Information is not knowledge, or so said Albert Einstein. Somehow this series carries both. Throughout their series “East of West” Hickman and Dragotta have given us a world imbued with difficult questions that give way to essential knowledge. Knowledge of what it means to be human, to be flawed, to struggle, to love and desire to push the boundaries of our experiences and the knowledge of the stuff that survives when the constructs of society crumble. If this is the knowledge contained in “East of West” the information powering and governing this grand, imaginative world is equally compelling. information here in this one-shot issue that purports to function as ‘sourcebook, atlas, encyclopedia, timeline, and apocrypha’ we are presented with a concentrated dose of that eloquently developed and meticulously articulated information. “East of West: The World” allows a moment to step out of the compelling narrative that this team has created and appreciate the complex environment that it inhabits.
Written by Jonathan Hickman
Illustrated by Nick Dragotta
A STAND ALONE, all-encompassing look at the wider world of EAST OF WEST. Part atlas, part encyclopedia, part timeline, and part apocrypha, EAST OF WEST: THE WORLD is the must-have one-shot companion to the spellbinding series.
“East of West: The World” begins with a short story that centers on three horseman of the apocalypse: Conquest, War and Famine. The three juvenile harbingers of the end times represent the threat that this world is facing. In “The Ride” we see not only the iron intention of these characters, but their blatant lack of regard for humanity. This short story reminds readers that the world is under attack, before detailing the geopolitical landscape. This sets the stakes for the next installment of the series. The horseman have an insatiable appetite for destruction, and won’t stop until the rich cultures of this world are completely dismantled. We are reminded how unnatural the natural order of this world has become. Children, who one might assume to be innocent and vulnerable are in fact brutal, ruthless and cunning. Nothing is as it seems in this world.
Here as always, Dragotta’s art is savage and beautiful. Taught articulate lines create tension within each scene. The characters emote subtly and with precise intention. Dragotta brings an intensity to the story, that Frank Martin’s colors are able to grasp hold of and escalate. Martin’s work burns with their own heat. The warm tones Martin uses help reinforce the idea that this entire world is held within a crucible, burning and constantly threatening to bubble over. Hickman’s prose is almost literary. The dialogue he creates is honest and vivid sense of character. This short story is a fine example at the cohesive collaboration that this team has achieved and the kind of storytelling they are capable of.
Following this short narrative introduction, Hickman and Dragotta offer their audience a beautifully designed keystone for understanding, remembering and retaining the details of this world. Each political state is discussed in a way that makes it seem real and credible. The flag and motto for each political entity are displayed alongside the name of the area. We are also offered demographics and facts for each individual nation including: capital city, language, type of government, leaders, date of independence, physical area, population size, gross domestic product, and currency. A smaller inset breaks down the power structure for the given area, providing a basis for comparing military strength, economic and political stability and long-term viability. The breakdown of information is similar to what one might expect to find on a trading card. These statistics are accompanied by blurbs that offer little windows into the inner-workings of these fictional nations. The blurbs are varied in tone and style. Each one reflects the ethos of the area it refers to. Every blurb is accented with a still panel depicting some important scene or character from the area. This helps attach the specific clinical information with the larger story, and the more emotionally resonate moments of the series.
These facts are positioned alongside maps. The design of these maps is sleek, minimal and clear. Visually appealing, the cartography is clean and crisp. There is a good deal of information provided in these visual elements. Detailed insets of the capital cities gives us information about the hub of each political region. Grayscale portraits of each area’s leaders are featured in insets set off with design elements that fit with the visual tone of the page. The points on the maps echo points in the plots of the series. Reminding readers of the important events that have taken place in “East of West” so far. Based on believable speculative fiction, the lines of the maps adhere to cultural divisions within the American landscape. Assuming that history proceeded along the same established path that we all accept as true until the Civil War, the boundaries of each nation feel logical and intuitive. A subtle shift in the factual timeline gives way to a set of political divisions that are both unfamiliar and easy to imagine.
Continued belowThe final piece of “East of West: The World” is a timeline. The breakdown of historical events that proceeded the current turmoil of this world gives context and weight to the narrative we have been following since the series began. Each major event is carefully catalogued, lending an order, at least a chronological order, to the chaos of this world, and helping readers make sense of the wild ride that has been the first year of the apocalypse. Again the design is minimal and starkly appealing.
This book could be considered a sort of victory lap for the team, or perhaps more accurately, a seventh day or sabbath. This is the moment the creators have taken to stand back, look at what they’ve made and declare that it is good. Personally, I have to echo that sentiment.
Final Verdict: 8.5 – Vital for anyone who has been collecting the series, or a fantastic introduction for anyone who has been considering venturing “East of West.”
