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GrimJack #1
The Legend of Grimjack, Volume 1
Gathering all of the earliest GrimJack stories from the best-selling comic book series of the 1980s in one tome for the first time, The Legend of GrimJack, Volume One introduces the major characters and origin stories and also includes the classic GrimJack/Starslayer crossover saga. This volume also includes brand new story and art as well as critical background information heretofore unrevealed.
128 pages, Paperback
First published February 15, 2005
88 people want to read
About the author
John Ostrander
2,080 books172 followersJohn Ostrander is an American writer of comic books. He is best known for his work on Suicide Squad, Grimjack and Star Wars: Legacy, series he helped create.
Originally an actor in a Chicago theatre company, Ostrander moved into writing comics in 1983. His first published works were stories about the character "Sargon, Mistress of War", who appeared the First Comics series Warp!, based on a series of plays by that same Chicago theatre company. He is co-creator of the character Grimjack with Timothy Truman, who originally appeared in a back up story in the First Comics title, Starslayer, before going on to appear in his own book, again published by First Comics in the mid 1980s. First Comics ceased publication in 1991, by which time Ostrander was already doing work for other comics companies (his first scripts for DC Comics were published in 1986).
Prior to his career in comic books, Ostrander studied theology with the intent of becoming a Catholic priest, but now describes himself as an agnostic. His in-depth explorations of morality were later used in his work writing The Spectre, a DC Comics series about the manifestation of the wrath of God. His focus on the character's human aspect, a dead police detective from the 1930s named Jim Corrigan, and his exploration of moral and theological themes brought new life to a character often thought of as impossible to write. He has also worked on Firestorm, Justice League, Martian Manhunter, Manhunter, Suicide Squad, and Wasteland for DC.
Originally an actor in a Chicago theatre company, Ostrander moved into writing comics in 1983. His first published works were stories about the character "Sargon, Mistress of War", who appeared the First Comics series Warp!, based on a series of plays by that same Chicago theatre company. He is co-creator of the character Grimjack with Timothy Truman, who originally appeared in a back up story in the First Comics title, Starslayer, before going on to appear in his own book, again published by First Comics in the mid 1980s. First Comics ceased publication in 1991, by which time Ostrander was already doing work for other comics companies (his first scripts for DC Comics were published in 1986).
Prior to his career in comic books, Ostrander studied theology with the intent of becoming a Catholic priest, but now describes himself as an agnostic. His in-depth explorations of morality were later used in his work writing The Spectre, a DC Comics series about the manifestation of the wrath of God. His focus on the character's human aspect, a dead police detective from the 1930s named Jim Corrigan, and his exploration of moral and theological themes brought new life to a character often thought of as impossible to write. He has also worked on Firestorm, Justice League, Martian Manhunter, Manhunter, Suicide Squad, and Wasteland for DC.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
June 2, 2013
Born in the Pit, one of the most dangerous slums of the pan-dimensional city of Cynosure, John Gaunt also known as Grimjack, is a mercenary, soldier, bounty hunter and has been called worse.
Re-read this as a prelude to reading the 2nd volume. Classic Ostrander/Truman material.
Triman is quoted as saying Grimjack was/is one of his favorite characters to work on.
Personnaly, I still prefer the stuff he did with Scout. But that might just be me.
Re-read this as a prelude to reading the 2nd volume. Classic Ostrander/Truman material.
Triman is quoted as saying Grimjack was/is one of his favorite characters to work on.
Personnaly, I still prefer the stuff he did with Scout. But that might just be me.
October 26, 2015
I prefer the look of the original comics.
This is the earliest GrimJack stuff mainly when it was the companion to the Starslayer comic.
The larger Buried Past story is pretty good. The Starslayer joint story seems like a mess.
GrimJack is my favorite comic ever and it got better after this. Glad I was able to find a bunch in the bargain bin at Coast City Comics. Tempted to get a complete set some day.
This is the earliest GrimJack stuff mainly when it was the companion to the Starslayer comic.
The larger Buried Past story is pretty good. The Starslayer joint story seems like a mess.
GrimJack is my favorite comic ever and it got better after this. Glad I was able to find a bunch in the bargain bin at Coast City Comics. Tempted to get a complete set some day.
June 25, 2022
A city that intersects all known realities is a great idea, and John Gaunt (aka Grimjack, which is a much better title) serves as its world-weary guide. This series is an excellent example of the "anything goes" attitude that permeated independent comics in the 1980s.
January 15, 2022
No sé si será porque he leído demasiadas historias de 2000 AD, pero esta serie me recuerda un poco al estilo de esa editorial, muy en la línea de personajes como Juez Dredd o al Johnny Alpha de Strontium Dog, o sea, un antihéroe como protagonista (seco pero con mucho honor), y de similar humor irónico, aunque más serio y menos ácido que los británicos. Quizás sea la época en la que estos cómics convivieron...
January 4, 2014
Well, this was pretty disappointing. Grimjack was always one of those indie genre comics that seemed like something I needed to check off my list, and on a first glance I thought this volume was going to offer some good juju. I loved Tim Truman's work on Jonah Hex, and the sci-fi mashup vibe of GJ seemed like a can't-lose.
But man, mediocrity is all that's cooking here. I can forgive an artist still getting their footing in reprints of their earliest work, but this is really unimpressive stuff, and gets moreso as the volume continues -- not only missing craft, but any kind of energy or uniqueness that makes something like Eric Powell's The Goon, Volume 0: Rough Stuff imminently more forgivable. And while the foreword actually makes some apologies for the rusty nature of Truman's first pages, very little is said of John Ostrander's wooden, smarmy prose and his tendency to overnarrate Grimjack's mercenary-something-something adventures. At least Truman demonstrates his improvement in a handful of new pages bookending the old material. Ostrander's dialogue in the same sections demonstrates that a few decades of writing comics (some of which, like Star Wars: Clone Wars Volume 1 I've actually enjoyed) have done nothing to cure his tin ear when writing this particular book.
And even if we ignore ALL my personal quibbles with the creative team, there's no excuse for the racist dreck of "Night of the Killer Bunnies," one of the issues reprinted here. In Grimjack's world, he and his fellow mercs all seem to go by the suffix "-Jack" to indicate their profession. In "Bunnies," Grim teams up with BlacJacMac, a jive-talkin' African-American armorer who swings in saying "What it is, bro?" and proceeds to come to Grimjack's aid after Grim threatens to tell BlacJac's wife about the fact that he has a mistress named Aretha.
"Damn but you play dirty these days," says BlacJacMac with a grin.
Everything about Grimjack feels inexcusably behind the times, and I'm not sure why it needed to be brought back in these collected editions. It's like an embarrassing teenage sketchbook, minus the charm and nostalgia. Just don't bother.
But man, mediocrity is all that's cooking here. I can forgive an artist still getting their footing in reprints of their earliest work, but this is really unimpressive stuff, and gets moreso as the volume continues -- not only missing craft, but any kind of energy or uniqueness that makes something like Eric Powell's The Goon, Volume 0: Rough Stuff imminently more forgivable. And while the foreword actually makes some apologies for the rusty nature of Truman's first pages, very little is said of John Ostrander's wooden, smarmy prose and his tendency to overnarrate Grimjack's mercenary-something-something adventures. At least Truman demonstrates his improvement in a handful of new pages bookending the old material. Ostrander's dialogue in the same sections demonstrates that a few decades of writing comics (some of which, like Star Wars: Clone Wars Volume 1 I've actually enjoyed) have done nothing to cure his tin ear when writing this particular book.
And even if we ignore ALL my personal quibbles with the creative team, there's no excuse for the racist dreck of "Night of the Killer Bunnies," one of the issues reprinted here. In Grimjack's world, he and his fellow mercs all seem to go by the suffix "-Jack" to indicate their profession. In "Bunnies," Grim teams up with BlacJacMac, a jive-talkin' African-American armorer who swings in saying "What it is, bro?" and proceeds to come to Grimjack's aid after Grim threatens to tell BlacJac's wife about the fact that he has a mistress named Aretha.
"Damn but you play dirty these days," says BlacJacMac with a grin.
Everything about Grimjack feels inexcusably behind the times, and I'm not sure why it needed to be brought back in these collected editions. It's like an embarrassing teenage sketchbook, minus the charm and nostalgia. Just don't bother.
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December 27, 2019"Grimjack" Is original in its concept on dimensions and traveling them. It has original artwork and the story is very good.
November 16, 2021
Really enjoyed this Conan inspired character. The little satric comments in the background were a plus. The world Cynoshore has a lot of potential.
January 27, 2015
This is a pretty rough volume, but I ended it wanting to like it and hoping for more depth as the series finds its footing.
This definitely feels dated and very much a product of its time (Stiff little fingers posters in the background of a multi dimensional city) I wish I could argue with the reviewer who calls out the racism of BlacJacMac, but I can't
I do think the plots show promise, and John Gaunt definitely feels like a character who breathes. I am in for more and hoping it's good
This definitely feels dated and very much a product of its time (Stiff little fingers posters in the background of a multi dimensional city) I wish I could argue with the reviewer who calls out the racism of BlacJacMac, but I can't
I do think the plots show promise, and John Gaunt definitely feels like a character who breathes. I am in for more and hoping it's good
November 30, 2024
In the city where all dimensions meet, in a seedy dive bar, you'll find Grimjack: equal parts 'man with no name' and Phillip Marlow with a massive dollop of trippy sci-fi.
A fun series because it allowed the creative team to do whatever they wanted.
Loved this series back in the day and nice to see it collected.
A fun series because it allowed the creative team to do whatever they wanted.
Loved this series back in the day and nice to see it collected.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews