Conquête, Guerre et Famine ont enfin retrouvé la trace de Mort et de son fils, le prophétique Babylone. Après s'être débarrassé d'une multitude de Psaumes, des robots tueurs d'un autre temps, Mort apprend que Guerre a passé un marché avec son fils. S'il suit les Cavaliers pour prendre son rôle de Grande Bête de l'Apocalypse alors Mort aura la vie sauve. Mais il y certains pactes que l'on ne peut faire avec la Mort...
Jonathan Hickman is an American comic book writer and artist. He is known for creating the Image Comics series The Nightly News, The Manhattan Projects and East of West, as well as working on Marvel Comics' Fantastic Four, FF, and S.H.I.E.L.D. titles. In 2012, Hickman ended his run on the Fantastic Four titles to write The Avengers and The New Avengers, as part the "Marvel NOW!" relaunch. In 2013, Hickman wrote a six-part miniseries, Infinity, plus Avengers tie-ins for Marvel Comics. In 2015, he wrote the crossover event Secret Wars. - Wikipedia
So what happens? All the loose ends get tied up and everyone gets their Happily Ever After. <--ish But I don't want to ruin any details for you.
Volume 10 is only 3 issues long. Kinda wish they'd just waited and put it into the last volume, you know? Oh well. I can't say that East of West was a favorite series of mine, but I liked it enough to see it all the way through. And the ending was...fine. I'm not sure that it was a game-changer, but Hickman ended it well enough for me to feel satisfied.
This final volume brings the apocalypse, the fates of the Chosen and the final part of the Death-Xiao-Babylon dysfunctional family story. Maybe I've read too many great serials, but this all felt underwhelming although I would also conceded to someone new to graphic novels it may seen anything but. 7.5 out of 12. Seven years of this series comes to an end in this volume. A series that stood out for me, primarily for creating a reality in which the Native Americans held on to a lot of the Americas; a reality where the Horsemen of the Apocalypse had individual personalities; and where the sum of the whole has an undeniably positive message, despite being a gore and violence ridden book. 2021 read
I was really nervous to see how this series would end... and I’m glad I got to experience this.
What’s it about? This book is the finale to the East of West series!
Why it gets 5 stars: The story outstanding. The whole series has led up to this volume and it doesn’t disappoint. The artwork is amazing! I noticed the art in volume one was fantastic but it seemed to get better and better each volume. This volume had me stunned in awe looking at nearly every page! The characters are very interesting. They all play an intriguing part of this finale. The action scenes in this volume are amazing. This being the final volume, there are some fantastic epic parts. Expect this volume to be very intense and bloody throughout. There’s a few moments of dark humor that work very well. This volume goes into some surprising directions. The dialogue is very well written. There’s a few scenes with a bit of a horror element (this series could probably be considered horror adjacent) that’s sometimes pretty cool. This volume is extremely emotional. East of West has had a couple of moments in previous volumes but in this volume it was frequent. The ending is outstanding.
Overall: East of West is possibly my favorite comic series which says a lot considering how into comics I have been all my life. I am sad to see this series end but it’s a damn good finale, the best fans could ask for probably. This volume hits a home run on everything fans want and reminds us once more why it’s fucking awesome! The writing and art here are both some of the best I’ve seen in comics. It’s an epic story with beautiful art, exciting action throughout and now a fantastic ending. Words can’t describe how much I recommend and will miss this series.
East of West ends as it lived — ambitious, violent and unapologetically weird. Hickman doesn't pull any big final twists or surprises, the story just ends organically where and when it should. The final issue especially is a touching culmination of pretty much every plot point that has been left dangling up to this point, and it's an incredibly satisfying read as a result. My only gripe is that Nick Dragotta's art looks rushed in a few places, presumably so that the final issue could hit the stands before the end of the year. But it's really not a big deal and only a matter of one or two pages, because otherwise he's been on top of his game in the last few volumes of the series. Congratulations to Hickman, Dragotta, Frank Martin and everyone else who's been working on this incredibly impressive series over the years, this is a worthy finale to one of Image's best comics.
East of West starts as it ended, big, epic, and fucked up with a little spread of happiness.
East of West really evolved for me over the 10 volume series. What I enjoyed at the start turned into love by the end. Somewhere around the mid mark is when the series picked up, and by the end I was floored at all the different storylines Hickman told here.
The major storyline here is Death verses the remaining 3 horsemen. This is the fight we've been waiting for and let me tell you, shit was bombtastic. Also Death's son is the shining hopeful star here, and by the end I almost teared up at a certain scene. We also get closure on mostly every other character, and karma is a son of a bitch for some of them.
Overall, fantastic ending to a fantastic series. Well worth reading. A 5 out of 5.
"This is the world. It's not the one we were supposed to have, but it's the one we made.
We did this. We did it with open eyes and willing hands. We broke it, and there is no putting it back together.
We've taken everything you love."
