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A Walk Through Hell (Single Issues) #1-12
A WALK THROUGH HELL: THE COMPLETE SERIES
So these two FBI agents walk into a warehouse...
Special Agents Shaw and McGregor handle the routine cases nowadays, which is just the way Shaw likes it. She's pushing 40, a borderline burnout, the ghastly memories of her last investigation still clinging like shadows. McGregor is younger, more dedicated, hanging onto some measure of idealism whatever the world might throw at him.
Shaw and McGregor conduct the most crucial interrogation of their FBI careers amongst a tale of unimaginable, unequaled depravity that may provide the clues the two agents need to make sense of their grim surroundings.
A new kind of horror story for modern America, written by Garth Ennis ('Preacher', 'The Boys', 'Crossed') and drawn by Goran Sudzuka ('Y: The Last Man', 'Hellblazer')
Collects all 12 issues of the hit series into one immensely satisfying hardcover.
Special Agents Shaw and McGregor handle the routine cases nowadays, which is just the way Shaw likes it. She's pushing 40, a borderline burnout, the ghastly memories of her last investigation still clinging like shadows. McGregor is younger, more dedicated, hanging onto some measure of idealism whatever the world might throw at him.
Shaw and McGregor conduct the most crucial interrogation of their FBI careers amongst a tale of unimaginable, unequaled depravity that may provide the clues the two agents need to make sense of their grim surroundings.
A new kind of horror story for modern America, written by Garth Ennis ('Preacher', 'The Boys', 'Crossed') and drawn by Goran Sudzuka ('Y: The Last Man', 'Hellblazer')
Collects all 12 issues of the hit series into one immensely satisfying hardcover.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published May 19, 2020
7 people are currently reading
189 people want to read
About the author
Garth Ennis
2,611 books3,157 followersEnnis began his comic-writing career in 1989 with the series Troubled Souls. Appearing in the short-lived but critically-acclaimed British anthology Crisis and illustrated by McCrea, it told the story of a young, apolitical Protestant man caught up by fate in the violence of the Irish 'Troubles'. It spawned a sequel, For a Few Troubles More, a broad Belfast-based comedy featuring two supporting characters from Troubled Souls, Dougie and Ivor, who would later get their own American comics series, Dicks, from Caliber in 1997, and several follow-ups from Avatar.
Another series for Crisis was True Faith, a religious satire inspired by his schooldays, this time drawn by Warren Pleece. Ennis shortly after began to write for Crisis' parent publication, 2000 AD. He quickly graduated on to the title's flagship character, Judge Dredd, taking over from original creator John Wagner for a period of several years.
Ennis' first work on an American comic came in 1991 when he took over DC Comics's horror title Hellblazer, which he wrote until 1994, and for which he currently holds the title for most issues written. Steve Dillon became the regular artist during the second half of Ennis's run.
Ennis' landmark work to date is the 66-issue epic Preacher, which he co-created with artist Steve Dillon. Running from 1995 to 2000, it was a tale of a preacher with supernatural powers, searching (literally) for God who has abandoned his creation.
While Preacher was running, Ennis began a series set in the DC universe called Hitman. Despite being lower profile than Preacher, Hitman ran for 60 issues (plus specials) from 1996 to 2001, veering wildly from violent action to humour to an examination of male friendship under fire.
Other comic projects Ennis wrote during this time period include Goddess, Bloody Mary, Unknown Soldier, and Pride & Joy, all for DC/Vertigo, as well as origin stories for The Darkness for Image Comics and Shadowman for Valiant Comics.
After the end of Hitman, Ennis was lured to Marvel Comics with the promise from Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada that he could write The Punisher as long as he cared to. Instead of largely comical tone of these issues, he decided to make a much more serious series, re-launched under Marvel's MAX imprint.
In 2001 he briefly returned to UK comics to write the epic Helter Skelter for Judge Dredd.
Other comics Ennis has written include War Story (with various artists) for DC; The Pro for Image Comics; The Authority for Wildstorm; Just a Pilgrim for Black Bull Press, and 303, Chronicles of Wormwood (a six issue mini-series about the Antichrist), and a western comic book, Streets of Glory for Avatar Press.
In 2008 Ennis ended his five-year run on Punisher MAX to debut a new Marvel title, War Is Hell: The First Flight of the Phantom Eagle.
In June 2008, at Wizard World, Philadelphia, Ennis announced several new projects, including a metaseries of war comics called Battlefields from Dynamite made up of mini-series including Night Witches, Dear Billy and Tankies, another Chronicles of Wormwood mini-series and Crossed both at Avatar, a six-issue miniseries about Butcher (from The Boys) and a Punisher project reuniting him with artist Steve Dillon (subsequently specified to be a weekly mini-series entitled Punisher: War Zone, to be released concurrently with the film of the same name).
Taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garth_Ennis
Another series for Crisis was True Faith, a religious satire inspired by his schooldays, this time drawn by Warren Pleece. Ennis shortly after began to write for Crisis' parent publication, 2000 AD. He quickly graduated on to the title's flagship character, Judge Dredd, taking over from original creator John Wagner for a period of several years.
Ennis' first work on an American comic came in 1991 when he took over DC Comics's horror title Hellblazer, which he wrote until 1994, and for which he currently holds the title for most issues written. Steve Dillon became the regular artist during the second half of Ennis's run.
Ennis' landmark work to date is the 66-issue epic Preacher, which he co-created with artist Steve Dillon. Running from 1995 to 2000, it was a tale of a preacher with supernatural powers, searching (literally) for God who has abandoned his creation.
While Preacher was running, Ennis began a series set in the DC universe called Hitman. Despite being lower profile than Preacher, Hitman ran for 60 issues (plus specials) from 1996 to 2001, veering wildly from violent action to humour to an examination of male friendship under fire.
Other comic projects Ennis wrote during this time period include Goddess, Bloody Mary, Unknown Soldier, and Pride & Joy, all for DC/Vertigo, as well as origin stories for The Darkness for Image Comics and Shadowman for Valiant Comics.
