The Legend of Grimjack, Vol. 1 (v. 1) [Paperback]

John Ostrander (Author), Tim Truman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 15, 2005 | Series: Legend of GrimJack (Book 1)

Gathering all of the earliest GrimJack stories from the best-selling comic book series of the 1980s in one tome for the first time, The Legend of GrimJack, Volume One introduces the major characters and origin stories and also includes the classic GrimJack/Starslayer crossover saga. This volume also includes brand new story and art as well as critical background information heretofore unrevealed.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: IDW Publishing (February 15, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1932382518
• ISBN-13: 978-1932382518
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 6.6 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,765,477 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars New Fan Can't Wait for the next volume., February 27, 2005

By 

Ian Foley (Quincy, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Legend of Grimjack, Vol. 1 (v. 1) (Paperback)

I've been a huge fan of Tim Truman's art for years and John Ostrander's Suicide Squad is one of favorite comic book creative runs of all time. Strangely enough, this is my first exposure to Grimjack. I've heard the name and knew it had a cult following, but I'd never put in the effort to hunt down the back issues.

After finishing "The Legend of Grimjack, vol. 1" I now see what all the fuss is about. This is a GREAT adventure comic. It's got neat sci-fi ideas sprinkled with noir sensibilities, conan-esque dark fantasy and a healthy dose of humor. Plus Killer Bunny Rabbits!

What really impressed me was the amount of story Ostrander and Truman were able to fit into these short backup stories. I found that so refreshing in this age where it (too) often takes Marvel and DC 6 issues to tell a story.

I'm eagerly awaiting volume 2 for more tales of John Gaunt, Bob the Watch Lizard and rest at Munden's Bar.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Boffo-Prime NoirSciFiFantasy, April 3, 2005

By 

misterfurioso (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Legend of Grimjack, Vol. 1 (v. 1) (Paperback)

Grimjack is back in 2005, in a new series (KILLER INSTINCT) as well as this first in a series of reprints of the original First Comics issues. This volume falls short of the perfection to come by including a crossover with a comic called STARSLAYER, which is cool, but won't make all that much sense to the uninitiated. Still, you get John Gaunt's first adventures and they hold up well twenty-odd years after publication.

Gaunt is a wonderfully hard boiled noir character, a forerunner of the types on offer in Miller's SIN CITY. He's an ex-cop, and ex-uberspy and current mercenary/PI. His adventures play out in the city of Cynosure, a nexus of all realities. One street may tap into a SciFi future, the next to a dimension where magic, demons and dragons hold sway. it's all great fun, plus there is an overarching metastory that plays out over 25 issues, after wich point co-creator Tim Truman moved on.

Way cool. Highly recommended, as is the new series (probably out in trade in late 2005), which fills in some of Gaunt's rich backstory...

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A reunion with an old, old friend- well worth the long wait!, February 20, 2005

By 

OAKSHAMAN "oakshaman" (Algoma, WI United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Legend of Grimjack, Vol. 1 (v. 1) (Paperback)

After a 14 year hiatus, Grimjack is back- and he has lost none of his edge.

The character of John Gaunt (a.k.a. Grimjack) is a complex one. He is one part film noir detective, one part Venetian bravo, one part western gunfighter- and all with an otherworldly edge. Yet I think the entire character can be summed up by the fact that he voluntarily walked out of the afterlife (or "heaven") to return to earth to stand by his friends. He did this even though he was warned that he could never return and that he would be doomed to wander the earth in reincarnation after reincarnation until the end of time....

Honestly, reading the new introduction and epilog is like a reunion with an old friend. In fact it is told in a manner that seems like Gaunt is talking to you- as well as Roscoe, Jericho Noleski, Blacjacmac, Goddess, Gordon- and Bob the watch-lizard. It was especially good that they decided to bring back the Gaunt incarnation and all the associated characters- I had thought that they were gone forever.

As for the reprinted stories that make up the core of the book you get: "Zago"- the very first Grimjack story (and still one of the best), "Buried Past" (that introduces Cadre and Pdwyr), "Night of the Killer Bunnies" (which developed both the humor and humanity of the character), and "Blood and Thunder" (which ties Grimjack and the Starslayer universes together.)

The story both starts and ends in Munden's Bar, where we are told that we are welcome anytime- and to put the drinks on Gaunt's tab.