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"Still
Thinking Globally":
Planetary: The Fourth Man hardcover
From Wildstorm/DC Comics
Review
by : Troy
Brownfield
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I
knew that Planetary was well on its way to being one
of my favorite books as I read the third issue. Being a sucker
for Hong Kong action flicks, that issue had me from the cover.
It was already obvious that the mission of writer Warren Ellis
and artist John Cassaday was to excavate our common pop mythology
and turn it into a new myth for the 21st century. What became
even more apparent with that issue was the duos absolutely
sterling command of any category that they wanted to draw
from. Remarkably, the series has only gotten better.
The
Fourth Man hardcover collects issues #7-12 of the ongoing
Wildstorm series, and if the first six issues (collected in
All Over the World and Other Stories) were superlative to
begin with, it's with these stories that the series really
begins to hit its stride. Ellis and Cassaday deepen the ongoing
story of the series while taking on such diverse genres and
topics as '80s comics by British writers, 1950s atomic horror
films, The Matrix, the origins of the DC Universe, and the
Jim Steranko S.H.I.E.L.D. stories of the '60s. While each
homage is immediately recognizable by the well-read fan, the
truly wonderful trick is that Ellis, Cassaday and the gang
drive an invigorating freshness and excitement into the material.
It's easy to ape the tropes of certain type of story; it's
difficult to give us something new while you're at it.
Perhaps
what is truly the most original aspect of Planetary
is its three protagonists. Elijah Snow, Jakita Wagner and
The Drummer are clearly more than human, but Ellis and Cassaday
deftly side-step any super-heroic stereotypes. First and foremost,
the characters are archaeologists; sure, they do things for
the benefit of the world, but their real joy becomes obvious
when they make a discovery or learn a new fact. Whereas Ellis's
Authority celebrated the wonder of power used for good
on a massive scale, Planetary revels in the acquisition of
knowledge.
These
three sharply drawn characters, existing against a conspiratorial
landscape that encompasses the enterainment of our entire
common culture, put a wonderfully human face on the larger
than life proceedings. Even briefly seen supporting characters
like Jack Carter and John Stone demand our attention. Perhaps
the greatest feat of the series is that it leaves like the
characters themselves: wanting and needing to know more.
Troy
Brownfield is the Editor-in-Chief of Shotgun Reviews. If you
find yourself with the need to learn more, investigate Planetary,
Wildstorm and the full range of DC Comics products at www.dccomics.com.
DC Direct will also be releasing Planetary action figures
in September. Email Troy at psikotyk@aol.com
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