After the end of Hitman, Ennis was lured to Marvel Comics with the promise from Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada that he could write The Punisher as long as he cared to. Instead of largely comical tone of these issues, he decided to make a much more serious series, re-launched under Marvel's MAX imprint.
In 2001 he briefly returned to UK comics to write the epic Helter Skelter for Judge Dredd.
Other comics Ennis has written include War Story (with various artists) for DC; The Pro for Image Comics; The Authority for Wildstorm; Just a Pilgrim for Black Bull Press, and 303, Chronicles of Wormwood (a six issue mini-series about the Antichrist), and a western comic book, Streets of Glory for Avatar Press.
In 2008 Ennis ended his five-year run on Punisher MAX to debut a new Marvel title, War Is Hell: The First Flight of the Phantom Eagle.
In June 2008, at Wizard World, Philadelphia, Ennis announced several new projects, including a metaseries of war comics called Battlefields from Dynamite made up of mini-series including Night Witches, Dear Billy and Tankies, another Chronicles of Wormwood mini-series and Crossed both at Avatar, a six-issue miniseries about Butcher (from The Boys) and a Punisher project reuniting him with artist Steve Dillon (subsequently specified to be a weekly mini-series entitled Punisher: War Zone, to be released concurrently with the film of the same name).
Taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garth_Ennis
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
June 23, 2025
I will give Garth Ennis credit where credit is due. His latest graphic novel, A Walk Through Hell is something that some of his previous graphic novels could never be accused of: subtle.
Let’s be honest: Ennis—-the brainchild behind such series as Crossed, Preacher, and The Boys—-is as subtle as a fistfuck with brass knuckles. I’ve always kind of liked this about him, but it can get tiring. And most of the time, Ennis’s idea of horror was less horrifying than it was just plain disgusting.
A Walk Through Hell is genuinely scary at times, and Ennis’s decision to tone down on the gore and amp up the dread succeeds wonderfully in this.
Not that there isn’t gore in this, but it’s definitely extremely subdued, especially when compared to, say, Crossed. Ennis isn’t trying to gross the reader out in this, like he was in Crossed. He’s actually making a pretty strong social commentary about our times. It is, actually, a running theme with Ennis, but one that often gets subsumed by the blood and guts in his previous novels: humanity is a good and fragile thing, and we can all lose it if we’re not careful.
That this is a blatant anti-Trump story is obvious. Ennis doesn’t shy away from or hide his politics. And yet, it never feels very political, mainly because the political aspects take a backseat to the story’s spiritual aspects. Yes, A Walk Through Hell tackles some heavy religious and theological issues, as only Ennis can tackle them.
Preacher was religious, too, although Ennis’s religious (more aptly anti-religious) commentary in that series always came across as more of a mean-spirited attack on Christianity. Not that Christianity, in my opinion, doesn’t deserve it.
In this series, however, Ennis comes across as more fair-minded, which is weird to say in a graphic novel series in which it is more than implied that God not only doesn’t exist but that God, as a concept, is merely a cruel joke played on humanity by the Devil, who created the idea of Heaven and God for mere shits and giggles.
Yet between the lines, Ennis, I think, is saying something a little more hopeful: If God doesn’t exist and all that we have waiting for us at the end of life is either fire and brimstone or bleak nothingness, then how can we explain the good and the beautiful in the world? If Evil is the way things should be, and Good is the aberration, the fact that humanity has successfully survived this long and has, indeed, done some good and created some beauty, at the very least seems to suggest an iota of a possibility in the existence of God.
Who knew Ennis could be so fucking spiritual?
Let’s be honest: Ennis—-the brainchild behind such series as Crossed, Preacher, and The Boys—-is as subtle as a fistfuck with brass knuckles. I’ve always kind of liked this about him, but it can get tiring. And most of the time, Ennis’s idea of horror was less horrifying than it was just plain disgusting.
A Walk Through Hell is genuinely scary at times, and Ennis’s decision to tone down on the gore and amp up the dread succeeds wonderfully in this.
Not that there isn’t gore in this, but it’s definitely extremely subdued, especially when compared to, say, Crossed. Ennis isn’t trying to gross the reader out in this, like he was in Crossed. He’s actually making a pretty strong social commentary about our times. It is, actually, a running theme with Ennis, but one that often gets subsumed by the blood and guts in his previous novels: humanity is a good and fragile thing, and we can all lose it if we’re not careful.
That this is a blatant anti-Trump story is obvious. Ennis doesn’t shy away from or hide his politics. And yet, it never feels very political, mainly because the political aspects take a backseat to the story’s spiritual aspects. Yes, A Walk Through Hell tackles some heavy religious and theological issues, as only Ennis can tackle them.
Preacher was religious, too, although Ennis’s religious (more aptly anti-religious) commentary in that series always came across as more of a mean-spirited attack on Christianity. Not that Christianity, in my opinion, doesn’t deserve it.
In this series, however, Ennis comes across as more fair-minded, which is weird to say in a graphic novel series in which it is more than implied that God not only doesn’t exist but that God, as a concept, is merely a cruel joke played on humanity by the Devil, who created the idea of Heaven and God for mere shits and giggles.
Yet between the lines, Ennis, I think, is saying something a little more hopeful: If God doesn’t exist and all that we have waiting for us at the end of life is either fire and brimstone or bleak nothingness, then how can we explain the good and the beautiful in the world? If Evil is the way things should be, and Good is the aberration, the fact that humanity has successfully survived this long and has, indeed, done some good and created some beauty, at the very least seems to suggest an iota of a possibility in the existence of God.
Who knew Ennis could be so fucking spiritual?
March 16, 2020
A Walk Through Hell : The Complete Series, by Garth Ennis, with artist Goran Sudzuka, colorist Ive Svorcina and letterer Rob Stein.
