This is a mess. The plot (and often art) are incoherent. The protagonist is a common character I'd like to see die off - gritty dirty cop is an asshole to everyone around himself, has tortured backstory with plot device woman, and for some reason we're still supposed to care and worry about his redemption. Would appeal to toxic, brooding, narcissist 20 yr old white men.

The art is GORGEOUS but the story.. eh. It leaves something to be desired. I felt like there was more that could be added to make this graphic novel even better. Worth reading for the art however.

Great art, okay story. I mean, the story itself is good, though very familiar: bad cop gets caught up in stuff bad enough to make him at least try to go good. In this case, the bad stuff has supernatural, Good vs. Evil flowing through it, which is a nice addition to the the already gritty story - should be great, right? Not so much. The execution kinda fails as the story gets muddled, confusing, and vague, though to be fair, that confusion partly works, since the main character doesn't know what's going on either; I would've liked more clearness to scenes without him for balance. All the characters are unlikable; I can handle this usually, but the characters are so flat and uninteresting I just didn't care what happened to them. The Good vs. Evil aspect could've been so much more, but it's left with not much flesh on its bones; I would've liked to know what the point of all this was more clearly. I don't know, the story's really not bad, but it isn't necessarily good either. The art, though, was great, it fit the story very well, from the loose, sketchy look of the lines to the use of color and shading to set the mood. Overall, I'd recommend this, but not heartily, and I wouldn't *not* recommend it.

#HeadWoundsSparrow #NetGalley

Head Wounds: Sparrow is a graphic novel about good verses evil. It has good guys on bikes and a bunch of dirty cops. Leo is one of those dirty cops, or at least one that hasn’t cared much since his son died. He’s sleeping with another cop’s wife and drinks way too much. He gets shot in the head, but doesn’t die. He’s recruited for something else, to continue the battle. I wasn’t sure about the art at first, but I find that it works with the off-kilterness of the story. I’m sure it’s not surprise that Leto looks a little like Oscar Isaac, since the graphic novel is something he developed with Jason Spire. It’s quite the introduction to a new series and I look forward to the next volume.

Everyone loves a good anti-hero, especially an anti-hero that LOOKS like Oscar Isaac. I absolutely picked this one up because his name is on the cover, and I suspect that many others will. That being said, this was just a little better than mediocre. The art is definitely the best part - really gorgeous panels of bright colors in a watercolor style. But the story is a bit confusing in parts. It took me a while to understand this light vs dark side storyline. And I'm still slightly confused about which characters are only visible to him vs the rest of the world. For the anti-hero, Leo being (only initially? continually?) motivated by the fact that he bears the injuries of the people he fails to protect is a pretty good way to represent a detective's constant guilt. But the story's inventiveness kinda stops there for me. I'd read a second volume - there's potential here. 3.5 stars rounded down. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Despite the many names on this cover, including a Created By Robert Johnson and Story By Robert Johnson & John Alvey (and a smaller development credit for Jason Spire right at the bottom,) the number one reason most people, myself included, will pick up this comic is the name Oscar Isaac, emblazoned top and bottom over a stylized portrait of someone who looks a lot like the actor himself, in a beat-up Poe Dameron sort of way.

Ofc, if you're a comics nerd like me, there's a strong chance you'll see Christian Ward's name on the art and think "rad!" Frankly, the art is one of the strongest aspects of the actual book. Mr Ward's pencils and inks are loose on the figurative, non-background aspects (and get looser as the book progresses) but dang, his colors and light effects are tremendous. And in fairness, there's a lot going on, with a lot of people running around. Kudos to him and Brian Buccellato for storyboarding that makes it clear who exactly is in the spotlight in any given panel, even when the art gets a bit, well, sketchy is likely the best word. Like, if you pulled individual panels out and asked me to identify characters, I'd be pretty stumped, but contextually, I was never confused as to who's who, which is a lot more than I can say for a lot of books out there today. Did I mention that the cast here is huge? It feels very action-movie cinematic in scope.

