Two new leaders rose up out of that conflict, a Native American chief who becomes chief of chiefs, gaining control of all the tribes and forming The Endless Indian Nation. A former soldier named Elijah deserts the union and becomes a prophet. Soon the war escalates with attacks from the Nation and the religious, causing the it to linger on for 20 years until a comet hits the United States. Out of that event, seven territories come into being and form peace (that's probably tenuous and rife with old hostilities if I'm to judge by later panels).
Running parallel to this is a story about the four horsemen of the Apocalypse, except there are only three. War, famine, and conquest (who has replaced pestilence, I suppose) have been reborn as children who are continuing their mission with the added goal of finding Death who was not reborn alongside them. Their mission isn't quite clear to readers yet, Some readers may know the biblical significance, but we don't know how that'll play out in this story just yet. Childish glee mixed with malicious intent makes them very unsettling. The only thing we know for sure at this point is that they must find Death.
I would be lying to you if I said this makes a ton of sense at this point. It's Jonathan Hickman. I'm sure it's not supposed to make any sense right now. Hickman has a way of leaving his readers a little boggled at first, but you can always tell he's setting you up for some incredible. Even with the slight fog, the story is engaging. Hickman has combined elements of history, sci-fi, the supernatural, and fantasy with a heavy dose of the old west, giving reads an unusual blend of ingredients that are delectable together. An innocuous motorcycle turns into a metal grasshopper, saloons that appear as they would in 1800s, end time prophecies with visions and words shared among many no matter their race or affiliations--all these things ask you to continue this journey into the strange.
You want to know more about what's going on, how this alternate United States works. Some elements are cleared up by the end of the book, but then, you're left with even more questions. I want to know more about the different territories, but I am a little apprehensive about how it might be handled, especially since one of the territories is "The Confederacy, " and that could get prickly. The art is beautifully done by Dragotta, nothing short of phenomenal to be honest. The landscapes and people are darkly gorgeous. There's nothing "stock" about the art presented. Dragotta managed to pull so much uniqueness from the story presented.
My interest is piqued. I'm not sure where this story is going at this point, but I am certain that I want to follow it.
You want to know more about what's going on, how this alternate United States works. Some elements are cleared up by the end of the book, but then, you're left with even more questions. I want to know more about the different territories, but I am a little apprehensive about how it might be handled, especially since one of the territories is "The Confederacy, " and that could get prickly. The art is beautifully done by Dragotta, nothing short of phenomenal to be honest. The landscapes and people are darkly gorgeous. There's nothing "stock" about the art presented. Dragotta managed to pull so much uniqueness from the story presented.
My interest is piqued. I'm not sure where this story is going at this point, but I am certain that I want to follow it.
Story:
3.5 of 5 stars
Art:
4.5 of 5 stars
Final Verdict:
4 of 5 stars
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