Sleeper, Vol. 1: Out in the Cold [Comic]

Ed Brubaker (Author), Sean Phillips (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Holden Carver is a double agent, working in deep cover among some very bad people. He's become more and more morally compromised in his work as the body count rises, and he wants to come in from the coldâ€"but the only person who can bring him in is in a coma. Carver is also a superhero, and the bad guys he's working among are supervillains. That's the ingenious premise of the smart, cool and cruelly funny Sleeper series, whose first story line is collected here. Brubaker's densely plotted writing recalls his early Lowlife comics' merciless eye for underworld grittiness, and he finds dozens of ways to use the metaphorical force of superhero comics to feed the spy story that underlies this tale. For instance, Carver's partner Miss Misery gets her superpowers from committing immoral acts. (Carver's own power, fittingly, is an ability to pass on the effects of violence performed on him.) The narrative's high-tension thrill zooms so fast, it's easy to overlook its bone-dry satire (e.g., a central episode involves the annual meeting of the secret corporate rulers of the planet). Phillips's shadowy, blocky art is far more noir than heroic-slick. If it's sometimes unclear what's happening in all the darkness, that's probably intentional, given a protagonist so clouded in intrigue he barely knows what side he's on.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

The comic book Sleeper, the source of this collection, centers on Holden Carver, agent for a covert government organization who infiltrates a mysterious, all-powerful crime cartel. It's a spy tale with a twist: though they eschew spandex costumes and the other superhero trappings, the characters all have super powers and colorful code names. Carver's own power is imaginatively distinctive. He absorbs the pain of injuries and passes it along to others, which neatly fits with the anguished emotional state brought on by the nasty deeds he's forced to commit in his undercover role. Writer Brubaker, known for his contributions to Batman, is a master of gritty, hardboiled dialogue. This proprietary effort lets him show off his considerable plotting skills better. Artist Phillips' storytelling remains masterful, and if his drawing has lost some elegance, it's still among the best in mainstream comics. These stories seemed rather slow-moving in their original comic-book incarnation, but in this compilation they constitute a page-turner that leaves a reader eager to see how long Carver can maintain his dangerous masquerade. Gordon Flagg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Comic: 98 pages
• Publisher: Wildstorm (January 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1401201156
• ISBN-13: 978-1401201159
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 6.6 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #965,427 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars One of the best comic books for adults, March 10, 2005

By 

R. Padilla (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sleeper, Vol. 1: Out in the Cold (Comic)

This comic book is one of the best written series out there, the plot line is complex, full of plot twists. It is definitely for adults only, not only for the content but also for some of the psychological undertones. Holden is an undercover (sleeper)agent that loses his only contact on the "good" side and is stuck on the "bad" side. His "power" is that he can store and transmit the pain his body receives. Ironically enough, he cannot feel anything, be it pain or pleasure. I recommend reading the series in order, starting with season 1, part 1 (the GN in this review) and moving your way up to book 2 and then Season 2.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Smart, Innovative Writing and Great Artwork, December 29, 2004

By 

casual comic reader (Washington, DC USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sleeper, Vol. 1: Out in the Cold (Comic)

I really enjoyed the 2 Sleeper books. The story telling is excellent. The method used for revealing the characters origins was something I hadn't seen before. The fact that these characters have super powers is almost an afterthought to the story which is refreshing. The plot twists keep you guessing and you really find yourself rooting for even the vilest of the villains Holden befriends.

The artwork is very good (in that heavy dark inking style). The artwork in the origin re-tellings is even better.

I'm a casual comic reader who just recently came back to graphic novels as an adult. The content in this book is definately adult in nature. Plenty of violence, sex and language... but it is used to further the plot of the story so it doesn't come off as over the top.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cold-war spy thriller meets the superhero crowd, December 12, 2005

By 

JK (Dairyland) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Sleeper, Vol. 1: Out in the Cold (Comic)

Tight pacing, a complex and twisty plot, and compelling characters make this a fast and satisfying read. I like that the protagonist isn't a Chosen One, but is just a dumb guy who gets picked for the wrong mission and ends up paying for it for the rest of his life. The basic concept is a character study: a good guy who spends his life in the shadows fighting the hidden wars is co-opted into becoming a mole, and is then left to swing or survive on his own. His actions and decisions become ever murkier, even to himself. Things are made more complex by the fact that he and those around him are all gifted/damned with unusual abilities. If you're a fan of the Le Carre type of spy thrillers, you'll probably enjoy this immensely.