The Activity, Volume 1

The Activity #1

by Nathan Edmondson (Writer), Mitch Gerads (Artist, Designer, Letterer), Kyle Latino (Colouring Assistant)

The evolution of global conflict necessitates the evolution of warfare to rise and meet the call. The United States' latest, most advanced, and most secret special operations group is hidden inside the Intelligence Support Activity. They are tasked with fixing botched operations, wielding bleeding-edge tech, and planning and executing lethal action in the utmost secrecy.

Collecting: The Activity 1-5

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Thriller, Graphic Novels Comics, Military Fiction, Espionage, Fiction

136 pages, Paperback

First published June 19, 2012

About the author

Comic book and screenwriter Nathan Edmondson is a native of Augusta, GA. His Eisner-nominated book Who Is Jake Ellis? will soon be a major motion picture from 20th Century Fox, and The Activity film will come soon from Paramount Pictures. NPR has listed his work among the “Top 6 Comics to Draw You In” and USA Today and CNN are among those who have listed him in their Top 10 lists.

Nathan currently lives near Los Angeles, USA.

Reviews

[Jay · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Activity is about a secret ops team that go through several single-issue missions which could probably work for a tv show. I liked reading this book but felt that they completed every mission pretty easily and there wasn't any real danger. Also, as I am reading this team book, I had a hard time getting to know the characters and their code names.

There are times when I felt some of the military jargon was heavy and disappointed that they explained the terminology at the end of the issue. I am at the end of the book, I do not want to scroll back to the scene and reread what happened!

Anyways, the art is beautiful and can really set the tone of each scene. The inking goes real well with water coloring style.

Overall, I enjoyed watching the missions play out but I am content on leaving after the first volume. I do believe that if the reader was familiar with the military or played games like Call of Duty, I would definitely recommend this book to those who are fond of that genre.

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't think I've ever read a graphic novel quite like this one. It's essentially the continuing adventures of an ultra-secret military group doing missions and such. It's very straightforward, and does what it's trying to do well, but...well, that's it. There's not a lot of weight behind it, I'm not given a lot of reason to care, and, since war/military stuff isn't really my thing, there's little to keep me going period.

This is highly regarded, and I think the right reader would find a lot to love, but this probably isn't for me.

[Matěj Komiksumec · Rating 3 out of 5]

Activity je jednoduše řečeno zábavný příběh o utajené skupině amerických black ops. Na jednu stranu je fajn, že co sešit to příběh ale vše působí strašně rychle neboť vše se vyřeší za pár stránek přičemž příběh prolínají i flashbacky hlavních postav. Zároveň jsem strašně bojoval tradičně se jmény postav, stejně jako všude tak krom civilních jmén mají naše postavy i kódová označení která jsem stejně jako jejich jména už zapomněl.
Přiznávám, že jsem do toho šel hlavně kvůli kresbě Mitche Geradse kterýho mám rád ale ve finále jsem dostal příjemný armádní příběh.

[May · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a fan of Spooks/Mi-5 TV series, I was excited when I started reading this graphic novel. However, as the story progressed, my excitement faded away and I was disappointed by the lack of character development. This graphic novel is all action which is fine but it's a little hard to see the characters other than adrenalin junkies. At least with Spooks/Mi-5, you get to see the emotional toil that the "intelligence game" takes on its agents. Heck, even the Daniel Craig-reboot of James Bond movies portray this fact--that being a super agent maybe action-packed and dangerous, but it's not for the weak-minded. In this book, however, readers never get a chance to know the characters, why they are participating in these missions and some of the ramifications of their actions. Seriously, if I had been tortured and left to rot in jail for a period of time, I would be traumatized and very reluctant to go on my next super spy mission. Unfortunately, this fact is lost on the author and the agents who have been tortured and imprisoned in the story are grinning as they are sent off to their next mission. A huge plot flaw in my opinion.

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

The stories were interesting. But they seemed really light in detail...more like popcorn than meat; even for a graphic novel. But, still interesting to read.
And a quick, easy read; less than an hour.

[J · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad collection, but all "one and done"s. I'd like to see more character development. Also, the stories were abrupt in a couple places where it was difficult to figure out what exactly was going on.

