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Cemetery Beach
A professional pathfinder breaks out of a torture cell, his only ally a disaffected young murderess, in pursuit of his worst extraction scenario ever: escaping on foot across a sprawling and secret off-world colony established a hundred years ago and filled with generations of lunatics. From Warren Ellis and Jason Howard, the creators of the critically acclaimed TREES (currently being adapted for television).
Collects CEMETERY BEACH #1-7
Collects CEMETERY BEACH #1-7
176 pages, Paperback
First published June 11, 2019
5 people are currently reading
252 people want to read
About the author
Warren Ellis
1,910 books5,767 followersWarren Ellis is the award-winning writer of graphic novels like TRANSMETROPOLITAN, FELL, MINISTRY OF SPACE and PLANETARY, and the author of the NYT-bestselling GUN MACHINE and the “underground classic” novel CROOKED LITTLE VEIN, as well as the digital short-story single DEAD PIG COLLECTOR. His newest book is the novella NORMAL, from FSG Originals, listed as one of Amazon’s Best 100 Books Of 2016.
The movie RED is based on his graphic novel of the same name, its sequel having been released in summer 2013. IRON MAN 3 is based on his Marvel Comics graphic novel IRON MAN: EXTREMIS. He is currently developing his graphic novel sequence with Jason Howard, TREES, for television, in concert with HardySonBaker and NBCU, and continues to work as a screenwriter and producer in film and television, represented by Angela Cheng Caplan and Cheng Caplan Company. He is the creator, writer and co-producer of the Netflix series CASTLEVANIA, recently renewed for its third season, and of the recently-announced Netflix series HEAVEN’S FOREST.
He’s written extensively for VICE, WIRED UK and Reuters on technological and cultural matters, and given keynote speeches and lectures at events like dConstruct, ThingsCon, Improving Reality, SxSW, How The Light Gets In, Haunted Machines and Cognitive Cities.
Warren Ellis has recently developed and curated the revival of the Wildstorm creative library for DC Entertainment with the series THE WILD STORM, and is currently working on the serialising of new graphic novel works TREES: THREE FATES and INJECTION at Image Comics, and the serialised graphic novel THE BATMAN’S GRAVE for DC Comics, while working as a Consulting Producer on another television series.
A documentary about his work, CAPTURED GHOSTS, was released in 2012.
Recognitions include the NUIG Literary and Debating Society’s President’s Medal for service to freedom of speech, the EAGLE AWARDS Roll Of Honour for lifetime achievement in the field of comics & graphic novels, the Grand Prix de l’Imaginaire 2010, the Sidewise Award for Alternate History and the International Horror Guild Award for illustrated narrative. He is a Patron of Humanists UK. He holds an honorary doctorate from the University of Essex.
Warren Ellis lives outside London, on the south-east coast of England, in case he needs to make a quick getaway.
The movie RED is based on his graphic novel of the same name, its sequel having been released in summer 2013. IRON MAN 3 is based on his Marvel Comics graphic novel IRON MAN: EXTREMIS. He is currently developing his graphic novel sequence with Jason Howard, TREES, for television, in concert with HardySonBaker and NBCU, and continues to work as a screenwriter and producer in film and television, represented by Angela Cheng Caplan and Cheng Caplan Company. He is the creator, writer and co-producer of the Netflix series CASTLEVANIA, recently renewed for its third season, and of the recently-announced Netflix series HEAVEN’S FOREST.
He’s written extensively for VICE, WIRED UK and Reuters on technological and cultural matters, and given keynote speeches and lectures at events like dConstruct, ThingsCon, Improving Reality, SxSW, How The Light Gets In, Haunted Machines and Cognitive Cities.
Warren Ellis has recently developed and curated the revival of the Wildstorm creative library for DC Entertainment with the series THE WILD STORM, and is currently working on the serialising of new graphic novel works TREES: THREE FATES and INJECTION at Image Comics, and the serialised graphic novel THE BATMAN’S GRAVE for DC Comics, while working as a Consulting Producer on another television series.
A documentary about his work, CAPTURED GHOSTS, was released in 2012.
Recognitions include the NUIG Literary and Debating Society’s President’s Medal for service to freedom of speech, the EAGLE AWARDS Roll Of Honour for lifetime achievement in the field of comics & graphic novels, the Grand Prix de l’Imaginaire 2010, the Sidewise Award for Alternate History and the International Horror Guild Award for illustrated narrative. He is a Patron of Humanists UK. He holds an honorary doctorate from the University of Essex.
