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Shotgun Reviews presents:
The Essential Trade
Paperback Collection
Part Four: Warren Ellis
Compiled
below is a list of trade paperbacks that collect some of the
finest stories in comics. It does not pretend to be an
exhaustive list, but merely a starting guide to lead you to
some of the best stories in the medium. The majority of
these are available for you to order simply by clicking on the
appropriate links below.
This particular assortment
of collections is dedicated to the work of mad genius Warren
Ellis.
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TRANSMETROPOLITAN:
BACK ON THE STREET
DC Comics
Writer:
Warren Ellis
Artist: Darick
Robertson
From
a bright shiny city to a cesspool of humanity, that loveable
crazy man Ellis gives us another loveable angry bastard
in the character of Spider Jerusalem. Though Jerusalem
seems like a futuristic Hunter S. Thompson at first, you'll
soon see that there is a core of justice to this man,
no matter how twisted it may be. Thoroughly plausible
science fiction wrapped around fundamentally sound political
commentary and told with a mixture of hilarity and real
sadness, Transmetropolitan jumps out as one of
the best comics ever. And that's even without the
two-faced smoking cat. |
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TRANSMETROPOLITAN:
LUST FOR LIFE
DC Comics
Writer:
Warren Ellis
Artists: Darick
Robertson
Collecting
issues #4-12 of the acclaimed SF series, Lust For Life
brings us several single-issue stories of Spider Jerusalem,
capped off by a three-part riot called "Freeze Me With
Your Kiss". The lead tales are great as Jerusalem
takes on topics like religion, cultural reserves, the
morality of cryogenics and nanotech transfigurations.
However, it's "Freeze Me" with the obssessed police dog,
the headless potential bastard son and a plot to kill
Spider that reaches manic heights of hysteria. Profane,
hilarious and thought-provoking. |
PLANETARY
Writer:
Warren Ellis
Artist: John
Cassaday
A
tome collecting the first six-issues of this mind-boggling
excavation of the comics genre. Join a trio of "archaeolgoists
of the unknown" as they set out to discover the bizarre
secrets of the world. It might seem odd and disconnected
at first, but there is a pattern at the beating heart
of this work that draws on influences like Doc Savage,
Godzilla, John Woo movies, scientific romance, noir, '50s
creature features and '60s comics to create a bracing
blend of fiction that is positively addictive. |
STORMWATCH:
FORCE OF NATURE
Writer:
Warren Ellis
Artist: Tom
Raney
Stormwatch
had been one of the
struggling second-string Image titles before Ellisjoined
up with issue #37. After that, Stormwatch
became a propulsive rocket-ride as the U.N. strike force
became rife with mystery, deft characterization and head-banging
action. This volume collects #37-42; these issues
also contained the introductions of Jenny Sparks and Jack
Hawksmoor, who later founded The Authority. |
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STORMWATCH:
LIGHTNING STRIKES
Writer:
Warren Ellis
Artists: Various
Collecting
#43-47, this volume extends Ellis's run on the first Stormwatch
title. The real gem of this set is the issue in
which Jenny Sparks relates her tragic history to Battallion.
The amazing thing about the story is how each decade is
covered in style that is reflexive of the comics of the
time; the '60s evoke Kirby, while the '80s are rendered
in brutal Dave Gibbons-Watchmen style. Solid
entertainment. |
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STORMWATCH:
CHANGE OR DIE
Writer:
Warren Ellis
Artists: Raney
(48-50); Olivetti (1-3)
Change
or Die brings together the last three issues of the
first Stormwatch run, the preview issue of the
second series, and the first three full issues of series
two. Certainly the greatest treasure here is the
main story, #48-50s Change or Die. It's rare
when a super-hero comic puts forth this degree of reflection
and social examination, but Ellis writes that beautifully.
A harsh story arc with huge consequences, Change or
Die set the table for the second series. |
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STORMWATCH:
A FINER WORLD
Writer:
Warren Ellis
Artists: Bryan
Hitch/Paul Neary
Possibly
my favorite of the Storm trades, A Finer World
showcases issues #4-9 of Stormwatch series two.
The first three-part story, A Finer World, brings
you the introductions of The Authority's bad-ass
couple, Apollo and Midnighter. It's a righteous
blend of action and intrigue. The second story,
The Bleed, has won several awards for its awesome,
epic depiction of a parallel world gone horribly wrong.
The ending alone is worth the price of the volume. |
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