FBI Special Agents Shaw and McGregor are working routine cases, haunted by their past investigation of a child snatcher and killer. Shaw is hard edged and cynical. McGregor is more of an idealist. They make for perfect partners, and they quickly grow on us.
One day, they are informed of the disappearance of two colleagues who were on a warehouse stakeout. They entered said warehouse, and never came back. The local cops sent a SWAT team in, which came back out, terrified, less than a minute after entry. Shaw and McGregor decide to go inside and search for their fellow agents themselves. Then, they wake up dead on the floor. Or, are they ?
I have first been surprised by the art, which can seem minimalist depending on what you’ve read before. It is closer to the Franco-Belgian school of comics (but not to the point of ligne claire). Anyway, you quickly get used to it, and it serves the story well, allowing the reader to focus on important details, with a dynamic use of panels layout. The facial expressions are particularly lively, and sometimes remindful of the best directed episodes of Timm/Dini’s Batman : TAS.
The story, however, is way darker. The title isn’t misleading. If I had to attribute a style to it, I would call it X-Files noir, with a pinch of David Lynch.
It’s not told in a linear fashion. Intertwined with the warehouse search are multiple time jumps to past events, mostly focusing on the investigation I was mentioning above, but not solely. As such, it is a story you have to read with great focus. Not only on the written word, but also on the art.
Now what is it about, exactly ? It’s hard to describe in words, and even harder to do it without spoiling. It is about the nature of evil. I mentioned David Lynch earlier, because it can be as disturbing and thought provoking than some of Lynch’s works.
Serious catholics might not like what the writer is trying to tell us, as won’t readers leaning to the orange side of the political range. But, that’s Garth Ennis for you. No compromises.
If you keep an open mind, this is pure genius.
Heartful thanks to Aftershock Comics, Diamond Book Distributors, and Netgalley for the ARC provided in exchange for this unbiased review.
FBI Special Agents Shaw and McGregor are working routine cases, haunted by their past investigation of a child snatcher and killer. Shaw is hard edged and cynical. McGregor is more of an idealist. They make for perfect partners, and they quickly grow on us.
One day, they are informed of the disappearance of two colleagues who were on a warehouse stakeout. They entered said warehouse, and never came back. The local cops sent a SWAT team in, which came back out, terrified, less than a minute after entry. Shaw and McGregor decide to go inside and search for their fellow agents themselves. Then, they wake up dead on the floor. Or, are they ?
I have first been surprised by the art, which can seem minimalist depending on what you’ve read before. It is closer to the Franco-Belgian school of comics (but not to the point of ligne claire). Anyway, you quickly get used to it, and it serves the story well, allowing the reader to focus on important details, with a dynamic use of panels layout. The facial expressions are particularly lively, and sometimes remindful of the best directed episodes of Timm/Dini’s Batman : TAS.
The story, however, is way darker. The title isn’t misleading. If I had to attribute a style to it, I would call it X-Files noir, with a pinch of David Lynch.
It’s not told in a linear fashion. Intertwined with the warehouse search are multiple time jumps to past events, mostly focusing on the investigation I was mentioning above, but not solely. As such, it is a story you have to read with great focus. Not only on the written word, but also on the art.
Now what is it about, exactly ? It’s hard to describe in words, and even harder to do it without spoiling. It is about the nature of evil. I mentioned David Lynch earlier, because it can be as disturbing and thought provoking than some of Lynch’s works.
Serious catholics might not like what the writer is trying to tell us, as won’t readers leaning to the orange side of the political range. But, that’s Garth Ennis for you. No compromises.
If you keep an open mind, this is pure genius.
Heartful thanks to Aftershock Comics, Diamond Book Distributors, and Netgalley for the ARC provided in exchange for this unbiased review.
June 27, 2020
Thank you to the publisher for giving me a free copy of this comic in exchange for an honest review.
I really loved this! I think this story is so good!!! I definitely recommend it. The story develops nicely and doesn't drag. There are more than enough events in the story to keep you entertained and it doesn't get boring at all!
I was a bit hesitant on reading this because I usually don't read horror of some sort but I really enjoyed reading this and the story really grabbed me.
The Art style is pretty good. I had to get used to it for a little bit. But after I got used to it was very easy to go through and I really ended up enjoying it so much.
Definitely recommend this one :D
I really loved this! I think this story is so good!!! I definitely recommend it. The story develops nicely and doesn't drag. There are more than enough events in the story to keep you entertained and it doesn't get boring at all!
I was a bit hesitant on reading this because I usually don't read horror of some sort but I really enjoyed reading this and the story really grabbed me.
The Art style is pretty good. I had to get used to it for a little bit. But after I got used to it was very easy to go through and I really ended up enjoying it so much.
Definitely recommend this one :D
March 11, 2020
I have to admit, this book ended up being a surprise. At first, I didn't understand the flow of the story. I felt like I was getting a case of whiplash. I was just about to give up until I realized that the back and forth flow were "flashbacks." After that realization, the book really took off and became and interesting and gripping novel.
The artist's rendering are superb and fits perfectly with the narrative. Some of the graphics are horrific, but that's what made to story come alive.
Overall, an excellent graphic novel. Four stars and I think I'll need to read more of the author's novels.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
The artist's rendering are superb and fits perfectly with the narrative. Some of the graphics are horrific, but that's what made to story come alive.
Overall, an excellent graphic novel. Four stars and I think I'll need to read more of the author's novels.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 4, 2020
"Read a comic book before bed!" I said.
"It will be fun!" I said.
One should never read anything written by Garth Ennis before bed. Because... of reasons. After reading The Boys I should have known better.
A Walk Through Hell: The Complete Series is all kinds of weird, crazy, violent and bloody. I didn't fully understand the plotline but that's on me. I'll eventually re-read it because both the writing and the illustrations are great.
Review copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
"It will be fun!" I said.
One should never read anything written by Garth Ennis before bed. Because... of reasons. After reading The Boys I should have known better.