It's also very Catholic, with imagery of angels and redemption and damnation, that almost but doesn't quite go all the way round to approaching the weirdly Protestant atheism of Garth Ennis (particularly in re Preacher.) I mean, it's set in New Orleans, and in addition to corrupt cops, there are cults and purgatorial battles while angels and demons hover around pronouncing over the lead character's soul. I was actually kinda hoping that the weird phenomena assailing said lead was due to (insert meme) Aliens, but a quasi-religious battle for the guy's soul also makes sense, even tho this is, at this point in time, very well-covered territory.

Anyhoo, our lead who looks like Oscar Isaac is the super white Leo "Gator" Guidry, a crooked cop who's banging the wife of his best friend, also a cop, in a wholly degrading, unromantic way. When he starts getting visions afflicting him with the wounds of the people he's supposed to be protecting but is instead failing by being both corrupt and a deadbeat, he's reluctantly spurred to get his act together and do right. His first mission is to save the (inevitably blonde, blue-eyed) teenage runaway who got swept up by a raid on a trap house. She's since gone missing, and rescuing her will only be the first step in correcting the hold the forces of evil have over New Orleans.

So the story is fine, even if it does feel a little like Oscar Isaac got mad that he lost the role of Preacher to Dominic Cooper so went on a tear to his friends about it and how he would improve on the story (this is purely speculation on my part, ofc.) There's a solid kernel of entertainment in there, but I put this down mostly to Mr Buccalleto and Mr Ward really understanding pacing and presentation. I mean, between them they have decades of excellent craftsmanship under their belts, and it shows. The book itself is fine to above average. But let's face it, it's Oscar Isaac that most of you are really here for, and that's fine, too. I totally envisioned him in the role of Gator, and while there were moments that were jarring (see: white,) overall, it was -- say it with me -- fine.

Head Wounds: Sparrow by Brian Buccellato & Christian Ward was published yesterday October 18 2022 by Legendary Comics and is available from all good booksellers, including <a href="https://bookshop.org/a/15382/9781681160900">Bookshop!</a>

This was an odd book. I really liked that the main character didn't know what was going on so we as the reader also didn't know what was going on. About halfway through we started to get some clue as to what was happening. But I'm honestly not sure that I liked it. I'm hoping there's more to this series because I would like to read another volume to see if it gets better.

Leo is a crooked cop in New Orleans, but even he has limits. He reaches his when he gets a hole in his head only he can see when his best friend is shot in front of him. He starts seeing people he has wronged or did not protect and feels the wounds various folks are receiving. No he has to decide who he will be - on the side of Good or the side of Evil. Now he has to act, not just react. Read and find out which side he chooses. It will be interesting to see what comes in the next volume.

Thanks Netgalley for the opportunity to read this title.

Thanks to Netgalley for this advance reader copy. I won it somehow online and didn't realize the were sending me an electronic galley. I gave it to my adult child to read since he is into Graphic Novels.

Word from my son is that while the graphics are good, the storyline was confusing. He set it down for a week and when he picked it back up, he struggled to get back into it.
3* for the graphics.

The art and colors are fantastic, as others have already noted. The story is a little lackluster, but could potentially improve further along in the series. This title will appeal to readers who enjoy crime stories with fantasy elements.

I picked this up initially because of Oscar Isaac's involvement. I kept reading and reading because it was better than I expected for a graphic novel. I am always a sucker for a good true good versus evil story.

Cool urban fantasy graphic novel. Louisiana cop Leo finds himself in the middle of an unexplained battle between good and evil. Because Leo is at a loss to understand what is happening for most of the story, so are we as readers. He begins as a morally flawed cop, who keeps his eyes closed to the corruption around him as he strives to deal with the death of his child.

Before long Leo is forced to confront the choices he has made as he has a gaping head wound that only he can see. Leo is visited by supernatural forces that give him an ultimatum to to his job. This story is a set up for what could be an ongoing series. Elements of Head Wounds: Sparrow reminded me of the Sandman Slim series.

Thanks to Netgalley and Legendary Comics for this eARC copy. I might have given this another star if I was able to read on my Kindle as opposed to my phone. (But that's on me.)

Vibrant colors and stellar graphics. The story itself was confusing. We go on a wild ride with a crooked cop who starts to suffer the wounds of those around him until he brings them some sort of peace by finding some sort of resolution I guess. Not entirely sure how it works some sort of being from another place lets our not so likeable hero know what he must do. I think older teens and adults that enjoy fantasy crime shows/stories would enjoy this story.

In a war between good and evil there's always a middleman. Very reminiscent of Constantine, Leo is a corrupt cop in a corrupt world. His fellow cop gets shot in the head, and so does Leo, but Leo is the only one that sees the wound. More and more injuries occur until the angels? demons? aliens? let him know that he's either got to make things right or his path to hell is certain. Leo knows that there's a lot of corruption and evil, but he's going to at least try. Vibrant colors fill this violence covered graphic novel. Leo is a character trying to make things right but is very bad at it, and while there's not a lot of details about the world, it's a very contemporary world. It makes me want more, if only to be able to understand the universe it is in.

I think maybe my expectations were a bit high, so I was left slightly disappointed. I do think, however, that our students will definitely want to check it out, so we will purchase copies.

This is a promising first volume, and I look forward to seeing where this series go. The beginning of this story is intriguing disorienting- there are lots of mysteries and not many answers- but Buccellato keeps the reader invested with tantalizing hints and gripping action. I loved the art particularly-- it is beautiful and dangerous and sharp, like a good blade.

I look forward to seeing where this story may go! A bit confusing at first and there certainly are MANY layers to this sci-fi/fantasy cop, but an interesting concept nonetheless!

I can see this comic being popular with anyone who enjoyed Supernatural, Stranger Things, Bright or any other story that combines the seedy underside of city life, cops, and crime with unknown fantasy and supernatural creatures!

𝐇𝐦𝐦. 𝐈'𝐦...𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐚 𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐧. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐒𝐋𝐀𝐏𝐒. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲...

𝐈𝐭 𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐦𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐟 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐜 𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐭𝐨 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐭𝐟 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧. 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐦𝐢𝐝𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐈'𝐦 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 "𝐨𝐡 𝐰𝐨𝐰, 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐡, 𝐈'𝐦 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐢𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬." & 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐭 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭...𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐭??

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥. 𝐈 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫.

Of course, knowing Oscar Isaac is involved with this comic made me want to read it. I mean, if you don't love Oscar Isaac, I just don't know what to do with you.

That being said. Gator, our hero, is incredibly unlikable for the most part. He's selfish, crooked, seedy, cheaty, and quite dumpy. But there's hope for him. According to a strange, mystical creature who pops up partway through this volume. There are mythical beings seemingly based upon Judeo-Christian mythology, beings from limbo fighting for the good side AND the bad side. And our man Gator seems caught in the middle.

It's all just another day in the life of Gator, as he's being seedy and having an affair with a buddy's wife. Gator and buddy are both cops. When something terrible happens to the buddy, Gator--who is elsewhere--thinks he's been shot and has a meltdown. In reality, he begins to suffer the wounds of people he's wronged.

The aforementioned strange mystical creature tells him what's up, and he's caught in a battle between good and evil.

I feel like Gator is a standard cretin with a secret emo streak and backstory. Nothing really original about any of this, although the fantasy elements give it the extra oomph it needs. I think there's potential here, but it didn't rise to meet it with this volume.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a tough one for me. One one hand, I really enjoyed the colors and found the unique attempt at a redemption arc kind of interesting. These features along with the really cool depiction of the supernatural kept me invested. Unfortunately this book succumbs to some unfortunate cliches: a.) the Black Best Friend™ dies to make the White Male Lead feel bad, and b.) the Female Love Interest™ dies to make the White Male Lead™ feel bad. These cliches combined with an ending that felt like it came out of nowhere soured my opinion of this book.