Issue: #2
Release: May 2005
Writer and Artist: Chester Brown
Store: Drawn and Quarterly (Montreal)
Okay, so this one's pretty gross. I mean bodily-function-obsessed 15-year-old boy gross. There were frames I just didn't want to look at, story elements I just didn't want to follow. This book was my introduction to Chester Brown, a fairly big name in the industry. As I write this, I have three more Chester Brown books on a stack next to me and I'm not entirely sure I want to read them. My spoiler's not even for the faint of heart. You've been warned.
Turn back!
***SPOILER ALERT***
(Though really, if you still want to read the book after the sell I just gave it, I'm not sure my opinions will be worth much to you.)
I will admit upfront that I am quite squeamish about the fluids - especially blood, though that is not one of the substances featured prominently in this book. A medical profession could never have been a realistic career path for me. A severed hand figures prominently in the plot but that's not even my issue. The book begins with "The Man Who Couldn't Stop." I'll just let you wonder what it was he couldn't stop doing but it's potty humor taken to a revolting extreme. That's definitely not what I need from a comic book experience.
***END OF SPOILER***
My scavenger hunt was pretty straight-forward: find single-issue comic books off the rack with titles starting from A-Z. Go check out the rest of the participants in this year's A-Z challenge. The official site is here.
I'm not necessarily squeamish, but as I wrote on my student friendly blog, comics (for me) need to be escapist entertainment. I don't want heavy (usually) and I don't want unpleasant.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on all of the above. But as you know, I am squeamish. Loolilooliloo...
DeleteYipes, I suppose we all need our outlets. I enjoyed stumbling across your blog today. Please visit us at http://citymusecountrymuse2012.blogspot.com/ and sign up if you like what you see.
ReplyDeleteWe do need outlets. But as Mock suggests above, this is not the one I need.
DeleteI will happily visit. Thanks for stopping by!
I don't really mind blood as much as I mind other stuff - you know, poo and spew mostly. hehe. But I don't really seek out gory and/or "toilet humour" stuff on purpose.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I can virtually guarantee that you wouldn't like this one.
DeleteHahahahaha... Yeah, not sure I'd read this one. But the post was sublimely hilarious :D
ReplyDeleteThank you. This was actually the first post I wrote for the challenge - months ago. Thank you for stopping by.
DeleteHow funny. It makes me want to read this book.
ReplyDeleteHave at it, Michael! I'd be interested to know what you think.
DeleteThe title of the comic convinced me with this one, Squid.
ReplyDeleteYou can't say I didn't warn you!
DeleteIt sounds like there are some things that shouldn't be made into comic books.
ReplyDeleteA to Z Participant
Cherie Reich - Author and Surrounded by Books Reviews
Yeah, I could have done without this one.
DeleteSounds like it was made for a certain age group of boys then. Worse than South Park then?
ReplyDeleteInteresting comparison. No more gross than South Park at its worst, but nowhere near as funny to make up for it.
DeleteThanks for the warning!
ReplyDeleteIt's the least I can do.
DeleteI really admire your dedication here, Squid. My own A-Z is very focused on trying to turn people on to the artists that I'm most excited about. But as you said, not everyone marches to the same drumbeat. If you want to maximize the amount of quality material that the most readers will connect with (even if not all of that material is your cup of bodily fluids, as it were), your approach is the way to go.
ReplyDeleteI don't know. I think a wee bit of judgement crept into this one...
DeleteBut your larger point is well taken. Thank you. For what it's worth, I think what you're doing is great, too - more than one day to skin a badger, after all.
My kind of story. We seem to be a poddy humor family and I'm not sure why or how!!
ReplyDeleteConnie
A to Z buddy
Peanut Butter and Whine
Well, there's plenty of it here!
DeleteThank you for stopping by. I'll return the favor shortly.
I'm digging your theme. These are all comics I've never come across, of course, so it's cool to get your actual reactions to them as you're reading them the first time. Fun!
ReplyDeleteI don't know if you're anywhere near Montreal but Drawn & Quarterly is a wonderful store. They are online: www.drawnandquarterly.com. They have seemingly no end of fun, off-beat stuff.
DeleteOh. Wow. Diverse. I see I didn't comment on this one, so here goes. I think the cover art here is very interesting but the themes fail to entice.
ReplyDeleteI very much liked the Riel, was quite affected by side B of Underwater and am not enthralled, really, by the cover you featured today. That's very interesting that they all came from the same pen.
Well, the cover's not everything, of course. Today's cover's a misleading one, I feel. I thought it was a ghost attack or some such. In fact, they are wrestling.
DeleteIt looked a little zombie-esque in hue ...
DeleteYes, I would agree and I know how you feel about those. I have the collected book - called "I Never Liked You" - on the to-read stack at the moment. I should get to it before long. I'm keen to see if my interest holds.
Delete