This collection was released in 2004. I purchased and read it shortly after its publication, but I haven't revisited it since then. Currently, Busiek and Carlos Pacheco are working on a second series. Therefore, I decided to reread it before picking up the new issues. Let me tell you, I had completely forgotten everything about it. This made the rereading process a truly enjoyable experience.

It is a coming-of-age story set in an alternate World War I, where magic, dryads, and gods exist. As one would anticipate from a war narrative, there is a blend of light and dark elements. The art team consisting of Carlos Pacheco (pencils) and Jesus Merino (inks) is outstanding, and the colors by Alex Sinclair are equally remarkable.

I am now excited to read the current mini-series and discover where the story will lead from this point.

World War I plus magic? What an exciting combination!

This magnificent book takes the well-known "country lad goes off to war and discovers its terrors" story and gives it a brand new and captivating makeover. Fletcher Arrowsmith is the typical teenager who dreams of achieving glory and desires to join the flying corps. However, in this book, the flying corps requires each flier to team up with a small dragon wyrm and learn incantations to soar through the midair.

There is the classic training segment, complete with a bully, and then the equally classic posting to England, where he falls in love with an upper-class lady. But intertwined with all of this is a world filled with magical cannons, dwarves, trolls, and goblinoids walking the streets, and a college of war mages striving to develop powerful weapons to counter the Prussian magic. Naturally, the Prussian magic is of the dark kind, with a gas that kills the enemy and then transforms them into cannibal undead.

The book reaches its climax with a devastating magical firebombing of a German town, which shocks Fletcher into questioning everything. Once again, thematically, there is nothing that hasn't been explored before, but the amazing artwork and inventive world-building make it feel fresh. It's a very cool start, and I was disappointed to find out after finishing it that there are no more books in the series.

With the inaugural issue - 17 years later - of the sequel series to this excellent work, I decided to take a step back and reread the original. I wanted to see if it still held the same magic that had captivated me all those years ago.

And I have to say, it does, both literally and figuratively. The story of "Young man goes off to war, discovers it sucks, is changed by experience" may not be a new theme, but Busiek manages to handle it with great skill and finesse. He frames it within a First World War setting where magic works and the supernatural exists, creating a unique and engaging world.

Together with Carlos Pacheco's clean and beautiful art, this is a splendid example of non-traditional superheroics. The tale of Fletcher Arrowsmith, a young man from the United States of Columbia who volunteers for the Overseas Aero Corps during the Great War, may not show the horrors of war in a completely new way. However, Busiek and Pacheco manage to do so by presenting those horrors in a new light. They show us how magic can be used as terribly as chemistry and ballistics, and how war crimes and atrocities can be both intended and accidental.

The book is bleak, yet there is a glimmer of hope within it. Even if the only hope is survival, it is still a hope that keeps the story going. The series stopped seventeen-odd years ago, with promises of a next installment. Now that the first issue of that installment has hit the shelves, I find myself eagerly anticipating what's to come. I hope I'm ready for it, and that the magic will continue to work its charm.

I searched for this particular item for a considerable period of time.

I was eagerly anticipating its discovery, hoping that it would meet my expectations.

Finally, after much effort, I managed to obtain it.

However, upon closer inspection, I found that it was rather underwhelming.

The excitement that had built up during the search quickly dissipated.

It didn't have the qualities or features that I had hoped for.

Overall, my experience with this item was somewhat disappointing.

Despite the time and effort I had invested in finding it, it failed to live up to my anticipation.

I guess sometimes our expectations can be too high, and reality doesn't always measure up.

But at least I can now move on and look for something else that might better suit my needs.

Not bad, but it is way, way too similar to Busiek's Shockrockets.

We have a small-town hero here, who dreams of excitement and adventure. He then joins a fantastic heroic team, where he not only finds romance but also struggles to fit in. Along the way, he loses a friend, which is a big blow to him. However, he manages to accomplish some big success. But then, he discovers a terrible secret.

Overall, it is good work. But I can't help but feel that Busiek is just re-treading an old plot in a superficially different setting. It seems like we've seen this story before, just with a new coat of paint. Maybe there could have been more originality and innovation to make it truly stand out.

This was truly good stuff.

A boy embarks on a journey to war, envisioning it to be glamorous and believing he is fighting for a noble cause. But guess what he discovers. :)

The art in this was really nice, the alternate Earth concept was cool, and the story had a dark undertone.

It's a pity that they ceased publication back in 2004 after only 6 issues. There was a major plot that they merely hinted at and never truly explored.

I did come across the information that a new book is supposed to be released in about a week.

This is especially peculiar because I randomly picked this up just last week from the $1 bins at a local establishment. And now, suddenly, a week after I read it, after it has been out of circulation for 18 years, the new book is set to come out?

It must be some sort of conspiracy.

Reading this during the same week that Russia invaded Ukraine made it even more沉重 and sad.

The idea and the drawing are very good.

However, it is difficult for him to pick up the rhythm and depth.

Maybe he needs more practice and exploration to improve his skills.

He could try different techniques and styles to find the one that suits him best.

Also, he should pay more attention to the details and the overall composition of the work.

By doing so, he may be able to achieve a better result and bring out the full potential of his idea and drawing.

With perseverance and dedication, he will surely make progress and become a better artist.

Me encantó

Este cómic es sin duda uno de los mejores que he leído últimamente. El dibujo es hermoso, lleno de detalles que hacen que cada página sea una auténtica obra de arte. Además, el estilo utilizado moderniza el clásico diseño de personajes, dándoles un aspecto fresco y atractivo.

La trama del cómic gira en torno al desengaño de la guerra. Muestra cómo los grandes ideales de justicia y libertad se ven devorados por las ansias de victoria. Es una historia conmovedora que hace reflexionar sobre los costos humanos y sociales de la guerra.

En resumen, este cómic merece sus 4.5 estrellas. Es una obra maestra que combina un hermoso dibujo con una trama profunda y conmovedora. Lo recomiendo encarecidamente a todos los amantes de los cómics.

World War 1 was a brutal and devastating conflict that changed the course of history. But what if it was a war like no other, filled with dragons, trolls, vampires, and other mythical creatures?

This unique take on the war hits all the high points you would expect. A wide-eyed youth from the United States, which is a very different place now, signs up to fight in the jolly war on the continent, with dreams of becoming a flying magic ace.

However, as he soon discovers, war is not as glamorous as he thought. It is really rubbish and pointless, and everyone around him starts to die. He begins to question who the good guys really are in this conflict.

Despite the dark and gritty nature of the story, the art is lovely, and the world building is some of the coolest I've seen. It really brings this fantastical version of World War 1 to life.

Overall, this is a great read that I would highly recommend to anyone who loves a good fantasy story with a unique twist. It gets a big tick from me!

I think 3.5 stars would be my real mark.

It's quite an interesting story, better than I expected. It depicts World War I developed in an alternative fairy-punk reality, which reminds me a lot of the "Castle Falkenstein" tabletop RPG.

The comic follows the adventures of its protagonist, Fletcher Arrowsmith, a boy from the U.S. of Columbia who leaves home to join a unit of "American" military "pilots" (they fly by means of magic, not planes) fighting in the European Great War.

The story shows the shock the protagonist suffers when he discovers how the war really is in contrast with the chivalrous concept of it he had before.

The setup is quite good. I expected something much more childish, but that's not the case. It adapts the real history quite well to this new context. I guess the authors were inspired by the Lafayette Escadrille, for example.

This unique blend of historical events and fantastical elements creates a captivating and engaging narrative that keeps the reader hooked from start to finish. The characters are well-developed, and the story has enough twists and turns to keep things interesting. Overall, it's a great read for fans of both historical fiction and fantasy.

I have a rather complex opinion about this piece of work.

I truly loved the art; it was of first-rate quality, really captivating and detailed. The characterization was also quite good, making the characters seem somewhat real and engaging.

However, the world building left a lot to be desired for me. It's set during World War 1, and a country boy joins the military to learn to fly with a dragon in a world that meshes reality and fantasy. There are fairies, rock people, and wizards working for the military. While it might sound like an exciting and unique concept on paper, in execution, it just didn't click with me.

Another aspect that didn't sit well with me was the sex scene. It felt very heavy-handed and forced, rather than flowing naturally within the story. It seemed to be added more for shock value or to fulfill some sort of expectation rather than serving a purpose in advancing the plot or developing the characters.

Overall, while there were some aspects that I liked, the world building and the handling of the sex scene really detracted from my enjoyment of the work.

The high concept presented here is both easy to understand and incredibly powerful. Just imagine if World War 1 had been fought with magic instead of science. In this alternate reality, oceanliners are powered by magic rather than steam, adding an otherworldly touch to the maritime scene. Werewolves and vampires stalk the battlefields, bringing a new level of horror and danger to the conflict. Wizards, in a desperate attempt to gain an advantage, concoct new and more dangerous spells, further escalating the chaos.

Everything that is familiar in our history becomes completely new and unfamiliar in this magical reimagining. But that's not all. The writer and artist also create a compelling bildungsroman as the nascent hero, Fletcher Arrowsmith, learns just how fleeting human life and its aspirations can be during war. The story is exciting, filled with action and adventure. It is vibrant, bringing this magical world to life in vivid detail.

Exceptionally made by a great writer and artist, this graphic novel is truly the bee's knees. It offers a unique and engaging take on a historical event, combined with elements of magic and a coming-of-age story. It is a must-read for fans of graphic novels and anyone looking for a fresh and exciting read.