Ladies and gentlemen, may I present Crouching Tiger, Hidden Ellis.
It's been a long wait, but Warren Ellis and John Cassaday get their genre-fiction conspiracy story rolling again, and it's as fascinating as ever. Ellis once again captures a classic, epic feel in one aspect of the book and a mature, mysterious tone in the main plot driving the series forward -- Planetary's quest to put an end to the global and social manipulations of the Four. Combined with Cassaday's stunningly detailed and powerful artwork, it makes for an amazing read. There's one little problem, though: there's a surprisingly lack of exposition.
Elijah Snow pays a visit to the enigmatic, influential and powerful woman known only as Hark, and she tells him a story of her past, of another man who came to visit her with an ultimatum of his own. She tells Snow of the battle that ensued, and of the power she wielded in order to emerge the victor. Snow has a story of his own to tell, though... a story of a man who trusted his employer and did whatever he could to protect her and her interests. And Snow tells her of how that employer used the man as a guinea pig, how the man didn't know and how the man was transformed.
Those familiar with Cassaday's work know that his art is reason enough to plunk down the bucks to pick up this comic book. The opening sequence of magical martial arts is stunning. Cassaday conveys the fluid grace and powerful savagery of the battle incredibly well. When hark's foot connects with a rocky floor and punctures it with ease, it's a truly awesome moment. Of course, the artist brings just as much power and tension to the latter scene, featuring just a conversation. Laura Martin's colors bring a supernatural tone to the opening scene, and I love the red, textured haze one can find throughout the story. This is the sort of comic book to give to a friend who associates the genre with conventional super-hero artwork and the Archie house style in order to demonstrate that the medium is really about art, not doodling or exaggerated busts and biceps.
It's been quite some time since readers caught up with the members of Planetary and the conspiracies they are fighting. Sure, we had the recent Batman crossover, but as far as the regular series... well, it's been a while. That's why I'm surprised Ellis doesn't provide some background, not just to refresh the memories of his loyal audience either. DC promoted this title's return a fair bit, and to be honest, I expected something of a jumping-on point for new readers. That wasn't the case.
Nevertheless, one can still find a challenging and darkly imaginative read here. Ellis's exploration of how Hark fits into the scheme of things was interesting. The main conflict in this series is Planetary's attempt to stop the Four, but Hark is something of a wild card. She has her own agenda, and this issue is about bringing that agenda under control, about adapting it to fit the needs of one side over the other. I'm intrigued and I can't wait for the next chapter.
