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Title: We3
Publisher: DC/Vertigo
Writer: Grant Morrison
Artist: Frank Quitely
Collects: We3 #1-3
Price: $12.99
This story was one of those rare books that surpassed my expectations. I had heard many good things about this series when it was on the comic racks, but I had my doubts about it, as Grant Morrison can really whip up some bizarre stuff. When I learned more about it, however, I figured this might be something I would enjoy. Being a Vertigo book, there are no costumed characters to be found. This book is more-or-less a science fiction yarn about three wayward pets that are abducted and taken into a clandestine government facility to be experimented on. At the end of the process, the three cuddly pets - a rabbit, a dog, and a cat - are transformed into much more than they had ever been before. A mixture of performance-enhancing drugs, gene therapy, and cybernetic implantations has created fast, stealthy, intelligent war machines from adorable domesticated house pets. (It's really not all that hard to envision the government attempting to do something like this, which makes the story that much more relevant to the reader.)
Despite all of this, the pets still retain their memories of a good life with their old masters - a life they all would like to return to. When the program's funding is terminated, a sympathetic female scientist assists the animals to escape before they can be destroyed, and the majority of the story focuses on the pitiable creatures' attempts to not only avoid termination, but their struggle to get back to the kind of normal life they once enjoyed.
The writing on the book was very good, and although I wish the book would have been longer, the complete story was adequately told in the brevity of pages allotted for it. Morrison has a knack for original concepts, and this was certainly one o the most original I've seen in a comic book. He deftly pulls on the reader's empathy for the main protagonists of the story - more so than I've seen him do in any other of his works. Artist Frank Quitely also turns in the best work of his career on this title. I've not yet seen artwork by Quitely that I did not enjoy, but this was really the cream of the crop. His hyper-detailed pencils and radical character designs made every page a beauty. He definitely earns a "10" from me on this book.
The once-cuddly characters and their emotional innocence stand in stark contrast to the immense amounts of destruction they dispense on their quest for real freedom. I am not kidding when I say this is the most violent (and graphically violent) book I have read in years. Even when the unfortunate heroes of the book had to fight to defend themselves, the portrayals of the bloody havoc they wreaked on those that opposed them really made me wince. This book is definitely not for young readers. However, I would strongly recommend it for any older reader - whether a regular comic readers or those who have never picked up a comic in their life. This very human tale is sure to enthrall most anyone who gives it a chance. I have heard that this book is being adapted for a big-screen movie, and I know that it would be a successful movie if Hollywood can manage to humanize these animals in the movie like they were humanized in the book.
Really, anyone tired of spandex-clad characters in comics should give this book a try. I think anyone who reads it will be very glad they did.
Writing: 10/10
Artwork: 10/10
Cool Factor: 10/10
Overall: 10/10
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Reviews with images
Frankenstein's Menagerie
Former Animal Man writer Grant Morrison revisits the issue of human inhumanity towards animals in this story published by Vertigo Comics. Beautifully illustrated by Frank Quitely, WE3 is a frightening, hyper-violent science fiction story "suggested for mature readers." It opens in a secret military research laboratory where scientists are working to replace humans on the battlefield with cybernetically enhanced, remotely controlled animals. Their first success is creating a horde of "rat biorgs" able to repair complicated machinery-aided by the drills and other tools that have been surgically grafted to their bodies. But when a senator comes to inspect the scientists' progress, they show him their proudest achievement, an armored dog, cat, and rabbit outfitted with an array of deadly weaponry and electronic voice boxes that allow them to communicate in a crude form of human speech. At the conclusion of his visit the senator orders the animals destroyed-or as he puts it, "decommissioned"-not because he disapproves of the project, but because they were not specifically bred to be used as test subjects and he is afraid the mental strain of their condition may eventually make them uncontrollable. As the "lost" posters that appear before each chapter in this book make clear (the story was originally published as a three issue miniseries), Bandit the dog, Tinker the cat, and Pirate the rabbit are all stolen pets.Instead of euthanizing the animals as ordered, the doctor in charge of their care removes their restraints and allows them to escape into the night. As described in the ads for the series, what follows is a cross between Terminator and The Incredible Journey, as the three animals try to find "home"-wherever, and whatever, that is-with the U.S. military in hot pursuit.As the chase continues, this rollercoaster ride of a story touches readers on an emotional level that makes it clear whose side Morrison is on. With the invaluable assistance of Frank Quitely's breathtaking art, Morrison makes the fugitive animals the most "human" characters in the story, without ever forsaking or diminishing their animal nature.This is simply one of the greatest works of graphic literature to come along in years.Cautionary note: While I can not recommend this story highly enough, those who are disturbed by comic book images of graphic violence-whether it's human against animal, animal against human, or even animal against animal-should be prepared for some extremely gory scenes. Also, Quitely's innovative panel arrangements, though visually stunning, may be a little challenging for the untrained comic book reading eye to follow.
Top reviews from other countries
AKV
Touching, poignant, short 3 issue tale by Master Morrison
Reviewed in India on August 16, 2020
AKV
Reviewed in India on August 16, 2020
Images in this review
Francisco Casanova
Humanity achieved through alterity
Reviewed in Mexico on February 26, 2018Mathieu Boisclair
Just enough script to make it a poignant piece of art
Reviewed in Canada on July 12, 2013
