The Gunslinger Born

Stephen King's The Dark Tower #1

by Peter David (Adaptor), Robin Furth (Adaptor), Jae Lee (Illustrator)

"The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed." With those words, millions of readers were introduced to Stephen King's Roland - an implacable gunslinger in search of the enigmatic Dark Tower, powering his way through a dangerous land filled with ancient technology and deadly magic. Now, in a comic book personally overseen by King himself, Roland's past is revealed! Sumptuously drawn by Jae Lee and Richard Isanove, adapted by long-time Stephen King expert Robin Furth (author of Stephen King's The Dark Tower: A Concordance) and scripted by New York Times Bestseller Peter David, this series delves in depth into Roland's origins - the perfect introduction to this incredibly realized world; while long-time fans will thrill to adventures merely hinted at in the novels. Be there for the very beginning of a modern classic of fantasy literature! Collects Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born #1-7.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Comics, Fiction, Horror, Graphic Novels Comics, Westerns

240 pages, Paperback

First published November 21, 2007

About the author

aka David Peters

Peter Allen David, often abbreviated PAD, was an American writer of comic books, novels, television, films, and video games. His notable comic book work includes an award-winning 12-year run on The Incredible Hulk, as well as runs on Aquaman, Young Justice, SpyBoy, Supergirl, Fallen Angel, Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2099, Captain Marvel, and X-Factor.
His Star Trek work included comic books and novels such as the New Frontier book series. His other novels included film adaptations, media tie-ins, and original works, such as the Apropos of Nothing and Knight Life series. His television work includes series such as Babylon 5, Young Justice, Ben 10: Alien Force and Nickelodeon's Space Cases, which he co-created with Bill Mumy.
David often jokingly described his occupation as "Writer of Stuff", and he was noted for his prolific writing, characterized by its mingling of real-world issues with humor and references to popular culture, as well as elements of metafiction and self-reference.
David earned multiple awards for his work, including a 1992 Eisner Award, a 1993 Wizard Fan Award, a 1996 Haxtur Award, a 2007 Julie Award and a 2011 GLAAD Media Award.

Reviews

[Lisa of Troy · Rating 4 out of 5]

It has been years since I read a comic. The last time that I recall picking one up was when I read Persepolis as part of the 30 books to read before 30.

The Gunslinger Born was a nice change to my regular reading routine.

There is a group of three friends who go out on an adventure with various twists and turns along the way.

The pages fly by, and David knows how to leave each chapter on a cliffhanger. The book also takes some truly surprising twists.

However, there were far too many characters. I wrote down 23 character names, and I know that I missed some. Then, in the midst of all of these characters, the three friends decided to invent alternate identities and go by different names. Insert sigh of frustration. Then, characters would have nicknames or be called by last names. It was all rather confusing.

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[Baba · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stephen King's Wizard and Glass in Marvel graphic novel format, with so many extras! Did the graphic novel bring anything more to this superb series? The answer is very much so, from the well thought out (in regards to Mid-World style, physical characteristics, backgrounds, accessories etc.) and almost exquisite Jae Lee art through to the on-the-money as ever, Peter David penned dialogue.

The brains behind the greatness of this series adaptation lies fully with Robin Furth for her extensive deep research of the original material that she has used to help create and manage this visuals-led interpretation of The Dark Tower universe! But I have to conceded that this is only better than the book series, as long as you read the book series first; there's a lot of detailed stuff missing, especially around Rhea. 8.5 out of 12.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok, I'm probably going to get crucified by King fans, but I thought that The Dark Tower story was the same as The Stand. And, not being a huge fan of King's horror/fantasy/whatever tales, I hadn't been motivated to figure that out till now. But yeah.
Hey, those are two different series!
And all the King fans simultaneously do this:



That's ok, I deserve that one.
Here's the thing, I don't really enjoy the rambling, weird, sometimes downright gross style of some of his writing. But please don't think I'm trying to say his books are bad! The guy has talent oozing out of his pores, and I'm not trying to downplay what the impact of his presence in the literary world. It's simply personal preference and not a reflection on my feelings towards the man or his fans.
But.
Like every other asshole out there who doesn't bother reading a book until the movie comes out, I saw this trailer and suddenly got interested.



Yes. I'm that person.
*hangs head*
I'll be sitting over here in the corner if you want me...



