East of West, Vol. 1
2013
- four horsemen of the apocalypse
- comic books, strips
- comics & graphic novels, science fiction
- nyt:paperback-graphic-books=2013-10-13
- dystopias
The story
This is the world. It is not the one we wanted, but it is the one we deserved. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse roam the Earth, signaling the End Times for humanity, and our best hope for life, lies in Death.
What it’s like
Dense, painterly panels and an austere, apocalyptic palette: washed-out desert ochres, bruised purples, and stark black ink, with heavy, ornamental lettering that makes every caption feel like scripture. The art by Nick Dragotta is kinetic and angular, with long vistas of ruined American landscapes broken by sudden, sharp close-ups of faces and weapons. The sensory world is dry and windswept, dusty roads and grim fortified towns, with a sense of something old and sacred pressing down on everything. The vibe is grim, mythic and ceremonial, the kind of read suited to a late night alone when you want weight and atmosphere more than comfort. Pacing is deliberate and chapter-like, with slow stretches of dread and sudden eruptions of brutal violence. Violence is frequent, graphic and bloody, with gunfights and battlefield deaths landing hard; there is some sexual content and a steady undercurrent of cruelty and fear. Emotionally it is cold and fatalistic, following a set of hardened figures bound by destiny rather than warmth. For readers who want epic, operatic dystopian fiction with strong design and no gentleness.
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