Welcome to the Weekly Comics Hype! I'm doing these alphabetically, but occasionally skipping around a bit. Today, I wanted to recommend one of comics' more interesting slow burns of recent years, the intriguing Planetary by Warren Ellis and John Cassady.
Planetary is the name of a large, shadowy organization which employs "archaeologists of the impossible" and is investigating the impact on Earth's history by a group called "the Four." The Four have been robbing the world of technological and magical advances for decades, and the Planetary field team learns of their work by exploring our culture's secret history. At the same time, the field team works to restore the memories of their newest recruit, a man named Elijah Snow who was born on January 1, 1900, but seems to only be about forty years old as the 20th Century comes to a close...
Planetary's a great read, and it uses the single-issue format better than just about any other monthly title from a major American publisher. Almost every issue features a complete story - there are a couple of two-parters - with ongoing subplots carrying the story of Planetary's investigation and the mysterious identity of Planetary's anonymous benefactor. Someone has to pay for all this expensive hardware...
But honestly, the best thing about Planetary is watching the secret history of their world unfold and realize how familiar it is to things from our literary and cinematic heritage. We learn that a young Snow received instruction early in life from an aging detective with offices in Baker Street, that a doctor with skin made of brass saved the planet in the 1930s, that a Japanese survival cult moved to a radioactive island made off-limits in the 1960s because creatures unknown to science once lived there, and that the streets of Hong Kong are protected by the ghosts of policemen. Watching these archetypes unfold, with reverence and respect for the original creators, is really fun and shows a passion for our culture's fiction that's really unique among properties like this.
Planetary was planned to run for 27 bi-monthly issues, but a combination of factors, including the writer suffering a lengthy illness and the artist taking other commitments while he recovered, have left the story unfinished for now. It was on hiatus from 2001-2003, and new issues have only appeared sporadically since. The 26th issue was solicited this month by DC for October release, and the final issue is expected in December. The first 18 issues are available in three collected editions. A fourth, Crossing Worlds, collects three extra-length one-shots which crossover with other titles and is entertaining if not essential.
Volume one of Planetary is available from your local comic shop, who would enjoy your custom; new books ship on Wednesdays, so why not stop in after work?
Planetary is the name of a large, shadowy organization which employs "archaeologists of the impossible" and is investigating the impact on Earth's history by a group called "the Four." The Four have been robbing the world of technological and magical advances for decades, and the Planetary field team learns of their work by exploring our culture's secret history. At the same time, the field team works to restore the memories of their newest recruit, a man named Elijah Snow who was born on January 1, 1900, but seems to only be about forty years old as the 20th Century comes to a close...
Planetary's a great read, and it uses the single-issue format better than just about any other monthly title from a major American publisher. Almost every issue features a complete story - there are a couple of two-parters - with ongoing subplots carrying the story of Planetary's investigation and the mysterious identity of Planetary's anonymous benefactor. Someone has to pay for all this expensive hardware...
But honestly, the best thing about Planetary is watching the secret history of their world unfold and realize how familiar it is to things from our literary and cinematic heritage. We learn that a young Snow received instruction early in life from an aging detective with offices in Baker Street, that a doctor with skin made of brass saved the planet in the 1930s, that a Japanese survival cult moved to a radioactive island made off-limits in the 1960s because creatures unknown to science once lived there, and that the streets of Hong Kong are protected by the ghosts of policemen. Watching these archetypes unfold, with reverence and respect for the original creators, is really fun and shows a passion for our culture's fiction that's really unique among properties like this.
Planetary was planned to run for 27 bi-monthly issues, but a combination of factors, including the writer suffering a lengthy illness and the artist taking other commitments while he recovered, have left the story unfinished for now. It was on hiatus from 2001-2003, and new issues have only appeared sporadically since. The 26th issue was solicited this month by DC for October release, and the final issue is expected in December. The first 18 issues are available in three collected editions. A fourth, Crossing Worlds, collects three extra-length one-shots which crossover with other titles and is entertaining if not essential.
Volume one of Planetary is available from your local comic shop, who would enjoy your custom; new books ship on Wednesdays, so why not stop in after work?