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GrimJack #2
The Legend of GrimJack, Volume 2
Continuing IDW's gathering all of the earliest GrimJack stories from the best-selling comic book series of the 1980s, The Legend of GrimJack Volume Two presents the first epic-length multi-part stories and introduces a major series villain. This volume also includes a brand new story and art, as well as reproductions of the original comic book covers.
160 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
About the author
John Ostrander
2,079 books176 followersJohn Ostrander is an American writer of comic books. He is best known for his work on Suicide Squad, Grimjack and Star Wars: Legacy, series he helped create.
Originally an actor in a Chicago theatre company, Ostrander moved into writing comics in 1983. His first published works were stories about the character "Sargon, Mistress of War", who appeared the First Comics series Warp!, based on a series of plays by that same Chicago theatre company. He is co-creator of the character Grimjack with Timothy Truman, who originally appeared in a back up story in the First Comics title, Starslayer, before going on to appear in his own book, again published by First Comics in the mid 1980s. First Comics ceased publication in 1991, by which time Ostrander was already doing work for other comics companies (his first scripts for DC Comics were published in 1986).
Prior to his career in comic books, Ostrander studied theology with the intent of becoming a Catholic priest, but now describes himself as an agnostic. His in-depth explorations of morality were later used in his work writing The Spectre, a DC Comics series about the manifestation of the wrath of God. His focus on the character's human aspect, a dead police detective from the 1930s named Jim Corrigan, and his exploration of moral and theological themes brought new life to a character often thought of as impossible to write. He has also worked on Firestorm, Justice League, Martian Manhunter, Manhunter, Suicide Squad, and Wasteland for DC.
Originally an actor in a Chicago theatre company, Ostrander moved into writing comics in 1983. His first published works were stories about the character "Sargon, Mistress of War", who appeared the First Comics series Warp!, based on a series of plays by that same Chicago theatre company. He is co-creator of the character Grimjack with Timothy Truman, who originally appeared in a back up story in the First Comics title, Starslayer, before going on to appear in his own book, again published by First Comics in the mid 1980s. First Comics ceased publication in 1991, by which time Ostrander was already doing work for other comics companies (his first scripts for DC Comics were published in 1986).
Prior to his career in comic books, Ostrander studied theology with the intent of becoming a Catholic priest, but now describes himself as an agnostic. His in-depth explorations of morality were later used in his work writing The Spectre, a DC Comics series about the manifestation of the wrath of God. His focus on the character's human aspect, a dead police detective from the 1930s named Jim Corrigan, and his exploration of moral and theological themes brought new life to a character often thought of as impossible to write. He has also worked on Firestorm, Justice League, Martian Manhunter, Manhunter, Suicide Squad, and Wasteland for DC.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
January 17, 2022
En este tomo se recopilan los primeros siete números de la serie regular de Grimjack (el primer tomo consta de las historias complementarias de Starslayer). Noto cierto alejamiento del tono de la revista 2000 AD, como si el personaje y la serie estuvieran más consolidados con su propio estilo, además de que la acción está en su justa medida y da paso, aunque sutilmente, a cuestiones sociales y políticas. Esto hace atractiva a la serie, ya que las historias aportan algo más que simple acción anodina.
November 4, 2022
The production may be little dated by modern standards, but these are some solid stories that manage to meld hard boiled noir with comic book science fantasy in a very unique way.
March 21, 2018
You have to read Grimjack with a certain awareness of when it was publishing, as John Gaunt's personality has been hijacked by about 900 characters in the past two decades, but Gaunt is the original. The first real anti-hero in comics, a man who operated outside of societal laws but held true to his own sense of honor and fair play. (Looking back, there also seems to be a good amount of 1980's the-world's-going-to-hell cynicism as well!) However, once you put yourself in the right frame of mind to read the adventures of Mr. John Gaunt, aka Grimjack, you should be able to sit back and enjoy the ride.
Gaunt takes on a slew of fun jobs in this volume -- helping a mother find out what caused her daughter to commit suicide is a great opening chapter, setting the grim mood of Grimjack's world, establishing the locales of Cynosaur, and showcasing John Gaunt's relentless pursuit of the truth, even after the client no longer wants to know just how deep her darling daughter had fallen.
The sentimentalist in me loved seeing John take the job in the second story, when a small child with a single coin asks for help in saving his father. Maybe he's got a soft spot for kids, or maybe it was just as he said, nobody'd ever given him their entire savings for a job before, but John takes the job and we discover a ton of history about Cynosaur and old foes are set up for future conflict. And John finds a way to complete the job AND make some money on it!
