East of West #5 Review

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East of West #5 Review
The Message

Writer: Jonathan Hickman
Artist: Nick Dragotta
Colorist: Frank Martin
Letterer: Rus Wooten

Review by Tom Barnett

I’m a relatively new reader of Jonathan Hickman’s work and most comics’ readers that I talk to love Hickman. Love. So I thought what a better way to get to know this writer then by hopping on board his creator owned title, East of West. Most comics’ readers that I talk to tell me that I need to be patient when reading Hickman, it will pay off they say. I can already hear some of you chuckling to yourself in agreement. I can see that he’s building this world slowly and lovingly. I can see that he’s fleshing out his characters, but this issue was going to be make it or break it for me. And it was make it. He answered some huge questions and now I’m hooked. The premise is set. His players are in full motion. His world is now built, let the games begin. Xiaolian and Death finally meet again and you won’t believe what they have to say.

Hickman sets this issue up very nicely, teasing you with a trip the lair of the beast on page one and then bringing it full circle by issue’s end. Nick Dragotta really brings these characters to life and builds a crazy world to put them in. Just fantastic artwork and wonderfully colored by Frank Martin. This book looks and feels like no other book on the market, from cover to cover. And let’s not forget about the letterer, Rus Wooten, he gives the characters plenty of personality by conveying their words with as much life as Dragotta gives their faces.

East of West gets a huge buy it from me and this is coming from someone who left the comic store, went out to his car and then turned around to go back in and buy it. That’s right! I left it on the shelf. Hickman and his art team hit a home run and drove in all the guys that he had already put on base.

Story: 5/5
Art: 5/5
Overall: 5/5

Tom is a contributing writer for Drunk On Comics. You can follow him on Twitter at @tphoto10.

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