Echolands, Vol. 1

Echolands #1-6

by J.H. Williams III (Writer / Artist), W. Haden Blackman (Writer), Dave Stewart (Colorist)

The story of Earth’s last war starts with Hope’s sticky fingers...

The multiple award-winning Batwoman team, J. H. WILLIAMS III (Promethea, The Sandman: Overture, Batman) and W. HADEN BLACKMAN (Star Wars, Elektra), reunites for an all-new ongoing series! They’re joined once again by colorist supreme DAVE STEWART and master letterer TODD KLEIN.

In a bizarre future world that has forgotten its history, a reckless thief, Hope Redhood, holds the key to excavating its dark, strange past―if only she and her crew can escape a tyrannical wizard and his unstoppable daughter. But fate will send them all on a path leading to a war between worlds.

ECHOLANDS is a landscape format, mythic-fiction epic where anything is possible―a fast-paced genre mashup adventure that combines everything from horror movie vampires to classic mobsters and cyborg elves, to Roman demigods and retro rocket ships. It’s going to be a helluva ride!

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Fiction, Superheroes, Science Fiction, Action

272 pages, Hardcover

First published July 19, 2022

About the author

James H. "Jim" Williams III, usually credited as J. H. Williams III, is a comic book artist and penciller. He is known for his work on titles such as Chase, Promethea and Desolation Jones.

Reviews

[Rod Brown · Rating 1 out of 5]

It took me a week to slog through this crap as one chapter at a shot was all I could endure.

Bad enough this opening book in the series is an overlong and tedious chase scene with unbearably busy art with multiple clashing styles on each page, but the whole thing is presented in one of the most awkward and annoying formats for a book: a wobbly panoramic spread that opens up to be only seven inches tall but nearly two feet wide. Reading it anywhere but firmly on a flat surface is an annoying and clumsy chore. It's the sort of book that if dropped once while open, the bound pages are sure to start splitting from the cover.

Really, it's more a Where's Waldo? picture book than a story as it is purely Easter eggs. Hey, that guy looks like he was drawn by Jack Kirby! Hey, that guy from Chicago looks like Flattop from Dick Tracy! Hey, Dracs and Steins look like Universal movie monsters! Hey, pirates! Hey, Japanese robots! Hey, zombies!

Just to really drive home how self-indulgent this project is, the end matter has over two dozen pages listing all the music J. H. Williams III listened to while working on the art. Mostly vinyl, of course! And he specifies the color of vinyl! And which ones were picked by his wife! OMG!

And this is just Book One? No. Never again.

[Shannon · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this more but I could not get past how much I hated the formatting. I can't stand reading in landscape mode and this is in two-page landscape mode - this is quite possibly a me-only problem but it's one of the reasons my rating is a bit low. Just a warning if you decide to read a digital version of this as it's quite annoying.

I'm also not a huge fan of putting a ton of narrative exposition as an interview or short story within a graphic novel; I always kinda groan when I turn a page and just see a huge wall of text. When I want to read a novel, I'll read a novel.

A lot of time was also spent on "extras" for this series while the actual story moves so slowly and feels quite empty. I just could not connect with it at all. Gorgeous art though.

Individual issue reviews: #1 | #2 | #3 | #4 | #5 | #6

Total review score: 2

[Peacegal · Rating 4 out of 5]

The illustrations are truly stellar. I'm not sure I've seen a graphic novel quite like this before--in which multiple characters look as if they've been lifted from a huge variety of comics of differing tones and art styles--yet they still somehow all work together in this fantastic landscape.

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very cool artwork, but the story kinda lost me...too many elements and too many characters. Bugged me that the series seems like a mixed-up mash-up of genres.

[Δημήτρης Μπ · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Echolands" in my opinion is a masterful adventure that everyone who likes comics and fantasy should read.

Its world mashes together elements and characters from a lot of other different stories. It has a young main protagonist with magic powers that she can't control, elfs, vampires - zombies and other monsters, humans and demigods, a transformer-looking robotic race and a powerful wizard and his daughter as the antagonistic duo trying to rule the whole world. I found that all of the main characters had their interesting aspects. Even though the mix-up can get a bit confusing at times, there are a lot of details that manage to catch your attention and suck you back inside this fantastic world. For example the interview of the wizard at the end of each issue, where we get to see his point of view, some advertisements and other notices after that, which look as if they jump out of a local newspaper and give more clues about how the world of Echolands works.

