Customer Reviews

Sleeper, Vol. 1: Out in the Cold

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

People go on and on about how great this series is, and the good news is, it completely lives up to the hype. I came to "Sleeper" after reading a few other titles Ed Brubaker had written, notably DC's deliciously revamped "Catwoman" (which is also a lot of fun)... I was skeptical, but I'm glad I took the plunge with "Sleeper," as it is one of the best comicbook stories I've read in a long while.

The action takes place in the WildCATS/Authority/Stormwatch universe, once a comicbook backwater that has recently been revitalized into a gritty and witty superhero noir... "Sleeper" tells the story of a superpowered secret agent, Holden Carver, who is placed undercover by a Machiavellian Nick Fury type to infiltrate a sinister spy network populated with superpowered, super-amoral bad guys. Brubaker uses the character's specific superpowers to flesh out their inner lives -- Carver's power is the ability to absorb any amount of bodily damage and transmute it into pure pain, which he can zap other people with. Meanwhile, he feels no pain himself and is practically unkillable, a situation that leaves him feeling dead inside and increasingly alienated from the true-believer idealism that lead him into military service to begin with. Brubaker borrows from the well-trod genre of spy fiction, but adds an extra layer with the whole superpower thing that is well thought-out and rewarding. Without getting into spoilers, etc., I'll just say that this was one of those rare comic series that I regretted getting to the end of... the world it depicted was so absorbing and textured that I was bummed I knew the story would end with Volume 4... (The entire "Sleeper" story is contained in four slim volumes, plus the prequel, "Point Blank," which sets the stage for "Sleeper" and should definitely be read as well...)

It should be mentioned that this is not a book for little kids: there are many of the same sort of "adult" elements as DC's Vertigo imprint -- semi-graphic sexuality and some extreme violence -- although to his credit, Brubaker includes these elements for a reason, and does it with far less of the "gee-whiz" gratuitousness that has made the Vertigo books become so tedious and repetitive. The sex elements cut to the heart of Carver's character, while the violence is used to show the seriousness of his predicament; they actually deepen the story and move it along and are not included merely to titillate readers or gross us out. That being said, I highly recommend this series.
(This review written by Joe Sixpack/Slipcue.Com)

Ed Brubaker has always impressed me and I had heard really good things about the Sleeper series. I finally get a chance to check out the first collection and I have to say it was a little of a let down. It wasn't bad but it also wasn't spectacular either. I love the idea of a double agent but the main character here, Holden Carver, is barely shown that he cares about all the horrible things he's doing so his predicament is less gripping. Also, the book actually is moving too fast. Just when a reader figures out what is going on, things change explosively. The art by Sean Phillips is very good and much better than I expected. I will try the next trade but I hope its better and lives up to the standards that Brubaker has set.

Better than Daredevil. Better than Captain America. Even better than Criminal, which reunites Ed Brubaker with this series' talented artist, Sean Phillips. Sleeper is just plain GOOD. The story of a secret agent undercover in an organization rife with villains, Sleeper is a moral quagmire, where all moves are false and just end up sucking you in deeper and deeper. Sleeper asks the question: If you're making all of the wrong decisions for the right reasons, how long can your soul survive intact? The answer? Not very long at all.

So read Sleeper. All four volumes. You won't be disappointed.

Holden Carver is a secret agent, he just happens to be a super powered one. He is sent to infiltrate an organisation whose top hierarchy is also super powered, and quite nasty. When Carver's boss and handler is injured and left comatose he has noone to turn to, and must attempt to make the best of the dangerous situation he is left in.

This first Sleeper trade paperback starts things off on an intriguing enough tone and leaves enough interesting questions unanswered to have most readers heading for the next in the series. Set in a present day Earth with superheroes and supervillans, the story is about a government superhero spy who named Holden Carver, who has been sent to penetrate a powerful criminal organization. The story kind of hops back and forth in time a bit, as the authors dole out parts of the backstory here and there, which can be a little confusing at times. As a spy story, it's fairly basic stuff -- the Carver's in so deep he's losing his moral bearing, etc... And oh yeah, the one guy who knows about his mission, the one guy who knows he hasn't really gone rogue, that guy just happens to be in a coma....

All of that is pretty familiar stuff, but it's nicely converted to a set of characters with powers and wacky nicknames (for example, Genocide, Triple X-Ray, Miss Misery). Each superperson has a distinct power, but it's not clear if some of these are biomechanical modifications, or genetically engineered, or simply spontaneous superpowers, or what. What stands out is how the writer has thought out the real-world implications of people with superpowers. For example, superheroes are like rock stars, with entourages and groupies hanging off them. And quite naturally, superfolks like to swap origin stories amongst themselves, which is a great device for getting that information to the reader. In any event, the story has Holden rising rapidly in the criminal outfit and getting glimpses of a hidden world of power. It's standard issue conspiracy plot material, but how his crime boss fits into it is unclear and therefore interesting.

The book is filled with plenty of fights, plenty of swearing, and very explicit sexual material. None of this is particularly gratuitous (although, as per usual, all the women are drawn to comic fantasy proportions), but works within the storytelling. The artwork leaves something to be desired, a little blocky and simplistic for a story set in the real world. The inking is dark and heavy, appropriate the story. All in all, a fairly decent start to what may be a good series, certainly interesting enough for me to seek out the next in the series.

Wow! Great concept, great storytelling, great plot, yadda, yadda, yadda.

Caution: definitely for mature readers. Don't buy this for your kids, or anyone else's kids. But if you're looking for a new series to follow, one that doesn't recycle the same hoary old plotlines, this is it.

While most people out there are reading the same old things,(ie, Superman; X-Men; Spiderman; etc.)they end up missing this amazing title. The story follows deep cover operative Holden Carver as he attempts to survive in a dangerous criminal orginazation. Described as "The Sopranos" for comics this is a must have for comic lovers.