What do you think?
Rate this book
We3 #1-3
We3
Writer Grant Morrison and artist Frank Quitely tell the unforgettable story of three innocent pets-a dog, a cat and a rabbit-who have been converted into deadly cyborgs by a sinister military weapons program.With nervous systems amplified to match their terrifying mechanical exoskeletons, the members of Animal Weapon 3 have the firepower of a battalion between them. But they are just the program's prototypes, and now that their testing is complete, they're slated to be permanently "de-commissioned"-until they seize their one chance to make a desperate run for freedom. Relentlessly pursued by their makers, the WE3 team must navigate a frightening and confusing world where their instincts and heightened abilities make them as much a threat as those hunting them-but a world, nonetheless, in which somewhere there is something called "home."
104 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2005
About the author
Grant Morrison
1,987 books4,245 followersGrant Morrison has been working with DC Comics for twenty five years, after beginning their American comics career with acclaimed runs on ANIMAL MAN and DOOM PATROL. Since then they have written such best-selling series as JLA, BATMAN and New X-Men, as well as such creator-owned works as THE INVISIBLES, SEAGUY, THE FILTH, WE3 and JOE THE BARBARIAN. In addition to expanding the DC Universe through titles ranging from the Eisner Award-winning SEVEN SOLDIERS and ALL-STAR SUPERMAN to the reality-shattering epic of FINAL CRISIS, they have also reinvented the worlds of the Dark Knight Detective in BATMAN AND ROBIN and BATMAN, INCORPORATED and the Man of Steel in The New 52 ACTION COMICS.
In their secret identity, Morrison is a "counterculture" spokesperson, a musician, an award-winning playwright and a chaos magician. They are also the author of the New York Times bestseller Supergods, a groundbreaking psycho-historic mapping of the superhero as a cultural organism. They divide their time between their homes in Los Angeles and Scotland.
In their secret identity, Morrison is a "counterculture" spokesperson, a musician, an award-winning playwright and a chaos magician. They are also the author of the New York Times bestseller Supergods, a groundbreaking psycho-historic mapping of the superhero as a cultural organism. They divide their time between their homes in Los Angeles and Scotland.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,219 reviews
December 29, 2014
A wonderful little stand-alone story. It's a great example of the amazing work Grant Morrison is capable of.
If you have a friend that doesn't read graphic novels, this book would be a good way to show them what the medium is capable of.
(And yes, I just ended a sentence in a preposition. I can do that if I want. I'm a writer.)
If you have a friend that doesn't read graphic novels, this book would be a good way to show them what the medium is capable of.
(And yes, I just ended a sentence in a preposition. I can do that if I want. I'm a writer.)
November 23, 2010
This review* is about kitties. Let's start it off with a gratuitous and only slightly relevant picture:
*now with 100% more lolcats!
Do you remember that cute Disney movie The Incredible Journey, in which a trio of animal friends (a cat and two dogs) is accidentally left behind by their owner and must travel across the wilderness in order to find their way home?
We3 is just like that, except there is a rabbit instead of one of the dogs and instead of experiencing amusing and only slightly harrowing adventures along the way (haha the dog tried to smell a porcupine and hilarity ensured! oh no the cat fell into the river!), they blow up a train, down several military helicopters and brutally maim and kill dozens of soldiers. I should probably also mention that the animals are encased in metallic body armor bristling with advanced weaponry, and are the product of a government experiment to breed super-assassins gone awry. That is probably key information to have going in.
There's this rule in movies that no matter how many people you kill, the dog never gets it, because chances are good that the audience's sympathies lie with the dog, probably because people are so annoying. That's why there's that scene in Independence Day where the dog leaps free of a giant fireball and runs to safety, and the music is all triumphant even though there are presumably thousands of humans being burned alive by said fireball even as the dog's owners bathe his doggy head in kisses ("Oh dog thank goodness you are safe! Where is our neighbor Ms. Davis? Cooked alive by aliens? Oh well.") Likewise, this comic book knows where my sympathies lie: with the cat. Who can shoot blades from his claws with bullet force and decapitate you with a lazy bat of his paw, not to mention chew through a herd of mind-controlled killer rats and poke out the eyes of a baboon-sized mutant bulldog.
[image error]
So obviously this is a very violent book, but though the drawings are graphic they are also ludicrously over-the-top, so it's kind of funny, though the shot of the guy's fingernail split through by a cat claw missile did nauseate me a tad. But I was also touched: the ending is enough to put a lump in the throat of any pet owner. It's like My Dog Skip, if only there was a scene where Skip bit Frankie Muniz in half with his terrible metallic jaws, and then a ferocious cat beast dropped onto his still-twitching corpse from out of the sky and popped his eyeballs like jelly-filled balloons.
[image error]
If only.
*now with 100% more lolcats!
Do you remember that cute Disney movie The Incredible Journey, in which a trio of animal friends (a cat and two dogs) is accidentally left behind by their owner and must travel across the wilderness in order to find their way home?
We3 is just like that, except there is a rabbit instead of one of the dogs and instead of experiencing amusing and only slightly harrowing adventures along the way (haha the dog tried to smell a porcupine and hilarity ensured! oh no the cat fell into the river!), they blow up a train, down several military helicopters and brutally maim and kill dozens of soldiers. I should probably also mention that the animals are encased in metallic body armor bristling with advanced weaponry, and are the product of a government experiment to breed super-assassins gone awry. That is probably key information to have going in.
There's this rule in movies that no matter how many people you kill, the dog never gets it, because chances are good that the audience's sympathies lie with the dog, probably because people are so annoying. That's why there's that scene in Independence Day where the dog leaps free of a giant fireball and runs to safety, and the music is all triumphant even though there are presumably thousands of humans being burned alive by said fireball even as the dog's owners bathe his doggy head in kisses ("Oh dog thank goodness you are safe! Where is our neighbor Ms. Davis? Cooked alive by aliens? Oh well.") Likewise, this comic book knows where my sympathies lie: with the cat. Who can shoot blades from his claws with bullet force and decapitate you with a lazy bat of his paw, not to mention chew through a herd of mind-controlled killer rats and poke out the eyes of a baboon-sized mutant bulldog.
[image error]
So obviously this is a very violent book, but though the drawings are graphic they are also ludicrously over-the-top, so it's kind of funny, though the shot of the guy's fingernail split through by a cat claw missile did nauseate me a tad. But I was also touched: the ending is enough to put a lump in the throat of any pet owner. It's like My Dog Skip, if only there was a scene where Skip bit Frankie Muniz in half with his terrible metallic jaws, and then a ferocious cat beast dropped onto his still-twitching corpse from out of the sky and popped his eyeballs like jelly-filled balloons.
[image error]
If only.
June 25, 2007
We3 answers the long-asked question "Can a half-dog/half-robot assassin make me cry?"
The answer is yes.
Rescued or stolen from who knows where, a dog, a cat, and a pet rabbit are part of a secret government project and have literally been turned into killing machines. They are exceedingly good at it. What happens when they start to have doubts? What happens when they escape?
Jam-packed with action, ultra-violence, and a hell of a lot of heart, this may be the best pro-animal and anti-WMD book I've ever read.
The answer is yes.
Rescued or stolen from who knows where, a dog, a cat, and a pet rabbit are part of a secret government project and have literally been turned into killing machines. They are exceedingly good at it. What happens when they start to have doubts? What happens when they escape?
Jam-packed with action, ultra-violence, and a hell of a lot of heart, this may be the best pro-animal and anti-WMD book I've ever read.
February 28, 2012
I’ve lost a pet recently, a tawny tabby named Tiger who liked to roll over to have his belly rubbed. As eager he is to play, he hunted with feral ferocity; roaches die with a quick swipe of his paw and he once caught a cobra with nothing but fangs and speed. He disappeared a few days before the wind and rain from Typhoon Sendong came to trash my city; and in the aftermath, his survival was no longer certain. That would be one explanation why my eyes got misty as I was reading the last few pages of the WE3 graphic novel by writer Grant Morrison and artist Frank Quitely.
Morrison crafts a sentimental fable wrapped in cybernetic armor. It is a tale set in the backdrop of a secret research laboratory at the heart of the military-industrial complex. Three animals, a dog, a cat and a rabbit that were probably stolen as surmised from posters of their despondent owners, are used as test subjects for research on technology with military applications. These former pets are welded to advanced cybernetic carapaces that enhanced their nervous systems and carry cutting-edge military hardware as prototypes envisioned to rule the battlefields of the future. After a successful field test, they are slated to be decommissioned, but their makers have made them too well, as every animal instinct they used to hunt and kill are amplified, so is their will to live. They escape and are a threat not only to a nearby populated urban center, but also to those that hunt them.
Strip the science fiction coating away and you find a tale of a group of lost animals eager to go home. Home, to paraphrase dialogue is where you don’t run anymore. Think of movies like “The Land Before Time” or “Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey”, movies that tugged the heartstrings of animal lovers. Though it may have the elements of a heartwarming story, it has a lot of gore as a counterpoint to all that sentimentality. These are not cuddly animals, but cyborgs designed to be the ultimate killing machines. This is Quitely’s invaluable contribution, he found a balance in his quirky detailed art that depicted cuddly pets and the incredible designs on the hardware attached to the animals. His animals look ready to be petted, if not for the missile launchers, launching razor sharp claws and anti-personnel mines melded to their forms.
Quitely is definitely a talented designer, but his sequential storytelling provides the meat to this graphic novel. Animals have a different perception to time; they perceive it slower, living in between moments of human heartbeats, so he illustrates these panels as seen through their eyes. Another key moment where he showcases his excellent directing skills is in the multi-page spread of a sequence shown in panels as it is seen through multiple surveillance cameras. It has multiple panels per page of different angles and perspectives at different resolutions. He is a true innovator of the modern comic book form.
Much of the drama and emotional scenes were invested in the trio’s escape and journey to find a place called “home”. Morrison gave the animals monosyllabic speech which resulted from their enhancements. He used this device paired with Quitely’s supreme illustrated storytelling to perfection. The simple speech patterns of the animals gave them an innocent and childlike quality that enhanced the tear jerk quality to the story, especially to scenes that approach their ultimate fate; you have to take frequent deep breaths to continue reading without moisture escaping from your eyes.
The fable shows man’s unfortunate capacity to inflict suffering on their animals and fellow human beings. The former pets were abused in order to make weapons to kill other humans. The ending shows that despite that, we have within ourselves a reservoir of good that negate all that evil. If only we stay true to ourselves and remember the things that are most important to us, like family, friends, loyalty and love.
Tiger may no longer be around, but the memories of the time he was quick to roll for a belly rub remain and would linger. Lost pets do find their way home and it is where they no longer need to run away.
Morrison crafts a sentimental fable wrapped in cybernetic armor. It is a tale set in the backdrop of a secret research laboratory at the heart of the military-industrial complex. Three animals, a dog, a cat and a rabbit that were probably stolen as surmised from posters of their despondent owners, are used as test subjects for research on technology with military applications. These former pets are welded to advanced cybernetic carapaces that enhanced their nervous systems and carry cutting-edge military hardware as prototypes envisioned to rule the battlefields of the future. After a successful field test, they are slated to be decommissioned, but their makers have made them too well, as every animal instinct they used to hunt and kill are amplified, so is their will to live. They escape and are a threat not only to a nearby populated urban center, but also to those that hunt them.
Strip the science fiction coating away and you find a tale of a group of lost animals eager to go home. Home, to paraphrase dialogue is where you don’t run anymore. Think of movies like “The Land Before Time” or “Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey”, movies that tugged the heartstrings of animal lovers. Though it may have the elements of a heartwarming story, it has a lot of gore as a counterpoint to all that sentimentality. These are not cuddly animals, but cyborgs designed to be the ultimate killing machines. This is Quitely’s invaluable contribution, he found a balance in his quirky detailed art that depicted cuddly pets and the incredible designs on the hardware attached to the animals. His animals look ready to be petted, if not for the missile launchers, launching razor sharp claws and anti-personnel mines melded to their forms.
Quitely is definitely a talented designer, but his sequential storytelling provides the meat to this graphic novel. Animals have a different perception to time; they perceive it slower, living in between moments of human heartbeats, so he illustrates these panels as seen through their eyes. Another key moment where he showcases his excellent directing skills is in the multi-page spread of a sequence shown in panels as it is seen through multiple surveillance cameras. It has multiple panels per page of different angles and perspectives at different resolutions. He is a true innovator of the modern comic book form.
Much of the drama and emotional scenes were invested in the trio’s escape and journey to find a place called “home”. Morrison gave the animals monosyllabic speech which resulted from their enhancements. He used this device paired with Quitely’s supreme illustrated storytelling to perfection. The simple speech patterns of the animals gave them an innocent and childlike quality that enhanced the tear jerk quality to the story, especially to scenes that approach their ultimate fate; you have to take frequent deep breaths to continue reading without moisture escaping from your eyes.
The fable shows man’s unfortunate capacity to inflict suffering on their animals and fellow human beings. The former pets were abused in order to make weapons to kill other humans. The ending shows that despite that, we have within ourselves a reservoir of good that negate all that evil. If only we stay true to ourselves and remember the things that are most important to us, like family, friends, loyalty and love.
Tiger may no longer be around, but the memories of the time he was quick to roll for a belly rub remain and would linger. Lost pets do find their way home and it is where they no longer need to run away.
October 24, 2018
Three animals (A dog, a cat, and a rabbit) have been experimented on by the government and turned into killing machines. When the military decides to decommission then and kill them, they make their escape and go on the run. The story is sad, really sad. Anytime pets are harmed, it is always crushing. The story is mainly told through Frank Quitely's detailed, kinetic art. This may be the best art of his career. It's like looking at a blockbuster action sequence frame by frame. It's stunning and graphically violent.
March 15, 2020
Honestly, I really didn't like this. It was choppy and difficult to understand what was happening. There were few words and most of them the animals said, which was difficult to understand.
Basically, this is the Super soldier from Marvel, only, the government made a robotic suit that made the animals smarter and deadly. Dog, Cat, Rabbit are our soldier and they escaped and the government is hunting them down, which makes them dangerous. One of the animals does die and it's horrible. The animals are deadly with rocket launchers and laser guns.
This story was not for me. It could almost be middle grade, but there are intense scenes in this and so I think it's more YA. I'm sure people like this, but it wasn't written for me.
Basically, this is the Super soldier from Marvel, only, the government made a robotic suit that made the animals smarter and deadly. Dog, Cat, Rabbit are our soldier and they escaped and the government is hunting them down, which makes them dangerous. One of the animals does die and it's horrible. The animals are deadly with rocket launchers and laser guns.
This story was not for me. It could almost be middle grade, but there are intense scenes in this and so I think it's more YA. I'm sure people like this, but it wasn't written for me.
December 31, 2011
About ten years ago I saw Elfen Lied, a Japanimation series that features (among other ridiculosities) a first episode which is composed almost entirely of a naked woman walking (not running) to escape from a military containment facility while dispatching the armed personnel therein with an assortment of gruesome techniques based around the eight invisible arm-like appendages that can be extended from the small of her back.
Grant Morrison just can't top that.
I've seen exploitation media before, and chances are that if you're reading a comic book by a writer known for his subversive and counter-culture material, you probably have too. So as cool as kitties with pneumatic dartguns are, they really only scratch the surface of what's possible in the wicked awesome, depraved, and perverse realms of Art (the most extreme of which will undoubtedly emerge from Japan). So the question becomes: what else does We3 bring to the table? I suggest that the answer is nothing.
When I was reading We3 (while listening to the soundtrack from Homeward Bound), I was struck by how it is such a missed opportunity. This story could have really mattered, but instead it is notable mostly for the cute/violent dichotomy. And to illustrate this point to the heathens (4.09 stars, Goodreads?) let's consider a scene where we can catch a glimpse of what might have been:
An innocent father, son, and dog stumble into an encounter with We3, a trio of uplifted domestic animals armed and trained with military-grade exoskeletons. Papa gets spooked and shoots the bunnie-bot named "3". This causes the dog-borg, "1", to go into kill-mode. He slaughters the aforementioned man and the non-upgraded pooch, leaving the young boy to take to the forest and (one must guess) grapple with the new paternal void in his life. Then (and this is the good part), "1" lowers his head in remorse for the murders and says "bad dog" multiple times aloud.
Did you just see that? The descendant of a prehistoric gray wolf is reprimanding himself for harming a human being. In two words, more has been said about domestication and emerging technologies than the entire rest of these books.
Hey Mr. Morrison, look over here at this scene. See how interesting it is that a dog would care about a human who was unknown to him, especially when that human had just harmed the dog's companion? Doesn't that suggest a bizarre, one might say artificial, psychology? It's almost as if the modifications to this animal didn't begin in a military lab, but in the Pleistocene, when the great (x3000) grandfather of "1" first approached the fire-pit and the promise of food. Maybe dogs are already man-made? This is what you should have written about.
Imagine what this story would have been like if, in addition to the nifty action set-pieces, there was a critical examination of the alterations we humans make to our mammalian relatives, not just twenty minutes in the future, but over geologic time too, all the way back to the point at which we could be called Human. What I wanted from We3 was an action story that asked tough philosophical questions. How have humans shaped animals into pets and how have animals shaped humans into pet-lovers? Is the wolf still buried deep in the dog's mind or has he been jettisoned from the gene pool? Would an uplifted animal's intelligence resemble that of humans, or are we playing catch with alien minds?
I wanted to like We3. A good uplift story is a rare thing, and it would be a treat to discover a thought-filled exploration of what it means that Man domesticates. Sadly, Grant Morrison has not provided that book. Instead, he's delivered a shallow attempt to tug my heartstrings while tickling my "Cute Military Project Goes Haywire, Disembowels Everyone" Bone. I had that one removed after Elfen Lied.
One star. Far from the worst comic I've read, and We3 is mercifully short, so its worth checking out if your intrigued by the blade-throwing pussycat, but don't expect to think deep thoughts after you've put it down.
Epilogue
And woe to the poor fool who tries to tell me this comic is realistic or relevant to the times (looking at you The Washington Post). The Air Force would draft unicorns from Narnia before uplifting rabbits for combat duty.
Grant Morrison just can't top that.
I've seen exploitation media before, and chances are that if you're reading a comic book by a writer known for his subversive and counter-culture material, you probably have too. So as cool as kitties with pneumatic dartguns are, they really only scratch the surface of what's possible in the wicked awesome, depraved, and perverse realms of Art (the most extreme of which will undoubtedly emerge from Japan). So the question becomes: what else does We3 bring to the table? I suggest that the answer is nothing.
When I was reading We3 (while listening to the soundtrack from Homeward Bound), I was struck by how it is such a missed opportunity. This story could have really mattered, but instead it is notable mostly for the cute/violent dichotomy. And to illustrate this point to the heathens (4.09 stars, Goodreads?) let's consider a scene where we can catch a glimpse of what might have been:
An innocent father, son, and dog stumble into an encounter with We3, a trio of uplifted domestic animals armed and trained with military-grade exoskeletons. Papa gets spooked and shoots the bunnie-bot named "3". This causes the dog-borg, "1", to go into kill-mode. He slaughters the aforementioned man and the non-upgraded pooch, leaving the young boy to take to the forest and (one must guess) grapple with the new paternal void in his life. Then (and this is the good part), "1" lowers his head in remorse for the murders and says "bad dog" multiple times aloud.
Did you just see that? The descendant of a prehistoric gray wolf is reprimanding himself for harming a human being. In two words, more has been said about domestication and emerging technologies than the entire rest of these books.
Hey Mr. Morrison, look over here at this scene. See how interesting it is that a dog would care about a human who was unknown to him, especially when that human had just harmed the dog's companion? Doesn't that suggest a bizarre, one might say artificial, psychology? It's almost as if the modifications to this animal didn't begin in a military lab, but in the Pleistocene, when the great (x3000) grandfather of "1" first approached the fire-pit and the promise of food. Maybe dogs are already man-made? This is what you should have written about.
Imagine what this story would have been like if, in addition to the nifty action set-pieces, there was a critical examination of the alterations we humans make to our mammalian relatives, not just twenty minutes in the future, but over geologic time too, all the way back to the point at which we could be called Human. What I wanted from We3 was an action story that asked tough philosophical questions. How have humans shaped animals into pets and how have animals shaped humans into pet-lovers? Is the wolf still buried deep in the dog's mind or has he been jettisoned from the gene pool? Would an uplifted animal's intelligence resemble that of humans, or are we playing catch with alien minds?
I wanted to like We3. A good uplift story is a rare thing, and it would be a treat to discover a thought-filled exploration of what it means that Man domesticates. Sadly, Grant Morrison has not provided that book. Instead, he's delivered a shallow attempt to tug my heartstrings while tickling my "Cute Military Project Goes Haywire, Disembowels Everyone" Bone. I had that one removed after Elfen Lied.
One star. Far from the worst comic I've read, and We3 is mercifully short, so its worth checking out if your intrigued by the blade-throwing pussycat, but don't expect to think deep thoughts after you've put it down.
Epilogue
And woe to the poor fool who tries to tell me this comic is realistic or relevant to the times (looking at you The Washington Post). The Air Force would draft unicorns from Narnia before uplifting rabbits for combat duty.
September 10, 2017
A short but unsettling graphic novel. What if animals are made into cybercontrolled murder machimes? Is this a vision to the future? Hope not. 3 ordinary, loved pets are by the army made into high tech murder machines. It's unsettling, horrifying, gruesome but about all, it touches me to the hart. Once they were loved but fate decided otherwise. Above all, a real page turner but maybe one could have got more deep in the characters. But though the end really touched me so much...
April 7, 2017
Me: This concept sounds dumb.
Dog: 1 Protect
Me: Fuck....FUCK!
Okay hold the horses here. We got a Grant Morrison book here. You all know my feelings on him. I dislike a lot of his shit. Weird doesn't even cover what he mostly does. However this time we get a book about 3 animals who work for the government as special units to take out scum and the story is very very straightforward. Almost to a point it might be a little too "safe"
So why the high rating? BECAUSE IT HITS YOU WITH FEELS.
For some reason animals like dogs, cats, and even our cute little rabbit feel so innocent despite them being able to fuck up an entire drug cartel. You got Dog, Cat, and Rabbit and then humanity at it's worst. They used these poor animals for their dirty work then wanna get rid of them. They escape and tus a chase begins.
The art is fucking stunning. I expect nothing less from Jupiter's Legacy artist. I mean the fights, the emotions, the multipanaled big splash moments are stunning to say the least. Everyone gives the emotional draw each and every panel. The art is truly the highlight.
The story itself is simple and predictable. However all the emotion put into these moments. When Dog (1) protects Cat/Rabbit (2 and 3) it's so damn awesome. Not to mention when they work as a unit they are fucking badass. You get to see morals questioned and what's right and wrong, which I always enjoy.
A very pleasant surprise to say the least. This is easily the best I read from Grant and just wished he'd write more like this. Damn it Morrison just write fucking normal stories you obviously can do a good job!
Dog: 1 Protect
Me: Fuck....FUCK!
Okay hold the horses here. We got a Grant Morrison book here. You all know my feelings on him. I dislike a lot of his shit. Weird doesn't even cover what he mostly does. However this time we get a book about 3 animals who work for the government as special units to take out scum and the story is very very straightforward. Almost to a point it might be a little too "safe"
So why the high rating? BECAUSE IT HITS YOU WITH FEELS.
For some reason animals like dogs, cats, and even our cute little rabbit feel so innocent despite them being able to fuck up an entire drug cartel. You got Dog, Cat, and Rabbit and then humanity at it's worst. They used these poor animals for their dirty work then wanna get rid of them. They escape and tus a chase begins.
The art is fucking stunning. I expect nothing less from Jupiter's Legacy artist. I mean the fights, the emotions, the multipanaled big splash moments are stunning to say the least. Everyone gives the emotional draw each and every panel. The art is truly the highlight.
The story itself is simple and predictable. However all the emotion put into these moments. When Dog (1) protects Cat/Rabbit (2 and 3) it's so damn awesome. Not to mention when they work as a unit they are fucking badass. You get to see morals questioned and what's right and wrong, which I always enjoy.
A very pleasant surprise to say the least. This is easily the best I read from Grant and just wished he'd write more like this. Damn it Morrison just write fucking normal stories you obviously can do a good job!
April 21, 2021
Dream team Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely's beautifully drawn and poignant tale of a dog, a cat and a rabbit - WE3, used as remote weapons of destruction; and what happens when the military decides to pull the plug on their R&D. 6 out of 12
July 28, 2011
If you’ve ever talked with me about Frank Quitely’s art, you’ll know that I’m not a fan. And I suppose this should be qualified somewhat because in some ways the man does some ridiculously enviable work.
WE3 actually exhibits pretty well where Quitely’s weaknesses and strengths lie. His human figures are lumpy, over-saturated bags whose movement is articulated by some awkward skeletal foundation. And yet his page design is sometimes superlative. His faces are alien renderings, where eyes float apart at too-great distances. And yet he can employ the tools of visual storytelling superbly when he wants. His organics are a mess and sit so deeply entrenched in the uncanny valley that extrication seems impossible. And yet his work with non-organics sings, leaping off the page with such unbounded joy that readers may threaten to forget just how terribly his people and animals are conceived.
WE3 demonstrates all of this and it is probably because of how strongly the story relies on Quitely’s inventive page design and depictions of technology that I am largely able to forget that the book also contains drawings of people and animals.
Apart from Sea Guy, the absurdist comedy, WE3 is far-and-away my favourite of Grant Morrison’s work. It helps that I’m not really a big fan of much of what I’ve read of the lauded author. I find his ideas intriguing but don’t think much of him as a writer. His characters don’t usually strike any chord with me, his dialogue is flat, and his storylines are fine but nothing special. So when weighing big ideas against the absence of much of the other stuff required in good writing, I find myself generally pretty nonplussed.
Still, since I love big ideas, I keep returning to his work to see if he gets better at the other stuff that matters. One day, perhaps.
WE3 is something of a reimagining of the Homeward Bound-style animal quest storyline with some Plague Dogs thrown in for good measure. Three kidnapped pets, a dog and cat and rabbit, have been reconditioned as killing machines and given sleek and miniature battlemechs to make the whole enterprise more lethal. Having served to the end of their usefulness (though we’re never given any reason why this should be the case), these three are to be decommissioned. Like, forever. Not especially fond of embracing the past tense, the animals fight their way to an escape and then begin their journey Home—though none of them know what home is or whether such a thing exists for them at all (the cat is the most suspicious of the idea). The three animals, always on the run from government forces, have a variety of graphically violent misadventures before bridging to climax in a railway yard (perhaps one more homage to Homeward Bound).
WE3 is terrifically violent. Blood, dismemberment, the shearing of flesh and bone, the puncture of eyes, the perforation of a body with bullets. Humans and animals are silenced with a manic sort of glee in numerous, inventive ways, each idealized for splatter-range. By showing the swath of destruction wrought by our protagonists, Morrison and Quitely offer an effective and in-its-way beautiful demonstration of the terror of what’s been done against these animals.
Of course, these three are not just animals and Morrison never honestly treats them as such (save perhaps in epilogue). Like the pets in Homeward Bound, 1, 2, and 3 (their names) exhibit one particular trait that makes them an evolutionary step ahead of their beastly peers: they can talk. Granted, they sound more like Stephen Hawking than Alex P. Keaton, but giving them voices—however rudimentary—strips them of their place as animal characters and makes them human characters, albeit in animal form. To be fair, Morrison does do some legwork in trying to envision what the personalities of a dog, cat, and rabbit would be had they only been given voices (and destructive tactical genius)—and for the most part, it works. But in the end, we care for these creatures not because of what they are or what has been done to them. Instead, we care for them because they talk. And we can’t really do anything else because the story never presents them as animals. They are always something more, something alien.
WE3 is a worthwhile read. Some will adore it, some will just shrug and say, “Huh. Neat. I guess?” The book is a largely enjoyable adventure masquerading as some brand of social commentary. It has some exquisite page designs and some truly monstrous looking people and animals. The twist on the common animal yarn is explored well enough that the flat dialogue doesn’t get in the way too much. I liked it well enough but its not one I’ll return to again and again over the years to come.
[review courtesy of Good Ok Bad]
WE3 actually exhibits pretty well where Quitely’s weaknesses and strengths lie. His human figures are lumpy, over-saturated bags whose movement is articulated by some awkward skeletal foundation. And yet his page design is sometimes superlative. His faces are alien renderings, where eyes float apart at too-great distances. And yet he can employ the tools of visual storytelling superbly when he wants. His organics are a mess and sit so deeply entrenched in the uncanny valley that extrication seems impossible. And yet his work with non-organics sings, leaping off the page with such unbounded joy that readers may threaten to forget just how terribly his people and animals are conceived.
WE3 demonstrates all of this and it is probably because of how strongly the story relies on Quitely’s inventive page design and depictions of technology that I am largely able to forget that the book also contains drawings of people and animals.
Apart from Sea Guy, the absurdist comedy, WE3 is far-and-away my favourite of Grant Morrison’s work. It helps that I’m not really a big fan of much of what I’ve read of the lauded author. I find his ideas intriguing but don’t think much of him as a writer. His characters don’t usually strike any chord with me, his dialogue is flat, and his storylines are fine but nothing special. So when weighing big ideas against the absence of much of the other stuff required in good writing, I find myself generally pretty nonplussed.
Still, since I love big ideas, I keep returning to his work to see if he gets better at the other stuff that matters. One day, perhaps.
WE3 is something of a reimagining of the Homeward Bound-style animal quest storyline with some Plague Dogs thrown in for good measure. Three kidnapped pets, a dog and cat and rabbit, have been reconditioned as killing machines and given sleek and miniature battlemechs to make the whole enterprise more lethal. Having served to the end of their usefulness (though we’re never given any reason why this should be the case), these three are to be decommissioned. Like, forever. Not especially fond of embracing the past tense, the animals fight their way to an escape and then begin their journey Home—though none of them know what home is or whether such a thing exists for them at all (the cat is the most suspicious of the idea). The three animals, always on the run from government forces, have a variety of graphically violent misadventures before bridging to climax in a railway yard (perhaps one more homage to Homeward Bound).
