Rating: 
Summary: Interesting plot - rushed ending
Review: An updating of the old 1960's and 70's series. Proves you can't trust the CIA and other lettered agencies. But the ending just left me cold - felt rushed and slightly incoherent. Good moody art that fit the overall feel of the story. Overall, an ok book but not Garth's best
Rating: 
Summary: Realistic Treatment of a Borderline Character
Review: Following the current trend in comics today of treating traditionally bland characters as real people with human fallibilities and dark pasts, DC has finally turned to the Unknown Soldier. A character from the old War Comics line, the Unknown Soldier was always a dark, driven character, not so much likeable as he was fascinating. Always willing to sacrifice individuals for a greater cause, the Unknown Soldier didn't fit the mold of either the classic super heroes or even the other war heroes, like Sgt Rock or the men of the Haunted Tank. He was cold, callous, ruthless, and he was on our side. He was one of the first chracters in comics that was actually complex. Now that the industry is re-inventing the pasts of many of it most popular heroes, it was only a matter of time before today's talents turned their attention to this character. While this technique has been clumsy and trendy for some characters, it's perfect for the Soldier. While not inventing a past for this character, Garth Ennis actually extrapolates what the Soldier's involvement in conflicts, covert operations, and wars after WWII would have been. The story line actually involves the search of a CIA agent into the background of the Unknown Soldier by interviewing people who had witnessed him in action in Iran, Vietnam and WWII. The CIA agent's search finally culminates in a revelation of the Soldier's post war activities and how the preservation of a country's ideals can be an act of self-delusion. Garth Ennis understood the nature of the Unknown Soldier from the old comics and imagined how the Cold War could have pushed an already marginally stable warrior further down a ruthless decline of "killing people in order to save them." His treatment of the Soldier is logical and in the direction he was clearly heading in all those years ago. Well done and highly recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: Brutally and brilliantly well done
Review: Garth Ennis' UNKOWN SOLDIER is indeed a tale of dark conspiracy and vicious action, but it is in his detailing of the crushed and confused characters of Agent Clyde and the mythical Soldier himself that he really hits hardest. Even though the narrative spans fifty-plus years of America's military history it remains an intensely chilling personal horror story; about two men's morals and ethics and sanity slipping faster and faster into the mud, and the demands honor makes on the human soul.It is a brilliant limited series, limited only by space, scope and the constraints of the backstory. The keenness of mind exhibited by Ennis and his contemporaries like Warren Ellis, Grant Morrison and Alan Moore is in full evidence here... they are some of the finest (and weirdest) literary minds in comic books today.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing
Review: Like many comic book fans familiar with comic book writer Garth Ennis collaborations with illustrator Steve Dillon, like John Constantine: Hellblazer, Preacher, or Goddess (an underrated graphic novel illustrated by Phil Winslade - I wish they'd reissue this one); I was really looking forward to this project. It promised to be a look at the dark side of the US Army's secret operations over an extended period of cold war history, told with Ennis trademark black humor and insight. But Unknown Soldier suffered from severe gaps in logic, in particular in the motivations and actions of its hero, the CIA agent who begins a hunt for the legendary Army Intelligence operative, the Unknown Soldier, and for me at least, was a disappointing read. Still, the Tim Bradstreet covers are excellent and are worth a peek, but other than that I can't recommend this collection.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: Like many comic book fans familiar with comic book writer Garth Ennis collaborations with illustrator Steve Dillon, like John Constantine: Hellblazer, Preacher, or Goddess (an underrated graphic novel illustrated by Phil Winslade - I wish they'd reissue this one); I was really looking forward to this project. It promised to be a look at the dark side of the US Army's secret operations over an extended period of cold war history, told with Ennis trademark black humor and insight. But Unknown Soldier suffered from severe gaps in logic, in particular in the motivations and actions of its hero, the CIA agent who begins a hunt for the legendary Army Intelligence operative, the Unknown Soldier, and for me at least, was a disappointing read. Still, the Tim Bradstreet covers are excellent and are worth a peek, but other than that I can't recommend this collection.
Rating:
Summary: Defending What's Right
Review: Like many real Americans in the early years of the Cold War, comic book defenders of decency who hoped to survive the harsh winter of McCarthyism often had to protect themselves by loudly praising "Democracy" and denouncing its ideological enemy on the other side of the Iron Curtain. It was during this time that Captain America returned to comics after a four-year hiatus. Proudly replacing his WW II "Sentinel of Liberty" sobriquet with "Commie Smasher," Captain America embarked on a mission to recapture the hearts and minds of our nation's youth. And he was not alone. Literally draped in the flag and fervently believing in their country's moral infallibility, a long procession of American superheroes have served throughout the intervening years as mindless, musclebound cheerleaders for our country's kinder, gentler brand of nationalism. An encouraging sign that comic book readers no longer relate to this super-patriot ideal was the stunning success of the surprise hit, "Unknown Soldier." (demand was so great for the first issue of the original four part mini series that a second printing had to be run off.) The unlikely hero of this story is troubled CIA agent, William Clyde. Reprimanded by his superiors for refusing to "sanction" a couple of ten year old witnesses to his latest assassination assignment in Central America, Agent Clyde is given a meaningless desk job as repayment for his insubordination. Soon he finds himself following a trail of cryptic clues and dead men that eventually leads him to the book's title character: a ruthless Cold Warrior who is able to assume any identity, while his own battle-ruined face remains permanently hidden beneath bandages. The Pentagon's ultimate undercover operative, after visiting Dachau during its liberation at the end of WWII, the Unknown Soldier became convinced that any act of violence performed in his relentless mission to protect national security was justified by the even more heinous atrocities committed by other nations. Casting him as the fictitious behind-the-scenes player responsible for such factual U.S. covert operations as the Shah of Iran's coup, the Bay of Pigs Invasion, and the secret wars in Cambodia and Nicaragua, author Garth Ennis shows just how far, and low, Machiavellian "morality" can lead us. While the subversive politics of this story were right up my alley, it is characterization that makes this story so gripping. The innocence, loyalty, and determination of Agent Clyde, perhaps the last "good guy" in the CIA, make this much more than just another spy adventure or political diatribe.
Rating:
Summary: Defending What's Right
Review: Like many real Americans in the early years of the Cold War, comic book defenders of decency who hoped to survive the harsh winter of McCarthyism often had to protect themselves by loudly praising "Democracy" and denouncing its ideological enemy on the other side of the Iron Curtain. It was during this time that Captain America returned to comics after a four-year hiatus. Proudly replacing his WW II "Sentinel of Liberty" sobriquet with "Commie Smasher," Captain America embarked on a mission to recapture the hearts and minds of our nation's youth. And he was not alone. Literally draped in the flag and fervently believing in their country's moral infallibility, a long procession of American superheroes have served throughout the intervening years as mindless, musclebound cheerleaders for our country's kinder, gentler brand of nationalism. An encouraging sign that comic book readers no longer relate to this super-patriot ideal was the stunning success of the surprise hit, "Unknown Soldier." (demand was so great for the first issue of the original four part mini series that a second printing had to be run off.) The unlikely hero of this story is troubled CIA agent, William Clyde. Reprimanded by his superiors for refusing to "sanction" a couple of ten year old witnesses to his latest assassination assignment in Central America, Agent Clyde is given a meaningless desk job as repayment for his insubordination. Soon he finds himself following a trail of cryptic clues and dead men that eventually leads him to the book's title character: a ruthless Cold Warrior who is able to assume any identity, while his own battle-ruined face remains permanently hidden beneath bandages. The Pentagon's ultimate undercover operative, after visiting Dachau during its liberation at the end of WWII, the Unknown Soldier became convinced that any act of violence performed in his relentless mission to protect national security was justified by the even more heinous atrocities committed by other nations. Casting him as the fictitious behind-the-scenes player responsible for such factual U.S. covert operations as the Shah of Iran's coup, the Bay of Pigs Invasion, and the secret wars in Cambodia and Nicaragua, author Garth Ennis shows just how far, and low, Machiavellian "morality" can lead us. While the subversive politics of this story were right up my alley, it is characterization that makes this story so gripping. The innocence, loyalty, and determination of Agent Clyde, perhaps the last "good guy" in the CIA, make this much more than just another spy adventure or political diatribe.
Rating:
Summary: Brilliant artwork makes a great story even better
Review: Since I do a lot of illustration on my spare time, I tend to be very picky about the artwork in the comics I buy and not so picky about the stories. I usually gravitate towards artwork that is clean and has a really strong sense of anatomy, perspective and all the classical skills. In contrast, the artwork by Killian Plunkett in Unknown Soldier is much looser with seemingly little regard to making the proportions or details accurate. But you know what? It is some of the best artwork EVER. The reason is simple: Plunkett's visual storytelling is absolutely mind-boggingly well-executed. The choice of "shots" (like a movie director) he uses to tell the story accentuate each moment perfectly. The facial expressions are dead-on and much more varied and convincing than the cartoonish stuff in most other comics. Whereas other artists tend to interrupt the story to show off with big fancy splash pages filled with posing characters, Plunkett's work here is completely devoted to the story. Every panel works to tell the story rather than show off how well the artist knows his anatomy. However, I do not mean to imply Plunkett's art does not demonstrate mastery of anatomy, perspective, etc - I just mean the technical side isn't the focus. For example, check out the sequence where the hit squad attacks the Alaskan cabin: Plunkett clearly knows how to draw, but he never once pauses the action to show the hit squad in "cool poses" as you might see in an Image comic. Instead, the art efficiently conveys how fast and brutal the action is. Each shot is meaningful. It's a wicked little sequence that Plunkett executes perfectly. I've spoken mostly about the artwork so far, but the story by Garth Ennis is actually very intriguing. If you're interested in dark, twisty stories about CIA and military conspiracies, then Unknown Soldier is for you. The dialogue is great and the story unfolds with a lot unpredictable twists and turns (not to mention shocks) which the artwork perfectly accentuates. Overall, this is easily in my top 5 series of all time and is a must-read for any comic fan that wants more than men in tights. ipkevin@hotmail.com
Rating:
Summary: Another Ennis masterpiece.
Review: The more I read of Garth Ennis' work, the faster I become a disciple of the ever-growing fanclub of his. The Irish writed always manages to fuse fun, hyperviolent stories with a sense of morality and justice. Many may take a quick look and view his tales as extreme and indulgent, but underneath all the head wounds is a sense of duty and goodness. 'Unknown Soldier' focuses on the the quest of one man to find the identity of a mysterious US agent known only as the Unknown Soldier. Few now the truth, and those who do don't last too long. Who's covering the Soldier's identity, and why? Garth pens another fun tale that borders more on the serious than his masterwork 'Preacher', which showcased his dark humour. Ennis delves into atrocities out of humankinds past, on both sides of the battlefield. The picture he paints is a world that is far too grey anymore to make a choice between right and wrong, but if one looks hard enough the choice is ultimately there. Any problems a reader might encounter with this is the ending. I found it very satisfying, but many may not agree with the harsh closure it brings to the story. Although I missed the artwork of Ennis' 'Preacher' partner Steve Dillon, Killian Plunkett adds dark realism to Ennis' story. Emotion is drawn so superbly that you truly sense the anger, disgust and betrayel portayed. And the addition of the original covers by Tim Bradstreet is a definate plus to picking up this book. Not a story to ultimately display Garth Ennis' talents, it's still one that tells a good story, and any established fan cannot keep from their collection.
Rating:
Summary: One of my favorites.
Review: Unknown Soldier is a very suspensful mystery with lots of action. I highly recommend this one.
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