Comic Info
Comic Name: The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger—The Way Station
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Writer: Peter David/Robin Furth
Artist: Laurence Campbell
# of Issues: 5
Release Date: 2012
The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger–The Way Station #2
Reprints The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger—The Way Station #1-5 (February 2012-June 2012). Roland makes his way across the desert on the trail of the Man in Black. When he comes upon a mysterious way station he finds a boy named Jake Chambers. Jake claims to come from another world of skyscrapers and automobiles…a world where the Man in Black killed him. Now Roland has a partner in his search but worries that the misfortune that has faced him in the past will claim another life. As Roland and Jake close in on Randall Flagg, Roland possibly could near the end of his quest and avenge Gilead.
Written by Peter David and Robin Furth, The Dark Tower 9: The Gunslinger—The Way Station continues the adaptation of the 1982 Stephen King novel The Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger. Following The Dark Tower Volume 8: The Gunslinger—The Battle of Tull, the collection features art by Laurence Campbell.
I was completely pumped for The Dark Tower when Marvel started releasing it. They opted to release it in order of the story (with The Dark Tower: Wizard and Glass essentially being told as a flashback in The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger storyline). With years of not advancing the story, David and Furth finally reached the “first” book of The Dark Tower…and it is a good thing.
The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger–The Way Station #3
It finally feels like you are reading Stephen King’s Dark Tower series. While I have liked that David and Furth have tried to give depth to the characters, I also know that comic books are fickle and the chances of reaching the end of Roland’s journey isn’t likely in today’s market. It feels like the tale presented in the comic book is finally moving the story forward after so many series of backstory.
The big addition in this story is the introduction of Jake Chambers. Jake becomes a big part of The Dark Tower saga and his meeting Roland in this story will influence everything that comes after it. Here we get to meet Jake for the first time, and I kind of like how Jake’s cynicism is presented. Jake is as weirded out by Roland just as much as Roland is weirded out by him. Readers who know the book, know Jake’s fate…those who do not know, keep reading.
The Dark Tower keeps trucking along. I still wish the series could include more story and less filler (the comics all have supplimental material with interviews and stories which is not very satisfying if you are buying the issues individually). Hopefully the series will have a long, happy life that completes the story, but I have doubts. This is a good volume and with the previous volume could be a jump on point for readers who don’t have access to the older books. The Dark Tower 9: The Gunslinger—The Way Station is followed by The Dark Tower 10: The Gunslinger—The Man in Black.
Preceded By:
The Dark Tower 8: The Gunslinger—The Battle of Tull
Followed By:
The Dark Tower 10: The Gunslinger—The Man in Black
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