News Article Detail
Praetorian Gets Reviewed
Sun, 10 May 2009 by Huckleberry
Title: Praetorian Vol. 1
Publisher Name: Outlaw Entertainment
Writer: Jason M. burns
Art: Ramon Espinoza
7.99, 112 pages, Color
Safety Content Label: T+ TEENS AND UP - Appropriate for most readers 13 and up, parents are advised that they might want to read before or with younger children.
Publishers Blurb:
Created by Rick Villa and Tony Hobdy
Description: Made immortal in the wake of christ's crucifixion, four Praetorian guards are tasked with protecting mankind in the centuries to come. Now 2009 and spread out around the globe, the Praetorians must reunite to track down a grisly serial killer whose seemingly random murdering sprees have been haunting them since their eternal rebirth.
Reviewer Comments:
112 pages of story for only $7.99. What could be better?
How about 112 pages of really GOOD story and great looking art for only $7.99?
Well, then you're in luck, because fledgling company, OUTLAW ENTERTAINMENT's graphic novel, PRAETORIAN, will be on the shelves in July.
How to describe it? Take the DAVINCI CODE and marry it to HIGHLANDER. Throw in a twist of LAW & ORDER, (I'm thinking Criminal Intent) and that will give you an idea of the kind of story we have here.
Headless bodies are turning up across the US with strange markings carved into their chests. FBI Agents Rodriguez and Petrillo are assigned to bring the killer in. Along the way, Rodriguez enlists the aid of College Professor, Julian. But the good Professor has an old secret. A verrrry old secret. he is one of four Roman praetorians who stood at the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, and were granted immortality and forgiveness by the risen Christ.
To further complicate things, it turns out the victims are all the descendants of our four immortals, and Julian fears their deaths are part of someone's scheme to acquire his own immortality.
The story is very well written, and grabs you from the beginning. I'm the biggest baby about reading the usual 22 page reviews online (my sensitive eyes, donchew know), but I just tore through these 112 like there was no tomorrow.
I'm also not the most religious man in the world, but this was very well presented. It isn't overly preachy or intensely philosophical. Everything is presented very factual and matter-of-factly, much like Julian's own personal outlook. At one point he tells Rodriguez, "It's the truth. Whether you find comfort in it or not is up to you." I liked that. The Divine and Miraculous handled in such a pragmatic way just made it easier to get wrapped up in.
There is a lot going on, in this religious, mystery, drama, fantasy.
The art is somewhat stylized, but not overly so. Each of the characters have their own look, which really helps covey their personalities. The art compliments the writing very well, in that it too presents the extraordinary in a very ordinary way. The violence, and oh yeah, a five way battle between immortals gets pretty violent, is not done for shock or splatter value. It get's intense and builds the drama, but it doesn't become one of those "Oh, look what we can do" gore for its own sake, books.
So, final verdict, PRAETORIAN is a well written, well rendered, highly entertaining, book length read that is MORE than worth the cover price.
