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Sleeper
Sleeper, Vol. 3: A Crooked Line
VOL 03: A Crooked Line
144 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2005
2 people are currently reading
243 people want to read
About the author
Ed Brubaker
1,803 books3,006 followersEd Brubaker (born November 17, 1966) is an Eisner Award-winning American cartoonist and writer. He was born at the National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland.
Brubaker is best known for his work as a comic book writer on such titles as Batman, Daredevil, Captain America, Iron Fist, Catwoman, Gotham Central and Uncanny X-Men. In more recent years, he has focused solely on creator-owned titles for Image Comics, such as Fatale, Criminal, Velvet and Kill or Be Killed.
In 2016, Brubaker ventured into television, joining the writing staff of the HBO series Westworld.
Brubaker is best known for his work as a comic book writer on such titles as Batman, Daredevil, Captain America, Iron Fist, Catwoman, Gotham Central and Uncanny X-Men. In more recent years, he has focused solely on creator-owned titles for Image Comics, such as Fatale, Criminal, Velvet and Kill or Be Killed.
In 2016, Brubaker ventured into television, joining the writing staff of the HBO series Westworld.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
April 20, 2023
At this point I wouldn't blame Carver for shooting every fucking body because everyone is so goddamn sneaky and using this poor guy.
This is a great showcase of a man losing his sanity slowly while dealing with two mega powerful pieces of shit trying to one up each other. In the battle of "Good vs Evil" but in reality both are pieces of shit who will use people to get their bidding done. And while all that's happening Carver is trying to let go of his old life, scare people away that care for him, beat someone half to death to prove he's not the same decent guy he was before...all while wanting to just be a regular guy once more. Feel things he can't feel anymore. It's just so sad to watch but so thrilling at the same time.
The Phillips and Brubaker team do NOT miss. No wonder they're still the GOAT team.
This is a great showcase of a man losing his sanity slowly while dealing with two mega powerful pieces of shit trying to one up each other. In the battle of "Good vs Evil" but in reality both are pieces of shit who will use people to get their bidding done. And while all that's happening Carver is trying to let go of his old life, scare people away that care for him, beat someone half to death to prove he's not the same decent guy he was before...all while wanting to just be a regular guy once more. Feel things he can't feel anymore. It's just so sad to watch but so thrilling at the same time.
The Phillips and Brubaker team do NOT miss. No wonder they're still the GOAT team.
August 10, 2025
Brubaker and Phillips deliver peak noir espionage in this tense, twisting chapter of Sleeper. Carver is in deep, navigating double and triple crosses as loyalties blur and danger closes in. Every turn tightens the noose, and watching it all unravel is as thrilling as it is inevitable. A masterclass in slow-burn tension and morally tangled storytelling.
November 12, 2023
Lectura 254 (2023) A crooked line de Brubaker/Phillips
Después del subidon del anterior volumen se notó que intentaron tomarselo con calma para construir el final. Orígenes, alguna adición en personajes y caminando hacia la conclusión
4/5
Después del subidon del anterior volumen se notó que intentaron tomarselo con calma para construir el final. Orígenes, alguna adición en personajes y caminando hacia la conclusión
4/5
April 4, 2019
This volume starts off with a reference to 47. How can I not love it? The story gets confusing by the end, but the potential for an explosive last volume is palpable.
Holden's situation is depressing. He doesn't see a way out from under Tao, so his only option is to play along. Lynch comes out of his coma and has someone contact Holden, but the latter won't have any of it. The matter isn't closed, though, since Tao now wants to go after Lynch. Lynch and Tao's warring factions soon get Holden in the frame of mind to screw everybody over, but he can't do it alone.
Holden's situation is depressing. He doesn't see a way out from under Tao, so his only option is to play along. Lynch comes out of his coma and has someone contact Holden, but the latter won't have any of it. The matter isn't closed, though, since Tao now wants to go after Lynch. Lynch and Tao's warring factions soon get Holden in the frame of mind to screw everybody over, but he can't do it alone.
February 16, 2025
Fun twists and turns. The protagonist is hard to get behind. The superhero universe is very confusing. There's a werewolf, aliens, flying cars - what reality are we living in here? Seems very random.
May 8, 2014
I don't know what happened here, if it was that the last installment was so good that this paled in comparison, or if, in fact, this was as average as I think it was...?
Either way, there's some stuff here that made me actually think I might want to stop reading. This is still a good quality book (Ed and Sean don't do shitty stuff) but I'm guessing they might not have expected Sleeper to make a 3rd volume, because things here don't really work all that well. I think with everything in the last set, they didn't hold back, and now there's the aftermath where a lot of the stuff that was driving Holden forward has gone away or changed...also, aliens make an appearance, and they're controlled by the top government Black Ops spymaster...ya. That's pretty much where I rolled my eyes.
