Rating: 
Summary: Priest...seen it before, but never this cool
Review: First, I will admit that a lot of the elements presented in Priest has been done before in several movies. But never has so many cool elements brought together in one story. For the people expecting this to be a gothic/scary book, don't pick it up. It's mainly an action manga with a slice of cool. The first two volume is fast place. Ivan Issacc, the protagist is kind of like Spawn. The next two volume explore his past and reveal more of the story so the reader can get a better understanding. What some closed mind reader will tell you that it's just "this" and just "that"...it's highly complex. You question the motive of the character, the desire and ambition each character present. The presentation is truely excellent. The cover/text/panal/art is carefully crafted to make it highly enjoyable...it's different from typical manga.Overall, I would recommend this to anyone who like fast action manga. It puts religion in perspective and testes faith and love. Love over relgion? Religon over love? If you like Berserk, Spawn or anything dark with action, then pick this up.
Rating: 
Summary: far from typical
Review: i don't what that scott munro dude is talking about, but this series is far from typical. i hate manga, but this series delves so deep into the human soul and psyche that i can't put it down. clearly the guy below hasn't even read much of the series or he would know that there is a ton of character development throughout the series. in each volume you learn more about the history of the characters and their relationships, and trust me these back-stories will take your mind for a spin. it's a story of struggle, physical, spiritual and psychological. i don't see how a person can write such a lame negative review after clearly not reading much of it. also, he says it's very plotless and typical, then says the first volume was confusing. if it's only a violent zombie-killing fest, what confused you? and at least get the name of Ivan's lost love, who is key to understanding his motivations, correct. it's gena, not jenna.
Rating: 
Summary: More like 2.5 stars
Review: I picked up a copy of "Priest" from Borders. I scanned through it: trains... zombies... zombies on trains... zombies on trains being killed by religious leaders... Wow! Sound good! The first book wasn't terrible, however this is basically a review for the entire series. It's a very, very typical plot about a man who sells his soul to the devil: the overused plot has been disguised with the setting (old west) and the fact the character is a "priest." I got the next couple of books, to find out that it was the same thing: gore, gore, gore, gore, blood, zombies, blood. A reason that I got the next two books was because I was left somewhat confused by book one (although there wasn't much to understand) and I believed that the loose ends left from book one would be explained. It was like a little, graphic novel mystery. As soon as I understood everything from book one, there were more "mysteries" to solve. There are much, much better, action, gore graphic novels out there. Cons: 1. Plot? Plot! Who needs a plot?
2. It seems as if there was another artist who filled in once, and the style changes somewhat.
3. Not suitable for younger teens.
4. Poor religious grounding. A well-researched comic book is always better.
5. Okay, there was plenty of zombie killing in book one and two, do we really need an excess?
6. No key for the Korean (right?) sound effects.
7. The main character had minimal personality and no character development.
8. The human proportion needed work: tiny heads and tall, twig like people.
9. Tries hard to be "goth." I don't say that it fails, but it's definitely not what I want to see in a comic book.
10. That "Jenna" (unsure if this is the correct name) thing it overplayed. Pros:
1. Interesting and detailed pen and ink drawings.
2. Setting (old west).
3. Steam trains... steam trains are great...
4. It's like a 1980's horror movie in graphic novel form!
5. Has gotten many good reviews.
6. The sort of "mini graphic novel mysteries" which are explained above.
7. Instead of black drawings on white, it's more white drawings on black, which is a nice visual effect.
Rating:
Summary: BEST BOOK I EVER READ!
Review: I really like this guy's artwork. It's vivid and distinct and seems original to me, compared to other artists. Religion mixed in with gothic horror and a graphic portrayal of the way things might have been, Priest is one of my favorite stories of all time. This book isn't recommended for those who are offended easily.
Rating:
Summary: Great Artist, Great Story
Review: I really like this guy's artwork. It's vivid and distinct and seems original to me, compared to other artists. Religion mixed in with gothic horror and a graphic portrayal of the way things might have been, Priest is one of my favorite stories of all time. This book isn't recommended for those who are offended easily.
Rating:
Summary: It's gothic, 'cause it has the word 'Priest' in the title
Review: I've seen a lot of horror flicks and such in my life. Nowadays, the horror genre becomes predictable, unconvincing, boring, and not-so-scary. This Korean manga, or manhwa as people call it, is no exception. Well, that's not entirely true, there are a few good things. I love the concept in its artistic value. Although the overall design in Priest is just so-so, when it comes to scenes with the negative effect, it actually makes the design look a lot better than it originally was. If there's one thing that peeves me about Priest, it's the linear storyline. Here's how it sets up: Some guy died, then a supernatural devil revived him, and now he's an inhuman monster-slayer sworn for revenge; same as how Spawn sets up. Also, what is up with that train sequence? Every suspenseful, deus-ex-machina action scenario always took place in a train sequence. I know this is western-themed, but man, that's just getting old. The brutal, bloody action scenes did much to bring some enjoyment in this manga, but they were not all that convincing. Let's face it, what I see from the cover is what I get in this book: over-the-top action, an antagonistic hero with a dark past, bland stereotypes, and an amalgamation of monsters. With books like that exisiting, even better, like 'Berserk' and, of course, 'Spawn', why would I need to read the same thing? Priest did entertainment me, but it's just generic at heart. Go right ahead and add this to your collection if you're into action-horror, but otherwise, don't expect much more to this title.
Rating:
Summary: It's gothic, 'cause it has the word 'Priest' in the title
Review: I've seen a lot of horror flicks and such in my life. Nowadays, the horror genre becomes predictable, unconvincing, boring, and not-so-scary. This Korean manga, or manhwa as people call it, is no exception. Well, that's not entirely true, there are a few good things. I love the concept in its artistic value. Although the overall design in Priest is just so-so, when it comes to scenes with the negative effect, it actually makes the design look a lot better than it originally was. If there's one thing that peeves me about Priest, it's the linear storyline. Here's how it sets up: Some guy died, then a supernatural devil revived him, and now he's an inhuman monster-slayer sworn for revenge; same as how Spawn sets up. Also, what is up with that train sequence? Every suspenseful, deus-ex-machina action scenario always took place in a train sequence. I know this is western-themed, but man, that's just getting old. The brutal, bloody action scenes did much to bring some enjoyment in this manga, but they were not all that convincing. Let's face it, what I see from the cover is what I get in this book: over-the-top action, an antagonistic hero with a dark past, bland stereotypes, and an amalgamation of monsters. With books like that exisiting, even better, like 'Berserk' and, of course, 'Spawn', why would I need to read the same thing? Priest did entertainment me, but it's just generic at heart. Go right ahead and add this to your collection if you're into action-horror, but otherwise, don't expect much more to this title.
Rating:
Summary: Uniquely entertaining
Review: Since there is plenty of plot summary to be found in the reviews below, I'll concentrate on why "Priest" is a unique,moving and enthralling series.
My first bit of praise has to go to the artwork, which is hands-down the most 'western' of any manhwa/manga I've read. It defies both the typical Korean and Japanese cartoon styles, and indeed the author says that he was influenced by the stark black and white style of "Hellboy" and spaghetti westerns. Although I'm in love with the cover paintings, the inside art is equally as wonderful, even if it is different.
As for the storyline, in this first book there is precious little for a shoujo fan to look for, as it primarily focuses on violence, massive zombie slaughtering and vengeance. This may turn some off, but the tragedy that is Ivan Issacs life reveals itself slowly over subsequent books. There is a bit of romantic tragedy that I found was similar to that in Wuthering Heights even. And the religious politics and secrecy are certainly very realistic and true to life. But the supernatural is dealt with equally as well, as it appears that Hyung has done his homework in regards to apocryphal allusions. And lets not forget that this whole things plays out in a demented vision of the old west, which adds an unusual dimension to the story.
As the series doesn't have an ending yet, I find this to be a surprising and unique series in a genre filled with overused plots and ideas.
Rating:
Summary: Uniquely entertaining
Review: Since there is plenty of plot summary to be found in the reviews below, I'll concentrate on why "Priest" is a unique,moving and enthralling series.
My first bit of praise has to go to the artwork, which is hands-down the most 'western' of any manhwa/manga I've read. It defies both the typical Korean and Japanese cartoon styles, and indeed the author says that he was influenced by the stark black and white style of "Hellboy" and spaghetti westerns. Although I'm in love with the cover paintings, the inside art is equally as wonderful, even if it is different.
As for the storyline, in this first book there is precious little for a shoujo fan to look for, as it primarily focuses on violence, massive zombie slaughtering and vengeance. This may turn some off, but the tragedy that is Ivan Issacs life reveals itself slowly over subsequent books. There is a bit of romantic tragedy that I found was similar to that in Wuthering Heights even. And the religious politics and secrecy are certainly very realistic and true to life. But the supernatural is dealt with equally as well, as it appears that Hyung has done his homework in regards to apocryphal allusions. And lets not forget that this whole things plays out in a demented vision of the old west, which adds an unusual dimension to the story.
As the series doesn't have an ending yet, I find this to be a surprising and unique series in a genre filled with overused plots and ideas.
Rating:
Summary: Gothic horror, action, and religion in the Wild West
Review: The original definition of the word "sublime" is something so terrifying that it becomes beautiful. Priest, then, is sublime. It takes place in an ambiguous time period: within the Wild West (1860s-1880s), with World War I era weapons (1914-1918), and yet is 300 years earlier than the "modern" day (1700?). Oh, and there are zombies. Lots of zombies. Priest is a brilliant, original, violent, dark, creative, and incredibly enthralling work of fiction. Damned to Hell for unleashing the fallen angel Temozarella from his ancient prison, the late priest Ivan Isaacs sells half his soul to Temozarella's demon rival Belial. Belial returns Isaacs to earth as an undead gunslinger, armed to the teeth with an arsenal of guns, blades, explosives, sorcery, and demonic abilities. His mission: prevent the awakened Temozarella from conquering the world, beginning with the Wild West. While tangling with the walking dead and remarkably horrifying demons, Isaacs must also fight with Belial for control of his own soul -- all the while mourning the loss of the woman he loves. Priest is told over the course of hundreds of years in a not-particularly-chronological order. The cast of characters is simply wonderful, and the way in which all the pieces of the story fit together is simply brilliant. This is a not a tail for those faint of heart -- or weak in faith!
|