Alright. Regardless of the reason, I now wanted to find out what this story was all about.
Yay!
And then (after a bit of research on the interwebs) I found out that this was some sort of insane epic that consists of 8 large books and one novella, written over the course of 40+ YEARS.
ACK!
So what's a lazy girl to do?
Well, if you're a lazy girl (or guy!) like me, then you'll grab at the comic book version like it's the last life preserver on a sinking ship.
Nooooo. I don't think these will be as detailed, nuanced, or whatever else as the books, but I'm just looking for the overall gist of the story.
Boom. Done.
Thank you, graphic novelizations...



How was it, you ask?
Well, the art was BEAUTIFUL. Jae Lee shines in this sort of environment! You honestly can't ask for a better artist when it comes to a western/fantasy/horror story like this one. It's visually gorgeous.



And the plot was pretty much what I would expect from Stephen King. It's strange, creepy, lyrical - nasty in spots -but ultimately so interesting that you want more. I'm assuming that Peter David did a good job of transferring the spirit of the story onto the panels. Those of you who have read the books will have to let me know for sure, though.



From what I've heard, this isn't going in order of the BOOKS, it's just telling the story. I'm not 100% about this, but I think if you're planning to read the books, then this thing will spoil some of the plot twists for you, and you may want to wait and read the comics last.



Alright. For those of you who are going to try to convince me that I really must read these? Let me just stop you right there. No. Just...no.
See, one of my pet peeves is made up accents & words. In small doses (like this comic) I'm fine, but the western/poet/cowboy/bullshit way that these characters talked would have me scratching at my skin like a meth head by the time I was done with a full-length novel. And I spend way too much money on the snake oil I rub on my aging face to damage it that way!


So, no. NO.
I'm happy living in the land of picture books for stuff like this, and you can be happy in your smug world of real literature.



To me, the story is worth 4 stars and the art is worth 10. I'm gonna have to settle on 5, I guess. Good stuff!

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark Tower graphic novels? Yes please!

This is the very first volume and it is a collection of seven issues telling the same story as in Wizard and Glass (4th book of The Dark Tower series). That part of the Gunslinger story lends itself very well to the graphic novel format. Who am I kidding!? The whole thing lends itself to this format, book four is just a very good place to start.



I am very impressed with the adaptation of a 500+ page novel into a 150 to 200 page graphic novel. The artwork and the few lines of narration and dialogue completely told the story. Book four was not my favorite in the series, but I think reading this gave me a new appreciation for it.



Also, speaking of artwork, I think the artwork in this book is great. It is dark and mysterious. It has both finely drawn part and other shadowy parts leaving some to the imagination. One thing that I noticed that I thought was very cool, too, is that the images tend not to have backgrounds. Each panel focuses on what is closest to the reader, leaving the background up for interpretation.



King and graphic novel fans alike should check this out!

[Ashley Daviau · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am what you’d call a Dark Tower junkie. Anything and everything to do with it, I must own and consume. Naturally I was giddy as fuck when I found out the series had been adapted to graphic novel form and I had to have it. Then I put off reading it for 6 WHOLE YEARS because I was terrified I would hate it and be disappointed. After finally getting up the courage to dip my toes in the water I’m happy to report that my worries are unfounded and I absolutely fucking loved it. I’m a little surprised they started with Wizard and Glass and not The Gunslinger but if they’re doing things in chronological order then it does make sense. Either way, they did a spectacular job of translating such a brick of a book into graphic novel form. And the illustrations are just BEYOND stunning. The colour on some of the full two page illustrations are show stopping and just about took my breath away. Now fingers crossed that the next volume is as good as this one was!

[Nicolo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful adaptation, particularly because the art is amazing. This book lead me to the original material, the first novel of The Dark Tower series, which was kind of uninspiring to be honest. The graphic novel is a better way to read the story, because it stayed on the very interesting flashback parts.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic! This is actually the content from Wizard and Glass and I think it’s a good idea to do things in chronological order. Great art work.

[Trish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yep, I've fallen down the rabbit hole. Not yet entirely done with the novels (I'm finishing #7 tomorrow probably) and just reveling in all the additional information these comics give the reader.

Apparently, the comics follow the Dark Tower story chronologically. Personally, I don't think this would have worked for the novels AT ALL so I'm glad SK didn't write the story like this. But once you've read the novels, these are a great way to gain deeper insight into some events and characters.

Thus, this first volume tells of Gilead, of Roland's test, him being sent to Hambry and meeting Susan there. At the end of every issue we get additional stories that tell of Rhea of the Cöos and Jonas and how they became who they were in this comic. Not that any amount of backstory could have made me pity them one bit or justify their actions in any sort of way. But it was still nice to delve deeper (especially since King supposedly was very much involved in the creation of these comics so it's all canon).

We also get maps to orient ourselves. Not that I needed it but I have a weakness for books with maps of the lands they tell us about.

The star, however, is the art. It's not the most beautiful art I've ever seen in a comic, but it comes very close. The colours for the different settings alone are breathtaking. To give you an idea:








Absolutely amazing!

I know the story already and yet I never felt bored while reading this comic but rather excited to see these images and be able to compare them to the images I had in my head while reading the novel(s).

But yes, if you're new to the story, heed my warning: unless you want some serious spoilers, do NOT read the comics first or even in parallel to the novels.

Yes, I will continue and read all that have been published - especially since other volumes apparently give lots more new information about Gilead and Jericho, certain battles, Roland's first Ka-tet etc. Can't wait to see that, as tragic as it all is.

[Jessica ❁ ➳ Silverbow ➳ ❁ · Rating 4 out of 5]

9/22/17 - (ALL TEN VOLUMES are currently) ON SALE for $1.80 - $2.20 each:



Do you understand how cheap that is for a graphic novel? Go! Get them ALL! Now!

Reviewed by: Rabid Reads

Even though one of my few legitimate phobias is anything Stephen King-related (I read one of his short story collections when I was far too young and have been unable to sleep in a room with an open door ever since #truestory), all the hype surrounding The Dark Tower movie, made me curious . . .

Of all of His work, it's always been THE DARK TOWER that I've been the most interested in. B/c fantasy.

BUT.

What does Stephen King fantasy look like?

I'd heard enough whispers to feel my hesitation was warranted, but curiosity and me . . . We're bffs.

And FYI, Stephen King curiosity + new(ish)found love of graphic novels = duh.

I figured it would be safer. I'd get the gist and some cool artwork without the dread and fear.



I was right.

This is where my basic outline of the plot begins, so if you don't want to be spoiled, get thee gone. BUT. I'm just giving the gist, so I'd consider it safe--I'm not going to tell you anything that I wouldn't want to know.

Roland Deschain is a Gunslinger.

I don't know what that means beyond the obvious connotation and that it's kind of a Big Deal in this world. Also, this world is very chauvinistic, so be aware of that. Anyway, Roland and his peers are trained by an abusive drill sergeant-type, until the day they challenge their master to a duel.

If they win, they become Gunslingers in their own right.

If they lose, they're banished, ostracized, shunned, etc. They leave their families and their lives, never to return.

This is the first thing I learned.

The second is that Roland is being manipulated into throwing the gauntlet years before he'd be considered ready by his nemesis, the Man in Black.

Fortunately for Roland (and apparently everyone and everything Good in his world), he wins the challenge and isn't sent far, far away.

But his actions cause complications, so his father sends him and a couple of his friends to scout out a kind of in between area.

From there things get . . . more complicated.



Were parts of it gross in the way I imagine all things Stephen King to be?

Yes.



Were parts graphically violent?

Yes?

But in a manner most unsurprising (if you know me), I sped through those parts, not looking too closely at the images, and overall, I have to say this was an excellent compromise. Recommended unless you have a fragile digestive tract and/or are unfamiliar with the practices of ostriches.

[iain · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a reread, these are very talented artists that do these comic books.
Obviously about the gunslinger the dark tower, and how Roland starts out.
Got to be 5 starts

[Char · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adored this graphic novel. The artwork was STUNNING!

It seems that the graphic novels tell the story quite differently than the books do. Having just listened to most of The Dark Tower: Wizard and Glass, the story of Susan Delgado and Rhea of Coos is still fresh in my mind. Their stories are told here, in Volume 1 of the GN series.I can't wait to read the next one!

You can get your beautifully illustrated copy here:

            Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born

All Hail the Crimson King!

[Bradley · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know, even if I wasn't already a die-hard fan of King in general and a super-fan of the DT in specific, I have to say that the quality of this artwork is EASILY enough to deserve a 5-star rating while totally skimming the text.

That being said, I DID NOT skim the text. :) And what did I find?