I just found myself not really caring that much at all anymore. I used to root for Holden, but now, I can't be sure if he's good/bad/anti-hero, or just a dude who has powers and kills a lot.
I don't know the history behind this series, but it seems like they might have been made to extend it when they didn't want to? This really feels like filler for too much of the book, and I didn't find it interesting enough or thrilling. I would almost say this became a chore to read.
But when you're Ed Brubaker, you get leeway with me. Plenty. So I finished, and I'll finish things up with Vol. 4. I hope it goes out with a bang, but this just felt like the 2nd act where things kind of move forward but not much really happens. Holding pattern, I could call it that?
Disappointing for how good the last one was.
Either way, there's some stuff here that made me actually think I might want to stop reading. This is still a good quality book (Ed and Sean don't do shitty stuff) but I'm guessing they might not have expected Sleeper to make a 3rd volume, because things here don't really work all that well. I think with everything in the last set, they didn't hold back, and now there's the aftermath where a lot of the stuff that was driving Holden forward has gone away or changed...also, aliens make an appearance, and they're controlled by the top government Black Ops spymaster...ya. That's pretty much where I rolled my eyes.
I just found myself not really caring that much at all anymore. I used to root for Holden, but now, I can't be sure if he's good/bad/anti-hero, or just a dude who has powers and kills a lot.
I don't know the history behind this series, but it seems like they might have been made to extend it when they didn't want to? This really feels like filler for too much of the book, and I didn't find it interesting enough or thrilling. I would almost say this became a chore to read.
But when you're Ed Brubaker, you get leeway with me. Plenty. So I finished, and I'll finish things up with Vol. 4. I hope it goes out with a bang, but this just felt like the 2nd act where things kind of move forward but not much really happens. Holding pattern, I could call it that?
Disappointing for how good the last one was.
February 5, 2017
Im dritten Buch der Sleeper-Saga verliert sich irgendwie die Spannung, die Handlung eiert herum, es gibt viel unnötiges Füllmaterial, das den Plot künstlich verlängert. Teilweise erschienen mir die Action-Szenen samt Personal überkonstruiert. Trotzdem gab es ein, zwei nette Ideen für den Plot, die Agent Holden Carver ebenso zu ködern vermochten wie den Leser. Außerdem erschien mir hier der Zeichenstil am ausgereiftetsten von allen 4 Büchern, besonders der Prolog hatte es mir optisch sehr angetan. Alles in allem also ein eher durchschnittlicher Band, der mehr wie ein Lückenfüller als ein Anheizer aufs Finale wirkt.
May 15, 2022
(Zero spoiler review for the series as a whole) 4.5/5
My Boy Brubaker does it again. I've had the Sleeper sitting on my shelf for something like a year now, after purchasing it at considerable expense on the secondary market, which is the only place and the only price you'll pick up this book for, at the moment at least. And like every other really good book I have sitting on my shelf waiting to be read, I was doing all within my power to not read it. Each time I read a few average books in a row, I knew all I had to do was pick up a Brubaker book and all the bad story blues would just fade out, pun intended. But seeing as how you can only read something for the first time, once, I was admirably succeeding in keeping this little, no doubt gem, unread. But what the hell, it's Christmas, and I deserve it. And I do have a few other Brubaker books sitting there I haven't spoiled yet. Though for how long...
Whilst it took a little while to get going, I really wasn't a fan of the first five issues. Neither Brubaker's writing or Jim Lee's art were really clicking for me. All that changed once the book got going proper, and Mr Sean Philips entered the scene, to smear his beautiful noir chops all over the pages. These two men really do make beautiful music together, and the rest of us get to sit back and admire the results.
Whilst I wasn't the biggest fan of the superhero aspect of this book, finding it a unnecessary, a little ham fisted at times, especially during the (pretty bad) origin stories. Though Ol Ed might have been writing them with tongue firmly in cheek, everything else was pretty much pure gold, and gave me one of the greatest characters to grace the pages of a comic book in Miss Misery. Never before has a Femme been so Fatale, pun intended. I obviously won't spoil anything about her, but hot damn! Whilst she worked amazingly as a secondary character in this story, and likely wouldn't quite come off the same way in her own spin off series, I would kill for some Jennifer Blood type Sleeper spin off starring this twisted and titillating little lady.
