Rising Stars Compendium [Paperback]

This is a review of the physical product, not the story contained within. I want to make that clear because I think the Rising Stars story is fantastic and would give it 4 or 5 stars.

Unfortunately, this edition has the WORST craftsmanship of any book I have EVER read.

The first thing that happened when I opened the book was the cover falling right off the spine as the dry cheap glue let out a 'crinkle-snap!'. About a tenth of the way into the book, half the pages fell out of the binding. I thought the Amazon (and other) reviewers might be exaggerating about this product's defects. They were not.

I am very good with my books. I have an extensive collection of over 300 graphic novels and they are in PRISTINE condition. No matter how reverently you treat this book, it is IMPOSSIBLE to read without having it fall apart. It cannot be done.

STAY AWAY.

Right now. I am almost half-through the book. I consider it a 5 star book but here's why first it looses 2 Stars

The book is heavy. It really needs to be read sitting at a desk or table. Not just because of weight but also the way the book is assembled. It is section-glued book. In my case, The glue seems dry and not resistant enough, even with the book laying at all time on a desk while reading, the glued sections all break loose when the get to the left side, due to their weight and lack of adhesive quality. It is a book printed in China and I guessed Topcow and/or Image had no representative to verify quality at time of production. The binding of the book will be so severely damage at the end of the reading there's need to be a serious cost in review to be paid in star attributes.

Now the story and art
Good simple writing. Nothing that will be studied in literature but no one could say no reflections were done on the subjects of the books. I just can easily imagine the discussions Straczynski and others must have had around a pint or coffee talking about the themes of the book. I am so sure it was not a lets-think-of-it-as-we-go attitude. The art is easily approachable by anyone, professionally done and clean layout(in a compendium that is great, other wise it gives and headache I have experienced) and I just love the colouring, bright and shiny colours, magnified with the glossy paper used for the book, as for lettering, nobody can say Dreamer's design are not effective. Standard maybe, but the job is well done.

Again I am real happy of how profound an thoughtful the story goes with his subjects, but I will not be able to lend you my copy at the end of the reading. Parts of it, yes.... :-/

I've not been fan of comic books for a long time but i must say that i very liked this one for the mature thoughts on life. I'm a big fan of Top Cow's productions and i wanted to try this one hoping to have something less hack and slash style. At first, i was a little turned down by the artistic quality of this title having read The Darkness and WItchBlade (Those are GOORRGEOUS), but the script saves the day. More than once, i closed the book thinking about how our own life works (politic, religion and all those things). So for the one who wants something different, Go ahead !!! You'll love it...