WE3 is terrifically violent. Blood, dismemberment, the shearing of flesh and bone, the puncture of eyes, the perforation of a body with bullets. Humans and animals are silenced with a manic sort of glee in numerous, inventive ways, each idealized for splatter-range. By showing the swath of destruction wrought by our protagonists, Morrison and Quitely offer an effective and in-its-way beautiful demonstration of the terror of what’s been done against these animals.
Of course, these three are not just animals and Morrison never honestly treats them as such (save perhaps in epilogue). Like the pets in Homeward Bound, 1, 2, and 3 (their names) exhibit one particular trait that makes them an evolutionary step ahead of their beastly peers: they can talk. Granted, they sound more like Stephen Hawking than Alex P. Keaton, but giving them voices—however rudimentary—strips them of their place as animal characters and makes them human characters, albeit in animal form. To be fair, Morrison does do some legwork in trying to envision what the personalities of a dog, cat, and rabbit would be had they only been given voices (and destructive tactical genius)—and for the most part, it works. But in the end, we care for these creatures not because of what they are or what has been done to them. Instead, we care for them because they talk. And we can’t really do anything else because the story never presents them as animals. They are always something more, something alien.
WE3 is a worthwhile read. Some will adore it, some will just shrug and say, “Huh. Neat. I guess?” The book is a largely enjoyable adventure masquerading as some brand of social commentary. It has some exquisite page designs and some truly monstrous looking people and animals. The twist on the common animal yarn is explored well enough that the flat dialogue doesn’t get in the way too much. I liked it well enough but its not one I’ll return to again and again over the years to come.
[review courtesy of Good Ok Bad]
February 27, 2012
If you've read Morrison's run on Animal Man, you know how he feels about animal testing. He really, really doesn't like it. And he's used that to fuel his work on We3, resulting in a heart-wrenching take on Homeward Bound that turns the violence up to eleven.
The three animals on the cover were orginally normal house pets. Kidnapped for testing, they've been turned into cyborg animal soldiers. And then they escape, just trying to get home, causing all kinds of mayhem on the way. I have to give Morrison credit: even though he's finally gotten a book that is literally all about one of his pet causes (animal rights), he doesn't preach. He lets the story speak for itself. And let me tell you, if you've ever loved a pet, you're more likely than not to turn into a great big sniffling mess at the end.
Quitely's art is almost painfully realistic. I especially liked the sequence illustrated in tiny panels, representing snapshots in time as seen through security cameras. It's very violent, and very bloody, but I wouldn't call it gratuitous. These are animals, fighting for survival.
The three animals on the cover were orginally normal house pets. Kidnapped for testing, they've been turned into cyborg animal soldiers. And then they escape, just trying to get home, causing all kinds of mayhem on the way. I have to give Morrison credit: even though he's finally gotten a book that is literally all about one of his pet causes (animal rights), he doesn't preach. He lets the story speak for itself. And let me tell you, if you've ever loved a pet, you're more likely than not to turn into a great big sniffling mess at the end.
Quitely's art is almost painfully realistic. I especially liked the sequence illustrated in tiny panels, representing snapshots in time as seen through security cameras. It's very violent, and very bloody, but I wouldn't call it gratuitous. These are animals, fighting for survival.
November 27, 2019
O meu coração fica muito apertado quando se mete animais ao barulho, mas a arte e a história são ótimas! Eu é que sou uma sentimentalona.
April 6, 2016
The American Military have kidnapped three pets, Bandit the dog, Tinker the cat and Pirate the rabbit. Fitted them with weaponized mech suits, given them the ability to speak and reconditioned them to be killing machines. After years of successful covert operations they are to be “decommissioned” (or killed in our money) but manage to escape. They set off in search of “home” while fighting off the military might send to eradicate them.
What is it about animal protagonists that instantly make a story so emotive? I guess it's that they are innocent victims, unburdened by right or wrong. Forced by humans to carry out their bidding. Anyone looking for a short concise story to use as an argument against animal testing need look no further.
The characteristics of each animal (it feels so wrong referring to them as animals after reading this) are also captured wonderfully here. The dog, strong, loyal and insecure. The cat, sly, cynical, independent. The rabbit, gentle, nimble and trusting. There weaponised selves play to these strengths. I won't go into detail on this as it is a great part of the story. All I will as is, the cat is totally badass.
This book is beautiful. The story is beautiful. The artwork is beautiful. In fact I have never seen Frank Quietly draw so wonderfully (I am not usually a big fan). Some of the splash pages are so truly mesmerising that I would happily hang them on the wall and admire them for hours. There is very little text in the whole story. This just adds to its beauty, allowing you to focus on the magnificent artwork even more, letting it tell the story. The fact that the humans are drawn with less care and detail highlights the relative innocence of these poor creatures. Quite a feat as in parts of this book they are ultra violent.
I have never read such a warm story by Grant Morrison. You get to see a whole other side to him here. One I hope he lets out again soon. Maybe not for everyone but I loved it. 5 stars
What is it about animal protagonists that instantly make a story so emotive? I guess it's that they are innocent victims, unburdened by right or wrong. Forced by humans to carry out their bidding. Anyone looking for a short concise story to use as an argument against animal testing need look no further.
The characteristics of each animal (it feels so wrong referring to them as animals after reading this) are also captured wonderfully here. The dog, strong, loyal and insecure. The cat, sly, cynical, independent. The rabbit, gentle, nimble and trusting. There weaponised selves play to these strengths. I won't go into detail on this as it is a great part of the story. All I will as is, the cat is totally badass.
This book is beautiful. The story is beautiful. The artwork is beautiful. In fact I have never seen Frank Quietly draw so wonderfully (I am not usually a big fan). Some of the splash pages are so truly mesmerising that I would happily hang them on the wall and admire them for hours. There is very little text in the whole story. This just adds to its beauty, allowing you to focus on the magnificent artwork even more, letting it tell the story. The fact that the humans are drawn with less care and detail highlights the relative innocence of these poor creatures. Quite a feat as in parts of this book they are ultra violent.
I have never read such a warm story by Grant Morrison. You get to see a whole other side to him here. One I hope he lets out again soon. Maybe not for everyone but I loved it. 5 stars
December 25, 2023
Kapaktan da anlaşılacağı gibi robotlaştırılmış hatta savaş makinesine çevrilmiş üç canlının hikayesi bu. Bir oturuşta bitirilebilecek, hiçbir derinliği olmayan bir hikaye okumak isteyenler için iyi bir tercih olabilir. Çizimlerini tek tek ele alırsak her biri detaylı ve güzel çizilmiş. Ne yazık ki panel kullanımı neredeyse rezalet. Olay örgüsünü takibi çok zorlaştıran bir kullanım mevcut. Zaten diyaloglar epeyce az, anlaşılabilir olanlar daha da azken keşke görsel olarak daha az yorucu bir yönteme başvurulsaymış.
İlk cümlesinden son cümlesine kadar bu kadar yaratıcılıktan uzak, klişelerle dolu bir hikayenin Grant Morrison'dan çıkmış olması şaşırttı.
İlk cümlesinden son cümlesine kadar bu kadar yaratıcılıktan uzak, klişelerle dolu bir hikayenin Grant Morrison'dan çıkmış olması şaşırttı.
March 28, 2016
Excellent short story by Grant Morrison.If you're a fun of graphic novels you must read this.
August 11, 2023
A violent twist on The Incredible Journey. A dog, a cat, and a rabbit have been weaponized by the government and work as a team of cyborg assassins. When their program gets decommissioned (they are to be destroyed), they escape and go in search of "home".
Morrison and Quitely do some pretty amazing things with the art and panel layouts. The first scene is gorgeous, introducing us to the animals with obstructed shots and silhouette views of their sad, warped bodies. When a target is shredded in a hail of bullets, we're treated to a behind-the-victim perspective that has the bullets coming right off the page. Later, tiny pop-up panels are used to detail the damage of the cat's attack. The violence is creative.
Their rudimentary language skills make the story particularly heartbreaking. Not a happy book but worthwhile.
------------------------
SECOND READ:
Right in the feels. Every time.
I had forgotten how inventive the art is. Quitely and Morrison experiment with pop out panels and camera angles to push a three dimensional perspective. They play with gutters and defocused illustrations to represent the different perception of time experienced by weaponized small animals. Read this if you want to see creators really trying something different.
Morrison and Quitely do some pretty amazing things with the art and panel layouts. The first scene is gorgeous, introducing us to the animals with obstructed shots and silhouette views of their sad, warped bodies. When a target is shredded in a hail of bullets, we're treated to a behind-the-victim perspective that has the bullets coming right off the page. Later, tiny pop-up panels are used to detail the damage of the cat's attack. The violence is creative.
Their rudimentary language skills make the story particularly heartbreaking. Not a happy book but worthwhile.
------------------------
SECOND READ:
Right in the feels. Every time.
I had forgotten how inventive the art is. Quitely and Morrison experiment with pop out panels and camera angles to push a three dimensional perspective. They play with gutters and defocused illustrations to represent the different perception of time experienced by weaponized small animals. Read this if you want to see creators really trying something different.
August 10, 2016
Krásná ukázka toho, jak lidstvo ty jeho všemožné hokusy pokusy taky jednou rafnou.
June 3, 2023
Grant Morrison's one-offs are hit or miss, with the worst often feeling like little more than treatments for movies that should never get made. But this one is definitely an exception. It has a lot of heart.
February 12, 2017
Also available on the WondrousBooks blog.
Not my thing at all.
A friend told me about this, so I decided "Why the heck not?". But even just the three issues really burdened me. And, sadly, it was not an emotional burden coming from feeling bad for the characters. It was an "I don't want to read this" kind of burden.
First of all, I hated the art. I couldn't find a single thing that made me go "Oh, nice". I'm not sure how to pinpoint what bothered me exactly. I'm not into manga, so my generalization might not be correct, but I felt like this story had this manga style: too glossy, not very artistic, lacking depth, simplistic. I mean... It does the job, sure. But I would never call it good. So I started losing interest from the very beginning.
And then there was the story. I knew the direction in which we were supposed to go, maybe a shy tear going down one's cheek, or maybe even a small waterfall. But knowing and feeling are different things. Partially because I could feel the emotional manipulation, and partially thanks to the bad art, I just didn't feel right. Therefore, as much as I wanted to be sad for the poor animals, I wasn't. If it makes it easier for you, I can say I did. Because I couldn't really care either way.
This story could have been built in a much better way. Theoretically, the idea behind We3 is both worth writing about, and could make you stop and think. But the execution is so bad that I just wanted it to end as soon as possible, because I could see it's not doing the proper job.
Not my thing at all.
A friend told me about this, so I decided "Why the heck not?". But even just the three issues really burdened me. And, sadly, it was not an emotional burden coming from feeling bad for the characters. It was an "I don't want to read this" kind of burden.
First of all, I hated the art. I couldn't find a single thing that made me go "Oh, nice". I'm not sure how to pinpoint what bothered me exactly. I'm not into manga, so my generalization might not be correct, but I felt like this story had this manga style: too glossy, not very artistic, lacking depth, simplistic. I mean... It does the job, sure. But I would never call it good. So I started losing interest from the very beginning.
And then there was the story. I knew the direction in which we were supposed to go, maybe a shy tear going down one's cheek, or maybe even a small waterfall. But knowing and feeling are different things. Partially because I could feel the emotional manipulation, and partially thanks to the bad art, I just didn't feel right. Therefore, as much as I wanted to be sad for the poor animals, I wasn't. If it makes it easier for you, I can say I did. Because I couldn't really care either way.
This story could have been built in a much better way. Theoretically, the idea behind We3 is both worth writing about, and could make you stop and think. But the execution is so bad that I just wanted it to end as soon as possible, because I could see it's not doing the proper job.
August 26, 2007
the incredible journey
crossed with robocop. man, this is one of my favorite comics, but i've refused to buy or re-read it because it seriously bummed me out so much. it's pretty predictable and way emotionally manipulative, but heck, sometimes you just want to cry over a soppy animal story. with cyborg machine guns.
i usually don't like frank quitely's art much, but he's a lot more palatable when he's drawing animals instead of humans, and his layouts are incredible. (also, for a long time i mis-remembered this as being by warren ellis, and was therefore reluctant to admit how much i had liked it. okay, i like planetary too, are you happy now?)
i usually don't like frank quitely's art much, but he's a lot more palatable when he's drawing animals instead of humans, and his layouts are incredible. (also, for a long time i mis-remembered this as being by warren ellis, and was therefore reluctant to admit how much i had liked it. okay, i like planetary too, are you happy now?)
Read
April 3, 2023This book is so many levels of great.
I find that with literally every comic book I read-- especially ones published by big names such as Vertigo-- there is some aspect to the plot, the illustrations, or the characters that I find offensive. In order to continue enjoying comic books, I've had to swallow my moralism and keep on plugging for the sake of sequential art... but luckily enough We3 was a refreshing break from that. The humans were racially diverse, women weren't drawn to be titillating, and holy fuck, it even has a message the ALF would be proud of.
Not to mention, it was technically very well written and drawn. I thought many of the transitions were ingeniously done, and appreciated that Quitely utilized photoshop layering without the heavy-handedness usually seen.
I'd recommend not reading this book in public, unless you don't mind becoming a warbly sack of tears in front of everyone.
I find that with literally every comic book I read-- especially ones published by big names such as Vertigo-- there is some aspect to the plot, the illustrations, or the characters that I find offensive. In order to continue enjoying comic books, I've had to swallow my moralism and keep on plugging for the sake of sequential art... but luckily enough We3 was a refreshing break from that. The humans were racially diverse, women weren't drawn to be titillating, and holy fuck, it even has a message the ALF would be proud of.
Not to mention, it was technically very well written and drawn. I thought many of the transitions were ingeniously done, and appreciated that Quitely utilized photoshop layering without the heavy-handedness usually seen.
I'd recommend not reading this book in public, unless you don't mind becoming a warbly sack of tears in front of everyone.
