The best thing I read last week was the new issue of East of West by the superb team of Jonathan Hickman, Nick Dragotta, Frank Martin, and Rus Wooton. I just finished reading issue #5 and I’m not ashamed to say that after issue #4 I really still had almost no idea of what the hell was going on in this book. Hickman presents a world filled with questions and very few answers as you read through the first couple of issues but by the time issue #5 comes around so many pieces drop into place that you can almost hear the thud. And it feels great as the full impact of the story you are reading comes screeching into view. This world is complex, powerful, full of characters that are as interesting as they are fierce. It’s well written and beautiful. What more could you ask for?
The first trade of this book is due out September 2013 and I have to say this will be a trade not to be missed if you haven’t picked up all the issues along the way. As much as I absolutely love and try to share a passion for other Image titles like Invincible, The Walking Dead, Saga, and Lazarus I have to say if you buy only 1 Image trade in 2013 than East of West, Vol. 1: The Promise TP is the absolute best place to put your money. And as the smart folks over at Image push their trades like a good drug dealer the first one ain’t free but it is cheap, $9.99 for the collected issues #1 – #5.
