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Arrowsmith
Arrowsmith, Vol. 1: So Smart In Their Fine Uniforms
The return of a classic! An oversized, fully remastered collection of the fantasy-adventure epic to accompany the all-new series. Young Fletcher Arrowsmith learns the true cost of war in an alternate history where dragons and magic spells are as much a part of World War I as bullets and barbed wire. This edition, in hardcover for the first time, will present the art as PACHECO originally intended.
Collects ARROWSMITH, VOL. 1 #1-6
Collects ARROWSMITH, VOL. 1 #1-6
160 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2004
25 people are currently reading
671 people want to read
About the author
Kurt Busiek
1,919Ìýbooks611ÌýfollowersKurt Busiek is an American comic book writer notable for his work on the Marvels limited series, his own title Astro City, and his four-year run on Avengers.
Busiek did not read comics as a youngster, as his parents disapproved of them. He began to read them regularly around the age of 14, when he picked up a copy of Daredevil #120. This was the first part of a continuity-heavy four-part story arc; Busiek was drawn to the copious history and cross-connections with other series. Throughout high school and college, he and future writer Scott McCloud practiced making comics. During this time, Busiek also had many letters published in comic book letter columns, and originated the theory that the Phoenix was a separate being who had impersonated Jean Grey, and that therefore Grey had not died—a premise which made its way from freelancer to freelancer, and which was eventually used in the comics.
During the last semester of his senior year, Busiek submitted some sample scripts to editor Dick Giordano at DC Comics. None of them sold, but they did get him invitations to pitch other material to DC editors, which led to his first professional work, a back-up story in Green Lantern #162 (Mar. 1983).
Busiek has worked on a number of different titles in his career, including Arrowsmith, The Avengers, Icon, Iron Man, The Liberty Project, Ninjak, The Power Company, Red Tornado, Shockrockets, Superman: Secret Identity, Thunderbolts, Untold Tales of Spider-Man, JLA, and the award-winning Marvels and the Homage Comics title Kurt Busiek's Astro City.
In 1997, Busiek began a stint as writer of Avengers alongside artist George Pérez. Pérez departed from the series in 2000, but Busiek continued as writer for two more years, collaborating with artists Alan Davis, Kieron Dwyer and others. Busiek's tenure culminated with the "Kang Dynasty" storyline. In 2003, Busiek re-teamed with Perez to create the JLA/Avengers limited series.
In 2003, Busiek began a new Conan series for Dark Horse Comics, which he wrote for four years.
In December 2005 Busiek signed a two-year exclusive contract with DC Comics. During DC's Infinite Crisis event, he teamed with Geoff Johns on a "One Year Later" eight-part story arc (called Up, Up and Away) that encompassed both Superman titles. In addition, he began writing the DC title Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis from issues 40-49. Busiek was the writer of Superman for two years, before followed by James Robinson starting from Superman #677. Busiek wrote a 52-issue weekly DC miniseries called Trinity, starring Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman. Each issue (except for issue #1) featured a 12-page main story by Busiek, with art by Mark Bagley, and a ten-page backup story co-written by Busiek and Fabian Nicieza, with art from various artists, including Tom Derenick, Mike Norton and Scott McDaniel.
Busiek's work has won him numerous awards in the comics industry, including the Harvey Award for Best Writer in 1998 and the Eisner Award for Best Writer in 1999. In 1994, with Marvels, he won Best Finite Series/Limited Series Eisner Award and the Best Continuing or Limited Series Harvey Award; as well as the Harvey Award for Best Single Issue or Story (for Marvels #4) in 1995. In 1996, with Astro City, Busiek won both the Eisner and Harvey awards for Best New Series. He won the Best Single Issue/Single Story Eisner three years in a row from 1996�1998, as well as in 2004. Busiek won the Best Continuing Series Eisner Award in 1997�1998, as well as the Best Serialized Story award in 1998. In addition, Astro City was awarded the 1996 Best Single Issue or Story Harvey Award, and the 1998 Harvey Award for Best Continuing or Limited Series.
Busiek was given the 1998 and 1999 Comics Buyer's Guide Awards for Favorite Writer, with additional nominations in 1997 and every year from 2000 to 2004. He has also received numerous Squiddy Awards, having been selected as favorite writer four years in a row from 1995 to 1998,
Busiek did not read comics as a youngster, as his parents disapproved of them. He began to read them regularly around the age of 14, when he picked up a copy of Daredevil #120. This was the first part of a continuity-heavy four-part story arc; Busiek was drawn to the copious history and cross-connections with other series. Throughout high school and college, he and future writer Scott McCloud practiced making comics. During this time, Busiek also had many letters published in comic book letter columns, and originated the theory that the Phoenix was a separate being who had impersonated Jean Grey, and that therefore Grey had not died—a premise which made its way from freelancer to freelancer, and which was eventually used in the comics.
During the last semester of his senior year, Busiek submitted some sample scripts to editor Dick Giordano at DC Comics. None of them sold, but they did get him invitations to pitch other material to DC editors, which led to his first professional work, a back-up story in Green Lantern #162 (Mar. 1983).
Busiek has worked on a number of different titles in his career, including Arrowsmith, The Avengers, Icon, Iron Man, The Liberty Project, Ninjak, The Power Company, Red Tornado, Shockrockets, Superman: Secret Identity, Thunderbolts, Untold Tales of Spider-Man, JLA, and the award-winning Marvels and the Homage Comics title Kurt Busiek's Astro City.
In 1997, Busiek began a stint as writer of Avengers alongside artist George Pérez. Pérez departed from the series in 2000, but Busiek continued as writer for two more years, collaborating with artists Alan Davis, Kieron Dwyer and others. Busiek's tenure culminated with the "Kang Dynasty" storyline. In 2003, Busiek re-teamed with Perez to create the JLA/Avengers limited series.
In 2003, Busiek began a new Conan series for Dark Horse Comics, which he wrote for four years.
In December 2005 Busiek signed a two-year exclusive contract with DC Comics. During DC's Infinite Crisis event, he teamed with Geoff Johns on a "One Year Later" eight-part story arc (called Up, Up and Away) that encompassed both Superman titles. In addition, he began writing the DC title Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis from issues 40-49. Busiek was the writer of Superman for two years, before followed by James Robinson starting from Superman #677. Busiek wrote a 52-issue weekly DC miniseries called Trinity, starring Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman. Each issue (except for issue #1) featured a 12-page main story by Busiek, with art by Mark Bagley, and a ten-page backup story co-written by Busiek and Fabian Nicieza, with art from various artists, including Tom Derenick, Mike Norton and Scott McDaniel.
Busiek's work has won him numerous awards in the comics industry, including the Harvey Award for Best Writer in 1998 and the Eisner Award for Best Writer in 1999. In 1994, with Marvels, he won Best Finite Series/Limited Series Eisner Award and the Best Continuing or Limited Series Harvey Award; as well as the Harvey Award for Best Single Issue or Story (for Marvels #4) in 1995. In 1996, with Astro City, Busiek won both the Eisner and Harvey awards for Best New Series. He won the Best Single Issue/Single Story Eisner three years in a row from 1996�1998, as well as in 2004. Busiek won the Best Continuing Series Eisner Award in 1997�1998, as well as the Best Serialized Story award in 1998. In addition, Astro City was awarded the 1996 Best Single Issue or Story Harvey Award, and the 1998 Harvey Award for Best Continuing or Limited Series.
Busiek was given the 1998 and 1999 Comics Buyer's Guide Awards for Favorite Writer, with additional nominations in 1997 and every year from 2000 to 2004. He has also received numerous Squiddy Awards, having been selected as favorite writer four years in a row from 1995 to 1998,
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
May 15, 2022
Really fun, and the oversized format helps Pacheco's art shine.
Maybe they need to make an oversized format version of me so I can shine better? To be determined.
Maybe they need to make an oversized format version of me so I can shine better? To be determined.
July 23, 2023
Me ha gustado releer el tebeo, hasta el punto que me ha parecido mejor de lo que recordaba. No tanto el dibujo, que ya era fantástico hace 20 años y sigue siéndolo ahora, sino el guión de Busiek. Entonces se me hizo un poco bola por el tema de contarlo como una historia epistolar y ahora me ha entrado mejor (a pesar de la tipografÃa utilizada por la edición de comicbooks de Planeta Cómic). Se realimenta bien con esa pérdida de la inocencia del protagonista, un poco tópica pero genialmente enriquecida con todo el contexto de fantasÃa que reconstruye la Primera Guerra Mundial en clave mágica. Y es aquà donde Pacheco sacó a relucir su versatilidad: en la narrativa pero, sobre todo, a la hora de representar escenas muy diferentes entre sÃ. Lo de la acción ya lo sabÃamos. Sin embargo, no éramos del todo conscientes de su habilidad para retratar lo cotidiano, lo extraordinario y su intersección. Quizás falla en alguna ilustración (la primera imagen del pueblo alemán del quinto número es demasiado postal trazada con escuadra y cartabón), pero su talento más allá de lo superheroico queda fuera de toda duda, en un tebeo que, además, es 100% suyo (y de Busiek). Era muy grande.
May 19, 2023
Magnifico. A nivel visual es una pasada lo que hace Pacheco y la historia está muy chula. Además, la reciente edición de Dolmen (Abril 2023) está llena de extras que complementan muy bien. Me he quedado con muchÃsimas ganas del siguiente.
December 5, 2019
Very nice alternate Historical Fantasy comic. Very interesting plot and world. Good art and an entertaining read. Recommended
January 16, 2011
Every Busiek comic I've read feels like a workshop for telling stories in the comic book medium. He fills his books with so much character and charm, weaving long and short plot arcs and always focussing on psychological progression. He just makes it look so easy.
There is something rudimentary in this collection, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Busiek is staying very true to his sources, lifting liberally from War Stories and Fairy Tales, using all the cliches, but somehow, making us care about them again.
