Select delivery location
See All Buying Options
Amazon book clubs early access
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access

Join or create book clubs

Choose books together

Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Explore Amazon Book Clubs
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Warren Ellis
+ Follow
More books from this author
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

The Authority Vol. 1 Paperback – May 20, 2014

by Warren Ellis (Author), Bryan Hitch (Illustrator), Paul Neary (Illustrator)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 197 ratings
See all formats and editions
A New York Times Bestseller!

After witnessing the demise of most of her StormWatch teammates, Jenny Sparks wants to create a new super hero team dedicated to protecting Earth against threats of a global scale. Joined by former StormWatch members Jack Hawksmoor and Shen Li-Min, Jenny recruits four new members, the Doctor, the Engineer, Apollo, and the Midnighter forming the ultra-powerful Authority. Collected in this edition are their first two missions, battling a nation of super-powered terrorists and stopping an invasion from a parallel world.
Read more Read less
Previous page
  1. Part of Series
    The Authority (1999-2002)
  2. Print length
    296 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    DC Comics
  5. Publication date
    May 20, 2014
  6. Dimensions
    6.61 x 0.47 x 10.16 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    1401247075
  8. ISBN-13
    978-1401247072
  9. See all details
Next page
The Amazon Book Review
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Warren Ellis is the award-winning writer of TRANSMETROPOLITAN, PLANETARY, THE AUTHORITY and the writer and co-creator of the graphic novel RED, which was the basis of two major motion pictures.   He is also the author of the NYT-bestselling novels Gun Machine and Crooked Little Vein.  His newest publication is the digital short-story single Dead Pig Collector, from FSG Originals.

His awards and recognitions include the NUIG Literary and Debating Society’s President’s Medal for service to freedom of speech, the EAGLE AWARDS Roll Of Honour for lifetime achievement in the field of comics & graphic novels, the Grand Prix de l’Imaginaire 2010, the Sidewise Award for Alternate History and the International Horror Guild Award for illustrated narrative.

Ellis lives outside London, on the south-east coast of England, in case he needs to make a quick getaway.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ DC Comics; First Edition (May 20, 2014)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 296 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1401247075
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1401247072
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.15 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.61 x 0.47 x 10.16 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 197 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Warren Ellis

Warren Ellis

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Warren Ellis is the author of the Amazon Top 100 2016 book NORMAL and the New York Times- bestselling GUN MACHINE, the writer of award-winning graphic novels like TRANSMETROPOLITAN, PLANETARY and FELL, and is the creator and writer of global top ten streaming hit show CASTLEVANIA on Netflix.

The movie RED is based on his graphic novel of the same name, its sequel having been released in summer 2013. His GRAVEL books are in development for film at Legendary Pictures. IRON MAN 3 is based on his Marvel Comics graphic novel IRON MAN: EXTREMIS. He's also written extensively for VICE, WIRED UK and Reuters on technological and cultural matters.

Read and subscribe to his free weekly newsletter with updates on work and likes at https://buttondown.email/orbitaloperations and orbitaloperations.com.

Warren Ellis lives outside London, on the south-east coast of England, in case he needs to make a quick getaway.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
197 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

clairetoldmetochangemyscreenname
5.0 out of 5 stars Warren Ellis Replaces Stormwatch with a New Team for the New Millennium: the Authority
Reviewed in the United States on May 7, 2018
Verified Purchase
Warren Ellis creates a magnificent new super team in the wake of the end of Stormwatch. With the latter team ended, the Wildstorm universe takes the next step forward with a new team put together by Jenny Sparks: the Authority. This sci-fi influenced super team features fan favorites Midnighter and Apollo (the gay couple that are a riff on Batman and Superman), Swift (the former Stormwatch member who seems to be a riff on Hawkgirl), the Engineer (Angie, the woman with nano machines in place of her blood that allow her to create a super suit), the Doctor (a mystic in touch with generations of previous mages and former Doctors), and Jack Hawksmoor (the Stormwatch member who can interface with entire cities). This new team uses their base of operations (a massive technologically advanced carrier ship that can shift between dimensions) to confront any and all threats to the Earth. In Ellis' first volume the team confronts a series of threats in three major arcs. The first sees the team confronting an island full of terrorists hell bent on decimating major cities for the sake of it, the second sees them fending off an incursion from a parallel Earth where medieval England interbred with alien visitors, and the third sees the team fending off an alien invasion from a massive organic life form that may have been the original terraformer of Earth. The violence is big in scale and like many Image comics (before the Wildstorm universe was sold to DC) the Authority are a team willing to kill in order to protect their Earth. With many of the members serving as riffs of major DC heroes, the Authority provides an intriguing mirror to the mainstream DC characters. Even if you haven't read other Wildstorm books before this one, Ellis does a great job of introducing the world of the Authority to new readers. If you're interested in Ellis' recent work for DC to reboot the entire Wildstorm universe in the DC Rebirth era, then returning to one of his best works here is a great choice.
5 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
N. Durham
5.0 out of 5 stars The birth of "widescreen comics"
Reviewed in the United States on June 20, 2013
Verified Purchase
Warren Ellis is a talented fellow, this is known. Before he did The Authority, he was already making a name for himself with his work, including his run on Stormwatch in which not only did he re-shape the team and the book itself, but he was re-shaping the way modern superhero stories could be told. Out of the ashes of Stormwatch comes The Authority, in which surviving members of Stormwatch unite to form a new superhero group that takes the grittiness Ellis introduced in the previous title and accelerates it to new and exciting levels. This collection is made all the better by the stellar artwork of a pre-Ultimates Bryan Hitch, whose lush illustrations and set-pieces helped coin the term "widescreen comics". If you squint well enough at the panels, you may actually convince yourself that they're moving; the artwork is just that good. While this first collected volume of The Authority is wonderful enough, it's Mark Millar's run (which will be released in the future) where things go from amazing to mind-blowing. Do yourself a favor: if you missed out on The Authority in its hey-dey, pick this up. You won't regret it.
15 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Jacob Alvarado
4.0 out of 5 stars Hasn't Warren out his Welcome
Reviewed in the United States on May 12, 2015
Verified Purchase
The Authority follows a new no nonsense super team as they face the worlds greatest threats. The teams home base is a dimension jumping shiftship that can teleport them anywhere on Earth. Bryan Hitch does a fantastic job bringing Warren Ellis's tales to life, everything from large action shots to character close ups are fantastic.

The teams first enemy is The Mandarin from Marvel with a different name (this will be a common theme in the series, another example being the Authority's two most dangerous members being a gay couple representing Batman & Superman). After the Mandarin they face down an invading force from a parallel alien inhabited Earth, a reality our Earth had been in contact with for a long time before communication ceased nearly 50 years ago. The final conflict is with God, yes the creator is back and not happy with what has happened to his planet.

Each of these battles shows new and interesting way the team uses their powers. The alien story was the best of the 3 for me as the team really finds its footing at that point.
4 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
James B.
5.0 out of 5 stars Cosmic events every day.
Reviewed in the United States on June 23, 2018
Verified Purchase
Someone, somewhere, decided to give Warren Ellis some of the most powerful characters in the Wildstorm universe to play around with. And Warren Ellis, being Warren Ellis, unleashes them on some of the biggest threats to the world imaginable. Welcome to the authority, where threats that would be full scale events in regular DC and Marvel comics are just another Tuesday.

The Authority team consists of Jennifer Sparks, the Engineer, Midnighter, Apollo, The Doctor, Jack Hawksmoor, and Swift. Running a military style team, they fight against World destruction tier threats, from alien invasion to a terrorist cell with the population of Delaware. While the book doesn't have much time for small scale character building moments, it has all the time in the world for action, action, black comedy and more action. Definitely a good title to pick up if you need an adrenaline rush.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Peter
5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting premise, engaging story lines
Reviewed in the United States on October 29, 2014
Verified Purchase
Great read! Imagine Superheroes... like Superman and Batman, thrust into a much more harsh reality. Killing is almost necessary to save the world. The premise is interesting. I really like Warren Ellis, so this was a 'must have' for me.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Clay
5.0 out of 5 stars awesome
Reviewed in the United States on September 1, 2013
Verified Purchase
I'm just getting started on the original and classic and not what DC has gutted for the new 52. This one of the few comics that Warren Ellis's that are classic and are a must-read.
2 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Lyon Leo
3.0 out of 5 stars it's okay
Reviewed in the United States on August 27, 2013
Verified Purchase
I know there are 5 other glowing reviews. But I for me, it was a bit too simple for these heros. They just seem to beat up the villains a bit too easily. They do get beaten up a little bit but they always have an easy out. There's no challenge. I also had an issue with the way the characters were portrayed. It was so tongue-in-cheek that there was no real creativity as they draw pages from the quickest stereotypes they can get. I also got the feeling that life is cheap. The heros try to justify the all their killings with cliches that just did not work for me. Aside from that, the book itself is put together really well. I don't know why they have a sleeve for this book as the art on the hard cover is good and the binding is solid.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
Gus
4.0 out of 5 stars Pleasantly surprised
Reviewed in Brazil on May 13, 2023
Verified Purchase
This book was a pleasant surprise as, once I started reading, it was hard to put it down.
Top writing and art, easy to recommend.
Report
Craig McAllister
5.0 out of 5 stars Bloody Genius
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 16, 2023
Verified Purchase
Excellent characters with mind-bending, thrillingly original and bold concepts and gorgeous art. This book is an absolute must-read and I’m utterly hooked.
Report
Lorenz Haegele
5.0 out of 5 stars Tiptop
Reviewed in Germany on January 3, 2021
Verified Purchase
Alles bestens
Report
K
5.0 out of 5 stars A great sequel to Stormwatch
Reviewed in Canada on August 2, 2019
Verified Purchase
If you like Stormwatch, WildStorm, or WildC.A.T.S., you will greatly enjoy this.
Report
Luigi C.
5.0 out of 5 stars Il ciclo completo degli Authority di Ellis
Reviewed in Italy on September 3, 2017
Verified Purchase
Ellis si crea i suoi Avengers, una saga fantastica con personaggi pronti a tutti per raggiungere lo scopo, tutti nel team servono a raggiungere lo scopo e non si fermeranno davanti a niente.
One person found this helpful
 Report