A Walk Through Hell: The Complete Series is all kinds of weird, crazy, violent and bloody. I didn't fully understand the plotline but that's on me. I'll eventually re-read it because both the writing and the illustrations are great.
Review copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 16, 2021
Garth Ennis riesce sempre a essere puntuale e pungente con le sue critiche sociali, stavolta ha imbastito un thriller/horror che ti confonde sino alle ultime pagine.
Un po' meno a fuoco le intenzioni politiche, forse addirittura fuori luogo... Ma comunque una lettura interessante, 100% Ennis.
Un po' meno a fuoco le intenzioni politiche, forse addirittura fuori luogo... Ma comunque una lettura interessante, 100% Ennis.
March 7, 2020
I had previously read part of this series and felt frustrated that I did not know or could guess how it would all pan out.
Having read the complete series I am still confused and uncertain of the linear story within this intriguing graphic novel. The comic is a creative masterpiece and the drawing is stark and its imagary quite horrific. Perhaps a satire on modern America and its political values and general corruption. It also dwells on evil. It contrasts that of a child abuser with organisation corruption. Elevates moral judgements against subverting the law by direct action. It holds that taking of a life for whatever purpose is still 'murder' and when exercising political power the worse practises should be seen. Yet due to slight of hand, financial manipulation and a trusting, god fearing society, evil often goes unnoticed.
The story focuses on the work of two FBI agents their inability to successfully bring an investigation to a positive arrest and get the guilty verdict their crimes deserve. Meanwhile, we find a siege situation becomes a journey into self-awareness and a dreamlike state, where emotions are stretched in not just facing up to one's past (judgement) but a fear sown that one's life was based on inadequate knowledge and one's faith misplaced. Even if it is: ' In God WE Trust', how can we seriously move forward when evil is more prevalent? What if God and the Devil were one and a time of enlightment was over? Indeed, now was the time of darkness; an actual walk into Hell.
The comic has this cross over from historic events in the life of these federal agents and then this encounter with their worse nightmares which propels them into an alternative reality and not only plays with their minds but breaks their spirits.
I can see why as a series these comics were popular and instalments eagerly anticipated and read. Reading them as a whole piece, I feel confused and unsure of the beginning or the end. Not certain what was the end of the beginning or the beginning of the end. But I enjoyed the experience.
When you stand on firm ground after the worse ride imaginable in a theme park, you perhaps can't explain the g forces at work, remember the number of left or right turns or how many times you spun upside down. You may even have thrown up that hamburger you had earlier but if someone asks if you will go again, you form an orderly queue and say things like "it was amazing", "the best ride ever" and totally awesome".
Having read the complete series I am still confused and uncertain of the linear story within this intriguing graphic novel. The comic is a creative masterpiece and the drawing is stark and its imagary quite horrific. Perhaps a satire on modern America and its political values and general corruption. It also dwells on evil. It contrasts that of a child abuser with organisation corruption. Elevates moral judgements against subverting the law by direct action. It holds that taking of a life for whatever purpose is still 'murder' and when exercising political power the worse practises should be seen. Yet due to slight of hand, financial manipulation and a trusting, god fearing society, evil often goes unnoticed.
The story focuses on the work of two FBI agents their inability to successfully bring an investigation to a positive arrest and get the guilty verdict their crimes deserve. Meanwhile, we find a siege situation becomes a journey into self-awareness and a dreamlike state, where emotions are stretched in not just facing up to one's past (judgement) but a fear sown that one's life was based on inadequate knowledge and one's faith misplaced. Even if it is: ' In God WE Trust', how can we seriously move forward when evil is more prevalent? What if God and the Devil were one and a time of enlightment was over? Indeed, now was the time of darkness; an actual walk into Hell.
The comic has this cross over from historic events in the life of these federal agents and then this encounter with their worse nightmares which propels them into an alternative reality and not only plays with their minds but breaks their spirits.
I can see why as a series these comics were popular and instalments eagerly anticipated and read. Reading them as a whole piece, I feel confused and unsure of the beginning or the end. Not certain what was the end of the beginning or the beginning of the end. But I enjoyed the experience.
When you stand on firm ground after the worse ride imaginable in a theme park, you perhaps can't explain the g forces at work, remember the number of left or right turns or how many times you spun upside down. You may even have thrown up that hamburger you had earlier but if someone asks if you will go again, you form an orderly queue and say things like "it was amazing", "the best ride ever" and totally awesome".
May 10, 2020
Two FBI agents, still haunted by the memories of their last investigation, are trying to get back to the routine cases. Things get awry when they come as second respondents to a warehouse stakeout following the reports of the disappearance of the two colleagues they were working with. What they find there might be the most horrific thing that they could ever come across. Stuck between life and death, forced to revisit their ugliest memories and live through their worst nightmares, while trying to make sense of it all, might be the only way out.
Okay, this is perhaps the most superb graphic novel I have come across till now, the graphics are without a doubt top notch, and just perfect, never a dull panel there, like seriously! I can go on and on about how amazing the graphics really were, the panel layout, color scheme, and the facial expressions are just so good. Especially, the covers of individual issue are so gorgeous, I legit stared at them for some time. That said, as the title and cover indicates, it’s full of gore and intestines, with floating limbs and eye balls in blood pools, and walks through some dark topics like child abuse, and others such, but never descriptive enough to be disturbing. But definitely not recommended for the squeamish and faint of heart.
The plot is great, with FBI procedurals, sick minds, manipulators, politics, and an undertone of religion and paranormal. That said, the story is told between multiple time-lines and that definitely made it confusing at times. Also, this requires full presence of mind (which I certainly am not blessed with) and a little getting used to before you start making a sense of what’s happening, but still very gripping from the get go. I think I understood what happened at the end, since it was an open ending, but I’m not very sure, it went so many ways near the end that I kinda sorta lost track of what was happening. But yeah, the graphics were cool and the confusions did not manage to take away the enjoyment of it all.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC. Pub date 19 May, 2020.
