REVIEW: The Dying and the Dead, #1

[rac shade]

I like it so far, the art's great & the story was intriguing but despite it being a beastly 60 pages I still felt like I needed more information.

[Mjolnir]

Finally was able to find time to get through my backlog stack and was able to read #1. I loved it. I read through the thread here and can understand the negatives that were said and I can't fault any of you for that. But for me, it's a Hickman book so you kinda know what you're gonna get in how he tells a story. Even though it was $4.99, I'm glad there was a lot of pages to read. For a #1, it was a great set-up issue for the story to come. It's an intriguing story. I already really want to know more about this race of beings that have been on Earth far longer than humans, and I think we'll get that through the woman. Maybe Hickman will answer that question that he posed in what humans really are. It took me a little bit to get used to the way it's colored. I'm used to lots of colors and everything on a page having it's own color in a book versus the almost same tones that were and probably will continue to be used.

Whenever a new series starts, I always wonder what the proposed length of issues a creator plans for and I wonder what the length of Dying and the Dead will run for. East of West is a planned 50 issues so looking at the story he's set up here, maybe less than that? Either way, I'm with this for the long haul.

[hawkeyefan]

Finally caught up on this...LCS was sold out but I managed to find one at my back up store (which would actually be my main store if it was a little closer).

This was a great first issue. Lots of stuff to ponder, and an old school hero as the main character. I found that refreshing; most stories along these lines have young folk in the main role.

I don't really agree with the pacing complaints folks made, either. I mean, I realize the second half of the book basically consisted of a conversation between two characters, but there was so much to it. And the City itself! It's been a while since I've studied a two page spread like that.

All in all, I'm in for the long haul, however long that may be.

[Mjolnir]

Issue #1 came out January 28. Well, issue #2's original release date of last week that got bumped to this week, I was disappointed to see when I read the list of books coming out this week that issue #2 was not among them. I guess it got bumped to March 18 and issue #3 has been bumped from March 18 to April 1 and issue #4 is still supposedly coming out on April 29. With this book having delays right off the bat, for those familiar with artist Ryan Bodenheim, is he a slow artist? Or is this not on him maybe, and possibly the delays are from something else?

[InformationGeek]

Issue #1 came out January 28. Well, issue #2's original release date of last week that got bumped to this week, I was disappointed to see when I read the list of books coming out this week that issue #2 was not among them. I guess it got bumped to March 18 and issue #3 has been bumped from March 18 to April 1 and issue #4 is still supposedly coming out on April 29. With this book having delays right off the bat, for those familiar with artist Ryan Bodenheim, is he a slow artist? Or is this not on him maybe, and possibly the delays are from something else?

I have no idea what is going on with this release schedule. You would think a creative team would actually have a few issues ready to go before they launch a book or something.

[Geralt of Rivia]

I loved this. Did anyone else get a hydra vibe from Andrea and co?

So did I.

And it looks like they are clones?

[Mjolnir]

I have no idea what is going on with this release schedule. You would think a creative team would actually have a few issues ready to go before they launch a book or something.

I'm feeling the same way about Descender and Southern Cross. Issue #1 of Descender is out this week, but issue #2 is solicited for April 29?! That's almost two months between issues. Issue #3 is currently solicited for May 6, but that is surely getting bumped to the end of the month.

Issue #1 of Southern Cross comes out March 11, but then issue #2 doesn't come out until April 29 and issue #3 on May 13, a date again that will surely get bumped. It sucks because yes, you really would think they would have 3 or 4 issues in the can before they solicit this stuff, and right off the bat, these books are having delays. I really enjoyed issue #1 of Dying and the Dead, and then to have issue #2 be delayed so long is really disappointing and kills a little of the momentum that this creative team should be building to get a new book off the ground. It's just really sloppy work and planning on someone's part at Image with these three books.

I don't want to place blame on any one individual because we don't know what's causing the delays in these books, but for books that are brand new and solicited as monthly, this is just bad marketing and planning and just plain looks bad for Image.

[InformationGeek]

I don't want to place blame on any one individual because we don't know what's causing the delays in these books, but for books that are brand new and solicited as monthly, this is just bad marketing and planning and just plain looks bad for Image.

Could be worse though. We could have what is going on with Chilling Adventure of Sabrina. Archie talked that new dark version of Sabrina the Teenage Witch, like Afterlife with Archie, then only one issue back in October! What the hell.

Personally, I wasn't a fan of The Dying and the Dead remotely, but I can understand the pain of waiting for something you really like after it disappears abruptly or gets pushed back (One Punch Man was that for me, though there was at least 38 issues of that already out). Plus, like you said, momentum.

[JJ Fiegel]

It's got to be Bodenheim's fault, as Hickman's workload has been considerably lighter for the last few months.

And you want to talk delays, the first issue of Kot's the Surface got pushed back two weeks. That's pretty redonkulous.