I didn't find The Gunslinger. Nope. I found KID GUNSLINGER. You know, a wealth of details about the dark YA version of Roland and his youthful Ka-tet. Not to mention a wealth of information only gleaned books later on, including more magic, more history lessons, and really delicious hints of the REALLY big stuff to come. Like, much later. lol

So what am I hinting at here?

Ah, nothin'. It's fantastic no matter how you look at it. It's chronologically sound. You get started at the very beginning of Roland when he fights his teacher. You get his first quest that goes extremely sideways. You get Susan Delgado. All that angst from an older man as he trudges through the wasteland, alone, having seen all his friends go the way of the clearing at the end of the path, has not happened yet.

I LIKE seeing this side of things first. It doesn't show me just how HUGE and EPIC the rest of the DT is, not like the end of The Gunslinger, but it might just be enough to hook any kind of new fan by way of a different medium.

Either way, the books still need a great reading. :) Before? After? I don't think it'll ever really matter.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never got into the novel series but after reading this particular graphic novel I just might give it another try. This volume focuses on the Gunslinger before he became a legend in this post apocalyptic Spaghetti Western Fantasy tale. It covers the legends of his home realm life, how he earned his guns at an early age and his first mission which led to him meeting his first love.

The tone is dark, gritty and at times brutal and women don't have many options unless they hold a great deal of power. The artwork was impressively done with tight facial shots, focus on shadows and some nice running scenes sometimes all completed on one page. There's a nice map in the back to give you an idea of the overall world which I found very helpful as this was my first time experiencing the world. King was creatively involved in the making of this graphic novel. I suspect this will be a spoiler on some level if I ever reach book four of the novel series but that's all right as I wasn't going to give King's series another chance until I picked this piece up.

BOOK ONE

In this installment Roland (the future gunslinger) earns his pistols by defeating a burly, ugly teacher named Cort in a somewhat clever maneuver. There is a flashback recall of Roland's mother's treachery and the current villain of the tale but the real focus is upon Roland and his ka tet going undercover to the town of Hambry where they discover that Hambry and some other bad people are trying to utilize weapons of the Great Old Ones (think tanks and other high tech things versus cowboys). What follows is the ka tet trying to escape with their lives as the antagonists know they know and come after them.

CHARACTERS/DIALOGUE: B plus to A minus; STORY/PLOTTING: B plus; ARTWORK: A minus; SETTING/TONE: B to B plus; OVERALL GRADE: B plus to A minus; WHEN READ: mid May 2012.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

To prequel της ιστορίας του Μαύρου Πύργου, όπου μας διηγείται τα νεανικά χρόνια του Ρόλαντ και πώς ξεκίνησαν όλα. Εν όψει μάλιστα και της τηλεοπτικής σειράς που αναμένουμε το καλοκαίρι (με Idris Elba και Matthew McConaughey) καλό είναι να το φρεσκάρουμε λίγο!

Οι φαν του Μαύρου Πύργου θα το λατρέψουν (εγώ ομολογώ ότι δεν τρελαίνομαι), αλλά το σκίτσο είναι εντυπωσιακό, η ιστορία περιγράφεται στο ίδιο ακριβώς στυλ με τα βιβλία, ενώ στα μπόνους έχουμε περιλήψεις, σημειώσεις από τους συντελεστές και πολλές εκδοχές σκίτσων. Καλή και προσεγμένη η ελληνική έκδοση!

[Lukas Sumper · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is nothing short of the most epic graphic novel series. I have yet to come across something remotley close in epicness, and while contemporary artists still try to achieve something similar, I need to take a swing at "saga" as it is labeled by so many people as such an epic on the modern side.

The first 14 pages of "The Gunslinger Born" win me over in multiple ways at once while all the 176 pages of Saga Volume 1 fail to do so in one way. It is not even in the same league.

What stephen king wrote, peter david with help from robin furth adapted and what incredible artists put to paper is showing me that some people might be able to write stories (even good ones) but you still have to draw the line between those and people like stephen that just live and breath storytelling and do it with such confidence it leaves you a bit speechless.

I am not even a huge King fan but this hit a spot and I only read one book so far of this series, but judging the hype and rating of the later books, I am safe to say this is the king of epic tales in graphic novel format. Pun intended.
5.0 of 5.0 stars

Oh and recommendation? Well if you don't read it you're doing it wrong.

[Sud666 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magnificent! This is truly a work of art. Gorgeous paintings accompany a wonderfully written story. The Gunsligner Born is the story of Roland. This acts as a prequel to the Dark Tower novels, since Roland is only 14. We see his training with Cort and the other Gunslinger's of his Ka-Tet- Cuthbert and Alain. The story then follows Roland and his Ka-Tet as they undertake a mission against Farson's troops. Roland also meets and falls in love with Susan, which has tragic consequences for both.

I can not say enough good things about this wonderfully written story. The characters are spot on. I especially enjoyed the Man in Black and the Crimson King. On top of a first rate story is amazing artwork. each panel is a piece of beautiful art. Truly a gorgeous series.

This issue has the Gunslinger Born story and an extra section giving a cool history on how Arthur fell to the Crimson Queen, and how Maerlyn's magic crystal balls were created-but most of all I appreciated how it explains the Crimson King and the Dark Tower. Well done! It's obvious they worked very closely with Stephen King to pull this off. A must read for any Dark Tower fan. Honestly, even if you've never read the series this is a great comic. Recommend for anyone.

[Jean · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed the Dark Tower series, so I looked forward to getting back to some places and characters I missed through the graphic novels. I might read the next one, to give them a second chance, but I'm not chomping at the bit, that's for sure.

The writing in The Gunslinger Born is dull--an overdone mimic of the language King uses in the original series. Still, although King's writing is enjoyable, he's no great word-master (great story-teller, yes). So I wasn't expecting miracles in the writing department from a spin-off graphic novel.

But the art is a let-down as well. At first, Lee's and Isanove's pictures are striking and elegant: strange, dark, gothic, twisted, shadowy . . . but as I turn the pages, that's all they are. Over and over. Strange, dark, gothic, twisted, shadowy. No longer striking, just repetitive. Half-way through, I barely looked at the artwork and just read with a mind to finish the book. In fact, the limited palette of muted tones (with infrequent bursts of bright red) muffle the imagination rather than stimulate it. The restrictive color scheme and absence of texture lull the reader into a mental doze. And, while in many cases simplicity is best, the lack of detail in the frames is just that: a lack. There's nothing to look for in the pictures, so the reader might as well stop looking. Nothing new to see; just more back-lit silhouettes, close-ups of intense faces, and smooth-'n-sinewy everythings (rock formations, cloth, horses, you name it).

For the first chapter or so, I enjoyed seeing a graphic depiction of familiar characters, but the novel quickly lost its charm.

[Tiag⊗ the Mutant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even better on a second read through, truly a work of art, one of the best graphic novels out there. Flawless engaging storytelling, terrific world building and outstanding art.

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first of many fine graphic novels that Marvel produced as associate volumes to King's prose novels. It has very good art that brings the story to life and is well-scripted by long-time comics writer Peter David and long-time King associate Robin Furth. A strict adaptation of the series would have lost its appeal quickly, but this one incorporates a lot of material from Wizard in Glass and tells the back story with a lot more depth of different characters. It was a very good kick-off to a long run.

[TK421 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been told that if you HAVE NOT READ book four of the Dark Tower Series, WIZARD AND GLASS, The Dark Tower graphic novels provide some spoilers.

WARNING: THIS REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have not read WIZARD AND GLASS, so I don’t know if I am writing any spoilers in this review. (Let me know if I am!!)

THE GUNSLINGER BORN is a graphic novel that packs just as much punch as King’s first book in the Dark Tower Series THE GUNSLINGER. But instead of an older Roland, we are introduced to a younger Roland, one that is beginning his training to become a gunslinger. Immediately upon reading the first few pages, I was taken back to that other world of magicians and gunslingers and strange creatures. The further I read, the philosophies of this other world took shape again within my mind and I found myself believing in “ka” and wondering where my “ka-tet” was. For me, the Dark Tower represents the possibilities of storytelling. (Granted I have only read the first three novels, but I have high hopes.) THE GUNSLINGER REBORN does not disappoint.

Written by Robin Furth and Peter David, this story-arc (composed of seven comics) is broken down by the following plot-lines:

Issue #1: Roland travels across the Mohaine Desert, recalling the treachery of Marten Broadcloak, the adulterous affair his mother commits, his defeat of Cort, and the night he spent with a prostitute.

Issue #2: Steven, Roland’s father, sends Roland and his ka-tet to the east, the true form of the Crimson King is unveiled

Issue #3: A group of assassins, the Big Coffin Hunters, have marked Roland and his ka-tet for death

Issue #4: Roland falls in love with Susan Delgado

Issue #5: Roland discovers that John Farson has stolen weapons from the Great Old Ones, and is planning an attack on the Affiliation, a group that Roland’s father is a member

Issue #6: The Affiliation is tricked into going to the Shaved Mountains, where Farson and his company of men plan on using the weapons of the Great Old Ones on them

Issue #7: Roland and his ka-tet reign vengeance upon the Big Coffin Hunters, saving Roland’s father; Roland’s and Susan’s love affair comes to a tragic conclusion

In each of these stories, a bigger piece of Roland and his history is given to illustrate the many depths of his psyche and ultimately paints a picture of why Roland became the way he is. For me, THE GUNSLINGER BORN answered many questions I had about Roland (questions I have been told are answered in WIZARD AND GLASS). In addition, the artwork is unbelievable, adding to the details I had always imagined Roland and his world looked like. Overall, this is a remarkable story for all Dark Tower fans.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, I was warned that there were changes to the story...

I read this as individual issues. Several reviews stated that Marvel, in their infinite wisdom, left a significant portion of the seven issues out of the compilation, dropping Robin Furth's history of Gilead and Arthur Eld completely. Without these, the story as presented makes even less sense. I'll explain that statement shortly.

This is part of the story from Wizard and Glass in which Roland and his gunslingers take on the several layers of bad guys. This was my favorite of the Dark Tower books, and there, Stephen King really developed Roland's character, giving him a background and a past. The level of emotion was very high as Roland falls in love with a damsel in distress, defeats the Big Coffin Hunters, and sets him off on his journey toward the Dark Tower itself.

And that's where this graphic novel fell short. The level of detail was completely lost as Peter David only hits the "salient" high points, leaving out character development, motives, and how the supporting cast fits into the storyline. Two of these come immediately to mind. Sheemie? Very little about him, other than how he was mistreated. Rhea? Nothing about this master manipulator, pushing the entire town to murder. These changes, among many others, really took away from the story. I'm not sure I would even be able to follow along without reading Wizard and Glass first. So disappointing.

The artwork, on the other hand, was simply gorgeous. Jae Lee and Richard Isanove captured the bleakness perfectly, capture the beauty perfectly, even the evilness of the witch and the Good Man perfectly. It was the art that really carried this volume.

On to the next one: The Dark Tower, Volume 2: The Long Road Home

[Richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3.5 Stars*
Here we go. Years ago, I had a great time going on the epic adventure of Roland and his ka-tet as they travel in search of the Dark Tower in order to save the world(s) in Stephen King's massive genre-bending epic. With the Dark Tower movie being released this year, I thought I'd delve into the huge multi-series comic book adaptation of the story, and it starts here.



In this first 5-volume series, with guidance from King, Peter David and Robin Furth decided to begin the story by compiling material from the prequel/flashback events referenced in the main series to detail Roland's early days as a gunslinger, the fall of Gilead and the moment when the world begins to break apart at the seams. This first volume, The Gunslinger Born, is essentially a retelling of the flashbacks in King's fourth DT novel, Wizard and Glass, where Roland and his buddies find love and violence while on their first mission to Mejis to investigate the movements of insane rebel John Farson, and take the first steps toward their ka.



Wizard and Glass was a controversial departure from the main story, but if you were like me and really enjoyed that tale of young Roland then you'll also enjoy this picture adaptation! Although at times I wish it was a bit more detailed in the settings, the inky artwork by Jae Lee and Richard Isanove is eye-catching, with memorable, iconic imagery. I also like the idea of the folksy narration being told in Mid-World dialect, but it did get a little obnoxious and distracting. Still, I'm pumped to jump back into the world of The Dark Tower and join Roland on his quest again.

[Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

5.0 stars. WOW, WHAT AN AMAZING ADAPTATION!!! First off, I must say that this book is not recommended for those who have not read the Dark Tower series (especially Wizard and Glass on which this graphic novel is based). However, for those that have read and enjoyed Wizard and Glass, this graphic novel is a real treat. The artwork is superb, the tone is spot on, and the writers do an amazing job of translating a 500 page story into 150 page graphic novel without losing the scope of the book in the process. I absolutely loved it and cannot recommend it highly enough. Just make sure you have read the underlying source material first.

