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The Old Guard
The Old Guard: Tales Through Time, Vol. 1
A STAR-STUDDED ANTHOLOGY EVENT!
The bestselling, critically acclaimed THE OLD GUARD, now a hit Netflix movie starring Charlize Theron, returns with NEW stories by writers GREG RUCKA, LEANDRO FERNÁNDEZ, and an all-star lineup of guest creators, expanding the world of the immortal warriors in shocking ways! Meet the immortals' families, witness never-before-seen adventures, and discover the first appearance of a major new character!
Featuring writers BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS, KELLY SUE DeCONNICK, MATT FRACTION, VITA AYALA, JASON AARON, DAVID F. WALKER, and more, and artists VALENTINE DE LANDRO, NICOLA SCOTT, MICHAEL AVON OEMING, RAFAEL ALBUQUERQUE, MIKE HENDERSON, MATTHEW CLARK, KANO, and more!
Collects THE OLD GUARD: TALES THROUGH TIME #1-6
The bestselling, critically acclaimed THE OLD GUARD, now a hit Netflix movie starring Charlize Theron, returns with NEW stories by writers GREG RUCKA, LEANDRO FERNÁNDEZ, and an all-star lineup of guest creators, expanding the world of the immortal warriors in shocking ways! Meet the immortals' families, witness never-before-seen adventures, and discover the first appearance of a major new character!
Featuring writers BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS, KELLY SUE DeCONNICK, MATT FRACTION, VITA AYALA, JASON AARON, DAVID F. WALKER, and more, and artists VALENTINE DE LANDRO, NICOLA SCOTT, MICHAEL AVON OEMING, RAFAEL ALBUQUERQUE, MIKE HENDERSON, MATTHEW CLARK, KANO, and more!
Collects THE OLD GUARD: TALES THROUGH TIME #1-6
176 pages, Paperback
First published December 21, 2021
About the author
Greg Rucka
1,381 books1,860 followersGreg Rucka, is an American comic book writer and novelist, known for his work on such comics as Action Comics, Batwoman: Detective Comics, and the miniseries Superman: World of New Krypton for DC Comics, and for novels such as his Queen & Country series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 151 reviews
May 9, 2022
Given the A-list talent working on this, none of the creative teams bring anything new to the table. That's the inherent rub of this series. Being immortal and able to soak up damage may make for a very good soldier, but it's a pretty repetitive read. The other problem with this series is the characters aren't introduced at the beginning of each story and it's really hard to tell which of the cast the story is about as the characters are all portrayed looking quite different depending on the time period and artist.
October 16, 2021
I have a fundamental problem with this series - the fact that the main characters are immortal isn't interesting enough, and combining it with violence is the least interesting avenue to explore. Bending it towards loved ones aging out and dying, is better, but you can't keep repeating it.
And so we come to this anthology of 12 short stories, 2 of them written by Rucka, the rest by a bevvy of writers. Two stories are drawn by the original artist, Leandro Fernandez, every other story by another artist.
And most of the stories are really dull. They basically have one of the immortals show up somewhere, some time, baddies kill the immortal, immortal resurrects and takes down the baddies. And again. And again.
I did like two stories, one by Brian Michael Bendis, the other by Vita Ayala. They did something interesting with this set up, something not directly related to violence.
The fact that ten stories are drawn by different artists throws up a different problem - it became a puzzle to figure out which immortal was featured, looking quite different in each version.
Overall, it's a bit of a mess.
(Picked up an ARC through Edelweiss)
And so we come to this anthology of 12 short stories, 2 of them written by Rucka, the rest by a bevvy of writers. Two stories are drawn by the original artist, Leandro Fernandez, every other story by another artist.
And most of the stories are really dull. They basically have one of the immortals show up somewhere, some time, baddies kill the immortal, immortal resurrects and takes down the baddies. And again. And again.
I did like two stories, one by Brian Michael Bendis, the other by Vita Ayala. They did something interesting with this set up, something not directly related to violence.
The fact that ten stories are drawn by different artists throws up a different problem - it became a puzzle to figure out which immortal was featured, looking quite different in each version.
Overall, it's a bit of a mess.
(Picked up an ARC through Edelweiss)
May 15, 2022
I really enjoyed this book. It contains twelve medium to short stories. Every story is excellent. It complements the main books brilliantly. They add insights snd gives a look at each of the main characters.
This is a must have for any fan of the Old Guard. Showing more of the main characters personalities, their pleasures and pain of imortality. The book finishes with a cover gallery of full page of all the issue covers and the one of each varient covers.
This is a must have for any fan of the Old Guard. Showing more of the main characters personalities, their pleasures and pain of imortality. The book finishes with a cover gallery of full page of all the issue covers and the one of each varient covers.
January 16, 2022
Greg Rucka and Leandro Fernández invite twenty-one other writers and artists to play with the toys in their Old Guard sandbox, and everyone does a pretty good job of it.
I think the better stories were in the front half of the book, but there were no awful ones. My only complaints might be that there is too much Booker and too little Nicky and Joe. And there is little effort to introduce the characters, so anyone who hasn't read the other two graphic novels or at least seen the movie will probably be pretty lost.
I think the better stories were in the front half of the book, but there were no awful ones. My only complaints might be that there is too much Booker and too little Nicky and Joe. And there is little effort to introduce the characters, so anyone who hasn't read the other two graphic novels or at least seen the movie will probably be pretty lost.
January 17, 2022
Ehhhhh. I'm basically happy to throw money at the franchise because I love the movie, can't wait for the second one, and want to support the creator of the original medium but. Most of these are deeply blah and phoned in. Most of the guest art isn't any better than the (no good, bad, terrible, cliched, frequently offensive) original art by Fernandez (which still features in two of these). There were only two artists whose work I liked (Jacopo Camgani in the Zanzibar story and NIcola Scott's in Many Happy Returns); some were so bad that I wasn't sure which character it was meant to be (like, I'm pretty sure it ought to be somewhat clear whether I'm looking at Booker, Nicky, or some complete rando). It doesn't help that the stories themselves are pretty mediocre, bend characterisation to fit plot, and are puzzlingly unvaried in their themes.
Basically, if you want actual good plots and actual depth of characterisation for these characters, head to AO3.
Basically, if you want actual good plots and actual depth of characterisation for these characters, head to AO3.
March 2, 2022
While we still are in the long wait for the final volume of The Old Guard, Greg Rucka whets our palate a little with this compilation of stories by a great group of writers and artists and feature all of the Old Guard in small stories throughout history. It proves that there is so much material that can be mined from such a cool concept. There are countless stories that I would love to read with the Old Guard and many eras that I would love to see explored.
Most of the stories are good but three stories really stood out to me and those were “How to Make a Ghost Town” written by Matt Fraction, “An Old Soul” by Jason Aaron, and “My Mother’s Ax” by the man himself, Greg Rucka.
Most of the stories are good but three stories really stood out to me and those were “How to Make a Ghost Town” written by Matt Fraction, “An Old Soul” by Jason Aaron, and “My Mother’s Ax” by the man himself, Greg Rucka.
November 1, 2021
actual rating: 3.5
I agree with some other reviewers that there is in fact nothing 'shocking' here but I did think it was a pretty enjoyable read and overall a very standard anthology volume. Obviously this book is not really going to be moving the current storyline forward since it's a series of flashback stories but if you like the characters and their interactions I think there is plenty of enjoyable new content here. If you're just a die-hard 'every single piece of this story has to concretely move the plot forward' kind of person then probably skip this but if you just want some random interesting stories then I'd say it's a good time.
I agree with some other reviewers that there is in fact nothing 'shocking' here but I did think it was a pretty enjoyable read and overall a very standard anthology volume. Obviously this book is not really going to be moving the current storyline forward since it's a series of flashback stories but if you like the characters and their interactions I think there is plenty of enjoyable new content here. If you're just a die-hard 'every single piece of this story has to concretely move the plot forward' kind of person then probably skip this but if you just want some random interesting stories then I'd say it's a good time.
May 10, 2022
Let's translate the blurb, shall we?
an all-star lineup of guest creators, expanding the world of the immortal warriors in shocking ways! Meet the immortals' families, witness never-before-seen adventures, and discover the first appearance of a major new character!
an all-star lineup of guest creators - "I couldn't be bothered to write any more stories myself"
expanding the world of the immortal warriors - That's what new book should ALWAYS do, right?
in shocking ways! - No shocks to be found.
Meet the immortals' families - Any family seen is mere plot fuel and not a developed character.
witness never-before-seen adventures - Kind hard to do a clip-issue with less than 20 on the shelf.
discover the first appearance of a major new character! - Since the whole run is short one-offs, there is no telling who this might be, and none of the newbs seen are interesting enough to warrant being a 'major new character'.
an all-star lineup of guest creators, expanding the world of the immortal warriors in shocking ways! Meet the immortals' families, witness never-before-seen adventures, and discover the first appearance of a major new character!
an all-star lineup of guest creators - "I couldn't be bothered to write any more stories myself"
expanding the world of the immortal warriors - That's what new book should ALWAYS do, right?
in shocking ways! - No shocks to be found.
Meet the immortals' families - Any family seen is mere plot fuel and not a developed character.
witness never-before-seen adventures - Kind hard to do a clip-issue with less than 20 on the shelf.
discover the first appearance of a major new character! - Since the whole run is short one-offs, there is no telling who this might be, and none of the newbs seen are interesting enough to warrant being a 'major new character'.
November 4, 2021
Pretty good spin-off just to show what these immortals do in their off time. Plus the way Books was portrayed really looks like a story all to itself. He seems to have started out as a nice enough guy with the people he was closest too until each major historical conflict got even worse. Seeing him go down the bottle makes him look like an authentic war soldier. Plus it was really good to see the other immortals looking out for another and show the need for connection even spiritually.
August 24, 2022
As anthologies go, this was your typical hit-or-miss. I liked the Rucka/Fernandez stories and Zanzibar best. The moon landing one, I could barely tell the difference between Nicky and Booker. I was disappointed with the Bendis story, that artwork was not it. And the heist one was good.
3.5 stars
3.5 stars
December 28, 2022
3.5 stars. Not every story needs a purpose. It can depict a snapshot in time, and that’s what this volume achieves. There is some real heart in some of these stories, and some made me question why it was even included. Some of the art makes it hard to decipher and discern who’s who, as each story featured a new artist. Flaws aside, I really enjoyed the tiny glimpses of these very long lives.
August 3, 2024
fucking delightful ♥
April 12, 2022
Short story collections are often uneven, and this one is no different. The good outweigh the rest here (although I question the choice of artist two or three times?) Worth seeking out if you are a fan of this series.
January 21, 2022
All anthologies are destined to be mixed bags, and I think there are some very valid criticisms of this one, especially the fact that a lot of the stories repeated the same plotline with the same 'twist' - the Old Guard don't die! shock! - but overall it was interesting and enjoyable.
Standouts:
- "Many Happy Returns" was a refreshingly nonviolent and genuinely sweet little adventure.
- "How to Make a Ghost Town" hit on notable themes and is an interesting insight into Andy's character.
- "The Bear" featured Joe doing what I imagine I'd want to do sometimes to if I was an immortal: fucking off into the wilderness of Alaska for some peace and quiet!
There was more Booker than I expected; I don't really think of him as one of the more interesting characters, and he's not always, but some of his appearances did pay off - especially "Many Happy Returns" and "Never Gets Old" lined up back to back. Many of Joe and Nicky's appearances were... basically about homophobia, which was fine the first time but felt a little old. Nicky gets away from it in "Love Letters", but I spent the whole book hoping Joe would get some prime pagetime to himself and "The Bear" is the closest we got.
The most interesting element here was how many of these stories focused on individual members of the cast flying solo. There are obvious storytelling reasons for that, but I also find it adds nuance to their group dynamic to think of them - even Joe and Nicky - spending years or decades apart.
It is frustrating how indistinct the character designs are, which is made abundantly clear in the varied art styles of this collection. Some of that is because of the different time periods portrayed, and that's an unavoidable challenge, but I feel like the failure to meet that challenge is indicative of weak original designs. I spent a good portion of this book wishing I could see these stories with the movie cast instead, because then I'd know who I was looking at.
Overall, interesting, but mostly made me want to watch the movie again.
Standouts:
- "Many Happy Returns" was a refreshingly nonviolent and genuinely sweet little adventure.
- "How to Make a Ghost Town" hit on notable themes and is an interesting insight into Andy's character.
- "The Bear" featured Joe doing what I imagine I'd want to do sometimes to if I was an immortal: fucking off into the wilderness of Alaska for some peace and quiet!
There was more Booker than I expected; I don't really think of him as one of the more interesting characters, and he's not always, but some of his appearances did pay off - especially "Many Happy Returns" and "Never Gets Old" lined up back to back. Many of Joe and Nicky's appearances were... basically about homophobia, which was fine the first time but felt a little old. Nicky gets away from it in "Love Letters", but I spent the whole book hoping Joe would get some prime pagetime to himself and "The Bear" is the closest we got.
The most interesting element here was how many of these stories focused on individual members of the cast flying solo. There are obvious storytelling reasons for that, but I also find it adds nuance to their group dynamic to think of them - even Joe and Nicky - spending years or decades apart.