The longer story that caps this volume is gripping and twisted, although it's sometimes hard to keep track of the different organizations and what their supposed role in Cynosaur is. I enjoyed the comraderie that develops between John and Noleski, and seeing how the levels of Cynosaur's political and criminal strata tangle endlessly is constantly engaging.
Tim Truman's art is still pretty rough at this point. He's got tons of enthusiasm on these pages, sets mood pretty well and draws a rugged anti-hero like nobody else, although his pages are somewhat stiff, particularly when the characters seem to pose for the "camera."
Gaunt takes on a slew of fun jobs in this volume -- helping a mother find out what caused her daughter to commit suicide is a great opening chapter, setting the grim mood of Grimjack's world, establishing the locales of Cynosaur, and showcasing John Gaunt's relentless pursuit of the truth, even after the client no longer wants to know just how deep her darling daughter had fallen.
The sentimentalist in me loved seeing John take the job in the second story, when a small child with a single coin asks for help in saving his father. Maybe he's got a soft spot for kids, or maybe it was just as he said, nobody'd ever given him their entire savings for a job before, but John takes the job and we discover a ton of history about Cynosaur and old foes are set up for future conflict. And John finds a way to complete the job AND make some money on it!
The longer story that caps this volume is gripping and twisted, although it's sometimes hard to keep track of the different organizations and what their supposed role in Cynosaur is. I enjoyed the comraderie that develops between John and Noleski, and seeing how the levels of Cynosaur's political and criminal strata tangle endlessly is constantly engaging.
Tim Truman's art is still pretty rough at this point. He's got tons of enthusiasm on these pages, sets mood pretty well and draws a rugged anti-hero like nobody else, although his pages are somewhat stiff, particularly when the characters seem to pose for the "camera."
June 2, 2013
Grimjack was the creation of writer John Ostrander and artist Tim Truman first appearing as a backup in First Comic’s Starslayer. It soon proved popular enough to spin off into its own series, lasting 81 issues, though First’s bankruptcy prevented any new material from being published until 2005.
I have been reading comics for over 40 years now and Grimjack remains one of my favorite comic series of that era along with Sable, Nexus, Scout, American Flagg and others.
It’s sad that it’s so often overlooked, especially given its influence on other comics of the time (it pre-dated the “grim n’ gritty” wave that followed it). Give it a go and check out the reprinted material and (hopefully) make it worthwhile to produce more.
I have been reading comics for over 40 years now and Grimjack remains one of my favorite comic series of that era along with Sable, Nexus, Scout, American Flagg and others.
It’s sad that it’s so often overlooked, especially given its influence on other comics of the time (it pre-dated the “grim n’ gritty” wave that followed it). Give it a go and check out the reprinted material and (hopefully) make it worthwhile to produce more.
May 4, 2015
This volume collects the first seven issues of this great book from the early days of indie comics. It's a bizarre mashup of elements from detective noir, Mad Max, sci-fi and fantasy and exploitation films, and works beautifully. I used to read this comic in the eighties, and upon revisiting it so many years I find it hasn't lost its appeal, even if some its style may seem a tad dated now. Lots of fun.
April 13, 2021
Overall, my introduction to Grim Jack left me intrigued...but the stories began to lose their luster as I made my way through the collection. Ultimately Grim Jack is a very dated anti-hero and you start to lose a sense of danger after Grim Jack keeps overcoming impossible odds with a witty jab and a well placed shot or punch to the jaw. When he first encountered Jericho Noleski I was hopeful that we would finally see the one man who could beat Jack...but within three panels Noleski is brought down a peg and we once again left with a hero in Jack who has no equal in Cynosure. He can outfight, outshoot, and outsmart anyone who tries to square up with him and unfortunately this leads to a lack of tension as the story progresses. The only danger you feel are for the supporting characters who team up with him.
Later in the book when he punched out his former lover (Lilian Seffington) because she wouldn’t listen to him, well, at best you could say that was a product of the era...although it felt more like an example of a writer with a somewhat corrupt view of what masculinity entails.
Basically, Grim Jack started to feel like watching the Italian Spider-Man videos on YouTube. He was this invincible, untouchable alpha male that was so over the top that it soon became a parody of itself.
Later in the book when he punched out his former lover (Lilian Seffington) because she wouldn’t listen to him, well, at best you could say that was a product of the era...although it felt more like an example of a writer with a somewhat corrupt view of what masculinity entails.
Basically, Grim Jack started to feel like watching the Italian Spider-Man videos on YouTube. He was this invincible, untouchable alpha male that was so over the top that it soon became a parody of itself.