December 14, 2018
সার্থক রেখোপন্যাস। অনুগত কুকুর ওয়ান, স্বাধীনচেতা বেড়াল টু আর আত্মমগ্ন খরগোশ থ্রি যন্ত্রের অংশ হয়ে অন্যের যুদ্ধ করে, হঠাৎ একদিন তারই জের ধরে তার সব প্রস্তুতি নিজের যুদ্ধে মোড় নেয়। যুদ্ধের বিকট দৃশ্যের ফাঁকে চরিত্রগুলো নিজেদের জন্যে জায়গা পেয়েছে খুব কম, গ্র্যান্ট মরিসনের মুনশিয়ানা ওখানেই। একটু নাটুকে বা আরোপিত দু'একটা জায়গা আছে, তার পরও অনবদ্য। ওয়ান, টু আর থ্রি-র যান্ত্রিক, এক-শব্দ-সম্বল সংলাপের মধ্যে যে বেদনা, ভালোবাসা আর উৎকণ্ঠা আছে, সেট��ই হয়তো রেখোপন্যাসের মূল মঞ্চ: কথা এখানে বাহুল্য। শেষ পযর্ন্ত যুদ্ধগুলো যোদ্ধার নিজেরই, অন্যের নয়, আর নিজের যুদ্ধ বেছে নিতে পারাই বিজয়, মারপিটের জবরজং সব দৃশ্য এ উপলব্ধিকে আড়াল করতে পারেনি। মুগ্ধ হয়েছি।
October 29, 2021
A dog, A cat and A rabbit are used as robotic weapon to kill some targets by government and after it they decide to destroy these weaponized animals but these animals managed to escape. So we see government trying to capture them and animlas trying thier best to survive. This was very interesting concept and the way it was presented was amazing. Artwork was just mindblowing with very cinematic approach. I wish it should have been bit longer but still I enjoyed this book. Great concept and great execution with brilliant artwork.
January 7, 2008
This book made me sob on rush-hour-packed subway, loudly (this is not something that I normally do). It was worth it; this book is poignant and moving and beautiful and subtly unsettling. It's only downfall is that it's over much too soon!
February 28, 2022
A depressive dystopian story where a fascist government turns every day house pets into cybernetically enhanced weapons of war to avoid the loss of human soldiers in combat. They are given cyborg exoskeletons equipped with deadly military weapons and nervous system amplifications that give them a basic level of verbal communication abilities with their masters. A cat, a dog and a rabbit form an effective yet unreliable military squadron, but their choice to flee from battle causes the animal soldier program to be discontinued. Fleeing from execution, three runaway animals stolen from their owners and betrayed by their new masters desperately search for a place to call home while escaping death around every corner.
A beautifully simple concept that really tugs on the heartstrings of animal lovers. There's a lot of plausibility in fascist governments abusing technology in such a cruel fashion as animals have been used in similar ways in the past such as strapping bombs to dogs to blow up unsuspecting enemy soldiers. It's a heartbreaking nightmare to picture something so inhumane happening in the future, but it's hard to put it past tyrants that abuse their power.
It's an emotional and horrifying story with three unusual yet sympathetic furry protagonists. The only thing keeping me from giving it a perfect score is the fact that it's too short. It deals with a lot of complex themes, subjects, emotions and worldbuilding and wraps everything up in about a hundred pages. I wish it was at least a full 200+ page volume to fully explore all its concepts rather than just three 30 page chapters.
A beautifully simple concept that really tugs on the heartstrings of animal lovers. There's a lot of plausibility in fascist governments abusing technology in such a cruel fashion as animals have been used in similar ways in the past such as strapping bombs to dogs to blow up unsuspecting enemy soldiers. It's a heartbreaking nightmare to picture something so inhumane happening in the future, but it's hard to put it past tyrants that abuse their power.
It's an emotional and horrifying story with three unusual yet sympathetic furry protagonists. The only thing keeping me from giving it a perfect score is the fact that it's too short. It deals with a lot of complex themes, subjects, emotions and worldbuilding and wraps everything up in about a hundred pages. I wish it was at least a full 200+ page volume to fully explore all its concepts rather than just three 30 page chapters.
January 14, 2012
I started 2012 with two graphic novels that I got for Christmas.
One of them made me laugh and one of them made me cry.*
This is the one that made me cry.
This is Henry.
![]()
"/>
Although he's not showing them in this picture, he has an impressive array of pointy bits that occasionally draw blood. He is, however, the world's biggest chickenshit. His idea of a good offense is to hide under the bed.
This is 2 of WE3, formerly known as Tinker. As you can see, he also has an impressive array of pointy bits...
![]()
"/>
We3 is a graphic novel about three lost pets - a dog, a cat, and a rabbit - who have been experimentally weaponized who escape from the lab, with a little help from someone who doesn't want them decomissioned. Armed and extremely dangerous, their incredible journey in search of home is threatened by those responsible for the top secret program who want this particular phase shut down.
And, of course, decomissioned and shut down are euphemisms for exactly what you think they mean. This program was never designed to have a happy ending for the animals.
I won't go into any detail about their quest. Plot-wise, this either appeals to you already or it doesn't.
Artistically, there are definitely some striking visuals, some of which are not for the squeamish. My only disappointment with the graphic part of this graphic novel was not the artwork itself, but the layout used during the escape itself, a 6-page section, each page divided into 18 small pictures. Kind of like taking a movie of the events and then cutting out 108 individual frames from a much longer piece of film to tell the story. (In the afterword, artist Frank Quitely seems particularly proud of this sequence, but for me, meh.) Loved the rest of it, though.
In terms of writing, Grant Morrison makes excellent use of the animals' very limited vocabulary (because any sick, twisted fuck of a scientist who would wire these lost pets into weapons wouldn't hestate to make them talk as well...sorry, was my outrage showing?). The animals speech took a little getting used to, especially reading this immediately following Mush: Sled Dogs with Issues, where dogs can even wax philosophical, but by the time I was near the end of the story, 4th last page to be exact, this simple spoken interaction between the animals is what made me cry. My eyes watered up so suddenly and unexpectedly...Dammit! I'm getting a lump in my throat just thinking about the scene. All I'm saying is, thankfully this was not the last scene.
And I think my rating would have been half a star less without this emotional response. Badass animals are one thing, but badass animals I care about...amazing.
*And here's the link to my review of Mush: Sled Dogs with Issues, the one that made me laugh.
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Also, anyone who knows how I get rid of the string of stuff before Henry's picture (or hide it) without getting rid of the picture, please let me know. I'm computer-challenged enough to be proud I got the pictures in the review in the first place.
One of them made me laugh and one of them made me cry.*
This is the one that made me cry.
This is Henry.
"/> Although he's not showing them in this picture, he has an impressive array of pointy bits that occasionally draw blood. He is, however, the world's biggest chickenshit. His idea of a good offense is to hide under the bed.
This is 2 of WE3, formerly known as Tinker. As you can see, he also has an impressive array of pointy bits...
"/>We3 is a graphic novel about three lost pets - a dog, a cat, and a rabbit - who have been experimentally weaponized who escape from the lab, with a little help from someone who doesn't want them decomissioned. Armed and extremely dangerous, their incredible journey in search of home is threatened by those responsible for the top secret program who want this particular phase shut down.
And, of course, decomissioned and shut down are euphemisms for exactly what you think they mean. This program was never designed to have a happy ending for the animals.
I won't go into any detail about their quest. Plot-wise, this either appeals to you already or it doesn't.
Artistically, there are definitely some striking visuals, some of which are not for the squeamish. My only disappointment with the graphic part of this graphic novel was not the artwork itself, but the layout used during the escape itself, a 6-page section, each page divided into 18 small pictures. Kind of like taking a movie of the events and then cutting out 108 individual frames from a much longer piece of film to tell the story. (In the afterword, artist Frank Quitely seems particularly proud of this sequence, but for me, meh.) Loved the rest of it, though.
In terms of writing, Grant Morrison makes excellent use of the animals' very limited vocabulary (because any sick, twisted fuck of a scientist who would wire these lost pets into weapons wouldn't hestate to make them talk as well...sorry, was my outrage showing?). The animals speech took a little getting used to, especially reading this immediately following Mush: Sled Dogs with Issues, where dogs can even wax philosophical, but by the time I was near the end of the story, 4th last page to be exact, this simple spoken interaction between the animals is what made me cry. My eyes watered up so suddenly and unexpectedly...Dammit! I'm getting a lump in my throat just thinking about the scene. All I'm saying is, thankfully this was not the last scene.