Slight gripes aside, this is just yet more proof why Brubaker is the greatest writer still working in comics today. Or still performing at his peak, anyway. Aa few of the old guard float in and out, although most are past their prime. Sleeper might not be my favourite Brubaker story. Hell, it might not even crack the top three, although the fact that its still fucking awesome just goes to show the strength of this man's back catalogue. Get the softcovers if you have to, just make sure you read it. 4.5/5
OmniBen.
My Boy Brubaker does it again. I've had the Sleeper sitting on my shelf for something like a year now, after purchasing it at considerable expense on the secondary market, which is the only place and the only price you'll pick up this book for, at the moment at least. And like every other really good book I have sitting on my shelf waiting to be read, I was doing all within my power to not read it. Each time I read a few average books in a row, I knew all I had to do was pick up a Brubaker book and all the bad story blues would just fade out, pun intended. But seeing as how you can only read something for the first time, once, I was admirably succeeding in keeping this little, no doubt gem, unread. But what the hell, it's Christmas, and I deserve it. And I do have a few other Brubaker books sitting there I haven't spoiled yet. Though for how long...
Whilst it took a little while to get going, I really wasn't a fan of the first five issues. Neither Brubaker's writing or Jim Lee's art were really clicking for me. All that changed once the book got going proper, and Mr Sean Philips entered the scene, to smear his beautiful noir chops all over the pages. These two men really do make beautiful music together, and the rest of us get to sit back and admire the results.
Whilst I wasn't the biggest fan of the superhero aspect of this book, finding it a unnecessary, a little ham fisted at times, especially during the (pretty bad) origin stories. Though Ol Ed might have been writing them with tongue firmly in cheek, everything else was pretty much pure gold, and gave me one of the greatest characters to grace the pages of a comic book in Miss Misery. Never before has a Femme been so Fatale, pun intended. I obviously won't spoil anything about her, but hot damn! Whilst she worked amazingly as a secondary character in this story, and likely wouldn't quite come off the same way in her own spin off series, I would kill for some Jennifer Blood type Sleeper spin off starring this twisted and titillating little lady.
Slight gripes aside, this is just yet more proof why Brubaker is the greatest writer still working in comics today. Or still performing at his peak, anyway. Aa few of the old guard float in and out, although most are past their prime. Sleeper might not be my favourite Brubaker story. Hell, it might not even crack the top three, although the fact that its still fucking awesome just goes to show the strength of this man's back catalogue. Get the softcovers if you have to, just make sure you read it. 4.5/5
OmniBen.
June 21, 2024
Holden Carver está más en Tierra de Nadie que nunca. El despertar de Lynch no hace más que prender más fácilmente la mecha de su tragedia como doble agente cuando el mismísimo TAO busque añadir una nueva capa de complejidad a la maraña de mentiras y escaramuzas que es la vida de Carver... Y entre todo esto sigue estando Miss Misery como un curioso baluarte para que este super espía invulnerable no termine de decidir autoinmolarse.
Ed Brubaker sigue manteniendo un soberbio ejercicio narrativo de thriller y drama crudo y oscuro de personaje. No haciendo perder el interés en la introspección total de la historia en la mente de Holden o clarificar la verdad tras la enemistad de Joe Lynch y TAO... Pero sí que en este tramo de SLEEPER, se empieza a resentir el mantener los elementos y alusiones de universo superheroico. Perdiendo mucho ingenio y frescura con esos nuevos miembros del grupo "de ataque" que lidera Holden para TAO. Que están más que nada como si Brubaker tuviese que cumplir cierta cuota de escenas de violencia y sexualidad gráficas de cara la galería de WildStorm. Al igual que la meta mofa en torno al Spiderman primigenio de Stan Lee y Steve Dikto y una nueva supervillana "de relleno" de historia de origen más propia del Garth Ennis trasnochado de The Boys que alguien tan lúcido como Ed Brubaker.
No sé cómo se encarará lo que quede de colección, teniendo en cuenta que el texto final de mi edición anuncia un "crossover" a todos los efectos con The Authority.
Ed Brubaker sigue manteniendo un soberbio ejercicio narrativo de thriller y drama crudo y oscuro de personaje. No haciendo perder el interés en la introspección total de la historia en la mente de Holden o clarificar la verdad tras la enemistad de Joe Lynch y TAO... Pero sí que en este tramo de SLEEPER, se empieza a resentir el mantener los elementos y alusiones de universo superheroico. Perdiendo mucho ingenio y frescura con esos nuevos miembros del grupo "de ataque" que lidera Holden para TAO. Que están más que nada como si Brubaker tuviese que cumplir cierta cuota de escenas de violencia y sexualidad gráficas de cara la galería de WildStorm. Al igual que la meta mofa en torno al Spiderman primigenio de Stan Lee y Steve Dikto y una nueva supervillana "de relleno" de historia de origen más propia del Garth Ennis trasnochado de The Boys que alguien tan lúcido como Ed Brubaker.