The illustrations and the colouring are amazing. Almost every page is a piece of art and I deliberately slowed my reading pace down so that I could take my time admiring the art-style.

Since the first volume ends in a cliffhanger, I really hope that the series won't get abandoned (as has happened with a few of Image's comic series that I've read in the past) and the creative team will come back and continue this story soon.

[Adam M · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can read my full review for No Flying, No Tights at their site here, but I will say this: I enjoyed it more than I thought I would after I got used to the landscape formatting. Most of the reviews I've seen that didn't enjoy this book point to that as the main culprit as to why they didn't like it. This is your warning - if you have the physical copy I don't think it makes any difference, but if you read it digitally you should be ready for that.

[Matty Dub · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have never seen art more beautiful than the one contained in this book.

Echolands is a great character driven fantasy story.
The motley crew of characters’ appearances are all based on the art style of past great comics artist like Gould, Kirby, Wightson or Russell with the main protagonist sporting JH Williams’ signature style.

This was a blast to read and experience, the horizontal format was awesome as was the superbly inventive page layouts.

[J.R. Santos · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a great read for fans of Moorcock, Gaiman and Morrison but I admit I laughed when I realized some twenty odd pages? We're dedicated to listing of every album the author listened to while working on each chapter.
There's a bunch of black and white text less pages at the end also, for people who want a better view of the art.

[Alex Sarll]

Kurt Busiek's introduction makes much of comics as a group endeavour, like a great band. And it can't be disputed that Dave Stewart is one of our better colourists, that Todd Klein is probably the greatest letterer since Dave Sim's hands failed him, and that Haden Blackman is someone who knows JH Williams. But let's admit that Williams' art is the big draw here. The story is told sideways, and will I suspect work much better physically than the Edelweiss ARC did on my mid-size tablet, where it couldn't really attain the full storybook grandeur of its intended breadth. But I could still see that Williams' layouts were as innovative as ever, his world as solid yet magical. And what sort of world is that? Well, we open with what looks a lot like Red Riding Hood, except she's instantly thrust into a dystopian cityscape, where she's got a formidable father figure on her side but is hunted by a creepy girl-thing who has something in common with her. If that description is ringing a few bells then yeah, you must have read Williams' Batwoman too. And much of what follows echoes other familiar worlds and characters, which presumably explains the title. But damn he makes it look good enough that I don't mind going around the ride again. As it went on, I became less punctilious about zooming in to read all the words, which pretty much never lived up to the swoop and sweep of the visuals, where you could go from a dying Kirby pastiche being cradled by a cousin of Bernie Wrightson's Frankenstein, to a war comic shipwreck, to a battle with sea monsters, all of them glorious, across three successive spreads. So yeah, maybe by the end I was only 'reading' this in the sense a small child does, which I'm sure some people still assume is always the case with comics. But occasionally, it is the best way, and until such time as Williams works with the likes of Morrison or Moore again, I'll take it. Though be warned - while I normally find creator playlists interesting, the one here specifies not only what format the music was on, which would already be mildly irritating, but what colour vinyl, which I found entirely infuriating.

[Drew Canole · Rating 3 out of 5]

J.H. Williams III takes every comics project as an opportunity to showcase his ridiculous talent. The script here lets him draw in so many different classic styles. I imagine a comics historian would be able to pinpoint each and every reference on the page.

Maybe the best looking comic to come out in 2022.

I'm interested to see where they go in volume 2, so far there's just not enough story to get me hooked.

[Kurt Lorenz · Rating 4 out of 5]

The art in this series is truly incredible and a pleasure to admire, unfortunately the story drags a bit too much. I was hoping for a fantastic mini-series but this is turning out to be a gorgeously boring ongoing.

