Isaac
Fun but really really stupid.
Also really horny for a book that's supposed to satire the bad girls era of comics?
I mean it could have been good. It could have talked about the issues with it, such as how it overexaggerated women's proportions etc. etc. instead it decides to talk about how its ok to draw the character nude or in bdsm gear? its like yeah you can do that thats fine but you could have at least made some points about how that era was bad its marked as SATIRE, satire is supposed to critisize and ridicule. This is a parody not satire. Its a fun silly book and has a simple plot to follow but it missed a golden opportunity to subvert expectations but eh this is fine i gues
I mean I really don't know what to say maybe it's just too dark for me, I think it tells a story about how awful humanity is, but it makes it harder to pass this awfulness when the characters don't have to worry about law enforcement and when they're portrayed compassionately at times, this makes it quite difficult to establish just how evil they are, despite their upbringing.
Overall I don't think I liked it too much. I did think that her depiction of incels and incel culture as well as fringe areas of the internet were well done, and I appreciate the authors notes in the TPB. I did learn something, and while it might not have been as enjoyable as it was for me as more of a slog - there were some points I did like. But I don't know if it's worth your time, unless you want to see a pretty true to form depiction of these internet communities in terms of the people they contain. The abuse the protagonist feels might be able to be justified in later issues, but as of judging this single volume by itself, I think it needs some fleshing out.
This was good. It asks questions it gives some answers, it figures out some and leaves other tables unturned.
Ennis' use of foul language and over the top violence has never hit me as necessary or much of anything other than to be violent and crass, this book struck me as shoving as much offence into its pages over story, the story isn't awful but the over the top use and frankly not necessary use breaks its compulsion
A must read memoir, Kate Beaton's time on the oil sands is gripping, tragic, informative and powerful. Being the only woman in a hypermasculine environment just before the age of phones and social media. It's portrayed in such a truthful way about how sexism and sexual assault is managed in an environment where it is unfortunately commonplace. Under this narrative is the realisation that is reached by Kate that the oil sands operate on stolen lands. This book, like many books is supported and further added to in the afterword. Afterwords are incredibly underrated. Here is a long but valuable excerpt from it:
“I have seen many people quick to become defensive against the suggestion that gendered violence exists in places like the oil sands. They may either work there and are proud of the work they do and the livelihoods they support with it or they know and love men there, and are insulted by the insinuation of being lumped in either anything to do with something as abhorrent as sexual assault.” .. ”Gendered violence does happen when men outnumber women by as much as 50 to 1, as they can in the camps or the work sites. Of course it does. Of course this happens when the men are in isolation for long stretches of time, away from their families and relationships and communities, and completely resocialized in a camp and work environment like that of the oil sands. It does not matter how many decent people are there. I knew plenty of those.”
In the collectors edition there is an interview with the author at the end. This really helps bring out the story and makes it more interesting once you understand her vision for the narrative
Some very introspective stories, a truly fascinating and sad story of the cycles of drug and emotional abuse and the effects it has on people, you can't stop laughing at the ridiculous situations they're put in, but you also can't stop feeling extremely sad that they're in such awful living and mental states that this is what their lives come to. Simon Hanselmann is a genius, his works are so expressive and make you feel like an awful person and awful for what people go through and awful about what types of people there are while making you laugh at the same time
Definitely a weaker entry to Megg and Mogg, there were some bangers though about the band. Especially when Werewolf Jones and Megg just end up ripping into patrons of the bar that they were performing at, it was a lot of fun, but there are better entries into the universe than this book
The score would not have been repeated if it weren't for the collectors edition format. The interviews after the story really bring out aspects of the story in hindsight which really help with understanding the narrative and small things that are missed
I'm writing my review on the box set seeing as I read it in one day (partially to get it over with) this series was recommended to be as one of the best psychological horror manga. The idea of homunculi was an interesting idea that could have been expanded on in many ways. As the reader you become increasingly aware that you are seeing the story through the eyes of the antagonist, however I find the storytelling itself rather than the characters view point misogynistic and shallow.
1. Every male character spits misogynistic rhetoric whenever they are given the chance, in volumes 3-4 there is a horrific scene where the storytelling somehow makes it out like r*pe was healing. It was disgusting, dismissed and ignored later on in the story.
2. Shallow because the main character is supposed to be shallow but all other characters are given no depth, just stepping stones to the story. The end is also rushed however I did enjoy the end.
2/5 - for your sake, if you're going to read this, skip volume 3-4 you're not missing out. I guess it's similar to American psycho? But that may be a bit of a stretch
One of my favourite books of all time. It truly paved the way for what the graphic novel could be
Mignola's colourists always pull through and yet again we have that beautiful merging of his style and colour to pull this book through, colour is used to convey feelings so well in these books. And the plot was great, not my favourite Hellboy plot as it's very destiny heavy, however the unexpected turns that Hellboy takes makes it so interesting. Overall I loved this book, but it isn't getting 5 stars as I don't think it's on the same tier as the best books I've read.