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roboram's review against another edition
4.0
I have mad respect for the first Blade Runner's influence on the cyberpunk genre, and the sequel is one of my all-time favorite films, so of course I had to read this! Super glad Michael Green is one of the writers. The art aesthetic suits the universe very well, and the writers never treat you like an idiot. Much like the films, you have to infer a lot of what's going on through context clues. Will definitely pick up volume 2!
laughinglibra84's review against another edition
4.0
We follow Ashina, who is a blade runner, as she "retires" replicants for a living.
This graphic novel is a great transition from the original movie and the sequel.
There are two or three scenes I couldn't figure out what was happening. Only that something bad happened.
This graphic novel is a great transition from the original movie and the sequel.
There are two or three scenes I couldn't figure out what was happening. Only that something bad happened.
dirthmergl's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
jnkay01's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
deanna's review against another edition
3.0
Blade Runner 2019, Vol. 1: Los Angeles continues the story line of the 1982 film as well as serving as a promotional tie-in for the more recent film, Blade Runner 2049.
The comic follows blade runner Aahna Ashino, AKA "The Butcher" because she regularly sells body parts of the replicants she retires for extra cash. The plot, which focuses on a missing person case she's working, doesn't offer up anything new in either detective stories or in Blade Runner mythos. Ashino's personality is that of the stereotypical hard-boiled cop, with the cliche diction to boot.
But let's be honest: as much as I love the original movie, it's just it's plot is just as flimsy as this is. My guess for the reason that the movie is so beloved is because it's a treat for the eyes and this comic is no different. What pushes this past mediocre is the artwork. My preference tends towards realistic characters that are rather detailed or highly stylized depictions, and Blade Runner falls into the former category.
I will definitely continue the series if it comes to my library.
The comic follows blade runner Aahna Ashino, AKA "The Butcher" because she regularly sells body parts of the replicants she retires for extra cash. The plot, which focuses on a missing person case she's working, doesn't offer up anything new in either detective stories or in Blade Runner mythos. Ashino's personality is that of the stereotypical hard-boiled cop, with the cliche diction to boot.
But let's be honest: as much as I love the original movie, it's just it's plot is just as flimsy as this is. My guess for the reason that the movie is so beloved is because it's a treat for the eyes and this comic is no different. What pushes this past mediocre is the artwork. My preference tends towards realistic characters that are rather detailed or highly stylized depictions, and Blade Runner falls into the former category.
I will definitely continue the series if it comes to my library.
bradleygirl's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Gore, Gun violence, Self harm, Violence, and Medical content
vylotte's review against another edition
4.0
A Blade Runner in the year 2019 accepts a commission to find a missing woman and her daughter. Of course, it's never quite that simple.
All that you would expect from the franchise, hard boiled noir, cyberpunk styling, crises of conscience. A worthy addition to the canon.
Read through Hoopla.
All that you would expect from the franchise, hard boiled noir, cyberpunk styling, crises of conscience. A worthy addition to the canon.
Read through Hoopla.
kevinwkelsey's review
5.0
Quality movie tie-ins are rare, and I’m extremely pleased to say that this is one of the best I’ve read. A lot of tie-ins skimp on the artwork — Expanse: Origins, I’m looking at you — but this series, thankfully, understands just how pivotal and elemental the visuals of Blade Runner have been to every story told in this universe. The original 1982 film set the scene, the brilliant point-and-click 1997 video game produced by Westwood Studios showed the darker corners, Villenueve’s striking sequel Blade Runner 2049, as well as its prequel short films expanded beautifully on that foundation, and now this sequel to the original film follows forward from those footsteps.
It’s been repeated so many times that it’s become a caricature of the truth embodied when first stated, but for Blade Runner, the visuals — the dirty, dripping city, the background characters, the clothing and architecture — are a real character in the story. Andres Guinaldo’s illustrations are gorgeous and pitch-perfectly capture the feel of Syd Mead’s retro-futuristic 1982 Los Angeles of 2019 that we all know and love.
Michael Green, the screenwriter of Blade Runner 2049, penned these issues along with Mike Johnson, well known for his work in the DC and Star Trek universes. The story is beautifully realized, and captures tonally the bleak, fight for your life world of Los Angeles, with subtle nuance and expanded world building in the new layers of the city we thought we knew. In addition to this, we have a few new locations outside Los Angeles to explore, as well as hints toward future locations in upcoming issues, some of which I have been waiting a long, long time to see. Color me excited for what is to come.
Ash, our main protagonist in this series, is a fully rounded three dimensional character. She has fought her way up from the streets as an orphan and made a name for herself as a ruthless, resourceful and intelligent hunter of replicants. So efficient in heartlessly pursuing her prey, as to attain nearly bogeyman status among them.
This story feels like it’s meant to be read in one sitting, flowing best when read continuously in a trade paperback like this, rather than issue to issue, where I found it broken into too brief segments to connect deeply with. Take that with a grain of salt, this may just be my film bias bleeding through, as I find the same fault in almost all comic books I read. I much prefer collections to single issues.
I am extremely pleased with Blade Runner 2019. May it continue for a hundred issues at least.
It’s been repeated so many times that it’s become a caricature of the truth embodied when first stated, but for Blade Runner, the visuals — the dirty, dripping city, the background characters, the clothing and architecture — are a real character in the story. Andres Guinaldo’s illustrations are gorgeous and pitch-perfectly capture the feel of Syd Mead’s retro-futuristic 1982 Los Angeles of 2019 that we all know and love.
Michael Green, the screenwriter of Blade Runner 2049, penned these issues along with Mike Johnson, well known for his work in the DC and Star Trek universes. The story is beautifully realized, and captures tonally the bleak, fight for your life world of Los Angeles, with subtle nuance and expanded world building in the new layers of the city we thought we knew. In addition to this, we have a few new locations outside Los Angeles to explore, as well as hints toward future locations in upcoming issues, some of which I have been waiting a long, long time to see. Color me excited for what is to come.
Ash, our main protagonist in this series, is a fully rounded three dimensional character. She has fought her way up from the streets as an orphan and made a name for herself as a ruthless, resourceful and intelligent hunter of replicants. So efficient in heartlessly pursuing her prey, as to attain nearly bogeyman status among them.
This story feels like it’s meant to be read in one sitting, flowing best when read continuously in a trade paperback like this, rather than issue to issue, where I found it broken into too brief segments to connect deeply with. Take that with a grain of salt, this may just be my film bias bleeding through, as I find the same fault in almost all comic books I read. I much prefer collections to single issues.
I am extremely pleased with Blade Runner 2019. May it continue for a hundred issues at least.