This is the hyped comic that is supposedly a treasure of French Bandes Déssinés that spawned a recent film adaptaStay way unless you're a teenage boy.
This is the hyped comic that is supposedly a treasure of French Bandes Déssinés that spawned a recent film adaptation by Joon-ho Bong (The Host, Mother). What a bummer. There are so many problems with this book and they can't all be due to due to poor translation:
- Rushed storytelling: the pacing is way too fast for any depth.
- Very misogynistic: Even the supporting female character is an irrational stereotype that can't wait to get it on in the first second of every scene she's left alone with the main character in.
- Most of the major characters are paper-thin
- Dialog is horrible.
And WTF is up with the last 2 pages?? They must've screwed up in the printing. There's a huuuge jump in time between them, completely skipping over a major development. Lob just threw away the main character, and not in an love-to-hate-it George R. R. Martin kind of way but in a “Okay I’m bored and have to keep moving on” sort of way.
Although with all of that, and just like highly-serialized YA manga that suffers from some of the same issues (e.g. Death Note), once I saw the teaser for the cover of book 2 I went from thinking this was a complete waste of time to wanting to know what happens next - "they got me!" I thought. Then I realized there's no idea whose interest could be sustained by this immature writer. ...more
A sweet love story with a unique view into something I knew nothing about - living with HIV. Peeters easily avoids what could've been a cliché treatmeA sweet love story with a unique view into something I knew nothing about - living with HIV. Peeters easily avoids what could've been a cliché treatment of such a sensitive subject by keeping everything personal. This also makes things light for the reader while allowing for moments of deep meaning and soulful insight.
Coming off of Sandcastle, one of my favorite comics of last year (although I only read a couple), I thought I would like the art more (Peeter's only supplied the visuals in that) but it grew on me a little. He's good with layouts and transitions but something about the loose style is a bit too cartoony for me here. But it's certainly not bad. ...more
Well written and illustrated as usual, this particular volume was missing something. The first story is the strongest but the last one felt flimsy andWell written and illustrated as usual, this particular volume was missing something. The first story is the strongest but the last one felt flimsy and boring. Overall this isn't the best book in the series. I am getting kind of tired of this series anyways so it might be my last. But Brubaker and Phillips are still a good team....more
I normally love Ed Brubaker's stuff but I didn't love this. It was a bit difficult to follow and the occult elements were only slightly intriguing. MaI normally love Ed Brubaker's stuff but I didn't love this. It was a bit difficult to follow and the occult elements were only slightly intriguing. Maybe this will really hit its stride in the next volume but since Incognito was also a let down I may just return to their Criminal series instead. It sounds so good in theory but I'm just taken by it....more
I highly recommend this to anyone who's into the history of comics as a medium or fans of German Expressionist film. This Library of America edition iI highly recommend this to anyone who's into the history of comics as a medium or fans of German Expressionist film. This Library of America edition is really high quality and the introduction by Art Spiegelman and the essays by Ward are fantastic.
The best here is definitely Vertigo which is Lynd's last and longest work. It succeeds wonderfully in fulfilling the ambitious depth of story first attempted in Madman's Drum (which was overly complicated and failed in conveying story and character development clearly) and a more nuanced characterization.
Reading a story through Ward's wood blocks can be a surprisingly deep and moving experience. I'm eager to hunt down his children's books and other authors' works that he illustrated.
Some quotes from Ward's essays:
"Some day, I fear, scientists will successfully demonstrate that life had its origin in an ancient accident in which several previously isolate basic substances were merged into one by a flash of lightning, with the complexity of all human experience the unforeseen result.
"But until that day arrives, we have implicit permission to look back on whatever portion of that complexity we can remember, collectively or individually...There is nothing more exhilarating than the discovery of an overall purpose behind the seemingly unrelated events that comprise the part of either a nation or a citizen."
On qualifying works as true pictorial narrative: "If understanding is dependent on the words, the narrative is probably more properly described as a work of illustration, one in which the verbal element is primary and the pictorial element - no matter how impressive in draftsmanship or how much of the available space it occupies - is secondary."
