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Welcome Back #1-4
Welcome Back, Vol. 1: Help, I'm Alive
Mali and Tessa have lived hundreds of different lives throughout time, caught up in an eternal cycle as they take part in a war so old that neither side remembers what they’re fighting for anymore. As Mali wakes up in her newest life, she suddenly becomes self-aware and starts to question everything, especially why she continues to fight. But elsewhere, Tessa is already on the hunt...
Critically-acclaimed series, Welcome Back is a break-neck thriller of reincarnated assassins forever fighting, killing, and loving each other, by Eisner Award-nominated writer Christopher Sebela (Dead Letters, High Crimes) and artists Jonathan Brandon Sawyer (Critical Hit) and Claire Roe. Collects issues #1-4.
Critically-acclaimed series, Welcome Back is a break-neck thriller of reincarnated assassins forever fighting, killing, and loving each other, by Eisner Award-nominated writer Christopher Sebela (Dead Letters, High Crimes) and artists Jonathan Brandon Sawyer (Critical Hit) and Claire Roe. Collects issues #1-4.
112 pages, Paperback
First published February 10, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 88 reviews
March 20, 2020
Mali and Tessa are adversaries locked in a war that has been going on for so long, they no longer know why they are fighting. They are reincarnated throughout history, repeating a cycle of killing one another and then starting all over once again. This time Mali, has only just "awakened" and no longer wants to be a killer. I liked the premise quite a bit. What would have made it better would be to find out the back story of why all these people are reincarnated and why this is happening in the first place.
Received an advance copy from Boom and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Received an advance copy from Boom and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 19, 2017
2 1/2 Stars. I'm not a big graphic novel person, but I do like to read them on occasion. If I could find more in the F/F category, I would read more of them. When I saw Welcome Back, was about 2 lesbian assassins, I thought yes, this is right up my alley. Unfortunately, this was really just so so in my opinion.
This volume one, includes the first 4 parts of the series. I liked the first issue, but as the series went on, things became more convoluted to me. The story is about people who keep being reborn, to kill each other, then start all over again. One of the issues in this series, is lack of explanation. We don't really know why they keep being reborn, and why they have to kill each other. Some reason about balance was giving, but that was it. I must admit, half the time I really didn't even get what was going on, and what role the people in the background played. We are thrown into a world, were we don't really get what is going on or why.
I mentioned I liked the first issue, but as I read on, I noticed the art, seemed to have changed. I'm guessing a new artist? Which was disappointing as the art in the beginning was much better than at the end. Even the main characters suddenly looked different. I also had a big problem with reading some of the dialogue. The boxes would move all over, and the reading order would change. Too many times I was just guessing what order to read things, and I was wrong plenty of times. I really get frustrated when I don't know what I should be reading next in a graphic novel.
While I liked the theme of lesbian assassins, this just didn't come together for me. This is not a bad graphic novel, I just have too many complaints, to want to read the rest of the series.
An ARC was given to me from Netgalley, for a honest review.
This volume one, includes the first 4 parts of the series. I liked the first issue, but as the series went on, things became more convoluted to me. The story is about people who keep being reborn, to kill each other, then start all over again. One of the issues in this series, is lack of explanation. We don't really know why they keep being reborn, and why they have to kill each other. Some reason about balance was giving, but that was it. I must admit, half the time I really didn't even get what was going on, and what role the people in the background played. We are thrown into a world, were we don't really get what is going on or why.
I mentioned I liked the first issue, but as I read on, I noticed the art, seemed to have changed. I'm guessing a new artist? Which was disappointing as the art in the beginning was much better than at the end. Even the main characters suddenly looked different. I also had a big problem with reading some of the dialogue. The boxes would move all over, and the reading order would change. Too many times I was just guessing what order to read things, and I was wrong plenty of times. I really get frustrated when I don't know what I should be reading next in a graphic novel.
While I liked the theme of lesbian assassins, this just didn't come together for me. This is not a bad graphic novel, I just have too many complaints, to want to read the rest of the series.
An ARC was given to me from Netgalley, for a honest review.
June 2, 2017
In a nutshell:
What great fun! I enjoyed reading this and am totally looking forward to where this story can and will go from here.
Story:
Mali and Tessa are two soldiers, bound in an endless war, being born and killed in an endless spiral of hatred and futility. We meet them in 2015 on their colliding trajectories of fate. There really is not much more to say about this premise except that I found it kickass and thought it worked really well for this story. I hope future issues will delve more into this war and what it means and where it can go from here.
The best part of this volume, for me, were hands down the characters. I loved Tessa and Mali and everybody they interacted with. The relationships made sense and worked really well for the story told.
Artwork:
I loved the artwork, especially in the beginning. I think the character look particularly badass in a stylized, over-the-top but still grounded in reality way and I absolutely adored that choice. Even after the chance in artwork, it still looked perfectly fine for me - but it lost a bit of the kick it had in the beginning, particularly when it comes to Mali. My absolute favourite part though was the clever use of colour. The pink and the green used worked brilliantly to make the art pop and to tell the story in a subtle way as well.
Edit: Having thought about it some more, the story wasn't quite strong enough to stick with me - so I am down-rating it to three stars.
____
I recieved an arc of this book curtesy of NetGalley and BOOM! Studios in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for that!
What great fun! I enjoyed reading this and am totally looking forward to where this story can and will go from here.
Story:
Mali and Tessa are two soldiers, bound in an endless war, being born and killed in an endless spiral of hatred and futility. We meet them in 2015 on their colliding trajectories of fate. There really is not much more to say about this premise except that I found it kickass and thought it worked really well for this story. I hope future issues will delve more into this war and what it means and where it can go from here.
The best part of this volume, for me, were hands down the characters. I loved Tessa and Mali and everybody they interacted with. The relationships made sense and worked really well for the story told.
Artwork:
I loved the artwork, especially in the beginning. I think the character look particularly badass in a stylized, over-the-top but still grounded in reality way and I absolutely adored that choice. Even after the chance in artwork, it still looked perfectly fine for me - but it lost a bit of the kick it had in the beginning, particularly when it comes to Mali. My absolute favourite part though was the clever use of colour. The pink and the green used worked brilliantly to make the art pop and to tell the story in a subtle way as well.
Edit: Having thought about it some more, the story wasn't quite strong enough to stick with me - so I am down-rating it to three stars.
____
I recieved an arc of this book curtesy of NetGalley and BOOM! Studios in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for that!
May 19, 2017
I usually love graphic novels but this one just did not do anything for me at all. I honestly thought it was going to be good and it took me ages to download a copy. I just wish it had been worth it.
Ok now you probably think I hated it but you couldn't be further from the truth. I didn't hate it, I was disap[pointed in it. There was no real explanation so it got a bit confusing. Had the author explained things better maybe I would have enjoyed it more.
Also another complaint was the second half the graphics changed some what and the story didn't flow as well. I was guessing which bit to read next. I got the feeling I was guessing wrong.
To say I was disappointed is an understatement because I was really looking forward to it as I liked the description. Hell who wouldn't like a story of two lesbian assassins.
I didn't hate it nor did I love it. I gave it 2 stars purely because the whole thing was confusing although the idea was a good one.
*ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley*
Ok now you probably think I hated it but you couldn't be further from the truth. I didn't hate it, I was disap[pointed in it. There was no real explanation so it got a bit confusing. Had the author explained things better maybe I would have enjoyed it more.
Also another complaint was the second half the graphics changed some what and the story didn't flow as well. I was guessing which bit to read next. I got the feeling I was guessing wrong.
To say I was disappointed is an understatement because I was really looking forward to it as I liked the description. Hell who wouldn't like a story of two lesbian assassins.
I didn't hate it nor did I love it. I gave it 2 stars purely because the whole thing was confusing although the idea was a good one.
*ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley*
April 29, 2018
* * *
3 / 5
Welcome Back is a graphic novel, the first book comprising of 4 issues. I don't often read graphic novels, but this one was a fun foray into the genre. I was entirely attracted by the plot: Mali and Tessa have lived hundreds of lives and each life they have only one goal: to kill the other. Lifetime after lifetime they have fought, for so long they can't ever remember why, only that they must. But now, Mali is having doubts.
First off, I loved the art style. I thought it looked amazing. But then, halfway through the artist either changed style or the artist changed entirely. I found this quite jarring and although the art was still good, I thought it was a downgrade, which was such a shame. Otherwise the layout was fine and it was easy to read. There's a bunch of really awesome panels where it shows Mali and Tessa as all the people they have been before, and the fighting and action scenes are beautiful.
I did find it a little bit difficult to understand at first. Essentially, Mali and Tessa are sequels, people that reincarnate. When one kills the other, they die straight after and both are reborn. A sequel must be "woken up" in each life in order to remember who they and what their mission is, and whilst Tessa is woken up at five years old and put through intensive training, Mali becomes a young adult before she awakes. She's at a disadvantage, however, because Tessa is already on her trail. I did find the idea really great and engaging, but it did take some time to pick up the gist in the book.
I was also interested in this because it was listed under LGBT+ categories. Mali and Tessa are both gay, but this only comes into play at the end of the book, and I found it a bit abrupt and perhaps a little forced. I would have liked a lot more development, which hopefully will happen in the next volume!
Essentially, Welcome Back is a bit convoluted and difficult to follow, but the art is beautiful and I loved the characters.
My thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the artists for an ARC of this book.
Read this review and more on my blog: https://atlasrisingbooks.wordpress.co...
3 / 5
Welcome Back is a graphic novel, the first book comprising of 4 issues. I don't often read graphic novels, but this one was a fun foray into the genre. I was entirely attracted by the plot: Mali and Tessa have lived hundreds of lives and each life they have only one goal: to kill the other. Lifetime after lifetime they have fought, for so long they can't ever remember why, only that they must. But now, Mali is having doubts.
First off, I loved the art style. I thought it looked amazing. But then, halfway through the artist either changed style or the artist changed entirely. I found this quite jarring and although the art was still good, I thought it was a downgrade, which was such a shame. Otherwise the layout was fine and it was easy to read. There's a bunch of really awesome panels where it shows Mali and Tessa as all the people they have been before, and the fighting and action scenes are beautiful.
I did find it a little bit difficult to understand at first. Essentially, Mali and Tessa are sequels, people that reincarnate. When one kills the other, they die straight after and both are reborn. A sequel must be "woken up" in each life in order to remember who they and what their mission is, and whilst Tessa is woken up at five years old and put through intensive training, Mali becomes a young adult before she awakes. She's at a disadvantage, however, because Tessa is already on her trail. I did find the idea really great and engaging, but it did take some time to pick up the gist in the book.
I was also interested in this because it was listed under LGBT+ categories. Mali and Tessa are both gay, but this only comes into play at the end of the book, and I found it a bit abrupt and perhaps a little forced. I would have liked a lot more development, which hopefully will happen in the next volume!
Essentially, Welcome Back is a bit convoluted and difficult to follow, but the art is beautiful and I loved the characters.
My thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the artists for an ARC of this book.
Read this review and more on my blog: https://atlasrisingbooks.wordpress.co...
February 22, 2016
Welcome Back is rough. The first issue is great, with a solid concept and some great action. Mali is an instantly likable character who's easy to relate to, and the art is an awesome shade of ramshackle, creating an almost Tank Girl-esque atmosphere. After that, the book really falls off the rails. As we dive deeper into the concept, details become spare, believability breaks away as a ludicrous number of people turn out to be sequels, and the artist changes mid-issue for the worse. The change is a total departure in style that left characters unrecognizable, and left me confused for several pages before I realized exactly what happened. Around the same time, you start to realize that you are absolutely drowning is poorly placed internal dialogue boxes, scattered all over every page, making things uglier and the action harder to follow. The twist at the end would have been exciting were it not for the constant distractions and pitfalls that made the last three issues of this trade a total drag. The covers are beautiful, and the concepts are totally rad, but I can't imagine myself keeping up with this book.
December 4, 2017
I wanted to love this, I really did, but after a willful battle with what felt like endless (and unimportant) internal monologue, I came out feeling pretty "meh." In general I'm not a fan of any story that substitutes "fate" and "past lives" for real relationship/character development, and I pretty much always care most about relationship and character development. If characters are gonna kiss I want to first want them to kiss and then have that want fulfilled. Instead, the kiss here felt like SHOCK VALUE. (Full disclosure, part of what sold me on the recommendation for this comic was the queer relationship, so it was a significant letdown.) To top it off, I have nearly squick level discomfort with the identity mind-fuck that comes with trying to parse out the "multiple lives, one entity" business, so I probably should have known this wasn't for me. I did like the art, though the transition in the middle was pretty confusing for a few pages.
April 7, 2017
Very interesting premise but after a good start did not develop well. :( The art layouts changed at some point from reading everything on the left page and then the right page to reading the top boxes all the way across the left and right page, then the middle boxes, then the bottom boxes. And then it changed back again. The conspiracy got too big to fast and the coloring muddled some of the good work the penciler was doing. I picked this up because I saw the second volume was coming out soon and it sounded like an interesting concept but I don't think this one is for me.
June 11, 2017
Full review to come!
August 29, 2018
The story is really cool, but marred by a choppy flow that makes it difficult to enjoy. It jumps from character to character without introducing them properly. I barely know the secondary characters' names and sometimes can't even recognise them in the iffy artwork. Is the main antagonist a single character or are there two? The artist couldn't decide on her hair color.
The other thing which makes reading this comic so much of a chore is the massive amount of dialogue and internal monologue. The lines sound cool, but are slowing me down to a snail's pace that soon puts me to sleep. So it's good for reading right before bed. The 4-issue first volume should last over a week if you don't abuse it. Bottom line, reading this is like swimming in quicksand with medieval armor on.
