Customer Reviews

The Legend of GrimJack: v. 4 (Legend of GrimJack)

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The trade-paperback of the original GRIMJACK comic series. This volume reprints issues fifteen through twenty-one, published in the mid-80's, this is when the book really finds it's voice and takes off. Grimjack is the original "hard-boiled Barbarian"in the deadly PAN-DIMENSIONAL city of CYNOSURE, where reality is changed like underwear, where guns work someplace, magic other places, but swords work everywhere!

In this volume Co-creator TIM TRUMAN leaves the series (only to return better-than-ever in 2005's KILLER INSTINCT, see my review)so we have stunning art by TOM SUTTON and inks, finishes by STEVE ERWIN who also does art in MUNDEN'S BAR segments which are finally included in vol.4. Traditionly the Munden's backstories were light filler/shorts, but here they are included because they are important to filling TRADE WAR plot gaps.

"THIS WHEELS on FIRE" starts the TRADE WARS storyline rolling with the return of PROF. ALTHEA MUELLER who had hermind re-intergratedwith her new body in GRIMJACK 9 (or Legend of GJ vol. 3). This is followed by WOLFPAC which delves deeper into JOHN GAUNT'S history in the ARENA, as agladiator known as THE DANCER plots and his return. GAUNT and BLACKJAC go to free the child-gladiators and end up in arena facing the children themselves. Then the Dancer's plans come to fruitation using Gaunt to set events in motion than begin the TRADE WARS. The Alpha Centauri Commercial Empire had taken over Cynosures ruling body, putting them in a position to force their competitors out of the city, once it is revealed to the other congomerates, the corporate war erupts in a very real sense. GRIMJACK and his partners are in the middle of it, all the while Dancer and his servants wait to kill Gaunt when the timeis right.

This collection contains some of the best storytelling yet in the series. All of the characters that make Grimjack such an interest series, are at their best:NOLESKi, the hick biker-cop, ROSCOE, gaunt's ex-partner, SPOOK, the lady as beautiful as she is dangerous, BLACKJAC, who fought w/ Gaunt in the ARENA, and more. We learn how Gaunt gets his scar in this collection and in the last and best story reprinted we see a badly wounded Grimjack, an easy target for his enemies and any other killer wantin' to make a rep. Sutton's new look for the series sets an amazing new direction for the series unbound by convensional comic style.

I can't wait for tne next set of reprints in volume 5, Gaunt's Death and more.

With some different art, we see the Grimmer (and Cynosure) caught up in a corporate war, and even worse, the return of The Dancer, and some of Grimjack's arena history. Desperate times for a desperate men. Outstanding stuff, with a great supporting cast as usual.

Not to mention everyone's favorite watch lizard, Bob.