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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Complex and subtle take on Earth's mystery archaeologists, 23 July 2001
Set in the same reality as Stormwatch and The Authority, this book sees Warren Ellis exploring the convoluted limits of his imaginative universe. Planetary are a trio of superhuman 'mystery archaeologists' involved in mapping the secret history of the twentieth century. The book begins with the recruitment of Elijah Snow to the group, and , if this book has a hero, it's him. Like the fabulous Jenny Sparks, he's as old as the twentieth century, but his memory has mysterious gaps and he's somewhat of a reluctant convert, complaining and questioning continually. What sets this concept apart is that it isn't a superhero book like Stormwatch or The Authority - saving the world is incidental rather than integral to their agenda, and as such we're treated to delightful stories, featuring ghosts, mutant monsters, secret cadres of superhumans from World War II and so on (and the occasional plug for Stormwatch and The Authority). To emphasise the anthological nature of the book, the original individual covers are included, and each Planetary logo is different. Its one weakness is that at times the complexity of the overarching plot, and the episodic nature of the early stories can leave you wishing for a conclusion - imagine Mulder and Scully with superpowers, then double the weirdness, triple the paranoia and square the scale they operate on, and you come somewhere close. Alone, it's a masterful, if slightly unsatisfying, feast for those who appreciate Ellis' work, illuminated throughout by John Cassaday's art. In conjunction with the sequel volume, when the mists clear slightly, it's a cracking piece of work that throws the distinction between comics and graphic novels into stark relief.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A modern day masterpiece showing the secrets of the World, 25 July 2001
Quite frankly this is one of the best comics in recent years. It deals with an organisation called Planetary - "Three people who walk the world in search of strangeness and Wonders". They are mystery archeologists searching the World's secret history. On it's most basic level it takes the comic book archetypes and twists them on their head. Warren Ellis pays homage to great characters such as Doc Savage, Capt Marvel and the like, but comes to them with a fresh perspective and weaves them seamlessly into a tale of a Conspiracy beyond all others. They are brought to life by the gorgeous art of John Cassady. In this first collection we are introduced to Godzilla like creatures, the ghost of a Hong Kong cop, Strange crafts from other dimensions and of course the Planetary trio. They consist of Elijah Snow (a 100 year old man with gaps in his memory), Jakita Wagner (an attractive super woman always in search of adventure) and The Drummer (a lunatic who talks to machines). They are funded by the mysterious Fourth Man. If you like adventure, intrigue, mysteries, conspiracies, giant monsters and cranky old men then buy this collection which brings some wonder back into the world.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"Watchmen" for the MTV Generation, 16 July 2000
They are Planetary, their job on earth is to investigate all those folk laws and myths, and keep them out of the public eye, ranging from a Monster Island in Asia to an American space mission gone wrong. Collecting the first six issues of the comic book and the hard to find preview, Planetary is what the X-Files would be like if they existed in a world filled with superheroes. Both the heroes and villains add to the atmosphere of the comic, from the mentally unstable Drummer to the worlds greatest hero Doc Brass, each of them has something to do to further or twist the plot of the tale, and with each story set in a different part of the world there's no chance of getting bored. Ellis & Cassady do amazing work providing a comic book that will appeal to adults the same way the now classic Watchmen does, so go on add it to your shopping basket now!
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