Comic Trade Review: Wasteland, Book 5: Tales of the Uninvited

Written by Antony Johnston, with artwork by Christopher Mitten, Wasteland is a post-apocalyptic epic set one hundred years after the Big Wet, an unspecified disaster that destroyed modern society and, it is assumed, changed the world’s coastlines. The story takes place somewhere in America, now a barren desert and dustbowl without modern technology. The seas are poisonous, and subsistence farming with small amounts of livestock appears to be the norm. The series also features gorgeous full-color covers by Ben Templemith.

Thus far, the comic has established two distinct storylines. The first follows a scavenger named Michael who roams the wasteland, trading what he can salvage. His life changes forever when he finds a machine that talks in a forgotten language, supposedly giving directions to the fabled land of A-Ree-Yass-I, where mankind’s downfall began. Michael tries to trade the machine at a small town of Sunners called Providence, and his fate becomes intertwined with the machine’s.

The second storyline follows the political machinations of a large city known as Newbegin, where the city’s leader Marcus (aka Lord Founder) is oppressing the Sunner population, most of whom are slaves.

Wasteland, Book 5: Tales of the Uninvited is a special volume that collects all the previously uncollected stand-alone issues of the series together in one place. As such, it can be read by pretty much anyone with a familiarity of the comic’s premise, and no knowledge of the ongoing series story threads is really necessary to enjoy the collection.

All stories in the collection are written by regular series scribe, Antony Johnston, but many are illustrated by guest artists, such as Carla Speed McNeil, Chuck BB, and Joe Infurnari. This volume also includes the full colour, double-sized stand-alone anniversary issue, with art by regular series artist, Chris Mitten.

The issues contained within this volume include: Wasteland #7: ‘Children of the Sun’; #14′ ‘Death Walks Behind you’; #20, Apocalyptic City’; and #5: ‘Planet Caravan’.

‘Children of the Sun’

This tale features artwork from acclaimed Finder creator Carla Speed McNeil.

The story is set in the township of Newbegin, early in the political struggles that would wrack the town later in the series. The town’s leader, Marcus (aka Lord Founder), has passed an edict stating that every member of the peaceful Sunner Faith must convert to him, or become slaves.

Artisan Scott, a member of the council, is involved in a secret relationship with a Sunner girl named Anjo, and risks everything to escape the city with Anjo and her brother Wiylem. But when love crosses castes, can there be a happy ending or is it destined to end in blood and violence?

‘Death Walks Behind You’

This tale features artwork from Joe Infurnari (Borrowed Time).

The story features one of the comic’s main characters, Michael, a scavenger, or ‘Ruin Runner’, who roams the wastelands, trading what he can salvage. This story isn’t the first appearance of Michael in the series, but gives readers a special glimpse of the first time that Michael came to the town of Providence.

Michael arrives in the town of Providence carrying a huge sack of items that he has scavenged whilst traveling out in the open desert. He heads into the local merchant’s to sell his wares, and the shop keeper notices that he has a genuine copy of the bible, something incredibly rare in this day and age. When he asks Michael how he came across it, the reader is treated to a flashback of Micheal’s recent journey, a tale of mistrust, betrayal, and murder in the open desert.

‘Apocalyptic City’

This tale features artwork from both Christopher Mitten and Eisner-nominated artist Chuck BB (Black Metal).

The story of how Marcus founded Newbegin is known to everyone in the city. But how is it told – and just how true is it? Join the audience and gather round, as Newbegin’s famous marketplace storyteller is about to begin the tale!

The issue features not only the official story of the founding of Newbegin, but also several other versions of the tale, as heard by children from their fathers, passing merchants, and more.

The parts of the story set in modern day Newbegin are drawn by Christopher Mitten, and each origin story is told in prose, with an accompanying full-page illustration by Chuck BB.

‘Planet Caravan’

This tale features painted colour artwork by Christopher Mitten to mark the #25 issue, and half-way point, of the series.

This issue is set ten years prior to the current storyline of the comic book, in the city of Waters Meet. Sultan Ameer is a traveling merchant who journeys from town to town in his giant machine caravans. The Sultan has employed Michael, the Ruin Runner, to guard his wives, which are the finest that money can buy.

When they reach the town of Waters Meet, the Sultan and Michael part ways, but one of Ameer’s wives, Katya, has one last favour to ask of Michael, a simple request that sparks a tale of love, lust, tragedy, and betrayal.

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The art on these four one-shot tales represents some of the very best work in comics today!

Carla Speed McNeil’s art on ‘Children of the Sun’ gives a wonderfully personal feeling to this tale of politics and religious persecution, that focuses on the effects such decisions have on individuals.

Joe Infurnari’s artwork of ‘Death Walks Behind You’ is just breathtaking! He seems to have drawn the art of some sort of heavy-weave canvas that gives the story a strange look, where you can see the weave right through the inks! He does a beautiful job of illustrating the open desert, so good in fact that the dusty dryness of it made me feel a little parched while reading

As mentioned previously, ‘Apocalyptic City’ is illustrated by both Christopher Mitten and Chuck BB. Mitten’s artwork on the present day portions of the story is up to his usual fantastic standard, and Chuck BB’s artwork on the historical story illustrations is… insane! His illustrations have this bizarre angular look to them that makes the characters look like they are carved out of stone. I love it!

Then we come to Christopher Mitten on ‘Planet Caravan’, and just when I’d become accustomed to Mitten’s amazingly high quality artwork, he goes and gives us a full colour painted issue that is just mind-blowing! I’d love to see more of Mitten’s artwork done in color, maybe issue #50, eh?

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What can I say about Antony Johnston’s writing that I haven’t said before? This book represents Johnston’s Magnum Opus, and is one of the best comic series in publication today. In this collection of one-shots, Johnston tells some wonderful stories of the origins of several important characters within the Wasteland series, with each issue telling a tale of love, loss, tragedy, and betrayal, set against the back drop of a dying world.

Wasteland, Book 5: Tales of the Uninvited will be a real treat for fans of the series who have been picking it up in trade, and have been waiting for these single issues to be collected. But the book should also serve as a great sampler for new comers to Wasteland, as each of the stories can be read without having read any other issues, and gives the reader a strong introduction to the main characters and concepts that run throughout the series.

Wasteland, Book 5: Tales of the Uninvited is highly recommended reading, particularly for fans of post-apocalyptic tales. Imagine a cross between Frank Herbert’s Dune, J.G. Ballard’s The Drought, and Stephen King’s The Gunslinger, and you might be close to picturing the epic that is Wasteland! It’s by far the greatest post-apocalyptic comic book ever made!

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