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The Magic Order (Single Issues)
The Magic Order #1
We live in a world where we've never seen a monster, and The Magic Order is the reason we sleep safely in our beds. Magic meets the mob in THE MAGIC ORDER, as five families of magicians—sworn to protect our world for generations—must battle an enemy who's picking them off one by one. By day, they live among us as our neighbors, friends, and co-workers, but by night, they are the sorcerers, magicians, and wizards that protect us from the forces of darkness…unless the darkness gets them first. MARK MILLAR's first NETFLIX comic book, drawn by the incredible OLIVIER COIPEL (Amazing Spider-Man, Thor).
37 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 13, 2018
23 people are currently reading
427 people want to read
About the author
Mark Millar
1,520 books2,569 followersMark Millar is the New York Times best-selling writer of Wanted, the Kick-Ass series, The Secret Service, Jupiter’s Legacy, Jupiter’s Circle, Nemesis, Superior, Super Crooks, American Jesus, MPH, Starlight, and Chrononauts. Wanted, Kick-Ass, Kick-Ass 2, and The Secret Service (as Kingsman: The Secret Service) have been adapted into feature films, and Nemesis, Superior, Starlight, War Heroes, Jupiter’s Legacy and Chrononauts are in development at major studios.
His DC Comics work includes the seminal Superman: Red Son, and at Marvel Comics he created The Ultimates – selected by Time magazine as the comic book of the decade, Wolverine: Old Man Logan, and Civil War – the industry’s biggest-selling superhero series in almost two decades.
Mark has been an Executive Producer on all his movie adaptations and is currently creative consultant to Fox Studios on their Marvel slate of movies.
His DC Comics work includes the seminal Superman: Red Son, and at Marvel Comics he created The Ultimates – selected by Time magazine as the comic book of the decade, Wolverine: Old Man Logan, and Civil War – the industry’s biggest-selling superhero series in almost two decades.
Mark has been an Executive Producer on all his movie adaptations and is currently creative consultant to Fox Studios on their Marvel slate of movies.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
August 1, 2023
(A-) 82% | Very Good
Notes: Read in trade paperback. Collective review for issues #1-6 can be found here: The Magic Order, Vol. 1.
Notes: Read in trade paperback. Collective review for issues #1-6 can be found here: The Magic Order, Vol. 1.
June 14, 2018
Gob Bluth is why I can’t take magicians in fiction seriously anymore - in the best possible way, because Arrested Development is too damn funny! But y’know what? Surprisingly, The Magic Order #1 wasn’t abracada-bad. Even more shocking - this was written by Hack Millar! Quite the trick indeed.
So, despite thinking this was going to be a blatant copy of those pitiful magic/heist Now You See Me movies (years of reading Millar’s derivative output has conditioned me to expect the worst), The Magic Order is actually The Godfather - with added sequins and wands. “Good” magicians are being assassinated by a dude who looks like Guy Davis’ The Marquis while dreary family drama plays out amongst The Magic Order.
The murders are what interested me the most. The Marquis dude is creepy and visually striking, the killings are exciting and that last one is particularly imaginative and haunting. I quite liked the introduction of Cordelia Moonstone, the wayward escapist daughter, though the whole Moonstone family situation, as well as the “protectors of the world” flashback, felt like an uninspired rehash of Jupiter’s Legacy.
I couldn’t have cared less about Gabriel Moonstone’s cheesy melodramatic backstory, the bad guys who showed up at the funeral were hammy as hell and seeing the different sides squaring off made me unintentionally laugh as it reminded me of the South Park psychics’ battles. I appreciate Olivier Coipel’s skilful art but I’m not hugely taken with it, though Dave Stewart’s painted colours are really something.
Well, well – a half-decent Mark Millar comic at long last! Hopefully the rest of the title (and forthcoming Netflix adaptation) continues in this vein – or, dare I say it, gets better – but for now The Magic Order #1 is an auspicious beginning for this new series.
So, despite thinking this was going to be a blatant copy of those pitiful magic/heist Now You See Me movies (years of reading Millar’s derivative output has conditioned me to expect the worst), The Magic Order is actually The Godfather - with added sequins and wands. “Good” magicians are being assassinated by a dude who looks like Guy Davis’ The Marquis while dreary family drama plays out amongst The Magic Order.
The murders are what interested me the most. The Marquis dude is creepy and visually striking, the killings are exciting and that last one is particularly imaginative and haunting. I quite liked the introduction of Cordelia Moonstone, the wayward escapist daughter, though the whole Moonstone family situation, as well as the “protectors of the world” flashback, felt like an uninspired rehash of Jupiter’s Legacy.
I couldn’t have cared less about Gabriel Moonstone’s cheesy melodramatic backstory, the bad guys who showed up at the funeral were hammy as hell and seeing the different sides squaring off made me unintentionally laugh as it reminded me of the South Park psychics’ battles. I appreciate Olivier Coipel’s skilful art but I’m not hugely taken with it, though Dave Stewart’s painted colours are really something.
Well, well – a half-decent Mark Millar comic at long last! Hopefully the rest of the title (and forthcoming Netflix adaptation) continues in this vein – or, dare I say it, gets better – but for now The Magic Order #1 is an auspicious beginning for this new series.
July 23, 2023
Something is stirring up trouble to upset the old magic order that lies beneath the mundane world.
This is a strong first issue that introduces a family at the heart of it, reminds me of Jupiter's Legacy. Is Millar running low on the creative juice?
Even if Miller is reusing an old plot point, along with a few new ones, at least it has Olivier Coipel render it all with his gorgeous line art. That alone is worth the price of admission.
This is a strong first issue that introduces a family at the heart of it, reminds me of Jupiter's Legacy. Is Millar running low on the creative juice?
Even if Miller is reusing an old plot point, along with a few new ones, at least it has Olivier Coipel render it all with his gorgeous line art. That alone is worth the price of admission.
May 4, 2019
COP: "What kind of person gets arrested at a five-year-old's birthday party?"
CORDELIA: "The magician, obviously."
COP: How the hell does that even happen? You're supposed to be in there making balloon animals and shit."
CORDELIA: "Well, I guess it all took a turn for the worse when the mother caught me fucking her husband in the kitchen. She threw a punch. I hit her back. Next thing you know, we're wrestling on a bouncy castle and some kid's having an asthma attack. I think the moral of the story is never pour vodka on your breakfast cereal when you run out of milk."
Not for children, obviously. Secret organization of wizards protects the world from bad things (demons, etc.) without their knowledge. But it's less Avengers and more Mafia. For instance, the comic opens with a wizard taking control of a little child and sending the child into his parents' bedroom to cut his father's throat with a butcher knife.
You know. That sort of thing.
Looks dark, but has promise. We'll see.
I hear Netflix owns it and has rated it M for Mature. LOL
CORDELIA: "The magician, obviously."
COP: How the hell does that even happen? You're supposed to be in there making balloon animals and shit."
CORDELIA: "Well, I guess it all took a turn for the worse when the mother caught me fucking her husband in the kitchen. She threw a punch. I hit her back. Next thing you know, we're wrestling on a bouncy castle and some kid's having an asthma attack. I think the moral of the story is never pour vodka on your breakfast cereal when you run out of milk."
Not for children, obviously. Secret organization of wizards protects the world from bad things (demons, etc.) without their knowledge. But it's less Avengers and more Mafia. For instance, the comic opens with a wizard taking control of a little child and sending the child into his parents' bedroom to cut his father's throat with a butcher knife.
You know. That sort of thing.
Looks dark, but has promise. We'll see.
I hear Netflix owns it and has rated it M for Mature. LOL
October 11, 2018
This is published by Netflix which is kind of strange, no?
Promising start at least.
Promising start at least.
July 29, 2018
I am not a Comic Book fan. I don't know who Mark Millar is, and I haven't read a lot of comics to be a fair reviewer. However, I absolutely loved this comic! It is so far very captivating and looks well designed.
It is very difficult to write a good story in just 30 odd pages but the Magic Order impresses you. It feels like Harry Potter for grown ups. The comic in a way solves my biggest critique of the HP series that it is more suited for kids and grown ups who read grimdark would find it mild. However This comic redefines magicians and yanks them into our world of hate. rage and violence. I hope they continue to surprise
Again, I am not a comic book reader but I liked the way this book was drawn. The expressions were good, the framing of a scene in a page was to me fantastic and I especially loved the use of colour black.
Definitely recommended for both Fantasy and Comic fans alike.
It is very difficult to write a good story in just 30 odd pages but the Magic Order impresses you. It feels like Harry Potter for grown ups. The comic in a way solves my biggest critique of the HP series that it is more suited for kids and grown ups who read grimdark would find it mild. However This comic redefines magicians and yanks them into our world of hate. rage and violence. I hope they continue to surprise
Again, I am not a comic book reader but I liked the way this book was drawn. The expressions were good, the framing of a scene in a page was to me fantastic and I especially loved the use of colour black.
Definitely recommended for both Fantasy and Comic fans alike.
June 26, 2018
The Magic Order has that mature Fantastic Beasts vibe which I'd definitely watch in Netflix.
Besides that Facebook AR gimmick in the front cover, I bought this because Mark Millar always deliver a good first issue in his series. The Magic Order is no exception to that. It gives its readers that otherworldly vibe so real that it might just be existing in this world, bit we normal people kuat don't know it. This first issue is solid, smartly-written amd most of all, an enjoyable read.
The plot elements though are not that new in "secret society" stories. You have that usual death insode the order and conspiracy tropes that we have seen before. I bet a hundred bucks that there'd be a traitor character somewbere down the issues in this series.
Overall, I'd recommend The Magic Order to anybody. You rarely see a comic series about magic in the real world.
Besides that Facebook AR gimmick in the front cover, I bought this because Mark Millar always deliver a good first issue in his series. The Magic Order is no exception to that. It gives its readers that otherworldly vibe so real that it might just be existing in this world, bit we normal people kuat don't know it. This first issue is solid, smartly-written amd most of all, an enjoyable read.
The plot elements though are not that new in "secret society" stories. You have that usual death insode the order and conspiracy tropes that we have seen before. I bet a hundred bucks that there'd be a traitor character somewbere down the issues in this series.
Overall, I'd recommend The Magic Order to anybody. You rarely see a comic series about magic in the real world.
August 27, 2018
Wow! Impressive! The artwork is super amazing, and the whole book has that Fantastic Beasts vibe which is irresistible. Great story, not the first time I've come across orders and magicians being hunted down but I have a good feeling about this one.
July 9, 2018
An interesting twist to magicians.
June 14, 2018
This new series is Netflix’s first foray into the comic book world…and I’ve got to say I’m impressed. They managed to land Mark Millar for the series, who’s done some incredible series in the past (no pun intended there), so it isn’t terribly surprising, but it is nice.
This series had no fear of starting out with a bang. Not literally, but it does start with a major move that’ll immediately grab your attention. I also enjoyed the magic system, what we’ve seen of it so far. I’m curious to see where things are going to go from here. Time will only tell.
This series had no fear of starting out with a bang. Not literally, but it does start with a major move that’ll immediately grab your attention. I also enjoyed the magic system, what we’ve seen of it so far. I’m curious to see where things are going to go from here. Time will only tell.
June 21, 2018
There were aspects of this I found really interesting, but I just don't have an desire to continue this. If it were an actual TV show on Netflix I might watch it, but as a comic I just don't care enough.
July 1, 2018
I consider myself as big as a Mark Millar fan as anyone, but I am a bit perplexed by the news of more Kick-A** and Kingsman movies being ordered. Surely, we are running out of steam on these franchises. This is on top of Millar partnering with Netflix for what is called the First Netflix Graphic Novel- the Magic Order.
I don't really know what that means, my comic shop owner friend said he got traffic for The Magic Order that he never seen before. So, it apparently worked.
I just think we have reached peak Millar for awhile, and getting excited over Millar seems so early-201xs like oh say, getting excited by a new something from Dane Cook or Blackeyed Peas or Glenn Beck.
In any case, I still consider myself a big fan, so here we are.
This comic had a few things besides the Netflix tie-in to get it some (**no such thing as bad**) publicity like full frontal male nudity and no reorders (only one printing).
All that said, as much as I like Millar and the hype, The Magic Order falls a bit flat.
There's plenty of the Millar sex and ultraviolence. I also don't blame Oliver Copiel who gives good illustrations as is often expected in Millarworld. It's not the pacing (at $4, the book moves quickly and isn't bogged with exposition, but still has plenty of content for money).
Maybe it's not even the idea- which has been explained a few ways, but is hard to beat as a "Harry Potter meet The Sopranos". Millar doesn't seem to do a lot that grabs in the first issue. Surely, it suffers in comparison to the works of Warren Ellis who would have likely knocked this one out of the park. Though Millar surely has the ability, no one seems to be able to compete with warrior mages on the level of Ellis these days.
Which is where this book ends for me. It's not bad, but nothing stands out. Perhaps I have read too many Vertigo titles over the years, but no character really stood out for me as well. Even at some of Millar's weakest points (MPH, Huck, Empress), I always took a heavy impression away from the story.
I didn't really do that with The Magic Order, which surely could have been done by others (Ellis, Morrison) with more pizzazz, more humor (Ennis) or at least equally competently by the likes of Peter Milligan.
I will stick with the series since there are elements there, but I am a bit underwhelmed walking out of issue one.
I don't really know what that means, my comic shop owner friend said he got traffic for The Magic Order that he never seen before. So, it apparently worked.
I just think we have reached peak Millar for awhile, and getting excited over Millar seems so early-201xs like oh say, getting excited by a new something from Dane Cook or Blackeyed Peas or Glenn Beck.
In any case, I still consider myself a big fan, so here we are.
This comic had a few things besides the Netflix tie-in to get it some (**no such thing as bad**) publicity like full frontal male nudity and no reorders (only one printing).
All that said, as much as I like Millar and the hype, The Magic Order falls a bit flat.
There's plenty of the Millar sex and ultraviolence. I also don't blame Oliver Copiel who gives good illustrations as is often expected in Millarworld. It's not the pacing (at $4, the book moves quickly and isn't bogged with exposition, but still has plenty of content for money).
Maybe it's not even the idea- which has been explained a few ways, but is hard to beat as a "Harry Potter meet The Sopranos". Millar doesn't seem to do a lot that grabs in the first issue. Surely, it suffers in comparison to the works of Warren Ellis who would have likely knocked this one out of the park. Though Millar surely has the ability, no one seems to be able to compete with warrior mages on the level of Ellis these days.
Which is where this book ends for me. It's not bad, but nothing stands out. Perhaps I have read too many Vertigo titles over the years, but no character really stood out for me as well. Even at some of Millar's weakest points (MPH, Huck, Empress), I always took a heavy impression away from the story.
I didn't really do that with The Magic Order, which surely could have been done by others (Ellis, Morrison) with more pizzazz, more humor (Ennis) or at least equally competently by the likes of Peter Milligan.
I will stick with the series since there are elements there, but I am a bit underwhelmed walking out of issue one.
June 16, 2018
Great debut issue! It has some shocking violence, cool magic, and the beginnings of strong character development and world-building. The art is also fantastic. I’m excited for this.
July 9, 2018
This was interesting. Real strong first issue, I think this has a lot of potential, gonna be picking up issue #2 for sure.
November 24, 2021
It's official... I've seen my first comic book penis. I'm not going to go into details, but it was weird. Not the penis per se, but the shapeshifter impersonating the naked man... Why did he know what that man's penis looked like? Moving on!
I think I'm going to read the next issue before making a decision, but I'm still on the fence. I liked the dysfunctional family dynamic, and I'm curious if they end up working together to fight this new threat.
The new threat wasn't very subtle, but their methods were brutal. If you're squeamish, I would recommend staying away from this one. I legitimately shuddered after reading the first page, and I don't think it's going to get better anytime soon. They're gearing up for a fight.
Magic, monsters, and a murder mystery--my interest is piqued!
I think I'm going to read the next issue before making a decision, but I'm still on the fence. I liked the dysfunctional family dynamic, and I'm curious if they end up working together to fight this new threat.
The new threat wasn't very subtle, but their methods were brutal. If you're squeamish, I would recommend staying away from this one. I legitimately shuddered after reading the first page, and I don't think it's going to get better anytime soon. They're gearing up for a fight.
Magic, monsters, and a murder mystery--my interest is piqued!
June 13, 2018
Thanks to Image Comics for the digital ARC
Millar has created a violent and captivating world, full of dark magic and sorcery, that would make Harry Potter turn tail and run.
I cannot wait to see what Issue #2 holds and luck for us, we only have to wait a month.
Millar has created a violent and captivating world, full of dark magic and sorcery, that would make Harry Potter turn tail and run.
I cannot wait to see what Issue #2 holds and luck for us, we only have to wait a month.
June 24, 2018
Amazing mind-warping art (yeah...the clothing caused several back-and-forth page flips), great writing that you is only going to get more complex and insane, and the overall feeling that this is going to be something special.
Clever, clever, clever. Roll on issue 2.
Clever, clever, clever. Roll on issue 2.
July 25, 2018
The storyline's really good, the art is beautiful and catchy, it sounds promissing!
June 30, 2018
There’s a lot of cliches here but the premise intrigued me and I’m particularly interested in Gabriel as a character. Wish it was a little less hokey with the mask-wearing super villain and the magneto-esque “evil” witch and her coderie, but I’m interested to see where this goes.
March 14, 2019
I was expecting something more than what felt like a fairly standard urban fantasy plot device. Maybe that comes later?
August 14, 2024
I was very skeptical going into this because Millar books are in my opinion often very overrated, but I actually enjoyed this issue a l0t. Millar's writing is toned down enough to be enjoyable, although apart from some neat ideas it's really nothing too crazy. Like most of his stuff everything is elevated a lot by the artwork, both on a purely technical level but also because of some very nice imaginative panels.
April 17, 2022
Dark and serious
A dark magical secret world of magicians, not a lot of information on the first issue but enough to get me interested for the second issue
A dark magical secret world of magicians, not a lot of information on the first issue but enough to get me interested for the second issue
May 14, 2022
A great start
I just started this and so far so good.the artwork is really well done looking forward to the rest of the volume
I just started this and so far so good.the artwork is really well done looking forward to the rest of the volume
August 7, 2018
Three stars is probably the right rating for this title, but I'm having a difficult time wading through my biases to be sure I'm being fair.
I came across a copy in my reading pile. Which was annoying because, despite being somewhat intrigued by it, I had not wanted to buy a copy. Probably not for a good reason, just a business-related thing I read about the title. So I'm trying not to factor that in.
The other thing I am trying to not let influence me is the writer's name. It feels, lately, like when I've seen his name attached to a title, I have been intrigued by the premise, but have found the execution to not be to my taste. And so…I am afraid of taking the expectations set up by issue #1, because I am afraid he's going to disappoint.
This issue was more enjoyable than I expected. There were a couple of pages not to my taste, but fewer than I would have expected from Millar. I'm not going to buy issues. But I will hope my local library buys a copy, when it is collected. Because I am interested to see what happens. But not interested enough to buy each issue. Not interested enough to buy the collection (and only possibly interested if I found the collection on sale). Once bitten, twice shy, and all that.
I came across a copy in my reading pile. Which was annoying because, despite being somewhat intrigued by it, I had not wanted to buy a copy. Probably not for a good reason, just a business-related thing I read about the title. So I'm trying not to factor that in.
The other thing I am trying to not let influence me is the writer's name. It feels, lately, like when I've seen his name attached to a title, I have been intrigued by the premise, but have found the execution to not be to my taste. And so…I am afraid of taking the expectations set up by issue #1, because I am afraid he's going to disappoint.
This issue was more enjoyable than I expected. There were a couple of pages not to my taste, but fewer than I would have expected from Millar. I'm not going to buy issues. But I will hope my local library buys a copy, when it is collected. Because I am interested to see what happens. But not interested enough to buy each issue. Not interested enough to buy the collection (and only possibly interested if I found the collection on sale). Once bitten, twice shy, and all that.
February 22, 2019
I am counting this is my books for the year because I binge read the whole arc just now. I usually wait for the books to be thrown together in a graphic novel but I couldn't wait. I wanted to read this one right away! The Magic Order Volume 1 graphic novel will be released April 23rd.
The Magic Order protects us from all of the boogeymen and monsters out there waiting to destroy us while we just merrily go along living our life having no idea what dangers lurk all around us. I really don't want to go into too much detail as I don't want to spoil you but this is the kind of comic that you would enjoy even if you are not a comic fan. It really reads as a novel in many ways.
The story is beautifully written and the artwork is amazing! My favorite artwork in a book so far! I hope that Netflix does choose to turn this into a series!
The Magic Order protects us from all of the boogeymen and monsters out there waiting to destroy us while we just merrily go along living our life having no idea what dangers lurk all around us. I really don't want to go into too much detail as I don't want to spoil you but this is the kind of comic that you would enjoy even if you are not a comic fan. It really reads as a novel in many ways.
The story is beautifully written and the artwork is amazing! My favorite artwork in a book so far! I hope that Netflix does choose to turn this into a series!
July 12, 2018
I've never reviewed a single issue comic before, and while it feels somewhat incomplete, as a first chapter of a story tends to do, I can't help but wonder how the tale will spin outwards from what is essentially a rather underwhelming introduction. Yes it sets up the world of the Magic Order and hints at a lot that has yet to be elaborated upon but the sensation is more akin to blowing a dandelion, but in reverse. Seeing the pieces dance lightly into place to furnish you with a hazy first image leaves on just as tantalised as frustrated. 4 stars for the potential, 2 for the issue itself.
June 17, 2018
Wow!! What a first issue!
I really like the world building, interesting take on magic and magicians. And the art and colorings is amazing. Absolutely my cup of tea.
Can't wait for the next issue to be released.
(Oh, and the augmented reality thing you could do with the cover!!! that was awesome,, total joy for a nerd like me, :)
I really like the world building, interesting take on magic and magicians. And the art and colorings is amazing. Absolutely my cup of tea.
Can't wait for the next issue to be released.
(Oh, and the augmented reality thing you could do with the cover!!! that was awesome,, total joy for a nerd like me, :)
November 23, 2019
My rating is based only on the first third of the book because I didn't finish it.
The artwork is impressive for sure, very dark, too. On the first pages a little kid is forced by magicians to kill a man, puh...
I didn't get into the story and I didn't really like what I read (or saw) that's why I won't finish it.
The artwork is impressive for sure, very dark, too. On the first pages a little kid is forced by magicians to kill a man, puh...
I didn't get into the story and I didn't really like what I read (or saw) that's why I won't finish it.
June 30, 2018
Bought the comics version. The illustration is beautiful. Not a whole lot happened with this issue. Characters seem familiar as well as the style of writing. Doesn't feel original, but I'm already invested, Hoping for a twist.
July 26, 2018
Was looking forward to this mini series ( 6 issues ) and it didn't disappoint. At times I felt a bit lost with everything going on and trying to get all the players straight. Can't wait for the rest of the series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews