Writer - Jonathan Hickman
Artist - Nick Dragotta
The Story (Major Spoilers):
"This is the world. It's not the one we were supposed to have, but it's the one we made."
East of West is a Sci-Fi western that takes place in an alternate America that was nearly wiped out by a massive meteor that crashed in the heart of the midwest. The story begins with 3 of the 4 horsemen of the apocalypse returning to initiate the end of the world. Surprised at the 4th horseman's absence, they vow to kill him before they begin their ultimate goal.
Background and History:
There are 3 prophets who each come from different areas of the country that is now called The Seven Nations of America. First, is Elijah Longstreet who fought in the civil war before turning into a devout Christian and taking the name Prophet Longstreet. The second is Red Cloud who was crowned Chief of Chiefs and united many of the Indian races under one banner known as The Endless Indian Nation. The third prophet does not appear until 50 years after the formation of The Seven Nations.
The Seven nations came into existence due to the meteor I mentioned earlier. After this cataclysmic event, the country was reformed, and the 7 key territories met and signed a peace treaty at the meteor's point of impact known as Armistice. One of the new territories is called New Shanghai, and this is where the final prophet shows himself 50 years later. His name is Mao Zedong, and on his deathbed he writes his own prophetic message just like Longstreet and Red Cloud before him. With all 3 prophecies now written they form a complete prophecy called "The Message." This message, in turn, brings about the end times, and is the key that triggers the return of the horsemen.
Death, Hell, and the Grave:
Death is the main character in the story, and he is accompanied by Crow, and The Wolf who are labelled as "the unclean."
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| From left to right: Crow, dead guys, Death, dead guys, and Wolf |
They are also Death's partners in crime as he seeks to find those that have betrayed him, and who took what he is seeking. The item Death seeks is called The Chalice, and little information is given as to what it is or what it does. The bartender from the above picture was hired to rid the world of Death by those who also (i would imagine) wanted the chalice. He gives Death some information on who hired him many years ago, and surprisingly spares his life. Death's mission is now clear, and he has a list of names of those who were connected to his past that he intends to put an end to.
The 3 Other Horsemen
War, Conquest, and Famine are the other 3 horsemen who seek to put an end to the world. They have only recently been reborn, and at this time they look and behave like children. There seems to be a transitioning phase where they "grow up" into the monsters they have always been. However, they waste no time in killing everything and everyone that crosses their path.
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| Awe harbingers of death and decay...so cute. |
Thoughts
When I first heard about East of West I was a bit hesitant. I had no plans on reading this comic until a friend of mine mentioned it to me in passing. Now that I have had the chance to read the first couple of issues I am very happy with how the story is progressing, and seeing how well Death is being portrayed is icing on the cake.
At this point I definitely have a lot of questions regarding the background since the people Death has on his list to kill are never really introduced. I imagine this is one of those cases where the mystery will eventually come to a head and everything will be made clear, but at the same time having some information would have been nice. However, this issue is also the biggest draw for this comic as well. The mystery behind every aspect of this story makes it almost unbearable to wait for the next issue. Well played Mr. Hickman, I hate you, but well played nonetheless.
The artwork in East of West is top notch. From the main characters, to the environments, and even the mode of transportation death uses all fit perfectly into the broken world the story takes place in. Dragotta has been one of my favorites for a long time, and I am very glad he is the mastermind behind the look and feel of The Seven Nations.
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| This scene....omg this scene is so perfect. |
In closing, I love this comic. The story is awesome through 2 issues, and the appeal of death and his comrades are some of the best I've seen in quite some time, and of course the art fits so well that this comic is indeed the total package. If you like comics and amazing stories do yourself a favor and add East of West to your pull list.
The Breakdown:
Artwork: 5 out of 5
Story: 4.5 out of 5
Cover Art: 5 out of 5
Cost: $3.50
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