And I think my rating would have been half a star less without this emotional response. Badass animals are one thing, but badass animals I care about...amazing.
*And here's the link to my review of Mush: Sled Dogs with Issues, the one that made me laugh.
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Also, anyone who knows how I get rid of the string of stuff before Henry's picture (or hide it) without getting rid of the picture, please let me know. I'm computer-challenged enough to be proud I got the pictures in the review in the first place.
November 24, 2023
The more i write about this book, the more i applaud the choices Morrison and Quitely made. A solid 3.5 stars.
Story
The US Air Force’s secret weapons program transforms three family pets into living weaponry. They appear to pass their first assignment. A US senator and general(?) get a walk-through of the program afterward and the general freaks out because they have rudimentary language skills (ie, that they can talk at all makes them problematic): this 3rd generation must be decommissioned so that the program can move forward with the 4th generation. The trio escape (not really a spoiler) and struggle to remain free. Ultraviolence ensues. Any resemblance you might’ve expected to Homeward Bound are destroyed very early.
Don’t expect The Message to break your heart or catalyze your protest instincts. The bad guys aren’t quite caricatures, but they also don’t have enough room to display much depth. Our 3 heroes also are limited: they are not only not anthropomorphized but they’re also robotized. Even though WE3 can speak, their language is limited to something to I. M. Gud Dog? and Want. Eat. Now. Maybe this works: they haven’t become something drastically different from normal pets so we still root for the lost doggie/kitty/bunny inside the armor and behind the weapons and underneath the illuminated antennae.
Art
Quite frankly *groan*, i like Frank Quitely’s artistic vision. (the following generalization is based on a statistically insignificant sample) As seems to be the norm, comics art strives to be “Real” Art when it extends to full-page and 2-page spreads. True in this little book also, but then there’s the really cool 6-page spread of 16-panels per page as though seen from various security cameras.
Each of these 96 stamp-sized images delicately used limited visual information in conjunction with the others to tell a mostly wordless tense tale. Quitely cheats a little bit in the security camera footage by letting us hear some dialog and monologue. Plus he zooms in and out in what presumably are meant to be the same camera but at different times. Anyway, the overall sequence is effective.
Quitely likes to change camera angles. The opening shots make that perfectly clear. He’s not afraid to risk confusion. At times i think he embraces the likelihood of reader confusion: he expects you to go back and re-view.
The first 2-page spread of the comic appears to be at least partially computer generated.
If it’s not, then i give Quitely even more praise for rendering this storm of bullets. It’s disgusting, but visually appropriate. The 2-page spread of an instant of FREEDOM is what comic book superhero beauty should look like. I wish they’d put it on the cover. Though that would’ve promised more uplift than this melancholy tale has to offer.
Story
The US Air Force’s secret weapons program transforms three family pets into living weaponry. They appear to pass their first assignment. A US senator and general(?) get a walk-through of the program afterward and the general freaks out because they have rudimentary language skills (ie, that they can talk at all makes them problematic): this 3rd generation must be decommissioned so that the program can move forward with the 4th generation. The trio escape (not really a spoiler) and struggle to remain free. Ultraviolence ensues. Any resemblance you might’ve expected to Homeward Bound are destroyed very early.
Don’t expect The Message to break your heart or catalyze your protest instincts. The bad guys aren’t quite caricatures, but they also don’t have enough room to display much depth. Our 3 heroes also are limited: they are not only not anthropomorphized but they’re also robotized. Even though WE3 can speak, their language is limited to something to I. M. Gud Dog? and Want. Eat. Now. Maybe this works: they haven’t become something drastically different from normal pets so we still root for the lost doggie/kitty/bunny inside the armor and behind the weapons and underneath the illuminated antennae.
Art
Quite frankly *groan*, i like Frank Quitely’s artistic vision. (the following generalization is based on a statistically insignificant sample) As seems to be the norm, comics art strives to be “Real” Art when it extends to full-page and 2-page spreads. True in this little book also, but then there’s the really cool 6-page spread of 16-panels per page as though seen from various security cameras.
Each of these 96 stamp-sized images delicately used limited visual information in conjunction with the others to tell a mostly wordless tense tale. Quitely cheats a little bit in the security camera footage by letting us hear some dialog and monologue. Plus he zooms in and out in what presumably are meant to be the same camera but at different times. Anyway, the overall sequence is effective.
Quitely likes to change camera angles. The opening shots make that perfectly clear. He’s not afraid to risk confusion. At times i think he embraces the likelihood of reader confusion: he expects you to go back and re-view.
The first 2-page spread of the comic appears to be at least partially computer generated.
If it’s not, then i give Quitely even more praise for rendering this storm of bullets. It’s disgusting, but visually appropriate. The 2-page spread of an instant of FREEDOM is what comic book superhero beauty should look like. I wish they’d put it on the cover. Though that would’ve promised more uplift than this melancholy tale has to offer.
May 11, 2011
Grant Morrison - Author
Frank Quietly - Illustrator
4.5/5 stars
Bandit the dog, Tinker the cat and Pirate the rabbit are all part of a top-secret government program to radically modify housepets into military killing machines. The three are decommissioned and scheduled for euthanization but the doctor who was in charge of the project cannot bear to put the animals down and instead helps them escape. The three housepets, horribly altered by human ingenuity, must find their way to the homes they were stolen from while evading the dogged pursuit of the U.S. military and the remnants of the program they left behind.
The story is fantastic; Mr. Morrison is perhaps the greatest writer of comic books working today. The art is powerful and emotionally evocative; Mr. Quietly shines in this collection. My only quibble would be with the length -- 3 issues is just too short for such a creative team working with such a promising premise. Highly recommended.
Frank Quietly - Illustrator
4.5/5 stars
Bandit the dog, Tinker the cat and Pirate the rabbit are all part of a top-secret government program to radically modify housepets into military killing machines. The three are decommissioned and scheduled for euthanization but the doctor who was in charge of the project cannot bear to put the animals down and instead helps them escape. The three housepets, horribly altered by human ingenuity, must find their way to the homes they were stolen from while evading the dogged pursuit of the U.S. military and the remnants of the program they left behind.
The story is fantastic; Mr. Morrison is perhaps the greatest writer of comic books working today. The art is powerful and emotionally evocative; Mr. Quietly shines in this collection. My only quibble would be with the length -- 3 issues is just too short for such a creative team working with such a promising premise. Highly recommended.
October 23, 2020
Para aquellos que duden o no conozcan las posibilidades creativas que ofrece el medio: este cómic es perfecto. El guion de Morrison es conciso y directo; el dibujo de Frank Quitely es sencillamente espectacular. Una combinación inmejorable para una dinámica lectura, con una profundidad mayor de la que se puede entrever por su corta extensión.
La premisa es sencilla: los Estados Unidos han desarrollado un nuevo programa armamentístico en el que utilizan animales domésticos como letales armas biomecánicas. Tras dar por finalizada la tercera fase de este programa, la cuidadora de los tres animales-máquinas (un perro, un gato y un conejo) los libera para que no sean sacrificados. El resto es puro disfrute narrativo y visual.
La premisa es sencilla: los Estados Unidos han desarrollado un nuevo programa armamentístico en el que utilizan animales domésticos como letales armas biomecánicas. Tras dar por finalizada la tercera fase de este programa, la cuidadora de los tres animales-máquinas (un perro, un gato y un conejo) los libera para que no sean sacrificados. El resto es puro disfrute narrativo y visual.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,219 reviews