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Planetary Wildstorm Classics #1
Planetary: Libro Uno
Collecting the adventures of Elijah Snow, a powerful, hundred year-old-man, Jakita Wagner, an extremely powerful but bored woman, and The Drummer, a man with the ability to communicate with machines. Infatuated with tracking down evidence of superhuman activity, these mystery archaeologists of the late twentieth century uncover unknown paranormal secrets and histories, such as a World War II supercomputer that can access other universes, a ghostly spirit of vengeance and a lost island of dying monsters.
This new cut of the classic series includes extras from the Absolute Edition, including sketches and variant covers. Collecting Planetary #1-14, Planetary Sneak Peak, Planetary/Authority To Rule the World.
This new cut of the classic series includes extras from the Absolute Edition, including sketches and variant covers. Collecting Planetary #1-14, Planetary Sneak Peak, Planetary/Authority To Rule the World.
432 pages, Hardcover
First published July 18, 2017
60 people are currently reading
162 people want to read
About the author
Warren Ellis
1,972 books5,773 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 - 30 of 48 reviews
October 15, 2018
It's a strange world.
Let's keep it that way.
I've come to realize that while Grant Morrison's stuff is on the whole too weird for me, Warren Ellis' is just weird enough.
And this? This was the perfect amount of strange.
So Planetary is basically an adult take on superheroes - you know, before everyone was doing the adult take on superheroes - using the recognizable archetypes and even flat-out copies of some of the already established 'heroes'.
For example, the chain-smoking London mage with zero conscience who somehow manages to avoid death and break the girl's heart in one fell swoop?
But that's just the hook! There's a whole mystery of who exactly is running Planetary that's hidden under another mystery, and that's wrapped in the riddle that Mr. Snow has to uncover within this world. Mostly because he has partial amnesia, but also because...
Well, I can't exactly explain it without giving something away!
My point is, I thought this was pretty cool.
Definitely Recommended!
Let's keep it that way.
I've come to realize that while Grant Morrison's stuff is on the whole too weird for me, Warren Ellis' is just weird enough.
And this? This was the perfect amount of strange.
So Planetary is basically an adult take on superheroes - you know, before everyone was doing the adult take on superheroes - using the recognizable archetypes and even flat-out copies of some of the already established 'heroes'.
For example, the chain-smoking London mage with zero conscience who somehow manages to avoid death and break the girl's heart in one fell swoop?
But that's just the hook! There's a whole mystery of who exactly is running Planetary that's hidden under another mystery, and that's wrapped in the riddle that Mr. Snow has to uncover within this world. Mostly because he has partial amnesia, but also because...
Well, I can't exactly explain it without giving something away!
My point is, I thought this was pretty cool.
Definitely Recommended!
February 3, 2021
Obra maestra total. Warren Ellis se manda una serie con tintes procedimentales pero que termina enganchando todos los elementos con el avanzar de los números. Cada historia aumenta la complejidad de la trama y las ideas se van volviendo cada vez más originales. Llena de homenajes al mundo del cómic y a personajes y géneros literarios. Por otra parte, el dibujo de Cassaday nos regala escenas de acción estupendas, nunca estuvo mejor. ¡Uno de mis cómics favoritos!
August 1, 2022
Sin duda, mucho más que un pastiche de elementos de la cultura pop. Existe un profundo sentido de la diversión y una visión ambiciosa que intenta abarcar una parte muy significativa de algunas manifestaciones populares del siglo XX: cine, literatura y cómic de superhéroes sobre todo.
Hay números que son una gozada. Otros quizá estén hechos con menos inspiración, pero todos ellos rebosan originalidad y están llenos de referencias (y eso que seguramente no pillé ni la mitad). No paras de decirte: “mira qué cabroncete este Ellis, ahora me saca a Sherlock, luego a Tarzán, y no la caga nunca el tío".
Me ha gustado especialmente la forma de plantear cada número. Lejos de repetir la misma fórmula, recoge géneros y subgéneros y los adapta a una historia central que progresa lentamente. Cuando esto se hace con oficio y conocimientos –como es el caso–, el resultado es representativo y globalizador de algo muy grande, una tendencia o un género: véase Hyperion, por ejemplo. Con el paso de los números, la historia central va ganando peso. En los últimos capítulos ya no sabes qué causa más expectación, si la vuelta de tuerca de cada nuevo número o el posible desenlace.
Mola muchísimo y no me hubiera importado que durase veinte números más. Daba para eso y más.
Hay números que son una gozada. Otros quizá estén hechos con menos inspiración, pero todos ellos rebosan originalidad y están llenos de referencias (y eso que seguramente no pillé ni la mitad). No paras de decirte: “mira qué cabroncete este Ellis, ahora me saca a Sherlock, luego a Tarzán, y no la caga nunca el tío".
Me ha gustado especialmente la forma de plantear cada número. Lejos de repetir la misma fórmula, recoge géneros y subgéneros y los adapta a una historia central que progresa lentamente. Cuando esto se hace con oficio y conocimientos –como es el caso–, el resultado es representativo y globalizador de algo muy grande, una tendencia o un género: véase Hyperion, por ejemplo. Con el paso de los números, la historia central va ganando peso. En los últimos capítulos ya no sabes qué causa más expectación, si la vuelta de tuerca de cada nuevo número o el posible desenlace.
