StormWatch, Vol. 4: A Finer World

StormWatch (Collected Editions) #4

by Warren Ellis, Bryan Hitch

Led by a new and saner Weatherman, StormWatch stumble upon two incredibly powered super-beings who have been presumed dead by the world for years. The lone survivors of a fateful mission, Apollo and the Midnighter have worked in secrecy to expose the events which destroyed their lives. Now as StormWatch and the fallen heroes race towards a similar goal, the invaluable resource known as the Nevada Garden, the super-group must determine if Apollo and the Midnighter are threats or allies.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Graphic Novels Comics, Fiction, Superheroes, Science Fiction, Comic Book

144 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1999

About the author

Warren Ellis is the award-winning writer of graphic novels like TRANSMETROPOLITAN, FELL, MINISTRY OF SPACE and PLANETARY, and the author of the NYT-bestselling GUN MACHINE and the “underground classic” novel CROOKED LITTLE VEIN, as well as the digital short-story single DEAD PIG COLLECTOR. His newest book is the novella NORMAL, from FSG Originals, listed as one of Amazon’s Best 100 Books Of 2016.

The movie RED is based on his graphic novel of the same name, its sequel having been released in summer 2013. IRON MAN 3 is based on his Marvel Comics graphic novel IRON MAN: EXTREMIS. He is currently developing his graphic novel sequence with Jason Howard, TREES, for television, in concert with HardySonBaker and NBCU, and continues to work as a screenwriter and producer in film and television, represented by Angela Cheng Caplan and Cheng Caplan Company. He is the creator, writer and co-producer of the Netflix series CASTLEVANIA, recently renewed for its third season, and of the recently-announced Netflix series HEAVEN’S FOREST.

He’s written extensively for VICE, WIRED UK and Reuters on technological and cultural matters, and given keynote speeches and lectures at events like dConstruct, ThingsCon, Improving Reality, SxSW, How The Light Gets In, Haunted Machines and Cognitive Cities.

Warren Ellis has recently developed and curated the revival of the Wildstorm creative library for DC Entertainment with the series THE WILD STORM, and is currently working on the serialising of new graphic novel works TREES: THREE FATES and INJECTION at Image Comics, and the serialised graphic novel THE BATMAN’S GRAVE for DC Comics, while working as a Consulting Producer on another television series.

A documentary about his work, CAPTURED GHOSTS, was released in 2012.

Recognitions include the NUIG Literary and Debating Society’s President’s Medal for service to freedom of speech, the EAGLE AWARDS Roll Of Honour for lifetime achievement in the field of comics & graphic novels, the Grand Prix de l’Imaginaire 2010, the Sidewise Award for Alternate History and the International Horror Guild Award for illustrated narrative. He is a Patron of Humanists UK. He holds an honorary doctorate from the University of Essex.

Warren Ellis lives outside London, on the south-east coast of England, in case he needs to make a quick getaway.

Reviews

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can really see Ellis setting up the foundations for The Authority in this volume. I enjoyed seeing King grow into his role as Weatherman, the introduction of Apollo and the Midnighter and the development of the multiverse.

[Camilo Guerra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hay escritores de ciencia ficción, hay escritores de comics, hay escritores de superheroes y esta WARREN ELLIS.

Cuando se creo Image, Jim Lee fue el que mas claro tenia un plan de acción y creo un Universo superhumano en donde Storwatch era un equipo auspiciado por la ONU para vigilar y proteger el mundo , pero hasta que llego Warren Ellis no se le había sacado todo a lo que las ideas del concepto podían dar,desde problemas de presupuesto, corrupción, black ops y agendas secretas debajo de agendas secretas.

Increible ver el origen e introducción de Apollo y Midnighter , la misión fallida de Henry Bendix, el mounstruo que asusta a Midnighter,hace vomitar a Apollo y aun asi no lo muestran, muy bien manejado,mientras que el universo paralelo con su Jack Hawksmore como Weatherman, con Roxy de guardespaldas y lo que hacen por salvar a la raza humana.

El arte es increible cuando Hitch esta a los lapices, aca ya no era un clon de Alan Davis , aca sus figuras son alucinantes, sus ciudades son creaciones detalladas e imposibles aunque abusa de splash pages pero eso puede ser mas cosas del guión, pero acá cumple e manera genial aunque sus reemplazantes....pues...no estan a su nivel.

[Shannon Appelcline · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good intro for Apollo and Midnighter and a great look at an alternate Stormwatch, through the Bleed.

[Stanislav R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Арка A Finer World (номера 4-6) - чисто пролог Authority:
Эллис + Хитч, первое появление Апполо и Миднайтера. Очень хорошо.
Удивительно, конечно, на примере этого комикса наблюдать, как стремительно эволюционируют стили рисунка и повествования. Причем, буквально каждый арк.
И еще поразительно, насколько этот арк похож на Ultimates Марка Миллара и того же Хитча. Мне даже местами казалось, что это Миллар и пишет.
Номера 7-9 - мало продвигающая основной сюжет история про параллельную реальность (хэштеги bleed, description theory).

[Silvere · Rating 4 out of 5]

Remember when multi-verses were a quaint idea and not done to death? StormWatch remembers.
With hindsight, I realize that Warren Ellis was just using this series' relaunch to lay the groundwork for The Authority. Bryan Hitch's art is stellar and it's easy to see why writers request to work with him. Apollo and Midnighter have a great introduction, while Jackson King continues to resort to more desperate measures as the new StormWatch commanding officer. The alternate reality tale poses some interesting ethical issues, while remaining a good sci-fi tale.