[47Time · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything about this comic is cool. The agents, the missions, the weapons, the strategy, the field deployment and decisions. The characters are all experienced soldiers with near-perfect understanding of their mission. They know that any error, no matter how small, can lead to their demise. Their skills and dedication to the mission ensure that, even if they lose one of their own, they complete their goals successfully. The only thing I can complain about is that there is no single story arc, only relatively-independent missions.

[Sean · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think this is probably a good book for some people but for me it was a miss. This was too "inside baseball" for me as I felt lost amongst all the military jargon that had an unknown glossary in the end of the book that would have been helpful had I known it was there. The story involves a new kind of espionage team for the US and its very real and maybe too real. Mitch Gerards' art was very good. Overall, this just isn't for me.

[Terry Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let's not confuse this.

This is dad-lit. Guns and special ops and barely suppressed machismo.

And it's also very well done. This is less Michael Bay, and more like Sicario. Edmondson has done some excellent research and this entire volume reads like an honest account of black ops.

Don't go in expecting grand storytelling and character studies. There's no treatise on the horror of war.

But what it aims to do it does very well indeed.

[Andy Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable look at elite intelligence gathering unit - Nathan has a good knowledge of his chosen subject and portrays the missions without the usual Gung Ho aatitude that accompnies this type of Graphic Novel. The books are short and focus on the mission and technology leaving very little room for charcater development - hence the 3/5

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the few “books” about ISA

A graphic novel about the Intelligence Support Activity, one of the most secret special operations forces in the world. Fictional, but inspired by real unit and events.

[Gamal Hennessy · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the better spy stories I've read in years. Far better than much of what passes for recent spy novels because this graphic novels captures the tone and spirit of espionage in a delivery that is minimalist with complex undertones. I'm looking forward to volume 2.

[Robert Timmons · Rating 2 out of 5]

Loved the art but the story wasn't to my taste

[Devon Munn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

A thoroughly enjoyable story about a mercenary squad with some really nice art from Mitch Gerards

[Joshua · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very accurate portrayal of a very secretive unit within the ranks of our military!

[abigail · Rating 2 out of 5]

story? what story? at least the art was nice enough.

[Kaiulani · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very well researched and done but not really my scene.

[Alan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read one review where the biggest criticism was that this book resembled a CBS television procedural (citing NCIS). Well that isn't the worse thing, probably because I like NCIS every now and then.

Yes, I don't recall any of the character's names after reading this. The key is the pacing, and well plotted stories. Team Omaha is the squad that cleans up when everything has gone awry, or is about to. The CIA screwed up-call Team Omaha. A terrorist cell needs to be taken down outside U.S. Borders, the same thing. At times a little brutal for even what the operatives themselves have to endure, a very enjoyable read.

[Nathan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this. It seemed to have a cool premise (Black Ops teams globe trotting completing missions) but it was just way to slow with not enough action. Artwork and premise drew me in, but the story let me down.

[John Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, what an interesting series. I don't think I can compare it to anything because it is so dense, so well researched, so realistic. It's like The Unit, Modern Warfare and Act of Valor had a child together in comics. Can't wait for the next volume.

[Justin Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

the most kick-ass bit of graphic novel bad-assery you'll ever read! do yourself a favor and run a copy down......now!

start here and follow with volume 2....hopefully, hehem, volume 3 is coming soon.

-justin

[David Dalton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good spec-ops/spies series. I picked this one up on Comixology Unlimited. Will look around for more.

Kind of like Mission Impossible in a way, but no Tom Cruise. Still, set up very real. Fans of Homeland might this series as well.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decent little spy thriller, with lots of single issue stories. Can be a bit obtuse at times do to the darkness of the art and the jargon. but still good.

[Gregg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Totally rocked. If you were into the early seasons of 24 or read the comic book version of The Watchmen, you'd probably like The Activity

[Tyler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome art and good spy/military story. Interested to see where it goes from here.

[Simon · Rating 1 out of 5]

Probably great if you like NCIS type shows. Not so great if you don't.

[Fahim Ahmed · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick and easy read. I hope everything is building to something more though. While I like the episodic format, it would be nice to have an overarching story take shape.

[Clint · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great research, great story. Good writing and art.

[Anthony · Rating 2 out of 5]

Only if you're into Call Of Duty.

[Gopi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brilliant set up and detailing but seems to pat and un-imaginative in it's story-telling. The subject and it's research calls for nail-biting episodes which i found sorely missing. Curious to pick up the next volume but not too eager.