On the Great Depression (eerily applicable to our present times): "It seemed that only the morally crippled or the socially irresponsible could fail to react to the obvious effect that the vast, complicated, and impersonal social forces were having on the substance of so many individual lives."
"...it might even be possible to suggest that an impersonal social force is the accumulation of individual actions for which individuals are finally responsible."...more
Unfortunately the subject matter deals almost entirely with bleak and cruel acts and characters. I don't want to marginalize whatever elements of the Unfortunately the subject matter deals almost entirely with bleak and cruel acts and characters. I don't want to marginalize whatever elements of the story are autobiographical, but Cotter's personas and relationships aren't particularly complex or interesting: overly religious people are bad; this guy beats his girlfriend and she still loves him; kids can be cruel. There's just not much of the nuance of real life reflected - everyone is an extreme version of some stereotype.
The art is not bad, although it can be incomprehensible at times. There's a good organic feeling given to everything, partly due to how most shapes are rounded.
The flying kitten army was cool though, so there's that. ...more
Great self-contained little story about a very unusual day at the beach. Surreal, science fiction-y and somewhat allegorical. I got this because of thGreat self-contained little story about a very unusual day at the beach. Surreal, science fiction-y and somewhat allegorical. I got this because of the great things I had read about it and Frederik Peeter's art in general (his visual style is very good, but perhaps not too original) but Pierre Oscar Lévy's writing is great too. It's sad that he hasn't written any other comics yet. And it's silly having to order this from the UK because it's not available here yet. I think a good way to gauge whether you might like this is to consider how much you like Kafka's Metamorphosis (or similar stuff). ...more
I went into this assuming it was all historical fact, like everything else Geary has written. The author's introduction to the box of letters found inI went into this assuming it was all historical fact, like everything else Geary has written. The author's introduction to the box of letters found in his grandmother's attic only confirmed my assumption. I thought the cult in the first story was fascinating but my first clue that this might not be factual was the tentacle monster. However, I brushed it aside for the moment as surely Blanche herself could have been very confused about what really happened. Then I found it astonishing that she was working with D.W. Griffith in Hollywood. 'What an amazing life!' I thought. My suspension of disbelief was eventually eroded completely by the last story. It's either impressive or sad that it took that long for me to realize this might be Geary's first fictional work.
While it was neat to see all of the different historical figures woven into the outlandish adventures of a midwest concert pianist in the early 20th century, ultimately the book is disappointing since none of it is real. I read Geary because he's so good at historical non-fiction comics, I have little interest in something he might make up. ...more
Poor Goliath. The dry humor of his daily life as a low level army bureaucrat somehow endears you to him, instead of making you numb to the final act. Poor Goliath. The dry humor of his daily life as a low level army bureaucrat somehow endears you to him, instead of making you numb to the final act. I did not realize how much of a douche David may have been. Totally did not occur to me.
I've meant to read some of the other stuff Tom Gauld has been putting out in years past (like Giant Robot) but was always scared away by the price-to-content ratio. Well my loss. Turns out he's got a great sense of pacing and really beautiful, simple art. Reminds me a lot of Jason, but even more subdued. This is good, if slight, stuff. Now all of Tom Gauld's books seem to be listed for sale at ridiculous prices. I should've grabbed Giant Robot while it was still $16, now some jerk wants $75 for it. ...more
There's only one thing worth reading in here and it's by Kevin Huizenga. The rest is so much garbage. I was forcing myself through it by the end. ThisThere's only one thing worth reading in here and it's by Kevin Huizenga. The rest is so much garbage. I was forcing myself through it by the end. This just reinforces my feeling that comics anthologies are usually uneven at best, and often truly terrible. It's such a strong contrast with collections of prose fiction. The first two 20-page stories in the one I'm reading right now were worth the price of admission alone. Kramers Ergot does not justify its price at all.
I know it's unfair to write this whole series off based on the third and eighth installments, but that's exactly what I'm doing. I cannot understand what people enjoy about these weak stories or their awful art. Life's too short to keep wasting it on crappy comics anthologies. wtf do people like about these collections?...more
Great intro and fairly thrilling up until the end. As another reviewer pointed out, Ellis misses making an emotional build up to the climax, so it feeGreat intro and fairly thrilling up until the end. As another reviewer pointed out, Ellis misses making an emotional build up to the climax, so it feels flat and too fast. The other thing that bothers me the most is how "Hollywood" the characters are - in appearance, words and action which are all too cliché, especially the military commander and the rocket scientist.
But it's a great concept that's not executed to its full potential. ...more
I did enjoy this for the most part (hence the 3 stars), but I feel somewhat unsatisfied, like the author did after some encounters documented here. BrI did enjoy this for the most part (hence the 3 stars), but I feel somewhat unsatisfied, like the author did after some encounters documented here. Brown's dry and fairly plodding argument didnt put me off until the very end of the book. I actually went into this very much interested in being given some solid arguments for the legalization or decriminalization of prostitution, yet overall I came out feeling less amenable to the whole idea. I think it was good that someone else pointed out the possibility that Brown's experiences could be sort of best-case scenarios being that he lives in Canada and they can't possibly account for the same profession in other parts of the world. I ultimately have no problem with him paying for sex, but I am disappointed that his life experiences lead him to believe monogamous romantic love is a bad thing. I am completely willing to consider prostitution as not being a deplorable thing, but he seems adamant that romantic love is a farce. I don't think it's necessarily an either-or proposition, and I certainly don't think long-term monogamous relationships are as much the exception as he seems to.
The appendix at the end is kind of a lot. I'm sure it will be useful when this book is used in an academic setting, but it's overkill for a casual reading or even more serious reading.
It all comes off as a bit too much of a narrow, one-sided opinion from someone in the West with a clinical approach to love and sex. ...more
Fun little story. I wavered between 3 and 4 stars. Ramon Perez's art is fantastic and probably the perfect compliment to the story. I love a lot of JiFun little story. I wavered between 3 and 4 stars. Ramon Perez's art is fantastic and probably the perfect compliment to the story. I love a lot of Jim Henson stuff and this was completely enjoyable. It just felt a little slight. There's obviously layers of meaning and readers can ascribe a lot of depth to it, but for me it was just a pleasant excursion. It didn't resonate with me in any particular way. It's great this finally got some sort of wide release though. ...more
It pains me to say this but this book is not very good. I love Lovecraft, and most of Alan Moore's work, but this is mediocre at best, childish and reIt pains me to say this but this book is not very good. I love Lovecraft, and most of Alan Moore's work, but this is mediocre at best, childish and revolting at its worst.
It's got some overall ideas that are clever, but once the FBI agent is shot, everything becomes way too silly. The way the female agent acted and talked during the horrifying acts she was subjected to was goofy enough to take me totally out of it. Being a sex addict does not suffice to explain that kind of a reaction.
Unfortunately I don't enjoy everything Alan Moore writes and this is one I strongly recommend avoiding unless you're a die-hard completist....more
The art has its moments but the story is told horribly. It could've been great if Stevens had partnered with a stronger writer because his concept is The art has its moments but the story is told horribly. It could've been great if Stevens had partnered with a stronger writer because his concept is solid. I don't like it when people rate comics highly just, or primarily, for their art. I think that and nostalgia are the reasons this has gotten such high marks. ...more
I have always disliked Waid's characterization and dialog, well at least since his initial issues of Fantastic Four so many years ago, and this is jusI have always disliked Waid's characterization and dialog, well at least since his initial issues of Fantastic Four so many years ago, and this is just a bit better. But the big difference is that the plot at least has me wanting to read on to find out what happens. Partly because of its compelling concept but more for its rigid serialization.
There's only four issues per trade paperback and seven trades already. The recent release of the $75 hardcover only includes 12 issues. That's a bit too expensive for my tastes. But I've got to at least read the next collection to see what happens. ...more
Loading...
