Review – East of West #11 (Image Comics)

Publisher: Image Comics
Writer: Jonathan Hickman
Artist: Nick Dragotta
Release Date: 9th April 2014

I think the biggest compliment I can give this book is that its only been 11 issues. With the sheer scope that has been laid out and the pieces of the puzzle that have been put in place by Hickman, I feel like I’ve been reading this book forever. I fear you may misunderstand what I mean by this, its in no way a bad thing, its just all about what the the book doesn’t say that gives it its charm. A cliche it may be, but its the only way to describe just how much this book sucks you in. I’ve found myself thinking about it – even if it has been weeks since I’ve read it – trying to work out where its going, and while I may have a few theories where I want it to go, all I can say for certain is that I want Nick Dragotta to draw it.

Dragotta’s art on the series has been nothing short of spectacular, with sprawling cityscapes looking just as gorgeous as the barren wastes. The expressiveness of his faces and character postures give more weight to the story than they rightfully should. The man must be some sort of demon. Without delving into spoiler territory, we get to see the many styles of the world here as diplomats gather at “The Wall” and Dragotta has done an amazing job of giving every area a very distinctive look and feel, from old Western-style dusters and hats to the futuristic feel of the PRA and the new appearance of [SPOILERS]

It could never be said of Hickman that he isn’t incredible at creating the worlds that his books inhabit, and East of West is clearly no different. It only occurred to me at the end of the issue that this was a book that started as a story about 3 Horsemen on a quest, then became a story of redemption and a man trying to find his wife and son, to now being some sort of Sci-fi political drama. This is no bad thing as I said, I still find myself wondering what other characters are doing, but at the same time, I don’t miss them in a way that makes me hate having to wait to find out what’s happened to them.

While there isn’t as much action in this issue, it still feels like we’ve only begun to scratch the surface of what’s going on, and I know for sure I’m strapped in for the long run.

Rating: 5/5.

Chris_Avatar The writer of this piece was: Chris Bennett
Article: And Now For Something Completely Different
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One response to “Review – East of West #11 (Image Comics)”

Edward

April 12, 2014 at 5:19 pm

Awesome review. This is the best comic writing and artwork in the world right now. I sincerely mean that with every inch of my soul. I also think about this comic and honestly I have no idea where it is going. Sometimes it jumps around, but it never bothers you. Sometimes for instance when I watch Game of Thrones I wish the story would skip to a different part of the story. This never happens with East of West because it is done to perfection. Every character seems to have a interesting purpose in the story. The world is fascinating and the story is deep. Hollywood producers should be following this comic. This needs to be an epic movie of the year. It seriously is an amazing piece of work. If you are not reading this go buy the trades and the latest comic. If you do not like the first four or five issues for some reason keep reading because this is a series that gets better and better as you go.