Black and white graphic novel where five unlikely – if not unearthly – heroes try to save certain people from a mahoosive storm, behind which is only death, in some weird variant of the Wild West. Unfortunately, for all the premise, this is done in a manga style, so the action is crap, the sound FX huge and hugely annoying, and the art varying from fabulous down to placeholder sketches. You're a long way in before you have a handle on who the heroes are. The way the story completely switches away from the western town for other places kind of makes the whole first chunk of this ongoing narrative worthless, and the fact the second (and now third) volumes haven't been translated from French with the pace the first was does suggest it didn't quite succeed.

I really thought I’d enjoy this because the synopsis sounded great, but god this was painful to get through.

For the amount of action it had in it, it was boring. The story was confusing and the pacing was all over the place. I couldn’t keep up with who these characters were and what powers they had. Also, there was no explanation for their powers other than this mysterious storm that you never see.

There’s also quite a lot of racism. I don’t remember seeing any black characters, the only character of colour was an Indian woman (I don’t know her exact origins) and everyone was so racist to her. One of the members of her team even refers to her by her ethnicity and my god it’s horrible.

Also, women are very objectified throughout the entirety of this graphic novel. There are multiple nude scenes and there’s even an instance of what looks like sexual assault. None of these things act as a plot device or have any effect at all, completely pointless and potentially triggering for people.

I was willing to give this graphic novel a rating of 2.5 before these things happen but it is an absolute one, I’d give it zero if I could.

I had a great time reading this graphic novel. This team is far from perfect, but they have been brought together for an important mission. They may not know all the details, but they all wanna do their part to help this mission go smoothly. Yet when the mission takes an unexpected turn, someone makes a bold decision. As this graphic novel comes to a close, it is clear this mission is far from over.

3/5

I'm back after my holiday week!
This read was very manga style, meaning it's all B/W and the art was very similar to a manga.
The set wasn't one of my favorite because I'm not a huge far west style in general fan, but the story was fun to follow and interesting in various parts as well.

This comic did not go as I expected!
It was full of twists and unexpected moments throughout! And I loved every second of it.
Think Umbrella Academy set in the Wild West, with an apocalyptic storm brewing.
Luckily there is a group of sinners with powers looking for...really unsure is it redemption or to have fun, to stop it.

The story is gritty, truly gritty and dark. It's compelling and carries you along well. Though it does get a little lost in itself at times.
But the artwork is definitely a highlight! Slight changes to a more simplistic approach in a few areas to highlight comedic moments or such, but overall it is well drawn, full of detail and motion and the lack of colour doesn't detract from it at all! Some moments were intensely graphic but overall I felt that the B&W nature of the comic helped to soften that a bit and make it not too jarring

The character of Mr. Bone was definitely a favourite, creepy, mysterious, everything you want in a strange character you aren't sure if they are a villain or not.

Overall, enjoyable, intriquing, and ends on a bit of a cliffhanger that really makes you want to read the next issue...

I feel like I have to start this review with a warning because this book is DARK!! The story flows amazingly well and the vast cast of characters are all distinct and easy to follow. I know basically nothing about "The Wild West" so I'm not sure if having a bit more background on these characters would have helped, it wasn't necessary though. As I mentioned at the start though this is very much an adult graphic novel - there is torture, violence, nudity, gore - but if none of this bothers you get reading! Sad that it finishes on a cliffhanger but I'm keen to know what happens next.

I've been on a graphic novel, western dystopia kick and this fit the bill. While the illustration wasn't my favorite, it was still done really well. It was a fun story but I wish the characters were fleshed out more.

Well this was a wild ride! Think of the worst criminals given a chance to redeem their gruesome past by joining the Frontier and saving mankind from a deadly storm. There is graphic violence, sexual scenes and a whole lot of bone breaking! This is only the beginning for the Frontier..

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.

If you don’t like explicit sexual or graphic scenes, this is not the book for you. If you don’t mind them like myself, then I would recommend this. I think I love the idea and the plot of the story and all the different characters were quite entertaining but wasn’t really a character arc but there’s also wasn’t long enough to have a character arc. V battles and relationships in this for quite simplistic, but I also did enjoy the characters a lot, that’s why this is getting three stars because it wasn’t overly complex but it also wasn’t delivering enough for me to feel like this was interesting. It didn’t give me any character progression everything felt just a little flat.