Solid little piece of storytelling worth studying if you have a mind to try plotting some comics. It's all streamlined, nothing superfluous, and yet he's not bashing us over the head with it.
While some authors might be inclined to rush through a story like this, supplementing the familiar with their own unpredictable twists to keep it from feeling dull, Busiek instead gives us to us straight, trusting in the depth of his characters and world to carry us through a story we have seen before.
Just goes to show, you don't have to be wacky and mind-bending to write a good story in comics these days; just because yelling is the loudest way to say something doesn't make it the best. Sometimes a quiet tone can carry more force, depending on what's behind it.
There is something rudimentary in this collection, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Busiek is staying very true to his sources, lifting liberally from War Stories and Fairy Tales, using all the cliches, but somehow, making us care about them again.
Solid little piece of storytelling worth studying if you have a mind to try plotting some comics. It's all streamlined, nothing superfluous, and yet he's not bashing us over the head with it.
While some authors might be inclined to rush through a story like this, supplementing the familiar with their own unpredictable twists to keep it from feeling dull, Busiek instead gives us to us straight, trusting in the depth of his characters and world to carry us through a story we have seen before.
Just goes to show, you don't have to be wacky and mind-bending to write a good story in comics these days; just because yelling is the loudest way to say something doesn't make it the best. Sometimes a quiet tone can carry more force, depending on what's behind it.
November 19, 2022
Lo he leido tras el triste fallecimiento de Carlos Pacheco y me parece que hizo un trabajo brutal en esta historia, trae unas splash pages que te quedas mirando los detalles. La historia, sabiendo que habrÃa dragones y magia en la 1a guerra mundial, la he disfrutado, se hace muy amena. Recomiendo la edicion de Image sin la censura de DC
July 15, 2015
Supongamos un mundo alternativo donde las naciones no se corresponden exactamente con las del nuestro, pero donde aun asÃ, hay una primera guerra mundial. Europa sufre los embates de Prusia y algunos jovenes de los Estados Unidos de Columbia, deciden unirse a la guerra a pesar de la pasividad de su gobierno. Solo que estos jóvenes, en vez de ser escuadrón Lafayette de nuestro mundo, son el cuerpo de voladores transatlanticos, y no hacen la guerra en el aire montados en biplanos, sino a espada y ballesta, cuerpo a cuerpo con hechizos para volar conectados a sus pequeños dragones asignados.
Puestos a decirlo todo, Prusia no asola Europa tan solo con sus tropas regulares, sino también con trolls, vampiros, zombies, necromancia y magos de guerra capaces de provocar devastadores efectos en las tropas enemigas. Este es el telón de fondo de Arrowmith, una historia de guerra con magia, magos, hechizos de poder destructivo impensable y ejércitos no exclusivamente humanos.
A esta guerra va el Joven Arrowsmith, dejando atrás su destino como herrero, atraÃdo por el cuerpo de voladores, junto con un amigo y una joven de alta cuna que aporta su propia ambulancia. Magia y magos, duelos en el aire, trolls de las cavernas, escuadras de vampiros controladas por los magos para que no se coman a sus propios aliados, etcâ€�
Pero es la guerra al fin y al cabo y aunque Busiek la vista de colores brillantes y bonitos uniformes con la ayuda de Pacheco, según vamos avanzando, es lo que nos encontramos, guerra cruda y deshumanizadora. Poco importa que en vez de gas alemán, tengamos niebla creada por magos de batalla prusianos, el efecto es parecido� caos, terror, barbarie y muerte. Y esto va para ambos bandos, como aprende el joven Arrowsmith.
Tebeo mas que disfrutable, en la linea escasa de las ucronÃas bélicas del siglo XX con magia o poderes como “The Royalsâ€�, pero que es un tebeo que deja un regusto ácido, por no decir que te mete un buen palo. Quizás no está muy considerado porque no es muy conocido y tampoco tuvo mucho éxito en su momento, pero ahora que vuelve a estar reeditado, yo os lo recomiendo. Y si no estáis muy seguros, seguramente tengáis en las bibliotecas la anterior edición de Norma, asà que no hay excusa para no leerlo y ver esta guerra mágica pero de horrores reales.
Puestos a decirlo todo, Prusia no asola Europa tan solo con sus tropas regulares, sino también con trolls, vampiros, zombies, necromancia y magos de guerra capaces de provocar devastadores efectos en las tropas enemigas. Este es el telón de fondo de Arrowmith, una historia de guerra con magia, magos, hechizos de poder destructivo impensable y ejércitos no exclusivamente humanos.
A esta guerra va el Joven Arrowsmith, dejando atrás su destino como herrero, atraÃdo por el cuerpo de voladores, junto con un amigo y una joven de alta cuna que aporta su propia ambulancia. Magia y magos, duelos en el aire, trolls de las cavernas, escuadras de vampiros controladas por los magos para que no se coman a sus propios aliados, etcâ€�
Pero es la guerra al fin y al cabo y aunque Busiek la vista de colores brillantes y bonitos uniformes con la ayuda de Pacheco, según vamos avanzando, es lo que nos encontramos, guerra cruda y deshumanizadora. Poco importa que en vez de gas alemán, tengamos niebla creada por magos de batalla prusianos, el efecto es parecido� caos, terror, barbarie y muerte. Y esto va para ambos bandos, como aprende el joven Arrowsmith.
Tebeo mas que disfrutable, en la linea escasa de las ucronÃas bélicas del siglo XX con magia o poderes como “The Royalsâ€�, pero que es un tebeo que deja un regusto ácido, por no decir que te mete un buen palo. Quizás no está muy considerado porque no es muy conocido y tampoco tuvo mucho éxito en su momento, pero ahora que vuelve a estar reeditado, yo os lo recomiendo. Y si no estáis muy seguros, seguramente tengáis en las bibliotecas la anterior edición de Norma, asà que no hay excusa para no leerlo y ver esta guerra mágica pero de horrores reales.
January 14, 2019
Arrowsmith is fantasy take on World War. The small town boys decided to join the air service - the bunch of guys who ride the skies thanks to magic spells, draining their flight energy from small dragons. The setting is quite interesting, got a steampunk feeling (but it is not steampunk - it's just the same era just with mythical names for the countries, where Europe is some kind of fantasy land with trolls, vampires, gnomes, dwarfs, dryads and so living alongside humans). Although the setting could be intriguing for me, the first third of the book rather annoyed me and I didn't really enjoy it. But then it turned good. Really good. If the point of the story is picturing the disillusionment from the glory of war, depicting it as something horrible where both sides are noble and cruel and it's an utterly pointless circle of attack-resist-attack back, it made that goal perfectly. I would expect that the "fantasy" element would soften that, so it was actually surprising. So even it didn't look promising on start, it was excellent and touching on the end.
January 10, 2021
The reflections on the war are decent but shallow. Reminds me of a Zack Snyder movie, this is not a compliment.
March 3, 2016
I really like the worldbuilding (United States of Columbia indeeeeeed) and concept of the fantasy WWI.
However, our main character is a typical straight white dude who is, of course, exceptional which... *yawn*. We never see any women doing magic at all. No female mages, etc. We never see any people of color. Are the POCs' places taken by the supernatural beings? It's a very white world, and very male -- the only women we get are sexual objects (or, in the case of "Binnie Atherton", antisexual objects, because buck-toothed skinny rich white women who quote their fathers aren't cliches at ALL), and the only goal of any relationship building is for the extremely random (and dull) straight sex scene that is pasted in near the end. (And if you're going to call that a spoiler, I will laugh in your face, because it was amateurishly telegraphed for pages and pages.)
Overall, it was a disappointing book to have Busiek's name on. I keep it around (and gave it 3 stars) because I like the worldbuilding. Otherwise... dull.
However, our main character is a typical straight white dude who is, of course, exceptional which... *yawn*. We never see any women doing magic at all. No female mages, etc. We never see any people of color. Are the POCs' places taken by the supernatural beings? It's a very white world, and very male -- the only women we get are sexual objects (or, in the case of "Binnie Atherton", antisexual objects, because buck-toothed skinny rich white women who quote their fathers aren't cliches at ALL), and the only goal of any relationship building is for the extremely random (and dull) straight sex scene that is pasted in near the end. (And if you're going to call that a spoiler, I will laugh in your face, because it was amateurishly telegraphed for pages and pages.)
Overall, it was a disappointing book to have Busiek's name on. I keep it around (and gave it 3 stars) because I like the worldbuilding. Otherwise... dull.
April 25, 2022
The world-building in this was well thought out. The artwork was amazing. The story was tight. I know enough about WWI in our world to follow what was going on in theirs. Busiek did a great job of bringing the flavor of the time to the book. I will definitely look for more in this series. It grabbed me and didn't let go.
May 4, 2022
Busiek writing a World War 1 story with fantasy elements sounded promising, and I’m thrilled to discover it’s indeed great. Fletcher has a dumb name, but I loved seeing the early wonder of joining the war effort and the later horrors of war’s reality through his eyes. Busiek is great at telling fantastical stories that seem at first to be idealistically wholesome or falsely nostalgic but then reveal their emotional realism and thoughtful commentary on the earlier idealism without devolving into cynicism or nihilism. Also, what a cool fantasy version of WW1 this is, and it looks great too! I’m bummed to find out this series doesn’t have the 15+ volumes that Astro City does, but at least they’re finally making a second story arc in this world.
“Hasn’t it ever occurred to you that everyone pretends? That’s how they learn to be something new.�
“We just � that’s what we do, isn’t it? They attack. We fight back. They fight back. And then it’s all about fighting back and it doesn’t really matter how it started any more, is it? And it spreads and spreads…�
“I’d thought these men � and the generals and kings and so on � were masters of the world. And maybe they were, once. But now, they’re just trying to hang on. To keep fighting back. To hold the line, whatever it costs. To hold things together.�
“Hasn’t it ever occurred to you that everyone pretends? That’s how they learn to be something new.�
“We just � that’s what we do, isn’t it? They attack. We fight back. They fight back. And then it’s all about fighting back and it doesn’t really matter how it started any more, is it? And it spreads and spreads…�
“I’d thought these men � and the generals and kings and so on � were masters of the world. And maybe they were, once. But now, they’re just trying to hang on. To keep fighting back. To hold the line, whatever it costs. To hold things together.�
November 7, 2022
Kurt Busiek and Carlos Pacheco offer a Fables take on World War I in Arrowsmith - and it's fantastic. Similar to Fables, there's not a ton of discussion related to why there's magic or magical creatures. Magic is just real and let's go from there. World War I is mostly unchanged, it's just the addition of magic that adds a bit of flair (and fear).
Pacheco does a good deal of the heavy lifting here with absolutely gorgeous artwork that's especially enhanced by this handsome hardcover republication. Busiek's story is simplistic, but absolutely works. We meet a young Columbian (American) lad, Fletcher Arrowsmith, who's eager to join the aero corps against the vile Prussians. As one might expect, once the lad's in the war, he learns a few lessons about the actual cost of war. Despite the fetching cover and art, Arrowsmith can go quite dark (again, like Fables!).
I loved the modest world-building and engaging story - Arrowsmith is an easy book for a novice comic book reader or fantasy reader to pick up and enjoy. This republication includes a fair bit of extra material that you can take or leave - I found the "Historical Developments" section confusing since it mixes our history with history in Arrowsmith's world.
Pacheco does a good deal of the heavy lifting here with absolutely gorgeous artwork that's especially enhanced by this handsome hardcover republication. Busiek's story is simplistic, but absolutely works. We meet a young Columbian (American) lad, Fletcher Arrowsmith, who's eager to join the aero corps against the vile Prussians. As one might expect, once the lad's in the war, he learns a few lessons about the actual cost of war. Despite the fetching cover and art, Arrowsmith can go quite dark (again, like Fables!).
I loved the modest world-building and engaging story - Arrowsmith is an easy book for a novice comic book reader or fantasy reader to pick up and enjoy. This republication includes a fair bit of extra material that you can take or leave - I found the "Historical Developments" section confusing since it mixes our history with history in Arrowsmith's world.
July 4, 2024
This was fantastic - love the concept and the execution.
But I'm going to be petty for a second. This story is set in roughly in the mid-1910s in a world where borders look a little different from how they looked during WW1 in our world. For instance, Canada is more or less where Quebec and Ontario are - all of our central and western provinces belong to another nation in this world.
At some point in the story, the author (or maybe just the artist) decided to include a Canadian flag. I appreciated the sentiment until I thought about it for a second. Canada's current flag (maple leaf on a white field with red bars on either side) wasn't adopted until 1965. Before that we had the Canadian Red Ensign (). Furthermore, the two red bars in our current flag are meant to represent the Atlantic and Pacific ocean because our nation stretches "from sea to shining sea" (says so right in the anthem, officially adopted as our national anthem in 1980). But in this book, Canada only has an east coast, not a west coast.
In short - that flag simply wouldn't exist. Maybe they knew that. Maybe it was a choice in favour of symbolic recognition. But it stuck in my brain as a Wrong Thing.
But I'm going to be petty for a second. This story is set in roughly in the mid-1910s in a world where borders look a little different from how they looked during WW1 in our world. For instance, Canada is more or less where Quebec and Ontario are - all of our central and western provinces belong to another nation in this world.
At some point in the story, the author (or maybe just the artist) decided to include a Canadian flag. I appreciated the sentiment until I thought about it for a second. Canada's current flag (maple leaf on a white field with red bars on either side) wasn't adopted until 1965. Before that we had the Canadian Red Ensign (). Furthermore, the two red bars in our current flag are meant to represent the Atlantic and Pacific ocean because our nation stretches "from sea to shining sea" (says so right in the anthem, officially adopted as our national anthem in 1980). But in this book, Canada only has an east coast, not a west coast.
In short - that flag simply wouldn't exist. Maybe they knew that. Maybe it was a choice in favour of symbolic recognition. But it stuck in my brain as a Wrong Thing.
April 1, 2022
This collection came out in 2004 and I bought and read it not long after it came out, but I haven't reread it since. Busiek and Carlos Pacheco are doing a second series right now, so I thought I would revisit before picking the new issues up. I tell you what, I didn't remember any of it. That made rereading it a fun experience. This is a coming of age tale set in an alternate World War I where magic and dryads and gods exist. There is a mixture of light and dark here, as you would expect from a war tale. The art team of Carlos Pacheco (pencils) and Jesus Merino (inks) is fantastic, as are the colors from Alex Sinclair. I'm excited to read the current mini-series and see where the story goes from here.
November 24, 2022
Fun world building, integrating magic with World War I, but it felt like all the magic was off to the side instead of an integral part of the story.
June 24, 2018
I didn't like it as much as I wanted to. There is some gorgeous artwork, but - and I believe this is the point - adding magic to World War I doesn't make it any less depressing. Also, it felt like the youth of the main protagonist should have mattered more. He started young where he had to run away to join, but then he seemed like any other, older recruit. Other characters were more interesting.
April 24, 2021
Loved the art work, have been a big fan of Carlos Pacheco and his amazing pencils since his run on X-men and Fantastic 4 years ago. His illustrations evoke a keen eye for anatomy and homage to his forebears like Alan Davis who has clearly influenced him. Whilst the production values in this comic are exemplary I found the story to be so-so, the characters are flat and their interactions felt superfluous to what was going on.
Unfortunately the comic as a whole is mostly style over substance; the main protagonist Fletcher Arrowsmith is at the centre of the story and I found him boring. I was expecting a heroic journey transforming Arrowsmith into a chivalrous heroic figure instead he arrives in the story as an idealistic youngster with dreams and the story ends with him jaded by the realities of a war that I am still scratching my head about in regards to it's motivations and purpose.
The story is set in an alternate universe where magic and magical creatures are real being utilised by both sides in the war. Arrowsmith goes into battle with flying pet dragons. There are trolls, burning salamanders, goblins and many other mythic creatures. All of the magic occurs on a backdrop in a world very similar to our own, with real world places featuring like Paris.
This definitely deserves a re-read based on the production values alone; the art from the pencilling to the inking is really special. Check this graphic novel out it's a fun caper, just don't expect anything deep.
Unfortunately the comic as a whole is mostly style over substance; the main protagonist Fletcher Arrowsmith is at the centre of the story and I found him boring. I was expecting a heroic journey transforming Arrowsmith into a chivalrous heroic figure instead he arrives in the story as an idealistic youngster with dreams and the story ends with him jaded by the realities of a war that I am still scratching my head about in regards to it's motivations and purpose.
The story is set in an alternate universe where magic and magical creatures are real being utilised by both sides in the war. Arrowsmith goes into battle with flying pet dragons. There are trolls, burning salamanders, goblins and many other mythic creatures. All of the magic occurs on a backdrop in a world very similar to our own, with real world places featuring like Paris.
This definitely deserves a re-read based on the production values alone; the art from the pencilling to the inking is really special. Check this graphic novel out it's a fun caper, just don't expect anything deep.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 14, 2022
The artworks are beautiful and the universe created is very pleasing: a more modern spin on fantasy rather than the medieval setting that is most common. However I found the portrayal of the realities of war rather superficial. Maybe it would be appropriate for a young audiences. The progression from you g men yearning to make a difference and break free from their boring routine based lives to become heroes and make a difference in the world, to the gruesome reality of horrific battles and watching friends die for no good reason, is well executed. But I tend to look for something more when it comes to dealing with the impact of deathly conflict in every day life deserves more exploration in a narrative such as this. The main character also lacked in personality and his relationship with the dragon deserved a way deeper exploration. Overall the comic is an enjoyable read but it left me wanting in many ways
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October 6, 2017Como ucronÃa es muy bonita: me gustan los dragones y los futuros/pasado alternativos, hasta ahà muy bien. El desarrollo de la historia también me gusta, aunque los personajes ya me parecen más tÃpicos (y la historia también), pero bueno, está bien. Lo que ya no paso es que sea una historia inconclusa. A su manera, en cuanto a evolución del protagonista, podrÃa decirse que termina, pero ni la historia, ni el mundo, ni nada más tiene un final y eso le quita mucho a la impresión que deja el cómic.
July 27, 2016
Interesting "concept" idea (WWI fought with magic) filled with pleasant details but very dull story (coming of age of an idealist farmboy) full of all available stereotype and compulsory figure (best friend's death, heroic paternal figure's death, sex scene with rich girl, etc.)
On the other hand, the art of Carlos Pacheco (whose work I wasn't familiar with up till now) is beautiful and beautifully colored.
On the other hand, the art of Carlos Pacheco (whose work I wasn't familiar with up till now) is beautiful and beautifully colored.
July 31, 2007
Nothing special, really. An engaging, well conceived alternate history war story. Life needs reads like this. The art is generic WildStorm standard. The character designs are very nice. Busiek writes well, occasionally very well. The world created is finely-textured, and I hope that the team gets around to revisiting it some time, as there is a whole lot of story that doesn't get told..
March 22, 2018
Not bad, but way, way too similar to Busiek's Shockrockets. Small-town hero, dreams of excitement and adventure, joins fantastic heroic team, finds romance, struggles to fit in, loses friend, accomplishes some big success, finds terrible secret.
Good work, but I feel like Busiek is just re-treading an old plot in a superficially different setting.
Good work, but I feel like Busiek is just re-treading an old plot in a superficially different setting.
March 31, 2016
A pesar de ser una trama tÃpica a más no poder el debate de trasfondo me ha apasionado
La ambientación es una pasada.
Y bueno es que solo tengo cosas buenas que decir de este cómic.
Está muy en la lÃnea de cosas que me gustarÃa hacer a mÃ. Ojalá lleguen a publicar la segunda parte.
La ambientación es una pasada.
Y bueno es que solo tengo cosas buenas que decir de este cómic.
Está muy en la lÃnea de cosas que me gustarÃa hacer a mÃ. Ojalá lleguen a publicar la segunda parte.
April 4, 2009
Wow, what a great book! I love the setting, the writing, the art, the story. Must find more!
January 23, 2022
With the inaugural issue -- 17 years later -- of the sequel series to this excellent work, I went back to reread the original to see if it still held the magic.
It does, literally and figuratively.
"Young man goes off to war, discovers it sucks, is changed by experience" is hardly a new theme, but Busiek handles it smoothly and well, framing it within a First World War in a world where magic works, and the supernatural exists. Between his imaginative and clever writing, and Carlos Pacheco's clean and beautiful art, this is a splendid example of non-traditional superheroics, and a world I'd love to see explored further.
The tale itself, of Fletcher Arrowsmith, young man from the United States of Columbia volunteering to the Overseas Aero Corps during the 1914 years of the Great War, does little to show the horrors of war in a new fashion. Busiek and Pacheco manage to do so less through over-vivid grotesque imagery and more through showing us those horrors in a new light -- magic used as terribly as chemistry and ballistics; war crimes and atrocities intended and accidental; the deaths both meaningful and meaningless; and the sad, inexorable realization of how the world is forever changing.
It's a bleak book, behind its hopefulness -- and hopeful within its bleakness, even if the only hope boils down to survival, not just against the Prussian/Tyrol-Hungarian alliance, but against the weapons that the Allies' own wizards are devising, themselves so desperate to avoid defeat that winning, at any cost, has become the blinders that lead the war onward.
The series stopped seventeen-odd years ago, with promises that the next installment was already in the works. The first issue of that just hit the shelves. I hope I'm ready for it, and the magic is ready to continue.
It does, literally and figuratively.
"Young man goes off to war, discovers it sucks, is changed by experience" is hardly a new theme, but Busiek handles it smoothly and well, framing it within a First World War in a world where magic works, and the supernatural exists. Between his imaginative and clever writing, and Carlos Pacheco's clean and beautiful art, this is a splendid example of non-traditional superheroics, and a world I'd love to see explored further.
The tale itself, of Fletcher Arrowsmith, young man from the United States of Columbia volunteering to the Overseas Aero Corps during the 1914 years of the Great War, does little to show the horrors of war in a new fashion. Busiek and Pacheco manage to do so less through over-vivid grotesque imagery and more through showing us those horrors in a new light -- magic used as terribly as chemistry and ballistics; war crimes and atrocities intended and accidental; the deaths both meaningful and meaningless; and the sad, inexorable realization of how the world is forever changing.
It's a bleak book, behind its hopefulness -- and hopeful within its bleakness, even if the only hope boils down to survival, not just against the Prussian/Tyrol-Hungarian alliance, but against the weapons that the Allies' own wizards are devising, themselves so desperate to avoid defeat that winning, at any cost, has become the blinders that lead the war onward.
The series stopped seventeen-odd years ago, with promises that the next installment was already in the works. The first issue of that just hit the shelves. I hope I'm ready for it, and the magic is ready to continue.
February 8, 2019
Me he releÃdo en estos dÃas Arrowsmith. No lo cogÃa desde que lo sacaron por primera vez y me ha vuelto a gustar muchÃsimo. Pero me he dado cuenta de algo que hasta ahora habÃa pasado por alto, por increible que pueda parecer. Como sabéis, se trata de un relato sobre la I Guerra Mundial en una realidad paralela en la que la magia existe. Pues bien, más allá lo de la magia en realidad no sirve para nada. Es curioso ver hechizos y objetos mágicos sustituyendo a la tecnologÃa, un mundo de 1915 pero con fronteras similares a las de la Edad Media, criaturas mitológicas participando en la contienda, etc. Pero son todos elementos accesorios, si se quitaran y el relato se inscribiese en la verdadera I Guerra Mundial la historia serÃa exactamente la misma. No sé si esto podemos considerarlo un defecto, si era algo buscado por Busiek o si como parece tenÃa pensado continuar la historia y al final la dejó colgada, pero lo cierto es que la presencia de la magia no tiene ninguna incidencia en la trama.
Eso sÃ, vaya dibujazo de Carlos Pacheco. Yo creo que es el mejor trabajo de su carrera, más aún que Siempre Vengadores. Vaya narrativa, vaya despliegue de recursos, vaya chulada de diseños, de fondos, de expresividad facial... Lo de la ambientación mágica merece la pena solo por ver sus dibujos.
Eso sÃ, vaya dibujazo de Carlos Pacheco. Yo creo que es el mejor trabajo de su carrera, más aún que Siempre Vengadores. Vaya narrativa, vaya despliegue de recursos, vaya chulada de diseños, de fondos, de expresividad facial... Lo de la ambientación mágica merece la pena solo por ver sus dibujos.
January 5, 2025
This was a wonderful find.
Story wise this is a very interesting and terrifying amlgamation of fantasy and history. Imagine the world where deadly spells and creatures are used to wreak havoc on the battlefields of the already bloody conflict we know as WW1 - imagine such increase in horror and bloodshed, pure terror.
We follow our protagonist, Fletcher Arrowsmith, as he joins the air force for idealistic reasons only to get acquinted with the ugly nature of war, and loss of friends and comrades in arms almost on the daily basis. Additionally, he will slowly become to realise that not everything his side says or does is necessarily true or noble. It is war, and everybody is doing their best to win, at any cost.
Art is breath taking, especially two page spreads that just bristle with details. I am glad I came across yet another volume that uses color to enhance already fantastic pen and ink depictions of various magical and demonic troops battling it out in frenzy and nerve wrecking associated with trench warfare. Air battles are epic in themselves, as we see our young pilots battling it out as knightly duellists in the sky, using sword and pistol, nevertheless losing lives at the same pace that is reminiscent of attrition in WW1 air battles.
Excellent book, highly recommended to fans of action and adventure. I am definitely looking for the follow up books.
Story wise this is a very interesting and terrifying amlgamation of fantasy and history. Imagine the world where deadly spells and creatures are used to wreak havoc on the battlefields of the already bloody conflict we know as WW1 - imagine such increase in horror and bloodshed, pure terror.
We follow our protagonist, Fletcher Arrowsmith, as he joins the air force for idealistic reasons only to get acquinted with the ugly nature of war, and loss of friends and comrades in arms almost on the daily basis. Additionally, he will slowly become to realise that not everything his side says or does is necessarily true or noble. It is war, and everybody is doing their best to win, at any cost.
Art is breath taking, especially two page spreads that just bristle with details. I am glad I came across yet another volume that uses color to enhance already fantastic pen and ink depictions of various magical and demonic troops battling it out in frenzy and nerve wrecking associated with trench warfare. Air battles are epic in themselves, as we see our young pilots battling it out as knightly duellists in the sky, using sword and pistol, nevertheless losing lives at the same pace that is reminiscent of attrition in WW1 air battles.
Excellent book, highly recommended to fans of action and adventure. I am definitely looking for the follow up books.
March 14, 2021
I have always loved Kurt Busiek and I think Astro City is one of the best books I have ever read. For some reason I always kept this on the backburner and I regret it so badly, because Arrowsmith as a mini-series is right up there with Astro City. For people who are a history buff, this is a gold mine because even though magic and sorcery has a huge part, the book's strong point is the alternate history that it has created, not just from the recent past like the World Wars but down to 803 BC with the Charlemagne treaty. There's a lot of world building which is surprising that they pulled it off for a 6 issue series and it doesn't feel overbearing. But seeing a World War with magic and Dragons was possibly the series' highlight. There's a lot to digest in it, so with every read you'll probably find something new in Pacheco's artwork. The only issue with it I have is that's IT'S TOO DAMN SHORT. I would for Busiek to come back to the world and create sequels, because this world deserves it. It definitely leaves you wanting more that's why it gets a 5 star.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 8, 2022
One of the great things about The Big Bang Theory is the culture references that pop up, which are then worth exploring if they're new to you.
Hence Arrowsmith.
Sheldon waves it around in the comic book store, so I decided to go look it up.
And what a find.
A story about World War 1, only with magic and dragons. It's the graphic novel you didn't know you needed.
It tells a dark, heavy tale, coving the atrocities of war, but is also a light, fresh, story of hope. With added troll.
In many ways it borrows a bit from stories that have gone before � young man goes off to war is nothing new � but Kurt Busiek comes at it with this inventive new angle, almost making you forget you've been here before as you lose yourself in magic and dragons.
Thanks to Carlos Pacheco's stroke-perfect artwork, Arrowsmith comes to life in such a vivid way you find yourself getting lost in the pages.
Originally published in 2006, there's a new 2021 edition with added history, background and alternative covers at the back. If you haven't visited this world before, it's time to earn your wings.
Hence Arrowsmith.
Sheldon waves it around in the comic book store, so I decided to go look it up.
And what a find.
A story about World War 1, only with magic and dragons. It's the graphic novel you didn't know you needed.
It tells a dark, heavy tale, coving the atrocities of war, but is also a light, fresh, story of hope. With added troll.
In many ways it borrows a bit from stories that have gone before � young man goes off to war is nothing new � but Kurt Busiek comes at it with this inventive new angle, almost making you forget you've been here before as you lose yourself in magic and dragons.
Thanks to Carlos Pacheco's stroke-perfect artwork, Arrowsmith comes to life in such a vivid way you find yourself getting lost in the pages.
Originally published in 2006, there's a new 2021 edition with added history, background and alternative covers at the back. If you haven't visited this world before, it's time to earn your wings.
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