Mali feels like she is losing her mind. Her life is a mess, she breaks up with her boyfrend and she has violent nightmares. The nightmares suddenly become real to her and she realises she is a warrior in a long line of fighters streching back millenia. She and others like her have always been at each other's throats, fighting an age-old war. They start with a normal life and eventually 'wake up,' regaining the experiences from all their previous lives, to be trained by people called 'sequels'. There are also 'atlases,' but I have no idea what they do. The soldiers search for the enemy, kill them and then kill themselves in a never-ending cycle. They are always on the run and never speak of the end game, the purpose for the killing.
The other thing which makes reading this comic so much of a chore is the massive amount of dialogue and internal monologue. The lines sound cool, but are slowing me down to a snail's pace that soon puts me to sleep. So it's good for reading right before bed. The 4-issue first volume should last over a week if you don't abuse it. Bottom line, reading this is like swimming in quicksand with medieval armor on.
Mali feels like she is losing her mind. Her life is a mess, she breaks up with her boyfrend and she has violent nightmares. The nightmares suddenly become real to her and she realises she is a warrior in a long line of fighters streching back millenia. She and others like her have always been at each other's throats, fighting an age-old war. They start with a normal life and eventually 'wake up,' regaining the experiences from all their previous lives, to be trained by people called 'sequels'. There are also 'atlases,' but I have no idea what they do. The soldiers search for the enemy, kill them and then kill themselves in a never-ending cycle. They are always on the run and never speak of the end game, the purpose for the killing.
May 24, 2017
Welcome Back, Vol. 1: Help, I'm Alive!!! First things first: I received this book through NetGalley.
It took me forever to finish it, because I really wanted to take my time. With graphic novels/comics, I find myself just flying through them too fast, I really want to make them last longer from now on.
Summary: Mali and Tessa have lived hundreds of different lives throughout time, caught up in an eternal cycle as they take part in a war so old that neither side remembers what they’re fighting for anymore. As Mali wakes up in her newest life, she suddenly becomes self-aware and starts to question everything, especially why she continues to fight. But elsewhere, Tessa is already on the hunt...
I loved this one. I really REALLY loved this one.
I love the whole story, the idea that they lived so many lives, that they keep coming back, just so they can kill each other again and again. THIS IS CRAZY. And kinda cool.
I loved the two main girls Mali and Tessa. I loved Mali's father coming back as a little girl. Those moments where just way too hilarious. I LOVED IT.
I seriously can't wait to read more of this story. I NEED MORE. Soon. FAST. NOW.
It took me forever to finish it, because I really wanted to take my time. With graphic novels/comics, I find myself just flying through them too fast, I really want to make them last longer from now on.
Summary: Mali and Tessa have lived hundreds of different lives throughout time, caught up in an eternal cycle as they take part in a war so old that neither side remembers what they’re fighting for anymore. As Mali wakes up in her newest life, she suddenly becomes self-aware and starts to question everything, especially why she continues to fight. But elsewhere, Tessa is already on the hunt...
I loved this one. I really REALLY loved this one.
I love the whole story, the idea that they lived so many lives, that they keep coming back, just so they can kill each other again and again. THIS IS CRAZY. And kinda cool.
I loved the two main girls Mali and Tessa. I loved Mali's father coming back as a little girl. Those moments where just way too hilarious. I LOVED IT.
I seriously can't wait to read more of this story. I NEED MORE. Soon. FAST. NOW.
May 29, 2017
Confusing at first but easily became one of my favorites. The story starts in medias res and you try to pick up the pieces and it takes a while for it to make sense but honestly, half the fun was figuring it out so it's less of a complaint and more of an observation. I can't really say much without it being too spoilery but I loved the art style and the characters though they definitely get explored more in the next issues.
Definitely worth giving a shot if you like an original well done story!
Definitely worth giving a shot if you like an original well done story!
March 18, 2017
This is actually for all eight issues of the series. A really great story with a couple of lesbian badasses in the center. Plus there's a dog!
January 15, 2019
Galley provided by publisher
Rep: lesbian mcs
I have to admit, I'm not fully sold on this concept. It's cool - reincarnated assassins who's sole purpose is to take out their opposing target in a neverending war - but it seems almost aimless at times.
Similarly with the plot of these first four issues. It seems almost light on it - for all the build-up, with Mali waking up, the final battle comes very quickly, and somewhat abruptly. I wouldn't go so far as to say that this could have been expanded to cover the whole arc, but it maybe needed a bit more fleshing out. I'll save any judgement on that until I've read the rest of the issues.
The art was, for the most part, really nice. It changed artist about halfway through, and I didn't like that art quite as much, but it was still good. (And nowhere near as painful as some of the DC/Marvel art I've suffered through.) It did seem as though, when the second artist took over, that Tessa's skin got lightened which wasn't great (I don't know if it was intentional or accidental but still).
Rep: lesbian mcs
I have to admit, I'm not fully sold on this concept. It's cool - reincarnated assassins who's sole purpose is to take out their opposing target in a neverending war - but it seems almost aimless at times.
Similarly with the plot of these first four issues. It seems almost light on it - for all the build-up, with Mali waking up, the final battle comes very quickly, and somewhat abruptly. I wouldn't go so far as to say that this could have been expanded to cover the whole arc, but it maybe needed a bit more fleshing out. I'll save any judgement on that until I've read the rest of the issues.
The art was, for the most part, really nice. It changed artist about halfway through, and I didn't like that art quite as much, but it was still good. (And nowhere near as painful as some of the DC/Marvel art I've suffered through.) It did seem as though, when the second artist took over, that Tessa's skin got lightened which wasn't great (I don't know if it was intentional or accidental but still).
March 27, 2017
Welcome Back by Christopher Sebela is one of our favorite comics. This story follows two reincarnated assassin, Mali and Tessa, who are in an endless cycle of fighting and killing each other for reasons that they can’t even remember. This time is different though. They are starting to remember their past lives and their love for each other! Based on this comic we will definitely check out more from Christopher Sebela.
April 29, 2017
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
I did have a few minor issues with this. The layout can be a bit confusing at times and I think a few times I ended up reading the boxes out of order [There are a LOT of boxes, in a LOT of different colors. It's a bit much, and that's coming from someone who reads a lot of Deadpool]. The art is awesome, but I think they literally changed artists in the middle of an issue, which was a bit jarring.
But the premise was so good [I mean it's basically a soulmate/reincarnation AU but with assassins, what's not to love?] that I still really enjoyed it and will definitely be picking up the next volume when it's available. I love both of the main characters and I hope we will continue to learn more about their past lives. I also love that their reincarnations aren't limited by race, gender, or sexuality but that they are just themselves every time no matter what they look like on the outside. A really great start to what will hopefully be a really cool series!
I did have a few minor issues with this. The layout can be a bit confusing at times and I think a few times I ended up reading the boxes out of order [There are a LOT of boxes, in a LOT of different colors. It's a bit much, and that's coming from someone who reads a lot of Deadpool]. The art is awesome, but I think they literally changed artists in the middle of an issue, which was a bit jarring.
But the premise was so good [I mean it's basically a soulmate/reincarnation AU but with assassins, what's not to love?] that I still really enjoyed it and will definitely be picking up the next volume when it's available. I love both of the main characters and I hope we will continue to learn more about their past lives. I also love that their reincarnations aren't limited by race, gender, or sexuality but that they are just themselves every time no matter what they look like on the outside. A really great start to what will hopefully be a really cool series!
December 13, 2018
I received a copy via netgalley.
5 Amazeballs stars 🌟
This is not your standard love story...
It’s action packed with teeth and nails. Each page has words of a story that you don’t quite know but in time the pieces fall together, piece by piece. I was quite thrilled to read it and find this brilliant story, it has the lgbtq concept but really it’s just the aspect of two characters destined in a war they over time want nothing to do with, each life they fall more for the other and ant to actually defy the odds and make a life verse keep going with what’s expected of them, to kill the target which they are each other’s target. It’s a mix of tragedy, unrelenting violence, and the courage to make a stance on what you believe yourself to truly be.
5 Amazeballs stars 🌟
This is not your standard love story...
It’s action packed with teeth and nails. Each page has words of a story that you don’t quite know but in time the pieces fall together, piece by piece. I was quite thrilled to read it and find this brilliant story, it has the lgbtq concept but really it’s just the aspect of two characters destined in a war they over time want nothing to do with, each life they fall more for the other and ant to actually defy the odds and make a life verse keep going with what’s expected of them, to kill the target which they are each other’s target. It’s a mix of tragedy, unrelenting violence, and the courage to make a stance on what you believe yourself to truly be.
May 3, 2020
It looks kinda like your "typical" YA story about finding your place in the world (which kinda sucks), and it gets another layer, because it turns out protagonist is (just awoken) soldier in neverending war, caught in chain of neverending deaths and rebirths and blood and guts... and then it gets another layer, because this world sucks as well and there must be another way...
Nice story, unwrapping of world's rules slightly dissapointing (too many words), action quite satysfying, art not exquisite, but still on a good level.
Overall, thumbs up.
Nice story, unwrapping of world's rules slightly dissapointing (too many words), action quite satysfying, art not exquisite, but still on a good level.
Overall, thumbs up.
August 8, 2021
It's basically just Old Guard meets John Wick.
March 14, 2023
Reading for third time now.
I don't read as many comics as I used to mainly to save money, but also because of waning interest. It's comics like this that I love. The writing is excellent. I don't particularly like comics wherein I turn a page and see a few pages of all text to read, although there are exceptions. There is a lot of text in this comic, but it's not isolated on single pages, it's incorporated in the panels, and it provides background, internal thoughts, and atmosphere. And the premise of the story is excellent made even better with well portrayed characters. I'm definitely going to read the next volume, but I'm going to read something else and then reread this volume again first.
I just read this for the second time. The artist changed partway through, and the second artist is better. There are little details like the tag showing at the back of a character's t-shirt that are wonderful. Still, the writing is what really shines. The idea of pairs of immortal warriors who hunt each other with one killing the other and then committing suicide is good. But the fact that it's been going on since the Stone Age, so long that no one knows why and accept it as necessary except the two main characters makes it better. The action sequences are well done with little dialogue, but the inner thoughts of the characters are brilliant. I can't recommend this highly enough.
I don't read as many comics as I used to mainly to save money, but also because of waning interest. It's comics like this that I love. The writing is excellent. I don't particularly like comics wherein I turn a page and see a few pages of all text to read, although there are exceptions. There is a lot of text in this comic, but it's not isolated on single pages, it's incorporated in the panels, and it provides background, internal thoughts, and atmosphere. And the premise of the story is excellent made even better with well portrayed characters. I'm definitely going to read the next volume, but I'm going to read something else and then reread this volume again first.
I just read this for the second time. The artist changed partway through, and the second artist is better. There are little details like the tag showing at the back of a character's t-shirt that are wonderful. Still, the writing is what really shines. The idea of pairs of immortal warriors who hunt each other with one killing the other and then committing suicide is good. But the fact that it's been going on since the Stone Age, so long that no one knows why and accept it as necessary except the two main characters makes it better. The action sequences are well done with little dialogue, but the inner thoughts of the characters are brilliant. I can't recommend this highly enough.
May 12, 2017
As a preamble, I received this book for free on netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I was first drawn to the comic because of the interesting concept. The vivid colours and the fun art style kept me interested, until the plot sort of fell apart. While I mostly enjoyed the 1st section, as the comic went on I became less infatuated, the art style was not enough to keep me engaged. And when the art style changed for the 3rd section, it was definitely a turn for the worse - Mali didn't even look like a woman anymore which was awkward.
It wasn't just the art style that got me down, the way in which other characters dialogue would be placed over the scenes of other characters was confusing and the concept didn't hold up. And as more and more people turned out to be sequels it reminded me of the ending of the second John Wick movie - why was every person in New York an assassin?
I was first drawn to the comic because of the interesting concept. The vivid colours and the fun art style kept me interested, until the plot sort of fell apart. While I mostly enjoyed the 1st section, as the comic went on I became less infatuated, the art style was not enough to keep me engaged. And when the art style changed for the 3rd section, it was definitely a turn for the worse - Mali didn't even look like a woman anymore which was awkward.
It wasn't just the art style that got me down, the way in which other characters dialogue would be placed over the scenes of other characters was confusing and the concept didn't hold up. And as more and more people turned out to be sequels it reminded me of the ending of the second John Wick movie - why was every person in New York an assassin?
August 27, 2016
I really liked this because the story grabs you right from the beginning with its interesting, moody characters, tons of action, and fascinating premise. However, I only gave it 3 stars because I found it confusing at times because nothing is explained and because the art completely changed halfway through. I know comics are drawn by different people sometimes, but the art is very different and I preferred the art at the beginning. I would read keep the series though because I want to know what happens.
April 13, 2017
Wow. I didn't read what this one was before I picked it up, so I went in blind, but it was not anything I ever would have thought of. Our lead wakes up to realize she a warrior in a war that's been raging since any of them can remember and the reasons are unclear as to why. But in every life time these soldiers "wake up" and remember their targets. Forever destined to hunting down the same person and starting the process again in their next life. Its trippy and super well done with great writing and art. Lots of good commentary on life and conflict.
May 4, 2017
*I received a copy of this book from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
I loved the artwork and it started strong, unfortunately, it went downhill from there. After a while I was just really bored. This is a very different type of comic than what I've read from Boom in the past. Hopefully it'll improve in the second volume, because the MC was very like-able.
I loved the artwork and it started strong, unfortunately, it went downhill from there. After a while I was just really bored. This is a very different type of comic than what I've read from Boom in the past. Hopefully it'll improve in the second volume, because the MC was very like-able.