The Frontier is a unique creation that manages to captivate readers with its combination of both positive and negative aspects. It presents an intriguing story that keeps you engrossed, while its minimalistic and old-fashioned art style adds a touch of nostalgic charm. However, it falls short in providing sufficient context, leaving readers craving more depth that would have been better suited for a novel rather than a graphic novel.

One of the standout features of The Frontier is its captivating story. It pulls you into a world teeming with mystery and adventure, leaving you eager to unravel its secrets. The narrative takes unexpected turns, offering surprises and moments of suspense that keep you eagerly turning the pages. The characters are well-developed, each with their own unique personalities and motivations, adding depth to the overall story.

The art style of The Frontier is reminiscent of a bygone era, evoking a sense of nostalgia and simplicity. The minimalistic approach allows readers to focus on the essence of the story, creating a visually pleasing experience.

However, despite its visual appeal, The Frontier's graphic novel format falls short when it comes to providing adequate context. There are moments where the story begs for additional explanations or background information that would have been better conveyed, even in graphic novel format.

Overall, the excitement and plottwisting story makes up for the lack in context, which I am sure will be explained in more detail in upcoming volumes. I am very intrigued to read the next volumes.

Dark and deeply atmospheric, this book captured me from the start as I tried to figure out what was going on, and kept me guessing until the very last page. While I usually prefer full-color comic format, the black and white style choice really made sense with the content for this story.

Overall, my only complaint is that it ended on a cliffhanger that left me wanting to know what happens next.

This was pretty cool. I love the art, the writing was good, it was really great as a first issue setting up what is to come! I am so excited to learn more about these characters, and how they all ended up exactly where they are.

by Jacopo Paliaga & Alessio Fioriniello

Published by Europe Comics

Blurb

"When the storm struck, it sowed death across the land. It soon spread to the four corners of the Earth, racking up victims and changing the face of the world forever. For the worse, in the eyes of most. For the better, in the eyes of some. All that stood between mankind and total destruction was a small band of outlaws. They were called… The Frontier." (Netgalley, n.d)

Writing

Cowboys, gore and the wild west collide in this superhero spaghetti western, but the writing was often short. Instead of developing characters, the authors chose to use characters which are already famous, like Calamity Jane and Butch Cassidy. With films like Tombstone as your forebear, you have to get it right. Although I am a fan of the western, whether that is in folklore, literature, or cinema, I have to give an unbiased review. The writing was clichéd and boring, but in terms of the 21st century action fast fiction, it did the job.

As you turn the pages, you'll find yourself being confronted by a formula. The main story will be taking place and every so often flashbacks show you each characters past in a snippet sized way. I began to care less and less with each character as it all grew too familiar. Good men turned bad, bad men turned good, vengeance, death, charisma... I couldn't help wanting more.

Art

This is where the comic really shines. A comic should not be judged on writing and story alone, although they play a major part. The art was the best part of the comic, graphic, gory and it was all in back and white.

I particularly enjoyed the sketchbook at the end, which was filled with the artists designs and concepts of some of the characters.


Story
The story follows the Frontier, a set of 'super heros' who arrive at a township to save the locals from an impending storm. This is a series, with this being the first in the set, I think as the series goes on, the story will get better. This comic was more like a pilot setting the characters, concept and frontier up.


Conclusion
I enjoy a good western. It makes a change to move away from some heroes which are all too notorious, airing every Saturday night on prime time TV. The merchandise haunts you as you walk down city streets, and often you might feel overwhelmed and cry, 'not another superhero movie.'Superheros have been in for a while now. My childhood was filled with them and it seems every successive generation has their stockings filled with different variations of the characters. I quite enjoy superhero comics, films and TV, some better than others and we all have our favourites. So I was excited to see a western superhero comic. However, don't hold your breath. The series could go far, and has potential. But if you're strapped for cash, I would skip this first one and when the second in the series is released buy that.

