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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The return of great single issue stories, May 23, 2006
This review is from: Global Frequency Vol. 1: Planet Ablaze (Paperback)
In case you haven't read the plot synopsis or the other reviews, here's the deal. The Global Frequency is a worldwide network of experts, geniouses, military and police officers brought together by Miranda Zero to save the world from itself. This is a science fiction comic with wormhole singularities and cyborgs, but there are no superheroes. These people are as ordinary as they can get given the world they live in.
It used to be that stories in comic books were largely confined to a single issue and that multiple issue stories were big events. Now multiple issue stories are the norm, designed to fill out collections.
Instead of breaking new ground, Warren Ellis is taking us back to old ground and reminding us that a good story can be told concisely.
Each issue of Global Frequency is a different story by a different artist. When this is done right it can be excellent, as in the second story in this collection which is illustrated by Glenn Fabry. In it Ellis posits what it would actually take to build a cyborg. Human skin and bones and muscle can't support 2 tons of machinery, so Ellis comes up with a vaguely human looking mass of muscle and machine, and Fabry illustration is beautifully horrific. Unfortunately there's the downside of when an artist and story don't blend. The final story in the collection is illustrated by David Lloyd of V for Vendetta fame. In the story a woman runs across rooftops, leaping from building to building, gymnastically scaling scaling fire escapes and jumping across traffic. It should be thrilling, but only about half of the pictures really have the energy of the story. This was disappointing, especially from such a classic artist.
I felt like there was something lacking in Planetary, especially in the beginning. I didn't see why the main characters mattered. They were window dressing to the story. Any character could have been inserted and the story would have been exactly the same. But here, in Global Frequency, it's quite clear why each operative is selected. Sometimes they're a specialist in the problem, sometimes they just happen to be the person physically closest to the crisis, but whatever the reason the characters in each story is always the right person for the job.
This is a great collection of short stories. The stories are smart and concise, and overall the art is good and right for each story.
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Blatantly Secret, December 15, 2004
This review is from: Global Frequency Vol. 1: Planet Ablaze (Paperback)
The Global Frequency is an organization of one-thousand specialists headed by Miranda Zero. Their task is to handle threats that conventional forces are unequipped to handle. At first we get the impression that the Frequency is secret when a character remarks that they do exist (like the M&Ms in the Santa commercial). But members of the Frequency can leave their jobs at a moments notice by saying they are on the Frequency as if everyone knows about them.
Specialists are contacted by a special portable phone. They also seem to all have a "special case" that is never explained (although one character is asked if he got weapons from his case). Members are top in their field, whatever it happens to be.
I felt the Frequency was not grounded well enough, like the author wanted to tell the story before working out the details. One-thousand unique agents doesn't seem like it could be terribly effective but it seems that the right agent is always close at hand. There is very little repetition of character (mostly just Miranda Zero and Aleph) but you may spot a cameo or two. Each story is also drawn by a different artist thus weakening the feeling of continuity.
The threats in this volume include a man who is a walking nuclear bomb, a rogue bionic man, a memetic invasion, a cult hostage situation, a town that may have seen an angel, and bioterrorists using ebola. Very interesting stories but I am not sure why the Frequency was needed for the hostage story.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
My favorite comic series., June 24, 2006
This review is from: Global Frequency Vol. 1: Planet Ablaze (Paperback)
Global frequency is easily my favorite comic/graphic novel series of all time. I've read all 12 issues and they are pretty amazing. I'm not saying this lightly. I've read most of Alan Moore's stuff, most of Frank Miller's stuff, most things by Bendis, Kirkman and Waid.
This is the only series where I have forced myself to stop reading in mid story because the effect was so powerful.
I guess this stuff isn't for everyone. If you're into series dealing with the "mythology" of superheroes then this might not be for you. However, if you enjoy powerful stories that don't require previous knowledge of existing universes, then this series is for you. Warren Ellis is at the top of his game here. Any fans of William Gibson or Neal Stephenson should love this series as well.
It's really top notch and well worth buying the entire series.
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