Warren Ellis lives outside London, on the south-east coast of England, in case he needs to make a quick getaway.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 126 reviews
March 6, 2019
Warren Ellis and Jason Howard, the creative team behind Trees, reunite for a new series: Cemetery Beach. And I’m gonna stop there - I could describe the setup, the characters’ names and blah blah blah but it really doesn’t matter.
All you need to know is that, against a futuristic backdrop, two characters have to get from Point A to Point B and a whole mess of people are trying to stop them. That’s right, Cemetery Beach is just one long action sequence!
The characters and story are so basic that they’re unengaging to read, particularly as they’re unstoppable, making all attempts at action unexciting. The futuristic world isn’t very compelling and Ellis’ trademark sarky wit is largely absent with what little there is being unmemorable.
I guess the action’s well done so it’s readable enough and Howard’s art is fine. If you thought the Castlevania series Ellis wrote for Netflix was the jizz, you’ll probably like this, but I found Cemetery Beach to be one-note, unimaginative, boring, about as deep as a single crepe and just as satisfying!
All you need to know is that, against a futuristic backdrop, two characters have to get from Point A to Point B and a whole mess of people are trying to stop them. That’s right, Cemetery Beach is just one long action sequence!
The characters and story are so basic that they’re unengaging to read, particularly as they’re unstoppable, making all attempts at action unexciting. The futuristic world isn’t very compelling and Ellis’ trademark sarky wit is largely absent with what little there is being unmemorable.
I guess the action’s well done so it’s readable enough and Howard’s art is fine. If you thought the Castlevania series Ellis wrote for Netflix was the jizz, you’ll probably like this, but I found Cemetery Beach to be one-note, unimaginative, boring, about as deep as a single crepe and just as satisfying!
June 12, 2019
Not Warren Ellis’s best work, unfortunately. The plot is very thin, the entire book is basically one long chase scene and there are some interesting world-building ideas here, but they’re barely explored during the course of the series. Jason Howard’s art is wonderful though, and if there’s a silver lining here it’s that you get to enjoy a lot of his art completely uninterrupted by any dialogue or plot, which is nice. Still, the end result is very forgettable, which is not what I’m used to expect from one of my favorite writers.
July 16, 2022
Books that review themselves: "You know, at some point along the way, this stopped being fun."
This book-long chase scene/shoot-out just ground me down. Any interesting bits were drowned out by gunfire and crashes.
This book-long chase scene/shoot-out just ground me down. Any interesting bits were drowned out by gunfire and crashes.
October 8, 2019
What's with the low ratings here? Cemetery Beach was simplistic, sure, but it was also fast-paced, riveting, and brilliantly illustrated. The sci-fi concepts, though occasionally borrowed, felt fresh and exciting in this iteration. We're dropped without explanation onto an alien planet discovered in the 1920s and still largely using machines from that time. Various gunks and goops have kept humans alive longer than the typical life-span. Naturally, with such riches at hand, some humans have become overlords and some have become sub-human mutant slaves. Nifty!
The main character, Mike, gets just enough backstory to be interesting, though barely. His companion is also ill-served by the storytelling, basically just existing to perform sweet action moves. And that's kinda fine! Cemetery Beach is clearly attempting to pull a Mad Max - one long, thrilling chase sequence dotted here and there with subtle world-building. For the most part, it works! Other reviewers would disagree, it appears, but they're clearly totally wrong. Cemetery Beach is, if nothing else, super fun and stunning to look at, and therefore well worth reading.
The main character, Mike, gets just enough backstory to be interesting, though barely. His companion is also ill-served by the storytelling, basically just existing to perform sweet action moves. And that's kinda fine! Cemetery Beach is clearly attempting to pull a Mad Max - one long, thrilling chase sequence dotted here and there with subtle world-building. For the most part, it works! Other reviewers would disagree, it appears, but they're clearly totally wrong. Cemetery Beach is, if nothing else, super fun and stunning to look at, and therefore well worth reading.
October 25, 2019
1.5 stars.
This graphic novel was a disappointing read. The sci-fi premise is intriguing, but the story is undeveloped, and it's really just one long chase scene, with lots and lots of explosions. Sigh. The art is cool, hence the half star bump. Not one I'd recommend.
This graphic novel was a disappointing read. The sci-fi premise is intriguing, but the story is undeveloped, and it's really just one long chase scene, with lots and lots of explosions. Sigh. The art is cool, hence the half star bump. Not one I'd recommend.
November 11, 2019
Two well-deserved stars. Many other reviewers rated this book the same way. Read Sam’s review, it’s spot on. No matter how dynamic the art is, the writing is one-note, boring, totally uninspired and as low-energy as a dying battery. Basically, this is not even a story.
I read an interview with the author where he talked about this book as a "palate cleanser" in between volumes of another project he is working on, and where he proudly said "it's 140 pages with a 135 pages action scene", as an obviously self-aggrandizing statement. Too bad, because the book does NOT work, and it’s all because of those 135 pages of action.
I really did have high expectations for this one. But the entire plot does not add anything at all to the little 3 lines blurb that you can read up here under the title. A disappointment of unimaginable proportions. Do not buy.
I read an interview with the author where he talked about this book as a "palate cleanser" in between volumes of another project he is working on, and where he proudly said "it's 140 pages with a 135 pages action scene", as an obviously self-aggrandizing statement. Too bad, because the book does NOT work, and it’s all because of those 135 pages of action.
I really did have high expectations for this one. But the entire plot does not add anything at all to the little 3 lines blurb that you can read up here under the title. A disappointment of unimaginable proportions. Do not buy.
May 19, 2019
Hope you like explosions. I like explosions, they're okay, but this book taught me that they quickly become boring.
So a small group of rich entrepeneurs, scientists and industrialists worked out space travel in the 1930s, and they tootled off and colonised a planet. That sounds interesting, doesn't it? What would that society look like? How does it operate? You'll get an inkling, but not a lot more. You will get a lot of explosions, though.
Characters? Archetypes at best, I'm afraid, but have some explosions instead.
An exciting story? Well, there's an endless chase, peppered with explosions. I didn't think it was very exciting, but you might.
(Read as seven single issues.)
So a small group of rich entrepeneurs, scientists and industrialists worked out space travel in the 1930s, and they tootled off and colonised a planet. That sounds interesting, doesn't it? What would that society look like? How does it operate? You'll get an inkling, but not a lot more. You will get a lot of explosions, though.
Characters? Archetypes at best, I'm afraid, but have some explosions instead.
An exciting story? Well, there's an endless chase, peppered with explosions. I didn't think it was very exciting, but you might.
(Read as seven single issues.)
March 9, 2019
What a hilariously deflated effort from Ellis, starting off with excellent action and old-school sci-fi vibes and ending up a 6-issue-long chase sequence with barely any stakes and a hilariously underdeveloped plot. Basically, it feels like the first 20 minutes of an okay sci-fi movie and the payoff isn't worthy of the build-up, no matter how cool the art is.
October 31, 2022
Es un poco sangrante que Ellis abandonara Inyección o Trees para hacer un tebeo tan vacío como este. Una persecución bien dibujada por Jason Howard, con viñetas repletas de dinamismo y una secuencia de la acción ejemplar, pero una trama y un escenario exiguos que me llevan preguntarme a santo de qué tanta palabrería en el diálogo y el interés en contar la nada sobre la cual se apoyan. Para leer en la biblioteca o de saldo.
March 17, 2024
So back in the 1920s, a small group of scientists find and operate a way to travel off world. They discovered a new planet and set up a colony there. Overtime, I guess this event was lost or forgotten about. Fast forward to current times and they have learned about this. They sent a recon man, Mike Blackburn, to this colony to check it out and report back. He ends up getting captured. He breaks out and also frees Grace Moody as he needs a guide. The rest of the book ends up being one big action packed chase scene. While it was cool to see all of that, I would have liked to see these scientists discover this ability to travel off world. Would have loved to see when they first arrived and got set up on this new planet. So a pretty cool concept that they don’t really dive into. But I did think the ending was cool.
June 22, 2019
Ellis has much better novels out there
July 6, 2019
Breathtakingly violent & gleefully action-oriented, exchanges Ellis's typical dialogue for sharper, smaller versions of the same, wonderfully complimented by Howard's art. Loved this.
September 12, 2022
Question based on reading this book:
It's still en vogue to depict a fat, gluttonous king.
Do you think the body positivity things will make this a less common trope?
I get it, the king is fat while the people starve, however, I do think there are probably other ways to show that, honestly.
Don't get me wrong, I have no issue with a fat asshole of a king, I just wonder if there's a way to depict a no-fucks-given ruler other than by showing him eating a big turkey leg, probably also using it to point at stuff while he talks. There certainly is, right? Highly fashion conscious? Vain? Counting and recounting his cash in ways that don't make sense?
I think what I'm asking for is something unique, and it DOES get to the heart of this book:
This book is one that I don't think anyone would understand, however, you can rely on your audience having seen certain sci-fi, post-apocalypse scenarios at this point, so you can probably just throw some of that in there with impunity. But when you have a story that's too "Pull this from here, this from there, and everyone will get it due to prior experience with the material," it leaves me feeling like, "Well...I'll just skip this and go to the source."
There is ONE really good idea embedded in here: maybe this other planet is fucked up because in order to be the kind of person who'd just fuck off to some shittier planet, you have to be fucked up yourself.
It's a theory of short-term human evolution: so many of us are fucked up because back in the day, being fucked up enough to run into a battle or to do some other crazy shit did end up allowing for the survival of your bloodline, so those genes got passed down, where a gentler, more studious group of people may not have ended up passing down their genetic material.
Neat, huh?
Especially because I just saved you reading this book.
It's still en vogue to depict a fat, gluttonous king.
Do you think the body positivity things will make this a less common trope?
I get it, the king is fat while the people starve, however, I do think there are probably other ways to show that, honestly.
Don't get me wrong, I have no issue with a fat asshole of a king, I just wonder if there's a way to depict a no-fucks-given ruler other than by showing him eating a big turkey leg, probably also using it to point at stuff while he talks. There certainly is, right? Highly fashion conscious? Vain? Counting and recounting his cash in ways that don't make sense?
I think what I'm asking for is something unique, and it DOES get to the heart of this book:
This book is one that I don't think anyone would understand, however, you can rely on your audience having seen certain sci-fi, post-apocalypse scenarios at this point, so you can probably just throw some of that in there with impunity. But when you have a story that's too "Pull this from here, this from there, and everyone will get it due to prior experience with the material," it leaves me feeling like, "Well...I'll just skip this and go to the source."
There is ONE really good idea embedded in here: maybe this other planet is fucked up because in order to be the kind of person who'd just fuck off to some shittier planet, you have to be fucked up yourself.
It's a theory of short-term human evolution: so many of us are fucked up because back in the day, being fucked up enough to run into a battle or to do some other crazy shit did end up allowing for the survival of your bloodline, so those genes got passed down, where a gentler, more studious group of people may not have ended up passing down their genetic material.
Neat, huh?
Especially because I just saved you reading this book.
August 31, 2022
This is basically one giant, frenetic chase sequence in a hellish, industrial dystopia. It's actually pretty fun. There isn't much depth, but there are a bunch of flying tanks and explosions and gunfights and bad guys getting murdered. In terms of a flashy action setpiece, it's quite dope.
January 20, 2021
Jednoduchá akční kravinka, která je ale docela zábavná a svůj účel splní. Pokud si chcete užít jednu dlouhou akční scénu s nějakým tím občasným vysvětlením, tak tohle je přímo pro vás.
Read
June 6, 2019The team behind brooding first-contact series Trees cut loose with a far sillier slice of SF, in which one modern-ish Earthman is sent to investigate a vaguely dieselpunk space colony quietly established decades ago by a secret cabal. Which funnily enough is on the dystopian side – though some of the most powerful moments come when its inhabitants hear how 'oldhome' is getting along, and wonder if they're not better off where they are. Every now and then Warren Ellis does one of these fast-paced miniseries, teetering right on the edge of being outright black comedies, and they're seldom the work of his I enjoy most. But it takes about 20 minutes to read (which is fine so long as you're not paying for it – thank heavens some libraries survived austerity, and that Image have restarted the Edelweiss ARC pipeline), and when you're investing that little time then lots of "Space-Nazi gunk-drinking bodysnatcher giant toilet planet assholes!" getting blown up will do me for a light snack.
April 10, 2020
4
I enjoyed this fast paced storyline. Sure Warren Ellis has done better works, Trees is a favourite book of mine. The low score was a little shocking at first, but not everything needs to be loved by all. Image Comics release so many titles and it's hard to select or gamble on the ones you might predict are good or great. Cemetery Beach lands somewhere in the middle.
Why the 4?
The book was fast and relentless. They spend zero time on background, the comic narrative way. Ellis quickly points this to a Mad Max styled storyline and it quickly ramps into high gear. There's little slowing down and it's set piece after set piece. There's room to continue and if this book manages to find a cult audience, this might be worth another trip. It has an ending that can go either way. I liked the book and recommend it for fans of Road Warrior and Fury Road.
I enjoyed this fast paced storyline. Sure Warren Ellis has done better works, Trees is a favourite book of mine. The low score was a little shocking at first, but not everything needs to be loved by all. Image Comics release so many titles and it's hard to select or gamble on the ones you might predict are good or great. Cemetery Beach lands somewhere in the middle.
Why the 4?
The book was fast and relentless. They spend zero time on background, the comic narrative way. Ellis quickly points this to a Mad Max styled storyline and it quickly ramps into high gear. There's little slowing down and it's set piece after set piece. There's room to continue and if this book manages to find a cult audience, this might be worth another trip. It has an ending that can go either way. I liked the book and recommend it for fans of Road Warrior and Fury Road.
November 23, 2020
(3,5 of 5 for fairy good Michael Bay-ish action-packed dystopian SciFi)
Let's get the art off the table - it's OK-ish. I wouldn't mind something nicer, but the messy chaotic style fits the frenetic action and the ugliness of the setting.
Halfway between art and writing, the comics itself frequently annoyed me with chaotic panel sequences, weird scenes and chaotic action.
The story itself is good though. Even great. But it gets a bit spoiled by execution and even if I prefer shorter series or GN, this would deserve like 18-issues. But with Ellis, it would take forever to finish so on the second guess I take it back. But the story itself has great potential, but most of it feels unutilized thanks to the length.
The reading, despite all annoyances, was fun and the "parody" B covers are really great.
Let's get the art off the table - it's OK-ish. I wouldn't mind something nicer, but the messy chaotic style fits the frenetic action and the ugliness of the setting.
Halfway between art and writing, the comics itself frequently annoyed me with chaotic panel sequences, weird scenes and chaotic action.
The story itself is good though. Even great. But it gets a bit spoiled by execution and even if I prefer shorter series or GN, this would deserve like 18-issues. But with Ellis, it would take forever to finish so on the second guess I take it back. But the story itself has great potential, but most of it feels unutilized thanks to the length.
The reading, despite all annoyances, was fun and the "parody" B covers are really great.
July 17, 2019
Imagine Voivod and Napalm Death wrote a concept album while coked up after watching Fury Road. This is better than that.
I think I blitzed through this in at most three sittings but that could easily have been one if i had the time for it. It's a wild fast ride that literally scrapes the surface of a colony founded by crazed fascists at the start of the 20th century which has ossified into the sort of hierarchical mess you'd expect.
A lot of folk seem to be expecting something else from this, but it's perfect just the way it is.
I think I blitzed through this in at most three sittings but that could easily have been one if i had the time for it. It's a wild fast ride that literally scrapes the surface of a colony founded by crazed fascists at the start of the 20th century which has ossified into the sort of hierarchical mess you'd expect.
A lot of folk seem to be expecting something else from this, but it's perfect just the way it is.
August 3, 2019
Nothing but action-packed chase race. Good to take if you want something funny and quick and violent, full of action, not hard to read. I'm dissapointed because I expected something else. Great artwork though, all the scenes with killing and fighting and bang-bang here and there, but that's all I liked about this.
June 23, 2019
Moves like lightning but fails to move emotionally.
March 8, 2019
Back when he was writing mostly for DC/Wildstorm, Ellis did multiple mini-series, and I recall his saying something along lines of wanting to do short quick takes. Stories that were meant to read and enjoyed quickly and then you move on.
This began very much like an 80s action movie, which hey I like a lot of those types of movies. A long range Marine scout is sent to a colony which has pretty much fallen out of contact with Earth. He is almost immediately captured by the evil and corrupt colonial governor. The Marine escapes, and does so with a fellow captive, a rebel.
Yep, it is pretty much one long sequence of explosions and chase.
Is it well executed, yes.
What really saved this series for me? The twist Ellis put in at the end, one I really enjoyed.
I enjoyed it so much I almost hope no one ever talks him into writing a sequel.
This began very much like an 80s action movie, which hey I like a lot of those types of movies. A long range Marine scout is sent to a colony which has pretty much fallen out of contact with Earth. He is almost immediately captured by the evil and corrupt colonial governor. The Marine escapes, and does so with a fellow captive, a rebel.
Yep, it is pretty much one long sequence of explosions and chase.
Is it well executed, yes.
What really saved this series for me? The twist Ellis put in at the end, one I really enjoyed.
I enjoyed it so much I almost hope no one ever talks him into writing a sequel.
February 18, 2024
Simple, action paced ride that doesn't pretend to be anything else. Page turner from start to finish.
As usual, Ellis can give strange little twist to anything. This time I really liked setting in apocalyptic ray-punkish dark sci-fi world
And I really loved the art, simple rough sketches, but beautiful in its nature. What can complement crazy action ride more? 4.5* (Just because I would love to see follow up story)
As usual, Ellis can give strange little twist to anything. This time I really liked setting in apocalyptic ray-punkish dark sci-fi world
And I really loved the art, simple rough sketches, but beautiful in its nature. What can complement crazy action ride more? 4.5* (Just because I would love to see follow up story)
March 15, 2023
Characters? Character Development? Never heard of either of those things. This book is more like “Bang, bang, bang! GET TO THE CHOPPA! Bang, bang, bang! Kaboom! Kaboom! Kaboom, boom boom!”
3.5 Stars
3.5 Stars
June 18, 2019
Fun action movie style book with an interesting premise.
July 10, 2019
Es gibt Dinge, die musst du nehmen wie sie sind. Sie wollen nur eine Fingerübung, nur Unterhaltung sein. Autor Warren Ellis in einem Interview:
„Cemetery Beach“ ist ein Comic, der durch die Meisterschaft des Autorens Warren Ellis und des Zeichners Jason Howard besticht, über 160 Seiten in einem hohen Tempo eine Action-Sequenz nach der anderen anzuhängen, ohne dass es repetitiv wirkt.
In den 20er Jahren hat eine Gruppe von Industriellen insgeheim einen anderen Planeten kolonisiert. Die Verbindungen zwischen Kolonie und Erde sind seit Jahrzehnten abgerissen, als auf einmal ein Mensch, Mike, von den Kolonialisten gefangen genommen wird. Mike flieht mitsamt einer Mitgefangenen aus dem Gefängnis und versucht zu seinem „Raumschiff“ zurückzukehren. Das Kolonial-Regime versucht alles, um Mike an einer Rückkehr zur Erde zu hindern. Ergo die satten hundertfuffzich Seiten Verfolgungsjagd und Action-Sequenzen.
World Building findet nur rudimentär und verstreut quer über die Story statt. Das war deutlich mehr Potential drin, als es die hingeworfenen Bruchstücke hergeben – nicht zuletzt weil Ellis sich sehr deutlich von der gegenwärtigen US-Politik, Stichwort "The Wall", inspirieren ließ. Die Protagonisten zeigen nur wenig Profil. Etliches an Motiven der Akteure wird nur angedeutet, aber nie explizit ausgespielt.
Das kann man durchaus bedauern, aber das Buch (bzw. die zum Trade Paperback versammelten sieben Hefte) will dies nicht sein und verweigert sich Erklärungen.
Stattdessen Pedal to the metal von zirka Seite fünf bis zum Ende. Legitimiert durch eine handwerklich geile Umsetzung in Form der Seitenlayouts und Panelaufteilungen. Es liest sich genauso schnell wie ein Manga, ist aber durch Howard mit einem sperrigeren Zeichenstil versehen. Ein fetter, grober, kratziger Strich, rauhe Oberflächen, dynamische Anatomien, eine simple Farbpalette und ein sparsames, aber effizientes Setting.
Dies ist kein Comic-Fast Food, sondern ein Band, den ich immer wieder raus kramen werde, um mich am Geschwindigkeitsrausch zu ergötzen.
This one all started with Jason and I finishing up volume 2 of Trees and my saying, “You want to go into volume 3, or do you want to do a palate-cleanser kind of thing?” And Jason sobbing “oh god yes please.”
aus: „135 Pages of Action in a 140-Page Book: Warren Ellis on the Intense Adventure of Cemetery Beach“ auf barnesandnoble.com
„Cemetery Beach“ ist ein Comic, der durch die Meisterschaft des Autorens Warren Ellis und des Zeichners Jason Howard besticht, über 160 Seiten in einem hohen Tempo eine Action-Sequenz nach der anderen anzuhängen, ohne dass es repetitiv wirkt.
