Planetary Vol. 3 - Leaving the Twentieth Century

Planetary Vol. 3 - Leaving the Twentieth Century
By Warren Ellis and John Cassaday

Sign that you're reading something that will stand the test of time: It just keeps getting better as you go on.

On the surface, Leaving the Twentieth Century isn't all that different from the two volumes that came before it, All Over the World and The Fourth Man. This is a collection of six stories, each a standalone foray into Warren Ellis' giddy blend of 1950s science fiction, 1990s superheroes, Twilight Zone episodes, 1980s Alan Mooreisms, and 1940s pulp.

We've got a visit with an ancient Sherlock Holmes. A wicked science fiction twist on Marvel's Thor mythology. Explosions of Asian and Australian aboriginal fable. A new take on Captain Marvel aka Shazam. And the works of Edgar Rice Burroughs and Jules Verne contorted into something entirely new.

Clearly, Ellis delights in showings us the familiar dressed in new clothes.

The clothes look better than ever, too. John Cassaday's art has improved dramatically since the first volume. Not sure if it's the inking or coloring or a new approach or a heavier hand with Photoshop or what, but things look just outstanding here. His knack for laying out a page and offering dramatic visuals just EXPLODES here with awesome landscapes and big, expansive shots that could have been pulled out of a David Lean film. Great stuff.

And naturally, these six stories continue to inject small dozes of larger mythology into the series. Things are clearly leading up to some larger confrontation. Some bit o' finality. Yet Ellis never succumbs to the lure of continuity, that great and burdensome beast at whose throne so many comic writers (and fans) worship. Despite having such a deep, rich backstory and mythology, Planetary is a surprisingly light read. You can read any single Planetary story and enjoy it on its own terms. You don't need to unravel a web of who what when where how whys. You don't need to know what happens in issue #312 (second series, not the 1960s original) of the spinoff title featuring the supporting character who now leads his own team, only it's not really him it's the clone featured in last year's epic crossover event. He avoids that trap, and by doing so makes Planetary like a little more awesome than it already is.

Modern comic writers should be taking notes.

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Planetary Vol. 2 - The Fourth Man

Planetary Vol. 2 - The Fourth Man
By Warren Ellis and John Cassaday

When I first settled in to read Planetary Vol. 1, I did not know what to expect, I only knew that my expectations weren't high. Though I liked a good deal of the Warren Ellis work I had read, his work on the edgy-and-epic The Authority left me cold. For whatever reason, I had the impression that Planetary was a kindred spirit to The Authority.

Turns out they're nothing alike. For one, Planetary is awesome whereas The Authority isn't.

But I digress.

After reading volume one, the reader gets the distinct impression that there is a larger story at work here. Sure, each of the six issues in that collection was a standalone, but each also dropped a little hint at a broader tapestry. Secret histories. Character backgrounds. Conspiracies. A bigger story. It was not unlike Hellboy in that respect.

Though again dishing out an array of six unique standalone stories, The Fourth Man makes clear that Planetary absolutely has a larger narrative, and that if we keep reading we're going to peel back all sorts of interesting layers from this big, tasty onion. Even moreso than the superb quality of these tales -- these six almost all knock it out of the park and to a story are better than the first volume's -- it is the idea that something larger is at work that has me eager to keep reading.

Which isn't to say the stories wouldn't still be awesome as a series of one-shots, because damn are they good. Ellis takes all sorts of geeky cool stuff like '50s sci-fi movies and classic superhero comics and more, shoves handfuls of magic mushrooms down their throat, and turns them into something familiar yet alien. It's like an bad dream, only it's an awesome bad dream from which you never want to wake. A killer twist on those giant insect movies, complete with Red Scare secret government projects. What would really happen to the Justice League arose in a dark and sinister world of conspiracies. Snow coming to realize who and what he is.

This is wall to wall great.

Consciously or not, word of mouth that is too good often results in me scoffing, sometimes even hoping to dislike Flavor of the Moment. All that gushing and fawning and "you've got to read this!" makes me a bit ill, like when you drink too much and then have a five-egg omelet and then try to swim the English Channel. And with the final issue of Planetary announced just before I started reading this, the buzz was building. I was ready to break out the Pepto. Sickness time approached.

But it passed. I get it. Planetary is, like, really good and stuff. So, like, I totally get it. 'Cause it's awesome.

Read my regular, everything-and-anything (usually on writing and music) blog right over here.

Planetary Vol. 1 - All Over the World

Planetary Vol. 1 - All Over the World
By Warren Ellis and John Cassaday

Warren Ellis is something of a polarizing figure in the world of comics. A writer who doesn't hide his disdain for traditional superhero stories and who has cultivated an online community is, to put it mildly, a bit prickly, Ellis has nonetheless built a resume that ought to earn respect from all but the most old school, it's-got-to-have-tights-or-it-ain't-comics readers. He has worked in classic science fiction (a genre too infrequently seen in modern comics), risque political and social commentary, horror, action/adventure, and more -- and it's almost always been worth reading. His least interesting work tends to be his traditional superhero stories.

His most acclaimed achievement in comics might be the four-time Eisner Award nominated Planetary, his long-running collaboration with artist John Cassaday. Tough to tell, though, since it's been so s l o w to come out. Though it began way back in 1999, it took them 10 years to release a mere 26 issues. (The 27th and final issue is due out in October 2009).

But with all the accolades this series has received, one has to ask, has Planetary been worth the wait? Is it time for me to take the plunge?

Having only just started to read it, I'm prepared to answer with a solid YES.

Planetary is kind of a superhero book, but only just barely. In fact, I'd be hesitant to categorize it that way, though many people do. Sure, it features people with amazing abilities doing amazing things, and often doing so while where tight and/or colorful costumes, but at heart it's a modern version of pulp science fiction through and through.

Oh yeah, the premise. Yeah, I guess you need to know that. "Planetary" is a secretive organization devoted to investigating amazing events and "the secret history of the 20th Century." The three investigators, funded by a mysterious "fourth man," trot around the globe (or dimensions, or universes) and pretty much do interviews and take notes. Once in a while they save the world.

This volume brings together six stories that give you a good idea of what they do, but even more importantly, provide a window into all the amazing worlds Ellis and Cassaday are going to show us. It probably wouldn't be far fetched to suggest that Ellis conceived of Planetary in part as an excuse to do whatever the hell he wanted to do in a comic, because this thing is all over the map. Even in just these first six issues we get Twilight Zone sci-fi, monster movie mysteries, superhero romps, and more. Whatever pops into his head that day.

Though each story stands on its own just fine, they each take subtle steps forward in uncovering a larger mythology, too. That might be what's most exciting about Planetary. The individual stories here are imaginative and wonderful (often not-so-veiled homages to characters and concepts Ellis clearly loves, such as Godzilla or 1960s superhero origin stories), but they each serve as a tiny part of a jigsaw puzzle. Minuscule piece by minuscule piece, we get the sense that something bigger is at work. A conspiracy, and a mystery, and maybe a threat to the planet. Something that may end up unfolding over the course of the entire series. And that's pretty awesome.

Heck, this whole damn thing was pretty awesome. Not super awesome like I'm Ready To Tell The World That This Is The Best Thing Ever awesome, but certainly This Made For A Good Night Of Reading Imaginative Comics awesome.

Though I could be wrong, I get the sense that a wild ride is ahead.

Read my regular, everything-and-anything (usually on writing and music) blog right over here.