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The Authority: Volume 2 - Book One: 2 (Authority (Graphic Novels))

By: R Morrison
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: D C Comics
ISBN: 1401202780
ISBN-13: 9781401202781
Released: 12 Apr 2004
RRP: £8.35
Average Rating:

Customer Reviews

No great shakes - By: S. Taylor, 06 Aug 2004
It's a shame, but so many great comic series lose their way when their originator moves on to pastures different. It looked like The Authority (itself that rarest of beasts, a spinoff as successful as it's original title) was going to dodge this pitfalll when writing duties fell into the safe hands of Mark Millar. But his run has come to an end & the drop in quality is staggering.

The Authority has succeeded as a series because of the sharp balance it paints between the political lives of the most powerful beings in the world & the private lives of a group of reasonably screwed up individuals.

Harsh Realities shies away from the political depth of previous story arcs, the group's relationships are treated in a heavy handed way & worst of alll the team use their colossal powers in the most tedious ways. Jack Hawksmoor, surely one of the most interesting superheroes of the last few years, seems to now rely on the 'dive into the ground & then burst up causing an explosion' tactic almost exclusively. The whole team do nothing more than 'HULK SMASH' from start to finish.

That said, the world in which The Authority is set is interesting enough to carry the lacklustre plotlines along. Jenny Quantum, Jenny sparks reborn for the 21st Century, is a great character (an alll-powerful toddler). The artwork's pretty good. This is a better graphic novel than a lot I'll read this year.

If you've got this far with the Stormwatch/Authority series you're not going to put off by just one dud, but be aware that this isn't the jewel in the crown.

Refreshing - By: , 27 Jul 2004
I've always enjoyed the Authority stories, but I have to admit that when Warren Ellis left after #12, the series didn't have the same luster & quality that it had begun with. Harsh Realities overturns this quite neatly, breathing new life into the series. There are a few disconcerting quirks, but most reflect a new maturity on the part of the characters. They seem smoother & more comfortable with their place in the world, & the stories seem more coherent than in the previous collections. Definitely a worthwhile investment for any Authority fan, but those not familiar with the series should start with The Authority:Relentless, or one of the Stormwatch collections.