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Planetary

Entry updated 12 August 2018. Tagged: Comics, Publication.

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US Comic-book series by writer Warren Ellis and artist John Cassaday, published by Wildstorm Comics (which later became an imprint of DC Comics). The series ran for 27 issues and was published sporadically from April 1999 to October 2009. Three additional issues outside the main series, one of which crossed over with Batman, were also published in 2000, 2002 and 2003; two of these were drawn by other artists.

The series revolves around Planetary, a team of "Archaeologists of the Impossible" seeking to unearth the hidden history of the world, and with it the life story of their enigmatic, amnesiac member/leader Elijah Snow. Along the way, Ellis explores the archetypes of pop culture, using new characters that serve as stand-ins for Tarzan, Doc Savage, Fu Manchu, the Shadow, Superman, Godzilla and many others to provide a tapestry for a broader mystery and a celebration of the magic of the unknown. An early quote from the series embodies Ellis's approach: "It's a strange world. Let's keep it that way."

The entire series is collected in five volumes (graph coll 2000-2010 5vols), with volume five containing the three additional issues noted above; and in a two-volume oversized "Absolute" edition (graph coll 2005, 2010), comprising the main sequence of issues #1-#27 plus different bonus material. [JP/DRL]

collections

Planetary

  • Warren Ellis and John Cassaday. All Over the World and Other Stories (La Jolla, California: WildStorm Productions, 2000) [coll: graph: first published Planetary #1-#6, 1999: Planetary: hb/John Cassaday]
  • Warren Ellis and John Cassaday. The Fourth Man (La Jolla, California: WildStorm Productions, 2001) [coll: graph: first published Planetary #7-#12, 2000-2001: Planetary: hb/John Cassaday]
  • Warren Ellis and John Cassaday. Leaving the Twentieth Century (La Jolla, California: WildStorm Productions, 2004) [coll: graph: first published Planetary #13-#18, 2001-2004: Planetary: hb/John Cassaday]
  • Warren Ellis and John Cassaday. Spacetime Archaeology (La Jolla, California: WildStorm Productions, 2010) [coll: graph: first published Planetary #19-#27, 2004-2009: Planetary: hb/John Cassaday]
  • Warren Ellis, John Cassaday and others. Crossing Worlds (La Jolla, California: WildStorm Productions, 2010) [coll: graph: assembling the one-shots "Planetary Ruling the World" (2000) with Phil Jimenez, "Planetary/Justice League of America: Terra Occulta" (2002) with Jerry Ordway and "Planetary/Batman: Night On Earth" with John Cassaday (2003): Planetary: hb/]

Absolute Planetary

  • Warren Ellis and John Cassaday. Absolute Planetary Book One (La Jolla, California: WildStorm Productions, 2005) [coll: graph: assembling Planetary #1-#12 plus full script for #1: Absolute Planetary: hb/John Cassaday]
  • Warren Ellis and John Cassaday. Absolute Planetary Book Two (La Jolla, California: WildStorm Productions, 2010) [coll: graph: assembling Planetary #13-#27 plus additional material: Absolute Planetary: hb/John Cassaday]

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