East of West Appreciation

[daningotham]

:rolleyes: No, it's not your 'typical' super-hero comic. It's a challenging and rewarding read. Lots of room for different interpretations and plenty of room for various levels of appreciation. Hope you'll get over your fear and give it a shot.

I will have to pick up the first trade and check it out. People seem to really like it.

[Geralt of Rivia]

One of my current favorites by a long shot.

[Marvell2100]

Got both the first and second trades and they are both great. This is why I have faith in what Hickman is doing in Avengers and New Avengers. This series is a great read and I will buy the hardcover when that comes out. Highly recommended.

[sungila]

The book says:

THE THINGS THAT DIVIDE US ARE STRONGER THAN THE THINGS THAT UNITE US

And that makes me ponder:
Yea, the river is mightier than the bridge...and still, we build the bridge. ****, maybe we even dam the divide, try and use it's defiance for fuel...maybe even irrigate the thing until it dries - but funny thing about those washes where the water used to be...they hold on to their thirst...and that where the floods run.

If achieved...unity would be the end.

[Maxpower00044]

This book' outstanding. The characters, the parallels to American History/Religion, the art, writing, world building, are just all top notch.

There a great section on www.multiversitycomics.com called "This American Death" that any fan o the series should check out. It has some pretty interesting analysis of each issue.

[sungila]

This book' outstanding. The characters, the parallels to American History/Religion, the art, writing, world building, are just all top notch.

There a great section on www.multiversitycomics.com called "This American Death" that any fan o the series should check out. It has some pretty interesting analysis of each issue.

Here's a link:
http://multiversitycomics.com/tag/this-american-death/

Thanks Maxpoer00044 for suggesting this in our old thread. It's a great site. "This American Death" has added a lot to my understanding and enjoyment of East of West. It's also a great way to keep your bearings between issues and/or trades.

[sungila]

A few more useful links:

Nick Dragotta's Tumblr http://nickdragotta.tumblr.com/

FRONTLINE had an interesting series on the Apocalypticism including a good introduction to Revelations: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontl...ws/apocalypse/

Jonathan Hickman's Site: http://www.pronea.com/

Great interview here:
http://www.comicbookresources.com/?p...ticle&id=48873

[John Keyt]

I jumped onto Image Last year after getting discouraged with the 2 main comics . Really enjoying this series like the whole 4 horseman story line . Death character I find interesting .When I first read it . I thought it reminded me of the gunslinger or a western type of book set in future . Just have enjoyed the series .

[son of booyah]

I appreciate East of West. It's a comic I don't mind pushing on my friends

[harpier]

So, now that we're relaunching the threads, I suppose I should jump on again. So, to potentially start a conversation, I've copied my review of the latest issue below. (If you're interested, I've reviewed each East of West issue on my personal comics blog: here. I welcome feedback. But be warned that most reviews discuss the issues in detail and are filled with likely spoilers.)

East-of-West_11_cover.jpg

Eleven: The Wall Beckons
written by Jonathan Hickman
art by Nick Dragotta
colors by Frank Martin

It's easy to forget that, though the Chosen hold powerful political positions (with one notable exception) in their respective nations, they are not, strictly speaking, official ambassadors. Their conspiracy of apocalyptic zealots, Machiavellian power-mongers, and slippery political officials was always a shadowy operation, conducted quietly and obscurely. If "Above All, Few Are Chosen" was the convocation of conspirators at the heart of the Armistice, "The Wall Beckons" is the diplomatic assembly of nations at the boundary of Armistice. The cast is admittedly much the same, but the discrepancies are very telling.

Following Death's invasion of her father's country, Xiaolian now rules the People's Republic of America as premier, and the summit is assembled at her invitation. President Burkhart of the Confederacy accompanies Chamberlain, and the others have similarly brought diplomatic seconds. Ezra, Keeper of the Message, does not attend. But it is the absence of Cheveyo, an exile from his nation, an outcast for his religious fervor, that strikes so pointedly.

The structure of East of West has pinged around Hickman's commuted North American geography, following Death's hunt and the conspirators themselves. Individual issues often feature portraits of each territory: "Above All, Few are Chosen" briefly in the Confederacy, "The House of Mao" and "Last Days of Dead Men" in the People's Republic, "To Do Justly, and To Love Mercy" in the Texas Republic, "The Pilgrimage" at Armistice, "The Street Is Burning" in the Union, and "A Kingdom of Riches" in New Orleans. East of West has been inconspicuously silent about the Endless Nation. "The Wall Beckons" announces them with style.

"What makes one sovereign state better than another? Is it having fractionally more money...or power...or influence? Yes. Of course it is. Is it having a greater power to destroy? Or to build? Yes. That also. Each head of state here represents some various measure of each of those things in some other varying degree...But one has more than all the others. You asked me earlier, who here should concern you...most? Well, there's your answer, Mister President. Take a good look...The Endless Nation has arrived." (East of West #11: 23-24)

While East of West #11 neglects to propel the story too far, it's a fine reorientation to this world, one that accounts for a shift in perspective away from the Message and away from Death's vendetta. It gives familiar characters new, sometimes humorous, beats—John Freeman and Antonia LeVay, notably—and it introduces new ones with flourish. It also discloses, albeit obliquely, the location of the Oracle's second eye: a wooden box on Archibald Chamberlain's desk in the Black Towers.

[sungila]

So, now that we're relaunching the threads, I suppose I should jump on again. So, to potentially start a conversation, I've copied my review of the latest issue below. (If you're interested, I've reviewed each East of West issue on my personal comics blog: here.

Eleven: The Wall Beckons

I'm really glad you joined the thread Harpier. I'm reading EoW trade by trade and have had to keep myself from reading your current issue reviews, but I've visited your blog a number of times and really want to thank you for your work and devotion to this title. Every review provides new insights, important footnotes and threads that connect the sometimes difficult multiple plot-lines that Hickman and Dragotta are weaving layer by layer as the tapestry unfurls.

I've also benefited a lot from the other reviews on your blog. I've discovered at least a few titles by way of your endorsement. "the Wake" and "Trillium" are two I found via your blog and they're amongst the best reads I've had this year. Great work, great site and thanks again for joining the thread.

[RoguishGurl]

I finally finished the second trade, and the end to #10 just gutted me. Now I'm going to have to try to force myself to wait for the third trade, because I really enjoy reading this book in that format.

[sungila]

I finally finished the second trade, and the end to #10 just gutted me. Now I'm going to have to try to force myself to wait for the third trade, because I really enjoy reading this book in that format.

I'm with you RoguishGurl...it's tempting to buy the floppies (especially with Crow, my favorite, gracing #11's cover)...but I'm hooked on reading the book in chapter installments.
Bad news is, I'm sort of in the same situation with Rat Queens; having discovered the title when the first trade was coming out (but I'm already breaking down...because it's been way too long and I think it's just necessary to by the next issue)

[MindofShadow]

Does this book come out reguarly?

I have tried to get into non big 2 comics before. But the... inconsistency of publishing threw me off and I would just find myself becoming disinterested.

Is it best ot just read it all at once rather than depend on it coming out each month?

[JaggedFel]

Monthly so far.