Okay, this is perhaps the most superb graphic novel I have come across till now, the graphics are without a doubt top notch, and just perfect, never a dull panel there, like seriously! I can go on and on about how amazing the graphics really were, the panel layout, color scheme, and the facial expressions are just so good. Especially, the covers of individual issue are so gorgeous, I legit stared at them for some time. That said, as the title and cover indicates, it’s full of gore and intestines, with floating limbs and eye balls in blood pools, and walks through some dark topics like child abuse, and others such, but never descriptive enough to be disturbing. But definitely not recommended for the squeamish and faint of heart.
The plot is great, with FBI procedurals, sick minds, manipulators, politics, and an undertone of religion and paranormal. That said, the story is told between multiple time-lines and that definitely made it confusing at times. Also, this requires full presence of mind (which I certainly am not blessed with) and a little getting used to before you start making a sense of what’s happening, but still very gripping from the get go. I think I understood what happened at the end, since it was an open ending, but I’m not very sure, it went so many ways near the end that I kinda sorta lost track of what was happening. But yeah, the graphics were cool and the confusions did not manage to take away the enjoyment of it all.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC. Pub date 19 May, 2020.
April 2, 2020
What I Liked
That I had NO idea what I was walking into when I started reading, A Walk Through Hell! Lol
So, it took me completely by surprise with the gore and the squicky horror headed my way. Also, I dropped the ball when I failed to recognize Garth Ennis as the talent behind Preacher comics — I devoured those! In short, I’d recommend this book to anyone who loved Preacher and readers who love unattached limbs torturing characters to death!
That all the volumes were combined into one collection and I didn’t have to go hunting for the others or wait for them to come out.
What I Didn’t Like
The political commentary that was parceled in with the comics. I didn’t ask for it and so, I didn’t appreciate it.
What You Should Know
There is a scene depicting homophobic assault.
I requested this book on Netgalley and I'm glad I did!
August 19, 2020
Garth Ennis has written some memorable works in the comics medium, from PREACHER (DC/Vertigo) to THE BOYS (Dynamite Entertainment) to STREETS OF GLORY (Avatar), to mention only a few. He’s a knowledgable student of World War II warfare and military history, and is especially proud of his historical fiction such as BATTLEGROUNDS (Dynamite Entertainment), SARA (TKO Studios) and DREAMING EAGLES (Aftershock).
Over the years, Ennis has earned a favorable reputation for writing gritty, edgy stories featuring “grounded” characters with depth and complexity. He is the recipient of numerous awards in the comics industry.
Yet for all that he’s accomplished he’s not a writer inclined to go through the motions for a fat paycheck. He puts his heart into his work, and A WALK THROUGH HELL deserves a place in the front lines of his compendium. It may be his finest work.
Some savvy film producer should commission Ennis to write the teleplay for A WALK THROUGH HELL. It would make for the best season of TRUE DETECTIVE on HBO ever.
The oversized hardcover edition of the complete series is the absolute best way to read the series for full appreciation. The first printing, released in June 2020, sold out quickly. A second printing is scheduled to be released in November 2020, and can be pre-ordered through your local comic shop.
Ennis has revealed in interviews that the idea for the story came from a simple sentence and his exploration of the story possibilities: “So these two FBI agents walk into a warehouse . . .”
The Goodreads synopsis doesn’t begin to touch on the intensity of what’s inside but does share enough information to hook readers to explore further. My edition has a different cover than the one displayed here. My hardcover is a upwards angle shot of the strange sculptures that adorn the outside of Notre Dame cathedral.
I”ve read this story at least four times, beginning with the monthly individual issues and moving onto the two trade paperbacks. There’s quite a bit more here than a simple police procedural. When I read the initial issues with a month or more between readings, it was easy to get confused by the story. There are numerous flashbacks. Some seemed incidental and unimportant at first, while others dripped with relevance. After more readings I realized that there is no filler here and every single scene is important to the full story.
Ennis straddles the line between crime and horror, and dives deep into the psyches of FBI agents Is the warehouse a gateway to Hell where those who enter have to revisit their guilty past, in a state of seemingly lifelessness (no heartbeat after you enter the building), yet still mobile and aware?
Those employed in law enforcement and involved in homicide investigations enter a world that is darker and more heartless than the one that normal citizens move about in. It’s a form of hell, and the longer agents stay in the profession the more they seem to suffer, from anxiety, to depression, to guilt over the actions they are sometimes forced to take. For the reader, turning the pages of A WALK THROUGH HELL is like taking a walk through those dim corridors in the shoes of the two agents. Indeed, the life of investigation of despicable grisly crimes is a constant walk through hell.
The story opens with a horrific Christmas mass shooting inside a shopping mall. It seems unrelated to the main story until some detective work in the later issues uncovers the connection to a larger investigation. A tactical S.W.A.T. unit that turns their guns on each other also makes more sense when considered a part of the bigger picture.
The FBI investigating team of Shaw and McGregor will remind some of the X-FILES team. Shaw is an aggressive female agent with smarts and skills that don’t get enough respect. Neither does her partner, McGregor, simply because he’s gay. There’s a side story centering on a nasty encounter with a homophobic male chauvinist agent who dislikes both of them, and directs his area the female head of the department as well.
Two fellow agents, both associates of Shaw and McGregor, enter a warehouse on an investigative lead and don’t emerge after four hours. A S.W.A.T. team is dispatched and retreats from the warehouse, cowering in fear after only several minutes inside. Shaw and McGregor venture indoors and become lost in a dark labyrinth that leads them down some even darker trails. They find the missing agents; and neither one will be productive workers again. There’s a homeless couple with child inside, huddled together in death. How and why remains unexplained until the final issue ties everything together.
As they search for meaning as well as a a way out, Shaw and McGregor are plagued by deep-seated insecurities and fears. It almost seems like each character entering the warehouse is taking a trip into the confessional booth of a Roman Catholic church. In fact, the story takes on religious overtones as it moves further along.