[Dallas Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Worth it to read Midnighter and Apollo's first ever introductionary issues! Their story is really fantastic and a wonderful addition to this world!

The other half of the book is once again a very technical, oddball story with an interesting ending.

[Koen Claeys · Rating 2 out of 5]

Only worth reading for the introduction of Apollo en Midnighter. Ellis has some interesting ideas but fails to execute them in a good way.

[Cyril · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.7 stars
Quick and Enjoyable read

[Philippe V d’Espagne · Rating 5 out of 5]

i love love love apollo and midnighter

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grown man topics is something you gotta deal with, No matter how many super powers you love it ain’t gonna equal up to this real shit....

Let me just start by saying this is the best “Graphic Novel” I have ever read. I wouldn’t even call this a comic. I know that there is a difference between a comic and a graphic novel but I’ve also seen the terms use interchangeably but this piece of work is too great to be called anything else. I read “Y The Last Man” so I was a fan of Brian K Vaughn (Although Under The Dome is terrible). Ex Machina exceeded my expectations.

I love reading about super powers and the fight between good and evil and all that good shit but I also love seeing real issues discussed. Ex Machina does this perfectly. The parallel NYC was amazing and Mitchell Hundred is one of the most interesting characters I’ve seen.

Vol 6 moved a little slower. It had the story of a power outage but this volume also helped to build up the backstory. I don’t want to give anything away so I’ll just say that I highly recommend Ex Machina

FYI: I’ll leave a review for all ten volumes but only change the last paragraph because the first three paragraphs were so powerful that they are relevant to all ten volumes.. LOL (less)

[47Time · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five years before, Bendix used some of the SPBs on his secret list to train a team of SPBs kept even more secret than Team Black. Only two members have survived and were classified rogue: Apollo and Midnighter. Something called the Nevada Garden pulls them from their self-imposed isolation right as Synergy finds out about their existence from Bendix's encrypted logs. Jackson focuses every avalable asset on finding their allegiances.

The Nevada Garden was created by the Engineer to grow anything within minutes. Given their similar goals, Jackson takes a chance with Midnighter and Apollo. As their first and last mission for Stormwatch the two destroy the Garden.

In a parallel world bridged to this one by the Description Engine when Bendix escaped, Jack Hawksmoor is the new Weatherman. His Stormwatch's current mission targets the aliens that turned him into an SPB. The aliens are sending a message through space using a pylon they built. Hawksmoor believes an invasion is on the way.

Synergy discovers the existence of the parallel world and a place in between called the Bleed. She she figures that, given the many differences of the parallel world, the aliens are likely Kherans. Jackson's people are aware of the seriousness of the threat and theorize on ways to help, but he rejects them on grounds of having no mandate to intervene.

While gathering as many SPBs as he can get, the other Hawksmoor is doing whatever is needed to keep the aliens contained. This starts all-out war with the Americans who want to investigate the aliens. The arrival of the alien flagship turns his focus to the important fight. His personal sacrifice and that of his SPB allies saves the world. Too bad it happened off-screen.

[Korynn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm guessing that this is volume that introduces Apollo and the Midnighter because I haven't read any of the previous volumes. But that is the lead story, in which Jackson and Stephanie try to settle into their new positions at Stormwatch and track down two rogue superheroes created by Bendix. This is definitely the more satisfying story in this volume as the second story is all about a parallel universe Stormwatch that our Stormwatch becomes aware of. Apparently things are about to go terribly wrong in the alternate universe and only our Stormwatch can stop it, but should they? I found it dull. And I want to know more about how Apollo and Midnighter came together as lovers after being survivors from a Justice League knockoff's mission gone wrong.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good stories, not as strong as past books but still worthy reading. Great art to support the Ellis imagination.

Loved the introduction of my favourite superhero and his lovely sidekick. Yes, I have a man-crush on The Midnighter. Fascinating to see the emergence of superheroes from the gritty underbelly, and that they still fight the good fight (but hard).

[[SPOILER ALERT]]

The introduction of The Bleed was also fascinating - seeing another way that Stormwatch could develop and how much more badass a hard-decisions Hawksmoor would be. Just seems like a tame story in comparison to how this premise is leveraged to the hilt in the books that followed. Like the foreshadowing tho.

[Nikki · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly only read this for Apollo and Midnighter. Their introduction was okay; a tad confusing at times but not horrible. But the second story was rather dull. I ended up skimming a great deal of it. I feel like the writer and artist know what's going on but have a hard time getting it across to the readers. So it was okay but if not for Midnighter and Apollo I really would not have liked this at all.

[Travis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty blah after the last couple volumes.
Yes, we get the introduction of Midnighter and Apollo, but that and some really nice art are about all this volume has to recommend.
A weak entry in an otherwise solid series.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

With the introduction of Apollo and the Midnighter, I thought I would be bored, but this turned out to be great. I should have been surprised.

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yeah. More of that stuff.

[Jutta · Rating 3 out of 5]

i would prefer rereading these in order, but eh, they're still fun. its nice to meet midnighter and apollo for the first time. read 2003

[Trey Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great bit of the series. It introduced Apollo and Midnighter, or gay Superman and Batman.