Customer Reviews

Supernatural: Origins

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

When a licensed comic is published, it usually focuses on a side-story that takes place during the timeline of the actual series. So when it was announced that the "Supernatural" comic would chronicle John Winchester's origins as a demon hunter and be set before the televised series, I was excited to pick up the story.

The writing isn't as good as that of the show, but it's passable. There are some truly horrific moments (the dead bodies floating in the water when John rescues the Hunter) as well as a few over-dramatic moments (the scene between John, the Hunter, and the shape-shifter), though nothing here sticks out as particularly good or particularly bad. It wasn't as good as I expected it to be, and moves quite a bit slower than your average comic, and readers will miss the comedy that is usually present in a supernatural episode. Some may argue that comedy is out of place in the story of a brooding man looking for his wife's killer, but a few light moments could have been mixed in to make this book more akin to the pace and feel of the series it spun-off from.

The art by penciller Matthew Dow Smith is pretty bad. Stylistically, it's similar to Mike Mignola's work in Hellboy, but it's not nearly as good. It feels like the artist copied the weak parts of Mignola's style and left out all the good. Everything is angular, and the characters simply have no eyes--they are just black dots that are supposed to look like the faces are in shadow. I suppose the intent was to give the comic a very dark look, but in the end it just makes everyone look like they are wearing strapless eye-patches. Not to mention, the style prevents the reader from being able to differentiate very much between some of the characters, leading to a slightly confusing read. This comic would have benefited from a more realistic look. Any of the cover artists, especially Dustin Nguyen who provided a stunning cover to #4, would have been better equipped to handle this series. In a licensed comic like "Supernatural," it is essential that the characters be recognizable, and that isn't the case here.

Overall, "Supernatural" fans will like this but not love it. Regular comic readers who haven't seen the show first won't hate it, but they certainly wouldn't come back for a second helping.

5/10

I was very disappointed in this prequel. I love Supernatural and was looking forward to John's story, but this just seemed incongruent with the series. John's characterization was especially off. I know that he didn't start out as a tough hunter- but he did start out as a tough ex-Marine. In the comic, they act like he's never been in a fight before, which is ridiculous and not in synch with the series. They also have inserts that jump years into the future and feature the boys. Not only do they disrupt the flow of John's story, but Dean's characterization is way off. They have a moment where he is going to run away, leaving Sam behind. I honestly don't think that Dean would ever even consider that. Plus, he was at an age where I thought that he already knew that his father was a hunter, but in the comic he's ignorant. It just didn't make sense and doesn't jive with my image of what their childhood was like. If I could, I'd unread it. My advice: Skip it.

Just finished this TPB, and I enjoyed it quite a bit. I'm never thrilled by Mignola-esque artwork, but I am betting that it actually served a purpose: to avoid licensing the likenesses of the actors. That aside, the story is quite good with many different creepy monsters/tones/settings. I'm betting that hard core fans of the show will dig it, and I bet you could enjoy it even if you have never watched the show. With so few horror comics out there on a regular basis... it's a nice break from the spandex monotony. Overall, a welcome addition to the SUPERNATURAL canon! Also recommended: Supernatural: Nevermore (Supernatural) (I have yet to read Witches Canyon, but my wife enjoyed it.) Supernatural: Witch's Canyon (Supernatural)

Had this actually been written before the show was made, or maybe during the first or second season of the show, it might have been worth it. But because it was obviously made sometime during/after season three, it's just bad.

John is very, VERY out of character (ex-Marines don't freeze), and there are far too many inconsistencies with the show to stand (Dean and Sam stayed at the Roadhouse, knew Ellen, and played with little Jo...but show up in season two having no clue who they are? Sam has an excuse, he was an infant - Dean does not, he was four).

As an admittedly rabid Supernatural fangirl, I required this book as a part of my Supernatural collection, and am therefore pleased with it just because I now HAVE it; but if I was a casual fan, I would have been very, very disappointed. Do not buy unless you are a pathological collector. Just watch the show and have fun.

This comic was very insightful to the Winchester's history. I recommend reading this along with John' journal. The two go well together.Supernatural: John Winchester's Journal

I really enjoy reading the first of these books, it's just like reading John's Journel with pictures.

This is a solid start to this Wildstorm series. Unlike other reviewers I enjoyed the artwork. I thought a lot of the panel layouts and use of shadow was really well done. The story is kind of a slow build but it pulls it out in the end. Obvisously the story takes a bit of a hit since it centers around John and you really don't get to see much of the other characters. This volume makes me curious to check out the next one since we get to see young Sam and Dean.

Basically if you like the show and comics it's worth checking out for $10.

If you have any curiosity at all about John Winchester, this is a great read! This graphic novel has great illustrations and delves into a little of the enigma that is John Winchester. You also get a little look into the boys(Dean and Sam) upbringing, but this is about Papa John.

Highly recommended for the true Supernatural connaisseur!

This was an intresting book. I like seeing the lives of Sam and Dean before the show, so I am a big fan of these origin stories. However, after reading this one I dislike their dad even more than I already did. He is neglectful to the boys, leaves them with strangers, puts them in danger, and all around is just not a good dad. I mean, I get that he went through something crazy, but he really just comes off as a bad father. The last short story part in the back shows Dean really trying to protect Sam, like always, but in a way we havent seen in the show. I started to cry while reading it. Good book to get to get more backstory on the show!

*********SPOILERS********

I'm going to have to get used to the way John is drawn. They've really gone overboard with the square -ish contours and deep lines of his face to make him all gruff and haggard. He's kinda blond as well. I'm not much of a comic book reader so take that into consideration.

Begins with several cameos of John reminiscing about Mary dying and then him going to the fire marshal and police to try and figure out what happened. He isn't getting anywhere so he gets drunk and into a bar fight, where some chick intervenes.

Whoa, that's Missouri? Didn't expect her to be all dread-lockey and skinny, spouting off to whoever in a bar that she's a physic, but hey, guess we all went through our hair phases. Didn't think she lived in a RV either.

Um? What went down with Missouri is not what I expected. She did a séance at the same moment M sees something was going down at another house, they race there, find out it was whatever killed Mary trying to distract John while it went after Sam and Dean. So M and J rush to the babysitter's, find her dead, blood all over, but the boys are okay. Missouri finds this big honking monster-looking tooth on the floor and exclaims that it came from whatever evil killed Mary and that John needs to get his kids out of Kansas. She sends him to someone who can help in Arizona. Soooo, they didn't even go back to their house once with Missouri and as far as I remember the YED didn't have a canine tooth as big as a hand. Just sayin.

The guy Missouri sent John to tells him the tooth is from a Black Shuck, kind of a larger version of a hellhound. Guy gives John a blank journal to start keeping details in. It's hardbound and looks nothing like the journal on the show. Guess he got himself another one. Shadowed man, maybe YED, shows up after they leave, asking where the guy sent them.

Funny picture with John buying big-time ammo while holding baby Sammy and patting young Dean's head.

Jacob, I think Mary's uncle--not sure, shows up at their hotel in California, worried and wanting to take the boys back home, but John shows him the tooth and talks Jacob into helping him. They go to a cemetery all the while Jacob is trying to figure out why John brought him there, though John is being cryptic. They left the boys with the hotel manager and Jacob is really put out by leaving them with a stranger, while John insists they are safer than where they are going.

Guess Jacob's a believer now since the Shuck just ripped into his belly. Ahh, John does not know what he's doing. First supernatural hunt and he's blowing it. Shadowed man shows up and takes a shot, scaring the Shuck away. Claims he's a Hunter.

I can't believe they just did that to Jacob. Not going to spoil it, but whoa. This unnamed Hunter dude is hardcore and gives a good glimpse of explaining how Hunters have to shut off emotions and do hard things to do what they have to do. Guessing it's Elkins, but haven't confirmed. At any rate, Jacob isn't going to be able to take the boys back to Kansas.

"Uncle Hunter" is what the dude tells Dean to call him, explains the hound isn't Mary's real killer, but the thing's pet, and now that it's wounded they can track it back to it's master. Okay, that explains Missouri's misinformation.

Uncle Hunter takes them to Harvelle's Roadhouse. Ellen is actually drawn fairly accurately. Cool, we get to meet Bill. Heh. Everyone tells them to stay away from Ratboy Jim. If that turns out to be Pastor Jim I'm gonna laugh. There are a lot of Hunters in there and they act more like a community at this point. One of the guys starts teaching Dean pool.

A hunter named Ichi asks for their help on a hunt for a Heeler (serial killer with superhuman leaping ability). Uncle Hunter wants to go along so rookie John can get some experience. They leave the boys with Ellen. Jo is mentioned.

Hunt goes fairly well. John takes a shot, but can't bring himself to outright kill something that looks human. Yeah, that's gonna change, but nice progression from civilian to hunter. Ichi finishes the Heeler off. John admits he might not be cut out for this gig. The hunters tell him he needs to turn his fear into anger and think about the people the creature will hurt if he doesn't kill it

Oh my crap! Poor Dean. They get back to the roadhouse, discover the Heeler was really a shape-shifter who now took the form of Ichi and John mans-up and kills him--in front of young Dean! His first real kill-in front of his son. Can it get any worse? No wonder Dean had to know about all this shiz from a young age.

John leaves the boys with some old friends. Dean isn't talking to John. John starts writing in the journal as a sort of apology to Dean, so his son will one day know why he had to leave them all the time.

Take a detour to do a little hunt after Doc Benton. Heh. John's pretty hard-core now. Chainsawed him.

Uncle Hunter takes John to Blue Earth, Minnesota. Oh, Pastor Jim. We get to see his backstory of how he got into Hunting. It's pretty awful and sad. Not spoiling. Jim helps them get a good lead on why Mary was killed though. UH and J head to a graveyard out by the Four Corners area. Ton of supernatural shiz happens to try and stop them from getting to the graveyard. Geez, nasty.

What? What!! Oh I want to tell you what just happened, but I can't. What a twist though. Did not see that coming.

There's an inn by the graveyard. John runs inside and a bunch of weird stuff happens. He keeps going through doors, finding himself in different gruesome scenarios. Oops, there's Jacob. That's not good. Quick, go to another door. Ecck, Sam's nursery. Don't go in there. You just had to go in there.

John prevails, kills the baddie. Not going to ruin the ending, but it made sense, fit with canon fairly well--actually it turned out that the demons messed with John from the start the same way they'd been messing with Sam all his life.

Ends with John going back to get the boys, knowing he needs to keep them with him on the road. The final box is them driving off with John saying, "We got work to do." Ah, heart.

Summed up: Okay, well, so the plotline isn't over the top fantastic, but there's only so much depth you can go into with the only words coming out in little dialogue balloons, since it's a graphic novel and more about the pictures. It can pretty much be summed up as "How demons tricked John into becoming a badass hunting machine." Done. But it was interesting to have a graphic novel's take on the Winchesters first meetings with beloved characters like Missouri and Pastor Jim and the Harvelles and I really liked witnessing the progression (with handy thought bubbles) of John moving from grieving widower, searching for answers, to finding those answers and wondering what is the right and moral thing to do about it esp. concerning his boys, to accepting that he has become a killer, albeit to keep the boys and other innocents safe.

I can easily recommend Supernatural Origins as a quick afternoon read.

There's a bonus Wee-chester short story at the back. Real short. Oh, Sam's wayward hair. Hee. But they have Mary's birthday as November Second. Seriously? Well, okay, in Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things, her birth and death dates aren't inscribed on her tombstone, just the years, so I suppose Mary's birthday could have been the same day Sammy turned six months, but if so, shame on you John, for snoozing in front of the TV instead of getting a babysitter and taking your wife out for a birthday dinner AND for never once mentioning that Mary died on her birthday on the show.