Sleeper Vol 01: Out in the Cold

by Sean Phillips and Ed Brubaker

Book Overview

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1401201156
• ISBN13: 9781401201159
• Release Date: January 2004
• Publisher: Wildstorm
• Length: 1 Pages
• Weight: 0.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.2" x 6.7" x 10.2"

Customer Reviews

Here begins Ed Brubaker's coolest book yet

Better than Daredevil. Better than Captain America. Even better than Criminal, which reunites Ed Brubaker with this series' talented artist, Sean Phillips. Sleeper is just plain GOOD. The story of a secret agent undercover in an organization rife with villains, Sleeper is a moral quagmire, where all moves are false and just end up sucking you in deeper and deeper. Sleeper asks the question: If you're making all of the wrong decisions for the right reasons, how long can your soul survive intact? The answer? Not very long at all. So read Sleeper. All four volumes. You won't be disappointed.

Cold-war spy thriller meets the superhero crowd

Tight pacing, a complex and twisty plot, and compelling characters make this a fast and satisfying read. I like that the protagonist isn't a Chosen One, but is just a dumb guy who gets picked for the wrong mission and ends up paying for it for the rest of his life. The basic concept is a character study: a good guy who spends his life in the shadows fighting the hidden wars is co-opted into becoming a mole, and is then left to swing or survive on his own. His actions and decisions become ever murkier, even to himself. Things are made more complex by the fact that he and those around him are all gifted/damned with unusual abilities. If you're a fan of the Le Carre type of spy thrillers, you'll probably enjoy this immensely.

One of the best graphic novels out there

People go on and on about how great this series is, and the good news is, it completely lives up to the hype. I came to "Sleeper" after reading a few other titles Ed Brubaker had written, notably DC's deliciously revamped "Catwoman" (which is also a lot of fun)... I was skeptical, but I'm glad I took the plunge with "Sleeper," as it is one of the best comicbook stories I've read in a long while. The action takes place in the WildCATS/Authority/Stormwatch universe, once a comicbook backwater that has recently been revitalized into a gritty and witty superhero noir... "Sleeper" tells the story of a superpowered secret agent, Holden Carver, who is placed undercover by a Machiavellian Nick Fury type to infiltrate a sinister spy network populated with superpowered, super-amoral bad guys. Brubaker uses the character's specific superpowers to flesh out their inner lives -- Carver's power is the ability to absorb any amount of bodily damage and transmute it into pure pain, which he can zap other people with. Meanwhile, he feels no pain himself and is practically unkillable, a situation that leaves him feeling dead inside and increasingly alienated from the true-believer idealism that lead him into military service to begin with. Brubaker borrows from the well-trod genre of spy fiction, but adds an extra layer with the whole superpower thing that is well thought-out and rewarding. Without getting into spoilers, etc., I'll just say that this was one of those rare comic series that I regretted getting to the end of... the world it depicted was so absorbing and textured that I was bummed I knew the story would end with Volume 4... (The entire "Sleeper" story is contained in four slim volumes, plus the prequel, "Point Blank," which sets the stage for "Sleeper" and should definitely be read as well...) It should be mentioned that this is not a book for little kids: there are many of the same sort of "adult" elements as DC's Vertigo imprint -- semi-graphic sexuality and some extreme violence -- although to his credit, Brubaker includes these elements for a reason, and does it with far less of the "gee-whiz" gratuitousness that has made the Vertigo books become so tedious and repetitive. The sex elements cut to the heart of Carver's character, while the violence is used to show the seriousness of his predicament; they actually deepen the story and move it along and are not included merely to titillate readers or gross us out. That being said, I highly recommend this series. (This review written by Joe Sixpack/Slipcue.Com)

Smart, Innovative Writing and Great Artwork

I really enjoyed the 2 Sleeper books. The story telling is excellent. The method used for revealing the characters origins was something I hadn't seen before. The fact that these characters have super powers is almost an afterthought to the story which is refreshing. The plot twists keep you guessing and you really find yourself rooting for even the vilest of the villains Holden befriends. The artwork is very good (in that heavy dark inking style). The artwork in the origin re-tellings is even better. I'm a casual comic reader who just recently came back to graphic novels as an adult. The content in this book is definately adult in nature. Plenty of violence, sex and language... but it is used to further the plot of the story so it doesn't come off as over the top.

A New Favorite

Wow! Great concept, great storytelling, great plot, yadda, yadda, yadda. Caution: definitely for mature readers. Don't buy this for your kids, or anyone else's kids. But if you're looking for a new series to follow, one that doesn't recycle the same hoary old plotlines, this is it.