When comes to graphic books on art and plot this hit the nail on the head for me Def a must read that keep me reading

The Frontier is a futuristic western featuring a misfit band of Mercenaries. Really cool stuff! Often I find in Graphic Novels the story takes a back seat to the art, but the story here was really good!

This story is set in an alternate Wild West where people have strange and super natural powers. The Frontier is a team of powerful yet suspicious individuals tasked with preparing towns for a great storm which is making its way through their desert world. Eventually, they discover that the man who recruited them has nefarious plans and they work to thwart him.

We’re told that people in this world have powers and the team starts off their adventure going up against such a person but in every encounter afterward we’re given typical gun fights. I like the premise and I see potential in the world and characters but overall it feels a bit lack luster.

I would recommend this title for teen or adult readers as it contains scenes of sexual content and gore.

Fantastic read. A real page turner for Manga fans. Loved the western theme with the unhinged Manga style. Art style was fun and beautiful. World building was engaging and makes me want to read the next installment. I devoured this book in an afternoon! Loved it!

In this Far West, Calamity Jane, Speedy Gonzales and Butch Cassidy are real superheroes with awesome powers - and they’re also real supervillains with their own heavy, sin-charged past. They’re not only fighting the law (and the outlaws…) - their current mission is to save the town of Caldwell from The Storm, a supernatural phenomenon that travels the earth leaving complete destruction in its wake. But nothing is really what it seems in this violent saga that mixes horror, fantasy, western and superhero soap opera, jumping back and forth in time to slowly build the universe and add depth to the characters. It’s an euromanga in many ways - visually, it expertly mixes Japanese manga tropes and European sensibility; story-wise, it’s a very quick read that’ll keep you glued to the pages until the obligatory cliffhanger. It also mimics shonen manga in that it relies heavily on tropes and visual references, although it tries to be original by placing well-known elements in different contexts. Still, it's a good first volume that made me interested in following the series. If only it would be like manga in its production speed, too, I wouldn’t have to wait that long until the next volume :)

Disclaimer: I received this book from Net Galley in exchange f0r a fair review. This didn't influence my opinion in any way.

We are going straight through the Wild Wild West indeed with this graphic novel! I like the fact we get a girl boss Jane minding a unique group of characters. I have to say out of all the group, I thought the Clint character was hilarious like he doesn’t take things seriously and comes out with funny remarks. I felt bad for him that his favourite jacket was destroyed by gun shots from the saloon, all he has is his fancy fluffy scarf at least 😆

I really enjoyed the action, the characters, the unique art and the storyline!

Thanks a lot publisher and Netgalley!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

It's hard to explain The Frontier. It's very much a Western but with several fantasy elements. It's as if Firefly and The Umbrella Academy got mashed together, and the result of combining the two was The Frontier. The plot does get a little confusing at times, but I think it's on purpose to keep up the suspense. The way flashbacks explain the character's backstories were handled in a smart way. Their backstories open each chapter, before promptly returning to the present events. The way the backstories were placed into the story works great. It gives you more insight into the characters and their motivations, while also keeping the suspense and plot steady. Learning how they got to where they currently are makes you more curious about why they're doing what they're currently doing. I am a little confused about how and why certain people have powers. Not everyone has them, but how did they get them in the first place? This is only the first volume though, so hopefully it gets expanded on in a later volume. The character designs are fairly interesting for the most part. The only qualm about the designs that I have is about the Native characters. Was it necessary to make the Native women scantily clad? They both basically have almost their entire chests out, with only their nipples just barely covered by a tiny bit of leather bits. I know this is sort of more of a fantasy Western, so it's not going to be historically accurate at all, but when none of the other characters are sexed up like that, it paints a poor picture. It doesn't help the other female characters are all clothed in pretty much historically accurate Western womans wear, with them fully covered. Well, except Nova, but I'm not even sure she's a person or something else masquerading as one, so she's not included in this complaint. Regardless, this first volume ends on a pretty big cliffhanger. This world is pretty wild, so I am actually interested in seeking out the second novel when it releases!