THE DARK TOWER: THE GUNSLINGER BORN
written by Stephen King, Peter David and Robin Furth
illustrated by Jae Lee and Richard Isanove
Marvel Publishing
Fantasy
ISBN: 9780785121442

You may not be aware that Marvel Publishing, the venerable group that has brought us Spider-Man, Captain America, The Incredible Hulk, The Fantastic Four and any number of American icons, recently started adapting Stephen King’s Dark Tower novels in sequential art form, issue by issue on a (fairly) regular basis. THE GUNSLINGER BORN collects the first seven of these issues in a beautiful hardcover edition that pays proper homage to the work within.

Parts of The Dark Tower mythos are told out of sequence; we first meet Roland the Gunslinger as an adult in THE GUNSLINGER, the first volume of the series, and do not learn about his background until the fourth, WIZARD AND GLASS. Other parts are scattered through assorted short stories, novellas and King’s other novels. What the Marvel adaptation intends to do is to tell the story of Roland in chronological order, beginning with the story set forth in WIZARD AND GLASS. This it does, and beautifully so.

THE GUNSLINGER BORN introduces 14-year-old Roland Deschain of Gilead, son of Stephen of the line of Eld. Gilead is in terrible danger thanks to John Farson, a mysterious and enigmatic antagonist known as “the Good Man.” Farson’s nefarious influence against Gilead is felt from without and within, with betrayal uncovered at every turn. After mastering a coming-of-age trial by fire, Roland is sent abroad with two of his closest companions, ostensibly to see if their supposed allies are friend or foe. Roland, on the course of this mission, meets Susan Delgado, who is destined to be his one true love even as her presence --- and her relationship with Roland --- puts not only Roland and his companions but also herself in peril while the fate of Gilead hangs in the balance.

Doing the telling in THE GUNSLINGER BORN is the duo of Peter David and Robin Furth. David is a venerable icon of the comic world, perhaps best known for his work on “The Incredible Hulk.” Furth is an expert on all things Dark Tower, with her knowledge of the mythos even surpassing that of King himself. Her contribution here cannot be underestimated, given the expanse of the work being adapted and the task at hand. The collaboration is seamless and, impossible as it may seem, has the effect of actually enhancing the experience of reading this material --- whether one is encountering it for the first time or revisiting, just to see what has been wrought.

Since THE GUNSLINGER BORN is a visual adaptation, however, much of whether or not the book will stand or fall depends on the artwork. Jae Lee has worked for every major comic book company and on a number of popular characters; his style --- dark brooding and terrifying --- is perfect for the world of Roland, where life is cheap and death is sudden. Richard Isanove, inking Lee’s pencils, complements Lee’s work with his own signature colors, adding another layer of uneasiness to the proceedings.

THE GUNSLINGER BORN, in addition to its richly and wonderfully told story, also includes maps of the New Canaan and Mejis baronies, as well as variant covers of second printings (the variant cover of Issue #2 will keep you awake at night, I guarantee it). This is everything a hardcover collection of this type should be, and more. And don't be surprised if, upon completion of THE GUNSLINGER BORN, you find yourself reading The Dark Tower mythos from beginning to end, even if you already know the outcome.

   --- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub

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