World Famous Comics: Sleeper Vol. 1: Out in the Cold
Sleeper Vol. 1: Out in the Cold
By: Ed Brubaker, Sean Phillips Publisher: Wildstorm Average Rating: Binding: Paperback Label: Wildstorm Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 160 Publication Date: January 01, 2004 Release Date: January 01, 2004
Graphic SF Reader Holden Carver is a secret agent, he just happens to be a super powered one. He is sent to infiltrate an organisation whose top hierarchy is also super powered, and quite nasty. When Carver's boss and handler is injured and left comatose he has noone to turn to, and must attempt to make the best of the dangerous situation he is left in.
The writing saves it. Great plot and character. The art tries to be noir but is mostly rushed and cheesy. In the later trades they get a new colorist who really helps a lot. All told, however, the story rocks and is well-plotted. Conspiracy-theory fans of the X-files and its ilk will love it.
Cold-war spy thriller meets the superhero crowd Tight pacing, a complex and twisty plot, and compelling characters make this a fast and satisfying read. I like that the protagonist isn't a Chosen One, but is just a dumb guy who gets picked for the wrong mission and ends up paying for it for the rest of his life. The basic concept is a character study: a good guy who spends his life in the shadows fighting the hidden wars is co-opted into becoming a mole, and is then left to swing or survive on his own. His actions and decisions become ever murkier, even to himself. Things are made more complex by the fact that he and those around him are all gifted/damned with unusual abilities. If you're a fan of the Le Carre type of spy thrillers, you'll probably enjoy this immensely.
Superb conspiratorial crime noir OUT IN THE COLD is the perfect introduction to Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips' stellar SLEEPER series. Holden Carver, an agent of a covert government cell, has been planted within the ranks of one of the world's most formidable international terrorist organisations. Unfortunately, John Lynch, his handler and the only person who knows where Holden's true loyalties lie, has been put into a coma. From this delightful premise, Brubaker builds a story of moral ambiguity and intense paranoia and danger, throwing both Carver and the reader in the proverbial deep end (don't worry, everything you need to know about the characters is in these books, though POINT BLANK is a worthwhile introduction to the series). Oh, and there are some superpowers involved.
In some ways, this is the best volume of SLEEPER, largely due to the rapport between its various characters. Of course, Carver is living in constant fear, both of the seemingly omnipresent TAO (whose group he has infiltrated), and of International Operations (his former allies), who truly believe him to be one of the bad guys. But the darkness of the underlying plot is tempered with the casual interaction between TAO's operatives during their spare time, making violent characters such as Genocide Jones sympathetic, and even appealing.
Phillips' art is cohesive but versatile, working equally well with both dark, oppressive cityscapes and the rich, opulent villas of a secret global monarchy, ultimately lending both a rough texture perfectly suited to the more noirish elements of Brubaker's writing. The book excels in almost all aspects. Conspiracies and plot twists keep the reader intrigued, while character development and moments of surprising humour make them truly care what happens next to these people. Traditional characteristics of the superhero genre (such as the spandex) are significantly downplayed, making OUT IN THE COLD feel more like a crime drama than anything else. I can't recommend this enough.
Dark and powerful Gritty and complex, "Sleeper" is one of the best graphic novels I've ever read. The beginning is confusing but upon establishment of the main characters the story quickly gathers momentum. I was disappointed to hear that Book 4 is the last in the series as I enjoyed Books 1 and 2.
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