Dark Tower: The Gunslinger - Evil Ground #1 Review

It's been a long time since I've actually reviewed an issue of Marvel's various Dark Tower mini-series. But in a way, there hardly seems to be any point. The last several volumes to fall under the "Gunslinger" moniker were merely long-winded adaptations of portions of the Dark Tower: The Gunslinger novel, lacking the spark of originality and excitement that defined Marvel's earlier Tower projects. But The Gunslinger: Evil Ground promises to deliver an original storyline set during Roland's early days as a gunslinger. In theory, this was a welcome change of pace for the franchise. But in practice, there's nothing memorable about the story in Evil Ground #1.

Even as the first of a mere two issues, Evil Ground #1 feels drawn out. Too much of the issue is devoted to a framing sequence set during Roland's long, silent pursuit of the Man in Black before the story jumps back further to Roland's teen years. In the supplemental material, Robin Furth notes a desire to mimic the "story within a story" structure of Stephen King's most recent Dark Tower novel, The Wind Through the Keyhole. It's difficult to see a purpose in that approach here. I would have preferred a one-shot special that focused only on the younger Roland's quest. Instead, neither segment of the story feels particularly well fleshed out or terribly important in the grander scheme of King's saga.

This issue also suffers from a lack of apparent influence from co-writer Peter David. David has always tended to bring his trademark touch of humor to these comics. Nowhere is that more palpable than in the narration. The narration always read as though it was being relayed by some kooky country bumpkin with unparalleled access to Roland's story. But in this issue, the narration is colder, more omniscient, and lacking that sense of personality. I can't say whether David was less involved in this particular project. His name is still in the credits, but the lack of that humorous voice and his recent medical troubles suggest Furth scripted this one mainly on her own.

The one real strength to this Tower side-story is the return of Richard Isanove as penciller. Befitting a book that returns readers to the era of Cuthbert and Alain, Isanove resurrects the tone of those early Tower mini-series. Despite his own obvious talents as a colorist, Isanove's pages are colored by Dean White this time around. This change is a welcome one, as White's moody colors are a perfect fit for King's grimly ethereal world. Dark Tower Fans can rest assured that, even if the story is utterly forgettable, Evil Ground lives up to the high visual standard of the franchise.

Jesse is a writer for various IGN channels. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter, or Kicksplode on MyIGN.

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