The Amory Wars: The Second Stage Turbine Blade

I will preface with I have been a huge Coheed fan for years and this was my starting point (finally lol) into the comics behind the music. This compendium includes the entire run of the The Amory Wars: Second Stage Turbine Blade. Which is the first volume of the Amory Wars. Also included is a small little comic called “33” about one of the characters in SSTB. Also included in this collection, which confused me at first, is the original two volumes of Second Stage Turbine Blade. Which was discontinued at first, but later was re-envisioned to match popular demand.

The Amory Wars series is pretty much requisite reading for any serious Coheed & Cambria fan. Being a fan of the band for fifteen years, the first installment was one of the highest priorities on my TBR list but finding a copy took a minute and I count myself lucky to have found it on Kindle. Sanchez deftly sets the stage to build the world of Coheed and Cambria Kilgannon, a family as normal as they come so it would appear- a white picket fence existence with a home in the suburbs and four children. But something's rotten in the state of Heaven's Fence and the past comes back to haunt the husband and wife, heartbreaking decisions forcing them to prevent the spread of the Sinstar virus and "save the world and millions of innocents along with it." Chaos follows that eventually brings them into conflict with the Supreme Tri-Mage and the Prise move to stop the fracturing of the Keywork. The lyrics from the album that gives this comic its title fit a little awkwardly at times but the larger story more than makes up for that (e.g. when that line from Delirium Trigger gets dropped- you'll know it when you see it!).

Provides amazing back stories the to all the songs on the Second Stage Turbine Blade album. The book has a velvety hardcover with a metallic blue keywork on the front. The cover pictured is actually a laminated dust cover that can be removed and set aside to prevent any tearing so it can stay in good condition. All the pages are laminated and great quality. Also comes with a ribbon book mark attached to the top of the side binding which is really convenient. Any die-hard Coheed and Cambria fan will love this book and it makes a great gift!

I have been listening to these guys since they first started airing on MTV (Yes, I know, I'm a dinosaur haha) but this is the first time I've gotten my nose in one of the books. Within the first 10 pages you can hear links to all kinds of things and it gets better as things go along. Right now I'm only through the 1st of the books inside, but I look forward to the rest of it. I plan on getting some of the other ones once I finish!

This is an absolutely necessary piece for any Coheed and Cambria fan (COTF). Mine came wrapped and in great condition. it's hardback but the cover is a book sleeve, the "actual cover" is black, almost threaded material with the keywork embossed on the front.

Surprised my brother with this as a gift way back in 2013. Decided I wanted my own copy; however, by then it was out of print and scampers were asking upwards of $700. This was a srsly no-brainer. Quality buy.

I'm not a comic book reader normally, but I had a lot of fun reading this. I don't know if that's just because I'm a Coheed and Cambria fan or if other comic enthusiasts would enjoy this. I really enjoyed the story and it felt unique to me. It was the first comic book purchase here ever and I will be buying the next issue.

Got this volume and the second volume together for my boyfriend for Christmas. I had already read them and since he has been a Coheed fan since the release of The Second Stage album, I knew he needed to have these. The price and shipping for both was fantastic and well worth the look on his face when he unwrapped them. The artwork, story, and the cloth binding of these books makes them beautiful additions to any Coheed fans' collection.

I’m not a fan of reading, however this story had me hooked. Loved how intertwined Coheed $ Cambria’s music is with the story. I recommend this collection regardless of if you like C&C or not. It’s well worth your time

It was great finally seeing the story Coheed and Cambrias music tells. I wish they would have had a better ending, as in happier, but it is chilling.

I will preface with I have been a huge Coheed fan for years and this was my starting point (finally lol) into the comics behind the music. This compendium includes the entire run of the The Amory Wars: Second Stage Turbine Blade. Which is the first volume of the Amory Wars. Also included is a small little comic called “33” about one of the characters in SSTB. Also included in this collection, which confused me at first, is the original two volumes of Second Stage Turbine Blade. Which was discontinued at first, but later was re-envisioned to match popular demand.

The Amory Wars series is pretty much requisite reading for any serious Coheed & Cambria fan. Being a fan of the band for fifteen years, the first installment was one of the highest priorities on my TBR list but finding a copy took a minute and I count myself lucky to have found it on Kindle. Sanchez deftly sets the stage to build the world of Coheed and Cambria Kilgannon, a family as normal as they come so it would appear- a white picket fence existence with a home in the suburbs and four children. But something's rotten in the state of Heaven's Fence and the past comes back to haunt the husband and wife, heartbreaking decisions forcing them to prevent the spread of the Sinstar virus and "save the world and millions of innocents along with it." Chaos follows that eventually brings them into conflict with the Supreme Tri-Mage and the Prise move to stop the fracturing of the Keywork. The lyrics from the album that gives this comic its title fit a little awkwardly at times but the larger story more than makes up for that (e.g. when that line from Delirium Trigger gets dropped- you'll know it when you see it!).

Provides amazing back stories the to all the songs on the Second Stage Turbine Blade album. The book has a velvety hardcover with a metallic blue keywork on the front. The cover pictured is actually a laminated dust cover that can be removed and set aside to prevent any tearing so it can stay in good condition. All the pages are laminated and great quality. Also comes with a ribbon book mark attached to the top of the side binding which is really convenient. Any die-hard Coheed and Cambria fan will love this book and it makes a great gift!

I have been listening to these guys since they first started airing on MTV (Yes, I know, I'm a dinosaur haha) but this is the first time I've gotten my nose in one of the books. Within the first 10 pages you can hear links to all kinds of things and it gets better as things go along. Right now I'm only through the 1st of the books inside, but I look forward to the rest of it. I plan on getting some of the other ones once I finish!

This is an absolutely necessary piece for any Coheed and Cambria fan (COTF). Mine came wrapped and in great condition. it's hardback but the cover is a book sleeve, the "actual cover" is black, almost threaded material with the keywork embossed on the front.

Surprised my brother with this as a gift way back in 2013. Decided I wanted my own copy; however, by then it was out of print and scampers were asking upwards of $700. This was a srsly no-brainer. Quality buy.

I'm not a comic book reader normally, but I had a lot of fun reading this. I don't know if that's just because I'm a Coheed and Cambria fan or if other comic enthusiasts would enjoy this. I really enjoyed the story and it felt unique to me. It was the first comic book purchase here ever and I will be buying the next issue.

Got this volume and the second volume together for my boyfriend for Christmas. I had already read them and since he has been a Coheed fan since the release of The Second Stage album, I knew he needed to have these. The price and shipping for both was fantastic and well worth the look on his face when he unwrapped them. The artwork, story, and the cloth binding of these books makes them beautiful additions to any Coheed fans' collection.

I’m not a fan of reading, however this story had me hooked. Loved how intertwined Coheed $ Cambria’s music is with the story. I recommend this collection regardless of if you like C&C or not. It’s well worth your time

It was great finally seeing the story Coheed and Cambrias music tells. I wish they would have had a better ending, as in happier, but it is chilling.

If you’re a Coheed and Cambria fan this is a great place to start! Lots of cool stuff inside!

The book came as promised. No damaged and in a timely manner. If you love Coheed and Cambria music then you love them as a whole. Buy this book and enjoy what Claudio has made for all of us to enjoy. Amazing book amazing color and amazing writing. And the book looks great on shelf for display or on a coffee table!

:D Claudio has amazing vision and I am so thrilled to have found this. Given to my boyfriend for christmas. It was his favorite present!

To understand the music of Coheed and Cambria, you must begin your journey here. I read the series out of pure curiosity and became a Child of the Fence for life.

Husband loves the series.

If you love the music of Coheed and Cambria then you love everything about the band and this is a perfect companion to the album second stage turbine blade

I bless the hour that holds your fall, I will kill you all. I will call you out from shelter, burn your wings, you'll know better. Claudio delivers a powerful message between the pages of this book.

All I gotta say is.....WOW!

I loved this book, I had collected the first couple of issues back when they first came out and I could never find them after, so i love that it is now in a graphic novel and can enjoy the full story. Thank You so very much Claudio.

Ordered this book as a gift for an upcoming birthday, and was disheartened to see it wasn't as "New" as I was expecting it to be. Some may not think it's a big deal, but this is a gift and it's supposed to be new. I applied a little glue immediately hoping it would help to remedy but it didn't. I didn't post immediately after buying, but I assure you it came just like that.

Got as a gift for a fellow cotf, but have been able to look through & enjoy as well. Fantastic condition & absolutely beautiful story/illustrations.

I liked it because it followed their music. Looking forward to future issues.

Do you like Coheed and Cambria? Yes? Buy it.

How can you not love the story of the amory wars. Sanchez's vision is amazing couple with equally as fitting art. A must buy for any comic lover or other children of the fence

Perfect quality. Cant wait to get the rest.

Bigger than expect, but it’s still looks amazing.

Great story

Amazing novel. Have enjoyed much of COHEED’s music and to listen to the album while reading this was great

Book slightly damaged. Good read

Well Coheed and Cambria is my all-time favorite band, with musical style and lyrical creativity being the two main reasons. Knowing the lyrics to the songs doesn't really paint a full picture to the story and a lot of it doesn't really make sense on its own. I purchased this collection to better understand the story as a whole and I'm quite happy with it. I feel like Claudio could have expanded a bit more. Doubling the number of issues released would have helped flesh out a few more details since the story bounces around somewhat. That being said, I still enjoyed the read. I now have a better grasp of the universe he has created and can follow the emotion in the music more intently.

The back of this book has a caption that says “Sanchez’s ideas are right up there with the likes of Grant Morrison and Warren Ellis.” That couldn’t be further from the truth. This story is mostly nonsense. The artwork got progressively better but that isn’t enough to save this. So many characters just all of a sudden had powers without any real explanation outside of maybe 2 panels. Names were not memorable and often nonsensical so you never knew who was who when things went down. The main villain had really unclear motivations and was pleased when something kind of bad almost happened but quickly didn’t in the end. The main characters are WAY too easily duped into killing their kids. One conversation and all of a sudden they are just on board to kill them? Not great. Several characters that don’t serve the plot other than to further a loose concept. There is character that exists in total to simply dampen the heroes powers with his armor and slightly inconvenience a different antagonist. I get that Coheed and Cambria fans love seeing the music made into comics but this is just a lot of nonsense for the casual fan. It wasn’t even all that entertaining. The only reason this gets a 2 is because the book was well printed. Everything else was a dumpster fire.

Real nice

Big C&C fan, if you are you'll probably appreciate some context and the artwork. Now I just have to find YotBR

Maybe not worth as much as the first print, but definitely better. Pages are bigger in the hardcover seems better

A lot better than trying to compile all the comics myself, excellent quality book.

Essential for any COTF

I'm one of those people that read Year of the Black Rainbow before I read the Armory Wars. I'm glad I did, because this would be hard to follow otherwise. You can tell this is Claudio's first work- I believe that YotBR let you get more attached to the characters so you felt more of a loss in a certain chapter. While Armory Wars isn't bad - the shifts in artistry and VERY fast moving plot make it a popcorn read. I love the music and this is a fantastic hint at the stories behind all of Coheed & Cambria's music. Props to Claudio for producing his story, because it is a fantastic sci-fi adventure. I think if he was given the time to re-produce it, even as an animated mini-series, he could do wonders with it. In short, it's a great base, read Year of the Black Rainbow first. And it's totally worth owning the HC version, it fits nicely next to my YotBR box set.

I'm not a fan of comics but i love Coheed, absolutely worth every single penny!!

Been listening to the band behind these comics for over a decade now. To finally read the mythos behind the songs just breathes even greater life and greater understanding of the song lyrics!

I got this for my boyfriend since he’s a big fan of Coheed and Cambria and he loves it!!

Perfect.

Got for my husband and it must be good because he can't put it down

Great illustrations and story line!

Delivered and worth every dollar.

I'm a huge fan and this a a wonderful collection!

If you're a fan of Coheed & Cambria it's a must read.

Not a big comic book fan, but I do love me some Coheed

Thanks!

Loved it!

A must for any Coheed fan of course. Gripping story keeps you interested from the beginning to the end. The art work is incrincredible, from Wilhelm Ryan and his red army, down to the prise. Great read.

Awesome comic to go along with the albums! Really neat.

EPIC

Some how, some way, Claudio's done it again. The music that goes along with the frontman for Coheed and Cambria is amazing enough, but when you throw the comics into the mix... Well, it's one of the best series I've ever read. It's quite incredible and I loved ever minute of it. I recommend this to any Coheed fan who's into comics, it helps to understand the songs so much more and you realize that some of the lyrics that you may of thought were just silly or funny, are powerful. It's quite an experience, and an amazing one at that.

Amazing book! I read it the entire thing the day I got it!!!

This was created by Claudio Sanchez. Need I say more?

For a couple of years now i've been scouring Amazon for this little nugget of joy, and from living in the UK, it's even harder to find. It's essentially part 2 in a 4 part story called the Amory Wars, and I would recommend this to any fan of the band Coheed and Cambria as it completely explains the Second Stage Turbine Blade album. Also, to anyone alien to the Coheed and Cambria band, it is still a good read although some of the writing in places will seem a little bit obscure, but with an open mind and taste for Sci-fi, this is a very enjoyable Item.

After being a huge fan of Coheed and Cambria for many years I finally got around to reading The Second Stage Turbine Blade. I really wish I had sooner because reading the story behind the album was an incredible experience. Picking up on where the lyrics of the songs came from within the things that certain characters say at points in the story gave some real clarity to the listening experience of the songs on TSSTB. An absolutely amazing piece of science-fiction writing and a must have for any fan!

Haven't started reading yet, but I am super excited, and the book is super sexy, I love the actual cover that is under the sleeve. Binding is strong, great buy!

Bought this for our son as part of his Christmas. He's a huge Coheed and Cambria fan so finding this by Claudio was very cool!! Great seller and very highly recommended!!

Such a great book. If you love Coheed & Cambria you should read these. They are a little slow and hard to pay attention to at times but I love the band so I committed.

Bought this for my fiancé, and he absolutely loves it! We've only had it one day and he's already made great progress. Very happy with this purchase.

My kids really love this book. I messed up and thought I ordered it earlier. Got it for Christmas and the kids are lining up to read it. They say they love the book.

I purchased this book with along with Amory Wars: In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3 Ultimate Edition, and I was not disappointed. The delivery time was quick and prompt and it was in very good condition upon arrival. The Cover art and artwork illustrate the tale wonderfully, and it is simply amazing having all volumes in one book.

If you're a fan of Coheed and Cambria then you will love this book. However, if you're a fan of comic books, then this book isn't the best. The story jumps along and the dialogue leaves a lot to be desired. I would still recommend this book, however, because the second book in the series is incredible on every level.

This was a birthday present from my wife, she knew I was very interested in the lore that was/is created by Claudio Sanchez (and various artists that help through the journey). How the art progresses with the story is one of my favorite parts, and for me the plot left me craving more. If you are a Coheed and Cambria fan, I suggest this without any hesitation (I also suggest reading Year of the Black Rainbow, because it explains the events before Second Stage Turbine Blade).

Beautiful book. Bought it for my boyfriend who is a huge fan of the band. Came extremely fast and was wrapped great.

It got here on time and was new in shrink wrap, exactly as described. I've been looking for the last five chapters of "Second Stage" since 2008, when they realised vol 1, and I was never able to find vol 2. I was super excited when I came across the ultimate edition, and I was not disappointed. I will totally order from the seller again. Thank you :)

So over the past eight months or so I've really gotten into the music of Coheed and Cambria. I've been aware of them for quite a while but just started listening recently. The first album I got was (at the time) their newest, The Afterman: Ascension. I was surprised at how much I loved it, from start to finish, awesome. So, I quickly started getting into all of the back catalog and, WOW, more of the same awesome. It's been a long time since I've found a band that I like this much. Now for the books. I knew about The Amory Wars and figured I should check that out too. I thought the idea of seeing the music come to life would be a lot of fun. It was! I only wish I would have ordered these sooner. (I ordered both the ultimate editions, second stage and keeping secrets) I flew through both of them pretty fast. I'm going to read them again just to make sure I've absorbed everything. "Second Stage" did feel a bit cumbersome at times. I'm sure it was hard for Claudio to cram as much of his story into this format as he would have liked. Still, very fun to read and very entertaining. "In Keeping Secrets" was a bit more fluid and well composed. Like any good story that hasn't quite ended yet, it left me wanting more. Absolutely a must for any Coheed and Cambria fan or any fan of good vs evil sci-fi type stories. Worth every penny of the already reasonable price and more. The extras at the end of each book are a nice bonus too. (especially in "second stage" with the reprints of the original releases) If you're like I was, on the fence about ordering these, do this: 1) add to cart, 2) proceed to checkout, 3) click on "complete order" You won't regret it!

Look, I'm going to say that for my personal preference, it gets a 5 star review, but it's just okay. The Amory Wars is rife with self-importance and it tends to think that it's more clever than it is. For example, the Knowledge, the Beast, and the Inferno are obviously a reference to Christian mythology as in the Knowledge of Good and Evil the Beast as in 666 the Beast,and the Inferno as in the Lake of Fire, but there's not really any reason for it. Now that said, the Amory Wars is so full of these weird little things like that that it sort of becomes why it's great, it's full of weird little references to ideas and symbolism so many of which may or may not have any meaning that it becomes a maze of metaphors, prophecies, and foreshadows so that the real beauty of the work is trying to figure out what it actually means if it means anything. In this way it's exactly like the music of Coheed and Cambria where you're trying to figure out what the music means and what it's in reference to. The writing and dialog is often so wooden you could sharpen it and use it to kill vampires. The second book is definitely better, but you have to read this one before you read the second one. It's definitely

If you enjoy learning more about the lore of Coheed and Cambria's CDs then this is the book for you. A bit jumpy at times but overall a great read.

a friend recommand. it was for me. my mother paid for it. it was great. was more than what i expected

Any fan of the mighty 'heed probably already owns this, but anyone with a general love for the graphic novel format will not be disappointed getting lost in this world...

My boyfriend really likes Coheed and Cambria and enjoys the graphic novels that's coincide with the songs. Year of the Black Rainbow is the prequel and this is the first book. I recommend starting with this one, since the prequel has proved challenging, at least for me, to find.

I've been waiting so long for these to be re-released. Claudio is a talented story teller who grabbed my attention from the first page.

Anything by Sanchez is diamond, music and comics. Great story.

the story takes you on a journey. the album is just breath taking. and the book... WOW! it has all of the comic series including the first two that are out of print. way cool. I recommend these to anyone into real life stories and music turned into science fiction epics.

Having been into the music of Coheed and Cambria for many years I thought I'd finally give this a read and I am annoyed at myself than I didn't do it sooner. Watch out for the occasional flashback as they don't transmit too well in this novel but that is literally my only criticism. Just ordered In Keeping Secrets.. Very good!

Great characters and plot development. although it is a comic so not a complete story and will leave you wanting more which is not always a bad thing. over all it is a fantastic story that is made even better if you listen to the music by coheed and cambria. "Maria my star, Mathew good night."

Exactly what I wanted, the complete second stage story plus 33 and bag.on.line issues. All in a sturdy hard cover. Excellent! Want to know what coheeds first album was about-Buy this and you'll know the story. Once you're a millionaire you can go after all the first edition individual comics. This was a great buy!

Having a soundtrack to a graphic novels puts in the world more than anything else possibly could. The music done by Coheed and Cambria and the story by Claudio Sanchez just sends chills all over. The connection made with the characters is something I don't think I have ever felt.

So stoked they finally reissued this out of print masterpiece... If you haven't read this, it is a must have for any true coheed fan... And for all you nerds that just sing along... Wouldn't you like to know what (and who) you're singing about

This really is the best product from C&C and it's a whole lot cheaper than buying all five individually; my only concern being that there's not a clear vol 2?? I read another review on this same product that was saying that the next vol is the prequel, and relates this type of storytelling to 'kill bill'. (which I absolutly love!!) anyway, this could be true since i could not find an 'amory wars: vol 2' that continues on where this one left off... (guess I'll keep trying!) P.S. I sincerly hope that this review helped and not confused anyone!

Awesome book, Claudio is the man, can't put it down. Came in on time, everything I asked for. Awesome graphics as well.

This is an excellent companion to go along with their albums. I chose this version over the individual comics because it gave me all 5 issues of The Second Stage Turbine Blade, Vol. 1, in one full book. Claudio (The Writer) is a very talented individual. I do not believe that anyone who is a fan of Co&Ca could be disappointed by this graphic novel.

Absolutely love it!!! It's so perfect!! I read it in an hour and couldn't be happier with this product!! I highly recommend!!!

My husband loved his gifts and I like them as too! I will keep ordering a lot from amazon as long as the rest of my orders get here within a good amount of time and are in great condition!!!

Great book, nice bit of non-linear story telling, amazing artwork, and really brought extra meaning to the Coheed & Cambria songs from the album Second Stage Turbine Blade. Can't wait to pick up the rest!

perfect condition. fast delivery.i could not have asked for a better result when i bought this great book from the internet

In case you have stumbled upon this comic in some roundabout way, The Amory Wars tells the story behind the music of the band Coheed and Cambria. I was initially confused by all the different Amory Wars comic releases, so I will just tell you that this book is the right place to start - it collects the first 5 issues of the comics. This covers half of the story associated with their first album,

Very interesting and a great graphic novel. I've been a fan of the author's music for years and still listen daily. Best to read while listening to Coheed and Cambria albums.

beautifully done all together. even more amazing when read knowing Claudio's band and listening to the albums they've released. so good!

My boys love Coheed and Cambria and they have really enjoyed this book! Another reason I bought the logo for their truck.

i like not have 300 comic books and just having the one big book, awesome page marker on the spine, love this comic series

I received my copy last week and have already read through it twice. Excellent concept from the brilliantly talented Claudio Sanchez!!!

Awesomesauce.

Great job!

This is an amazing buy. Claudio's comic rendition of Coheed and Cambria's first album of the same name, The Second Stage Turbine Blade, is fantastic. This Ultimate Edition has everything, including the first editions of Volumes 1 and 2. A great buy for great value, to be honest.

Awesome

This graphic novel isn't like most of the others. If you don't listen to Coheed and Cambria, then of course you'll be lost. The albums and the novels go hand in hand. The albums are a narrative of the albums. However buying the novels will help you understand what it means. A must have for fans.

I could hear past coheed albums playing in my head as I read this great comic book.

If youre a fan of Coheed, or Claudio Sanchez's other writings, this is a must have!

Coheed and Cambria is probably my favorite band right now. Just got into them this year and been waiting to read the comic books with this edition. I love a great sci-fi story and good lyrics. One reason I loved Coheed and Cambria was that it was based on a supposed cool sci-fi story. My first let down about them was watching their music videos which the older ones look like a bunch of sci-fi nerds showing off to the camera instead of an awesome sci-fi drama. From what i saw the new ones are finally showing that. Now with the comic, the first part drawn by Gus Vasquez is absolutely horrible. It was suppose to be the most dramatic part of the story and it is made to look like some Japanese Pokemon cartoon. Hard to take it seriously. I tolerated it until the back of the comic shows the original Bag Online Adventures version drawn by Wes Abbott, it was awesome.It was gritty realistic dramatic. You actually felt bad for the characters and shown the horrors of the situation the characters were faced with. I especially love how they drawn the priests in this version compare to the newer one. The Bag version made them look dark clouded creatures of some mysterious origin unleashed on man. Where the Gus Vasquez look like some cheesy character about to fight in Dragon Ball z cartoon. The story on Volume 1 can be confusing on who the characters are and their motivations. A new sci-fi universe that could of been put together a lot better so the dialogue could of sounded less cheesy and situation more clear to people new to the story. Now on volume 2, the comics story is better written and you actually start to understand what is going on and who the characters are. The comic is drawn like a decent average marvel comic. Cant help to think though that Claudio Sanchez should of hired a better comic writer to help flesh out the story to make it more dramatic. His concepts are sound and the story is good. Character names still have some cheesiness but quit tolerable after awhile. Cant wait to read the In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth and future comics which will reveal the whole story. I also want to get my hands on the prequel book cause Year of the Black Rainbow was an awesome album with even cool music videos. I have high hopes in Claudio and his band, I think they have the best imaginative albums since Pink Floyd the wall. As they grow i hope their artistic talent grows and maybe hopefully re due this comic series.

The Second Stage Turbine Blade is the first part in a five part science fiction epic by Coheed and Cambria frontman Claudio Sanchez. The trade paperbacks for the SSTB is the comic book form of the story narrated by the

Obviously the other person who reviewed this product has never heard of "non-linear storytelling"...or of the visionaries Quentin Tarantino or David Lynch who make their living off of telling great and epic pieces using a non-linear format. The story at this point is supposed to feel like there is something missing...thats because there is...the opening chapter has not been released to the public yet. Think in terms of Kill Bill or Pulp Fiction. The story shows you the plot and gets you attached to the characters and then will go back and explain who you are really pulling for. (And if I'm not mistaken, the first one or two reveal a little about the past of the main characters) These comics begin telling the story at the beginning of the first album "The Second Stage Turbine Blade", which (as any true Coheed junky would know) is the second chapter in the story. (And it's not that hard to tell what chapter is what based on the albums. The number of the chapter is in the title of the album) The reason for lack of text and lack of certain characters character development is because there is so much action and suspense building. These stories are building up to a very epic finale (don't want to say too much or ruin it). If anyone has any doubts on where this story is going, then read "Good Apollo I'm Burning Star IV Volume 1: From Fear Through The Eyes of Madness". That graphic novel shows the beginning of the "end" of the story. And as for the "simplicity" of the whole thing...i believe that if I were telling a story about a galactic apocalypse, androids, fallen angels, robots that can speak to "God", super powers, baby killing, tragic love stories, deceit, and over all Good v.s. Evil...i would HAVE to at least TRY to tell it in the simplest form possible just so i wouldn't lose the reader in a permanent state of confusion. (on a side note...for more of a background on the story, there is a "sketchbook" that was released under the Amory Wars title that gives a background on each character and an "extended" look at the original opening of the story...) Over all, the Amory Wars epic is a very new concept to the world...and, even though it seems to pair with other certain stories at times, it is very original in many ways. I believe it is too early to judge the overall story, but i believe we are in store for greater things. The collected and the comics themselves get 5 stars! *****

Does anyone know why these are so expensive. And is there a difference between this one and the 30 dollar ultimate edition that I found on a couple other sites

The product is very well made. The story is pretty good too, though I do prefer the story of IKSSE3. Its a must have for any Coheed fan. The story adds so much more depth to the music.

half of who did what and why is lacking clarity. the style of dialogue is X-Men/Spiderman derived. the principles of how men and women, boys and girls, adults and children, jocks and geeks, masters and henchmen interact is all right out of the Marvel universe handbook. basically it's hugely lacking in creativity, more often than not taking the default option of how to present something. the first issue seems kinda promising but by halfway through the third i had no idea why i was even still reading it. i didn't know enough about any of the characters or understand enough about the plot to care about how anything turned out. it seems like it even has distinctly less text per page than your average X-Men/Spiderman book. maybe i had high expectations based on Claudio's musical creativity but i found The Amory Wars Volume 1 to be amazingly lacking in original ideas and even somewhat in basic functional storytelling.

Like probably every other person who purchased or is contemplating purchasing this book, I did so because I am a fan of Coheed and Cambria's music. I own all the albums, have enjoyed their live shows, etc. and was curious about the backstory behind the songs, which is certainly undecipherable from the lyrics. Unfortunately, the story is only marginally more coherent in this collection of comic books. This hardcover "Ultimate Edition" collects all 5 issues of The Amory Wars: The Second Stage Turbine Blade Vol. 1, all 5 issues of The Amory Wars: The Second Stage Turbine Blade Vol. 2, the one-off short comic "33" and the two issues of The Bag On Line Adventures: The Second Stage Turbine Blade, published in 2004 and long out of print. Also included is a cover gallery and a section of sketches and draft artwork. The story arc here supposedly covers the material in Coheed and Cambria's first album, The Second Stage Turbine Blade. First the good: The book itself is very nicely put together and looks great in its presentation. If you get it for the list price of $30 or less, it's not a bad value for a nice collection of 12+ comics. After only finding inflated prices online, I ordered it through my local comic shop and was able to get it for list price within two weeks. Now the not so good: First, the artwork in Amory Wars Vol. 1 is atrocious. I've been reading comic books for 35 years, and this ranks right up there with some of the most amateurish work I've seen. The first two issues, with pencils by Gus Vasquez, were the worst, but the next 3 issues with Mike Miller's art were only marginally better. It was particularly striking that the two issues of the aborted original series included at the end, which basically duplicate the story in the first two issues of The Amory Wars, had such remarkably better artwork as well as a little cleaner storytelling. The artwork in the five issues of Amory Wars Vol. 2 was a major step up in quality. Second, the story is both overly complex and at the same time silly on the basic human level. The ridiculous sci-fi names and plot devices sound like the kind of things I was making up with friends in second grade right after we saw Star Wars for the first time, with villains like General Mayo Deftinwolf, or a mysterious power called the Keywork. Adding to the confusion, every character is referred to by about 3 or 4 different names: wait a second, are you called Cambria Kilgannon, or the Knowledge, or the White Ruineer? (And no, I didn't make up "the White Ruineer.") At least one of these names is usually also a regular noun of some variety: we have the Inferno, the Crowing, Paranoia, and on and on. None of these characters act even remotely like any human you've ever met. I won't bore anyone with the details, such as they are, but suffice it to say that the story is a mess. Coheed and Cambria remains one of my favorite current bands, and Claudio Sanchez is a talented songwriter, guitarist, and vocalist. Reading this book doesn't change that in the least, but I'm not sure it gave me the deeper appreciation for the music I was hoping for.

Sigh. This was so disappointing. I am a HUGE Coheed fan. I spend most of my days clutching my Neverender box set to my chest and whispering sweet nothings to it. My devotion aside, this is not a good book. It reads like a cliff notes of some epic story. Imagine taking the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy and condensing it into a 50 page comic book. It is abortive. Nothing has a chance to do any development. It is a whirlwind of big things going on in such rapid succession that you don't have a chance to care about any of the characters or events. As engaging as wheel of fortune reruns, less perhaps. Allow me to give an example of the pacing: Skip to the last paragraph for a plot spoiler. This had SO much potential but it just falls flat. I don't even mind the fact that the descriptions of the major players in the universe is kind of vague and undetailed, I don't mind the skipping around to other things with no reference that kind of confuses you. But the pacing, the lack of life in the characters, the squandered potential, it hurts my heart. The first issue alone should have been expanded and expounded into at least 3 or 4 full length issues. It is the equivilent of planting corn in your garden on monday and then digging up the seed wednesday for dinner. My depression is bottemless. And the music is STILL so damn cryptic I can't decipher much more detail than a few lines here or there. As for the art work, Gus Vasquez's work... (lets see, what word is best to describe it with eloquence...) sucks. I wouldn't call it stylized, unless rushed-ninth-grade-art-project is a style. The drawing are kind juvinille and frakulated quite frankly. Mercifully he only did the first two issues. After that it gets marginal. I'd rate it a "meh." (This paragraph is a plot spoiler. Although I'm not sure it spoils anything, this is pretty much like reading it.) Coheed: Wow, work was hard today. Who are you a government agent? You want me to kill my kids? No way. Whats that, they have a virus? Let me think about it. Okay. Cambria, we have to kill our kids. Cambria: Oh yeah, I know, I just started manifesting freaky powers today I saw the whole thing with my psychic vision. Man this sucks, well, you better go poison them. (one panel later) Okay they're dead, Oh! Look, our daughter Josephine is home after being raped, well I guess I'll just bash her brains out with a hammer. I have to go cry myself to sleep now.

I bought this for my boyfriend who is a huge fan. He devoted this in less than a week!

Bought this as a gift for my boyfriend, I have yet to look at the pages too much but the quality of the book is well worth your money. It even says $30.00 on the back so you get a good deal. I can't find this in stores anywhere either. Shipping was super fast. Overall a great buy!

As I like the C&C albums very much, I bought this comic assuming it would be of the same high, intriguing and creative quality. Boy was I wrong. One reviewer compared the "Amory wars" with films by David Lynch. Well, I am a huge Lynch fan (Mulholland drive is my favorite) and this is in no way of a similar quality. The drawings are awful, primitive and ugly. The storytelling is clumsy and inelegant. The story is full of childish clichés, the sci-fi aspect of the story is unbearably stupid and the plot is full of infantile superhero clichés. The narrative leading up to the killing of the children was totally unconvincing to me. I never got absorbed in the story at all. "The Amory wars" has made me understand that creative genius may be domain-specific. Hopefully I put this experience behind me and regain my enjoyment of the C&C albums in the future.

If I could give this zero stars, I would. I went into reading this comic with absolutely no knowledge of it or its writer. I had to stop after about the twentieth page. How did this get published? Firstly, the artwork (can I call it that?) is terrible. Crudely drawn and not compelling in the least for such a seemingly epic storyline. The lettering alone was tacky. Puffy thought bubbles? Secondly, the writing leaves a lot to be desired. I enjoy non-linear writing, but this was flat and boring. I didn't believe any of it. (SPOILER) The oldest daughter becomes engaged, is taken to a rough part of a city with her new fiancé for no real reason, is gang raped by thugs, and then is fatally bludgeoned with a hammer by her father?! This makes absolutely no sense. I was angry that the writer created this character. For what reason? There wasn't enough meat in her story to care about her, let alone what happens to her. The father is told by a complete stranger that he has to kill his infected children? AND DOES SO? Am I supposed to believe this?! Not to mention the character names are a joke. In conclusion, this is a terrible book and perhaps Claudio Sanchez ought to stick with song writing and leave the graphic novels to the professionals.

This was a Christmas present for my brother who loves everything Coheed. Shipped fast, great condition, awesome product. Thanks for the good service.

This product (as predicted) is amazing. If you listen to his music, you'll love this graphic novel. If only it had reached me sooner...it took a bit long than predicted, so I ended up rush ordering - - - TOTALLY WORTH IT!

This is a hefty book! very thick with high quality pages and hardcover. Can get heavy if you read for a long time in one sitting, but I appreciate the quality!

Wonderfully written and drawn. 10/10 I am blown away. Really enjoyed this graphic novel. And I'm not one who reads comic books.

I absolutely love these comics . They are well written and the art is fantastic. I am a fan of coheed and Cambria and have been for years .. I got this book at one of their concerts and love it . You won't be disappointed it you buy this comic

I've never read a graphic novel or comic book and I'm not much of a reader at all. But being a huge fan of coheed and cambria's albums I've always wanted more, so I order this, and simply I was blown away, and for me it opened up the albums to a whole new level, and makes listening to the album even more of a pleasure (I didnt think that would be possible) this hard back version looks great and quality means it going to last. The list of things I loved is far to long to start writing as most people have problem stopped reading this review, at the end of this book you are even treated to the 2 issue of the original bag on the line adventures. And a nice sketch book. I had probably read chapter one and I knew I was ordering the second, in keeping secrets. I really hope in the very near future good apollo gets a hardback release aswell. All in all, if you love Coheed and are always after more, look no further this is the answer, but be warned you will only want even more, Thank you Mr Claudio Sanchez!

This are a must for Coheed fans. I loved getting to know the backstory of the songs and try to spot the relationship between them. This compilation of issues goes with the album of the same name, their first studio album to be released. The complete edition is a much more cost effective way of collecting all issues as I found them difficult and expensive to get hold of individually.

The first volume is quite hard to understand sometimes as it repeats itself and isn't the best with dialogue placement. It gets much better in the second volume however although it still repeats itself a few times to reiterate the story, it's also confusing in places as to what period of time it's set in as it jumps back and forth and doesn't always make it clear to when it does. I do have to say though the story itself is great and covers all of the first album of Coheed and Cambria. You finally realise which character says what and in what context, giving you a better look into the album when listening to it. I also have to mention it has a bonus story "33" based on the song of the same name all about the character Patrick and is more faithful to the lyrics of the song than the main story section about Patrick is. It also contains both of the original Second Stage Turbine Blade comics which will save you a lot of money (unless you want them separately) as the originals cost a decent amount nowadays.

Absolutely worth the money. Read it, listen to bands albums, their songs tell the stories and the art is phenomenal and I don't have words for how phenomenal a creative force Claudio Sanchez is!!

Honestly as a massive Coheed and Cambria fan this graphic novel gives a great deal of detail behind the songs of the album! I'm looking forward to reading the next instalments over the coming weeks.

It’s perfect if you want to know the story behind the albums! It gets a wee bit confusing at times though

Collection of The Second Stage Turbine Blade comics in a hard cover. Really good quality. Great addition to any Coheed collection.

Absolutley loved this edition of the second stage turbine blade. Includes all of the comics plus the two original editions and artwork in one harback volume great value for money!!

EPIC!

Amory Wars, complete part one!

I am so happy I got my hands on one of these. It's exactly as described and was delivered. The delivery person even too a picture of the package at my front door so I knew it had been delivered. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Six Stars.

es ist verdammt schwer gewesen sich die einzellnen comics zu besorgen außer auf den konzerten oder zu hohen preisen im internet kaum zu finden und nun kommt ein solch grandios umsetzung eines sammelbandes ein muss für alle coheed and cambria fans. das comic ist toll gezeichnet. the amory wars ist sein geld wert. Absolut empfehlenswert

Die Comics sind ja leider nicht so einfach zu bekommen.Hab mich sehr gefreut, dass gefunden zu haben.Einfach faszinierend die Comics.

Beautiful artwork and a compelling story! A must-have for any hardcore Coheed and Cambria fan.

Coheed and Cambria Fan? Ja dann auf ins Comic-Vergnügen. War nie ein Comic Fan, muss aber sagen, dass ich die Amory Wars Serie liebe...sehr cool!!!

Nice to see images behind the music. Great story and the book in itself is great quality.

Amazing graphic novel