Planetary Vol. 4: Spacetime Archaeology
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Product Description
This is it – the long-awaited fourth and final graphic novel collecting the adventures of Elijah Snow, a powerful, hundred year ancient man, Jakita Wagner, an extremely powerful but bored woman, and The Drummer, a man with the ability to communicate with machines. Infatuated with tracking down evidence of super-human activity, these mystery archaeologists of the late 20th Century uncover unknown paranormal secrets and histories, such as a World War II PC that can access additional universes, a ghostly spirit of vengeance, and a lost island of dying monsters.
In this volume, the team encounters an abandoned alien spacecraft — but will the heroes beat their rival, Jacob Greene of the villainous “Four,” to the ship? Then, Elijah Snow starts to pull back from his allies, acting increasingly in secret. Will he be able to draw the last of the Four out of hiding, and can he act before his teammates lose their faith in him?
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I caringly remember borrowing the first 3 trades of this fantastic series a few years ago from a friend, and absolutely loving it. When I saw the fourth recently hit the shelves, I wondered about going back through the series again. I was going to wait for this volume to come in softcover, but chose that I could not wait, as it may not even take place this year.
It was worth the buy. Despite being only 27 issues long, much like ‘Watchmen’, it feels longer than that. Maybe it is John Cassaday’s luscious artwork which nearly compels you to stop and take a third or fourth look. It could be Warren Ellis’ pacing and plot, which make the books feel like a high quality TV drama; there are fantastic one-off issues, which are well encapsulated tales, but there’s also a fantastic, over-arcing plot line which comes to a strong resolution.
Much like a excellent BBC show, it is succinct and sweet, leaving the reader with just enough to delight in the time they spent in Elijah Snow’s world.
Reader’s Rating: 5 / 5
This is the hardcover collection of the last several Planetary comics. First, if you are familiar with Planetary, then you know how wonderful this alternate planet comic is. Warren Ellis is a master storyteller and Cassaday’s just shines on the extra thick stock pages. The format truly honors the loving work that has been place into this tale.
Now for persons who know the tale, this is simply a collection of the comics. There isn’t new material nor is there any real additional work. But, the workmanship of the hardcover is wonderful. The binding is strong, the pages are thick and feel excellent in the hands. Most of all, the artwork just pops off the page. This is a lovely end cap to the series.
If you’ve never read planetary, getting the 4 volume tale is very much worthwhile. If you’ve read Planetary but would like something more levelheaded and gorgeous, you should also pick up this book. Really its truly an outstanding collectible.
Reader’s Rating: 5 / 5
At long last, the final volume of Warren Ellis and John Cassaday’s “Planetary” has arrived in stores. Collecting the final issues of the series, #19-27, the tales here were published over a span of several years, with the final #27 coming out years after the previous issue. “Planetary” started in 1999, when Ellis was heavily involved in the original Wildstorm imprint, but has since detached (Wildstorm has gone through so many changes since then that it’s hard to admit it as the same place it was when Ellis was still writing within that continuity). Some spoilers follow.
“Planetary” ongoing out as an issue-by-issue examination of different genres of fiction in the 20th century, and gradually transitioned into the tale of the struggle between the Planetary investigative organization and the malevolent Four, Ellis’ paper-thinly-veiled take on Marvel Comics’ Fantastic Four, here positioned as the secret masters of the world, hoarding scientific knowledge for themselves. The previous volume finished with the capture of the pseudo-Human Torch, William Leather. Here, Elijah Snow and his team proceed to deal with the others: Randall Dowling (Reed Richards), Kim Suskind (Susan Richards), and Jacob Greene (Ben Grimm; the name is a tip to Jacob Kurtzberg, aka Jack Kirby). The original genre deconstruction largely falls by the wayside here, apart from an issue offering a spin on the Lone Ranger.
Characterization has permanently been secondary in “Planetary”, though the various leads are all written with Ellis’ trademark amusing style, an regularly odd mix of cynicism and heart-on-the-sleeve idealism. The resolution of the conflict with the Four is adequate, though it depends on callbacks to tales published much, much earlier this decade, so it may strain the memory (it might be advisable to reread the first three volumes before reading the fourth). The art by John Cassaday is customarily lovely, if not permanently visceral. There are a couple of distressing scenes, though Ellis doesn’t linger on them.
A levelheaded ending to the series.
Reader’s Rating: 4 / 5