Rome West 1-12
I liked this quite a bit when I first read it. Second time through, I found the first half a lot more compelling than the later material. I would have liked to read a regular series about the early days of this new Roman empire, struggling to live in harmony with the Native Americans while clashing internally over the idea of cultural assimilation.
Writers Justin Giampaoli and Brian Wood make massive time jumps forward between each issue, and it’s both a testament to their amazing ability to craft a strong alternative history and an indictment of their need to cover the span of two thousand years in twelve issues that each chapter left me wanting more. Each issue only scratched the surface of the amazing potential for each moment in history, and it felt like I was watching a series of trailers instead of a full movie.
I also stopped caring about the story the more it got closer to the present day. There wasn’t enough focus on how things were different from our timeline, removing the main draw of the series.
I probably wouldn’t buy this again, but I would buy a fulltime series.
Regret buying: No
Would buy again: No
Would read again: Yes
Rating: Nice
Scars 1-6
This is Warren Ellis at his self-admitted darkest and most twisted, writing about his worst nightmare - his daughter kidnapped, tortured, and murdered in the most gruesome manner imaginable. It’s...not the worst thing I’ve read in comics, but it’s probably up there for the worst thing I can imagine happening to my future kid. I’d certainly crack and break if something like that happened in my life.
After the shock value of the crime, the story is fairly standard - Cop recently traumatized by a personal tragedy returns to a case too soon, identifies with it too closely, and is willing to cross the line in the name of justice. Finely executed because it’s Ellis, with solid, functional art by Jacen Burrows that doesn’t get in the way.
Regret buying: No
Would buy again: No
Would read again: Yes
Rating: Fine
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