Mola muchísimo y no me hubiera importado que durase veinte números más. Daba para eso y más.
August 7, 2019
Elijah Snow, de 100 años de edad, es reclutado por Jakita para una organización secreta llamada Planetary. Ellos dos, junto a Batería, todos con diversos poderes, se harán cargo de desentrañar los misterios ocultos del siglo XX. Se encontrarán con personajes tanto reales como ficticios, en una mezcla entre ciencia ficción y pulp bastante interesante. Todo esto recuerda a La Liga de los Hombres Extraordinarios de Alan Moore, que en mi opinión es bastante mejor.
Mucho había oído hablar de esta serie, y quizá tenía las expectativas demasiado altas. Pero en mi opinión es bastante normalita.
Mucho había oído hablar de esta serie, y quizá tenía las expectativas demasiado altas. Pero en mi opinión es bastante normalita.
October 15, 2020
QUE DESPELOTE!! Número a número vamos completando el rompecabezas que es planetary y el cómic va para atrás y para adelante pero sin ser confuso , todo lo contrario. Plagado de referencias al mundo del cómic planetary es una obra maestra de un genio que hace tiempo tenía en el debe.
Que buen momento de cassaday!!!!! La historia se complementa con el dibujo y hace mucho más disfrutable el viaje para el lector. No tengo peros , es un exclenete cómic, ya voy a leer el 2
Que buen momento de cassaday!!!!! La historia se complementa con el dibujo y hace mucho más disfrutable el viaje para el lector. No tengo peros , es un exclenete cómic, ya voy a leer el 2
August 2, 2017
Everyone's been telling me to read Warren Ellis's Transmetropolitan for years. They were pushing the wrong drug. One of my comic pushers, Brandon Schatz at Edmonton's Variant Edition knew the right one to hit me with - it was Ignition City, Ellis's ode to Deadwood and Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers. I'm a sucker for retrofuturistic stuff, especially those old radio/film serial heroes. I loved Ignition City and told Brandon I needed more. He told me about Planetary. He said something about mixing Doc Savage with Godzilla and something else, but I had already decided I needed it - a book that combined two of my favourite pop culture creations? THOSE ONES?
Turns out Doc Savage and Godzilla were just the tip of the iceberg. Every issue was an homage to some facet of twentieth century pop culture, from John Woo cop flicks to Superman, Wonder Woman, and Green Lantern, to the giant ants of THEM!
But those homages are just the "monster of the week" for a group of paranormal archaeologists -- it's the larger conspiracy behind the organization called Planetary that drives the story, and Ellis never loses sight of that arc.
The artwork is gorgeous - and unlike some great comic artists, John Cassaday knows how to craft sequential art really well. Ellis and Cassaday make a great team, and the art is both beautiful to look at as well as amazing storytelling device.
I know I'm over a decade late to the Planetary party, but I'm really glad I've arrived, and I'm looking forward to reading Book Two as soon as it comes out!
Turns out Doc Savage and Godzilla were just the tip of the iceberg. Every issue was an homage to some facet of twentieth century pop culture, from John Woo cop flicks to Superman, Wonder Woman, and Green Lantern, to the giant ants of THEM!
But those homages are just the "monster of the week" for a group of paranormal archaeologists -- it's the larger conspiracy behind the organization called Planetary that drives the story, and Ellis never loses sight of that arc.
The artwork is gorgeous - and unlike some great comic artists, John Cassaday knows how to craft sequential art really well. Ellis and Cassaday make a great team, and the art is both beautiful to look at as well as amazing storytelling device.
I know I'm over a decade late to the Planetary party, but I'm really glad I've arrived, and I'm looking forward to reading Book Two as soon as it comes out!
March 19, 2024
- Це дивний світ.
- Давай збережемо його таким.
Саме так завершується перший номер "Planetary" Ворена Елліса та Джона Кесседі і, як на мене, це ідеально характеризує серію. Я прочитав 14 номерів і був у захваті від того, що отримав.
Концепт серії полягає в тому, що Елліс бере якісь певні сталі концепти та тропи як з коміксного супергеройського медіуму, так і з деяких фільмів і деконстурує їх показуючи, що було б якби вони були справжніми в рамках всесвіту Вайлдшторм. Сюжет серії розпочинається з того, що Джакіта Ваґнер рекрутує Елайджу Сноу в організацію "Планетарій" суть якої полягає в дослідженні таємної історії світу. Крім Джакіти та Елайджи учасниками команди також є Барабанник та загадковий четвертий учасник який є творцем організації.
Початково серія розпочинається як типовий процедурал в якій наші герої в кожному номері зіштовхуються з якоюсь новою дивиною, однак досить швидко акцент трохи змішується і нас знайомляться з головними антагоністами та головним конфліктом серії. За ці 14 номер наші герої зустрінуться з привидом поліцейського, відвідають острів кайджу, дізнаються про загибель групи героїв, які є алюзіями на бульварник героїв по типу Тіні та Дока Севеджа, відвідають похорони місцевого Джона Константина де Елліс покритикує британське вторгнення в комікси та Вертіґо, а також нам покажуть місцевий аналог Джеймса Бонда/Ніка Ф'юрі та багато іншого. Ми ж як читачі дізнаємося більше про Елайджу, нам покажуть що сталося з його попередником, а також розкриють особистість загадкового четвертого учасника.