It is frustrating how indistinct the character designs are, which is made abundantly clear in the varied art styles of this collection. Some of that is because of the different time periods portrayed, and that's an unavoidable challenge, but I feel like the failure to meet that challenge is indicative of weak original designs. I spent a good portion of this book wishing I could see these stories with the movie cast instead, because then I'd know who I was looking at.
Overall, interesting, but mostly made me want to watch the movie again.
November 7, 2021
The characters of the hit series (and Netflix show) The Old Guard return in The Old Guard: Tales Through Time Vol. 1. If short stories and vignettes are your thing, then you're absolutely going to love this collection.
Here's the backstory necessary to appreciate these tales: the characters in the Old Guard don't die. Technically, there may come a day where they stop getting back up, but the simple truth is that they never know when that moment might happen. They walk the earth for centuries, doing what they can to leave their mark on the world (for good or for ill, that's up to you to decide).
Obviously, immortal characters have seen and been through a lot. Not all of them have pasts that they are proud of. Andy is the oldest of the group, several thousand years old (no exaggeration there), while Nile is the youngest, only twenty-seven.
My Mother's Axe
The first story in this anthology is My Mother's Axe, by Greg Rucka and Leandro Fernandez. Given that this is the original team behind the series, it probably is no surprise to hear that this is one of the best stories. It's the tale of Andy's axe – and the transformation it has withstood over the centuries.
There's something so beautiful and poignant about the discussion that arises in this issue. It's essentially The Old Guard's version of the Ship of Theseus, with some solid emotional attachments thrown into the mix for good measure.
Zanzibar and Other Horrors
Next up is Zanzibar and Other Horrors by Andrew Wheeler and Jacopo Camagni. Camgagni is an artist I fell in love with throughout Nomen Omen, so I was delighted to see that name pop up here!
This tale focuses on Nicky and Joe (those would be their modern names, of course, not the names they were born with) and is set in Berlin, 1932. There's a lot to unpack from this story, as there's a lot of commentary (both historical and modern) woven into the narrative.
Daniela Miwa was the colorist for both of the above stories, and Jodie Wynne was the letterer.
Bonsai Shokunin
Bonsai Shokunin, by Kelly Thompson, Valentine De Landro, Rebecca McConnell, and Jodi Wynne, is the third story in this collection. This story felt...weighted. You can really feel the weight an unwilling soldier carries through life, even at the end of his days.
It also feels like there's a message woven into the story here, and it resonates with something Andy has said. Blood begets blood.
Strong Medicine
There's something about Strong Medicine that is stuck in my brain. It's been a minute since I read this graphic novel, and it's still bouncing around inside my head. Eric Trautmann, Mike Henderson, Daniela Miwa, and Jodie Wynne are the ones behind this tale, and I love them for it.
The year is 1870, in Colorado. What happens to a small town when there's no real sense of law, and one man is letting his grief tear apart the town? (Quite literally, as the case may be). Well, in the world of The Old Guard, somebody shows up to handle things.
Passchendaele
Passchendaele is a story that offers a look at Andy through a wholly different lens. It's easy to see Andy as a warrior – the woman who will always get up and fight. It may be harder to picture her taking a role other than the hero (or killer) in somebody's life.
Yet that is what happened here, as at least once, Andy was unable to walk away from an orphan she found many years ago. Thanks to Brian Michael Bendis, Michael Avon Oeming, Taki Soma, and Jodi Wynne for offering this perspective.
Lacus Solitudinis
Booker and Nicky are on a mission to confront a careless (and homophobic) officer in Lacus Solitudinis. Created by Robert Mackenzie, Dave Walker, Justin Greenwood, Daniela Miwa, and Jodie Wynne, this story, in particular, felt very relevant.
There's a bit more jumping around in this tale than in the others, as they're trying to show us multiple perspectives to help us understand everything going on – and what it costs the characters involved.
How to Make a Ghost Town
There are no two ways about it, How to Make a Ghost Town is a heavy-hitting story. Created by Matt Fraction, Steve Lieber, Daniela Miwa, and Jodi Wynne, this one isn't afraid to hit readers right where it hurts.
In other words, it hits us in Andy's past. It's a more recent story and one that readers of the main series will be familiar with. I think that's what makes it hurt so much. Well, that and the guilt and Anger Andy must have felt.
Love Letters
Next, we have Love Letters, created by David F. Walker, Matthew Clark, Rebecca McConnell, and Jodi Wynne. Set in Pennsylvania, 1863 – it's pretty easy to figure out what all the fighting is about. Though with The Old Guard, naturally, there's a bit of a twist.
