The Prisoner

Stephen King's The Dark Tower #12

by Robin Furth

A Gallery Book. Gallery Books has a great book for every reader.

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

128 pages, Hardcover

First published February 17, 2015

About the author

Robin Furth is the personal research assistant to Stephen King and the author of Stephen King's The Dark Tower: A Complete Concordance, which was published by Scribner on December 5, 2006. It is a compilation of her two previous encyclopedic books dealing with King's magnum opus, The Dark Tower: A Concordance, volume I - which explores the first four books in King's series - and A Concordance II, which gives the reader definitions and explanations of pivotal terms used over the course of the final three books of The Dark Tower. She is now currently working on the graphic novel adaptation of the Dark Tower for Marvel Comics.

Reviews

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

True story.

It's been a long time since I've reviewed anything... So, I figured that it was only fitting to effect my return to the realm of Goodreads reviewing with something short, familiar (how many times have I read The Dark Tower series? No, seriously, I'm asking because I've lost count.), but still new to me. So I picked the first in the newest Dark Tower graphic novel set based on The Drawing of the Three.

Side note: I am seriously disappointed that they are not releasing these in hardcover like the Gunslinger set. Annoying.

Anyway... The Drawing of the Three is probably my most consistent favorite in the Dark Tower series. Sometimes Wolves of the Calla takes top bunk, but Drawing is usually there. I just love Eddie Dean, and I love the way that he is introduced to the story, and it's just a damn good book... especially coming on the heels of The Gunslinger, which, let's be honest because we're among friends, is a bit slow, dry, and odd. The change of pace between The Gunslinger and Drawing of the Three practically gives the reader whiplash. I loves it. :D

So, I was super excited when I found out that there would be graphic novel adaptation/versions of Drawing. There is a lot of back story and character history and stuff added to the graphic novel versions, and they aren't 1:1 adaptations of the story from the book, but they are great. The shift in perspective, the shift in tone and narrative, they work for me.

The Prisoner includes nods to characters and scenes from four different books in the series (by my memory count, anyway), and also to Hearts in Atlantis, specifically the story Low Men in Yellow Coats. Like little Easter eggs... You'd know them if you're familiar... but if not, it's not confusing. The story we get in this first volume makes sense and stands alone. Well... let me clarify - if you've at least read The Drawing of the Three, it makes sense. If not, you'd be hella confused, probably.

One tiny criticism I have is that the art style is different... a bit softer, slightly cartoonish. Not as sketchy and raw as I like. It's still really good, with beautifully drawn scenes, but just not the style I have come to really like with these adaptations. But, different artist = different art.

So. All in all, I enjoyed it, and I'm looking forward to more of them.

[Trudi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here we go again: The Drawing of The Three: The Prisoner marks Marvel's third iteration of its ongoing, ambitious adaptation of King's Dark Tower magnum opus. The results have been mixed for me. I started out in a fangirl tizzy, but my excitement soon waned for quite a stretch (in which I stopped reading altogether), then it peaked again like a firecracker going off, only to dampen and fizzle once more at the conclusion of the last two volumes.

Sigh. Look, don't get me wrong. I get a thrill and a chill every time I pick up one of these volumes. Because it holds so much potential. And sometimes I think just the sheer anticipation is worth its weight in gold no matter how conflicted or underwhelmed or disappointed I am by the time the reading is done.

This latest volume likely didn't stand a chance from the get-go, I had placed such GINORMOUS expectations of want and need on its slim modest frame. Out of all of King's seven Dark Tower books (I refuse to count The Wind Through the Keyhole in that number), The Drawing of the Three is my absolute favorite. For a lot of reasons. Not the least of which, Three is what got me addicted to the series in the first place.

When I read it that first time lo those many, many years ago (can you kennit?) I had never read anything else like it. I didn't even know books could do that to your brain and emotions, get in there and live there and completely wrap you up in its world and life and characters. I had loved other books before The Drawing of the Three, but I think it's safe to say this was the first time I had become obsessed - possessed by one. Books have been having that effect on me since but that time, was the first time, and you never forget your first, do you?

At the end of the day, these graphic novels are not, and can never be the books. At their best they are lovely companion pieces to tickle that nostalgia part of every DT fans brain; at their worst, they are very poor substitutes with the power to egregiously spoil the books for any reader ill-advised enough to start with the graphic novels. DON'T DO THAT, OKAY?? Read the books first. Will you promise me that?

There are parts of this one that I did enjoy -- going back to 1980's New York and hanging out with a young Eddie and his big brother Henry was a bittersweet, and due to knowing what's coming, an ultimately heartbreaking affair. The artwork is weak though, and Roland just looks like a caricature sketch of himself. And let's just say the lobstrocities scene fell as flat as a pancake. Boo. But there was astin! And tooter fish! So I shall read on. If only for the anticipation, if not the disappointment.

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first volume of Marvel's The Drawing of the Three series, which was based on King's second prose novel in The Dark Tower series. It's not an adaptation, but a close-up of the other members of Roland's group and their various origins. This one tells the beginning of Eddie's story, and we see the problems he faced with drugs and his brother, and we see the early influence of the Dark Side. I preferred the earlier books that seemed more central to the overall series with a much wider sweep and more intricate plots. This one is quite well-written by Furth and David, just as the earlier books were, but felt more simplified. The art, unfortunately, was not to my liking. It's interesting, but not essential.

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

The tale of Eddie Dean's childhood up until the point where he meets Roland. It's interesting to see Walter O'Dim's influence throughout his life. There's a spark that seems to be missing from these Drawing of the Three adaptations. Maybe it's that they are told in a linear manner instead of skipping back and forth in time? The art and coloring are a pale shell of themselves compared to the Gunslinger volumes. They are definitely lacking with the exit of Richard Isonove. It feels like Marvel is trying to reduce costs on these books in order to kill off the project.

Incidentally, my 900th review on the year. Clearly I have a problem.

[Lukas Sumper · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Prisoner intended or not felt a bit like being imprisoned in a kid's body and witnessing it's upbringing. (that might sound worse than it is, but as a reading experience this actually worked) It just takes too long to get going which hurts it, as we are used to action and a nail biting struggle in a war torn desert. The good storytelling is still there but the potential only shows itself fully at the very end.

I do not know enough about the making of this series, but as other reviewers pointed out, a lot has changed since the first book "the gunslinger born", and not all for the better ...sadly. The absolutely incredible art of Jae Lee&Richard Isanove seems like a long gone memory and it can be felt even down to the changing of the letterer.

Production wise this basically was pulled back down to earth, now having good average art with normal coloring added to it, this by no means a dig at Piotr Kowalski, I really think he did a great job with what he was given. What saves it in a way is the changing of the scenery / setting, as this book is completely unlike the books before it.

It's hard to review this one, as I still love it but I can understand why people might feel it fell apart here, since this is a break of scenery, writing and continuity of epic proportions. If you were looking for an epic western you were left with some kid's discarded cowboy toy's.
Bold, I like it! 4.0 out of 5.0 stars

[Obsidian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did get a kick out of seeing The Drawing of the Three in comic form, but how the illustrators drew Roland didn't gibe with how he looks like in my head. We get more of a complete story in this graphic novel (since we had bits and pieces of Eddie's story told throughout the series) so that was great to see. I just thought some things could have been drawn out a bit more and don't know if readers really need this if they have read "The Drawing of the Three" but it's nice to see the book in graphic novel form. 

"The Prisoner" is a graphic novel of Stephen King's Drawing of the Three. Not the first book in the Dark Tower series, but the second. We get more of Eddie in this one and the voice sounds just like him (which makes sense since they took pieces from that book and just whole sell dropped them in). This first book shows us everything right up to Eddie going on the disastrous plane ride and meeting Roland for the first time. 

Ahh Eddie. I will just forget what happens to you down the line. I was glad to see that I still loathed Henry even in graphic novel form. We get to see more scenes that actually do look the way that I always imagined in my head. We also get to see/hear Jack and Balazar. 

The writing works because this was always one of the most well put together parts of The Dark Tower series. The flow is great too. We follow Eddie from 2 to his plane ride/meet of Roland and the first that Roland draws. 

I think the illustrations are nice too. I always loved the description of The Tower and the field of roses that were so crammed together it looked liked blood. 

Anyway onto book two. I also realized that I really need to go back and finish the gunslinger graphic novels that show his life before he met his ka-tet. 

[Sud666 · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Prisoner was superb. It is the story of Eddie from the Dark Tower.

Eddie grows up in the streets of New York. Due to his ability, he has attracted the attention of Walter O'Dimm. An "accident" is set up that should remove Eddie, but instead kills his little sister. Tragedy follows the family as Eddie falls under the sway of his loser heroin addict brother. In time this addiction coupled with Eddie's role in the Dark Tower will see his path intersect with Roland's destiny.

This was a really good story. The artwork was excellent and the entire background for Eddie turns him into a far more decent and likable character than he is in the books. A great combination of background lore on Eddie, beautiful artwork (I loved Walter at the restaurant) and good writing in terms of explaining Eddie's family and giving him some much-needed nuance.

Highly Recommended for any SK fan. Once I'm done with the entirety of this comic series I intend to re-read the entire Dark Tower series, hopefully with a better understanding of the events.

[Alondra Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars

Just a little backstory on our friend Eddie. 2nd member of Rolands Ka-Tet. Some changes in how he came to the door, but I think the shootout will still happen based on the convo between the two characters. I cannot wait!

[Quentin Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

This volume of the Dark Tower series is totally different than the earlier volumes, but really just as good. While the other stories were basically a Weird Western, this volume is set in New York City during the 60s and 70s. Drugs and Viet Nam are a big part of the story, which is the story of Eddie Dean. Fans of the Dark Tower know that Eddie Dean joins Roland on his quest and becomes a very important character in the Dark Tower mythos. The art reminds me a lot of John Byrne.

I was leery of this at first as I am a huge Weird Western fan which is why I liked the Dark Tower series so much. But even with the different setting, this is still great.

[Janice · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Dark Tower series is one of- if not **the**- best series I have ever read. The early DT comics really painted a world that was rich and true to the original.

Eddie Dean, an important member of Roland's Ka-Tet, recounts his early years and leads us to his first encounter with the last gunslinger. Ah, Eddie, the junkie from Brooklyn who becomes one of the most important people in all universes. A truly fascinating character, if there ever was one.

The Drawing of the Three: The Prisoner doesn't represent the original as well as I would like. As I read this, I kept thinking, "That's different from the series," and, "No, no, that isn't right at all." There are people and places that enter the picture far sooner than they should, and that just rubs me the wrong way.

The thing that bugs me the most, the decline in the art. I have complained about this before with this series. The first few volumes had art , and the past few volumes seem somehow less. It isn't as ethereal or creepy. These worlds are ethereal and creepy. The images should match that.

I will still be buying the trade paperbacks as soon as they come out, and my love of the series isn't diminishing.

[Lost Planet Airman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the adaptations and expansions of The Dark Tower novels early on, when it was centered on Roland's youth, and on tales usually told in reminisences in the text series. Then, a few graphic novels back, we entered "the present", and began examining tales told already in The Gunslinger or The Wastelands, and I was not as pleased.

But my discomfort is due to the conflict between my vision of the novels, and the graphic* differences between them and the visual medium of the GNs.

So, here. Not pleased with Eddie Dean. Not as happy with the artist's protrayals of anyone. Not happy with the streamlining of the storys, to fit them into a comic book format.

But, they aren't bad, either. My recommendation? Read The Gunslinger, and I mean read it without the benefit of pictures to replace your imagination. Let Roland and the boy and Walter permeate your reality, hide beneath it, like a good allegory should. Then, take your pick. Don't like novels big enough to make your hand ache holding it -- read the picture books, they are still good. Or like me, finish the arc as text, then reread the adaptations, and catcha few surprises or reminiscences. But, have fun.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book follows Eddie and his older brother Henry. Showing their life growing up and the tragedy that befell his sister. His older brother Henry is a dick. As they get older, Henry is drafted into the military. When he returns, he gets strong out on drugs. This leads Eddie to do something he probably shouldn’t have but leads to a cool ending. An OK book.

[Gary Butler · Rating 5 out of 5]

23rd book read in 2016.

Number 95 out of 516 on my all time book list.

Review Pending:

[Bryce · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story of Eddie Dean's childhood, descent into addiction and how he came to join The Gunslinger.

This plot is nothing new for those that have read Stephen King's opus, but it's nice to see a bit more of Eddie's childhood and his relationship with his brother. What is intriguing is how far back ka's influence went, leading to the death of Eddie's little sister and his addiction. Walter O'Dim tried very hard to make sure Roland never formed his ka-tet... I wonder if this tactic had been developed for this cycle or if this had been refined and repeated over and over again. These things have happened before and will happen again.

The art in this book didn't particularly thrill me. The story itself is so vast and unreal that this straightforward style is underwhelming. I feel like an opportunity was missed, a chance to portray these characters as they are inside instead of just as they're physically described.

[Michelle Morrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Drawing of the Three is where I finally became invested in the Dark Tower stories, so I was excited to see that not only was there a graphic adaptation, but there are quite a few volumes out already. I got a lump of them from the library all at once and had a quite lovely Sunday morning.

This isn't a retelling of the book, instead it's a companion (so far). We get to see the stories of our ka tet from when their stories began ... this one is Eddie's tale. As a baby, child, teen, these are the backstories that we only saw in flashback or hinted at in conversation.

[Book Nerd]

This retells Eddie's part of The Drawing of the Three. It's interesting to see it from his point of view.

But I didn't think the parts about his earlier life really went anywhere. Henry stole a low man's car, they went for a joyride, and that's it.
Walter tried to kill Eddie ONCE in his childhood. Couldn't he have tried again? Eddie was just a kid. It couldn't have been that hard.

[Michael Benavidez · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm torn...see I like this because Eddie Dean (the character they introduce) is my favorite character King has written. However, this isn't King writing, this is someone writing new work from King's. They're inventing things, they're building up with it. which I like, I do. I always felt like King just skipped too much on the death of Dean's sister. so that going into play is nice.
However, the art is different. Which would normally be good, but it seems like there were too many panels that just took the lazy route. It just didn't do too well for me.
I will still be collecting these though.

[Dmitrijs Prigodics · Rating 3 out of 5]

Magnum Opus Стивена Кинга, окталогия мира "Тёмной Башни", преследуют неудачи в экранизациях, вначале с полнометражкой, где Роланда, списанного с Клинта Иствуда, решили сделать афроковбоем и 8 книг запихнуть в полтора часа, а потом и с отменным сериалом, которой бы рассказывал жизнь молодого Роланда, до падения Гилеада и заветных слов первой книги "Человек в черном шёл через пустыню, а Стрелок преследовал его". Увы.
Однако это не помешало создателям комиксов, которым не нужен огромный бюджет, чтобы нарисовать раскадровку своего идеального фильма. Уже вышло достаточно комиксов про Тёмную Башню, в основном, они рассказывали не основную линию романа, а то, что происходило до - в общем-то, замена отменённому сериалу, а может, наоборот, продюсеры хотели экранизовать красивые и сочные виды из тех комиксов?..
Этот же том посвящен 2ой книге, "Извлечение троих", где Роланд собирал свой будущий ка-тет. И первая часть была об Узнике, показанном Дискейну Человеком в Чёрном через Таро. Этим узником оказался молодой человек, и его тюрьмой был наркотик, к которому он пристрастился через слабовольного брата. Роланд спас его в момент, когда полиция чуть не поймала парня на перевозке наркотиков, и так был извлечён в Срединный Мир первый из троих... Вот, комикс об этом.
Безусловно, книга лучше, ведь раскадровка с фразовыми пузырями может передать лишь небольшую часть того, что даёт немаленький томик, но комикс хорош, если вам лень читать - может, после этого обратитесь к оригиналу, кто знает! - и если вам интересно представить, как бы выглядел фильм по книге. И, как мне кажется, именно "Извлечение троих" мог бы стать началом большой кино-серии, ведь она рассказывает истории персонажей так, в духе Стивена Кинга, что это можно принять за простую криминальную драму а-ля "Реквием по мечте", лишь в конце выдавая фантастический джокер в виде дверей в иной мир. То есть, минимум спецэффектов, максимум жизненной драмы, и лишь в конце интрига и завязка на другие фильмы. И если бы такое окупилось, можно было бы делать дальше, но нет, продюсеры хотели всё и сразу...
Так что у нас, вместо фильма есть комикс :) Для фанатов.

[OmniBen · Rating 2 out of 5]

(Zero spoiler review) 2.25/5
Well, that certainly wasn't what I was expecting. I thought I had struck gold when I went to the library and found four of the five volumes of The Drawing of the Three on the shelves. The omnibus is rarer than an attractive and rational gender studies student, so needless to say, finding four fifths of the series was the furthest thing from my mind when I walked through the door.
The Stand and first two Dark Tower comic adaptations are amazing. This is warm, watery garbage, at least compared to my expectations, anyway. I kept waiting for it to get good, and with the final handful of pages, at least there is a glimmer of hope that we may return to regularly scheduled programming with the next volume, although to have to suffer through a bland, boring and fairly uneventful retelling of snippets of Eddie's childhood all in one go tried my patience near to breaking point. I've already memory holed the elder brother, was his name, Henry? I don't really care. What an insufferable twat. Four or so issues of him... No thanks.
I haven't read the prose novels. I tried but gave up halfway through The Gunslinger. King is VERY hit or miss with me, and that was certainly a miss. I was told it gets better, although 'Drawing' is meant to be peak Dark Tower as I understand it. The only thing this is the peak of is pitiful.
Kowalski's art was unfortunately a downgrade on previous Dark Tower collections. I enjoyed his work on the Bloodborne books, although there really was something not quite right about this. If the story was better, the art wouldn't have bothered me as much as it did, but the whole package was one mighty disappointment. Here's hoping for much, much more from volume two. 2.25/5


OmniBen.

[Adam Fisher · Rating 4 out of 5]

WOW! Other than the art (I would have liked a better artist, though it wasn't bad) this is a really compelling way to look at the beginning story of Eddie Dean.

NOTE: This review is written with the understanding that you have read the entire Dark Tower series already. Spoilers abound.

Looking at Eddie Dean's life in chronological order, rather than revealed to Roland in flashbacks, this look into "The Prisoner" takes us all the way through Eddie's childhood (losing his sister, losing his mom, Henry's drug dealing, etc) and even throws in clues to both the Low Men in Yellow Coats, as well as Jack Mort, who will play a role later on in this same story. Only bringing in Roland's encounter with the lobstrosities and his path to the first door on the beach to the reader's attention when Eddie is on the plane trying to smuggle drugs, has the focus of the first Volume on Eddie, which is where it belongs.

Really impressed with how the story is laid out and executed. Looking forward to the rest of the Volumes.
Strong recommend. Especially for Tower fans.

[Cale · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written from Eddie's perspective, this is an interesting approach to adapting the Drawing of the Three. Almost nothing in this book actually happens in that one -instead it's a collection of Eddie's Pre-Roland days, which it manages to tie into the larger Dark Tower series in some surprising and effective ways. We get young Eddie and his brother Henry and glimpses into the larger story bleeding in from the edges (and the villains). All told, it doesn't add a whole lot to the mythology, but it does make for a nicer way to approach some if it. And the art is different from the Gunslinger volumes, more comic-like and less painterly. Outside of images of roses and towers, it's not memorable at all.
So it's a different take than I expected, but it does distinguish itself from the original novel in much the same way that the first few volumes (pre-Gunslinger) did - coloring in around the edges of the major story in nice if unnecessary ways.

[Becky Wells · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Graphic Novel on Kindle that Works

This was a graphic novel on Kindle that actually works! Without the constant resizing and zooming in, it was fun to read The Prisoner. At the beginning of the novel instructions were provided for how to move from panel to panel while still enjoying the full page layout as well. (Note: This did not work on my Paperwhite, only on the app on my phone.) It's based on Stephen King's Dark Tower series so has a lot of rich story as well as the creepy level we've come to expect from King. The images are fantastic, and with Kindle there can be a lot of close-ups to get more detail. It's the first in a series.

[Ryan Loughran · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy the mixture of adaptation/sequel/prequel? this entire series of comics can be. The past few story arcs were more straight adaptation, which can get a little boring. With the deep dive into Eddie's backstory, we get a little more of the filling the the blanks that we got with some of Roland's early life, which is where the series really shines for me.

I don't know that I like the idea of Balazar being conscious of the bigger picture and scheming to take Eddie down from birth, but that's my only issue.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the back story of Eddie Dean, one of three individuals that are drawn into Midworld from ours to aid Roland in his quest for the Dark Tower.
Raised by a single mother, Eddie spends most of his time in the company of his older brother, a juvenile delinquent named Henry.
Henry becomes a heroin addict and eventually drags Eddie into his world of drug use.
Roland and Midworld are largely absent from this volume until the end, although evil forces from the other realm are alive and well throughout New York City.

[Crazed8J8 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having just read some of the novels this was based on, it was a really cool visual way to read the story. It put some of the pieces together that I missed or didn't understand in the story. It gave me a visual of the lobstrosities, and overall, was just a great way to reimagine the stories.
Some of the artwork reminded me of King of the Hill, so that was a little difficult to get past, since it was a more serious and dark story, and then all of a sudden, you see Bobby or Hank Hill embodied in one of the main characters...
Nevertheless, I look forward to reading the rest of the run!

[Kane Mason · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was fun to find out a little more about Eddie and his brother, Henry. And it was wonderful to to see Eddie, Henry and other characters brought to such vivid life by the artists. Wish it had of of been all the issues in one though. It’s quite short.

[Ahdom · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really love these adaptations of The Dark Tower. This one was one of my favorite so far. It really stuck to the novel and provided amazing illustrations of the story. It's a great way to re-live the adventure. I'm ready for the next one!

[Tim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good backstory for one of my favorite characters. Definitely made me want to read the next volume. Eddie on the Plane will always be one of my favorite pieces of Stephen King's writing. This truncated it a lot, but it is still riveting once we get there.

[PW · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Beginning

This is my first graphic novel. I am a huge Steven King fan. I read this to give if a try. I'm glad I know the story. Some of the pages had to be enlarged to be easier to read I did enjoy seeing the Tall Man grow up.

[Ingrid · Rating 4 out of 5]

Das liest sich irgendwie anders als die Vorgänger. Die Geschichte ist nicht so verschachtelt und mysterisch überladen.