Scan barcode
uosdwisrdewoh's review
3.0
This reissued collection of Panter’s work with this punk-rock/sci-fi character, collecting one-pagers from punk magazines as well as more ambitious work of later years, is a mixed bag, but it’s unfortunately somewhat less than the sum of its parts—with the caveat that some of those parts are phenomenal. Most of this book is made up of uneven material that tries to straddle the line between gag strip and fine art but never really finds purchase in either realm, so you end up with raw looking pages that aren’t particularly funny. The last stories in the book, though, are a searing indictment of nuclear weapons, climaxing with an extraordinary sequence that’s essentially a punk-rock comix version of Guernica. Here, Panter’s comix/high-art hybrid works amazingly well. Alas, it’s only a few pages in this collection, but it definitely makes the book worth a look and nearly justifies the full cover price on its own.
Like a lot of Panter’s work, this is easier to admire than to outright enjoy. Still, I’m grateful to NYRB Comics for reissuing it with Nicole Rudick’s afterword which puts the somewhat befuddling preceding pages into context.
Like a lot of Panter’s work, this is easier to admire than to outright enjoy. Still, I’m grateful to NYRB Comics for reissuing it with Nicole Rudick’s afterword which puts the somewhat befuddling preceding pages into context.
counterfeitchocolatecoin's review
5.0
One of the best comics I’ve read. It’s visually and formally inventive and genuinely affecting; the art style is always changing and the story propels from humor to discomfort to tragedy with beautiful momentum. Gary Panter is truly innovative
New York Review Comics did a beautiful job with this edition: oversized pages, well-printed, and with an informative Afterward that includes some cool archival images.
New York Review Comics did a beautiful job with this edition: oversized pages, well-printed, and with an informative Afterward that includes some cool archival images.
More...