Army @ Love VOL 02; Generation Pwned [Paperback]

Rick Veitch (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 168 pages
• Publisher: Vertigo (August 5, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1401218326
• ISBN-13: 978-1401218324
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 0.4 x 11 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,078,082 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Woo! Twenty-eight graphic novels in print! Just in English! That's a whole shelf!

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2.0 out of 5 stars Witty but Ambivalent about its own future, July 6, 2010

By 

graphik_persona "g_p" (NYC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Army @ Love VOL 02; Generation Pwned (Paperback)

I read the first volume of the series and enjoyed it a great deal. It represented great satire and unlike some attempts at gratuitousness' it was done to a good pitch. This second volume felt a little flat though. A great deal of the tongue-in-cheek material of the first was already covered expertly in that volume and the envelope had little more room to be pushed further.

The author here attempted to delve a little deeper beneath the surface of the characters they created in the first but it turned out that the depth seen before was all there was. The love triangle for example, was hardly hashed out further, and the Korean dating-program side-plot which was a great idea, was over before it began. This is what seemed to permeate the entire novel; the charaters were stalling, waiting for or rushing to the end of something that didn't seem to be happening- namely development. It was not even a volume where the character's took inward journeys into themselves that produced a reflective plot, there just wasn't any type of real conflict going on to make the characters push forward.

Overall the characters themeselves are creative, with the apathetic and ambivalence of the whole setup coming across perfectly, evidenced by the Were-wolf masked-soldiers comment about his generation being the 'clean-up' crew so they may as well enjoy themselves. But without something worth 'fighting-for', as much as this comic stands in naked contempt against as little more than a marketing slogan, the characters have little to offer past the initial shock-and-awe; and the author dosen't yet turn them into completely base degenerates that truly lack all morality, instead giving them hints of redeemability, but this just make it feel half-hearted, ultimately making any concern I had about the characters' outcomes completely ambivalent, just like the characters themselves.

5.0 out of 5 stars This Isn't Your Father's Never-Ending Insurgency!, June 13, 2010

By 

Paige Turner "Paige" (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Army @ Love VOL 02; Generation Pwned (Paperback)

Army @ Love "Generation PWNED" is a subversive, politically incorrect, searing commentary on the political-military-industrial complex. Writer and artist Rick Veitch uses the guise of a war in "Afbaghistan" to skewer everyone in sight. As the back cover says, "This isn't your father's never-ending insurgency!" The future is an Army with an actual waiting list to enter, despite high casualty counts in the Middle East. The attraction? The corrupt and stupid powers that be have convinced a vapid generation of youth that combat tours are nothing but sex, videogame violence and instant gratification.

This is the kind of comic book that would be easily dismissed as pulpy, sex-drenched garbage, if it were not for how darn smart it is. Think "Fables" level of twisted sophistication applied to modern day conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. The writing is top-notch, with laugh-out-loud parodies on pop life such as "Victoria's Regrets" an S&M tinged lingerie store, and "Calvin Clone" clothing. Nothing is sacred here.

The best part about the book is despite the potentially serious topic, it is still a rollicking fun read. My only complaint is that the myriad sub-plots, which are typically infidelities among the many characters, are confusing to keep track of. I can't keep straight who is screwing who. Maybe that's the point.

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Love it!, February 15, 2009

By 

Babington (Seattle, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Army @ Love VOL 02; Generation Pwned (Paperback)

Veitch has always been original and smart and Army@Love is exemplary in this regard - what will war be like if the trends evident in Iraq continue and get pushed to their extremes? Answer - war where your Mum stands on the front line to make sure you're not abused; war where corporate managers call the shots; and war where transport's so fast you can spend a weekend at home before getting back to the fighting. The story of Army@Love hinges on the 'Hot Zone Club' and a grand marketing strategy to make fighting sexy. It's a brilliant graphic novel, rich in humor and ingenious insight, highly recommended.