Jonathan Hickman is one of the most revered, authorial voices in current comics. Perhaps his most popular and beloved creations is “East of West” published through Image Comics. It’s been a successful ongoing series since 2013, but if you haven’t yet read “East of West” and/or are thinking about maybe jumping in, hopefully this review will spark your interest to buy this ASAP.
Written by Jonathan Hickman
Illustrated by Nick Dragotta
Colored by Frank Martin
Lettered by Rus Wooton
This is the world. It is not the one we wanted, but it is the one we deserved. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse roam the Earth, signaling the End Times for humanity, and our best hope for life, lies in DEATH. Collects EAST OF WEST #1 – #5.
With the mythological scope of Game of Thrones, the blood-soaked revenge sub-genre characteristics of Quentin Tarantino, and the fearless sci-fi genre crossings of Firefly, “East of West” is an enthralling read even when characters are just talking to each other, because even something seemingly as simple as that is a virtual chess match of lore and character.
One of Hickman’s defining traits is how he’s able to spin complex, intricate mythology seemingly out of thin air for all his series. And I’d have to agree with many that “East of West” is one of his most impressive creations. The concept is enormous. Imagine if the United States were fractured so much, there were factions for China, Native Americans, the South, North, African Americans, and Texans. Hickman strikes a balance where he lets information naturally eek out in service of the story so there’s no info-dumping or immense confusion. The societies, from what we see of them, are masterfully thought out and constructed, even down to religion, where Judeo-Christian prophesies are liberally mixed with pseudo Eastern mysticism.
Science fiction would be the broadest way of categorizing this, but the technological aspects aren’t overbearing and make sense within the world that was fractured in the 1860s. For instance, horses have been replaced (at least by our main character) with a gangly robot which scampers across the lands like a cross between a dog and an equine. There are looming towers twinkling with electricity and holograms, but the interiors are done in the style and sensibilities of the 19th century. This attention to detail is what draws us in and allows us to stretch our disbelief.
But that’s just the window-dressing. The true beating heart of this tale is how one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse is giving up everything and trekking across the dismal land to find his true love. Needless to say, he’s a violent guy, but who isn’t in this place? Despite his grim, barbaric nature, we can empathize with him because of his goals and desires. However, all the characters stick out. The other Horsemen are unsettling because of their nightmarish power held in the bodies of mutant child bodies. The presidents/rulers of the factions, despite all sharing scenes, have such strong personalities, it’s like they’re trying to steal the scenes from each other (which fits with their backstabbing nature, I suppose).
But let’s be honest, part of the reason the cast is so fantastic is how they’re designed. If I were to sum up Nick Dragotta’s work in one word, it’d be “versatile.” His characters snarl with assured expressions and bring humanity to even the most cold-hearted entities. Dragotta rides a fine line where he retains a cartoonish fluidity but gives each panel and page gritty details. This series revolves around jumping between dozens of characters and locations, but you never get the feeling he’s skimping on details. Dragotta can rivet you whether the scene is of a grand massacre or a clandestine meeting. Not a panel is wasted or needless. Frank Martin, the colorist, deserves just as much praise as Dragotta. The palette captures not only the mood of each scene but of every land and character. Scenes taking place in the land of the People’s Republic of China are painted with shining reds almost tipping into orange and dusty grays.
As mentioned, there’s a wealth of folks running around doing their dirty business, but the pacing never feels jarring or lacking. Certainly, Death is the main character, but we’re given insight across the whole land, and not unnecessarily. Each scene is vital either for constructing the plot further or building character.
Continued belowSpeaking of characters, whether Hickman is focusing on our anti-hero protagonist or a government stooge, the cast brims with superb dialogue and personality. There’s a grim sense of nihilistic inevitability running through the characters, who are driven but imprisoned by their goals. They have so many different, strong ideologies, conflict springs up at every turn, which makes for an exciting read.
For some comic series, after you read the first arc, you might want to continue only because of one element. Maybe the art or one cool character or maybe just to morbidly see how things turn out. As for “East of West,” it makes you want to continue for every reason: the main characters, the side characters, the setting, the story, etc. It’s no wonder this is one of Hickman’s most gripping series. “East of West” fronts a bold vision that it executes with maximum effort and ability.