Shaw even hears the voice of the pedophile serial killer from their last assignment goading her on. That case still troubles the team, none more so than Shaw who unbeknownst to her partner took justice into her own hands to provide both evidence and resolution to that investigation.
The investigation itself reveals a horrible and manipulative predator with a history that goes back farther than current events. A WALK THROUGH HELL can be viewed as an introspective look into current society and the clash between good and evil. Are we trending towards a loss of belief and becoming more inhuman in the 21st century as a result? Has God abandoned Earth, and now it’s the Devil’s turn? Ennis poses the questions, and hints at what he senses happening. The answers are for readers to determine. This one will stay with you. FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARS.
Over the years, Ennis has earned a favorable reputation for writing gritty, edgy stories featuring “grounded” characters with depth and complexity. He is the recipient of numerous awards in the comics industry.
Yet for all that he’s accomplished he’s not a writer inclined to go through the motions for a fat paycheck. He puts his heart into his work, and A WALK THROUGH HELL deserves a place in the front lines of his compendium. It may be his finest work.
Some savvy film producer should commission Ennis to write the teleplay for A WALK THROUGH HELL. It would make for the best season of TRUE DETECTIVE on HBO ever.
The oversized hardcover edition of the complete series is the absolute best way to read the series for full appreciation. The first printing, released in June 2020, sold out quickly. A second printing is scheduled to be released in November 2020, and can be pre-ordered through your local comic shop.
Ennis has revealed in interviews that the idea for the story came from a simple sentence and his exploration of the story possibilities: “So these two FBI agents walk into a warehouse . . .”
The Goodreads synopsis doesn’t begin to touch on the intensity of what’s inside but does share enough information to hook readers to explore further. My edition has a different cover than the one displayed here. My hardcover is a upwards angle shot of the strange sculptures that adorn the outside of Notre Dame cathedral.
I”ve read this story at least four times, beginning with the monthly individual issues and moving onto the two trade paperbacks. There’s quite a bit more here than a simple police procedural. When I read the initial issues with a month or more between readings, it was easy to get confused by the story. There are numerous flashbacks. Some seemed incidental and unimportant at first, while others dripped with relevance. After more readings I realized that there is no filler here and every single scene is important to the full story.
Ennis straddles the line between crime and horror, and dives deep into the psyches of FBI agents Is the warehouse a gateway to Hell where those who enter have to revisit their guilty past, in a state of seemingly lifelessness (no heartbeat after you enter the building), yet still mobile and aware?
Those employed in law enforcement and involved in homicide investigations enter a world that is darker and more heartless than the one that normal citizens move about in. It’s a form of hell, and the longer agents stay in the profession the more they seem to suffer, from anxiety, to depression, to guilt over the actions they are sometimes forced to take. For the reader, turning the pages of A WALK THROUGH HELL is like taking a walk through those dim corridors in the shoes of the two agents. Indeed, the life of investigation of despicable grisly crimes is a constant walk through hell.
The story opens with a horrific Christmas mass shooting inside a shopping mall. It seems unrelated to the main story until some detective work in the later issues uncovers the connection to a larger investigation. A tactical S.W.A.T. unit that turns their guns on each other also makes more sense when considered a part of the bigger picture.
The FBI investigating team of Shaw and McGregor will remind some of the X-FILES team. Shaw is an aggressive female agent with smarts and skills that don’t get enough respect. Neither does her partner, McGregor, simply because he’s gay. There’s a side story centering on a nasty encounter with a homophobic male chauvinist agent who dislikes both of them, and directs his area the female head of the department as well.
Two fellow agents, both associates of Shaw and McGregor, enter a warehouse on an investigative lead and don’t emerge after four hours. A S.W.A.T. team is dispatched and retreats from the warehouse, cowering in fear after only several minutes inside. Shaw and McGregor venture indoors and become lost in a dark labyrinth that leads them down some even darker trails. They find the missing agents; and neither one will be productive workers again. There’s a homeless couple with child inside, huddled together in death. How and why remains unexplained until the final issue ties everything together.
As they search for meaning as well as a a way out, Shaw and McGregor are plagued by deep-seated insecurities and fears. It almost seems like each character entering the warehouse is taking a trip into the confessional booth of a Roman Catholic church. In fact, the story takes on religious overtones as it moves further along.
Shaw even hears the voice of the pedophile serial killer from their last assignment goading her on. That case still troubles the team, none more so than Shaw who unbeknownst to her partner took justice into her own hands to provide both evidence and resolution to that investigation.
The investigation itself reveals a horrible and manipulative predator with a history that goes back farther than current events. A WALK THROUGH HELL can be viewed as an introspective look into current society and the clash between good and evil. Are we trending towards a loss of belief and becoming more inhuman in the 21st century as a result? Has God abandoned Earth, and now it’s the Devil’s turn? Ennis poses the questions, and hints at what he senses happening. The answers are for readers to determine. This one will stay with you. FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARS.
January 10, 2022
Sick horror from Ennis and superb illustrator Goran Sudzuka!
September 18, 2020
one thing popped in my mind implying that what the hell the story is about? I m just curious to know what happens next after this entire volume. There wasn't any explanation about the fantasy that happened inside the warehouse. This was neither the beginning nor the end. The story evolved somehow in the middle. I have the right to know what really happened with explicit information.
November 7, 2020
I am not sure what I was expecting, but this was not it. A compelling story. I couldn't put it down! Amazing art. Horrific and incredible. I'll need to re-read after I recover from it.
July 6, 2020
Well, yay me. I distinctly said when reviewing Book One of this story that it was hard to judge without having access to the whole thing at once. And that was true, partly because the two halves (I had said that not knowing it was just a year of monthlies, and a two-book thing) are so different. Part One concentrates on the warehouse from hell, or at least The Outer Limits of the Twilight Zone, as people have either had a tendency to come out quivering with abject horror, or not come out at all. The second book, which I hadn't seen before all this, is much more concerned with Issues, which had been clearly present in the first half but not as strong – partly as the way they were expressed were by far the least interesting bits.
