Planetary (Omnibus Edition)- Review
Title/Release: The Planetary Omnibus, 2014
Easily the single best graphic novel I've read since Watchmen (the hitherto unrivaled classic by genius writer Alan Moore). As a lover of the written word- both as writer and as analyzer of writing- I have seen first hand the sheer difficulty it takes to write a single, unified narrative. That is- it takes work to write one self contained story that makes sense. Lots of work! There's a texturized attention to detail that's required, along with something like a nineteenth sense (a sixth sense simply won't do) on how exactly to bring that detail to coherent life on the page through the right words. Right words, right combination of words, right style... there are many places where it can fall apart.
Which is why so many do. Especially when working with an ensemble tale (story covering the lives of multiple characters simultaneously). The last technical note I'll add here is that, even if you have the detail and the word mastery, the "it" factor for writing- for any art form- is emotion.
The reader cares about the story, not simply for its intellectual acumen, but for the evocation of feeling deep in the recesses of one's soul. This connection is the magic all writers aim to conjure. However, in order for this to happen, in order for there to be emotional suspense- the story has to be about something.
Talk about school of redundancy school right?
Story, by nature, has to be about something.
Otherwise, arguably, it's not a story.
(Sidenote: If, at this point, you're wondering if this is THAT Warren Ellis... yes. Yes it is. The very same guy who wrote the script for Netflix's "Castlevania")
Planetary is a giant pie of mysterious conspiracy theory, divvied up into cinematic like individual stories. It's a puzzle, starring an incredible woman by the name of Jakita Wagner and the biggest mission she's ever undertaken wrapped up in the intriguing figure of a man known as Elijah Snow. Planetary takes everything we know about superheroes, super spies, and supernatural life forms and flips it on its head. If James Bond confronted the Justice League in the Marvel Universe, mid invasion from Alien, then you'd be getting close to the fascinating worlds and people and circumstances contained in these pages.
Part of the power of the book is that it's so unassuming. You enter with a pretty solid idea of what's going on and what the stakes are, then there's a little twist. But you're thinking "It's okay. I've still got this." Then you continue on, thinking you have a handle on things until you finally look up- mentally piecing the various elements together- and realize you can't even see the surface anymore. And it is from there that it drags us mercilessly, enchantingly, through this subverted world of insane action and deep philosophical thought, craftily keeping us off balance with its relentless adhesion to story dedication over tidy resolution.
There are several points where they could have ended it, just to end it. Ended it, because it technically would have made sense. But they don't. Warren Ellis and his team push the story as far and beyond boundaries as it can go. It's almost like the story takes on its own life. And when the story deems a suitable stopping place... it stops.
And you realize your mind has been blown.
Planetary is dark and hopeful, practical and grim, speculative and outrageous, mockingly teasing us with our insistence on having a world that makes sense. Even though our OWN world doesn't make sense.
But let's not forget that this isn't an ordinary novel; it's a graphic novel. Being granted the added boon of stunning haunting and subtly powerful visuals, complementing the imaginative interpretation in one's brain makes this book an exceptional experience. A brilliant masterpiece. If you want to know why comic books have spawned an entire industry- it's because of legends like this. The team on this book has done an excellent job honoring the mighty pioneers of old, while concurrently pushing forward to evolve what the originators started.
I can only end this with a quote from the very first story in this depth spanning, thriller of a tale.
"It's a strange world... Let's keep it that way."
Author: Warren Ellis
Cover Art: John Cassaday and Laura Martin
Page Count: 825
Easily the single best graphic novel I've read since Watchmen (the hitherto unrivaled classic by genius writer Alan Moore). As a lover of the written word- both as writer and as analyzer of writing- I have seen first hand the sheer difficulty it takes to write a single, unified narrative. That is- it takes work to write one self contained story that makes sense. Lots of work! There's a texturized attention to detail that's required, along with something like a nineteenth sense (a sixth sense simply won't do) on how exactly to bring that detail to coherent life on the page through the right words. Right words, right combination of words, right style... there are many places where it can fall apart.
Which is why so many do. Especially when working with an ensemble tale (story covering the lives of multiple characters simultaneously). The last technical note I'll add here is that, even if you have the detail and the word mastery, the "it" factor for writing- for any art form- is emotion.
The reader cares about the story, not simply for its intellectual acumen, but for the evocation of feeling deep in the recesses of one's soul. This connection is the magic all writers aim to conjure. However, in order for this to happen, in order for there to be emotional suspense- the story has to be about something.
Talk about school of redundancy school right?
Story, by nature, has to be about something.
Otherwise, arguably, it's not a story.
(Sidenote: If, at this point, you're wondering if this is THAT Warren Ellis... yes. Yes it is. The very same guy who wrote the script for Netflix's "Castlevania")
Planetary is a giant pie of mysterious conspiracy theory, divvied up into cinematic like individual stories. It's a puzzle, starring an incredible woman by the name of Jakita Wagner and the biggest mission she's ever undertaken wrapped up in the intriguing figure of a man known as Elijah Snow. Planetary takes everything we know about superheroes, super spies, and supernatural life forms and flips it on its head. If James Bond confronted the Justice League in the Marvel Universe, mid invasion from Alien, then you'd be getting close to the fascinating worlds and people and circumstances contained in these pages.
Part of the power of the book is that it's so unassuming. You enter with a pretty solid idea of what's going on and what the stakes are, then there's a little twist. But you're thinking "It's okay. I've still got this." Then you continue on, thinking you have a handle on things until you finally look up- mentally piecing the various elements together- and realize you can't even see the surface anymore. And it is from there that it drags us mercilessly, enchantingly, through this subverted world of insane action and deep philosophical thought, craftily keeping us off balance with its relentless adhesion to story dedication over tidy resolution.
There are several points where they could have ended it, just to end it. Ended it, because it technically would have made sense. But they don't. Warren Ellis and his team push the story as far and beyond boundaries as it can go. It's almost like the story takes on its own life. And when the story deems a suitable stopping place... it stops.
And you realize your mind has been blown.
Planetary is dark and hopeful, practical and grim, speculative and outrageous, mockingly teasing us with our insistence on having a world that makes sense. Even though our OWN world doesn't make sense.
But let's not forget that this isn't an ordinary novel; it's a graphic novel. Being granted the added boon of stunning haunting and subtly powerful visuals, complementing the imaginative interpretation in one's brain makes this book an exceptional experience. A brilliant masterpiece. If you want to know why comic books have spawned an entire industry- it's because of legends like this. The team on this book has done an excellent job honoring the mighty pioneers of old, while concurrently pushing forward to evolve what the originators started.
I can only end this with a quote from the very first story in this depth spanning, thriller of a tale.
"It's a strange world... Let's keep it that way."
###
Joshua Evans is a prolific writer and sci-fi/fantasy enthusiast who believes story is central to everything and that mythology can change the world. He currently hosts two youtube shows- The Truth About Superheroes and Comic of the Week, as well as runs a short story blogsite on medium as The Story Junkie. If you would like to further be a part of his cosmic psyche, you can join him on Twitter and Instagram or simply subscribe to this blog… and remember- sharing is caring! Cheers!
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