Customer Reviews

Ted McKeever Library Book 1: Transit

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Transit is the first book in a new series published (in black and white) by Image, called the Ted McKeever Library. Published in a compact hardcover format, slightly smaller than the original comic originally released in 1987, it collects the entire original series and a "lost finale" created for this publication. Transit is the story of hero Spud and his fight against political corruption and Reverend Grisn.

Fans of McKeever will love that the book is finally available in a collected edition. Ted McKeever is unlike anyone else in the business. Seeing his work from the beginning of his career again after 20 years is a fantastic trip back in time.

Be sure to pick up Eddy Current and Metropol, Books 2 and 3 in the Ted McKeever Library collection.

The most interesting thing about "Transit" is the opportunity to watch the very rapid evolution of Ted McKeever's art style. By about the third issue, it's barely apparent that the same artist had done the first issue! To really hammer that home, there's an unpublished conclusion issue at the end of the book, done years after the previously published issues, that's still recognizable as McKeever's work, but the rendering style is still quite different than what came before.

The story isn't anything special, and McKeever's best work was definitely yet to come, but if you like his stuff, getting to read his earliest published work is going to hold some interest for you.

Ted's first book and it shows, but like his other books the art work and stories keep evolving and progessing till the last chapter. Until it turns into one of your favorite stories.

Ted McKeever's first graphic novel from 1986 looks a little primitive at the start, but very quickly develops into the scratchy, smeary, bold and angular style that we have become accustomed to seeing in his work. Even character types are familiar from Eddy Current and Metropol, as a group of oddball types in Union City band together to try and face down a dangerous menace to the city, and perhaps civilisation as a whole.

Here in Transit, it's City Commissioner Boss Traun who has designs not so much on controlling the city as using it for his own obscure and ultimately destructive aims. He attempts to gain this power and establish a new order through Reverend Grisn, who is standing as a candidate for mayor of Union City. The only means of stopping this threat could be through the unlikely form of Spud - an underground graffiti artist who has unwittingly witnessed the darker side of Grisn - along with a blind beggar and an ex-wrestler who give him shelter when he goes into hiding. There is another wildcard element however - Joe Bone has been released from prison after 6 years to find his life still under the control of Rex Interior and his organisation, and Rex wants to involve him in the power struggle.

Image's new hardcover edition for the Ted McKeever Library presents the original 6-part black-and-white series in its complete form for the first time - the final apocalyptic chapter appears to be newly created by McKeever. It's a nice, solid, compact edition, but rather on the expensive side. For McKeever completists only maybe then, the writer/artist's work seen to better effect in Eddy Current, Plastic Forks, Metropol and some of his early Vertigo work.

This book was packaged very poorly. Back cover was damaged.
Packaged in a paper envelope. All books should be packaged in a protective box.

Not happy at all.