Crimson: Loyalty and Loss - Tome 1 [Paperback]

Brian Augustyn (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Wildstorm (June 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1563895323
• ISBN-13: 978-1563895326
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 6.7 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #580,856 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good introduction, July 3, 2001

By 

Ron Tothleben ([e-mail]) (Tilburg, Netherlands, Europe) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Crimson: Loyalty and Loss - Tome 1 (Paperback)

When Cliffhanger was first announced everybody was full of anticipation about the upcoming Madureira and Cambell projects. Many overlooked Ramos' Crimson. I must honestly admit that, although I decided to get all three titles to see for myself anyway, I was expecting the least of Ramos' title as well. I've read al three series myself by now and it's funny but I must conclude that for me Crimson is the best series of the three.

The book this review is about ("Loyalty & Loss") collects the first 6 issues of the series. It starts of with an explanation which races currently walk the earth and how it all became what it is today through an altered version of the story of God creating the earth (a little tough to read at first but neccesary knowledge to understand what's going on later). After that we move on to the introduction of the main-character of the title, Alex Elder, getting turned into a vampire, his struggle with acceptance of his fate, and him refusing to let go of his past. And as if Alex isn't having a hard enough time already, a creature named Ekimus appears who calls him "The chosen one" and "Destined to be the last Vampire", which confuses Alex even more than he already is (all this is pretty good reading). After this intro (which all happens in the first 3 issues) the main story starts to unfold with #4 and from there it gets even better. We learn about different vampire clans, different categories of neck-biters, the 'Children of Judas' AND 'The order of the Red Hood' who's goal it is to extinct all blood-suckers. It's really nice to see Alex not wanting to let go of his humanity, trying to cling on to his former life, and him developing certain powers all the time which neither he nor Ekimus thought possible. The intention of the story is to be a drama-story in which it succeeds pretty good, but it's also nice to see that the book isn't taken TOO seriously and that it also turns out to be a funny story every now a and then with punchlines and pun (and the interaction between Alex and Scarlet X, one of the sisters of the Red Hood, is really fun). It's totally not your typical vampire book but pretty original an funny instead. The artwork by Ramos is better than any previous work I've seen of him and he does well to avoid getting TOO cartoony, leaving the artwork suitable for drama and gore (which it has plenty) but staying fun and easy for the eye as well. The 'special effects' are powerfull as well. If you are gonna get ONE Cliffhanger title I think this one is the best choice, and this book is the right place to start. In all fairness I must say that the next Crimson TPB is better but you need to read this one first to know what's going on (And like I said, it IS pretty good. Only the next one is even better).

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This comic definitely rocks!, February 19, 2000

By 

Beth Szymanski (cincy, ohio) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Crimson: Loyalty and Loss - Tome 1 (Paperback)

CRIMSON: Loyalty and Loss is an astounding first volume in this continuing series about a young vampire who is still familiarizing himself with undeadliness =] The art is really cool--and there are a couple of bodacious babes--and, coupled with a refreshing view of vampires, it makes for one fantastic read. This is a must for anyone craving a new vein in an old genre... (pun intended!)

4.0 out of 5 stars The beginning of a truly epic dark fantasy series, August 1, 2008

By 

Justin Gaines (Northern Virginia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Crimson: Loyalty and Loss - Tome 1 (Paperback)

Of the three much-hyped Cliffhanger titles (Danger Girl, Battle Chasers, and Crimson) that premiered in the late 90's, Humberto Ramos's Crimson series was the least anticipated. It was also, however, the most consistent and the only one that lasted more than a handful of issues. For whatever reason, Humberto Ramos didn't let the hype go to his head and set about creating a truly memorable fantasy epic that to this day remains one of my favorite comics.

Crimson focuses on troubled teenager Alex Wilder, who becomes a vampire after he and his friends are ambushed by a vampire gang in Central Park. Alex, who may be more than just your everyday bloodsucker, is taken in by the mysterious Grigori Ekimus, who knows much more about him than he's letting on. The main focus of this first installment is Alex's transformation and subsequent revenge on the vampire gang, but the stage is definitely set for the next volume in the series.

The storytelling is pretty impressive, especially when you consider the fact that this was Ramos's first time as a co-author. The heart of this volume is the basic vampire story, but we're given enough fantastic elements (see: Garden of Eden, Dragons, Saint George, the Red Hoods, etc.) to let us know that this series is going to get a lot more interesting in short order. The dialogue gets a bit silly at times, but the subject matter is fascinating enough that you can look past it. You also get the sense that Ramos is putting every bit of his energy into making this story something special, and that enthusiasm is contagious.

Ramos has a unique style, influenced by Japanese manga as Art Adams's X-Men work. It's not for everyone, but I thought it was perfect for this kind of story. The hyper-stylized characters are very memorable, and Ramos's anime-inspired action scenes are astonishingly vivid (not to mention astonishingly bloody). The digital coloring of this series is breathtaking as well, and at times you feel like you should hold down the pages to keep the images from jumping out.

It's not without its flaws, but Crimson definitely got off to a good start. I'd recommend this highly entertaining series to anyone interested in vampires, dragons, werewolves, and supernatural fantasy. Superhero fans probably won't find much to love, but the Harry Potter/Dresden Files/Buffy/Anita Blake crowd should love Crimson.