Graphic Novel Review – East of West Volume 1: The Promise – Jonathan Hickman (Author) & Nick Dragotta (Illustrator)

Graphic Novel Review – East of West Volume 1: The Promise – Jonathan Hickman (Author) & Nick Dragotta (Illustrator)

Recommended for: Adults

I ordered this into the library based on a ‘Best of 2013’ list. There’s literally nothing on the back cover that gives you a hint as to what the story is about, so for once I was genuinely going into a story blind. I came out of it feeling very glad that I gave it a shot.

East of West is the story of Death, and his attempts to seek vengeance on those who attempted to destroy him and wish to bring about the end of the world. It’s set in a futuristic version of our world, with a mixture of steam punk and the Old West at play, and of course it plays heavily on the theme of the apocalypse. The other three of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (Death being the fourth) are present, working with a group of elites from around the world called ‘The Chosen’ to bring about the Rapture, with only Death and his estranged wife standing in their way. Their actions are led by ‘The Message’, a prophecy about the end times to which they all (mostly) subscribe.

It’s a different take on the apocalypse to have Death working against it, and it works really well. Setting it in the future makes a nice change because I don’t think I’ve ever seen a film or read a book where the apocalypse wasn’t happening in the present day (I presume it makes it more scary if you think that it could be happening right now). I’ll admit that it took me a short while to fully grasp everything that was going on (though I’d be lying if I said I was still 100% confident about it), but when you start to put the pieces together it fits nicely.

Character wise, it’s great seeing a new take on Death. I’m still not sure whether you’d call him a good guy or not, as he’s more just out for revenge, but I suppose if the end of the world comes about then Death kind of loses his M.O. really, doesn’t he? His wife is a fearsome badass, the type of which you’d be petrified to meet in real life, and the rest of the main cast are memorable, particulary Andrew Archibald Chamberlain, a British (I’m presuming) leader who has decided that he rather likes the world after all.

The illustrations have a very bleak feel to them which suit the story well, and are pretty graphic in places. Some of the supernatural characters, such as Death and his two witches, are very memorable in their style. It’s certainly not a bright and colourful graphic novel, though you’d be hard pressed to find someone who thinks that the apocalypse is such.

I’m intrigued to see where the story goes next, as we see Death riding off on a rescue mission, and I’d say it’s a perfect story for any who likes a bleak dystopian tale about revenge. I’ll be eagerly awaiting Volume 2.

8/10