Planetary Vol. 4: Spacetime Archaeology (Planetary (DC Comics)) [Hardcover]

Warren Ellis (Author), John Cassaday (Illustrator)

Book Description

Release date: March 9, 2010 | Series: Planetary (DC Comics) (Book 4)

This is it - the long-awaited fourth and final graphic novel collecting the adventures of Elijah Snow, a powerful, hundred year old man, Jakita Wagner, an extremely powerful but bored woman, and The Drummer, a man with the ability to communicate with machines. Infatuated with tracking down evidence of super-human activity, these mystery archaeologists of the late 20th Century uncover unknown paranormal secrets and histories, such as a World War II supercomputer that can access other universes, a ghostly spirit of vengeance, and a lost island of dying monsters.In this volume, the team encounters an abandoned alien spacecraft -- but will the heroes beat their rival, Jacob Greene of the villainous "Four," to the ship? Then, Elijah Snow begins to pull back from his allies, acting increasingly in secret. Will he be able to draw the last of the Four out of hiding, and can he act before his teammates lose their faith in him?

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 10 Up–After six years, the final volume of this critically acclaimed homage to pulp heroes and superhero comics is finally available. Ellis does not disappoint, wrapping up the epic series as dramatically as one would expect. Planetary is an archaeological organization dedicated to uncovering the hidden history of the 20th century–a history of heroes, monsters, and magic largely unknown to the general public–in order to benefit humanity. A group of superpowered scientists, known as "the four," are also in the process of gathering similar information, but for less-noble purposes. Elijah Snow, Jakita Wagner, and The Drummer–representing Planetary as field operatives–need to find the four and stop them before they become too powerful. The plot concludes with a face-off between Snow and Randall Dowling, the four's mastermind. Engaging as the story itself may be, Planetary's brilliance lies more in the rich history of comics and comic lore that Ellis draws from and cleverly weaves into the narrative from beginning to end. This book stands shoulder to shoulder with such great works as Neil Gaiman's "Sandman" and Alan Moore's "Swamp Thing" (Vertigo).Jason M. Poole, Webster Public Library, NY
© Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: WildStorm (March 9, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1401209963
• ISBN-13: 978-1401209964
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 0.6 x 10.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #849,150 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

WARREN ELLIS is an author, graphic novelist, columnist and speaker. His new novel, GUN MACHINE, was released by Mulholland Books in January 2013, and is being developed for television by Chernin Entertainment and FOX.

CROOKED LITTLE VEIN, his last novel, was described by Joss Whedon as "Funny, inventive and blithely appalling... Dante on paint fumes."

His graphic novel RED was made into a successful film starring Bruce Willis and Helen Mirren, and its sequel film is released in August 2013. His other graphic novels, including TRANSMETROPOLITAN, PLANETARY, GLOBAL FREQUENCY and FREAKANGELS, have won multiple awards, including a Lifetime Achievement prize from the Eagle Awards and the NUIG Lit & Deb's President's Medal in recognition of support for free speech. MINISTRY OF SPACE became the first graphic novel to win the Sidewise Award for alternate history fiction. His GRAVEL sequence of graphic novels has been optioned by Legendary Pictures, with Tim Miller attached to direct.

Previously a commentator for Reuters and WIRED UK magazine, he is currently writing a weekly column for VICE.

His first non-fiction book, from Farrar, Straus & Giroux, is due in 2014. He lives mostly in Britain.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Ellis and Cassaday give their creation a solid, if overdue, finale. March 11, 2010

By Sean Curley

Format:Hardcover

At long last, the final volume of Warren Ellis and John Cassaday's "Planetary" has arrived in stores. Collecting the final issues of the series, #19-27, the stories here were published over a span of several years, with the final #27 coming out years after the previous issue. "Planetary" began in 1999, when Ellis was heavily involved in the original Wildstorm imprint, but has since detached (Wildstorm has gone through so many changes since then that it's hard to recognize it as the same place it was when Ellis was still writing within that continuity). Some spoilers follow.

"Planetary" started out as an issue-by-issue examination of different genres of fiction in the 20th century, and gradually transitioned into the story of the struggle between the Planetary investigative organization and the malevolent Four, Ellis' paper-thinly-veiled take on Marvel Comics' Fantastic Four, here positioned as the secret masters of the world, hoarding scientific knowledge for themselves. The previous volume ended with the capture of the pseudo-Human Torch, William Leather. Here, Elijah Snow and his team proceed to deal with the others: Randall Dowling (Reed Richards), Kim Suskind (Susan Richards), and Jacob Greene (Ben Grimm; the name is a tip to Jacob Kurtzberg, aka Jack Kirby). The original genre deconstruction largely falls by the wayside here, apart from an issue offering a spin on the Lone Ranger.

Characterization has always been secondary in "Planetary", though the various leads are all written with Ellis' trademark amusing style, an often odd mix of cynicism and heart-on-the-sleeve idealism.... The resolution of the conflict with the Four is adequate, though it depends on callbacks to stories published much, much earlier this decade, so it may strain the memory (it might be advisable to reread the first three volumes before reading the fourth). The art by John Cassaday is customarily lovely, if not always visceral. There are a couple of affecting scenes, though Ellis doesn't linger on them.

A solid ending to the series. Read more ›

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful, stunning conclusion to one of the best comics around April 3, 2010

By Allison M. Perkel

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is the hardcover collection of the last several Planetary comics. First, if you are familiar with Planetary, then you know how wonderful this alternate earth comic is. Warren Ellis is a master storyteller and Cassaday's just shines on the extra thick stock pages. The format truly honors the loving work that has been put into this story.

Now for those who know the story, this is simply a collection of the comics. There isn't new material nor is there any real additional work. However, the workmanship of the hardcover is wonderful. The binding is strong, the pages are thick and feel good in the hands. Most of all, the artwork just pops off the page. This is a lovely end cap to the series.

If you've never read planetary, getting the 4 volume story is very much worthwhile. If you've read Planetary but would like something more solid and beautiful, you should also pick up this book. Really its truly an outstanding collectible.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Well worth the wait April 7, 2010

By S. Pagliaroni

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I fondly remember borrowing the first 3 trades of this fantastic series a few years ago from a friend, and absolutely loving it. When I saw the fourth recently hit the shelves, I wondered about going back through the series again. I was going to wait for this volume to come in softcover, but decided that I could not wait, as it may not even happen this year.

It was worth the purchase. Despite being only 27 issues long, much like 'Watchmen', it feels longer than that. Maybe it is John Cassaday's luscious artwork which almost compels you to stop and take a third or fourth look. It could be Warren Ellis' pacing and plot, which make the books feel like a high quality TV drama; there are great one-off issues, which are well encapsulated stories, but there's also a great, over-arcing plot line which comes to a strong resolution.

Much like a good BBC show, it is succinct and sweet, leaving the reader with just enough to enjoy the time they spent in Elijah Snow's world.

4.0 out of 5 stars Decent end to the series June 10, 2013

By Alfred Barrios

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

A decent end to the series but not as good as the other volumes. I hope a studio picks up the series and makes a TV show or a few movies.

4.0 out of 5 stars The Finale of Planetary May 18, 2013

By Ryan Cicak

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

The excellent series comes to an end, as it ties together its last threads, and becomes about itself more than its medium.

5.0 out of 5 stars great! May 9, 2013

By jerry allen

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

great stuff! great art, great thinking, deep and complex characters. I highly recommend it to everyone who appreciates high-quality work.

4.0 out of 5 stars Story, colors, painting good. Texts ok. October 1, 2012

By Andi

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Goog story and good painting. I liked the story very much. Paintings are colorful and well arranged. Dialogs suck sometimes. Nevertheless I read all volumes and enjoyed it.

4.0 out of 5 stars My brain is bleeding February 17, 2012

By Noel TOP 1000 REVIEWER

Format:Paperback

SPOILERS

I've never read a series from start to finish and left wondering what the hell it was all supposed to be about. In this final book (four volumes, who knew?) the evil Fantastic Four are diminished in number and then taken out by Planetary, while we discover their motives - something I'm still not clear about. They sold out the planet to a group of paranoid eternal post-humans or something? But if this Earth is one of so many and doesn't mean anything, then why does it mean something to these post-humans?

Their friend Ambrose who was killed in a previous volume is brought back in a mind-bending and utterly confusing epilogue - he was trapped in a time bubble of his own creation that made him invisible to time so they built a time machine to bring him back...?
Warren Ellis also riffs on the Lone Ranger and Green Hornet characters (called something else of course) and we learn more about the evil Fantastic Four (also called something else) as well as a giant human god or something. Oh yeah and space angels and a chapter that will make you feel like you're on psychedelics.

It might be because I'm not a huge sci-fi fan, but Ellis takes the reader on such a bizarre trip through time and space with these characters that even at the end I'm still scratching my head as to what it was all about. I thought the way Planetary finally defeated evil Mr Fantastic and Sue Storm was a bit uninspired (and again totally perplexing) but despite looking back on the stories and realising that while I was reading them I felt that I understood them but really didn't, I still really enjoyed the journey.

Ellis and artist John Cassaday produce such a massive canvas and convey a story of such an epic scope that it's inspiring and awesome to behold.... The artwork is truly impressive and is easily Cassaday's best work (he won an Eisner for his art in this book) and there's even some back story to Drummer, a character I've felt up until now to be poorly underwritten.

"Planetary" is a comic book series that might be understood by acid casualties and mental patients exclusively but I feel glad to have been an observer to the strange thoughts of Warren Ellis. It's definitely his most weird work but definitely worth a look for comics fans everywhere. Read more ›