Product Description

Continuing the early Stormwatch stories by acclaimed writer Warren Ellis (The Authority, Transmetropolitan), 'Change or Die' examines the possibilities offered to us by the existence of superhumans...and the new challenges they present. When John Cumberland, a.k.a. The High - one of Earth's most powerful superhumans - assembles a team whose goal is to change the world by any means necessary, Stormwatch are sent in to stop them. But what is Jenny Sparks' connection with Cumberland? And what is Henry Bendix, Stormwatch leader, planning? This heart-wrenching tale of heroism, suspense and tragedy sets up the events that directly lead to the formation of The Authority, and will change the way you look at superheroes forever!

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #975033 in Books
• Published on: 2003-05-30
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 144 pages

About the Author
Warren Ellis has worked for Marvel Comics on X-Men, for DC/WildStorm on The Authority, Transmetropolitan and the award-winning Planetary, and on an array of other titles, including Ministry of Space, and the forthcoming Global Frequency and Orbiter.

Customer Reviews

Politics and Superheroes and Insanity...oh my!
One of the strongest trends within superhero stories over the last 20 years has been the superhero with too much power...Dark Knight Returns, Watchmen, Squadron Supreme, and Kingdom Come all mined that territory. With all that power, should a superhero or group of superheroes have the right to make decisions for the rest of the world? What Ellis has done in Change or Die is make it feel a lot closer to our own reality. Rather than setting it in the future or an alternate universe, he has set Change or Die in the mainstream continuity of a major superhero universe, using characters and storylines that had been introduced over the previous few years. Also, by using Stormwatch, a UN sponsored superteam, he draws effective analogies to real life, raising the issue of superpower politics and ethics. The biggest problem with this collection is that it doesn't have the whole story, though. Warren came on to Stormwatch with issue #37, and this trade collects #48-50 of Volume I and #1-3 of Volume II. The entire arc building up to Change Or Die started the moment Warren began writing the book, and without the hints and suggestions layered throughout his run, you can't get quite as good an appreciation for what he's doing. Still, this was my favorite comic story of the late '90s, hands down.

Violent, realistic, great
I've just picked up reading comics again after a couple of years off and when I finished reading "Change or Die" I went on a buying spree, searching for everything with Stormwatch - the UN special crisis intervention team of superhumans.

This comic is telling a story of trust, power, love and betrayal.

The artwork is decent but the best thing about this book is the story. For one thing, it's pretty realistic and differs in this way from most Marvel/DC superhero-stuff I've read. Stormwatch really kick serious butt when they go on a mission. People do get hurt when a superstrong person punches them with all their might...