Seeing the whole piece, I'm still not sure it's a huge success, but it still has the chance to grip. It is a difficult book to read, for the multiple switches of focus and narrative and time. I'm still not sure what the heck happens to some of the people, which is of course the point. But it's certainly brave, in sticking its neck out to convey man's humanity to man, not only with one eye on the 2016 US election, but with a dark look at paedophilic predation and a whole heap of other stuff. The creators more or less pull off more than they slip up with, so for me the whole thing is three and a half stars.
Seeing the whole piece, I'm still not sure it's a huge success, but it still has the chance to grip. It is a difficult book to read, for the multiple switches of focus and narrative and time. I'm still not sure what the heck happens to some of the people, which is of course the point. But it's certainly brave, in sticking its neck out to convey man's humanity to man, not only with one eye on the 2016 US election, but with a dark look at paedophilic predation and a whole heap of other stuff. The creators more or less pull off more than they slip up with, so for me the whole thing is three and a half stars.
May 1, 2020
I am grateful to Diamond Book Distributors and NetGalley for giving me an electronic copy to review in advance of publication.
A Walk Through Hell may be the most aptly-titled book I've read this year. It is beyond Dark, and yes, the capital D is intentional. Macabre, twisted, sick, and bleak are the most accurate descriptors I can apply. That's not to say that the book is bad; I enjoyed it and believe that it paints a dead-on picture of the world we inhabit today. The blackest depths of human nature are on display in this depraved, despondent, despairing chronicle of abuse. If you're looking for hope, there's none to be found; Ennis gives no quarter. If you like literature and art that fits comfortably into those categories, then this graphic novel is for you. Goran Sudzuka's drawings are accurate, realistic renderings, and the muted color palette suits the story perfectly. "Abandon hope, all ye who enter here" indeed.
Warning: A Walk Through Hell is NOT for children, and if you consider yourself a committed Christian, I reckon you'll find this book extremely offensive.
A Walk Through Hell may be the most aptly-titled book I've read this year. It is beyond Dark, and yes, the capital D is intentional. Macabre, twisted, sick, and bleak are the most accurate descriptors I can apply. That's not to say that the book is bad; I enjoyed it and believe that it paints a dead-on picture of the world we inhabit today. The blackest depths of human nature are on display in this depraved, despondent, despairing chronicle of abuse. If you're looking for hope, there's none to be found; Ennis gives no quarter. If you like literature and art that fits comfortably into those categories, then this graphic novel is for you. Goran Sudzuka's drawings are accurate, realistic renderings, and the muted color palette suits the story perfectly. "Abandon hope, all ye who enter here" indeed.
Warning: A Walk Through Hell is NOT for children, and if you consider yourself a committed Christian, I reckon you'll find this book extremely offensive.
May 20, 2020
Something evil lurks inside a Long Beach warehouse in A Walk Through Hell.
Two FBI agents, Goss and Hunzikker, walk into a warehouse never to return. An eight-person SWAT team is sent in to find the missing agents. Thirty seconds later, they come out talking of dread and someone coming to get them. A few hours later, they are all dead.
Agents Shaw and McGregor go in next. What they see and feel is extraordinary! It seems the very fabric of life and death is distorted in the warehouse. How can they get themselves and their fellow agents out? More importantly, what is causing the strange physics, and can they stop it from overtaking the world?
I expect a lot from the author of Preacher, one of my favorite comics ever. And A Walk Through Hell delivers! This is an excellent horror tale. The less you know going in the better for the reveals that await you. Don’t worry about all the unlabeled flashbacks and flashforwards. You will understand what is happening by the end of the series. The artwork, especially the somber coloring, adds a lot to the dread. 5 stars and another favorite.
Thanks to Aftershock Comics and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.
Two FBI agents, Goss and Hunzikker, walk into a warehouse never to return. An eight-person SWAT team is sent in to find the missing agents. Thirty seconds later, they come out talking of dread and someone coming to get them. A few hours later, they are all dead.
Agents Shaw and McGregor go in next. What they see and feel is extraordinary! It seems the very fabric of life and death is distorted in the warehouse. How can they get themselves and their fellow agents out? More importantly, what is causing the strange physics, and can they stop it from overtaking the world?
I expect a lot from the author of Preacher, one of my favorite comics ever. And A Walk Through Hell delivers! This is an excellent horror tale. The less you know going in the better for the reveals that await you. Don’t worry about all the unlabeled flashbacks and flashforwards. You will understand what is happening by the end of the series. The artwork, especially the somber coloring, adds a lot to the dread. 5 stars and another favorite.
Thanks to Aftershock Comics and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.
February 21, 2022
The best thing I have read from Garth Ennis in a while, despite some of the book's shortcomings (clunky dialogue here and there, doomer politics galore and I'm not sold on the ending). I was afraid at first this is Ennis' attempt at writing a comic book disguised as a film/series pitch, because it certainly feels like one in the beginning with its decompressed storytelling style. But by the third issue it's clear that the tight framework and the somewhat disorienting non-linear structure serves a deliberate purpose that is very specific to the medium. I wouldn't be surprised though if it received an adaptation some time in the future. It's just too good of a story.
November 22, 2023
This one hurt my head. While leaning for a higher rating, I kept going back to the fact that I had no idea what was going on. The book centers on two FBI Agents and their desire to take down an awful criminal. How that happens and what transpires is biblical, political, and mostly completely confusing. The book had some very shocking moments and Goran Sudzuka's art captured them wonderfully, but it just didn't come together as a complete story. Overall, I can see why people could both love or hate this book and I'm leaning towards the downside.
September 10, 2020
Wow. What started as a mysterious and a bit confusing story ended up being one of my favourite books I have read this year. A Walk Through Hell is beautifully illustrated, creepy, and as dark as it gets. It couldn't quite stick the landing for me there at the end, but it was just an amazingly disturbing experience the whole way.
February 11, 2021
Save for the completely unnecessary real-world political references that grind the story to a halt, it would have been five stars. Even with them, it's a terrifying tale.
May 2, 2022
Meh. Like so much of what Ennis has written, this kept me engaged and flipping pages, but unlike a lot of his work, I really don't think this came together. It feels like he was trying to say something about the nature of evil, but it just does not seem completely coherent. This was kind of frustrating in the way it was told, because I would bet that the majority of the book is simply flashbacks. This is annoying because the story is pretty simple actually, but it's just told in a kinda convoluted way.
I think one thing this book suffers from is that the environments are pretty boring. This is a weird complaint, but characters talk and stay in the same areas for several pages at a time, and so it just doesn't seem to take advantage of the fact that it's a comic because it doesn't try to look interesting. I do like Sudzuka's art, but ultimately most of the scenes in the warehouse just are boring to look at. I have never once had this thought before, but I feel like this would be a better TV show than a comic because of that.
I like horror a whole lot more than crime, but I think this would've been better as a straight crime book because the horror elements felt kinda half baked.
Just kind of underwhelming.
I think one thing this book suffers from is that the environments are pretty boring. This is a weird complaint, but characters talk and stay in the same areas for several pages at a time, and so it just doesn't seem to take advantage of the fact that it's a comic because it doesn't try to look interesting. I do like Sudzuka's art, but ultimately most of the scenes in the warehouse just are boring to look at. I have never once had this thought before, but I feel like this would be a better TV show than a comic because of that.
I like horror a whole lot more than crime, but I think this would've been better as a straight crime book because the horror elements felt kinda half baked.
Just kind of underwhelming.
April 7, 2020
What?
I picked this up from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. I was super excited to see such a fun looking graphic novel by one of my favorite graphic novel authors (Garth Ennis).
His books are pretty heavy with themes of religion, sarcasm, politics, and social examinations.
A Walk Through Hell contains all of that while to FBI agents are investigating a child abduction ring.
The timeline is all over the place and I'm confused about what I read, but I think that's the point? The past impacts the present and future, etc.?
I think a written timeline with each section would actually help. (Year or something).
The illustrations and images in this are top notch. They are unsettling, horrific, and disturbing; but interesting and compelling.
I have no idea what I read besides an examination of God and evil. But why so convoluted?
I'm very grumpy that I missed what this was all about. To top it off, there was no author summary that I often rely on for complicated works like this.
*Shrug*. I say skip this one, unless you have the time and where with all to heavily examine.
I picked this up from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. I was super excited to see such a fun looking graphic novel by one of my favorite graphic novel authors (Garth Ennis).
His books are pretty heavy with themes of religion, sarcasm, politics, and social examinations.
A Walk Through Hell contains all of that while to FBI agents are investigating a child abduction ring.
The timeline is all over the place and I'm confused about what I read, but I think that's the point? The past impacts the present and future, etc.?
I think a written timeline with each section would actually help. (Year or something).
The illustrations and images in this are top notch. They are unsettling, horrific, and disturbing; but interesting and compelling.
I have no idea what I read besides an examination of God and evil. But why so convoluted?
I'm very grumpy that I missed what this was all about. To top it off, there was no author summary that I often rely on for complicated works like this.
*Shrug*. I say skip this one, unless you have the time and where with all to heavily examine.
May 31, 2020
What the heck did I just read?
I can picture this being very popular with some people. It will definitely get a passionate cult following. It gave me X Files and Twin Peaks vibes with just a dash of Donnie Darko. Or maybe The Leftovers?
I thought the topics it was delving into were interesting. A lot of political themes as well as religion. But it was never exactly clear or easy to follow. I think a lot of it went over my head because much of the time it was all very abstract.
I enjoyed the characters and their interactions. I also enjoyed the horror elements. The graphics were great.
If you like Chuck Palahniuk, this is for you. It was not for me.
I can picture this being very popular with some people. It will definitely get a passionate cult following. It gave me X Files and Twin Peaks vibes with just a dash of Donnie Darko. Or maybe The Leftovers?
I thought the topics it was delving into were interesting. A lot of political themes as well as religion. But it was never exactly clear or easy to follow. I think a lot of it went over my head because much of the time it was all very abstract.
I enjoyed the characters and their interactions. I also enjoyed the horror elements. The graphics were great.
If you like Chuck Palahniuk, this is for you. It was not for me.
July 8, 2020
Alright, so disclosure: I had read an ARC of part one of this way back in the day, and it left me incredibly confused. So I got this complete version from Netgalley also, to see if reading the whole thing would make it make sense. Nope. It did not.
This is still incredibly confusing and I STILL have no damn clue what was happening to anyone at any given time.
This is still incredibly confusing and I STILL have no damn clue what was happening to anyone at any given time.
March 14, 2021
You know what isn’t scary or unnerving? Lots and lots of dialogue. With a character repeatedly saying some form of “Oh God, it’s all so terrible” to let the reader know that it’s all so terrible. The art is fantastic but by the end I simply didn’t care about anything that was being discussed. Because that’s all it was. Actually, spending an eternity listening to insufferable dialogue is hellish.
June 5, 2022
This is my first 2 star book review. I just wasn't a fan. I got bored with the story a few times and almost put it away with finishing it. There's a lot of talk about religion and political views with a sprinkle of some horror/crime. Unless I missed something reading this I didn't think the story was all that great.
June 4, 2020
This book was way to gory for me. So much so I had a hard time following the story. It was not for me.
April 3, 2023
This was a great read, fascinating story and solid artwork. I'm extremely late to the Garth Ennis train but I plan on making ammends.
April 7, 2022
A bit of a confused mess, a very difficult read that does not become clear by the end. Best left along unless confusion is your bag.
August 5, 2022
It could have been an interesting story but instead it's a ham-fisted, convoluted mess.
At least the art was good.
At least the art was good.
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