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Gravel (collected editions) #5
Strange Killings: Strong Medicine
Former soldier and current combat magician William Gravel pits his skills against rogue agents who use black magic to threaten society.
William Gravel is back, and neck deep in bad juju! Finally free of his exile to the United States, the combat magician returns to his London home. However, before he can even settle in, he finds himself at the center of an investigation involving a horrific act of child mutilation. The child's murder was very specific, part of a ritual designed to acquire and harness powerful magic. If Gravel can't stop the black magic responsible, many more children will die to create a madman with very strong medicine...
William Gravel is back, and neck deep in bad juju! Finally free of his exile to the United States, the combat magician returns to his London home. However, before he can even settle in, he finds himself at the center of an investigation involving a horrific act of child mutilation. The child's murder was very specific, part of a ritual designed to acquire and harness powerful magic. If Gravel can't stop the black magic responsible, many more children will die to create a madman with very strong medicine...
72 pages, Paperback
First published July 6, 2004
45 people want to read
About the author
Warren Ellis
1,971 books5,763 followersWarren Ellis is the award-winning writer of graphic novels like TRANSMETROPOLITAN, FELL, MINISTRY OF SPACE and PLANETARY, and the author of the NYT-bestselling GUN MACHINE and the “underground classic” novel CROOKED LITTLE VEIN, as well as the digital short-story single DEAD PIG COLLECTOR. His newest book is the novella NORMAL, from FSG Originals, listed as one of Amazon’s Best 100 Books Of 2016.
The movie RED is based on his graphic novel of the same name, its sequel having been released in summer 2013. IRON MAN 3 is based on his Marvel Comics graphic novel IRON MAN: EXTREMIS. He is currently developing his graphic novel sequence with Jason Howard, TREES, for television, in concert with HardySonBaker and NBCU, and continues to work as a screenwriter and producer in film and television, represented by Angela Cheng Caplan and Cheng Caplan Company. He is the creator, writer and co-producer of the Netflix series CASTLEVANIA, recently renewed for its third season, and of the recently-announced Netflix series HEAVEN’S FOREST.
He’s written extensively for VICE, WIRED UK and Reuters on technological and cultural matters, and given keynote speeches and lectures at events like dConstruct, ThingsCon, Improving Reality, SxSW, How The Light Gets In, Haunted Machines and Cognitive Cities.
Warren Ellis has recently developed and curated the revival of the Wildstorm creative library for DC Entertainment with the series THE WILD STORM, and is currently working on the serialising of new graphic novel works TREES: THREE FATES and INJECTION at Image Comics, and the serialised graphic novel THE BATMAN’S GRAVE for DC Comics, while working as a Consulting Producer on another television series.
A documentary about his work, CAPTURED GHOSTS, was released in 2012.
Recognitions include the NUIG Literary and Debating Society’s President’s Medal for service to freedom of speech, the EAGLE AWARDS Roll Of Honour for lifetime achievement in the field of comics & graphic novels, the Grand Prix de l’Imaginaire 2010, the Sidewise Award for Alternate History and the International Horror Guild Award for illustrated narrative. He is a Patron of Humanists UK. He holds an honorary doctorate from the University of Essex.
Warren Ellis lives outside London, on the south-east coast of England, in case he needs to make a quick getaway.
The movie RED is based on his graphic novel of the same name, its sequel having been released in summer 2013. IRON MAN 3 is based on his Marvel Comics graphic novel IRON MAN: EXTREMIS. He is currently developing his graphic novel sequence with Jason Howard, TREES, for television, in concert with HardySonBaker and NBCU, and continues to work as a screenwriter and producer in film and television, represented by Angela Cheng Caplan and Cheng Caplan Company. He is the creator, writer and co-producer of the Netflix series CASTLEVANIA, recently renewed for its third season, and of the recently-announced Netflix series HEAVEN’S FOREST.
He’s written extensively for VICE, WIRED UK and Reuters on technological and cultural matters, and given keynote speeches and lectures at events like dConstruct, ThingsCon, Improving Reality, SxSW, How The Light Gets In, Haunted Machines and Cognitive Cities.
Warren Ellis has recently developed and curated the revival of the Wildstorm creative library for DC Entertainment with the series THE WILD STORM, and is currently working on the serialising of new graphic novel works TREES: THREE FATES and INJECTION at Image Comics, and the serialised graphic novel THE BATMAN’S GRAVE for DC Comics, while working as a Consulting Producer on another television series.
A documentary about his work, CAPTURED GHOSTS, was released in 2012.
Recognitions include the NUIG Literary and Debating Society’s President’s Medal for service to freedom of speech, the EAGLE AWARDS Roll Of Honour for lifetime achievement in the field of comics & graphic novels, the Grand Prix de l’Imaginaire 2010, the Sidewise Award for Alternate History and the International Horror Guild Award for illustrated narrative. He is a Patron of Humanists UK. He holds an honorary doctorate from the University of Essex.
Warren Ellis lives outside London, on the south-east coast of England, in case he needs to make a quick getaway.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 31, 2023
Another short comic story starrign Warren Ellis's magic detective. Sort of a hardcore John Constantine.
He investigates a case with a child murderer doing occult rituals with the poor kids.
It feels like Ellis on auto-pilot.
He investigates a case with a child murderer doing occult rituals with the poor kids.
It feels like Ellis on auto-pilot.
November 1, 2022
There's less gore and violence in STRONG MEDICINE to concentrate more on the equally disturbing story elements. Mike Wolfer gets a chance to showcase his black and white evocative art, and there are some stunning background panels free of text that utilize shading and light to help define the gloomy atmosphere.
The story revolves around another wicked sorcerer utilizing muti, a practice of South African witch doctors, where body parts of children are ultized in making a variety of potions. Hacking off parts of the victims ensures more potent magic. The villain is a white supremacist who intends to use that magic to set off a race riot and burn London to the ground. Fortunately, the mutilation and torture of young black children takes place off panel and is not depicted. No need. The description is disturbing enough.
There's a subtle message under Ellis' story about race relations in England, but this is mainly another B-movie flavored action adventure. Good escapism. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
The story revolves around another wicked sorcerer utilizing muti, a practice of South African witch doctors, where body parts of children are ultized in making a variety of potions. Hacking off parts of the victims ensures more potent magic. The villain is a white supremacist who intends to use that magic to set off a race riot and burn London to the ground. Fortunately, the mutilation and torture of young black children takes place off panel and is not depicted. No need. The description is disturbing enough.
There's a subtle message under Ellis' story about race relations in England, but this is mainly another B-movie flavored action adventure. Good escapism. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
November 4, 2012
Slight little story, a little disturbing and pretty much over before it got into the good stuff.
May 26, 2018
I really want to give this 3 stars, but I can’t. Why? I enjoyed the series too much.
The last volume is good, no doubt. It doesn’t leave the reading hanging, yet it still gives the reader a bit to ponder, which I appreciate.
After all, no story is EVER completely finished.
It was well written, the flow of dialogue and description smooth and easy to follow, creating an atmosphere that puts the reader where they should be-in the story- RIGHT THERE! A talent that is hard to accomplish.
Rearte, Cabrol, Rodriguez, and Hathaway are brilliant and couldn’t have been better suited for this project, bringing the characters truly alive and making the story compelling and complete. I love great art.
However, toward the end I felt like there should be something more tangible, long lasting and rewarding for Sergeant Major Gravel. He did get what he wanted.... or did he?
3 volumes later I’m not so sure. (Perhaps I’m simply projecting)
I know, I’m not disappointed because it wrapped up nicely, but I’m left with a sort of “huh?” on my mind.
Nonetheless, I still have to recommend finishing the series.
The last volume is good, no doubt. It doesn’t leave the reading hanging, yet it still gives the reader a bit to ponder, which I appreciate.
After all, no story is EVER completely finished.
It was well written, the flow of dialogue and description smooth and easy to follow, creating an atmosphere that puts the reader where they should be-in the story- RIGHT THERE! A talent that is hard to accomplish.
Rearte, Cabrol, Rodriguez, and Hathaway are brilliant and couldn’t have been better suited for this project, bringing the characters truly alive and making the story compelling and complete. I love great art.
However, toward the end I felt like there should be something more tangible, long lasting and rewarding for Sergeant Major Gravel. He did get what he wanted.... or did he?
3 volumes later I’m not so sure. (Perhaps I’m simply projecting)
I know, I’m not disappointed because it wrapped up nicely, but I’m left with a sort of “huh?” on my mind.
Nonetheless, I still have to recommend finishing the series.
August 1, 2017
A good read but it still seems to suffer from the rushed feeling of the other volumes. This one deals with a racist museum attempting to incite a race war in London though human mutilation and sacrifice. Gravel shows up to be sure the bad guys get as good as they give (and then some.)
Closest thing to Constantine you'll find, even if it's generally not quite on the same level.
Closest thing to Constantine you'll find, even if it's generally not quite on the same level.
March 24, 2008
A good one, a quick one. Cool magic, violence, you get to see that Bill Gravel ain't all bad, and he really has more of a John Constantine-vibe in this one. Makes me psyched for the new on-going "Gravel" series. A real 3.5 star'er, as all the stoff I said about "Body Orchard" applies here, but this one is specifically enjoyable.
October 6, 2016
The title is referring to magis coming from South Africa. It's a type of magis that employs limbs and genitalia from children to perform powerful potions. The story begins with Gravel being forced to investigate a dismembered black boy found in the Thames. In the end he goes face to face with a magician of at least equal strength, but certainly not equal skill.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews