sigh Tom King's Animal Pound is a thinly veiled reflection of our current political environment. Through an Animal Farm-style narrative where the animsigh Tom King's Animal Pound is a thinly veiled reflection of our current political environment. Through an Animal Farm-style narrative where the animals take control of the pound, King demonstrates what happens when good-intentioned political decisions lead to a charismatic, idiotic, populist, power-hungry ruler. Perhaps you can picture such a person.
It's Tom King, so it's expertly contrived, building slowly but surely to the terrible conclusion. Interestingly, King continues the narrative beyond the "fascist regime is in place forever" point, showing how, in such a scenario, the populace might ultimately welcome the cage.
Again: sigh
The artwork is fantastic in its realism, showing cats, dogs, and bunnies of all shapes and sizes. It's fairly static, though, and King's relentless narration and dense dialogue basically mean you're reading a prose novel. You might, like me, find yourself reading a few pages without actually noticing the art....more
Maria Bamford and Scott Marvel Cassidy's relationship as narrated by their collection of aged small dogs (mostly pugs). It's exactly as goofy and out Maria Bamford and Scott Marvel Cassidy's relationship as narrated by their collection of aged small dogs (mostly pugs). It's exactly as goofy and out there as you'd expect from Maria Bamford. I'm a fan of her comedy, so I enjoyed my time with this quick read, but it's certainly not going to hit with anyone else.
Honestly, it felt a little bit more like a book where the authors wanted to create a psuedo-obituary for their dogs, and then shoehorned the relationship stuff in to sell it....more
I recall reading this graphic novel closer to the original publication date (2009), very early in my exploration of "picture" books, and being totallyI recall reading this graphic novel closer to the original publication date (2009), very early in my exploration of "picture" books, and being totally blown away by the work. The vivid artwork, constantly shifting in form and function; the dual timelines of the story; the fascinating character construction and deconstruction of the titular architect/narcissist. Likely, Asterios Polyp is a large part of what kept drawing me to that one shelf in the library with all the oddly sized books on it.
Reading it again 15 years later, I see again why I liked it so much. The story pulls you along effortlessly as we switch between Asterios in love and Asterios rebuilding his life post-love. The many small vignettes in the book are smartly illustrated - truly, the artwork is the star. All that said, on this readthrough, I couldn't help but note the heavy-handedness of some elements, particularly the many dream sequences involving Asterios's unborn twin.
Still! A stunner that any graphic novel fan should pick up, if only for the sparkling creativity on the page....more
I haven't read any of Dykes to Watch Out For, but that didn't stop me from falling in love with Spent. We're dropped into a lightly fictionalized VermI haven't read any of Dykes to Watch Out For, but that didn't stop me from falling in love with Spent. We're dropped into a lightly fictionalized Vermont where Alison and her partner Holli raise goats (Holli) and try to stave off existential despair and concern about being a high-earning creative while hardworking doers are barely getting by (Alison). The fiction part is mostly in the TV series that's being made of Alison's memoir about her father (shades of Fun Home) and the band of friends in a nearby commune house (likely the titular dykes I'm unfamiliar with).
Episodic in nature, Spent follows along as Alison tries to sell a new book and affairs in the commune house get a bit topsy-turvy. There's humorous narration and humorous banter and quite a bit of gentle ribbing at the far-left's many hills to die on. Overall, there's a wonderful sense of love and affection for the place and community. Can I move in?
I guess I have to go back and read those Dykes to Watch Out For comics now....more
Vintage Mike Mignola, even if it's completely unrelated to Hellboy. We're dropped into a strange, vaguely medieval landscape where all sorts of odd adVintage Mike Mignola, even if it's completely unrelated to Hellboy. We're dropped into a strange, vaguely medieval landscape where all sorts of odd adventures are afoot. Through a handful of tales, Mignola gently builds the world while leaving plenty of room for future ideas.
Of course, the artwork is stunning and the main reason to pick this up. But I'd say the goofy little stories are just as striking in their creativity. I'm totally enamored and can't wait for more....more
Another biography of a film book, but it lacks the verve and creativity of Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M., instead focusing closely on the process of creating PAnother biography of a film book, but it lacks the verve and creativity of Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M., instead focusing closely on the process of creating Psycho. The details are detailed, particularly when it comes to something memorable, like the shower scene. Pages and pages and pages about how Saul Bass was involved (and tried to take credit) and editors used jump cuts (rare back then!) and the composer thought up those screechy stabby musical notes. It's all very interesting in aggregate, but it's easy to lose interest periodically.
