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Rai by Dan Abnett
Fallen World
In the year 4002 AD, the cyborg samurai called Rai will face an impossible battle for the fate of humanity.
In the wake of his rebellion against the tyrannical A.I. that created him, Rai has renounced the way of the sword and works to build a new life for the refugees of the fallen nation of New Japan on the surface of the shattered Earth they once dwelled so far above. But Rai will find his commitment to walking the path of peace tested like never before as new enemies arise from out of the wastelands and agents of the old order threaten his people from within…
Collecting the complete FALLEN WORLD five-issue miniseries.
In the wake of his rebellion against the tyrannical A.I. that created him, Rai has renounced the way of the sword and works to build a new life for the refugees of the fallen nation of New Japan on the surface of the shattered Earth they once dwelled so far above. But Rai will find his commitment to walking the path of peace tested like never before as new enemies arise from out of the wastelands and agents of the old order threaten his people from within…
Collecting the complete FALLEN WORLD five-issue miniseries.
- GenresComicsGraphic Novels
136 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 13, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
November 22, 2019
This takes place in Valiant's 4001 A.D. world after the events of Rai, 4001 A.D. and War Mother. Enough is explained in this book that you don't need to have read those previous series, but if you want to read the entire 4001 A.D. story that's what you need to know.
New Japan has broken apart and fallen in pieces across the earth. Father has returned and Rai is forced to try and stop him. That's about all you need to know about the plot. 4001 A.D. is Valiant's dystopian far future. I thought this was just OK. It's not bad. It's just that Valiant has set an extremely high bar for itself. I haven't seen Adam Pollina draw a book since the 90's on X-Force. It is less stylized now, but it was also very busy with little sense of depth. It made the battle scenes a little hard to take in.
New Japan has broken apart and fallen in pieces across the earth. Father has returned and Rai is forced to try and stop him. That's about all you need to know about the plot. 4001 A.D. is Valiant's dystopian far future. I thought this was just OK. It's not bad. It's just that Valiant has set an extremely high bar for itself. I haven't seen Adam Pollina draw a book since the 90's on X-Force. It is less stylized now, but it was also very busy with little sense of depth. It made the battle scenes a little hard to take in.
November 15, 2019
A Fallen World Makes for a Crazy Fun Dystopian Comic
Dystopians have saturated the book market too much. Still I have a soft spot in my heart for the genre. I like the idea of a comic series set way in the future. Fallen World is bright and rich, spinning old favorites in fun visual directions.
Did Fallen World surprise this Fangirl?
The first volume totally confused me. If I wasn’t reading a compilation of 5 volumes I probably wouldn’t have continued… which would have been a shame! While we aren’t breaking new ground I do enjoy many of the dystopian elements and the different ways they were incorporated into Fallen World.
Genetic tinkering plays a major factor.
We have a slave race created through genetics and the humans who have been “utilizing” them at the behest of the benevolent AI, Father. We have this overlord’s sons, who have been created for a specific purpose. There is a race that is prospering after experiments with animals (this is a real favorite of mine!) Plus there is an immortal who is in the wrong place at the worst time…
Rivaling factions make for a tense political atmosphere.
At the beginning of Fallen World a major space installation falls to a long abandoned earth. We have the different groups from that installation, plus the different surviving groups of earth. And the different groups are rich with different cultures that conflict due to their rivaling motivations.
But it’s the Brothers I fell for…
Rai has this neat Japanese feel that totally makes him stand out. I thought he was the villain at first… but he’s totally the protagonist. And I can see why his right hand totally hero worships him. But then we meet his little brother who has to make some choices of his own.
And the women were an unexpected pleasure.
This kind of comic doesn’t normally treat women respectfully. Fallen World is different. We have three powerful women characters who play major roles in the action. I love the direction we’re going with them and can’t wait to revisit this series to see it play out!
Plus there was action every step of the setup.
The start of a series can be a drag as we meet and greet all the major players, especially with such a large cast. But Fallen World jumps into high gear from page one. Sure it’s confusing at first but things become clear and we’re able to forge ahead fast and furious!
Fallen World surprised me by taking the same old dystopian elements and giving them a new twist! It’s fun, action packed with a world bursting with potential. I can’t wait to get into more trouble with Rai and his little brother…
Dystopians have saturated the book market too much. Still I have a soft spot in my heart for the genre. I like the idea of a comic series set way in the future. Fallen World is bright and rich, spinning old favorites in fun visual directions.
Did Fallen World surprise this Fangirl?
The first volume totally confused me. If I wasn’t reading a compilation of 5 volumes I probably wouldn’t have continued… which would have been a shame! While we aren’t breaking new ground I do enjoy many of the dystopian elements and the different ways they were incorporated into Fallen World.
Genetic tinkering plays a major factor.
We have a slave race created through genetics and the humans who have been “utilizing” them at the behest of the benevolent AI, Father. We have this overlord’s sons, who have been created for a specific purpose. There is a race that is prospering after experiments with animals (this is a real favorite of mine!) Plus there is an immortal who is in the wrong place at the worst time…
Rivaling factions make for a tense political atmosphere.
At the beginning of Fallen World a major space installation falls to a long abandoned earth. We have the different groups from that installation, plus the different surviving groups of earth. And the different groups are rich with different cultures that conflict due to their rivaling motivations.
But it’s the Brothers I fell for…
Rai has this neat Japanese feel that totally makes him stand out. I thought he was the villain at first… but he’s totally the protagonist. And I can see why his right hand totally hero worships him. But then we meet his little brother who has to make some choices of his own.
And the women were an unexpected pleasure.
This kind of comic doesn’t normally treat women respectfully. Fallen World is different. We have three powerful women characters who play major roles in the action. I love the direction we’re going with them and can’t wait to revisit this series to see it play out!
Plus there was action every step of the setup.
The start of a series can be a drag as we meet and greet all the major players, especially with such a large cast. But Fallen World jumps into high gear from page one. Sure it’s confusing at first but things become clear and we’re able to forge ahead fast and furious!
Fallen World surprised me by taking the same old dystopian elements and giving them a new twist! It’s fun, action packed with a world bursting with potential. I can’t wait to get into more trouble with Rai and his little brother…
July 23, 2021
Fallen World is the next installment of the Rai series, set in the aftermath of the destruction of New Japan, with all the action taking place in a post-apocalyptic Earth, and is just as good as the previous series, the world building continues to be awesome, but the pacing feels a bit off. Fallen World was a big change in direction, the cyberpunk/hard sci-fi aesthetic seems to be dying out, and that was one of the major appeals for me, still, I'm very much enjoying it, so let's see what Dan Abnett brings up next.
October 3, 2019
2,5/5. Who had the idea to write white in light blue cases, it’s really hard to read. Anyway. I like the action in this comic, but the story and «inspiration» seem like many deja-vu to me. It just seems like it tries to hard to be epic and be epic quickly. Epic take time build up and you can do epic in a 100 pages comic. Felt rush.
February 28, 2021
Just as Incursion was basically an Eternal Warrior story, Fallen World is a Rai story. Eternal Warrior does guest star.
Set in the year 4002 not long after the fall of New Japan, we find out Father, the evil AI that controlled New Japan, is still alive. So is Raijin, Rai's robotic "older brother." Father is attempting to reassemble himself, and Rai tries to stop him. This series leads directly into the next Rai series.
Overall a strong series with good art, but I'm not sure why this was done as a limited series rather than just the start of the new Rai series since that's really what this is.
Set in the year 4002 not long after the fall of New Japan, we find out Father, the evil AI that controlled New Japan, is still alive. So is Raijin, Rai's robotic "older brother." Father is attempting to reassemble himself, and Rai tries to stop him. This series leads directly into the next Rai series.
Overall a strong series with good art, but I'm not sure why this was done as a limited series rather than just the start of the new Rai series since that's really what this is.
July 28, 2025
In 4001, Rai destroyed the orbital station New Japan that was governed by the despotic AI Father. He has become a messianic savior of many in the settlement named Sontaku, while leaving his violent past behind. Bloodshot is compelled to help the many survivors from the station's crash to Earth. Eventually he finds an AI that offers to help and seems to take control of his body.
Gilad the Eternal Warrior is sworn to protect the Geomancer Karana. They stumble across an industrial sector that has plumetted to Earth. It might contain vital resources. When Rai joins them it becomes obvious that Father has corrupted Bloodshot and has killed many of the sector's survivors. Rai's attempt to destroy Father has failed, so he must return to violence once more.
Gilad the Eternal Warrior is sworn to protect the Geomancer Karana. They stumble across an industrial sector that has plumetted to Earth. It might contain vital resources. When Rai joins them it becomes obvious that Father has corrupted Bloodshot and has killed many of the sector's survivors. Rai's attempt to destroy Father has failed, so he must return to violence once more.
February 21, 2021
Lo fascinante de este título es el cambio de escenario que causó el final de la primera serie de Matt Kindt. Sus elementos de film noir y cyberpunk fueron reemplazados por acción y aventura desde una perspectiva distópica. Pero funciona, es el paso lógico a tomar y una vez se destruye todo al final de una serie, el punto de la próxima es reconstruir. Este es un tema que sigue tanto el villano como los héroes de esta historia, Rai debe unificar a los humanos y positrones que sobrevivieron la caída del Nuevo Japón con ayuda de Lula, el Geomancer debe regresar el balance ecológico a la tierra luego de siglos de contaminación causados por Nuevo Japón y Padre debe reconstruirse a sí mismo.
Este libro fue más el establecimiento para continuar con Rai como personaje y el mundo en el que habita. Lo cual funciona. Así como dije que funcionaría en mis reseñas del evento 4001 AD. De este modo pueden hasta crear un sub sello de Valiant en el siglo XLI. Pero tengo mis problemas.
Lula es solo una niña e impone autoridad sobre figuras políticas, ¿cómo funciona eso, empoderamiento femenino? ¿Cómo es que el Guerrero Eterno, Gilad, se deja interrumpir y se deja llevar de Warmother? El hombre ha vivido alrededor de seis mil años y unas niñas de menos de treinta hablan como si años de experiencia no te hayan hecho más sabio que cualquiera que te rodea. De nuevo, ¿Empoderamiento femenino?
Con todo y eso, el final me dejó esperanzado por la nueva serie de Rai, y la voy a seguir leyendo para seguir explorando el mundo del futuro de Valiant.
Este libro fue más el establecimiento para continuar con Rai como personaje y el mundo en el que habita. Lo cual funciona. Así como dije que funcionaría en mis reseñas del evento 4001 AD. De este modo pueden hasta crear un sub sello de Valiant en el siglo XLI. Pero tengo mis problemas.
Lula es solo una niña e impone autoridad sobre figuras políticas, ¿cómo funciona eso, empoderamiento femenino? ¿Cómo es que el Guerrero Eterno, Gilad, se deja interrumpir y se deja llevar de Warmother? El hombre ha vivido alrededor de seis mil años y unas niñas de menos de treinta hablan como si años de experiencia no te hayan hecho más sabio que cualquiera que te rodea. De nuevo, ¿Empoderamiento femenino?
Con todo y eso, el final me dejó esperanzado por la nueva serie de Rai, y la voy a seguir leyendo para seguir explorando el mundo del futuro de Valiant.
March 10, 2020
The next installment of the 4000 AD timeline of the Valiant Universe is collected here, with the five issue Fallen World mini-series as well as the Fallen World prelude from Free Comic Book Day 2019.
Pitting Rai against a new incarnation of Father, this series explores what the world of New Japan/Earth is like, thrusting together future incarnations of the characters you know and love and even bringing in some fan favourites from the 4000AD timeline. Valiant have done a lot of flash-forward, The End type books, but they definitely seem dedicated to 4000AD since it gets a lot more fleshing out than the others.
Despite this being a self-contained story, it definitely serves as a springboard for the new Rai ongoing, setting up a new status quo for the characters and moving Rai along his character arc as he tries and fails at pacifism. I like that writer Dan Abnett doesn't eschew any of the other supporting characters that Rai has gathered, like Lula and Momo, instead folding them into his story as if they were there the whole time.
The art is by Adam Pollina (with the prelude by Ryp), and it works pretty well. It's a bit fast and loose in certain areas, but his lines have good weight and his quality doesn't dip over the five issues. Apparently he was big in the 90s (although this is the first I've heard of it), but his style still fits pretty well with today's books.
Fallen World is basically a new Rai Volume 0, but that doesn't stop it being entertaining, with high stakes and a good collection of characters that keep the momentum flowing throughout.
Pitting Rai against a new incarnation of Father, this series explores what the world of New Japan/Earth is like, thrusting together future incarnations of the characters you know and love and even bringing in some fan favourites from the 4000AD timeline. Valiant have done a lot of flash-forward, The End type books, but they definitely seem dedicated to 4000AD since it gets a lot more fleshing out than the others.
Despite this being a self-contained story, it definitely serves as a springboard for the new Rai ongoing, setting up a new status quo for the characters and moving Rai along his character arc as he tries and fails at pacifism. I like that writer Dan Abnett doesn't eschew any of the other supporting characters that Rai has gathered, like Lula and Momo, instead folding them into his story as if they were there the whole time.
The art is by Adam Pollina (with the prelude by Ryp), and it works pretty well. It's a bit fast and loose in certain areas, but his lines have good weight and his quality doesn't dip over the five issues. Apparently he was big in the 90s (although this is the first I've heard of it), but his style still fits pretty well with today's books.
Fallen World is basically a new Rai Volume 0, but that doesn't stop it being entertaining, with high stakes and a good collection of characters that keep the momentum flowing throughout.
August 27, 2022
Fallen World. There's a lot to like in this next-volume of Rai. It's a big story and a natural progression of what comes after 4001 AD. It's also told in a very European style, with attractive artwork that's not in the superhero style and the feel that there could be serious repercussions. Finally the introduction of Eternal Warrior is a good one. But somehow we never get that close to the characters, and so it feels mainly like we're being pushed through the plot [3/5].
December 25, 2019
Nice artwork, far future dystopia, might be a little hard to get into if you haven't read some of the previous stuff in this storyline (I haven't), but you'll catch up eventually. The mix of future tech and feudal Japan is fun, and the action stays pretty consistent.
#FallenWorld #NetGalley
#FallenWorld #NetGalley
January 22, 2020
Miniserie introductoria de serie regular de Rai, personaje que no conocía, pero que me resultó más de lo mismo.
October 13, 2022
3.75 stars
November 18, 2019
Fallen World follows 4001 A.D. and the Rai stories that preceded it. In 4001 A.D., the New Japan satellite broke apart and crashed to Earth. ome parts of New japan crashed softly, so the Japanese have returned to their home world, although not to their original islands. Rai, who rebelled against his creator, the ruling AI called Father, is either reviled or worshiped by different groups, sort of like Donald Trump. A good many people appreciate the security offered by seemingly benevolent despots, and those folk have a collective bug up their bums about Rai. Just why they think Father is benevolent, given that he crashed New Japan, is unclear, but clear thinking is foreign to despot worshipers. Small minds always value security over freedom.
Sadly for Rai, after all the work he did to bring down Father, Father ain’t dead. Father activates another artificial son (one who hasn’t betrayed him yet), bringing him out of hibernation on Earth, presumably to act as a chip off the old AI despot. This son is named Raijin. Father wants to kill Rai but, in the meantime, he needs to collect and assemble 12 offspring to become his old self.
Meanwhile, the Eternal Warrior is roaming around on the planet protecting the Geomancer, who protects the Earth. She didn’t count on satellite segments smacking into her planet. That crossover is apparently tossed into the mix because readers love crossovers.
Crossover madness continues with Bloodshot, who can hear Japanese survivors pleading for help. The voices are driving him buggy, not that sanity is part of his character under the best of circumstances, so he runs around slaying dinosaurs and generally helping out when he can. But then he’s tricked into releasing one of those monsters with multiple tentacles. You know that anything with tentacles is a problem. This one makes Bloodshot do the vile bidding of Father until he sort of fades out of the plot.
And that’s just the first two issues. Before the volume ends, Rai encounters talking animals who would tear Dr. Doolittle into shreds, Geomancer encounters the Grove in a subplot that owes a debt to Swamp Thing and Poison Ivy, mechanical spiders go to war, and son takes on father in the greatest battle since the last time a son took on a father (a standard plot since Oedipus, with the addition here of a trendy Japanese backdrop). Of course this one has a couple of sons, who will either battle each other or join forces to battle Father (no spoilers here), so I guess that’s double the fun. When the crossover heroes come back in the last issue, battle scenes get really crowded, although not as bad as the Avengers movies.
The art is solid if a bit gruesome. The story is wordy and some of the words (“Total control is about to be mine!”) are the stuff of cheesy melodrama. Dan Abnett has never been a fan of subtle storytelling and you won’t find any on display here. Nothing is really resolved in this story. The miniseries does advance the overall storyline a bit, but only to set up another entry for readers who want to bear with it.
Sadly for Rai, after all the work he did to bring down Father, Father ain’t dead. Father activates another artificial son (one who hasn’t betrayed him yet), bringing him out of hibernation on Earth, presumably to act as a chip off the old AI despot. This son is named Raijin. Father wants to kill Rai but, in the meantime, he needs to collect and assemble 12 offspring to become his old self.
Meanwhile, the Eternal Warrior is roaming around on the planet protecting the Geomancer, who protects the Earth. She didn’t count on satellite segments smacking into her planet. That crossover is apparently tossed into the mix because readers love crossovers.
Crossover madness continues with Bloodshot, who can hear Japanese survivors pleading for help. The voices are driving him buggy, not that sanity is part of his character under the best of circumstances, so he runs around slaying dinosaurs and generally helping out when he can. But then he’s tricked into releasing one of those monsters with multiple tentacles. You know that anything with tentacles is a problem. This one makes Bloodshot do the vile bidding of Father until he sort of fades out of the plot.
And that’s just the first two issues. Before the volume ends, Rai encounters talking animals who would tear Dr. Doolittle into shreds, Geomancer encounters the Grove in a subplot that owes a debt to Swamp Thing and Poison Ivy, mechanical spiders go to war, and son takes on father in the greatest battle since the last time a son took on a father (a standard plot since Oedipus, with the addition here of a trendy Japanese backdrop). Of course this one has a couple of sons, who will either battle each other or join forces to battle Father (no spoilers here), so I guess that’s double the fun. When the crossover heroes come back in the last issue, battle scenes get really crowded, although not as bad as the Avengers movies.
The art is solid if a bit gruesome. The story is wordy and some of the words (“Total control is about to be mine!”) are the stuff of cheesy melodrama. Dan Abnett has never been a fan of subtle storytelling and you won’t find any on display here. Nothing is really resolved in this story. The miniseries does advance the overall storyline a bit, but only to set up another entry for readers who want to bear with it.
November 30, 2019
'Fallen World' by Dan Abnett with art by Adam Pollina is a graphic novel set in the Valiant 4001 AD universe. There are other volumes before this, so you may want to start with those.
It is 4002 AD. New Japan was a floating city in the sky run by a crazed A.I., but that city has fallen. A cyborg named Rai will face the A.I. in battle, but not without quite a bit of help, including a familiar eternal warrior and an army of evolved animals (led by an elephant with a dirty mouth).
Does it all make sense? I didn't read the previous two volumes, so I started out a bit lost, but I caught on. One thing I seem to notice with Valiant is a nice level of art and I did like much of Adam Pollina's art here. It's a nice epic story, and it makes a bit more sense than a couple others I've read by other publishers.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Valiant Entertainment, Diamond Book Distributors, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
It is 4002 AD. New Japan was a floating city in the sky run by a crazed A.I., but that city has fallen. A cyborg named Rai will face the A.I. in battle, but not without quite a bit of help, including a familiar eternal warrior and an army of evolved animals (led by an elephant with a dirty mouth).
Does it all make sense? I didn't read the previous two volumes, so I started out a bit lost, but I caught on. One thing I seem to notice with Valiant is a nice level of art and I did like much of Adam Pollina's art here. It's a nice epic story, and it makes a bit more sense than a couple others I've read by other publishers.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Valiant Entertainment, Diamond Book Distributors, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
December 18, 2019
Disclaimer: I received a free ecopy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
So far, I've loved Valiant's 4001 A.D. series. Fallen World takes place in this futuristic setting. Jumping into this book without reading Rai and the 4001 A.D. event miniseries would be confusing because a lot of what happens in this book follows on those ones. Earth is in shambles and everyone is trying to pull themselves back together.
This is another book from Valiant that feels more transitionary. It takes the time to recognize what has come before, build on it to some degree, and then set things up for future stories. Some of the more recent books, this one included, have done more to make me excited about what is going to come next rather than what I'm currently reading. Fallen World is not a bad book by any means. Anyone that is familiar with the preceding Rai stories should get some enjoyment out of this story. I for one liked seeing the different characters from the previous series' coming together to battle it out with Bloodfather.
So far, I've loved Valiant's 4001 A.D. series. Fallen World takes place in this futuristic setting. Jumping into this book without reading Rai and the 4001 A.D. event miniseries would be confusing because a lot of what happens in this book follows on those ones. Earth is in shambles and everyone is trying to pull themselves back together.
This is another book from Valiant that feels more transitionary. It takes the time to recognize what has come before, build on it to some degree, and then set things up for future stories. Some of the more recent books, this one included, have done more to make me excited about what is going to come next rather than what I'm currently reading. Fallen World is not a bad book by any means. Anyone that is familiar with the preceding Rai stories should get some enjoyment out of this story. I for one liked seeing the different characters from the previous series' coming together to battle it out with Bloodfather.
October 20, 2019
When I look at what's come before in Valiant Entertainment, I begin to understand what this series is about. Rai is trying to teach people a new way of life without the safeties and violence of his last adventures. Unfortunately Rai and Valiant as a whole doesn't have that option. Valiant was once a truly independent company up until it is acquired by a Chinese media company. While many employees see this as a means to secure their funding as well as an easier chance to compete with the Big Two; a number of titles lose what made Valiant so great.
Nowadays Valiant starts relying on repeats from older successes like the Harbinger War or celebrity guest appearances. Fortunately, most series manage to keep their integrity and not release tons of material like Marvel and DC do. That can't be said for one of their flagship characters; Bloodshot is now just a cash cow the company uses with his upcoming movie that is more or less driven by celebrity. It's little wonder that the main villain, Father, takes over Bloodshot in his attempt to regain his former power and his lost dominion. The human citizens of New Japan are willing to live with their needs covered instead of work for it. The positronics meanwhile are now free and happy to be rid of him.
Then there are the zealot groups who feel very close to home in their methods. Rather than see what the world is; like most religious military groups, they twist and dement events of their true meaning to satisfy their delusional faith. But for all of their labor, there is a lack of satisfaction. At the end they become what Father envisions the Rai to be, human minds melded with machines to serve his bidding.
The world of the Forty-First century is both beautiful and mesmerizing. Looking closely, the world is trying to recover its losses from before and after New Japan's crashing. While there is some tribal conflicts that fans of Game of Thrones won't find as great, that doesn't underscore the value of the scope. The natural forces set up for a great showdown in the following years to come. While nature vs. civilization is nothing new; the task of choosing (or lack thereof) to build an army around it is a pivotal aspect that drives characters to action.
Regardless the actions behind all of this bring up a sense of dread behind it all. Father has become the very weapon he wished to put onto his son which makes him more human and more dangerous. As such Valiant itself could be fighting a losing battle to secure their creative rights. Regardless a fight to secure rights is one to always root for. I just hope the resolutions are both emotional and practical.
Nowadays Valiant starts relying on repeats from older successes like the Harbinger War or celebrity guest appearances. Fortunately, most series manage to keep their integrity and not release tons of material like Marvel and DC do. That can't be said for one of their flagship characters; Bloodshot is now just a cash cow the company uses with his upcoming movie that is more or less driven by celebrity. It's little wonder that the main villain, Father, takes over Bloodshot in his attempt to regain his former power and his lost dominion. The human citizens of New Japan are willing to live with their needs covered instead of work for it. The positronics meanwhile are now free and happy to be rid of him.
Then there are the zealot groups who feel very close to home in their methods. Rather than see what the world is; like most religious military groups, they twist and dement events of their true meaning to satisfy their delusional faith. But for all of their labor, there is a lack of satisfaction. At the end they become what Father envisions the Rai to be, human minds melded with machines to serve his bidding.
The world of the Forty-First century is both beautiful and mesmerizing. Looking closely, the world is trying to recover its losses from before and after New Japan's crashing. While there is some tribal conflicts that fans of Game of Thrones won't find as great, that doesn't underscore the value of the scope. The natural forces set up for a great showdown in the following years to come. While nature vs. civilization is nothing new; the task of choosing (or lack thereof) to build an army around it is a pivotal aspect that drives characters to action.
Regardless the actions behind all of this bring up a sense of dread behind it all. Father has become the very weapon he wished to put onto his son which makes him more human and more dangerous. As such Valiant itself could be fighting a losing battle to secure their creative rights. Regardless a fight to secure rights is one to always root for. I just hope the resolutions are both emotional and practical.
October 8, 2019
Fallen World takes place on Earth during a time where the population had been under a tyrannical ruler called Father AI. As his name suggests, he was created as Artificial Intelligence who got a bit too intelligent and took over New Japan. That is, until his son; a samurai robot called Rai got involved. After years of being dead, Father AI is back to reclaim and rebuild the planet in his own image.
I’ve been a fan of Dan Abnett’s for a little while. From his work on Guardians of the Galaxy to relaunching Aquaman, his story arcs have always been fun to read. Fallen World is no exception. Throughout the first 5 issues in this collected edition, the world building and mythology begin immediately. Clues to how the people of Earth left and were violently forced back to terra-firma are scattered throughout the book in such away that you want to learn more.
Story-wise Fallen World is a mix of The Matrix and Feudal Japan. While the fight between man and machine is not overly unique, the characters and plots that unwind as the fight intensifies will give the series interesting avenues to pursue later in the series. The main arc does become a tad predictable, but the story does stay on the good side of interesting. It’s the secondary characters, including a big talking elephant that pushes the book along.
The book is illustrated by Adam Pollina (X-Force, Hellboy) and does a good job at creating a world that has vast differences such as the cityscape of Sontaku to the natural surroundings of Kor’tunga. As the book unfolds and war is unleashed, the art becomes more graphic and gorier with blood, maiming and the odd beheading filling pages. It’s not one for kids.
Overall, the book is engaging with enough weight behind the story to make you want to read more. As a standalone or one-off graphic novel, it’s OK but as a continuing story, Fallen World has legs to become something better. The worry is; can volume two compliment this book?
***I would rate this 3.5 but Goodreads doesn't do half stars***
Please note, this review is based on an advance copy of Fallen World which I cannot keep. I’ve not been paid to give a positive review.
I’ve been a fan of Dan Abnett’s for a little while. From his work on Guardians of the Galaxy to relaunching Aquaman, his story arcs have always been fun to read. Fallen World is no exception. Throughout the first 5 issues in this collected edition, the world building and mythology begin immediately. Clues to how the people of Earth left and were violently forced back to terra-firma are scattered throughout the book in such away that you want to learn more.
Story-wise Fallen World is a mix of The Matrix and Feudal Japan. While the fight between man and machine is not overly unique, the characters and plots that unwind as the fight intensifies will give the series interesting avenues to pursue later in the series. The main arc does become a tad predictable, but the story does stay on the good side of interesting. It’s the secondary characters, including a big talking elephant that pushes the book along.
The book is illustrated by Adam Pollina (X-Force, Hellboy) and does a good job at creating a world that has vast differences such as the cityscape of Sontaku to the natural surroundings of Kor’tunga. As the book unfolds and war is unleashed, the art becomes more graphic and gorier with blood, maiming and the odd beheading filling pages. It’s not one for kids.
Overall, the book is engaging with enough weight behind the story to make you want to read more. As a standalone or one-off graphic novel, it’s OK but as a continuing story, Fallen World has legs to become something better. The worry is; can volume two compliment this book?
***I would rate this 3.5 but Goodreads doesn't do half stars***
Please note, this review is based on an advance copy of Fallen World which I cannot keep. I’ve not been paid to give a positive review.
October 14, 2019
For ages I accused Valiant of producing comics that needed a heck of a lot of back-story to make them interesting. But you know what? I've kind of been on board with most, if not all, of their recent trades, and even though that has given me a small leg-up into their universe, I still failed to find this truly interesting. Bloodshot in this far future has been taken hostage by an AI entity called The Father, that ruled New Japan, before the super-space-station of that name crashed to Earth when a rebellion happened. These pages are this side fighting that side, fighting that side trying to work against this side, and even though I've history with the Eternal Warrior and his Geomancer charge as well now, their presence in amongst so much bickering and slashing still didn't really entertain. In fact about the only way I was edified by this book was to find out I have an aversion to talking elephants. It's heartening to see how great Valiant's non-U titles have been recently, so I'll consider this just a retrograde blip. One and a half stars.
October 24, 2019
Fallen World is actually a pretty decent installment in Valiant Comics library. Bloodshot, the Geomancer and her faithful protector make a return in this series. The graphics are superb and vibrant. The back story is interesting and helps propell the story forward. I'm very much looking forward to reading the next installments in this series to conclude the story.
January 22, 2020
This is my first time reading a Rai book. Which takes place way into the future. It’s fun but still can’t compete with Ninjak.
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