Brian WoodBriggs Land Volume 1 State of Grace

Really good story with interesting plot and well developed characters. Super realistic drawings fit this story perfectly. Highly recommended for people who like crime stories.

Really enjoyed this; cannot wait for the release of the second.

Really enjoyed this book. Well written and drawn. Bring on issue 2

If you enjoy comic books, this is a wonderful good first step into something non conventional. Quick, gritty, and raw... you won’t find much that beats this.

From writer/illustrator Brian Wood ("The Tourist", "Northlanders", "Ultimate Comics: X-Men", "The Couriers", "The Masswive", "Rebels") and artist Mack Chater comes "Briggs Land".And as news was announced at last year's San Diego Comic-Con that creator/writer Brian Wood sold "Briggs Land" to AMC and is writing the pilot, prior to the announcement, the comic book was making an impression on reviewers for its gritty, violent and captivating storyline.With a total of six issues released so far, the first six issues are collected in "Briggs Land - Vol. 1 - State of Grace TPB"."Briggs Land" is nearly a hundred square miles of rural wilderness and also the home of the most secretive anti-government secessionist movement in the United States.The property was founded in the years following the Civil War and was a safe harbor for those looking to live a simple life off the grid.But the property is also home for white extremism, armed militias and domestic terrorism and everything was ruled by Jim Briggs.As Briggs Land represents billions of dollars in fracking leases, real-estate development and public works, the government has always wanted the land.The story begins with Grace Briggs visiting her husband Jim Briggs in prison (where has has stayed and controlled the land from prison for the past 20-years and incarcerated for the planned assassination of the President). Jim tells her that he must do what he says and when he says to meet with him on that day, she must meet him.But immediately, she tells Jim that she is taking control of the family and challenging her husband.On Grace's side is her youngest son Isaac but she hopes to win her two sons over, in order to increase her power of Briggs Land. But will her oldest, Caleb (a white supremacist) support her efforts? Or her other son Noah, known as the Executioner?Meanwhile, observing from afar are two federal agents who are not supposed to be following the Briggs but are doing so anyway.As Grace is looking forward to a meeting with her children, two individuals try to sneak in front of Grace's home. As Isaac tries to leave in the truck, he hears ticking and realizes someone has setup a bomb trying to kill them.Who is responsible for trying to kill them? Her sons?Meanwhile, how far will Caleb go in order to gain control of Hillson Home Value hardware store? And what happens when Grace finds out who is trying to kill her? And did her husband set it up?As for Jim, he knows that if he sells the property to the U.S. government, he can get a quick release from prison but the war for Briggs Land between wife and husband is starting to heat up. For those who live in the area, which of the Briggs will they choose to support?"Briggs Land - Vol. 1 - State of Grace TPB" features the first six issues of the comic book series (August 2016-January 2017) and as the series focuses on character development, showing us the state of Briggs Land and the people that live in the area, it's a captivating story about a family war that pits family and friends against each other. But who really has the upperhand? Wife Grace Briggs who wants to do things right for those who live in Briggs Land unlike her violent husband?A captivating story written by Brian Wood with wonderful artwork from Mack Chater, "Briggs Land - Vol. 1 - State of Grace TPB" is recommended!

Awesome! Keep going! I want more!

My politics and those of the author probably differs quite a bit. That being said, Brian Wood is a hell of a writer. If you put personal politics aside, this is a story about a woman fighting an uphill battle for herself and possibly her family (although some members of the family stand in the way of that.) If you think there are no redeeming values in Grace, regardless of her worldview then you should look deeper. This is a great series and like most of what Wood writes, he has a way of writing from several characters' viewpoints and motivations in a way that grabs your attention. The ONLY reason for not giving it 5 stars is the price of 20 bucks for the kindle version. That's pretty steep.

I've never been disappointed in a Brian Wood book, so when I ran across Briggs Land: State of Grace (Volume 1) on Amazon Vine, I knew I had to check it out. I'm so glad I did.The premise is perhaps as relevant as ever in that Briggs Land is a self-proclaimed sovereign nation within the United States. It has existed since the Civil War, and it's been a place anyone can go who wants to live an unfettered life. However, that simple life grew more complex as the years passed, and Briggs Land is now a magnet for extremism, white supremacy, corruption, and domestic abusers.The current patriarch, Jim Briggs, has been incarcerated for years, but that hasn't stopped him from ruling Briggs Land with an iron fist. Yet, his wife, Grace, suspects he means to betray their people, and she can't allow that. Grace, who married Jim as a teenager, takes control of Briggs Land, and virtually no one is happy about it. She must contend with her murderous husband, her conniving grown sons, her treacherous daughters-in-law, her unpredictable citizens, and even the federal government. But trust me, if anyone can bend Briggs Land to her will, it's this woman.Of course, as a graphic novel, I would be remiss to ignore Mack Chater's artwork. Chater's talent is uniquely suited to Briggs Land. It's a little rough, yet incredibly detailed and well rendered. It fits the tone of this book perfectly, as well as the characters themselves. I'm not sure I'd like this style in a Superman book, but this is nothing like a Superman comic. Now that I've experienced the first volume, I can't imagine anyone else drawing this title. It's a perfect match.This is a deeply political book featuring violent, manipulative characters. In fact, I can't say anyone is particularly innocent, especially the protagonist, Grace Briggs. However, Grace does have a sense of justice deep within her, but it's still not apparent how universal that justice is. She is incredibly helpful to some in need, but I'm not convinced her charity is available to all.Though the book may not sound like a must-read, believe me when I say it is a captivating story delivered with excellent pacing. Brian Wood is a master at using story to subtly explore contemporary political and societal issues. I quickly found myself engaged with the characters and utterly drawn into the unfolding plot. I completely recommend Briggs Land.