[José · Rating 5 out of 5]

Estoy releyendo las novelas gráficas en físico y las estoy disfrutando muchísimo más que la vez que la leí en digital.

Este primer tomo nos muestra cómo Roland se convirtió en Pistolero y también comienzan a desarrollarse los eventos que llevarían a la caída de Gilead.
Deben tener en cuenta que si leen estas novelas gráficas, se spoilearán buena parte de Mago y cristal, así que recomiendo leerlas una vez que hayan terminado ese libro.

Me encantan las ilustraciones, tienen un estilo oscuro que encajan a la perfección en el tono de la historia.

Muy recomendable para fans de la saga de La Torre Oscura.

[David Sven · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great graphic novel that goes into the Roland origins story as related in The Gunslinger and Wizard and Glass.

The art was great. Fans of Dark Tower will love it. I'm not sure how it does as an entry into the main series of books though. The books also give more detail than is in the comic, but what this has that the books don't is extra information interspersed about the histories of Gilead and Arthur Eld and the mythology of "In World." This is actually NEW information that the books only hint at.

I enjoyed it and will continue with the rest of the graphic novels.


4 stars

[Kandice · Rating 4 out of 5]

7/2015 - I bumped it up a star because I very recently re-read The Gunslinger and this satisfied a craving. I am so in love with Lee's illustrations! I'm still not a fan of the familiarity of the narrator with the reader, but the story is solid.

I love the way the GN explains things like Ka and Ka-tet as soon as the words are used. King lets the reader figure their meanings out, but with the GN there is a very finite number of words and a lot of information to pass along, so explaining is a good choice.

Did anyone else notice the use of the word "shiny" in a very Whedon/Firefly-esque way? ;)

2008-
I have to say that the captions bothered me a bit. As the narrator was addressing the reader, he spoke in too familiar a voice. As I read the Dark Tower series, I feel it's almost an epic fable, but addressed in such a way makes it too personal and "right now". I want to feel like I am reading/hearing this story eons after it has taken place, not a week later. It loses a bit of it's magic in this way. To me, anyway.

I did love the illustrations. Susan's face was perfect, if her hair and clothing left something to be desired. Cuthbert looked almost perfectly the way I pictured him. Alain, not so much, but not different enough to be distracting. I loved the way the peach fuzz on Roland's face was suggested. Also, the way his body, when he was shirtless, really looked like a 15 year olds. Obviously developing into a powerful man, but not quite finished.

Even with these complaints, I will certainly be reading the rest.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok this is a second time around for this book but there is a reason...I have finally been able to get all the various instalments to both series of the Dark Tower.

The series was intended to tell the early story of Roland Deschain linking up with the novels. Much of the material is new but does have various vague references from the novels so there is a continuity even if not directly stated (after all the books are from different publishers).

So the book - the artwork is clean and vivid in a style that I really enjoy. It has the ability to portray the dusty desolation that I would expect from the series considering the location and the "bigger story" that is explained in the novels.

For me the Gunslinger series represents many things - (which is no surprise considering the number of influences that Stephen King himself has acknowledged in the making of this grand story) but if the books were a epic tale on a grandiose scale these graphic novels make it far more personal and intimate after all if the books are making a world then these graphic novels are the making of a man.

So starts my journey in to the Dark Tower graphic novels.

[Paul · Rating 1 out of 5]

I think it's become clear over the past few months that graphic novels just aren't my thing. In this case, the graphic-novel rendition of Stephen King's Dark Tower series begins with the creation of Roland as gunslinger, the backstory told in book 4 of King's series, Wizard and Glass. That book was the best of the series, but all of the things that made it such a terrific novel are missing from the comic-book version. Where King injected emotion and pathos, this is flat and sterile. Where King built a rich and believable world, this is almost claustrophobic in the narrowness of its scope. Where King developed nuanced characters, this provides a series of cliches. In the end, this attempt proves that when he's at his best, King's words are worth more than 1,000 pictures.

[Diego Beaumont · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantástica precuela? del pistolero de Stephen King. Me esperaba una fiel adaptación de la novela y me encontré con mucho más. Nuevos personajes, villanos entre bambalinas y escenas que dan redondez a un personaje que un principio resulta un tanto árido. Con este principio tan épico tengo muchas ganas de continuar leyendo los cómics.

[Stepheny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely amazing! Really brings the wonderful tale of Roland to life. The artwork is breathtaking, and it was very well written.