ever doubt there is a higher power in the world, read about how she got the job. Geesh! Talk about lucky. Her story is on par with Owen's wife's as far as dreams come true go.
I am so pleased I bought this. I own a copy of every book King has ever written with the exception of the 2003 re-write of The Gunslinger. I only have the original Plume edition. As soon as I finish this I am going online to buy the rewrite. Because of this omnibus!
January 22, 2015
Marvel's first Dark Tower Omnibus is something to behold. It collects the first 30 issues of the prequel tale of Roland Deschain of Mid-World, as he becomes that world's last gunslinger. Adapted by Dark Tower connoisseur Robin Furth, scripted by comic legend Peter David, and illustrated wonderfully by Jae Lee and Richard Isanove, the collection puts nearly 5 years of work under one banner, and expands on Stephen King's most loved tale. The first story, The Gunslinger Born, mainly adapts stories from King's Wizard and Glass, which happens to be my favorite Dark Tower novel. Seeing the Big Coffin Hunters, Sheemie and Rhea of the Coos illustrated on the page took me back to this world in a way I imagined while reading King's story. It's my favorite tale from the collection. Each subsequent story varies in terms of quality, but all are well constructed and told. The Fall of Gilead primarily stuck out as a great example of enhancing the landscape within the Dark Tower books, connecting the dots on events previously mentioned that had not been fully realized to date. Lee's deft take on this world, from Roland and his ka-tet, to the barren landscapes, to the lusciously horrific Crimson King is a perfect mix of style, broad composition and effective storytelling. This is not your traditional panel by panel breakdown. Lee's artwork is sprawling, each page meant to feel like a major event is set to take place. His facial expressions and character development could use some fine-tuning, but those are minor details with work this wonderfully executed. In addition to the main stories, a second tome collecting many bonus materials offers an in-depth look at the rich history of the world reigned by Arthur Eld, and how each tale was specifically constructed by the team at Marvel to fit within King's rich world. It also contains a number of interviews with the creators, and a full glossary of characters, terms and plot points that can be enjoyed by a novice or expert. Truly one of the best collections I have seen to date.
June 27, 2018
Nice edition to The Dark Tower mythos. Great artwork and the writer knows his Tower stuff,fantastic artwork, not all the stories where good, but this was a very good read, finished in a week could not stop !
December 31, 2020
A great set of graphic novels, the drawings are just incredible.
Read
November 5, 2023DNF don't this is for me.
August 2, 2017
Well Well Well That Was Truly Somthing Unique
I Loved it
Its a Great Story With Great Plot and Twist And The Characters are Very Interesting.
The Art Was AMAZING by Jae Lee And it Really Made the Experience More Vivid
I Loved it
Its a Great Story With Great Plot and Twist And The Characters are Very Interesting.
The Art Was AMAZING by Jae Lee And it Really Made the Experience More Vivid
June 24, 2018
An excellent collection of the initial run of The Dark Tower comics that at first adapts the flashback portion of "The Gunslinger" and "Wizard and Glass," but then continues to expand on the backstory of Roland of Gilead only hinted or vaguely referenced by the series of novels by King. An essential read for Dark Tower friends that want to expand the mythology of these worlds.
December 17, 2018
Wow!!
What a treat!! Backstories (and a main story) hinted at in The Dark Tower series brought to life.
A must-read for Dark Tower fans.
What a treat!! Backstories (and a main story) hinted at in The Dark Tower series brought to life.
A must-read for Dark Tower fans.
Read
April 25, 2018Marvelous. Fantastic art and great plot-twists. Mr. King must be proud.
January 12, 2025
Visually fills in the gaps of the backstory of Roland Deschain, The Gunslinger, in eye-popping color impressionism.
November 1, 2018
Why can't these Dark Tower stories have happy endings? :(
It's pretty amazing, to be honest, that finishing this omnibus of Dark Tower comics has bummed me out. All they do is expound upon the backstory that was laid out in Stephen King's Dark Tower novels, so it's not like I didn't know how this was all gonna end. But still, sigh
This omnibus edition collects five miniseries and one one-shot written by Robin Furth and Peter David with art by Jae Lee. These stories basically dive into Roland's past, beginning with his start as a gunslinger and ending with The Battle of Jericho Hill. I'll break it down with each of these series
The Gunslinger Born: You can't really tell Roland's origin story without covering the material that's already there in the books, so that's what The Gunslinger Born is in a nutshell. The first issue is essentially an adaptation of Roland's initiation battle with his trainer Cort, with all the itinerant context, that we saw in The Gunslinger. The other six issues a truncated graphic novelization of Wizard and Glass
The business with Roland's initiation is important to the miniseries coming after this one, though it wasn't very important to the original books, so that's alright. Where Robin Furth takes on a daunting challenge is to try and emulate King's Dark Tower masterwork. I know that Wizard and Glass is a relatively divisive book, but I also know that it's the best of that saga hands down so shush. There was no way Furth was ever going to top the novel, and those issues of The Gunslinger Born feel a bit...y'know, like they're missing something. Jae Lee's art is top notch, though, way better than the original illustrations from the novel
So, what's in it for people who've already read the books? Not much. These comics don't really anchor themselves to Roland's perspective, so you get to see some of the machinations of Marten Broadcloak and John Farson. Farson in particular never got any screentime in the books, so his large presence in this miniseries and the others is one big reason for Tower junkies to sign up. But on the whole, nothing especially new here for journeymen of the Beam
The Long Road Home: If you have read the books, this is where things start to get interesting. We never really got the whole story of Roland's return journey to Gilead, in which he was unconscious and trapped inside Maerlyn's Grapefruit the whole time while his best buds Cuthbert Allgood and Alain Johns had to drag him along with Hambry's denizens on their tail
Reading this miniseries will definitely make you feel like you're starting to get your money's worth. Cuthbert and Alain really get to shine and you'll become as attached to them as you did to Eddie, Susannah and Jake. Meanwhile, Roland's visions are also elaborated on, including a more detailed look at the Crimson King. And yes, after Stephen King turned ol Crimson into an EEEEE monster, he's back to being a badass and terrifying villain again
It's also at this point that you'll get annoyed with the narrator. Who is this guy and why is he so annoying? He's way too fond of his own voice, and his narration rarely ever adds anything to the story that you can't already see on the page because these are comics. Unfortunately, this guy plagues all of the stories in this collection
Treachery + Sorcerer: Try to imagine what the story of Gilead, the Affiliation and their fall would be like. You're probably picturing some fantasy kingdom scheming, with smaller character drama and the experience of Mid-World before it moved on. That's exactly what you get starting with Treachery, and damn is it good
Once again, we know that, broadly speaking, the arrival of Maerlyn's Grapefruit basically screwed everything up for Gilead and Farson was able to use this to his advantage to steamroll the Affiliation. The detailing of that story adds so much to it, though, that King probably wishes he could go back and write this stuff into his novels
Roland spends a lot of this miniseries locked up in his room, in thrall of the Grapefruit. It's a good thing that Roland is absent from so much of these events, since it gives Cuthbert and Alain even more time to shine, and we even get to know the previous generation of gunslingers and various other characters in this drama. I mean, even Cort becomes a well rounded and likable character, even though all we knew of him before was that Roland beat him up that one time
My favorite thing about this series is Aileen. A brand new character who's never been mentioned anywhere else in this universe, she starts off as a cliched girl who wants to be a gunslinger but cannot because of gender stereotypes, but as time goes on, she very much earns her place alongside Cuthbert and Alain in Roland's ka-tet
Sorcerer is a one-shot that gives an alternative perspective on the events of Treachery, with some backstory for Stephen King's most iconic character. Good stuff all around
The Fall of Gilead: Continuing on from the events of Treachery, this is where we see Farson's plans truly wreck the Affiliation from the inside before a proper attack on Gilead
Honestly, this stuff is so heartbreaking to see. This is the point where you'll realize how much you've come to love these characters because this is where their downfall happens. What makes it worse is that John Farson is such a crazy and messed up villain, you want to see the gunslingers unload into him. Only problem is, he's not just an asshole, he's a smart asshole and, with Marten at his side, their wits are too much to overcome
The attack on Gilead deserves a special mention for being rendered in the epic manner which the battle deserves. Jae Lee definitely took loads of cues from Lord of the Rings for this one
The Battle of Jericho Hill: And it's here where you have to bid all those wonderful characters adieu. You know how this ends, you know that Roland is alone on his quest when we first meet him on the tail of a fleeing man in black, but that doesn't make it hurt any less
The actual battle takes place in the final issue of this series. It's preceded by the survivors of the Affiliation going on their own nine year long journey towards The Dark Tower, while waging guerilla war on the forces of John Farson. Their efforts are valiant and if you didn't know how this ends, you might let yourself think that they have a shot. Alas, more of that gods damned treachery sinks it all
I was really tempted to be petty and deduct one star because of that annoying narrator, but goddamn, these comics were so good. They're are as enthralling and addictive as the novels they're based on. While I wouldn't say that they make an essential piece of The Dark Tower puzzle - the books are plenty on their own - they add a lot of color to places and people only referenced in the main story, and that makes this well worth the read
(Just so you know, though, these things are heavy. Maybe hit the gym before picking this up)
It's pretty amazing, to be honest, that finishing this omnibus of Dark Tower comics has bummed me out. All they do is expound upon the backstory that was laid out in Stephen King's Dark Tower novels, so it's not like I didn't know how this was all gonna end. But still, sigh
This omnibus edition collects five miniseries and one one-shot written by Robin Furth and Peter David with art by Jae Lee. These stories basically dive into Roland's past, beginning with his start as a gunslinger and ending with The Battle of Jericho Hill. I'll break it down with each of these series
The Gunslinger Born: You can't really tell Roland's origin story without covering the material that's already there in the books, so that's what The Gunslinger Born is in a nutshell. The first issue is essentially an adaptation of Roland's initiation battle with his trainer Cort, with all the itinerant context, that we saw in The Gunslinger. The other six issues a truncated graphic novelization of Wizard and Glass
The business with Roland's initiation is important to the miniseries coming after this one, though it wasn't very important to the original books, so that's alright. Where Robin Furth takes on a daunting challenge is to try and emulate King's Dark Tower masterwork. I know that Wizard and Glass is a relatively divisive book, but I also know that it's the best of that saga hands down so shush. There was no way Furth was ever going to top the novel, and those issues of The Gunslinger Born feel a bit...y'know, like they're missing something. Jae Lee's art is top notch, though, way better than the original illustrations from the novel
So, what's in it for people who've already read the books? Not much. These comics don't really anchor themselves to Roland's perspective, so you get to see some of the machinations of Marten Broadcloak and John Farson. Farson in particular never got any screentime in the books, so his large presence in this miniseries and the others is one big reason for Tower junkies to sign up. But on the whole, nothing especially new here for journeymen of the Beam
The Long Road Home: If you have read the books, this is where things start to get interesting. We never really got the whole story of Roland's return journey to Gilead, in which he was unconscious and trapped inside Maerlyn's Grapefruit the whole time while his best buds Cuthbert Allgood and Alain Johns had to drag him along with Hambry's denizens on their tail
Reading this miniseries will definitely make you feel like you're starting to get your money's worth. Cuthbert and Alain really get to shine and you'll become as attached to them as you did to Eddie, Susannah and Jake. Meanwhile, Roland's visions are also elaborated on, including a more detailed look at the Crimson King. And yes, after Stephen King turned ol Crimson into an EEEEE monster, he's back to being a badass and terrifying villain again
It's also at this point that you'll get annoyed with the narrator. Who is this guy and why is he so annoying? He's way too fond of his own voice, and his narration rarely ever adds anything to the story that you can't already see on the page because these are comics. Unfortunately, this guy plagues all of the stories in this collection
Treachery + Sorcerer: Try to imagine what the story of Gilead, the Affiliation and their fall would be like. You're probably picturing some fantasy kingdom scheming, with smaller character drama and the experience of Mid-World before it moved on. That's exactly what you get starting with Treachery, and damn is it good
Once again, we know that, broadly speaking, the arrival of Maerlyn's Grapefruit basically screwed everything up for Gilead and Farson was able to use this to his advantage to steamroll the Affiliation. The detailing of that story adds so much to it, though, that King probably wishes he could go back and write this stuff into his novels
Roland spends a lot of this miniseries locked up in his room, in thrall of the Grapefruit. It's a good thing that Roland is absent from so much of these events, since it gives Cuthbert and Alain even more time to shine, and we even get to know the previous generation of gunslingers and various other characters in this drama. I mean, even Cort becomes a well rounded and likable character, even though all we knew of him before was that Roland beat him up that one time
My favorite thing about this series is Aileen. A brand new character who's never been mentioned anywhere else in this universe, she starts off as a cliched girl who wants to be a gunslinger but cannot because of gender stereotypes, but as time goes on, she very much earns her place alongside Cuthbert and Alain in Roland's ka-tet
Sorcerer is a one-shot that gives an alternative perspective on the events of Treachery, with some backstory for Stephen King's most iconic character. Good stuff all around
The Fall of Gilead: Continuing on from the events of Treachery, this is where we see Farson's plans truly wreck the Affiliation from the inside before a proper attack on Gilead
Honestly, this stuff is so heartbreaking to see. This is the point where you'll realize how much you've come to love these characters because this is where their downfall happens. What makes it worse is that John Farson is such a crazy and messed up villain, you want to see the gunslingers unload into him. Only problem is, he's not just an asshole, he's a smart asshole and, with Marten at his side, their wits are too much to overcome
The attack on Gilead deserves a special mention for being rendered in the epic manner which the battle deserves. Jae Lee definitely took loads of cues from Lord of the Rings for this one
The Battle of Jericho Hill: And it's here where you have to bid all those wonderful characters adieu. You know how this ends, you know that Roland is alone on his quest when we first meet him on the tail of a fleeing man in black, but that doesn't make it hurt any less
The actual battle takes place in the final issue of this series. It's preceded by the survivors of the Affiliation going on their own nine year long journey towards The Dark Tower, while waging guerilla war on the forces of John Farson. Their efforts are valiant and if you didn't know how this ends, you might let yourself think that they have a shot. Alas, more of that gods damned treachery sinks it all
I was really tempted to be petty and deduct one star because of that annoying narrator, but goddamn, these comics were so good. They're are as enthralling and addictive as the novels they're based on. While I wouldn't say that they make an essential piece of The Dark Tower puzzle - the books are plenty on their own - they add a lot of color to places and people only referenced in the main story, and that makes this well worth the read
(Just so you know, though, these things are heavy. Maybe hit the gym before picking this up)
January 26, 2015
Ambitious. Massive. Dense. Gorgeous. Thrilling.
June 3, 2024
Finally heard the tales of young Roland and the tet
July 9, 2018
This is a big, gorgeous collection that I'm delighted to have been gifted.
I'm at that that interesting stage where I remember the first four novels of Stephen King's Dark Tower series in only the broadest strokes, so I was coming at this omnibus with a bit of born-again purity. The upside was that I really didn't have a set standard of expectations, and was able to feel it up as its own story.
Roland's saga is, at this point, pretty immense. The broad strokes say that he is the last of the great Gunslingers, on a seemingly unending and cyclical quest to find the Dark Tower and face his nemesis, the Man in Black. The Dark Tower Omnibus shows us Roland as his quest was just beginning. Borrowing some flashbacks and historical events from King's novels, Roland's early history is brought to life, starting just as he himself was earning the title of Gunslinger. The entire story is tragic, full of conflict and loss and gives great feeling to the motivations that drive Roland.
I think this is a fabulous addition to any fan's collection, but I also think it truly stands on it's own as an introduction to King's main line of work. It doesn't really feel like King's writing, but it does feel like his story, if that makes any sort of sense; and ultimately, the fresh voices worked well here. The art is consistently smooth and on point, and many panels are stand-out awesome. There is a definite polish to the execution here: the story is seamless and driving, with not a continuity error in sight. It felt like an ode to the original story-line, an homage to it's mythology, and it seems meticulous in it's praise.
The collection contains the graphic novels "The Gunslinger Born" through to "Battle of Jericho Hill", and spans roughly 10 years in Roland's early life. The Companion book is also a thing of beauty, and shows just how much of a labour of love the graphic novel process was. It includes a schwack of alternate art, and short stories and articles on various subjects from within the Dark Tower world. It's a treasure trove of interviews and world-building backstory; a true gift for the hard-core fans. I'm not, myself, necessarily hard-core, but I'm re-interested in the Dark Tower world, and may have to pay it a visit again soon.
I'm at that that interesting stage where I remember the first four novels of Stephen King's Dark Tower series in only the broadest strokes, so I was coming at this omnibus with a bit of born-again purity. The upside was that I really didn't have a set standard of expectations, and was able to feel it up as its own story.
Roland's saga is, at this point, pretty immense. The broad strokes say that he is the last of the great Gunslingers, on a seemingly unending and cyclical quest to find the Dark Tower and face his nemesis, the Man in Black. The Dark Tower Omnibus shows us Roland as his quest was just beginning. Borrowing some flashbacks and historical events from King's novels, Roland's early history is brought to life, starting just as he himself was earning the title of Gunslinger. The entire story is tragic, full of conflict and loss and gives great feeling to the motivations that drive Roland.
I think this is a fabulous addition to any fan's collection, but I also think it truly stands on it's own as an introduction to King's main line of work. It doesn't really feel like King's writing, but it does feel like his story, if that makes any sort of sense; and ultimately, the fresh voices worked well here. The art is consistently smooth and on point, and many panels are stand-out awesome. There is a definite polish to the execution here: the story is seamless and driving, with not a continuity error in sight. It felt like an ode to the original story-line, an homage to it's mythology, and it seems meticulous in it's praise.
The collection contains the graphic novels "The Gunslinger Born" through to "Battle of Jericho Hill", and spans roughly 10 years in Roland's early life. The Companion book is also a thing of beauty, and shows just how much of a labour of love the graphic novel process was. It includes a schwack of alternate art, and short stories and articles on various subjects from within the Dark Tower world. It's a treasure trove of interviews and world-building backstory; a true gift for the hard-core fans. I'm not, myself, necessarily hard-core, but I'm re-interested in the Dark Tower world, and may have to pay it a visit again soon.
June 24, 2021
A tremendous two-volume set that includes the mini-series of graphic novels that covers Roland Deschain's teenage to young adult life. Roland, the protagonist of the original Dark Tower novels by Stephen King. There are more comics out there that follow Roland after the Battle of Jericho Hill, but they are not included here and Marvel uses a different pencil artist. Included in this omnibus, in the first volume, are as follows: The Gunslinger Born, The Long Road Home, Treachery, The Sorcerer, Fall of Gilead, and Battle of Jericho Hill. In the second volume are all the included blurbs that came with the stand-alone comics when they were published, such as interviews and background history of the world the story takes place in, Mid-World, and/or the folklore and mythos installed previously by Stephen King.
The Gunslinger Born is the only mini-series that draws heavily from the original novels. The other fiver mini-series draws from hints dropped by King in his novels and by a constant check-in system with him and his Dark Tower pro Robin Furth. The story fills in a lot of blanks that we don't get the pleasure of understanding from the novels and, boy, does it ever stand up to the task. The writing, art, and delivery of each page does nothing but shock and reminds us of just how hard of a life Roland had prior to his voyage to save the Dark Tower itself.
With a tremendous art team working on this collection, it is no shock that they combined the sets in this one volume. The project continued for a few more years after this, but with a different pencil artist and following already established stories by King. I think having this volume is incredibly awesome because it fills in what we questioned for years about Roland's past.
Certainly worth the time, energy, and muscle requirement to heft this tome around for a while!
The Gunslinger Born is the only mini-series that draws heavily from the original novels. The other fiver mini-series draws from hints dropped by King in his novels and by a constant check-in system with him and his Dark Tower pro Robin Furth. The story fills in a lot of blanks that we don't get the pleasure of understanding from the novels and, boy, does it ever stand up to the task. The writing, art, and delivery of each page does nothing but shock and reminds us of just how hard of a life Roland had prior to his voyage to save the Dark Tower itself.
With a tremendous art team working on this collection, it is no shock that they combined the sets in this one volume. The project continued for a few more years after this, but with a different pencil artist and following already established stories by King. I think having this volume is incredibly awesome because it fills in what we questioned for years about Roland's past.
Certainly worth the time, energy, and muscle requirement to heft this tome around for a while!
January 8, 2022
(Zero spoiler review)
For a far more in depth review of the individual volumes compromising this omnibus, see my separate reviews. Although as a quick summation of this series as a whole, it was very much a tale of two halves for me. The opening salvo set the scene and started off strongly, with the following two volumes, 'The Little Sisters of Eluria and The Battle for Tull being all but mesmerising. A reading experience that continued to exceed my expectations, and left me desperately wanting more, yet fearing said expectations would weigh heavily upon the final few arcs. As I lamented in my review for volume four, it really sucks being right so much.
The final half of this collection comprises two stories that were far less enjoyable then the two preceding it, as well as a final collection of one shots that defied credulity as to its inclusion. Full of spoilers and jarring in its interruption of the main story (I'm assuming), as new readers will have zero idea what is occurring, other than knowing that future events are somehow being spoiled. If volumes four and five were combined for greater pacing and the removal of lesser content, and volume six was scrapped entirely, you would undoubtedly be looking at full marks. Instead, what was a strong start and even stronger continuation, fall flat on its ass not too far from the finish line, limping over the line with a staggering hobble after most of the spectators cheers had long since ended. I'm likely overdoing it a little, due to the annoyance and frustration being so fresh in my mind. Yet the fact remains, this was a great start, and at best, barely a good ending. 4/5
OmniBen.
For a far more in depth review of the individual volumes compromising this omnibus, see my separate reviews. Although as a quick summation of this series as a whole, it was very much a tale of two halves for me. The opening salvo set the scene and started off strongly, with the following two volumes, 'The Little Sisters of Eluria and The Battle for Tull being all but mesmerising. A reading experience that continued to exceed my expectations, and left me desperately wanting more, yet fearing said expectations would weigh heavily upon the final few arcs. As I lamented in my review for volume four, it really sucks being right so much.
The final half of this collection comprises two stories that were far less enjoyable then the two preceding it, as well as a final collection of one shots that defied credulity as to its inclusion. Full of spoilers and jarring in its interruption of the main story (I'm assuming), as new readers will have zero idea what is occurring, other than knowing that future events are somehow being spoiled. If volumes four and five were combined for greater pacing and the removal of lesser content, and volume six was scrapped entirely, you would undoubtedly be looking at full marks. Instead, what was a strong start and even stronger continuation, fall flat on its ass not too far from the finish line, limping over the line with a staggering hobble after most of the spectators cheers had long since ended. I'm likely overdoing it a little, due to the annoyance and frustration being so fresh in my mind. Yet the fact remains, this was a great start, and at best, barely a good ending. 4/5
OmniBen.
October 13, 2017
An exceptional way of experiencing Roland Deschain's early journeys. The first volume, The Gunslinger Born, is largely a retelling of Wizard and Glass. Although the story is familiar, the art is fantastic and it's the logical starting point for the rest of the stories in the omnibus.
The remaining four volumes are new stories, filling in the gaps of Roland's early life after Wizard and Glass. They're all well written and fit the backstory of the Roland we've come to know through King's Dark Tower novels. The art is phenomenal throughout the series.
My only criticism is that the look and feel of the characters changed in Fall of Gilead. It wasn't bad, just different. It's fairly common for artists to come and go in long-running graphic novels, but I still find it jarring to see changes in the characters I've come to know. I don't know if this is because Jae Lee was no longer drawing the interior art or due to Dean White's influence coming into the series. Regardless, the art is still wonderfully done.
This omnibus is huge and it comes with a companion book that is just as thick, which I haven't even touched yet.
The remaining four volumes are new stories, filling in the gaps of Roland's early life after Wizard and Glass. They're all well written and fit the backstory of the Roland we've come to know through King's Dark Tower novels. The art is phenomenal throughout the series.
My only criticism is that the look and feel of the characters changed in Fall of Gilead. It wasn't bad, just different. It's fairly common for artists to come and go in long-running graphic novels, but I still find it jarring to see changes in the characters I've come to know. I don't know if this is because Jae Lee was no longer drawing the interior art or due to Dean White's influence coming into the series. Regardless, the art is still wonderfully done.
This omnibus is huge and it comes with a companion book that is just as thick, which I haven't even touched yet.
July 16, 2018
Awesome.
They put in a paper with full of color something hidden inside my mind, after reading the books eons ago, all this stuff began to raise in my imagination, now I've just added the faces of all of them.
Very good, awesome.
They put in a paper with full of color something hidden inside my mind, after reading the books eons ago, all this stuff began to raise in my imagination, now I've just added the faces of all of them.
Very good, awesome.
March 22, 2019
291 - 2019
June 15, 2024
One of the greatest comic works Marvel has had the honor of producing.
January 2, 2024
The Dark Tower Omnibus is a FANTASTIC collection for any fan of the Dark Tower series. This hard bound collection comes with a wonderfully crafted slipcase and in large two volumes wrapped in beautifully illustrated dust jackets.
You can read the product description for more details on the content, but in general the first volume contains five comic series that were issued, mostly based on Book IV of the Dark Tower series - Wizard & Glass - telling the story of Roland and his ka-tet travelling to the town of Hambry where they uncover a plot from John Farson to overthrow the Affiliation. There are also stories taken from the first book in the Dark Tower series - The Gunslinger - that tells of how Roland came to earn his guns. The latter issues venture into uncharted territory where readers can get a sense of what happened with the Fall of Gilead and Battle of Jericho Hill, which are stories that are eluded to in the Dark Tower series, but never fully told.
The second volume is jam packed with supplemental materials that talk about how this part of the Dark Tower series came to life under Marvel, which include interviews with Robin Furth (expert on all things DT related), as well as interviews with the crew at Marvel, including master artist Jae Lee. There are also dozens upon dozens of pages of additional DT content, such as almanacs, guides, alternate covers, behind-the-scenes artwork, character and location profiles, folklore, and much, much more.
Again, this omnibus truly feels like it was put together for the fans. The artwork is phenomenal and such an incredible match for Mid-World and the DT universe. The quality and content of the omnibus is also well worth the money. Having Robin Furth on board with some of Marvel's greatest talent made for this to become an incredible collection. I'm so glad they pulled this off in such an awesome way.
Pros: the entire omnibus is an excellent piece of work to own for any fan of the Dark Tower series.
Cons: if I had to nit pick, some of Peter David's narration throughout the comics feels a bit forced and comes across as clunky.
Bottom line: an incredible effort between Stephen King, Robin Furth, and Marvel, bringing to life pages of King's Dark Tower saga and providing the Constant Reader with amazing visuals of DT content that was the most popular and also never fully explored in the books. A must-have for any DT fan.
You can read the product description for more details on the content, but in general the first volume contains five comic series that were issued, mostly based on Book IV of the Dark Tower series - Wizard & Glass - telling the story of Roland and his ka-tet travelling to the town of Hambry where they uncover a plot from John Farson to overthrow the Affiliation. There are also stories taken from the first book in the Dark Tower series - The Gunslinger - that tells of how Roland came to earn his guns. The latter issues venture into uncharted territory where readers can get a sense of what happened with the Fall of Gilead and Battle of Jericho Hill, which are stories that are eluded to in the Dark Tower series, but never fully told.
The second volume is jam packed with supplemental materials that talk about how this part of the Dark Tower series came to life under Marvel, which include interviews with Robin Furth (expert on all things DT related), as well as interviews with the crew at Marvel, including master artist Jae Lee. There are also dozens upon dozens of pages of additional DT content, such as almanacs, guides, alternate covers, behind-the-scenes artwork, character and location profiles, folklore, and much, much more.
Again, this omnibus truly feels like it was put together for the fans. The artwork is phenomenal and such an incredible match for Mid-World and the DT universe. The quality and content of the omnibus is also well worth the money. Having Robin Furth on board with some of Marvel's greatest talent made for this to become an incredible collection. I'm so glad they pulled this off in such an awesome way.
Pros: the entire omnibus is an excellent piece of work to own for any fan of the Dark Tower series.
Cons: if I had to nit pick, some of Peter David's narration throughout the comics feels a bit forced and comes across as clunky.
Bottom line: an incredible effort between Stephen King, Robin Furth, and Marvel, bringing to life pages of King's Dark Tower saga and providing the Constant Reader with amazing visuals of DT content that was the most popular and also never fully explored in the books. A must-have for any DT fan.
January 27, 2013
It’s Marvel! What was I expecting? In truth, not much.
And that was exactly what I got.
For all the hoopla, for all of King’s own endorsements, the fact remains that Furth, David, Lee and Isanove’s visions of Mid-world contrast severely with the ones thought up by the master himself.
One sure sign that this Omnibus failed to captivate me is the fact that it took me longer than a month to plod through all of it.
I bought some months ago the single HC of The Gunslinger Born and although it was an adaptation of material previously published on Wizard & Glass, and we all know that Marvel’s adaptations are never quite on the mark, this one suffered more than most and the tone never felt quite right. Then upon buying this Omnibus that feeling was exacerbated.
Compiling all-new adventures by Roland’s ka-tet these encompass what happened between the events at Hambry and the Battle of Jericho Hill.
I really can’t put my finger on what I feel wrong with this vision of Mid-world and Roland’s fight with the Crimson King and his minions but the ambience always felt dry, desolate, lonely. Over and over we read that Gilead is the seat of power with bustling streets and busy quarters but that is never conveyed accurately by Jae Lee. Instead Gilead looks abandoned and in ruins. In fact all of Mid-world looks like is populated by sparsely ten to twelve people. The most we see of its inhabitants is on The Fall of Gilead story arc but that is only an exception confirming the rule.
Also the colour palette is rather muted, adding to the desolate, dreary and dry look of the entire series. It’s like there was no time to produce the monthly installments (and we all know how Marvel works regarding that) and so Lee and Isanove were left with drawing and colouring the barebones and essential to just almost convey a picture for the words.
As for the adventures themselves they never stray very far from glimpses provided on the seven volumes by the Master and so never quite appeal to someone like me that is overly familiar with the canon. Maybe it will appeal to newcomers and make them want to find out more of Roland reading the novels, but for the Constant Reader these comics are very uninteresting and add nothing to the mystique of Roland’s Quest.
And that was exactly what I got.
For all the hoopla, for all of King’s own endorsements, the fact remains that Furth, David, Lee and Isanove’s visions of Mid-world contrast severely with the ones thought up by the master himself.
One sure sign that this Omnibus failed to captivate me is the fact that it took me longer than a month to plod through all of it.
I bought some months ago the single HC of The Gunslinger Born and although it was an adaptation of material previously published on Wizard & Glass, and we all know that Marvel’s adaptations are never quite on the mark, this one suffered more than most and the tone never felt quite right. Then upon buying this Omnibus that feeling was exacerbated.
Compiling all-new adventures by Roland’s ka-tet these encompass what happened between the events at Hambry and the Battle of Jericho Hill.
I really can’t put my finger on what I feel wrong with this vision of Mid-world and Roland’s fight with the Crimson King and his minions but the ambience always felt dry, desolate, lonely. Over and over we read that Gilead is the seat of power with bustling streets and busy quarters but that is never conveyed accurately by Jae Lee. Instead Gilead looks abandoned and in ruins. In fact all of Mid-world looks like is populated by sparsely ten to twelve people. The most we see of its inhabitants is on The Fall of Gilead story arc but that is only an exception confirming the rule.
Also the colour palette is rather muted, adding to the desolate, dreary and dry look of the entire series. It’s like there was no time to produce the monthly installments (and we all know how Marvel works regarding that) and so Lee and Isanove were left with drawing and colouring the barebones and essential to just almost convey a picture for the words.
As for the adventures themselves they never stray very far from glimpses provided on the seven volumes by the Master and so never quite appeal to someone like me that is overly familiar with the canon. Maybe it will appeal to newcomers and make them want to find out more of Roland reading the novels, but for the Constant Reader these comics are very uninteresting and add nothing to the mystique of Roland’s Quest.
March 16, 2015
So, I fully enjoy alternate universes and parallel storylines and prequels and sequels galore; I went through a phase and reread 3 different "Mr. Darcy's point of view" stories over a few weeks, including the monsters one. That definitely isn't my issue here. Ahem, please don't glare daggers when I say I didn't.....really.....enjoy this. Love Stephen King's stories, even adapted by others! Love comic books of all types! Did not like the art here at all.
At first, I felt like I was peering through a fog at everyone's face. It's all half faces, silhouettes, an eye, the curve of a mouth....which is great when it's done well. However, that's all that seems to be here, unlike in Sin City where all of the above was done x10 but Frank Miller also tossed the reader well drawn, full front face views; unfortunately, this omnibus hardly offers full face views, much less detailed half-faces, and those all seem to be perhaps 1 of 3 facial expressions. The backgrounds are vague, the forms are vague; there were definitely scenes when something thrown into more relief would've been, honestly, a relief on the eyes but that was hardly ever the case.
I'll definitely be sticking with this comic series into more familiar territory (perhaps up to Wizard and Glass) as I don't want to give up hope, but I'm a touch nervous it'll disappoint me at some really cool plot points. Amusingly, the better, more interesting art is in the companion book. If you're a super fan, it's still worth it I think.
3 for the story alone, since the background story was nice to read.
At first, I felt like I was peering through a fog at everyone's face. It's all half faces, silhouettes, an eye, the curve of a mouth....which is great when it's done well. However, that's all that seems to be here, unlike in Sin City where all of the above was done x10 but Frank Miller also tossed the reader well drawn, full front face views; unfortunately, this omnibus hardly offers full face views, much less detailed half-faces, and those all seem to be perhaps 1 of 3 facial expressions. The backgrounds are vague, the forms are vague; there were definitely scenes when something thrown into more relief would've been, honestly, a relief on the eyes but that was hardly ever the case.
I'll definitely be sticking with this comic series into more familiar territory (perhaps up to Wizard and Glass) as I don't want to give up hope, but I'm a touch nervous it'll disappoint me at some really cool plot points. Amusingly, the better, more interesting art is in the companion book. If you're a super fan, it's still worth it I think.
3 for the story alone, since the background story was nice to read.
March 7, 2012
Since this is an omnibus edition I was expecting a huge volume, and what I got was two ridiculously huge volumes in a slipcase, which is better. After hearing about this omnibus edition I knew I had to get it, partly because it will never come out in Spain, and the Spanish edition of The Dark Tower comics is, to put it bluntly, a piece of shit.
I like this comic because I like all Dark Tower things, I had my doubts in the beginning but since Robin Furth, probably the only person in the world who knows as much, and probably more, about The Dark Tower as Stephen King himself then I thought it could be a good idea. And Jae Lee's art is beautiful, I prefer Richard Isanove as a colourist though, his drawings are good but there's something about them that puts me off a bit.
I also like all the aditional information covered in the companion volume, sketches, prose stories, interviews with the writers and the artists, a cover gallery, all that stuff and all the additional material that was in the individual volumes, all of it compiled in one single volume.
It is a perfect way of presenting the untold story of the gunslinger, if you are a Tower junkie and you don't have this I don't know what you're waiting for, you're going to love it
I like this comic because I like all Dark Tower things, I had my doubts in the beginning but since Robin Furth, probably the only person in the world who knows as much, and probably more, about The Dark Tower as Stephen King himself then I thought it could be a good idea. And Jae Lee's art is beautiful, I prefer Richard Isanove as a colourist though, his drawings are good but there's something about them that puts me off a bit.
I also like all the aditional information covered in the companion volume, sketches, prose stories, interviews with the writers and the artists, a cover gallery, all that stuff and all the additional material that was in the individual volumes, all of it compiled in one single volume.
It is a perfect way of presenting the untold story of the gunslinger, if you are a Tower junkie and you don't have this I don't know what you're waiting for, you're going to love it
October 4, 2011
I was a little torn on how to categorize this. Certainly fits in the fantasy genre but is it also science fiction?
Interesting story. I've long wanted to read the main books that these stories form the pre-equal to but have yet to do so.
This set of stories chronicle defeat after defeat of the good guys. I almost felt depressed reading them. Little humor or joy to be found here. The story is interesting though and the companion volume was actually very interesting as the background of the world the story is set in is explained. Perhaps my favorite part of this set. The other being that this is a beaut of a boxed set. It does look gorgeous on the shelf.
The art was colorful and overall fitting for the story.
Interesting story. I've long wanted to read the main books that these stories form the pre-equal to but have yet to do so.
This set of stories chronicle defeat after defeat of the good guys. I almost felt depressed reading them. Little humor or joy to be found here. The story is interesting though and the companion volume was actually very interesting as the background of the world the story is set in is explained. Perhaps my favorite part of this set. The other being that this is a beaut of a boxed set. It does look gorgeous on the shelf.
The art was colorful and overall fitting for the story.
January 18, 2013
First, the Omnibus doesn't cover nearly as much as I thought; only up through Vol. 5 "The Battle of Jericho Hill." Which means, with 5 or so volumes of The Gunslinger already adapted, there should be another Omnibus out soon. Overall, the comics just don't quite match the style and vitality of the original King books, and since he is the EP of this project I was really hoping for MORE. More information, more backstory, just lots MORE. Some of the artwork (and background coloring especially) is really striking and cool, but I would still take a new DT novel from King himself over more of these comics any day.
September 15, 2012
3.5 stars. It answered some questions but brought up just as many new ones. I think I need to read the revised first book again, sigh.
I didn't care for the look of Roland, or the same facial expression always on Marten's, Aileen's and Cuthbert's faces. I'm not sure of the interest or ability to follow this as a stand-alone graphic novel. But as a Dark Tower junkie, I can't believe I waited so long.
I didn't care for the look of Roland, or the same facial expression always on Marten's, Aileen's and Cuthbert's faces. I'm not sure of the interest or ability to follow this as a stand-alone graphic novel. But as a Dark Tower junkie, I can't believe I waited so long.
October 31, 2012
I have not yet read the main Dark Tower books that these were spawned from. But I will. The comics on the other hand is an amazing collection of dark and moody stories. The writing is sharp but my god how great is Jae Lee's art. He didn't do the art in the last couple series but you can see his influence in the replacement artist. If you like dark horror fantasy stuff. I would check this out.
December 3, 2012
This wonderfully crafted and beautifully drawn addition to the Dark Tower universe expands what King brought to millions of fans already. His own words speak this as cannon to his own series. If King alone loves this, that has to mean something right? Well, anyway, this is a good fill in of back story of Roland's younger life that was lesser referenced in the original novels.
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