I did appreciate that the author covered both the original Psycho book's creation, as well as Ed Gein himself. Very weird for such a widely known cultural product to be so closely tied to a gruesome serial killer. What does that say about our interests? Yeesh....more
The Mythmakers is an invigorating and enlightening dual biography of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. John Hendrix covers both their early lives, their The Mythmakers is an invigorating and enlightening dual biography of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. John Hendrix covers both their early lives, their wartime experiences, and their time together, from the Inklings to their eventual psuedo-breakup. Hendrix uses a mix of prose text and comics to tell the tale, which is also narrated by a wizard (Tolkien stand-in) and lion (Lewis stand-in) who frequently delve into deeper topics, like "what are myths?"
If that all sounds like a lot, it is. Yet, the reading adventure that Hendrix takes you on (and it is an adventure) is never anything less than compelling. There are certain moments that ring a bit of hagiography, and Lewis's exploration of faith and Tolkien's Catholicism are covered in striking detail, but the overall reading experience is like a person bursting with joy that they've finally got ahold of you and boy howdy do they have a story to tell.
All that without even noting the artwork, which is terrifically detailed and endlessly creative. I would love to snuggle into an Oxford pub with the Inklings, or travel the uncanny fantasy landscape of the narrators.
I really enjoyed Hendrix's previous mixed-media non-fiction work, The Faithful Spy, but The Mythmakers feels far more like the story he was born to tell. I can forgive some light proselytizing because the book is otherwise just so good. You don't even have to like Lewis and Tolkien to enjoy this: you just have to enjoy books and friendship....more
A jaunty, gossipy history of the Breakfast at Tiffany's film that covers all the bases in enchanting fashion. Audrey Hepburn is the star of the show, A jaunty, gossipy history of the Breakfast at Tiffany's film that covers all the bases in enchanting fashion. Audrey Hepburn is the star of the show, obviously, but there's a great deal of Truman Capote and Blake Edwards here too, not to mention the various producers and costume designers and assorted movie folk.
Really, just a terrifically fun read that flies by. It'll make you want to watch the film, and also make you wish every major movie had a similar short, sweet, and salty biography....more
A glorious graphic adaptation that plays to that genre's strengths: namely, the art in The Hidden Life of Trees is stunning. Some of the full page desA glorious graphic adaptation that plays to that genre's strengths: namely, the art in The Hidden Life of Trees is stunning. Some of the full page designs could hang on the wall, but even the more quotidian scenes showing the author's life are gorgeous and full of life. There's a hint of Bill Watterson there that I loved.
So, the art is good, but what about the text? Also strong! There's a ton of fascinating information about trees here, almost too much to handle. I particularly loved all the ways that trees and forests are revealed to be families, using intertwined roots and mycellium networks, as well as aerosole indicators, to communicate. The book also does a great job of showing how trees move on a different timeline from humans, something we repeatedly fail to (or refuse to) grasp.
That said, much of the text is taken up with climate change whinging, which, while very real, detracts from the fascinating science stuff. Just as soon as you learn a cool fact about a tree, you learn that basically every tree in an urban environment is sad and slowly dying. And that almost all our primary forests are gone (and those are the ones that matter). The original author, Peter Wohlleben, does seem to have written The Hidden Life of Trees from something of a dark place (his work was hurting him in several ways), and I think that's obvious from the text. There's just so much sadness and despair here, it really undercuts the beauty of the forest. (There's probably some kind of "seeing the forest for the trees" metaphor here, but I'll leave that one aside)
Overall, an often stunning and eye-opening reading experience that's tempered by the author's outrage at humanity....more
Setting aside the absurd premise, Batman: Off-World is a fantastic cosmic adventure for the Great Cowled One. The cold open finds Batman crash landingSetting aside the absurd premise, Batman: Off-World is a fantastic cosmic adventure for the Great Cowled One. The cold open finds Batman crash landing on an alien slaver ship with his sole purpose being: beat up the main slaver guy who is the same type of alien as an opponent who beat him up on Earth. Because then he'll know how to beat that type of alien. (Again: absurd!)
Okay, okay, past that, though, Batman meets a sassy ally/lover and a humorous robot companion. And he beats the guy... but discovers that there's more battles to fight in this corner of the universe, so he sticks around for better (and for worse). Batman's journey mostly features him brooding (he literally calls himself out on it in the book), punching, and getting absolutely walloped. But perhaps the best part of Off-World is that Batman is kind of a secondary character in the narrative. Like, he's the main thrust, but he's dragging along all these other interesting characters too.
Long story short: Off-World is a Batman book that fully fits with the guy's vibe while also venturing down amazingly fun new paths. I would definitely read more in this pocket universe....more
A beautiful adaptation that sweeps you across the down and into the adventures of a band of rabbits. That said: Watership Down is one of those foundatA beautiful adaptation that sweeps you across the down and into the adventures of a band of rabbits. That said: Watership Down is one of those foundational texts and it shows a bit. The politics and infighting among societies of rabbits might have been thrilling when the book was first published, but now it seems quaint. I explained to my wife: "Great read, but there were no surprises." Everything in Watership Down has since been done a million times.
Not that that should take away from the book! And this adaptation offers wonderful visuals, which certainly add to the experience (though it can be hard to tell some of the rabbits apart or identify who is speaking). James Sturm does a fine job of distilling the narrative. It's a hefty tome that satifies... but it's not going to blow any minds for first-timers....more
I read the original Wizard of Earthsea a million years ago and didn't think much of it, probably being more in tune with the Harry Potters of the worlI read the original Wizard of Earthsea a million years ago and didn't think much of it, probably being more in tune with the Harry Potters of the world, not the old-fashioned wizardry that required patience, sacrifice, and a lot of quiet reflection. Thank goodness this graphic adaptation came along to make me revisit the series. Turns out, it wasn't really meant for kids!
I mean, kids should still read it, but the tales of Ged becoming a wizard unfold slowly and thoughtfully, rarely broken up by a sudden burst of action. Mostly, the book is about Ged making a foolish, prideful choice early in his magic career and then spending a long time and many lonely journeys addressing the evil he's let into the world. It takes patience from the reader to follow along.
Fred Fordham's adaptation distills the story smartly - the pacing is smooth and engaging. His art is...sometimes evocative, sometimes a bit too much like bad CGI (character expressions especially can be rough)....more
Another Jeff Lemire series, you know exactly what you're getting into (small towns, family issues, *~*cosmic mysteries*~*) and, once again, it's a fanAnother Jeff Lemire series, you know exactly what you're getting into (small towns, family issues, *~*cosmic mysteries*~*) and, once again, it's a fantastic start. Theresa burned a lot of bridges when she left her hometown, but now she's back to support her dying mother and her psychic business. Theresa's a traditional Lemire grump, hard to love and continuing to burn every bridge. But when she reluctantly reads the cards for someone, she's pulled into an alternate reality that might in some way be related to her grandfather (and spooky ghosts too, of course).
Lemire's evocative art matches perfectly to the story's flimsy grasp on reality. It's a very compelling package that (hopefully this time) builds to a logical conclusion. Looking forward to more!...more
Margalit Fox unpacks a relatively small incident in English criminal history and Arthur Conan Doyle's life into an interesting investigation of those Margalit Fox unpacks a relatively small incident in English criminal history and Arthur Conan Doyle's life into an interesting investigation of those larger topics. In the early 1900s, a wealthy Glasgow woman was murdered and a foreign Jew was fingered as the murderer, even though it was eminently obvious from the evidence that he didn't do it. Surprisingly, Conan Doyle took up the man's case and, through his efforts and others, the man went free.
As part of this story, Fox covers Victorian criminology, the racism/xenophobia that ran rampant in those times, and the English penal system. Of course, she also gives a decent potted biography of Conan Doyle and his interests. The pieces all tie together nicely and the book sails along pleasantly. I could have done without the lengthy verbatim letters between Oscar Slater and his family, but I suppose they're intended to give some life to a man who would otherwise be forgotten by history....more
I'll note upfront that the five-star rating might be a product of where I read You Belong Here: during a powerful, free outdoor symphony concert whileI'll note upfront that the five-star rating might be a product of where I read You Belong Here: during a powerful, free outdoor symphony concert while sipping from a big glass of red wine. So, I was ready to be in my feels.
But I do think You Belong Here would be great under any circumstances. It's a fairly standard coming of age tale that's extremely well put together, from the evocative blue-scale art to the smart storytelling choices. As the book begins, Essie is starting senior year on a down note: her best friend is now in college, her brother's in rehab, and her relationship with her boyfriend is rocky, so she's simply ready to move on from the year and get to theater school in NYC. Affairs naturally get worse from there, then briefly better, then worse again, then better, etc. etc. The book is a roller coaster of emotions!
