Deathwatch

Deathwatch Comics #1-4

by Aaron Dembski-Bowden

Based on the popular Warhammer franchise, the Deathwatch stands guard as the last line of defense at the edge of the universe, defending Mankind from inhuman horrors!

Collects issues #1-4 of the Warhammer 40,000 Deathwatch mini-series.

The Deathwatch is made up of the best of all Space Marines, recruited from across all Chapters to serve as the last resort against the multiple hostile alien civilizations threatening humanity. To be chosen to serve in the Deathwatch is a great honor granted only to the most elite and experienced veterans, but the specifics of their sacred duty must remain secret!

Stranded and alone at the edge of the Calaphrax Cluster, one Deathwatch kill-team must hold the line against the xenos hordes that threaten to destroy humanity. Assailed on all sides, they alone have the strength of mind and body to act as humanity's first, and only, line of defense!

Genres: Comics, Science Fiction, 40k, Graphic Novels, Graphic Novels Comics, Fantasy

112 pages, Paperback

First published December 18, 2018

Reviews

[Gianfranco Mancini · Rating 4 out of 5]

Characters were a clichè-fest, a few of them really needed a few fleshing more and the two battle-brothers centuries old without service studs and the Space Wolf Terminator armour apparently made of paper were a real miss for me, but storyline and artworks were really good and Aaron Dembski-Bowen, one of best Black Library authors of Warhammer 40000 canon novels, was almost at his best writing this comic book that I just read it twice over today before putting it down.



Sadly this 4 issues miniseries was far from being over and ended with a cliffhanger, but having Games Workshop not renewed license to Titan Comics, we are not going to see a second volume of it in the future.



A real shame because these comic book adaptions of the grim setting of W40K from Titan were very good and far better of many others previously released by different companies.



A great ride while it lasted.

[Pinkerton · Rating 3 out of 5]

A small but very gripping storyline, because wh40k stories are always exciting. I just think it deserved better illustrations.
And there was also a Space Wolf...


”Whatever alien underworld awaits you, beasts…
…go to your mongrel gods knowing…
Hnnh…
…that you faced Rurik Warsong… child of Fenris… Wolf Guard of the Einherjar…”

P.S.
VLKA FENRYKA!

[Juho Pohjalainen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm glad to see Deathwatch fight something other than tyranids for a change. Artwork's pretty outstanding here: it's detailed, distinctive, and the Marines are all allowed to wear their helmets and we still know who's who. Their armour really seems like made out of cardboard, though.

[Nik · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aaron Dembski-Bowdens Mini-Serie konzentriert sich auf die Mission einer kleinen Deathwatch-Einheit der Space Marines, die eine Kolonie von einer Alienplage befreien soll. Kurz vor der Erfüllung ihres Auftrages landet eine wesentlich größere, grüne Bedrohung auf dem Mond Sidra. Die Adeptus Astartes versuchen alles, um das Imperium vor dem Feind zu warnen.

Die Serie ist für Fans des Franchise ein actionreicher Kurztrip, ohne die Welt und Figuren zu vertiefen. Unerschütterliche Space Marines, für die der Tod im Dienste der Imperiums der größte Lohn ist und die im Minutentakt markige Sprüche über Ruhm, Krieg und die Feinde der Menschheit klopfen. Ich habe immer noch viel Sympathie für die Welt des Table-Tops übrig, auch wenn die Handlung nicht selten dünn wie ein Blatt Papier ist (so auch hier).

Für Hardcore-Fans geeignet, für Neueinsteiger in die W40k-Wekt eher unattraktiv.

[Frédéric · Rating 2 out of 5]

No plot to speak of and still the narration is confused. No character development so you don’t care for them one bit. Vain dialogues don’t help sweeten the pill.

The art isn’t bad but lacks a more solid storytelling. Nice colours though I expected grimmer settings.

[RatGrrrl · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first three volumes of the Titan Comics Warhammer 40K run following the Dark Angels and Inquisition in the newly-emerged Calaphrax Cluster are fantastic, starting good and only getting better with each volume. With the fourth and final Titan 40K volume following Kill Team Agathon of the Deathwatch manning the Calaphrax boundary from all xenos threats quality is through the roof!

I would genuinely say this is one of the best Warhammer comics I've read!

With a mixed team lead my an Imperial Fist, consisting of an Ultramarine Assault Marine, Space Wolf Terminator, Celestial Lion Librarian, and Flesh Tearer Apothecary, dealing a dangerous, but fairly routine Ur-Ghul migration, quickly becomes a desperate struggle of life and death with what could be the makings of a Waaagh! with hordes of Space Orks boiling out of Calaphrax...

Goodness. Gracious!

I was not expecting to be as besotted with this as I am!


The tone and vibe, from the incredible artwork to the phenomenal script from ADB, and the truly impressive way fhis comic manages to convey the Deathwatch and portray an accurate snapshot of each of the Chapters represented, not to mention the weight and pathos of the unfolding events, are unreal.

This would make an amazing episode of Hammer and Bolter!

I'm honestly flabbergasted with how good this was!

The depiction of the Ur-Ghul, a full page of the Son of Dorn unloading on Orks with little vignettes of the Orks in the muzzle flares, and a beautiful and heartbreaking sacrifice sequence are some highlights of the wonderful artwork.

The amount this made me care about a Space Wolf I've know for two minutes and the goosebumps this gave me are testament to just how great this is.

Honestly, the Titan Comics really *get* 40K, not surprising with Black Library authors George Mann writing the first three volumes and Aaron Dembski-Bowden doing this one, but damn. Truly tragic we didn't get more. Would have loved to have seen Abnett, Swallow, and Thorpe get a volume too.

[Donavon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Being the first Warhammer media I read, I was lost. Just as I was getting invested in characters the story ends on cliffhanger. Not sure if story continues in comic, novel, video game, or just in next war game.

[Ανδρέας Μιχαηλίδης · Rating 3 out of 5]

Much like I said in my review of Will of Iron, a compelling comic is one you stumble onto by chance and end up reading the whole thing without realizing it. The next volume of the WH40k series (it turns out that this too centers around the Calaphrax Cluster, although apparently a different part of it) is equally fun and fast-paced, with a bit more elaborate artwork but still, not crossing the line where it becomes too cumbersome.

Much like Deathwatch missions themselves, this comic is also quicker, dirtier and deadlier (well, not really, in the previous series more than a million people and other assorted beings died, but here the focus is on on five protagonists, one of which is summarily maimed and two others killed).

This is more classic "action movie" trope than galaxy-spanning war, so you get a bit more attacked to the characters. Still, contrary to the previous installments, it lacks editing, with more than a handful of evident mistakes; and for people who know even a bit of 40k lore, it uses a moniker rather cheaply, dubbing Rurik War-Song as the "Old Wolf" of the Space Wolves, when that is the legendary (and very much alive) Logan Grimnar.

For all that, however, still a fun, unpretentious comic book.

[Jayme · Rating 3 out of 5]

A comic is only as good as its ending because it’s a well-known fact that many are concepts that don’t stick the landing. This is one of them. The deathwatch always sound interesting on paper (squad pulled from other factions) but I’ve yet to see a depiction that matches their potential on paper. Still a fun read

[Petr · Rating 3 out of 5]

Warhammer, surprisingly to me, does not seem to work for me in comics. This was the best Warhammer comics I read so far but still, compared to Burning Empires, the characters and stories do not seem to capture my attention that much.

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another semi-cliffhanger unresolved from the Titan Comics 40k line. I assume these were imposed by business matters. What we're left with here is a relatively contained story with some fun action and a touch of characterization. Nothing wildly unique, but an entertaining romp.

[Mikael · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this quite a bit but it felt short despite being 4 issues.

[Brian McNiff · Rating 4 out of 5]

The art for this series has been top notch. Definitely looking forward to more after issue #4.

[Douglas Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

A light introduction to a deathwatch team with artwork that ranges from serviceable to gorgeous. I look forward to more issues in this series.