No sé cómo se encarará lo que quede de colección, teniendo en cuenta que el texto final de mi edición anuncia un "crossover" a todos los efectos con The Authority.
September 5, 2024
The previous volume was so good I suppose that this third installment seems like a chore to read. Ed Brubaker did say that the original 12-part series was so well received that even before the series' concluding chapter was published he was commissioned to continue writing Sleeper. Which meant he had to change the ending of the original series.... My point is that it was originally meant to be 12 issues and this 3rd volume (and the concluding 4th) is just so much padding.
Holden Carver wants out of the spy life, he realises he's just a pawn played by both sides so he's trying to figure out how to stick it to both sides and survive....yada yada yada.
The best part in this collection is the origin story of one of the supervillains, FagHag. She can only get superpowers by absorbing the life essence of gays. And since most of her friends are gays, she has a large cache of energy to absorb. Of course, this means her gay friends die in the process and that makes her sad.
Holden Carver wants out of the spy life, he realises he's just a pawn played by both sides so he's trying to figure out how to stick it to both sides and survive....yada yada yada.
The best part in this collection is the origin story of one of the supervillains, FagHag. She can only get superpowers by absorbing the life essence of gays. And since most of her friends are gays, she has a large cache of energy to absorb. Of course, this means her gay friends die in the process and that makes her sad.
March 20, 2018
Wow. Great teaser. If there was any doubt about my picking up vol. 4 (there wasn't) that last page convinced me.
Holden finally begins to take charge of his own destiny, while two total bastards play an elaborate game of chess that seems to have no real objective other than to beat the other. I'm still not keen on Miss Misery, but I don't think that you're supposed to be. She's a pretty rotten person, but she's a little too one-note rotten to be really identified with in any way. For me, anyway.
Phillips' art is great. Just great. Love it.
It's a bit dorky that Tao had Lynch dead to rights but let him go just because that's what evil, manipulative SOBs do.
Holden finally begins to take charge of his own destiny, while two total bastards play an elaborate game of chess that seems to have no real objective other than to beat the other. I'm still not keen on Miss Misery, but I don't think that you're supposed to be. She's a pretty rotten person, but she's a little too one-note rotten to be really identified with in any way. For me, anyway.
Phillips' art is great. Just great. Love it.
It's a bit dorky that Tao had Lynch dead to rights but let him go just because that's what evil, manipulative SOBs do.
July 2, 2020
I think I would have appreciated a tiny bit more explanation of the surprise ending of book 2, since it affects the story of book 3. Apparently, we're just supposed to accept it and get on with our lives...
Now that the battle between the two [or maybe three?] sides in the battle for good, evil, and perhaps the future of humanity...and maybe some things involving non-humanity...has heated up, you'd think that a resolution would be on the horizon, but no...we're just teased by the continuation. Arrgghh!
The story of the original fight between Lynch and Tao was really cool though.
Now that the battle between the two [or maybe three?] sides in the battle for good, evil, and perhaps the future of humanity...and maybe some things involving non-humanity...has heated up, you'd think that a resolution would be on the horizon, but no...we're just teased by the continuation. Arrgghh!
The story of the original fight between Lynch and Tao was really cool though.
December 26, 2018
Simply put, not enough Carver. The book, which has been good, takes a big step back as it focuses on Tao and Lynch. Sean Phillips is still amazing artist and it shows here. The overall plot barely moves forward here and unfortunately Tao and Lynch are not as interesting as Brubaker hopes. Not a bad book but losing momentum.
August 11, 2021
2 - 3 stars, really... So, as Wildstorm goes, or as that superhero universe/publishing imprint went, this has the fun/disfunction tone of subsequent collaborations of Brub and artist Sean Phillips. Catching up, I'm finally interested enough to find the concluding volume.
Mildly recommended.
Mildly recommended.
October 31, 2021
Each volume better than the last. I’m his book sold poorly or it might have gone further than 4 volumes.
This one ends on a great line. The Sleeper agent is now a triple agent. Maybe. Nothing is clear. To the reader or to the main character and yet it reads some mole and clear.
This one ends on a great line. The Sleeper agent is now a triple agent. Maybe. Nothing is clear. To the reader or to the main character and yet it reads some mole and clear.
January 17, 2024
Después del increíble final del vol. 2, este tomo es realmente una temporada nueva, con otro Status Quo diferente.
No es tan potente como el vol. 2, pero sigue siendo una lectura muy recomendable.
Quién dijo que la vida de un agente doble (o triple, o cuádruple) era sencilla?
No es tan potente como el vol. 2, pero sigue siendo una lectura muy recomendable.
Quién dijo que la vida de un agente doble (o triple, o cuádruple) era sencilla?
March 25, 2018
Die gewohnt kurzweilige und wenig zimperliche Unterhaltung für den Comic-Freund ohne Ambitionen hinsichtlich einer Mitgliedschaft im Mimosen-Club.
April 11, 2018
Entertaining, twisty, and a bit twisted Brubaker/Phillips material.
May 13, 2018
Sleeper is such a fascinating read. I like how the world functions and the stakes keep getting raised with each volume.
February 27, 2022
En esta segunda parte la trama decae un poco, incluyendo el final, pero sigue siendo agradable de leer.
July 21, 2023
Grade: A-.
November 6, 2020
In every comic book series, there are volumes where not much occurs besides setup and/or character development. This volume is exactly that.
After the events of last volume, which were action packed, we get a lot of setup as to what is going to happen next. Sure, we get some answers as far as what Lynch intends to do now, and what Tao maybe planning, but for the most part, its a lot of flashbacks and details that (I'm hoping) will pay off in the next volume. Brubaker has a way of setting up plot without us knowing that the part he just setup is integral. I'm really hoping he can stick the landing as this has been a damn entertaining series.
The art is once again, on point. In fact, I think Sean Phillips ups his game in the way of panel placement. I see a lot more bold choices as to the overall design of panels and how they interact with each other. It kept the book interesting even if there isn't much in the way of action.
A perfectly serviceable volume of Sleeper, which hopefully leads to a satisfying conclusion.
After the events of last volume, which were action packed, we get a lot of setup as to what is going to happen next. Sure, we get some answers as far as what Lynch intends to do now, and what Tao maybe planning, but for the most part, its a lot of flashbacks and details that (I'm hoping) will pay off in the next volume. Brubaker has a way of setting up plot without us knowing that the part he just setup is integral. I'm really hoping he can stick the landing as this has been a damn entertaining series.
The art is once again, on point. In fact, I think Sean Phillips ups his game in the way of panel placement. I see a lot more bold choices as to the overall design of panels and how they interact with each other. It kept the book interesting even if there isn't much in the way of action.
A perfectly serviceable volume of Sleeper, which hopefully leads to a satisfying conclusion.
August 20, 2014
Season Two of Sleeper picks up some months after Season One ends, with Carver back in the employ of Tao and no longer looking for a way out. Until Lynch starts trying to pull him back in. This volume especially focuses on the dilemma of Carver - is he good or bad anymore? How can he tell? A lot of it takes place in his head, but the story never seems slow. And there's a lot of backstory here, including explanations as to why it's so personal a conflict between Lynch and Tao, and that escalates the stakes enough to understand just how torn Carver feels, and recognizing just how dangerous his situation is. It's dark and gritty and violent, but even with an overarching sense of despair, knowledge that this story is going to be a tragedy, you're still pulled along by the strong characters - everyone's bad, but you're still rooting for them all.
May 21, 2011
Creo que es el tomo que menos me gustó de la serie, pero mitad por mi culpa. Nuevamente leí sin prestar demasiada atención en varias partes y para cerca del final estaba perdido. Quizás es mitad culpa de la serie, ya que es el tomo en el que menos se puede seguir el ritmo, y quizás culpa mía, que lo leí con culpa -valga la redundancia- porque tenía que estar haciendo otra cosa. Eso sí, sobre cómo queda la historia lista para el gran final, no tengo queja alguna.
February 4, 2008
I started to get a little bored with the main plot, but Miss Misery still makes this wonderful. Her vicious smiles!
For such a manly story, it has a lot of focus on the main character's personal relationships. I like that.
For such a manly story, it has a lot of focus on the main character's personal relationships. I like that.
November 7, 2009
Still very good, though I'll admit I was distracted during the last bit of this volume by the single most horrifying superhuman origin I've ever read. It hit a bit too close to home. Still, I look forward to more!
May 5, 2011
Not sure what to say. This volume continues with the quality I've grown used to in the Sleeper series, but this is clearly the setup for something bigger that is coming in the next volume. I'm sure I'll have more to say after reading "The Long Way Home."
December 25, 2007
Pretty sweet neo-noir.
Read
January 29, 2009Good book, but helps to start the series with book 1, not book 2.
April 25, 2009
Yes, by this volume I admit I am about 1,000% in love with this series. I can confidently say this is in my top 3 series of all times.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews