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The Red Star Vol. 1
Christian Gossett's landmark series redefined what a comic book could look like, while the story's rich history and brutal world brought motion picture scope to the comic page. Now the massive tale is presented in deluxe form, starting with this volume including issues #1-4 and 6-9.
232 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 10, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
March 25, 2021
2+. This book is doing some hard core self-promotion. The publishers blurb and the Wikipedia entry claim it made a lasting impact on comics. I don't see it.
The art is mostly good. They may have broken some ground in blending computer graphics and traditional illustration, but I don't have the background to be sure. It's more likely that his was a small step in the transition from the all pencil and ink styles of the 80s and 90s to contemporary styles.
The story and world building are sub-par. A future, alternate soviet union uses advanced technology and magic to hammer it's ethnic and religious minority republics into abject obedience. The central characters are war weary soviet Soldiers. Soviet propaganda imagery does pull some string and there is a little appeal, but they were the evil empire and it's hard for me to like them. The main characters to turn against their evil great leader, with the help of a strange giant-sword wielding Russian Valkyrie Angel lady.
The dialogue is flat. it isn't bad, but doesn't do anything to make up for the book's other faults.
One of the rebels runs around killing the psuedo-soviets with a hammer and sickle. Is that supposed to be a slap at the commies, or has the team mixed up their symbolism? It's hard to tell.
The art is mostly good. They may have broken some ground in blending computer graphics and traditional illustration, but I don't have the background to be sure. It's more likely that his was a small step in the transition from the all pencil and ink styles of the 80s and 90s to contemporary styles.
The story and world building are sub-par. A future, alternate soviet union uses advanced technology and magic to hammer it's ethnic and religious minority republics into abject obedience. The central characters are war weary soviet Soldiers. Soviet propaganda imagery does pull some string and there is a little appeal, but they were the evil empire and it's hard for me to like them. The main characters to turn against their evil great leader, with the help of a strange giant-sword wielding Russian Valkyrie Angel lady.
The dialogue is flat. it isn't bad, but doesn't do anything to make up for the book's other faults.
One of the rebels runs around killing the psuedo-soviets with a hammer and sickle. Is that supposed to be a slap at the commies, or has the team mixed up their symbolism? It's hard to tell.
May 10, 2024
Very Literary Sci-Fantasy Soldier Fic
What would happen if the Soviet Union used magic to expand their reach. Basically, everything the base Soviets did and more. Sure, it's ironically more high-tech, but that just means piloting spaceships and weaponizing soldiers even more. If anything, the Soviets are just more efficient in their overbearing ways. And it's great to see that from the soldiers who Basically log everything like soldiers tend to do, sometimes in poetic fashion. Including how all of that propaganda affects their actions; it's why they go back into duty despite all of their doubts. They all feel like real people trying to survive their inner turmoil with the people they love. So when there's hope for something better, you better believe a fight is going to break out between these believers and warmonger.
The illustrations are very eye-catching where the creators put their hearts and souls into it all. No detail is wasted where a character's design practically tell stories. The action and sci-fi effects are nothing to sneeze at either. But this is not a story you can read in one go. It's all about taking things in stride.
What would happen if the Soviet Union used magic to expand their reach. Basically, everything the base Soviets did and more. Sure, it's ironically more high-tech, but that just means piloting spaceships and weaponizing soldiers even more. If anything, the Soviets are just more efficient in their overbearing ways. And it's great to see that from the soldiers who Basically log everything like soldiers tend to do, sometimes in poetic fashion. Including how all of that propaganda affects their actions; it's why they go back into duty despite all of their doubts. They all feel like real people trying to survive their inner turmoil with the people they love. So when there's hope for something better, you better believe a fight is going to break out between these believers and warmonger.
The illustrations are very eye-catching where the creators put their hearts and souls into it all. No detail is wasted where a character's design practically tell stories. The action and sci-fi effects are nothing to sneeze at either. But this is not a story you can read in one go. It's all about taking things in stride.
November 20, 2021
Tha fuck did that come from?
August 3, 2025
I own this, and do recall reading it. But except for the general concept of quasi-zeppelins using both science and magic to cruise around various parts of an alt-history Soviet Union, bombing the living bejesus out of religious/political minorities..., I don't recall much about this.
Great art, flat dialog, and lacking much of a "so what?" factor IMO. Thumb through this in the bargain bin and maybe grab it on a whim, maybe it'll work for you. Maybe not.
Great art, flat dialog, and lacking much of a "so what?" factor IMO. Thumb through this in the bargain bin and maybe grab it on a whim, maybe it'll work for you. Maybe not.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews