The Ones

by Brian Michael Bendis, Jacob Edgar (Artist), Kike J. Díaz (Colorist)

From Award-winning writer Brian Michael Bendis, comes the next, best awesome super team to end all super teams . . . THE ONES! Every single person in every mythology that was told they were THE ONE are brought together for the first time to defeat . . . THE ONE. The actual one. The real actual one. This amazing new vision is brought to life by wunderkind artist and cocreator Jacob Edgar (Batman, Army of Darkness). Watch as he brings explosive comics splendor to this big new world! Think Good Omens meets Ghostbusters meets The Adam Project meets The Goonies meets Everything Everywhere All at Once meets, um, anything else you've ever liked!

Issue #1 to #4

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Superheroes, Fiction, Comic Book, Humor

110 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 2, 2022

About the author

A comic book writer and erstwhile artist. He has won critical acclaim (including five Eisner Awards) and is one of the most successful writers working in mainstream comics. For over eight years Bendis’s books have consistently sat in the top five best sellers on the nationwide comic and graphic novel sales charts.

Though he started as a writer and artist of independent noir fiction series, he shot to stardom as a writer of Marvel Comics' superhero books, particularly Ultimate Spider-Man.

Bendis first entered the comic world with the "Jinx" line of crime comics in 1995. This line has spawned the graphic novels Goldfish, Fire, Jinx, Torso (with Marc Andreyko), and Total Sell Out. Bendis is writing the film version of Jinx for Universal Pictures with Oscar-winner Charlize Theron attached to star and produce.

Bendis’s other projects include the Harvey, Eisner, and Eagle Award-nominated Powers (with Michael Avon Oeming) originally from Image Comics, now published by Marvel's new creator-owned imprint Icon Comics, and the Hollywood tell-all Fortune and Glory from Oni Press, both of which received an "A" from Entertainment Weekly.

Bendis is one of the premiere architects of Marvel's "Ultimate" line: comics specifically created for the new generation of comic readers. He has written every issue of Ultimate Spider-Man since its best-selling launch, and has also written for Ultimate Fantastic Four and Ultimate X-Men, as well as every issue of Ultimate Marvel Team-Up, Ultimate Origin and Ultimate Six.

Brian is currently helming a renaissance for Marvel’s AVENGERS franchise by writing both New Avengers and Mighty Avengers along with the successful ‘event’ projects House Of M, Secret War, and this summer’s Secret Invasion.

He has also previously done work on Daredevil, Alias, and The Pulse.

Reviews

[Rod Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Guardians of the Galaxy vs. the Book of Revelation.

Brian Michael Bendis turns the coming of the Antichrist and a looming apocalypse into a loopy, fun adventure by focusing on a goofy band of bickering and bantering misfits charged by prophecy to confront Satan and all his works.

[Michael J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not especially excited about superhero team books, perhaps because I've read way too many over several decades. However, I really enjoyed this team. Why? Because they are so unconventional.
I'd be hard pressed to find a more unlikely group that is so unsure of themselves, so unorganized, so bickering and indecisive than The Ones, these "chosen ones".

Why and how they were chosen is not fully explained. They just represent certain aspects or attributes - - but even they are not entirely sure of not only their powers and how to use them but also what they are expected to do. Their leader is equally clueless, and usually finds a partial answer when it's too late.

They have to stop "the one", the antichrist coming into the world as a baby. Except they're too late to prevent that and by the time they finally confront Son of Satan he's a snotty middle-schooler.

Bendis makes full use of his trademark discourse between characters and their wacky questions and comments. Their antagonist is a real hoot.

The less you take this title seriously, the better chance that you will enjoy it. Very funny, with some well-designed, adolescent-appealing art. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.

[Gabriel A · Rating 1 out of 5]

Boy did I hate this. I remember being told as a kid that swearing too much makes you sound stupid l. I heartily disagreed until I read this.

[Dain · Rating 4 out of 5]

What great fun! Can't wait for more from this gang!

[Alex Sarll]

An assortment of Chosen Ones are gathered to stop the actual Chosen One: that's a good pitch. But the execution...for one thing, it might work better if there were some attempt at pastiche in the dialogue to bring out their differences, instead of Bendis just giving everyone the same back-and-forth, sweary Bendis dialogue which, sure, works for the Buffy knock-off because it's not a million miles from Whedon dialogue, but also leaves the ancient warrior talking like the Carol Danvers talking like the unlikely guardian of the prophecies. The Buffy, incidentally, doesn't believe in demons, despite how many she's slain, one of various superficially appealing jokes that nobody really seems to have thought through, resulting in a comedy-adventure that doesn't really fly as either, instead consisting of the team spending a couple of issues bickering with each other, the remainder bickering with their enemy, and then a deeply unsatisfying resolution. Maybe the whole thing is Bendis working out his own sense of WTF at going from being the anointed writer of Ultimate Spider-Man and Alias to the man reduced to putting out The Ones.

[Cale · Rating 3 out of 5]

Goodreads doesn't make this easy to find - I had to look it up by ISBN...

Bendis takes an interesting concept here, a gathering of the chosen ones from various prophecies, merged into a single team, and does his normal thing with it, which is basically to talk the concept into submission. Seriously, it feels like half the collection is a conversation between the team and their antagonist, a six-year-old incarnation of Satan.

While the characters are interesting and mostly unique and Bendis definitely finds voices for each of them, it does result in a LOT of talking. The actual resolution comes as a bit of a welcome surprise due to that, but if you're not a fan of Bendis' cadences and rhythms, you're not going to enjoy this.

It's silly, funny, a bit meta, and written explicitly for its target audience. If you fall into that, you'll enjoy it. If not, you'll get burned out on the verbosity pretty quick. I'm not sure the end justifies the journey, but I will say I ultimately enjoyed it.

[Chelsi (Moe) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐
Enjoyed the art style but there were maybe too many characters. There were two in particular that seemed too similar (in both looks and personality) and I kept forgetting they weren't the same person.

As comics usually go (for me personally anyway), there's not much explanation and back story and I'm usually left wanting more by the end. The overall plot was interesting but because it is a comic everything happens very fast and with out much detail. I'm not sure if I will continue, if I happen to come across it at my library I'll give it read but I won't be actively seeking out the next installment.

I would absolutely love this as a TV/movie adaption! The Umbrella Academy and The Boys are two of my favorite shows and this fall in that same category.

[Stacey Adams · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Ones have been brought together due to a prophecy. Satan will be born soon. Unfortunately the Ones do not take it seriously. He's going to be a baby, they don't have to deal with it until he's older, right? Wrong! He begins wreaking havoc right away and they are not prepared. Coming late to the terror they have to try to work together, as that is the only way to defeat Satan. But they don't trust each other and have broken off into separate factions. Can they come together before it's too late?
The story goes back and forth from present to past as the backstories are revealed. Beautifully illustrated.

[Chad · Rating 2 out of 5]

I remember when Bendis used to be one of my favorite writers who could do no wrong. These are no longer those days. This stunk. It's about a group of chosen ones who are then chosen to defeat the Antichrist. Then it's mainly standing around talking for 4 issues. Even with all this talking though, nothing is explained. The characters are still paper thin. The art isn't very good. Just an all around poopfest. I guess I need to go back and re-read some of Bendis's old comics to get that shot of fantastic comics I used to get with his stuff.

[Matthew P · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is really three and a half stars rounded up. This was a lot of fun! I hope there's more in the future. It was definitely left open for more. I loved the concept but the execution was a little lacking. And the dialogue felt like a fourteen year old who just learned how to swear wrote it. But other than that I had a lot of fun with this. The art was great and nice to look at. If you like things like the Constance Verity series you'd like this too

[Bandit · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining but underwhelming. Neat if overfamiliar concept of randos chosen to be The One, but these people are no Neo in the Matrix. After a prophecy and its bearer gather them together, most of the book is spend talking about which one of them is going to find a freshly reincarnated Satan. All for a comically quick actual battle.
It’s funny, which is nice, and brightly drawn, but overall, too talky and too unoriginal to wow.

[Daria Yogacoon · Rating 4 out of 5]

So a bunch of superheroes have to gather and kill a Satan baby. But come on, it's a baby, they can - I don't know - keep an eye on him for some time, right, RIGHT?!

It's all in the dialogues in this one. I don't know how it'll work in the long run, but I liked the story arc in the 4 issues I've read.

[Anna Quilter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not really sure what to make of this...

I got the joke....but it was one joke....right through the whole volume ...so it grated a bit by the end.

The assembled group has some potential...but if it's a full out funny book commit to that...or throw some serious conflict in...to ground it a little.

I might give it a second (volume) chance...if it ever appears.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

An original and clever story in which various "chosen ones" are gathered together to stop a prophecy from coming true of the child of Satan from growing up and causing chaos and destruction for humanity. Great writing by Bendis (of course) and cool illustrations by Jacob Edgar. Definitely worth checking out for fantasy / urban fantasy fans!

[Paul W. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bendis dialogue, Bendis creativity and Bendis ending. I enjoyed the hell out of this book, but I would warn people away unless they were previously fans of BMB's work. He has a distinctive style and flavor that is not for everyone.

[Justin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this. It feels both familiar and somewhat new, if that makes any sense. Lots of characters with Bendis dialogue and plotting; the art by Jacob Edgar is perfect for the book. I hope they keep doing this series.

[Michael Norwitz · Rating 3 out of 5]

A gathering of characters who were all the Chosen Ones in their individual narratives, teaming up against an apocalyptic threat.

An clever concept, told amusingly enough. Not sure there'd be any point to a continuation, but it was worth reading for some momentary diversion.

[JamesJayWilliamsJr · Rating 1 out of 5]

One of the worst comic books I've read, possibly ever!

[Brian Ferguson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Snarky people chosen to battle Satan.

[Josh Newhouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bendis back to the form with a weird anticlimactic ending…

[Benjamin · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars, rounded up.

[Sonic · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not care for the artwork, or the attempts at humor. Did not really care for the characters either.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not for me.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Looking forward to the Twos.

[Burton Olivier]

Cute.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun story.

[Charles · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a weird mismatch of satire energy with the seeming intent to churn out a mountain of books. Unless that's... a joke I missed, or just a couple of cliffhangers that are never going to fall?

[Robert C · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little muddled and a very quick ending, but has some promise for future stories

[Dash Steele · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reallly talky. Most often to its own detriment. There’s definitely good moments(the origins are very fun), but there’s a lot of dead space

[Helen (they or he) · Rating 5 out of 5]

"How many CHOSEN ONES does it take to kill a BABY SATAN?"

This was such a fun ride. The ensemble is diverse and awesome but not flawless. In fact, most of these issues is about their flaws. I loved the premise but I was scared it's gonna turn out to be not as great in the end but it was really good. Fun. I hope more issues come out!