You Belong Here really accurately touched on a huge number of important elements of high school's senior year. You feel like your life is just about to begin and you have to pick the pathway that will define you. But there are still day-to-day things, like new loves and old flames and maintaining friendships and struggling with a family that's not talking about what it should be talking about. You Belong Here covers all of this and more, quickly and completely, so much so that you might just miss an entire concert because you can't take your eyes off the page....more
I'm digging the decompressed nature of this Ultimate Black Panther series, but this volume might be a bit too slow. All that really happens is: KillmoI'm digging the decompressed nature of this Ultimate Black Panther series, but this volume might be a bit too slow. All that really happens is: Killmonger and Storm go find the Ultimate Sorecer(ess) Supreme and Black Panther struggles with whether he should kill Ra and Khonshu (and maybe is being whispered to by sentient vibranium).
There's a lot of "which is better: a God or a king?" yammering, which I suppose fits with the subtitle but doesn't really further the plot or generate excitement. The artwork is still stellar and, with its decompressed nature, the book really moves. Definitely a middle volume, though, as the big fight is cut off mid-scene at the end....more
A male gunslinger and a female samurai are killed on opposite sides of the world, then both wash up on the shore of a mysterious island alongside a heA male gunslinger and a female samurai are killed on opposite sides of the world, then both wash up on the shore of a mysterious island alongside a heap of other corpses. Except they're still alive and the island is filled with monsters.
Is this Lost? Basically yes, but it somehow makes even less sense than that TV show. We never really learn who our two main characters are or what's up with the island and its inhabitants. Then the last issue sees the gunslinger die and go somewhere even weirder for a brief time.
It's nonsense, essentially, and not even pretty nonsense with Garry Brown's rough-hewn art. Maybe it would make sense with a few more volumes on hand, but this intro volume is certainly not enough to grab my interest....more
A powerful look at the author's postpartum depression experience following the birth of her daughter. While it's nice to see her find help and eventuaA powerful look at the author's postpartum depression experience following the birth of her daughter. While it's nice to see her find help and eventually recover, the parts of Dear Scarlet that stick with me are the author's awful labor and delivery experience. A truly damning indictment of the hospital she gave birth in!...more
A breezy bio of Chris Farley by his brother that covers the basics (born in Madison, acted out as a kid, found sports, found comedy, stardom) without A breezy bio of Chris Farley by his brother that covers the basics (born in Madison, acted out as a kid, found sports, found comedy, stardom) without offering much depth. The goofy artwork fits the comic vibe, but makes this feel like a kids book. As a Madisonian, I appreciated a few of the geographical deep cuts (hey, I've been to Lodi!)....more
So strange to jump back in time to late 2000s X-Men, but I guess this is where the rest of the X-Men were during War of Kings, so it sort of makes senSo strange to jump back in time to late 2000s X-Men, but I guess this is where the rest of the X-Men were during War of Kings, so it sort of makes sense. I'll never get used to seeing Cyclops and Emma Frost as an item, though. Blegh!
This first collection is all over the place, both in terms of storytelling and with the artwork. Cyclops sets up shop for the X-Men in San Francisco after they've been hounded out of basically everywhere else. Quickly, what was simply supposed to be a new home for a few X-folks becomes an X-city, which naturally mean foes arrive in force.
One of those foes is Magneto (totally forgot he was a big villain once), though he's quickly dispatched ((view spoiler)[to space, where he's working with the High Evolutionary to restore his mutant abilities (hide spoiler)]). Other foes include a local gang run by Empath and the Red Queen. That devolves into a convoluted saga where the Red Queen aka Madelyne Pryor builds a team of villainous babes to resurrect dead mutants (welcome back Betsy Braddock aka Psylocke). Can't say I loved any of that story.
The better pieces of this volume revolve around Beast gathering smart mutants who can help him figure out what's going on with the X-gene post M-Day (probably should have read that comic first). Colussus's battle with his past was a decent character piece. Plus, it's always engaging to watch the X-Men interact and slowly build a new mutant society, even if they're constantly being interrupted by silly battles.
Now, the art. Terry Dodson works on the middle of the book, and that stuff looks fantastic. Greg Land starts and finishes the collection, though, and boyyy now I get why everyone hates him. It's that photorealism of Salvador Larrocca, except everyone's super-duper sexy.
I guess I'll read the next complete collections, but I did sort of expect this to be better....more