Yeah. With hindsight, it was the act of an imbecile to usher in 2020 by reading the penultimate volume of this. In my review, I mused on how the real end of the world seemed to have overtaken the fictional one, little suspecting quite how true that would soon prove. Well, here's the grand finale, and much like the dull despair of the past few months, it can't help but feel a little anticlimactic. The players of this fractured alternate America have been manoeuvring for so long at this point that, however grand the combats which eventually come, one can't help but ask: is that all there is to an apocalypse? Hickman continues to have a fondness for a really annoying typographical trick. Pretty much every speech bubble is about half italics, whether or not that makes any sense. And after so much doom and gloom, the sappiness of the very last scenes can't help but ring a little false. Ultimately I feel less a sense of closure, more just glad that it's done with. But then the ending is very seldom one of my favourite bits of any story, 'the world that was' very much included.
Well, took forever to get the final act of this pre-apocalyptic mystic SF western and although I'm not 100% satisfied with it, can't deny that "East of West" became one of my favourites.
I mean, you probably can find there everything. It's the story about the end of times, but also new beginnings; about loss and hope; about war and justice; about faith and blind rage, love and death, victories and dissappointments. And with loads of bullets.
It's often weird, definitely full of violence, but not without moments of serenity and beauty. We kinda know, where it's going, see possible outcomes, but still be sometimes shocked about the fact, that one one is really safe, and if anything is assured, it's suffering and nightmares.
The end... I would call it very "western" (as in the genre): with light shining through the clouds, but still somehow bitter; with new world taking shape, but with sorrow, felt after the old one.
And so ends one of the wildest tales I ever did read. From the first page to the last page, East of West has been sharp, spirited, silly, driven, manic, reflective, and a damn blast. It felt cohesive as hell, even when you shouldn't be able to follow such a chaotic swirl of western, sci-fi, fantasy, armageddon lore, and folky Americana satire with such gusto and comprehension. At times, it was a loony toon; at times, it was a meditation on fierce hunger, whether it be nation, religion, both, or neither. I loved it. I loved everything about it. From philosophical to screwball, this was a narrative that was loud and daunting and still just as ready to have a peaceful chat about the end of the world. I will miss it.
Read as single digital comics #43->#45 because I couldn’t wait for the last trade paperback. I adored this apocalyptic sci-fi western from the first till the last page. Superb !
I'll use this space to review the series as a whole. I found it mostly wonderful. I think it fell into a few clichés here and there, but that's really my only true gripe. The artwork is gorgeous, the story twists and intertwines effectively, and the characterization is above and beyond most stories of this nature.
By the end, I had some sort of vested interest in every character arc. No story beats ever felt cheap or drawn out. If I had one critique, it would be sometimes getting bogged down in histories that seem a bit more self-indulgent than relevant. But again, I'm nitpicking a bit. Hickman truly has a talent for creating a world that is ghastly, violent, colorful, engaging and often frighteningly close to the world in which we currently live.
I had a blast reading this series, and I definitely recommend it.
A very satisfying conclusion to the series. Meticulously plotted, well-paced, and Dragotta and Frank Martin turn in some incredibly dynamic art and beautiful coloring, which I thought lived up to the best issues of the series. Hickman juggled a LOT of pieces throughout this run, and whether he tied up every single loose end, I can't say for certain, but the ending felt deserved and satisfying.
(4 of 5 for a not overwhelming, but satisfying end) There is not much to add. It was a nice ride, but not without a bumps. I appreciate the effort in keeping this story thrilling, even if it wasn't successful all the time. I enjoyed the reading, but I'm also happy that I'm at the end. I might recommend this, but by myself, I won't be coming back to it. It was one trick pony.
Finally, the teeth show! So exciting for some truly game changing arts collide together. Brutal consequences, climactic character moments! A war, a war!
The PRA is extinguished, and although their defeat shockingly permanent, it didn’t feel like they went out like chumps. They fought with their heads held high and love of their nation in their hearts—their nation was handily the most interesting and I’m glad they got a focal role/conclusion. The confederacy does have more powerful resources than they could ever imagine, but also willing to play as dirt as possible, wins them that battle. I think it’s a sick twist that John and Wolf intercede at the end of the fight—I hate to say finally, but here’s an exasperated FINALLY!! And the Ranger returning for a final confrontation with the Chamberlain felt completely right.
“Once great… and now what am I?” “Chosen.”
THE ORACLE!! Eating her eye was SO funny, a great gag and perfect for death to be rendered blind at the end of it all. From volume two: “there’s Horsemen on the planes, the sky is red as blood, and only the blind, can see a better end.” And honestly? A really fitting retribution for the horrors that death had wrought before he fell for Xiaolian. This comic does a good job of making Death almost unstoppable, yet still having so many awful things happen to him. His life is a tragedy, and he pays for so many mistakes— going back to volume two, it was some interesting to see him sincerely!! apologize to the Oracle for trapping her.
“You’ll learn this as you get older, but sometimes people just don’t have it in them to move past something. The pain – that anger that comes with it – well, that’s all they have. And then they learn to love it.“
It’s hard to submit all my thoughts. I think the ending was always going to be bittersweet and I’m glad they didn’t back off of that. What was predicted came to pass; I’m so used to pointless subversions of expectations that I almost am giving this points for doing what it should be doing. LMAO. But it all felt earned here, and while it’s unfortunate how many suspensions of disbelief had to be played out in the last 5 volumes and the ending, the overall message and vibe and DIRECTION of this tale remained intact to the very end. I found that quite satisfying, the ending was crafted to something legitamately satisfying and made it all worth it.
Overall likely a 4.5/5 for the conclusion to this story. I’ll round it up for being endlessly entertaining few months, an all timer favorite villain in the form of Chamberlain Archibald and in the grand scheme of things hitting far far far more targets than it ever misses. 44/50, 88/100 for this incredible ride and pretty stunning achievement in comics. Probably one of my favorite comic runs, ever.
”Love’s what makes someone give their life for another – makes them do it without ever thinking twice. It’s what makes this world home. And don’t you ever forget it.”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I envy the people who love this series, because I've really struggled with my feelings on it as I've been reading it. I've been impressed with how many genres East of West seamlessly incorporates into its plot and the creativity in its world building, but a consistent gripe I've had throughout the whole series are its characters.
There's a LOT of them in this series, and most of them just end up being pieces on a chess board instead of compelling people I want to read more about. Such characters exist in East of West: Death, Xiaolian, The Ranger, Prince John, and even President Chamberlain to an extent. But East of West's characters are more a means of building out the world and exploring the setting than writing compelling characters. The plot of this series has a ton of clever twists and turns, but its filled with characters that I either don't care about or aren't given enough time for me to get to know better.
I'm glad I read the series (it knocked off a huge chunk of my reading challenge for this year), but I hesitate to recommend it and I think it's turned me off of Jonathan Hickman's work as a whole.
East of West concludes in suitably stunning fashion, with huge battles and absolutely out-of-this-world artwork. Chamberlain and Xiaolian's armies battle just as Death confronts the Horsemen over Babylon's fate. It all shakes out about how you'd expect, but that doesn't diminish the big conclusion any. I adored the series overall, but did come out with one big quibble:
What was the deal with the apocalypse anyway? The Chosen were attempting to arrange it, then went to war with each other instead. Was that the apocalypse itself? Or was the apocalypse supposed to be something else involving Babylon (the Beast)? And what was the deal with the Message? After Ezra Orion's demise, that whole aspect of the story petered out.
In the end, I suppose it doesn't matter. If East of West is actually a story about a father and son, then it was a success. If it was a story about political leaders making overconfident calculations and backstabbing freely, it was also a success. If it was nothing but brilliantly illustrated babble, it was firmly, definitely a success.
I am sad to see this end, but I am happy that it resolved the way it did. This is Jonathan Hickman’s masterpiece. I don’t use it lightly, but this really the culmination of his plays with format, his love of world-building made through inference, his play of psychedelia and dream logic, his bizarre sense of humor, and his love of characters giving speeches every few pages. This is the pinnacle of all that he can accomplish and I am sad to see it go.
This series is pretty popular and alot of my friends like it for me it was ok. The plot twist at the end of the first volume was cool but this series didn't invest me. The alternative history aspect was neat and the art was solid.
Also this quote
"Love. It'll outlast everything on this planet. It's what formed the Earth, it's what shaped it. Love's what makes someone give their life for another -- makes them do it without thinking twice. It what makes this world home. And don't you ever forget it"
In review of the series as a whole, the first book is 5 stars. The art, the set up, the story, the characters. It all felt incredible in scale and presentation. I was so invested. But as the story continued it muddled and became addled with tropes. Becoming less unique in my eyes. The last two books in particular did not satisfy in terms of wrapping up. Conclusions were made but not earned necessarily. The ending ending is satisfying enough, especially for my fav group, the Endless Nation. But otherwise I felt unfulfilled. The art was mainly what kept me going. Full props to that for sure!
I didn’t realize this was the last volume until I was on issue 45 so I was NOT mentally or emotionally prepared for this to end. East of West has been one of my favorite comics of all time and I’m so glad it had a satisfying conclusion. This volume felt a bit rushed but it still gave me what I wanted. Time to reread the whole run..?
The is here, and for me it was a bit...underwhelming. The slow pace of the series gave its place to a very hasty conclusion, which kinda left me in a "what was the point" state of mind.
It was a nice, unique and original series, which ended ubruptly in a standard ending.
And while this was a good ending for the whole series, it also felt slightly underwhelming after all that plotting, scheming and coming and going.
I guess I should feel satisfied with the fact that this was fairly straightforward and easy to follow, but also, not 100% satisfying, so the four stars will suffice.
The Guns went like pew, pew, pew. And the knife went like stab. And the people died. And there were like explosions. And there were hugs. And it was so cool.