[April Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok, wow, that was cool. I really enjoyed this! To start, good gravy, the art is amazing and gorgeous and cinematic and just drop-dead fabulous! The spreads are done in two-page landscape format, which is gonna annoy some people, and understandably so: if you're trying to read a digital copy (as I did), it's a bit of a chore zooming in and out, plus it can be a little difficult following the trail of the story (print or digital) as the path doesn't always travel the same way. Minor peeves aside, I quite liked the landscape format, I loved the way the art flowed across the pages. Each issue has bookend materials, including a running interview between a journalist and the Wizard (our antagonist), so expect 2 pages partially filled with text at the end of each part. This will also annoy some people, because God forbid we have to read a small bit in an otherwise heavily illustrated book! Seriously, it's not that much reading, and it adds another level of detail to the story, put on your big reader glasses and deal with it. Speaking of the story, it's a slow burn despite all the action sequences, with just enough plot teased out to keep me on the hook. We get plopped down into the story without any idea what's going on, and learn as we go (do read the introduction - it doesn't have spoilers, but it offers some things to think about while reading that did help me enjoy the story more). There's a familiar-in-a-way protagonist with a mysterious past who's part of a group of misfits who aren't necessarily good people, but aren't really bad either, a probably evil protagonist and his terrifying daughter, various questionable characters, some scary monsters, and a metaphysicist who offers help and guidance; none of the characters are what I'd call well fleshed out, but we do get to know them well enough to be interested in them. The worldbuilding is organic rather than info-dumpy, and I thought it well done - I wish I could visit Metamaru Mountain, but alas... The story ends with the usual non-ending, since there's more to come, and I look forward to the next volume eagerly! Oh, the back matter: there's some nice black and white versions of some spreads, covers, and the most comprehensive creator playlists I've ever seen - pages and pages (ok, 13) of every bit of music Williams listened to while working on each chapter, complete with format (mostly vinyl, with colored vinyl noted with color). Even this annoyed one reviewer; apparently knowing the format and vinyl color was "infuriating," though I found it interesting; we Gen X-ers do love our vinyl, dontcha know.
Overall, this was amazing, any gripes I have are too small to really affect my enjoyment of this book, but I do acknowledge some readers might be put off by the landscape format. There is violence and gore, I've seen worse though. Read this if you don't mind getting little hints rather than big ones, you like dystopic worlds with scifi/fantasy elements, and are cool with a medium-slow burn. And the art. If nothing else get this for that sweet, sweet art!

[Joy Pixley · Rating 2 out of 5]

The artwork is amazing and shows great skill, but the story overall is a chaotic mess. The book combines too many genres, too many characters, and too many issues. It tries to dazzle with pages jampacked with atmospheric special effects, but between the ambiguous action scenes, the confusing panel ordering, and the paucity of text exposition, I repeatedly lost track of what on earth was happening. It was hard to engage with characters who were all show and little substance. The mishmash of genres (and their internal rules) meant I couldn’t tell how relatively powerful each side was, and thus how risky any specific action was or how much was at stake. The plot, like the art, followed the ‘stick everything in there’ approach: there is far too much going on to adequately cover with so little text. Super dramatic lines popped up out of nowhere—serious topics that would have been heavy hitting if the story had actually backed them up and done them justice, but instead, priority was given to dramatic action scenes and (presumably) meaningful glances.

The book pauses periodically to switch to an interview with the Big Bad where we learn more about him and his philosophy (or at least, how he presents it to the masses). I liked this technique, and appreciated getting insight into at least this one character’s head. The interludes with the soothsayer were less effective for me and felt false, as though pretending that this was originally published in serial form when it clearly wasn’t.

The overall effect is that of creators who wanted to push the boundaries (great!) and try something new (cool!) but let their egos about the visual art overwhelm the storytelling.

Then the book ends, but it doesn’t: the last chunk of the book is filled with ridiculously long lists of what music the artist listened to for each chapter. This is followed by dozens of page of art about the characters and scenery, divorced from text or story, if only slightly more so than the art in the middle of the book.

In short: great art, weak storytelling. I have zero interest in reading the rest of this series.

[Christian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Echolands is one of those comics, you could say, that you read mainly because of the pictures. It is no secret that J.H. Williams is one of the greats of his art and the story just doen't quite live up to that standard. It may not be as boring and simple as many other examples in this area, but compared to the fantastic pictures, the wild style mix that Williams partly drives here, and the innovative or at least ingenious way of designing the comic, the story is a bit different. Here we follow a group of companions in a fairly linear way, who have to flee from a dark overlord, who at the same time represents the ruling power. As far as we know, an artifact also plays a big role. All this is actually nothing new. The new is, as I said, actually in the art, or at least, if not the new, the extraordinarily well-represented. In addition, there is a somewhat hidden story-arc between the chapters, which may develop further and retain interest. All in all, therefore highly recommended for all those who are fans of the artist or want to devote themselves to a somewhat more unusual science fiction and fantasy comic.

[Therese Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

….

….

Spectacular artistry. I loved the horizontal layouts, especially when split into two story lines. But the characters and the story, not as well.

Initially, I thought the band of allies, all drawn with wildly different techniques, were from different series and assembled for this specific storyline featuring Red, from the fairy tale and able to explode assailants with her mind in an action more triggered than it is controlled.

Nope. Which is fine. But then develop the posse members individual characters so I can invest in what’s happening to them. Even if I was new to already existing characters and their universe, I’d expect the writer to introduce them properly. Great illustrations can say a lot, but this was not enough.

I am guessing that the meaning of the title Echolands has much to do with how familiar some of the characters feel because they pay homage to other comic writers and illustrators such as Chester Gould and Jack Kirby.

I’m just not certain I’ve got enough of a stake in this to go on to volume 2.

…..

…

[Rick Ray · Rating 3 out of 5]

My third time reading Echolands (first in single issues, then as raw cut single issues, and now the hardcover) and I still can't tell you what the story is really about or who the characters really are. The worldbuilding is a bit overly indulgent and the characters come off as tropes, really hampering what is one of the most gorgeous comics I've ever looked at. I've never been more forgiving towards a comic, and it's all due to JHWIII's amazing use of mixed media techniques, generously applied screentone and crisp artwork. Dave Stewart's coloring is the best I've ever seen. So despite my reservations about the story, I'll still continue with the series in its next volume, with the hope that the writing matures as well.

[drown_like_its_1999 · Rating 3 out of 5]

In a fantastical world that has forgotten its history, creatures from disparate universes live alongside each other at the mercy of a powerful wizard. A young thief by the name of Hope Redhood rebels against his rule by stealing a valuable artifact, attracting the despot's ire and forcing Redhood and her allies to flee after the sorcerer discovers their hideout. As the band of diverse miscreants evades capture by the ruler's forces, they traverse a wide array of locales and inadvertently entangle the lives of others in the wizard's destructive vengeance.

As with many JH Williams works, Echolands is a triumph of detailed compositions, creative layouts, and decorative panel borders. Rather unique amongst his ouvre however is the frenetic and joyful mashup of different visual genres including gothic horror, arthurian fantasy, Kirby-esque space adventure, and dark urban dystopia. While I'm certain some will find the art viscerally off-putting due to its purposefully busy and incohesive nature, for those that like a playful aesthetic that indulges in variety and experimentation this is quite a joy. The story is still very much unfinished and doesn't have nearly the same draw as the art, yet I found it builds a fun cast of distinct personalities and develops an interesting world which feels like the realization of what I always wanted Crisis events in DC to feel like.

[Chad Cunningham · Rating 5 out of 5]

J.H. Williams III is the single best comic book artist of all time. I will be taking no questions at this time.

Echolands is a truly gorgeous book. The art is stunning, the book itself is a hefty treasure, and just unpacking it out of the box made me happy.

Echolands follows Hope and her companions as they try to escape a very annoyed wizard. Along the way there are Kirby-esque godlike cahracters, monsters in black and white, giant robots, cartoon characters, and all manner of easter eggs and winks.

The story is good, albeit just starting. But the art...oh, the art.

Loved every second of this.

[Jared · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an unusual book in that it is a horizontally formatted comic book. It collects the first six issues in a hardcover book. It looks spectacular.
I’m not sure how to concisely describe the plot except to say that it’s a fantasy adventure with a wide variety of characters on the run from a powerful villain.
It’s the visual storytelling that’s the star here. JH Williams outdoes himself with the page design, storytelling, character design, and overall look of the book. His work has impressed me before but this is him at his most impressive.
When the story ends the last part of the book is packed with extra art. Good stuff.

[Jesse Baggs · Rating 3 out of 5]

An entertaining genre story with unbelievable art by JH Williams III. “Echolands” is set in an alternate-universe San Francisco where multiple comic-book realities overlap and rub elbows. There are Kirby-style Fourth World characters from a place called “Fourth Rome,” Dick-Tracy style gangsters from “Old Chicago,” Charles-Vess style fantasy characters, bandes-dessinées style cowboys, vampires called dracs and monsters called ‘steins and robots—well, you get the idea.

If you were a fan of Alan Moore’s “League of the Extraordinary Gentlemen” or “Top Ten” and it’s spin-off “Smax,” this is great news.

[Chad · Rating 5 out of 5]

This thing is an absolute treat to gander at. Williams art is so fantastic and inventive. Every character looks like they were plucked out of a different comic, Kirby, Wrightson, a comic strip. They all mix together to tell this story of a group of criminals on the run after one of them stole a gem and didn't realize what they'd taken from the local wizard in charge.

This thing has a unique layout, stapled and bound on the narrow side of a comic and oriented in double page landscapes. It can be a chore to read digitally if you don't have a very large screen. Try and get a physical copy if you can.

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I read 1-6 as single issues as a heads up.

One of my favorite comics I’ve read recently. The artwork is nuts and honestly breathtaking. Worth spending so much time exploring each individual page. The story took me a couple issues to get into. But now I’m so in for this quest into strange lands with a wild cast of characters. I love the bookends of the issues as well, starting and ending with similar structures. These bookends allow for more world building, mystery, and frankly a lot more fun. It’s good stuff all around.

[S. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really wanted to like this more than I did :( The art was just too busy (but also beautiful) and it was very difficult to even understand what was going on. The story and characters had no room to breathe at all, thus everything happening felt distant and I struggled to keep track of both.
Also the incredibly long listing of music listened to while drawing was just... dumb and annoying xD I really don't care and giving a completely redundant thing like that so much space feels just like they were trying to fatten up the book by any means they could think of.

[Paul Allard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully produced fantasy comic series.

Difficult to read in the digital edition on my iPad, this fantasy comic series is a delight. The story includes a vast array of characters of different types and species in a plot about a stolen gem and the pursuit of the perpetrators led by Hope. The story is enjoyable enough but it is the artwork that makes this series special. Highly recommended to lovers of detailed, colourful, precise artwork. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Vanessa Gikas · Rating 4 out of 5]

The artwork alone is 5 stars. But the story had some flaws and most of the characters were superficial and lacking depth so I took off a star. The world-building was intriguing but none of that intrigue seems to pay off since there are so many loose ends and interesting elements that go nowhere. Ends at a cliffhanger right when it starts to get good and it looks like Volume 2 is nowhere in sight. But I did love the robot/Rabbit side story. Hoping for the next volume soon so I can satisfy my curiosity. Again, just want to reiterate that the illustrations are really incredible.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is essentially a chase - good guys have something and bad guys are in pursuit to get it back. The story is slight, but it's all just an framework to hang JH Williams's amazing, stupendous, unbridled illustration on. He captures myriad styles, weaving different periods of illustrative history and comic book storytelling together in an incredible visual tapestry.

If I might suggest, however, get the physical book. You really can't fully appreciate this reading it on a tablet in the Hoopla app. Trust me. I tried.

[Tuni · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a funky little book. The art is so strange and cool. The plot is ALSO so strange and cool. I was putting off reading, because I was afraid I wasn’t going to like it, but it actually kinda slapped. Huh. Who would have thought?

Don’t ask me what it is about, though. Sure, I could tell you what happened in it. I couldn’t say why or what the ultimate goal is, though. But I’m here for the journey, wherever it may lead.

[Robert Mudas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Comme attendu, l'objet est magnifique et les dessins hallucinants.
L'histoire, quant à elle, surprend par son manque d'originalité. Elle est classique, mais menée dans un monde délirant qu'on ne comprend pas bien et qui semble mélanger en son sein plusieurs univers.
Les personnages sont peu à peu approfondis au fil des chapitres, ainsi que l'univers, et à la fin de ce premier tome j'ai bien envie de lire la suite donc on va dire : Mission réussie !

[Adan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every time I pick up with JH Williams III on art, I know I’m gonna be absolutely wowed. His layouts and compositions are completely astonishing. Every page is a beautiful work of art.

I love that every character seems to come from a different world with its own style and colors.

The story is interesting, but hasn’t quite grabbed me the way the characters have. The main villain seems quite underbaked so far.

I eagerly await Book 2.

[Jiro Dreams of Suchy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The art is amazing- every type of cartooning appears (early Disney, Bernie Wrightson zombies, Alex Ross heroes, Kirby space crusaders) I had a lot of fun just looking at.

The story itself is a pretty simple revenge story (red steals magic gemstone from evil wizard) that plods along. The fun is seeing new worlds and characters interact not so much why.