THE WILD STORM #13 by Warren Ellis - Book Review

From the publisher: John Lynch, once the director of IO, the secret deep-state agency that runs Earth, is on the road. His darkest project, Thunderbook, has been uncovered, and he needs to warn the principals, now scattered across America. Hiding. Because they were his most successful experiments. And none of them are completely human anymore.

Warren Ellis starts the second year of The Wild Storm with issue #13. John Lynch steps to the forefront for much of this issue, as he attempts to track down former IO agents that were experimented on as part of Thunderbook. Just what Thunderbook is, we are beginning to find out, and it looks like this might have some long-term ramifications in The Wild Storm universe (and maybe a direct tie-in to the Michael Cray series?). Meanwhile, Henry Bendix is looking to take the fight to IO, and IO is going after Skywatch. This might be the first step towards an all-out secret agency war.

As I’ve been reading The Wild Storm, I’ve been trying to place the current characters with what I remember from their original 1990’s incarnations. Some of the names have been very familiar (Cole Cash, Jack Hawksmoor, Jenny Sparks), while others are floating on the edge of my memory. Regardless, I’m enjoying Ellis’s new take on the concept. He keeps dropping in new faces and has a precarious balancing act going on, where he is juggling multiple people, agencies, and storylines. I’m generally able to keep tabs on what is happening, but there are times when I feel like I’m trying to look at a puzzle that’s still missing a bunch of pieces. I have a feeling that when this Wild Storm story (or arc) is through, a rereading might be necessary to grasp everything that Ellis has thrown in. And that’s not a bad thing; Ellis is well-known for his high-concept ideas and twisting storylines. In the meantime, I’m going to keep reading The Wild Storm and doing my best to make sense of each issue.

I recommend The Wild Storm #13 by Warren Ellis. The second year is off to a great start, but this is not a comic series that lends itself to new readers very easily. If you’re interested in the story, grab the first two compilations (the second comes out next week) and join in the fun.

I received a preview copy of this book from DC Comics in exchange for an honest review.