It's pretty fascinating to get a glimpse into how the team felt about this particular moment in time – I feel like this was a necessary story for that very reason.
An Old Soul
An Old Soul is the second to last story in this collection, created by Jason Aaron (love him), Rafael Alburquerque, Daniela Miwa, and Jodi Wynne. This one actually gets a bit...weird? Yeah, strange is a good description for it.
It does a great job of showing what can happen to our spirits and minds after long enough. It's a subject that has come up time and time again in the series. The biggest difference this time is the character we're focusing on...and his choice of handling things.
Never Gets Old
Last but certainly not least, there's Never Gets Old by Alejandro Arbona, Kano, Daniela Miwa, and Jodi Wynne. There's a lot of interesting commentary in here, much of it understated. Maybe it's just me, but I felt a lingering sense of dread when reading this story.
We can all picture how badly it would go when one of The Old Guard told their family the truth – thus; I kept waiting for that hat to drop. I'm sure it did, but I'm happy that we didn't see it (to the extent that I feared) here.
Thanks to Image Comics and #Edelweiss for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Read more at Quirky Cat's Comics
Here's the backstory necessary to appreciate these tales: the characters in the Old Guard don't die. Technically, there may come a day where they stop getting back up, but the simple truth is that they never know when that moment might happen. They walk the earth for centuries, doing what they can to leave their mark on the world (for good or for ill, that's up to you to decide).
Obviously, immortal characters have seen and been through a lot. Not all of them have pasts that they are proud of. Andy is the oldest of the group, several thousand years old (no exaggeration there), while Nile is the youngest, only twenty-seven.
My Mother's Axe
The first story in this anthology is My Mother's Axe, by Greg Rucka and Leandro Fernandez. Given that this is the original team behind the series, it probably is no surprise to hear that this is one of the best stories. It's the tale of Andy's axe – and the transformation it has withstood over the centuries.
There's something so beautiful and poignant about the discussion that arises in this issue. It's essentially The Old Guard's version of the Ship of Theseus, with some solid emotional attachments thrown into the mix for good measure.
Zanzibar and Other Horrors
Next up is Zanzibar and Other Horrors by Andrew Wheeler and Jacopo Camagni. Camgagni is an artist I fell in love with throughout Nomen Omen, so I was delighted to see that name pop up here!
This tale focuses on Nicky and Joe (those would be their modern names, of course, not the names they were born with) and is set in Berlin, 1932. There's a lot to unpack from this story, as there's a lot of commentary (both historical and modern) woven into the narrative.
Daniela Miwa was the colorist for both of the above stories, and Jodie Wynne was the letterer.
Bonsai Shokunin
Bonsai Shokunin, by Kelly Thompson, Valentine De Landro, Rebecca McConnell, and Jodi Wynne, is the third story in this collection. This story felt...weighted. You can really feel the weight an unwilling soldier carries through life, even at the end of his days.
It also feels like there's a message woven into the story here, and it resonates with something Andy has said. Blood begets blood.
Strong Medicine
There's something about Strong Medicine that is stuck in my brain. It's been a minute since I read this graphic novel, and it's still bouncing around inside my head. Eric Trautmann, Mike Henderson, Daniela Miwa, and Jodie Wynne are the ones behind this tale, and I love them for it.
The year is 1870, in Colorado. What happens to a small town when there's no real sense of law, and one man is letting his grief tear apart the town? (Quite literally, as the case may be). Well, in the world of The Old Guard, somebody shows up to handle things.
Passchendaele
Passchendaele is a story that offers a look at Andy through a wholly different lens. It's easy to see Andy as a warrior – the woman who will always get up and fight. It may be harder to picture her taking a role other than the hero (or killer) in somebody's life.
Yet that is what happened here, as at least once, Andy was unable to walk away from an orphan she found many years ago. Thanks to Brian Michael Bendis, Michael Avon Oeming, Taki Soma, and Jodi Wynne for offering this perspective.
Lacus Solitudinis
Booker and Nicky are on a mission to confront a careless (and homophobic) officer in Lacus Solitudinis. Created by Robert Mackenzie, Dave Walker, Justin Greenwood, Daniela Miwa, and Jodie Wynne, this story, in particular, felt very relevant.
There's a bit more jumping around in this tale than in the others, as they're trying to show us multiple perspectives to help us understand everything going on – and what it costs the characters involved.
How to Make a Ghost Town
There are no two ways about it, How to Make a Ghost Town is a heavy-hitting story. Created by Matt Fraction, Steve Lieber, Daniela Miwa, and Jodi Wynne, this one isn't afraid to hit readers right where it hurts.
In other words, it hits us in Andy's past. It's a more recent story and one that readers of the main series will be familiar with. I think that's what makes it hurt so much. Well, that and the guilt and Anger Andy must have felt.
Love Letters
Next, we have Love Letters, created by David F. Walker, Matthew Clark, Rebecca McConnell, and Jodi Wynne. Set in Pennsylvania, 1863 – it's pretty easy to figure out what all the fighting is about. Though with The Old Guard, naturally, there's a bit of a twist.
It's pretty fascinating to get a glimpse into how the team felt about this particular moment in time – I feel like this was a necessary story for that very reason.
An Old Soul
An Old Soul is the second to last story in this collection, created by Jason Aaron (love him), Rafael Alburquerque, Daniela Miwa, and Jodi Wynne. This one actually gets a bit...weird? Yeah, strange is a good description for it.
It does a great job of showing what can happen to our spirits and minds after long enough. It's a subject that has come up time and time again in the series. The biggest difference this time is the character we're focusing on...and his choice of handling things.
Never Gets Old
Last but certainly not least, there's Never Gets Old by Alejandro Arbona, Kano, Daniela Miwa, and Jodi Wynne. There's a lot of interesting commentary in here, much of it understated. Maybe it's just me, but I felt a lingering sense of dread when reading this story.
We can all picture how badly it would go when one of The Old Guard told their family the truth – thus; I kept waiting for that hat to drop. I'm sure it did, but I'm happy that we didn't see it (to the extent that I feared) here.
Thanks to Image Comics and #Edelweiss for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Read more at Quirky Cat's Comics
October 4, 2021
Twelve pieces of nothing. I mean, I've never seen a page of the two graphic novels this collection of shorts spins off from, but I can clearly see from this evidence why people cry foul at the bad idea of making immortal warriors so damned immortal, and so damned, well, boring. Not even the N-bomb and some nuns' tits can wake this lot up.
December 14, 2022
3.5 stars
Out of the three comics in this series, this Anthology is my clear favorite. I liked the very different facets if the characters the stories bring out. And the different art styles are fun, too!
Out of the three comics in this series, this Anthology is my clear favorite. I liked the very different facets if the characters the stories bring out. And the different art styles are fun, too!
January 14, 2022
This is a collection of shorts, and as with any compilation, the quality varies. There are a couple very good ones - Jason Aaron & Rafael Albequerque's story manages to be pretty funny and fun, while "Zanzibar and Other Harbors" pushes the LGBTQ perspective very effectively, with a memorable story. None of the stories are weak, and a couple do add some dimension to the characters - 'My Mother's Axe' and 'How to Make a Ghost Town' both give Andy lots to do, for example. The art is good to great, with some unique approaches that work to a greater or lesser level for the stories (some make it very hard to recognize the characters).
But overall, it's a nice addition to the world with plenty of bite-size stories that aren't integral by any means, but are definitely enjoyable.
But overall, it's a nice addition to the world with plenty of bite-size stories that aren't integral by any means, but are definitely enjoyable.
January 23, 2022
I enjoy this series, but I don’t see the point of this short story collection. It adds nothing of value to The Old Guard universe. It also doesn’t add much depth to the characters, particularly because the different artists makes it difficult to tell which of the male characters we are seeing (the two females, being different races, are much easier, but they don’t show up in very many stories).
December 4, 2021
On the whole, pretty boring, really.
January 22, 2022
La verdad es que me emocioné al verlo, pero después descubrí que eran historias cortas de los personajes a lo largo de los años. Estas no están dibujadas ni escritas (creo) por los creadores originales, sino que todo un grupo de distintos artistas invitados. Así que los diseños van cambiando y, en algunos casos, los personajes pueden no sentirse tan cercanos a como los recordábamos.
Es cierto que algunos relatos me parecieron más bien aburridos o sin mucho brillo, pero otros fueron realmente bonitos. No creo que aporten mucho en la construcción de personajes, pues me parecían que estos estaban bien perfilados en los tomos anteriores. Sin embargo, lo pasé bien y algunos relatos fueron divertidos de leer.
Creo que mis favoritos son el primero de Nicky y Joe y el de Achilles, ambos más en el tema romántico, aunque toman caminos por completo distintos. Mientras que el de Nicky y Joe tiene que ver con ellos como pareja y cómo su relación sigue siendo prohibida por más que avancen los años, el de Achilles es más triste. Es su vida sin Andy y cómo no pudo estar a salvo a pesar de que ella intentó cuidarlo.
Los relatos de Andy la tienen casi como un personaje secundario, más ella hablando de personas de su vida o interviniendo en otras historias. No se centraron tanto en su personalidad o su mentalidad, solo el primero. Mis menos favoritos fueron los de Booker, si bien entiendo lo del personaje, la verdad es que a veces daba la sensación de que caricaturizaron su personaje al extremo.
Como dije,The Old Guard: Tales Through Time Vol. 1 no es lo que esperaba ni tampoco aporta a la trama o la construcción de los personajes, pero es divertido y se lee rápido. Además, me recordó lo mucho que me gustaba la historia y sus personajes.
Es cierto que algunos relatos me parecieron más bien aburridos o sin mucho brillo, pero otros fueron realmente bonitos. No creo que aporten mucho en la construcción de personajes, pues me parecían que estos estaban bien perfilados en los tomos anteriores. Sin embargo, lo pasé bien y algunos relatos fueron divertidos de leer.
"Beautiful things don't always carry us good places"
Creo que mis favoritos son el primero de Nicky y Joe y el de Achilles, ambos más en el tema romántico, aunque toman caminos por completo distintos. Mientras que el de Nicky y Joe tiene que ver con ellos como pareja y cómo su relación sigue siendo prohibida por más que avancen los años, el de Achilles es más triste. Es su vida sin Andy y cómo no pudo estar a salvo a pesar de que ella intentó cuidarlo.
Los relatos de Andy la tienen casi como un personaje secundario, más ella hablando de personas de su vida o interviniendo en otras historias. No se centraron tanto en su personalidad o su mentalidad, solo el primero. Mis menos favoritos fueron los de Booker, si bien entiendo lo del personaje, la verdad es que a veces daba la sensación de que caricaturizaron su personaje al extremo.
"It is a conflict of loneliness, as my heart questions not what I do, but waht I have sacrificed to do it"
Como dije,The Old Guard: Tales Through Time Vol. 1 no es lo que esperaba ni tampoco aporta a la trama o la construcción de los personajes, pero es divertido y se lee rápido. Además, me recordó lo mucho que me gustaba la historia y sus personajes.
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October 9, 2021As the preamble to each issue points out, between them these immortal-ish soldiers have 10,000 years of history, so why not invite in various creative teams to offer vignettes from those vast and violent pasts? Series creators Rucka and Fernandez kick it off with a story about Andy's instantly recognisable axe. Which...well, neither of them is British, so I guess maybe they still think of this paradox as the respectable, mythic Ship of Theseus. Whereas to a UK reader, the inevitable response is 'You're doing an anthology series about ancient warriors, and you opened with Trigger's broom?' Still, I did empathise with this exchange:
"That's tempered steel and spot-welded and shit, Andy. You're telling me you had advanced metallurgy in the Stone Age?"
"Copper Age, thank you. I mean, I'm old, I'm not *that* old."
Still, you can't say it doesn't take full advantage of the range the set-up affords. Wild West, feudal Japan, Weimar Germany... Contributors include the Bitch Planet team, the Powers boys, and the pair behind that wonderful recent Jimmy Olsen series (though this last CV is less of a guide to the content here than the other two). Thoughtfully, they're mostly paired such that each issue includes one story from big names, and one from newer creators, thereby discouraging singles readers from skipping the less famous names. Given the film was definitely enough of a hit to get sequels, it would be lovely if they drew on some of this variety; given those sequels will all be coming from Netflix, I won't be holding my breath.
(Edelweiss ARC)
"That's tempered steel and spot-welded and shit, Andy. You're telling me you had advanced metallurgy in the Stone Age?"
"Copper Age, thank you. I mean, I'm old, I'm not *that* old."
Still, you can't say it doesn't take full advantage of the range the set-up affords. Wild West, feudal Japan, Weimar Germany... Contributors include the Bitch Planet team, the Powers boys, and the pair behind that wonderful recent Jimmy Olsen series (though this last CV is less of a guide to the content here than the other two). Thoughtfully, they're mostly paired such that each issue includes one story from big names, and one from newer creators, thereby discouraging singles readers from skipping the less famous names. Given the film was definitely enough of a hit to get sequels, it would be lovely if they drew on some of this variety; given those sequels will all be coming from Netflix, I won't be holding my breath.
(Edelweiss ARC)
February 6, 2022
I knew going in this was not a continuation of the main storyline. That it instead is a collection of stories from across time involving various members of the guard. Some stories were wonderful. Really loved Rucka and Fernandez’s stories. Also the one by Matt Fraction (but I will always have a soft spot for anything from the creator of the Hawkeye 2012 run.)
Some were ok, and a few were just boring to me. I struggled to identify Booker/Nicky in a lot of them as the art style would change with every new artist.
Overall I love the idea of giving so many authors/illustrators the opportunity to create in this world, but did not really enjoy the inconsistency in styles. Maybe if there had been less stories and they were longer?
Some were ok, and a few were just boring to me. I struggled to identify Booker/Nicky in a lot of them as the art style would change with every new artist.
Overall I love the idea of giving so many authors/illustrators the opportunity to create in this world, but did not really enjoy the inconsistency in styles. Maybe if there had been less stories and they were longer?
June 1, 2023
Meh. None of the stories moved anything ahead - which I guess makes sense since they are shorts - but also none of them really give more depth to the over-arching story of where they come from. If it's like Highlander where there are just immortal people born every now and then, fine. If it's like The Arrivals by Melissa Marr - still a little salty how similar the basic story is, especially after how bad Vol. 2 of the main-line books went - then there should just be an explanation to make it make sense. Otherwise it's one big "somehow Palpatine returned".
EDIT: according to what I've been reading this is the 'third volume" even though it's literally titled Volume 1. wtaf, Greg.
EDIT: according to what I've been reading this is the 'third volume" even though it's literally titled Volume 1. wtaf, Greg.
October 11, 2023
I'm reading this only because I really enjoyed the movie adaptation featuring these characters, and I can be a completist sometimes. The art is really variable in this collection—some of the artists were great, some of them were, uh, not to my taste. In more than one story I couldn't tell if I was supposed to be looking at Nicky or Booker. With such a short amount of space for each writer to work in, it's not surprising that most of these stories tend not to have much to them. Most of them are at least okay, though, with the exception of one near the end featuring a group of orgiastic murderous nuns which was an unpleasant little burst of misogyny. Way too much Booker, not enough Joe or Noriko/Quynh.
January 10, 2022
The Old Guard: Tales Through Time collection features a series of stories that expand upon series creator Greg Rucka's universe. The list of writers and artists on the individual stories is impressive.
The stories range all over the characters long lifetimes so that you learn more about each of them and what they were up to at any given time.
I found both the stories and artwork to be top notch. While I might've liked some stories more than others, they were all pretty darn good.
The opportunity to read more stories featuring The Old Guard is always welcome and it is nice to see all the various creators getting to dabble in the universe as well.
The stories range all over the characters long lifetimes so that you learn more about each of them and what they were up to at any given time.
I found both the stories and artwork to be top notch. While I might've liked some stories more than others, they were all pretty darn good.
The opportunity to read more stories featuring The Old Guard is always welcome and it is nice to see all the various creators getting to dabble in the universe as well.
March 1, 2022
Like most short story collections this is a mixed bag, and they are all very short. Generally enjoyable side-notes to the other volumes though, with some interesting little details. The downside to having different artists as well as writers contribute though, is that sometimes the characters are drawn quite differently and - for me at least - it could be quite difficult to immediately tell who was who (especially Booker and Nicky, I sometimes had to read a bit of the story before I could decipher who was featured in it). But if you liked the main stories then this is a worthwhile side-story addition to the series.
December 28, 2023
(3,7 of 5 for a nice anthology with a sour taste)
I kind of expected a finish for what the second volume left open, but I got an anthology of various stories from the life of all our immortal characters. Because of various writers (and artists), the quality of stories varies. Overall, it's good, but it's quite expected because making short stories for characters who live through multiple eras all over the world is easy picking.
I kind of expected a finish for what the second volume left open, but I got an anthology of various stories from the life of all our immortal characters. Because of various writers (and artists), the quality of stories varies. Overall, it's good, but it's quite expected because making short stories for characters who live through multiple eras all over the world is easy picking.
October 25, 2024
As with any anthology, some stories resonate more than others. The moon landing one missed for me. The opening story (My Mother’s Axe), Zanzibar, Bonsai, and Many Happy Returns were my favorites of the collection. Without a consistent art style or setting to serve as guide posts, the stories that didn’t work to drop small hints of context didn’t resonate — not enough space to pull the pieces together.
Worth an evening’s read. 3.5 stars, rounded up.
Worth an evening’s read. 3.5 stars, rounded up.
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