Trees is such an intriguing comic. You can’t help but want to read it and understand every little detail that is happening so you can brag to your friends about it. You want it all to be so clear, but only for you and no one else. But Warren Ellis makes it so difficult to understand really anything that is going on. Even the cover is something that you can’t grasp. I mean some chick is pregnant with a gun. Huh? Like who she is or is it a metaphor for war? Honestly it is annoying because not only am I left in the dust, but I don’t get a thing about this comic. Seriously nothing has stuck with me. I feel like I am jumping into a new comic each week. With only three issues out, I want to desperately hold on to something, but I am afraid that Trees time may run out. Trees is supposed to be based around these aliens that have planted these trees on Earth, yet no one understand the reasoning, so the world could all blown to shit at any moment. Even though this is the premise of the comic, we rarely see any mention of these aliens or any storyline developing with them. On one hand, this is good because readers may forget about the trees and that is when they will strike. It instills this back-burner fear. On the other hand, I think it is important to give a premise that is true to the comic. Why make the aliens the foreground of your story but do nothing with them? So the premise of this comic revolves around random people in random places talking but never reaching a conclusion about anything. Seriously, you think I am kidding or just not grasping this comic. Read an issue to see how little focus is given to each character or plot. If you find something let me know.
With no time spent on anyone, the reader can’t get invested. I have forgotten about all the past characters, so even if next issue it intertwines everything together and makes perfect sense, I would still have to go back and reread it. I really don’t see an end goal in mind though.
Again we are introduced to a new batch of people. First up is Eligia. All I can tell about her is that she hates her bf who is probably some drug lord and knows that she is his arm candy. She is following some Professor. Don’t know why but when the two met up he recruits to train her. Again, don’t know why. Although you are intrigued to see where their story goes, I don’t want to get too attached. Plus I still feel like something is missing with their story. Do people actually just stalk one another to eventually work together on ninja training? Maybe when aliens land that is what the world will come to, but for now readers need an understandable plot. We need a character to rally behind for whatever reason even if we get lost at some moments. Trees isn’t growing into anything that I can handle, and I think most readers can agree.
Score: 2/5
Writer: Warren Ellis Artist: Jason Howard Publisher: Image Comics Price: $2.99 Release Date: 7/23/14 Format: Ongoing, Print/Digital