Chantal is having a relationship with a sentence. Just one of those things. A chance meeting that grew into something important for the both of the
Chantal is having a relationship with a sentence. Just one of those things. A chance meeting that grew into something important for the both of them.
Solidly satisfying adaptation of one of my favourite graphic novels! This was a delightful way to revisit Dream.
This first volume tells, mostly, the tale of Morpheus (the powerful personification of dream) after he escapes a decades-long captivity. He must, in a quest-type fashion, regain his objects of power, muster his strength, and begin setting the long neglected Dreaming back into order. It is dark and gritty and so much fun.
While I generally feel that nothing could match the original graphic novel presentation, Gaiman and the team involved clearly put a huge amount of careful effort into this iteration and it shows. I'd absolutely recommend it all around (to adult audiences), and most especially for curious readers who don't love comics.
So very pleased to have this in my audiobook collection....more
I have nothing but questions after reading this super short first volume, but they are the “ermagerd I need to know what is going on!” type of questioI have nothing but questions after reading this super short first volume, but they are the “ermagerd I need to know what is going on!” type of questions. I’m so very intrigued. It’s available to read here https://imagecomics.com/read/paper-girls but if you’re anything like me, you’ll want to go spend a bunch of money on the rest of the series immediately after. I resisted, for what it’s worth, but it’ll happen someday, I’m sure!
Fair warning, this is set in the eighties, and not all of the the ‘nostalgia’ is of the happy sort. Decade-prevalent slurs are certainly present. ...more
Oh my god this was ridiculous! Pointless! Surprisingly technical! Amazing!!
No big descriptors here. There are library police. A book theft. It’s drawnOh my god this was ridiculous! Pointless! Surprisingly technical! Amazing!!
No big descriptors here. There are library police. A book theft. It’s drawn brilliantly in a library. Only two books were menaced. And there is a phenomenal chase scene involving a card catalog that it is now my life goal to physically recreate.
This is a big, gorgeous collection that I'm delighted to have been gifted.
I'm at that that interesting stage where I remember the first four novels ofThis is a big, gorgeous collection that I'm delighted to have been gifted.
I'm at that that interesting stage where I remember the first four novels of Stephen King's Dark Tower series in only the broadest strokes, so I was coming at this omnibus with a bit of born-again purity. The upside was that I really didn't have a set standard of expectations, and was able to feel it up as its own story.
Roland's saga is, at this point, pretty immense. The broad strokes say that he is the last of the great Gunslingers, on a seemingly unending and cyclical quest to find the Dark Tower and face his nemesis, the Man in Black. The Dark Tower Omnibus shows us Roland as his quest was just beginning. Borrowing some flashbacks and historical events from King's novels, Roland's early history is brought to life, starting just as he himself was earning the title of Gunslinger. The entire story is tragic, full of conflict and loss and gives great feeling to the motivations that drive Roland.
I think this is a fabulous addition to any fan's collection, but I also think it truly stands on it's own as an introduction to King's main line of work. It doesn't really feel like King's writing, but it does feel like his story, if that makes any sort of sense; and ultimately, the fresh voices worked well here. The art is consistently smooth and on point, and many panels are stand-out awesome. There is a definite polish to the execution here: the story is seamless and driving, with not a continuity error in sight. It felt like an ode to the original story-line, an homage to it's mythology, and it seems meticulous in it's praise.
The collection contains the graphic novels "The Gunslinger Born" through to "Battle of Jericho Hill", and spans roughly 10 years in Roland's early life. The Companion book is also a thing of beauty, and shows just how much of a labour of love the graphic novel process was. It includes a schwack of alternate art, and short stories and articles on various subjects from within the Dark Tower world. It's a treasure trove of interviews and world-building backstory; a true gift for the hard-core fans. I'm not, myself, necessarily hard-core, but I'm re-interested in the Dark Tower world, and may have to pay it a visit again soon....more
A reimagining of today’s Marvel superheros in the year 1602! As a plot description, the novel needs little else, and the exercise is as fun as it sounA reimagining of today’s Marvel superheros in the year 1602! As a plot description, the novel needs little else, and the exercise is as fun as it sounds. There are hundreds of ways this could have turned out, and Gaiman and his team went a fun, thoughtful and darkish route that manages to combine some of the familiar overarching storylines (like the enmity between Professor X and Magneto) with new opportunities that occur because of the time period and the politics and limitations inherent therein. It’s gorgeous throughout, with the covers being particularly outstanding.
There are a couple of things that are worthy of specific note, in my mind:
In the afterword, telling the story of the story - how the comic came to be- Gaiman states
“And then September 11 happened, and while I wasn’t certain what I wanted in there, I suddenly knew what I didn’t want. No planes. No skyscrapers. No bombs. No guns. I didn’t want it to be a war story, and I didn’t want to write a story in which might made right- or in which might made anything.”
That’s a lofty goal in a series containing some of the most powerful heroes in the Marvel universe, but they pull it off well. There’s a certain charm in a story that has conflict aplenty, and minimal bloodshed. There’s actual magic in a story that does it without you missing that violence at all. I appreciate that a lot. It turns out that not all superhero stories have to resolve with bloody smashy-smash and swathes of destruction. (I know there are others! It just doesn’t seem to be the rising trend. Sometimes a story is thoughtful because it because it bucks current convention. )
And the other thing. This is one of my favourite panels in the entire novel:
[image]
This encapsulates a feeling I get from all Gaiman stories. I love it, and the very profound sense of almost spiritual comfort it lends to the idea of Story itself.
I’m delighted to have read this, and to have it in my collection....more
Michelle F
>
Books:
graphic-novel
(10)
Loading...
