Freakangels, Volume 1

In a post as-yet-unspecified-apocalypse, a bunch of young psychic men and women - who, it is implied, were heavily involved in the as-yet-unspecified - establish a sort of purple-tinted raggedy goth-engineer suicide-girl aesthetic safety zone in Whitechapel and protect it with brains and violence from predators and scavengers. When a girl arrives intent on their murder with a big gun, they realise their errant brother Mark, ejected years before, is still alive and causing mischief.

A set-up volume, introducing the world and the characters and, of course, the usual sarcastic-but-sensible tone. It ends with a fairly one-sided battle, demonstrating, presumably, why the Freakangels are a force to be reckoned with.

I read this when it was show more originally serialised online, and I'm interested to see how it flows in book form. Goes down easy, anyway, Ellis knowing how to structure and pace a narrative like nobody's business. Great art and the usual collection of lovable/repellant characters full of damage and drama. show less

The first print volume collecting the FreakAngels webcomic by Warren Ellis and Paul Duffield is very good indeed. The FreakAngels are a group of young mutants with psychic powers, who believe themselves to have been responsible for the collapse of modern civilization. They serve as warrior sentinels to a somewhat utopian community of a few hundred people assembled in Whitechapel in the midst of a flooded future London. The story was inspired by John Wyndham's Midwich Cuckoos, although the comics medium makes it hard not to read it in light of the X-men and other mutant superhero bands.

The characters are strongly drawn, with the central corps of the dozen FreakAngels complemented by a few key ordinary people. Dialog is often telepathic, show more and Ellis and Duffield manage to convey that with a number of seemingly effortless narrative and pictorial devices. As is typical of Ellis, there is some violence, the more brutal for being set in the midst of stretches of calmer, more reflective storytelling.

Paul Duffield's art is very beautiful. There's no garish four-color palette here: the future is gray and green and ivory, and the FreakAngels are pale and purple. The ruined and flooded cityscape is lovingly and credibly rendered.

The physical production of the Avatar Press softbound volume is quite satisfactory. The book's webcomic origins have two interesting effects. First, the page/panel design is quite inflexible, accommodating only quarter-, full-, and half-page rectangular panels. Second, the narrative pacing doesn't "chunk" into roughly 20-page "issue" components, as one can routinely expect from trade volumes that collect individual print comic books. Nor does it fully resolve at the end of this book. Having been frustrated by Ellis's apparently stalled Doktor Sleepless after reading its first trade collection, I'm relieved and gratified to see that there are already six FreakAngels volumes in print. show less

Twelve teenagers born with strange mental powers ended the world six years ago. Now eleven of them are living in Whitechapel, keeping the locals safe from the surrounding postaopcalyptic crime gangs who wants the territory. This first volume sets up this very intriguing premise and cast, but doesn't get around to doing much with it before the book is over (though we are treated to a brief, yet horrific, action sequence before it closes). But so much groundwork is being readied here, I have no reason not to trust Ellis' future volumes to deliver. Thumbs up.

I had read this online and it was interesting to compare the experience with reading the book. It's an interesting storyline with a group of psychic young people having been born at the same time with the same eyes and skin no matter where they came from. Six years ago the world ended. London is semi-submerged and they keep trouble away. Part of the problem is that they have too much power, one of them wants all the power and there are other factions that want to stop them.

Interesting and convoluted and I really should get back to reading it...

An intriguing start to the story of the eleven (twelve?) Freakangels in a gently postapocalyptic London. Ellis' intelligence and wit keep me fascinated, though his first collection is light on plot; he's establishing his setting and cast of characters before lighting the fuse.

This book collects the first batch of webcomics (still available for free at www.freakangels.com, with subsequent episodes already posted) by Warren Ellis and Paul Duffield. I bought the hard copy because I want to encourage them to continue the series, and I like the experience of flipping through a book more than the (ever-so-faintly annoying) interface on the site.

One minor note: the colours, which were glorious on the screen, seem muddier on the page. I show more haven't done a direct comparison yet, but I think Avatar flubbed something when adapting the images.

This series looks like it's going to be wonderful. It's getting more intense each week, and promises to be among Ellis' best work. Free Warren Ellis with gorgeous art - if you're a comics fan, and you aren't following freakangels.com, what are you doing? show less

Warren Ellis has been actually on my to-read list for the last year or so with his novel [b:Crooked Little Vein|43717|Crooked Little Vein|Warren Ellis|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1186350688s/43717.jpg|2640005]. I've been given books and purchasing books at a rapid rate so his novel has been pushed to the back burner constantly. However, when Alaina recommended this graphic novel to me and I had noticed his name pasted on the cover, I was pretty excited that I could squeeze it in.

Twenty-three years ago, twelve children were born in England with strange abilities. 6 years ago, the world ended. While it's not directly mentioned how the apocalypse was brought about, it appears that the Freakangels had something to do with it. One of show more the clan members however, has seemingly gone rouge when a shotgun wielding girl shows up on their doorstep threatening vengeance for his actions.

While it took me a few pages to really get into the story, the artwork grabbed me right away. Ellis doesn't show all his cards in this first issue - we're still in the dark on the identity of the rouge angel as well as his intentions.

If anything, Ellis leaves you wanting more. A lot of first issues spend a great deal of time explaining everything but with this series, Ellis throws you right in the mix. I can't wait to get my hands on the second volume. show less

I follow this webcomic online, and so put the dead trees version down on my Christmas list. Much like MegaTokyo, the cohesion offered by a hard copy graphic novel enhances the story, and truly showcases the artwork. I loved it, and intend on collecting the rest. I'm fairly certain that Arkady will remain my favorite character.