З того, що мені ще сподобалося так це мета іронія навколо антагоністів. Суть у тому, що поганці є повною протилежністю наших героїв, якщо Елайджа і ко досліджують неможливе для того, щоб визначити чи можна це використати для покращення світу, то наші лиходії досліджують їх для того, щоб використати їх для свого збагачення й покращення статуту. І от мені подобається, що вони є аналогом однієї відомої родини дослідників неможливого з Марвел.
Взагалі якщо говорити про улюблені моменти, то виділю кінцівку 7 номеру коли місцевий аналог Константина виявляється підозріло схожим на героя іншого відомого коміксу Елліса, весь 10 номер в якому нам показують як місцеві аналоги трьох персонажів DC мають з'явитися у світі Вайлдшторму, а також 12 номер в якому ми дізнаємося особистість 4 учасника. Щодо малюнку то тут все дуже добре, робота Кесседі чудово доповнює серію й непогано передає динаміку.
Перша половина Планетарію вийшла чудовою, мені як людині яка все-таки більш-менш знайома з коміксами було прикольно побачити роботу Елліса з різними тропами, нехай і не всі зрозумів (я, наприклад не зрозумів, що примарний коп це аналог Спектра, а сам номер кивок у сторону фільмів Джона Ву). Дуже раджу звернути увагу на цю серію.
- Давай збережемо його таким.
Саме так завершується перший номер "Planetary" Ворена Елліса та Джона Кесседі і, як на мене, це ідеально характеризує серію. Я прочитав 14 номерів і був у захваті від того, що отримав.
Концепт серії полягає в тому, що Елліс бере якісь певні сталі концепти та тропи як з коміксного супергеройського медіуму, так і з деяких фільмів і деконстурує їх показуючи, що було б якби вони були справжніми в рамках всесвіту Вайлдшторм. Сюжет серії розпочинається з того, що Джакіта Ваґнер рекрутує Елайджу Сноу в організацію "Планетарій" суть якої полягає в дослідженні таємної історії світу. Крім Джакіти та Елайджи учасниками команди також є Барабанник та загадковий четвертий учасник який є творцем організації.
Початково серія розпочинається як типовий процедурал в якій наші герої в кожному номері зіштовхуються з якоюсь новою дивиною, однак досить швидко акцент трохи змішується і нас знайомляться з головними антагоністами та головним конфліктом серії. За ці 14 номер наші герої зустрінуться з привидом поліцейського, відвідають острів кайджу, дізнаються про загибель групи героїв, які є алюзіями на бульварник героїв по типу Тіні та Дока Севеджа, відвідають похорони місцевого Джона Константина де Елліс покритикує британське вторгнення в комікси та Вертіґо, а також нам покажуть місцевий аналог Джеймса Бонда/Ніка Ф'юрі та багато іншого. Ми ж як читачі дізнаємося більше про Елайджу, нам покажуть що сталося з його попередником, а також розкриють особистість загадкового четвертого учасника.
З того, що мені ще сподобалося так це мета іронія навколо антагоністів. Суть у тому, що поганці є повною протилежністю наших героїв, якщо Елайджа і ко досліджують неможливе для того, щоб визначити чи можна це використати для покращення світу, то наші лиходії досліджують їх для того, щоб використати їх для свого збагачення й покращення статуту. І от мені подобається, що вони є аналогом однієї відомої родини дослідників неможливого з Марвел.
Взагалі якщо говорити про улюблені моменти, то виділю кінцівку 7 номеру коли місцевий аналог Константина виявляється підозріло схожим на героя іншого відомого коміксу Елліса, весь 10 номер в якому нам показують як місцеві аналоги трьох персонажів DC мають з'явитися у світі Вайлдшторму, а також 12 номер в якому ми дізнаємося особистість 4 учасника. Щодо малюнку то тут все дуже добре, робота Кесседі чудово доповнює серію й непогано передає динаміку.
Перша половина Планетарію вийшла чудовою, мені як людині яка все-таки більш-менш знайома з коміксами було прикольно побачити роботу Елліса з різними тропами, нехай і не всі зрозумів (я, наприклад не зрозумів, що примарний коп це аналог Спектра, а сам номер кивок у сторону фільмів Джона Ву). Дуже раджу звернути увагу на цю серію.
October 14, 2025
Komiks, którego tkanka doszczętnie jest przesiąknięta czasem jego powstania – jak rzadko w dobrym znaczeniu. To nie jest najwybitniejsza historia opowiedziana w tym medium, a odarta z meta smaczków nie jest nawet najciekawszą, ale właśnie te smaczki stanowią o jego wyjątkowości. Odkrywając kolejne mrugnięcia, których jest całe mnóstwo, człowiekowi chwilami nasuwa się na myśl "The Boys", gdyby tamten komiks napisał ktoś kompetentny, zdolny do nawiązań wymagających większej kreatywności niż "haha seks i przemoc".
Nie powiedziałabym, że źle na początku wchodzi, ale jednak kilka pierwszych rozdziałów wydaje się trochę z innej parafii niż reszta (chyba w pojedynczych tomach to się rozbija na cały pierwszy zeszyt, i od drugiego istnieje bardziej spójna historia).
Nie powiedziałabym, że źle na początku wchodzi, ale jednak kilka pierwszych rozdziałów wydaje się trochę z innej parafii niż reszta (chyba w pojedynczych tomach to się rozbija na cały pierwszy zeszyt, i od drugiego istnieje bardziej spójna historia).
June 1, 2018
I decided to revisit this to see if I wanted to pick up the big Planetary omnibus that came out recently (I first read all of Planetary about 5 years ago). It's actually better than I remember - Ellis' little Ellisisms are not as pronounced here and his strange combination of reverence to and disdain for the source material (i.e. as much genre fiction from the 20th century as you care to name) actually works really well. I probably will get that big omnibus after all.
September 24, 2017
Os comics enquanto género de banda desenhada têm uma forte vertente de auto-referênciação, com citações constantes das suas personagens icónicas e acenos aos fãs com pormenores das linhas narrativas que remetem para outras histórias. No seu mais banal, isso nota-se nos obrigatórios crossovers de verão, os mega-eventos com que as editoras major de comics tentam convencer os fãs a comprar o máximo número de títulos para saber todos os pormenores de uma história que se espraia entre revistas e personagens. No seu melhor, temos livros ou arcos narrativos de séries que contando a sua história, entretecem uma teia sólida que vai buscar elementos e iconografia da continuidade histórica do género.
Algo que Alan Moore tornou visível com The League of Extraordinary Gentleman, pilhando de forma enciclopédia a literatura fantástica dos séculos XIX e XX, entre o policial, romance de aventuras, terror e ficção científica. Vertente que Jeff Lemire explora contemporaneamente em Black Hammer, de forma mais limitativa porque constrangido ao género super-heróis. É, também, um filão muito explorado hoje no cinema e séries televisivas, capitalizando nos mercados de nostalgia para nos oferecer histórias que fundamentalmente não trazem nada de novo, mas encantam audiências pelas constantes referências narrativas e iconográficas a outros filmes, séries televisivas, livros, jogos de computador e outros detritos da cultura popular passada dourados pela memória.
Em Planetary, Warren Ellis segue as passadas de Moore com a sua League, embora invertendo as premissas. Não seguimos heróis do passado nas suas aventuras, acompanhamos agentes-sombra de uma organização secreta e de recursos ilimitados que investiga acontecimentos estranhos. O mandato da organização é investigar a história secreta do mundo, funcionando como auto-proclamados arqueólogos do impossível. Essencialmente, uma boa desculpa para Ellis fazer divertidos pastiches, indo buscar personagens e elementos narrativos a boa parte da cultura popular. Leva-nos a uma ilha japonesa cheia dos cadáveres gargantuescos de kaijus, distorce as histórias de origem de super-heróis icónicos transformando-os ou em vilões com vontade de dominar o mundo, ou em vítimas capturadas e aniquiladas para vivissecação, recupera os antigos heróis pulp para um passado em que computadores analógicos mostraram a estrutura do multiverso, brinca com teorias da conspiração, exploração espacial secreta ou jogos de espionagem.
Ellis não é especialmente discreto com os seus personagens, embora não os referencie diretamente. Temos um homem de bronze que não se chama Doc Savage, ou um milionário justiceiro que se oculta por detrás de um chapéu, capa e máscara que não é The Shadow. Os quatro astronautas secretos que ganham poderes e se tornam mais do que humanos numa missão translunar não são denominados Quarteto Fantástico, a criança enviada num foguetão vindo de um planeta que explode, o polícia galáctico com a sua lanterna e a guerreira vinda de uma ilha grega que se manteve secreta não são chamados de Super-Homem, Green Lantern e Wonder Woman. O super-espião que está envolvido nos segredos conspiratórios globais tem traços de Nick Fury e James Bond. Na ilha isolada onde apodrecem carcaças de monstros gigantes não há godzillas e mohtras, apesar dos vestígios putrefactos de lagartos radioactivos gigantes. Até John Constantine faz uma aparição, no seu próprio funeral com a cerimónia cheia de caricaturas dos heróis do comic de terror Swamp Thing dos anos 80. Mas estas não são referências directas, Ellis distorce estes elementos iconográficos para tecer a sua história, onde uma tríade de operacionais especiais se esforça por revelar, camada a camada, as histórias secretas do mundo.
Não por acaso, Planetary é um dos melhores trabalhos de Ellis. Os seus temas habituais de futurismo descarrilado e personalidades psicóticas que modelam o mundo à sua imagem são aqui complementados pela enorme vénia à literatura pulp, filmes de série B e comics. Também não por acaso esta série surgiu no final do século XX, uma forma de digerir o vasto legado ficcional do velho século em preparação para as possibilidades do novo século.
Algo que Alan Moore tornou visível com The League of Extraordinary Gentleman, pilhando de forma enciclopédia a literatura fantástica dos séculos XIX e XX, entre o policial, romance de aventuras, terror e ficção científica. Vertente que Jeff Lemire explora contemporaneamente em Black Hammer, de forma mais limitativa porque constrangido ao género super-heróis. É, também, um filão muito explorado hoje no cinema e séries televisivas, capitalizando nos mercados de nostalgia para nos oferecer histórias que fundamentalmente não trazem nada de novo, mas encantam audiências pelas constantes referências narrativas e iconográficas a outros filmes, séries televisivas, livros, jogos de computador e outros detritos da cultura popular passada dourados pela memória.
Em Planetary, Warren Ellis segue as passadas de Moore com a sua League, embora invertendo as premissas. Não seguimos heróis do passado nas suas aventuras, acompanhamos agentes-sombra de uma organização secreta e de recursos ilimitados que investiga acontecimentos estranhos. O mandato da organização é investigar a história secreta do mundo, funcionando como auto-proclamados arqueólogos do impossível. Essencialmente, uma boa desculpa para Ellis fazer divertidos pastiches, indo buscar personagens e elementos narrativos a boa parte da cultura popular. Leva-nos a uma ilha japonesa cheia dos cadáveres gargantuescos de kaijus, distorce as histórias de origem de super-heróis icónicos transformando-os ou em vilões com vontade de dominar o mundo, ou em vítimas capturadas e aniquiladas para vivissecação, recupera os antigos heróis pulp para um passado em que computadores analógicos mostraram a estrutura do multiverso, brinca com teorias da conspiração, exploração espacial secreta ou jogos de espionagem.
Ellis não é especialmente discreto com os seus personagens, embora não os referencie diretamente. Temos um homem de bronze que não se chama Doc Savage, ou um milionário justiceiro que se oculta por detrás de um chapéu, capa e máscara que não é The Shadow. Os quatro astronautas secretos que ganham poderes e se tornam mais do que humanos numa missão translunar não são denominados Quarteto Fantástico, a criança enviada num foguetão vindo de um planeta que explode, o polícia galáctico com a sua lanterna e a guerreira vinda de uma ilha grega que se manteve secreta não são chamados de Super-Homem, Green Lantern e Wonder Woman. O super-espião que está envolvido nos segredos conspiratórios globais tem traços de Nick Fury e James Bond. Na ilha isolada onde apodrecem carcaças de monstros gigantes não há godzillas e mohtras, apesar dos vestígios putrefactos de lagartos radioactivos gigantes. Até John Constantine faz uma aparição, no seu próprio funeral com a cerimónia cheia de caricaturas dos heróis do comic de terror Swamp Thing dos anos 80. Mas estas não são referências directas, Ellis distorce estes elementos iconográficos para tecer a sua história, onde uma tríade de operacionais especiais se esforça por revelar, camada a camada, as histórias secretas do mundo.
Não por acaso, Planetary é um dos melhores trabalhos de Ellis. Os seus temas habituais de futurismo descarrilado e personalidades psicóticas que modelam o mundo à sua imagem são aqui complementados pela enorme vénia à literatura pulp, filmes de série B e comics. Também não por acaso esta série surgiu no final do século XX, uma forma de digerir o vasto legado ficcional do velho século em preparação para as possibilidades do novo século.
April 6, 2021
Interesante aproximación la que se hace en este cómic a la reivindicación de la cultura popular del siglo XX en forma de guiños a personajes de cómic o de novelas como si éstos fueran reales (¿hay algo más "meta" que eso?), narrando sus pequeñas historias (adaptadas convenientemente), dentro del arco argumental de conspiraciones y agencias secretas que luchan por el poder en el mundo (o los mundos en realidades paralelas) en la que los tres personajes protagonistas se ven envueltos. Es entretenida y original, pero tardas mucho en darte cuenta de hacia dónde va la historia, algo que claramente debería haberse pulido más.
October 15, 2018
I’ll bite. This started to make much more sense near the end, and in retrospect I do appreciate the slow build.
October 4, 2018
I read a lot of this series when it was first coming out and decided I wanted to get back to it. It wasn't as good as I recall. In fact, it's kind of boring. I know people really love Ellis' writing but I just don't think it's very good here. He is just presenting you with someone else's idea, but making it relate to the Planetary team, and then not really resolving it. Even the villains of the book, The Four, are just the Fantastic Four. I don't know. I just wasn't that in to it.
October 22, 2020
Quality !!
PLANETARY #1 – Archaeologists of the Impossible. All Over the World
“Coffee tastes like your dog took a leak in it.”
Unconventional start to an original tale that has depth to its backstory.
PLANETARY #2 – Action! Terror! Fun!
“The cold and isolation free us.”
Ghastly fanaticism!
PLANETARY #3 – Dead Gunfighters
“Hong Kong is so kind to me.”
PLANETARY #4 – Strange Harbours
“It was like Satan farted, that’s what it was like.”
PLANETARY #5 – The Good Doctor
“He died as unknown as he lived, as I understand it – vaporized, trying to bring down a United Nations space platform.”
PLANETARY #6 – It’s a Strange World
“Learning curve’s steep on this one, so keep focused.”
PLANETARY #7 – To Be In England, In The Summertime
“You know what they say: if you’re tired of London, you’re tired of life.” ..
“Herod. Kill the firstborn. Get the baby Jesus, all that.”
PLANETARY #8 – The Day the Earth Turned Slower
“You’re not going to get rid of them alone..”
PLANETARY #9 – Planet Fiction
“We’re in a strange relationship with our fiction, you see.”
PLANETARY #10 – Magic & Loss
“Yes, they’ll hate you. You’ll frighten them.”.. - Mother
PLANETARY #11 – Cold War
“I’ve got holes in my memory you could throw a damn nuke through.”
PLANETARY #12 – Memory Cloud
“Your memory is incomplete. You don’t know what you’re setting off.”
PLANETARY Preview – Nuclear Spring
“You come on in, boys. Have a drink on me. Been a long day.”
PLANETARY #13 –
“We, the extraordinary, were conspiring to make the world better.” – Sherlock Holmes
PLANETARY #14 – Zero Point
“The truth is in here.”
PLANETARY / AUTHORITY – Ruling the World
“Mr Snow, I presume.”
Dr Who-ish!
PLANETARY #1 – Archaeologists of the Impossible. All Over the World
“Coffee tastes like your dog took a leak in it.”
Unconventional start to an original tale that has depth to its backstory.
PLANETARY #2 – Action! Terror! Fun!
“The cold and isolation free us.”
Ghastly fanaticism!
PLANETARY #3 – Dead Gunfighters
“Hong Kong is so kind to me.”
PLANETARY #4 – Strange Harbours
“It was like Satan farted, that’s what it was like.”
PLANETARY #5 – The Good Doctor
“He died as unknown as he lived, as I understand it – vaporized, trying to bring down a United Nations space platform.”
PLANETARY #6 – It’s a Strange World
“Learning curve’s steep on this one, so keep focused.”
PLANETARY #7 – To Be In England, In The Summertime
“You know what they say: if you’re tired of London, you’re tired of life.” ..
“Herod. Kill the firstborn. Get the baby Jesus, all that.”
PLANETARY #8 – The Day the Earth Turned Slower
“You’re not going to get rid of them alone..”
PLANETARY #9 – Planet Fiction
“We’re in a strange relationship with our fiction, you see.”
PLANETARY #10 – Magic & Loss
“Yes, they’ll hate you. You’ll frighten them.”.. - Mother
PLANETARY #11 – Cold War
“I’ve got holes in my memory you could throw a damn nuke through.”
PLANETARY #12 – Memory Cloud
“Your memory is incomplete. You don’t know what you’re setting off.”
PLANETARY Preview – Nuclear Spring
“You come on in, boys. Have a drink on me. Been a long day.”
PLANETARY #13 –
“We, the extraordinary, were conspiring to make the world better.” – Sherlock Holmes
PLANETARY #14 – Zero Point
“The truth is in here.”
PLANETARY / AUTHORITY – Ruling the World
“Mr Snow, I presume.”
Dr Who-ish!
July 15, 2018
What's the word Drummer? The word is Excellence.
I've always been a fan of Planetary; I've read the first issue numerous times. But to have the first half of the story compiled makes this book an absolute treat. And rereading it, I find all kinds of new things that I missed in previous reads, making it all the more amazing. 'Superhero Archaeology' is a bit of a misnomer, as Ellis and Cassaday dance through all kinds of genres while still keeping a cohesive plot going on, as Elijah Snow, the Drummer, and Jakita Wagner learn more about the stories that don't get told, including their own. Cassaday's art here is amazing - he nails everything from the Green Lantern Corp's hundreds of characters to an absolutely gorgeous shift ship, to the every day details of Snow and Wagner. The dialog is crisp, the relationships are touching as they are discovered and explored, and the ideas encapsulated are mind-blowing. This is something I go back to on a regular basis, and it always finds new ways to amaze me. It's tangential to the Wildstorm Universe (The Authority crossover issue notwithstanding), but it manages to make comments about DC and Marvel comics in unique ways. This is one that everyone who has ever enjoyed comics should read. 400+ pages of wonder. It's a strange world. Let's keep it that way.
I've always been a fan of Planetary; I've read the first issue numerous times. But to have the first half of the story compiled makes this book an absolute treat. And rereading it, I find all kinds of new things that I missed in previous reads, making it all the more amazing. 'Superhero Archaeology' is a bit of a misnomer, as Ellis and Cassaday dance through all kinds of genres while still keeping a cohesive plot going on, as Elijah Snow, the Drummer, and Jakita Wagner learn more about the stories that don't get told, including their own. Cassaday's art here is amazing - he nails everything from the Green Lantern Corp's hundreds of characters to an absolutely gorgeous shift ship, to the every day details of Snow and Wagner. The dialog is crisp, the relationships are touching as they are discovered and explored, and the ideas encapsulated are mind-blowing. This is something I go back to on a regular basis, and it always finds new ways to amaze me. It's tangential to the Wildstorm Universe (The Authority crossover issue notwithstanding), but it manages to make comments about DC and Marvel comics in unique ways. This is one that everyone who has ever enjoyed comics should read. 400+ pages of wonder. It's a strange world. Let's keep it that way.
May 28, 2019
I was first introduced to Ellis through his work on Wildstorm's other major book, The Authority, in which a superteam made and remade universes on a regular basis. Planetary is the polar opposite, a story told in tiny, controlled strokes. A small team of paranormal "archaeologists" solves mysteries: they found the mysteries and they is us.
For a book as shrouded in secrets as Planetary, the individual stories are quite satisfying. There might be a little gothic horror here, some golden-age mystery men over there, maybe with Incan roads running through. Ellis makes it work with a bit of snappy dialogue, some well-calibrated suspense, and small but satisfying reveals. The principals (Snow, Wagner, Drummer) don't see much character development, and frankly, they don't need it. They don't talk about their powers or motivations, Ellis instead (and rather ingeniously) lets the action define his characters instead.
The art from Cassaday is very good. Character design is not his strength; some of the principals waver from issue to issue. But page compositions are clean, and given all the shifts in tone (kaiju one week, super-space corps the next), Cassaday does a miraculous job of building a detailed universe around the story. Highly recommended and will be picking up the next book (now available at my local library).
For a book as shrouded in secrets as Planetary, the individual stories are quite satisfying. There might be a little gothic horror here, some golden-age mystery men over there, maybe with Incan roads running through. Ellis makes it work with a bit of snappy dialogue, some well-calibrated suspense, and small but satisfying reveals. The principals (Snow, Wagner, Drummer) don't see much character development, and frankly, they don't need it. They don't talk about their powers or motivations, Ellis instead (and rather ingeniously) lets the action define his characters instead.
The art from Cassaday is very good. Character design is not his strength; some of the principals waver from issue to issue. But page compositions are clean, and given all the shifts in tone (kaiju one week, super-space corps the next), Cassaday does a miraculous job of building a detailed universe around the story. Highly recommended and will be picking up the next book (now available at my local library).
June 19, 2018
4.5 Stars -- Like a technological version of X-Files or Constantine, where secret technology and multiverse travelings substitute for aliens and demonic magic respectively. Confusing in all the right places, this GN has great art and story lines that close out each chapter but appropriately nurture the meta-story arch. Planetary is a group of three (or four, depending on how you look at it) characters that investigate strange technological and scientific happenings, with a goal of keeping the universe, and to some extent the multiverse, a healthy, thriving place for humans. Other groups, of both earthly secret geniuses and less earth-bound super-creatures, abound and contribute to the intrigue, but the Planetary team of super-heroes (and they do have their own super powers) does their best to keep track of the earthly goings-on.
June 1, 2019
This was a fantastically written deep-dive into the weird underbelly of the planet. Every issue is so radically different than the one precedes it, and yet, oddly, it never feels disjointed.
It captures the excitement of an anthology series, all the while allowing vein to run through it all, pumping whatever weird goo that sustains it all.
While I typically pick up a Warren Ellis story despite the artwork, John Cassaday's pencils here are some of the very best. I don't doubt that for your LCBS reader, having Cassaday as a monthly artist must mean delay after delay. But for someone like me who reads volumes long after the fact, the love he lavished onto each panel is a feast, and one that makes this whole volume so easily re-readable.
Please read this. You deserve something this good in your life.
It captures the excitement of an anthology series, all the while allowing vein to run through it all, pumping whatever weird goo that sustains it all.
While I typically pick up a Warren Ellis story despite the artwork, John Cassaday's pencils here are some of the very best. I don't doubt that for your LCBS reader, having Cassaday as a monthly artist must mean delay after delay. But for someone like me who reads volumes long after the fact, the love he lavished onto each panel is a feast, and one that makes this whole volume so easily re-readable.
Please read this. You deserve something this good in your life.
February 15, 2021
Planetary tiene un encanto muy particular que lo engancha a uno desde varios puntos. Ciencia ficción, tramas detectivescas, teorías de conspiración, superhéroes... ¡Incluso algunos quiebres sobrenaturales!
Un grupo de arqueólogos (y más que eso) se encargan de investigar los grandes secretos del Siglo XX, con varios guiños a eventos y personajes históricos reales, homenajes a héroes clásicos del cómic y un tinte surrealista muy bien logrado.
Algo que agradecí fue la cualidad autoconclusiva de cada capítulo, con una que otra pieza del rompecabezas que nos llevará al origen de la organización Planetary, sus reales objetivos, así como el pasado de Elijah Snow, su más nuevo (¿?) integrante...
Gran trabajo de Warren Ellos y John Cassaday para crear un universo lleno de nostalgia, acción e intriga.
Un grupo de arqueólogos (y más que eso) se encargan de investigar los grandes secretos del Siglo XX, con varios guiños a eventos y personajes históricos reales, homenajes a héroes clásicos del cómic y un tinte surrealista muy bien logrado.
Algo que agradecí fue la cualidad autoconclusiva de cada capítulo, con una que otra pieza del rompecabezas que nos llevará al origen de la organización Planetary, sus reales objetivos, así como el pasado de Elijah Snow, su más nuevo (¿?) integrante...
Gran trabajo de Warren Ellos y John Cassaday para crear un universo lleno de nostalgia, acción e intriga.
November 14, 2024
Uma história sensacional para quem curte ficção científica da mais criativa e que se dá o desprendimento de não trazer explicação para suas distorções da realidade.
Mais para o fim - não lembro se desse ou do segundo volume - algumas coisas são explicadas e amarradas, e isso deixa tudo ainda legal e grandioso.
Também é legal tentar ver quais são as referências para alguns personagens, principalmente os vilões principais. Só é um pouco "filha" de suas origens temporais e regionais ao estereotipar bastante um vilão chinês ou situações similares que já esqueci, mas que deixaram essa impressão em mim.
Mais para o fim - não lembro se desse ou do segundo volume - algumas coisas são explicadas e amarradas, e isso deixa tudo ainda legal e grandioso.
Também é legal tentar ver quais são as referências para alguns personagens, principalmente os vilões principais. Só é um pouco "filha" de suas origens temporais e regionais ao estereotipar bastante um vilão chinês ou situações similares que já esqueci, mas que deixaram essa impressão em mim.
July 10, 2025
A computer built in the 1940s that maps out the structure of the multiverse, the ghost of a murdered Hong Kong cop on a killing spree, and a computer that stores ghosts as information. What does it all mean, and does it mean anything at all. That is the job of Planetary, the archaeologist of the unknown.
A man named Elijah Snow finds himself as the newest member of Planetary, brought into a world of unknown and strangeness, trying to make sense of it all.
This story is incredible, from the writing to the way it weaves together various mythologies, from superheroes to other myths. I enjoyed it.
A man named Elijah Snow finds himself as the newest member of Planetary, brought into a world of unknown and strangeness, trying to make sense of it all.
This story is incredible, from the writing to the way it weaves together various mythologies, from superheroes to other myths. I enjoyed it.
April 10, 2018
Ellis & Cassaday take a loving stroll through the pop & comic fiction, unraveling the mysteries of the 20th century in ‘Planetary.’ Taking an often dyspe
nptic, dystopian spin on comic icons & tropes, the pair still tell an optimistic story as the Planetary agency explores a very strange world... and tries to keep it that way.
I completely missed in the day, but highly recommend it. And while nominally set in the Wildstorm universe, it can be read independently of other comics to enjoy.
I hope you will.
nptic, dystopian spin on comic icons & tropes, the pair still tell an optimistic story as the Planetary agency explores a very strange world... and tries to keep it that way.
I completely missed in the day, but highly recommend it. And while nominally set in the Wildstorm universe, it can be read independently of other comics to enjoy.
I hope you will.
September 12, 2018
I don't always like Warren Ellis's work, but when I do, I love it. At its core, this is an homage comic, with fresh takes on old characters. But crucially, each little homage is slowly connected into a sinister and distinctly modern story, as our heroic archaeologists discover more and more about the secret history of the 20th century. It's a great read, with lots of great ideas thrown up on the page rapidly and carelessly in signature Ellis style.
January 1, 2024
I'm not sure I should be reading Warren Ellis? But anyway I did and probably will go on to read Transmetropolitan as well. But I'm also genuinely not sure I was blown away by this. There are parts of it that I absolutely loved - the multiple planet Earths, travel between them, that concept I was on board with. Right up my alley. But the fourth man conceit, and the slow unraveling of who the fourth man is went too slow for me. And it relies on a pet peeve of mine to keep it afloat - amnesia. So I think this first collected volume lands somewhere in the middle of the scale for me. Hopefully now that it is revealed who the fourth man is, the second should be more fun.
(I liked the art, but was distracted by the fact that the guy from Asia among the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen was drawn to look like Keanu Reeves).
(I liked the art, but was distracted by the fact that the guy from Asia among the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen was drawn to look like Keanu Reeves).
February 1, 2019
Weird, episodic, but pretty good. Reminds me of why I used to like reading comics a lot. Might have to pick up the next installment at some point. The main characters are decent, the powers are fun, and the world is a strange place.
August 23, 2023
Planetary is a wonderful, somber study of science fiction, fantasy, and a history of the comic book genre. Full of mystery, dark humour, and stunning artwork by John Cassidy, this deserves to be considered amongst the best work by Warren Ellis, just as much as The Authority
January 1, 2024
I really wanted to like this book. The classic pulp characters and golden age comic characters are really well thought out. Axel Bronze might even be more interesting than Doc Savage. But ultimately the metaplot really let things down. Took away any interesting use of these characters.
February 14, 2024
El formato episódico y la manera de ir hilvanando la historia puede costar un poco al principio si no sabes donde te estás metiendo, pero a medida que avanzan los capítulos todo va cogiendo forma y te atrapa con su propuesta.
Muy recomendable.
Muy recomendable.
December 30, 2017
Warren Ellis and John Cassady's best so far
February 18, 2018
Chi ama il fumetto, non può non leggerlo. Tutto qua.
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