May 30, 2016
Seductive and interesting, super-violent and a really cool story; again with the art shift halfway through, though! If this can maintain a consistent art quality throughout, I will be very excited about reading more of this gender-bent (sort of) time-tossed tale.
January 26, 2021
Very confusing. Had The Old Guard vibes, somewhat. Can’t decide if I’ll read the second volume or not.
April 27, 2023
1.5 stars rounded down because of all of the issues I have with this book. The only thing that redeemed it from a solid 1 star rating was a halfway decent ending. And even that wasn't amazing.
I have so many complaints. The writing is extremely confusing, it is choppy, it jumps back and forth in between timelines and characters but even that is hard to know for sure at the beginning since they reincarnate. The format goes from single page to across the pages which I found to be EXTREMELY confusing and happens about 3-5 times in the book. The writing doesn't flow well enough to even make that clear so I spent many minutes trying to decipher what was supposed to be happening.
Expect to be confused MANY times if you plan to read this.
Let's talk character development. I found the main character to be extremely unlikable from the beginning she starts off being whiny and overall immature which is ironic considering that she is supposed to be some thousands of years old. I will say that her development was good enough that I didn't HATE her by the end.
Here's what you NEED to know if you plan to read this (although I highly recommend just not): the rectangular boxes switch color based on the person. Trying to figure out which color was which person wasn't an easy task since these boxes do NOT coordinate with the graphics/pictures. Frequently these rectangle boxes are conversations/thoughts that are carried over from PREVIOUS SCENES. This was my single biggest most infuriating complaint about this book. Additionally, halfway through the book the art drastically changes. Enough to the point that one of the 'main' characters is completely unrecognizable, and the other two main characters are portrayed drastically differently (stylistically speaking).
Once again, I'm just going to recommend:
I have so many complaints. The writing is extremely confusing, it is choppy, it jumps back and forth in between timelines and characters but even that is hard to know for sure at the beginning since they reincarnate. The format goes from single page to across the pages which I found to be EXTREMELY confusing and happens about 3-5 times in the book. The writing doesn't flow well enough to even make that clear so I spent many minutes trying to decipher what was supposed to be happening.
Expect to be confused MANY times if you plan to read this.
Let's talk character development. I found the main character to be extremely unlikable from the beginning she starts off being whiny and overall immature which is ironic considering that she is supposed to be some thousands of years old. I will say that her development was good enough that I didn't HATE her by the end.
Here's what you NEED to know if you plan to read this (although I highly recommend just not): the rectangular boxes switch color based on the person. Trying to figure out which color was which person wasn't an easy task since these boxes do NOT coordinate with the graphics/pictures. Frequently these rectangle boxes are conversations/thoughts that are carried over from PREVIOUS SCENES. This was my single biggest most infuriating complaint about this book. Additionally, halfway through the book the art drastically changes. Enough to the point that one of the 'main' characters is completely unrecognizable, and the other two main characters are portrayed drastically differently (stylistically speaking).
Once again, I'm just going to recommend:
May 6, 2017
Disclaimer: I received an e-copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book starts out really interesting, introducing Mali, a teenage girl, whose life has been turned upside down after her stepfather was discovered to be a serial killer. And recently her hallucinations seem to grow stronger and stronger by the day. When she finds out that she is actually a reincarnated assassin, she needs to learn and remember a lot and that fast, as her past life is quickly catching up with her.
I adored the concept of reincarnated soul-enemies. Sadly there are still a lot of questions open, mainly why this slaughter is going on and who profits from it and in general, the whole thing is a bit hard to understand. I still liked the idea though and especially the ending of this first volume was very nice. I also liked how the reincarnations were incredibly varied, coming from different races, genders, and cultures.
However, one thing that really annoyed me was the sudden art style switch right in the middle of the novel? I did like the first art style a bit more, and while the second definitely was not ugly or anything, I still liked it, I had a really hard time figuring out who the characters were after that abrupt change.
This volume mostly focuses on the waking up part and realizing how messed up that whole killing each other for the rest of eternity thing actually is, so I have to say I still have hope for the second part of the novel to show us some more build up between the characters (which definitely was there in past times, we just weren't really shown it).
The strongest part of this comic are probably the characters, especially Mali. She is a fascinating MC and her character is just really fascinating. She starts out as an (understandably) angry teen with some problems and is then thrown into the cold water of having to understand her past lives. She is a great character.
All in all, I hope there will be more world building and explanations in the next volume. But for now this was an okay comic and while I liked it, there was just too much confusion all around for it to really grip me.
This book starts out really interesting, introducing Mali, a teenage girl, whose life has been turned upside down after her stepfather was discovered to be a serial killer. And recently her hallucinations seem to grow stronger and stronger by the day. When she finds out that she is actually a reincarnated assassin, she needs to learn and remember a lot and that fast, as her past life is quickly catching up with her.
I adored the concept of reincarnated soul-enemies. Sadly there are still a lot of questions open, mainly why this slaughter is going on and who profits from it and in general, the whole thing is a bit hard to understand. I still liked the idea though and especially the ending of this first volume was very nice. I also liked how the reincarnations were incredibly varied, coming from different races, genders, and cultures.
However, one thing that really annoyed me was the sudden art style switch right in the middle of the novel? I did like the first art style a bit more, and while the second definitely was not ugly or anything, I still liked it, I had a really hard time figuring out who the characters were after that abrupt change.
This volume mostly focuses on the waking up part and realizing how messed up that whole killing each other for the rest of eternity thing actually is, so I have to say I still have hope for the second part of the novel to show us some more build up between the characters (which definitely was there in past times, we just weren't really shown it).
The strongest part of this comic are probably the characters, especially Mali. She is a fascinating MC and her character is just really fascinating. She starts out as an (understandably) angry teen with some problems and is then thrown into the cold water of having to understand her past lives. She is a great character.
All in all, I hope there will be more world building and explanations in the next volume. But for now this was an okay comic and while I liked it, there was just too much confusion all around for it to really grip me.
October 7, 2019
Usually, I veer far away from science fiction/fantasy anything because it generally bores me, but Welcome Back had two items in its favor. First, it had a great premise: two soldiers being reborn for hundreds of years in order to kill each other. It had a very Killing Eve to me, and I was sold. Second, it was written by Christopher Sebela, who wrote the terrific crime thriller/romance Heartthrob. I couldn't put Heartthrob down, and so Welcome Back got a chance when I was able to get it for free on Kindle Unlimited (rip my membership).
I stand by what I thought originally: the premise is fascinating, and Sebela is a great writer. Unfortunately, I think Welcome Back has too many ideas and not enough consistent pacing/characterization. I found the "waking up" process to be particularly confusing and not well developed. Add in the shadowy organization, Mali's step-dad who was a serial killer/one of the reborn, and Tessa's entire tragic backstory, and you get too many puzzle pieces that never get put together. I wish Sebela had focused the story more tightly on Mali and Tessa: their cat and mouse game, their tension, and their history. That is where the storytelling here shined, and I particularly loved the last issue. If the story continues on in that vein in the second volume, it will be infinitely more satisfying.
If you're interested in cool fantasy/sci-fi concepts with assassins who , I'd recommend Welcome Back.
I stand by what I thought originally: the premise is fascinating, and Sebela is a great writer. Unfortunately, I think Welcome Back has too many ideas and not enough consistent pacing/characterization. I found the "waking up" process to be particularly confusing and not well developed. Add in the shadowy organization, Mali's step-dad who was a serial killer/one of the reborn, and Tessa's entire tragic backstory, and you get too many puzzle pieces that never get put together. I wish Sebela had focused the story more tightly on Mali and Tessa: their cat and mouse game, their tension, and their history. That is where the storytelling here shined, and I particularly loved the last issue. If the story continues on in that vein in the second volume, it will be infinitely more satisfying.
If you're interested in cool fantasy/sci-fi concepts with assassins who , I'd recommend Welcome Back.
June 18, 2017
I have to say that I was really intrigued by the premise of this comic. It's definitely interesting to see all these people being reborn in different timelines.
I have to say that my favourite part of the whole comic is the drawings. It has a good colour palette or, at least, I enjoy the colours that have been chosen to tell the story. There is a clear difference between the characters that exist in more modern terms and their past selves.
At the beginning, I was pretty confused by the action. It took me more than I like to admit to get what was happening. I guess that that is on me and not on the story itself. I like the whole idea of being linked and having to kill each other. However, that doesn't always work out that way. My favourite part about this is that it's unapologetically queer and I love that.
i'm not sure if I'll check out the following issues, to be honest, but I have to say that this was an entertaining read.
I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
I have to say that my favourite part of the whole comic is the drawings. It has a good colour palette or, at least, I enjoy the colours that have been chosen to tell the story. There is a clear difference between the characters that exist in more modern terms and their past selves.
At the beginning, I was pretty confused by the action. It took me more than I like to admit to get what was happening. I guess that that is on me and not on the story itself. I like the whole idea of being linked and having to kill each other. However, that doesn't always work out that way. My favourite part about this is that it's unapologetically queer and I love that.
i'm not sure if I'll check out the following issues, to be honest, but I have to say that this was an entertaining read.
I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
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