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manwithanagenda's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Chadwick again makes what with others would have sunk into a polemical tract into an engaging graphic novel. This time he takes a long look at population growth.
Concrete is made an offer he can't refuse - in return for a sought-after painting he must endorse a CEOs program to stem population growth. Briefly, the program incentivizes young professional couples to voluntarily have themselves sterilized. This is, of course, controversial. The "Human Dilemma" explores how Concrete, having no choice in reproduction, can become a spokesman for such a cause, however important, as well as the various arguments for and against population control and where education and funding can best be put to use.
I'm still not wholly on-board with how interpersonal relationships of Concrete, Larry and Maureen developed, but the results make a lot of sense. Over thirty years and a slew of issues the characters are remarkably consistent and continue to live in the real world. Chadwick's work is honest, heart-wrenchingly earnest and incredibly funny when it wants to be. It also forces its readers to consider the uncomfortable truths of 21st century living. I hope more people discover this series, because it has been a real eye-opener.
Concrete
Next: 'Concrete: Three Uneasy Pieces'
Previous: 'Concrete, Vol. 6: Strange Armor'
Concrete is made an offer he can't refuse - in return for a sought-after painting he must endorse a CEOs program to stem population growth. Briefly, the program incentivizes young professional couples to voluntarily have themselves sterilized. This is, of course, controversial. The "Human Dilemma" explores how Concrete, having no choice in reproduction, can become a spokesman for such a cause, however important, as well as the various arguments for and against population control and where education and funding can best be put to use.
I'm still not wholly on-board with how interpersonal relationships of Concrete, Larry and Maureen developed, but the results make a lot of sense. Over thirty years and a slew of issues the characters are remarkably consistent and continue to live in the real world. Chadwick's work is honest, heart-wrenchingly earnest and incredibly funny when it wants to be. It also forces its readers to consider the uncomfortable truths of 21st century living. I hope more people discover this series, because it has been a real eye-opener.
Concrete
Next: 'Concrete: Three Uneasy Pieces'
Previous: 'Concrete, Vol. 6: Strange Armor'
nharkins's review
5.0
during the last volume, i couldn't help but think the art is a little like jack chick,
whose ridiculousness has amused many athiests like myself. (although ironically,
i must give jack chick some credit for his design aesthetic/form factor of
his "tracts": i feel like there's bits of a marketing genius in there somewhere)
but there's more than the occasional art style in common: concrete is preachy.
normally, that would absolutely turn me off, but chadwick is quite rational,
and *isn't afraid to discuss the downsides to the extremes of his side
of a debate* --something the outspoken religious should do!
(you think it'd be easy for a religious person to say "i don't know,
because i'm human, but god does!", but no: the loudest ones claim
to know everything, because "god told them", or some other bullshit.)
anyway, at the same time the author was crafting fiction to bring awareness
of overpopulation, i was attending a long now lecture which surprisingly
indicated that we had already crested, and rates are *decreasing* significantly:
2004-02: the depopulation problem
this is not to say that we're not still killing our environment, and the other dooms
that chadwick foresees aren't happening (triple negative, i.e. *they* *are*),
but i'd like it a little more if chadwick was a little less er, "concrete" in his position,
as opponents to such a message thrive on discrediting the entire message when
one little bit turns out to be different that forecasted. just as in the many debates
in which the main character participates in this volume.
even if you don't agree with him 100%, still some great storytelling here,
in particular: weaving multiple variations on the same theme (the extremist
position, the opposition's, concrete's physiological changes, larry's situation).
whose ridiculousness has amused many athiests like myself. (although ironically,
i must give jack chick some credit for his design aesthetic/form factor of
his "tracts": i feel like there's bits of a marketing genius in there somewhere)
but there's more than the occasional art style in common: concrete is preachy.
normally, that would absolutely turn me off, but chadwick is quite rational,
and *isn't afraid to discuss the downsides to the extremes of his side
of a debate* --something the outspoken religious should do!
(you think it'd be easy for a religious person to say "i don't know,
because i'm human, but god does!", but no: the loudest ones claim
to know everything, because "god told them", or some other bullshit.)
anyway, at the same time the author was crafting fiction to bring awareness
of overpopulation, i was attending a long now lecture which surprisingly
indicated that we had already crested, and rates are *decreasing* significantly:
2004-02: the depopulation problem
this is not to say that we're not still killing our environment, and the other dooms
that chadwick foresees aren't happening (triple negative, i.e. *they* *are*),
but i'd like it a little more if chadwick was a little less er, "concrete" in his position,
as opponents to such a message thrive on discrediting the entire message when
one little bit turns out to be different that forecasted. just as in the many debates
in which the main character participates in this volume.
even if you don't agree with him 100%, still some great storytelling here,
in particular: weaving multiple variations on the same theme (the extremist
position, the opposition's, concrete's physiological changes, larry's situation).
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