Stormwatch

Stormwatch 1-11

WildCATs/Aliens

In his essay in the final issue, Warren Ellis says some fascinating things - He never clicked with artist Oscar Jiminez, he was bored with the characters, and Bryan Hitch reinvigorated him and set the stage for Authority.  And he talks a good game about how awesome it’s going to be, but there’s no way even he could predict how much of a game changer that comic would be.  

But in order to set all of it up.  Man, he really went ahead and killed off most of Stormwatch.  Fahrenheit, Fuji, Hellstrike, and Winter.  People who’ve been there since the very beginning of the comic, disposed of with absolutely zero sentimentality by both Ellis and the Alien xenomorphs.  (A completely random crossover, but I totally approve.  Another bold move by Ellis - To not even show the final moments of Stormwatch, but -- Wait, there’s nothing bold about it, it’s completely like him to show the aftermath of something and not the actual action.  But it really is a well done issue.) 

The last issue, where Ellis shuts down the team and title, is completely perfunctory.  His boredom is apparently, and he just goes through the motions.  But to his credit, the prior three arcs, especially the introduction of Apollo and Midnighter, are lots of fun.

Ellis moment of this run:

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Nice (issue 11) through Good (1-6, 10, and the crossover issue)