Rating: 
Summary: You Need This
Review: Come In Alone is a fascinating look into the mind of a man who is trying to redefine a medium. Ellis is one of the most acclaimed comics creators working today. He hosts one of the most active forums for comics discussion on the net. Still, he wants to do more. In CIA, he picks comics apart, sometimes bloodily. He performs this autopsy for the sake of the quality of the artform. He wants people to see the pieces-the guts, the bones, the brain and heart so they can better understand this method of storytelling, and, ideally, go out and support the books that do the medium credit, or better yet, create some comics of their own.This isn't just a book for people who read comics, or people who create comics. This is a book for people who want their mind expanded, people who need a kick in the tail. If you don't love comics before you read CIA, you will by the time you've finished it. Its worth the cover price for the gorgeous Brian Wood cover alone.
Rating: 
Summary: The Old Bastards Manifesto et al.
Review: COME IN ALONE is an amazing collection of essays by Ellis on the state of the comics industry today. Focusing largely on the work-for-hire vs. creator owned work conundrum that haunts the medium, it is a flat out, no holes barred look at what should have been, what has been, and what can be done. It is humorous, enlightening and at times stark raving mad. But it is Ellis. Give him your credit card numbers now.
Rating: 
Summary: It's not a comic book
Review: First of all it's not a comic book! It's a book about comics. There you go, lost the half of you. Second of all it's a book about Warren Ellis "talking" about comics. And there goes the rest! So it's only you and me! But don't worry I got wiskhey! This is how the warning label in the intro. of Warren Ellis new book sounds like. The book is actuly a collection of writing he did for some website for comics and it dates from oct.1999 to dec 2000. In short it's "the man" talking about the industry, his collegues, and the future of comics. There are also some tips from "the man" how to get started in the buisness. If you are a big comic fan and would like to get some inside scoop of the wonderful world of comic, then this book is a intresting reading. P.S There are no pictures!!!! :)
Rating:
Summary: It?s not a comic book
Review: First of all it?s not a comic book! It?s a book about comics. There you go, lost the half of you. Second of all it?s a book about Warren Ellis "talking" about comics. And there goes the rest! So it?s only you and me! But don?t worry I got wiskhey! This is how the warning label in the intro. of Warren Ellis new book sounds like. The book is actuly a collection of writing he did for some website for comics and it dates from oct.1999 to dec 2000. In short it?s "the man" talking about the industry, his collegues, and the future of comics. There are also some tips from "the man" how to get started in the buisness. If you are a big comic fan and would like to get some inside scoop of the wonderful world of comic, then this book is a intresting reading. P.S There are no pictures!!!! :)
Rating:
Summary: Insightful, yet cynical
Review: I've read this book the hard way, reading archives on the internet. If you're interested I suggest that you go to comicbookresources.com and read the first several to decide if you want to buy this book.
It's very smart at times, but he tends to wander after, about, oh, column 30 or so, which is understandable, but if you are a big fan of superhero comics and don't really care about the "mechanics" of the graphic literature medium, don't pick this one up, you'll just get pissed off.
Rating:
Summary: Insightful, yet cynical
Review: I've read this book the hard way, reading archives on the internet. If you're interested I suggest that you go to comicbookresources.com and read the first several to decide if you want to buy this book.
It's very smart at times, but he tends to wander after, about, oh, column 30 or so, which is understandable, but if you are a big fan of superhero comics and don't really care about the "mechanics" of the graphic literature medium, don't pick this one up, you'll just get pissed off.
Rating: 
Summary: This man must hate himself.
Review: It's really hard to say what Ellis was trying to do with these strange essays, aside from bashing major comics publishers like DC, even though he's written books for them. He tried to revamp several of the X-books at Marvel that ultimately got canned when the ownership there changed. So he bashed them too, He says mean words about almost everything; British and American. He's vulgar and he has no taste. That sums it up. He would make a good friend to Kevin Smith.
Rating:
Summary: Picking where Scott McCloud left off...
Review: Scott McCloud brought us "Understanding Comics" and "Reinventing Comics", which inform on images and the true nature of comics as a visual medium. Ellis picks up where those leave off with a book about the nature of comics itself, the industry, as it were. He tells it like it is about DC and Marvel comics, the independents, where comics have been, and where they could go. Almost guaranteed to offend most comic book fans with its direct attack of super-hero comics and the comic's Industry, this book has a lot to say about what needs to be done to save the medium.
Rating:
Summary: Picking where Scott McCloud left off...
Review: Scott McCloud brought us "Understanding Comics" and "Reinventing Comics", which inform on images and the true nature of comics as a visual medium. Ellis picks up where those leave off with a book about the nature of comics itself, the industry, as it were. He tells it like it is about DC and Marvel comics, the independents, where comics have been, and where they could go. Almost guaranteed to offend most comic book fans with its direct attack of super-hero comics and the comic's Industry, this book has a lot to say about what needs to be done to save the medium.
Rating:
Summary: Abandon All Pretentiousness, Those Who Enter Here.
Review: This collection is what comics sorely needs more of--higher profile thoughts of the medium's top creators speaking about the medium they work in. Ellis' collection, here, while sometimes unfocused, like his other writing, still gives fascinating insight into the world of comics itself. And the cover's beautiful. Go buy five. Now.
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