April 10, 2024
Ah the 80s! A time when independent publishers were generating sales number that DC and Marvel would kill for today! First Comics was one of the biggest and the best. Jon Sable, Scout, and GrimJack!
This volume actually contains the first five issues of the series. Volume one has the stories when John Gaunt aka GrimJack was the backup/companion story in Starslayer. Which, BTW, is another 80s gem you really need to find and consume.
While Ostrander is better know for the Spectre and Suicide Squad (two of my favorites from DC back then), it is here that he really cut loose when it came to examining the morality of his characters and their actions. He covered everything from drugs to suicide and police brutality to vigilantes. That's what Gaunt is at the heart of all this. He's no more a detective than Liam Neeson's character from 'A Walk Among the Tombstones'. I hope I got the title right.
What can I say about the artist, Tim Truman, that hasn't already been said? Nothing really, so dive into this TPB and enjoy the early years of an artist who is perfectly matched with the writer. It's rare when that happens, and I don't think these two have ever given us a bad issue in nearly forty years of collaboration. It's like Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, only better.
Find it! Buy it! READ IT!
This volume actually contains the first five issues of the series. Volume one has the stories when John Gaunt aka GrimJack was the backup/companion story in Starslayer. Which, BTW, is another 80s gem you really need to find and consume.
While Ostrander is better know for the Spectre and Suicide Squad (two of my favorites from DC back then), it is here that he really cut loose when it came to examining the morality of his characters and their actions. He covered everything from drugs to suicide and police brutality to vigilantes. That's what Gaunt is at the heart of all this. He's no more a detective than Liam Neeson's character from 'A Walk Among the Tombstones'. I hope I got the title right.
What can I say about the artist, Tim Truman, that hasn't already been said? Nothing really, so dive into this TPB and enjoy the early years of an artist who is perfectly matched with the writer. It's rare when that happens, and I don't think these two have ever given us a bad issue in nearly forty years of collaboration. It's like Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, only better.
Find it! Buy it! READ IT!
December 4, 2025
GrimJack is one of the most entertaining comics I have read in a long time. It features a great setting, incredible art, interesting stories, and memorable characters. GrimJack himself is a mercenary, a private detective, and everything in between for a price.
He follows a code, yet is sometimes willing to bend it; however, he will always seek the truth, even if it is to his client's detriment. He is a complicated man in a complicated world, with a deep history that I have yet to fully uncover.
He follows a code, yet is sometimes willing to bend it; however, he will always seek the truth, even if it is to his client's detriment. He is a complicated man in a complicated world, with a deep history that I have yet to fully uncover.
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December 27, 2019Thank goodness for IDM collections. I loved Grimjack and his adventures.
December 10, 2021
Great atmosphere and setting. Gaunt is a good character but yeah he gets out of jams way too easy. Otherwise, it's pretty fun.
December 1, 2024
Great series telling weird noir sci-fi stories with a distinctive gritty art style.
John Gaunt is one of the great world weary, slightly noble anti-heroes.
John Gaunt is one of the great world weary, slightly noble anti-heroes.
August 1, 2007
i was going to recommend this to fans of dark, violent comics, or dark, violent fans of comics. works just as well either way.
i found this at the library, and got quite a kick out of re-reading these stories. i bought the comics as they came out in 83.. and was surprised at how much i still like them. bizarre characters, classic one-liners, ("you're about to wear your ass for a hat" topping that list), and some good Old West-style justice. a mix of elements from Judge Dredd (depressing overcrowded violent not-so-distant future), and the violent but good hearted Preacher. i will definitely be tracking down the rest of the series.
i found this at the library, and got quite a kick out of re-reading these stories. i bought the comics as they came out in 83.. and was surprised at how much i still like them. bizarre characters, classic one-liners, ("you're about to wear your ass for a hat" topping that list), and some good Old West-style justice. a mix of elements from Judge Dredd (depressing overcrowded violent not-so-distant future), and the violent but good hearted Preacher. i will definitely be tracking down the rest of the series.
August 11, 2017
Ostander's Grimjack reminds me of another genre noir detective Glen Cook's Garrett. Both characters are war vets, friends with are honorable criminals and both driven by a code of personal honor. I love them both. It's been a long time, 20 or 30 years since I've read any Grimjack but this is a good place to start, an even better place is "Grimjack Omnibus, Volume 1" which includes these 1st 7 issues of the comic, plus 5 more along with his first appearance in Starslayer 10-17.
April 6, 2013
Solid in every way. Beautiful art, writing and storytelling. Fascinating characters.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews