EAST OF WEST #3

Review by: harpier

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Story by Jonathan Hickman
Art by Nick Dragotta

Size: 0 pages
Price: 3.50

As promised by the final panel of East of West #2, “The House of Mao” begins with Death’s wife, Xiaolian, captive in New Shanghai and, it is revealed, sister to Mao Hu of the Chosen, in attendance at Armistice for the meeting of the new President in the previous issue. Death, newly informed of her captivity, begins his unforgiving assault on the People’s Republic. Seeking out their brother, the other three horsemen look to the hunter who aided them before, the Atlas bartender and, it turns out, the Pathfinder, and his treacherous eye.

All roads, it seems, point to events ten years prior, an ambush between Death and his grown apocalyptic siblings, orchestrated by at least some of the Chosen currently conspiring to end the world. The former President of the Union, Chamberlain of the Confederacy, Hu of the People’s Republic, Cheveyo of the Endless Nation, the hunter-turned-Atlas-barkeep hired to track him, and at least one other cloaked and shadowy figure above them were there looking on. In East of West #3, we learn of another ambush preceding and perhaps precipitating the other: Hu, flushed with religious fervor, betrays her sister, wife of Death, to War, Famine and Conquest, who, it is widely believed, killed her. Instead, pieced together with prosthetics and medical regeneration, she is captured and held by mute guards in a garden for ten years. Hickman continues to pack East of West with story, moving through both the current apocalypse and its precursory events with deliberate and well-timed alacrity. He enhances his dense, rewarding storytelling with rich, savory dialogue and narration. It is, in fact, Hickman’s finest style, far exceeding his other current efforts in its lush restraint.

As always, Dragotta’s artwork is impeccable. His lines are clear, fine, and precise. His compositions are cinematic in their variable use of close-up, distance, and dramatic angles. He and colorist Frank Martin, who gives Dragotta’s sleek pen-work both depth and texture, make an exceptional team. Add to this Hickman’s willingness to write important details into the illustrations, and East of West becomes a rewarding piece of narrative art, whose visual components are integral as much as complementary.

Story: 5 - Excellent
Art: 5 - Excellent

Comments

  1. Great review, I agree with you on all points. This book is a blast to read, and I love working to figure out some of the lesser explained plot elements. Dragotta and Martin are firing on all cylinders, pumping out superb pages.

  2. I completely agree as well. I know some people have been complaining about how slow the pace has been moving from issue to issue, but I couldn’t disagree more. I picked it up today, and practically forgot it was only issue 3. It’s packed with so much atmosphere, terrific dialogue, and absolutely astounding artwork that I could have sworn we were five issues deep. I eagerly await this title from month to month, and it’s practically the first comic I dive into on the weeks its released.

    • I know. I’ve been hearing these grumblings as well, and they confuse me. It’s not just that I disagree—because obviously I do—it’s that I genuinely cannot understand what they’re talking about. So far, it seems like Hickman has included enough plot points in each issue to sustain two or sometimes three, if he were trying to slow it down. East of West is moving at least twice as fast as most superhero comics, including Hickman’s own, that just try to disguise mediocre action sequences as plot development.

      The complaints about the world-building—specifically that Hickman’s not explaining everything and some of it still doesn’t make sense—I can at least understand. I prefer a series to make me work for it, and I’m perfectly happy to go a long time not understanding everything as long as the writer seems to. I, for instance, was a little disappointed that Hickman’s already told me that Death’s companions are witches, though at least I don’t yet understand entirely what that means.

  3. For some reason I’m unable to reply to your response, but once again I agree. I love that my hand isn’t being held through out each issue. None of the characters we’re introduced to are outsiders to this world, so it feels natural that we don’t get a step by step examination of all the components. Things simply are the way they are, and there’s almost the encouragement to personally add to the mythology of how things came to be.

    And I love that we’re getting the methodical reveal of what went down ten years prior to the current story line. There’s an urgency and intensity to the build up. The naysayers shouldn’t be able to complain either, especially with this issue which slowed the pace slightly and filled in some blanks. Like I said, after that final page, I cannot wait for the next issue.

  4. Your review and comments are SPOT ON!This is arguably the most well-balanced and perfectly-paced book out right now. I especially liked how you revisited events from issue #1 in your review. I too prefer books challenging books that force me to pick up previous issues as refresher. I see it as a sign I’m getting my money’s worth. I’m also happy you touched on the dialogue because it makes the book for me. Great job.

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