In den 20er Jahren hat eine Gruppe von Industriellen insgeheim einen anderen Planeten kolonisiert. Die Verbindungen zwischen Kolonie und Erde sind seit Jahrzehnten abgerissen, als auf einmal ein Mensch, Mike, von den Kolonialisten gefangen genommen wird. Mike flieht mitsamt einer Mitgefangenen aus dem Gefängnis und versucht zu seinem „Raumschiff“ zurückzukehren. Das Kolonial-Regime versucht alles, um Mike an einer Rückkehr zur Erde zu hindern. Ergo die satten hundertfuffzich Seiten Verfolgungsjagd und Action-Sequenzen.
World Building findet nur rudimentär und verstreut quer über die Story statt. Das war deutlich mehr Potential drin, als es die hingeworfenen Bruchstücke hergeben – nicht zuletzt weil Ellis sich sehr deutlich von der gegenwärtigen US-Politik, Stichwort "The Wall", inspirieren ließ. Die Protagonisten zeigen nur wenig Profil. Etliches an Motiven der Akteure wird nur angedeutet, aber nie explizit ausgespielt.
Das kann man durchaus bedauern, aber das Buch (bzw. die zum Trade Paperback versammelten sieben Hefte) will dies nicht sein und verweigert sich Erklärungen.
Stattdessen Pedal to the metal von zirka Seite fünf bis zum Ende. Legitimiert durch eine handwerklich geile Umsetzung in Form der Seitenlayouts und Panelaufteilungen. Es liest sich genauso schnell wie ein Manga, ist aber durch Howard mit einem sperrigeren Zeichenstil versehen. Ein fetter, grober, kratziger Strich, rauhe Oberflächen, dynamische Anatomien, eine simple Farbpalette und ein sparsames, aber effizientes Setting.
Dies ist kein Comic-Fast Food, sondern ein Band, den ich immer wieder raus kramen werde, um mich am Geschwindigkeitsrausch zu ergötzen.
July 8, 2019
I was surprised by the number of critical reviews of this comic. Lots of people put it down for lacking substance or emotional depth. In an edition of Orbital Operations, Ellis’ fantastic weekly newsletter, Ellis said of Cemetery Beach, “…this one all started with Jason and I finishing up volume 2 of Trees and my saying, “You want to go into volume 3, or do you want to do a palate-cleanser kind of thing?” And Jason sobbing “oh god yes please.” We decided to do an action piece. Jason likes to moodboard, in a way, and sends me art and photography he likes that sort of surround a space he’d like to play in. In the meantime, I was working out how to do an action piece that would also be an appalling punishment for Jason.”
I think Cemetery Beach is exactly what it set out to be, a delightfully relentless, Fury Road-ish chase across a 1980s-ish dystopian sci-fi off-world colony where everyone is at least as mad as the Mad Hatter. The art is fantastic and, so help me, whenever Warren Ellis puts words to paper or screen, I’m there to read them and I’m never disappointed. No matter where he takes me, I always feel I’m in good, unrelentingly creative hands. And no matter where his stories are set or who is doing the talking, there’s something about his dialogue that feels like home sweet-snarky home.
I think Cemetery Beach is exactly what it set out to be, a delightfully relentless, Fury Road-ish chase across a 1980s-ish dystopian sci-fi off-world colony where everyone is at least as mad as the Mad Hatter. The art is fantastic and, so help me, whenever Warren Ellis puts words to paper or screen, I’m there to read them and I’m never disappointed. No matter where he takes me, I always feel I’m in good, unrelentingly creative hands. And no matter where his stories are set or who is doing the talking, there’s something about his dialogue that feels like home sweet-snarky home.
May 1, 2019
I'm not entirely sure what the heck this was or what the point of it was--it's essentially one long chase, stretched out over seven issues. But it wasn't absolutely terrible. Inbetween things, we get a bit of a look at this weird other world where the action takes place (apparently, some secret group managed interplanetary travel sometime in the 1920s, but they burned their ships so that the colonizers had to either succeed or die; they succeeded, but is this new world a hell or a utopia?), but I don't think it's enough. The artwork is pretty sketchy throughout--it looks hurried and not fully developed. I don't know if there's more story to come--things are fairly well wrapped up at the end--but it might not be too terrible if it continues...
November 23, 2019
Mad Max: Fury Road as comic. Super fun.
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