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geekwayne's review against another edition
5.0
'Pop Gun War: Gift' by Farel Dalrymple was one of the more unusual graphic novels I've read lately. That means I liked it quite a lot.
In a very unusual city (called The City), there are a very different group of people. A young boy named Sinclair finds a pair of discarded wings and uses them to fly. His sister Emily is in a rock band. There's a down on his luck guy named Addison, and a floating goldfish with glasses named Percy. There are others and they come and go in the series of stories here.
It's hard to describe this comic. The stories take place in a city like we know, but there are fantastical elements also which remind me about things like Little Nemo and Oz. There is wonder and sadness, compassion and anger. There is a story about Emily's band being pursued by someone who wants to make them famous, and one about the children of the city being taken and mesmerized. The stories are strange and wonderful as is the art. There are characters in bow ties and top hats. The city is grimy and dirty and somehow magical.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Image Comics, Diamond Book Distributors, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
In a very unusual city (called The City), there are a very different group of people. A young boy named Sinclair finds a pair of discarded wings and uses them to fly. His sister Emily is in a rock band. There's a down on his luck guy named Addison, and a floating goldfish with glasses named Percy. There are others and they come and go in the series of stories here.
It's hard to describe this comic. The stories take place in a city like we know, but there are fantastical elements also which remind me about things like Little Nemo and Oz. There is wonder and sadness, compassion and anger. There is a story about Emily's band being pursued by someone who wants to make them famous, and one about the children of the city being taken and mesmerized. The stories are strange and wonderful as is the art. There are characters in bow ties and top hats. The city is grimy and dirty and somehow magical.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Image Comics, Diamond Book Distributors, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
ogreart's review against another edition
2.0
I cannot deny the intricate detail of the artwork in this book. It is amazing. I only wish that the story were half so detailed. I really could not make heads nor tails of what was going on. I kept reading, hoping eventually it would all come together, but it never did.
I was left with the impression of some kind of struggle between good and evil, but maybe I was just imposing my own worldview on this. I guess surrealism isn't my thing.
I received an electronic ARC of this book from Neutrally.com in exchange for an honest review.
I was left with the impression of some kind of struggle between good and evil, but maybe I was just imposing my own worldview on this. I guess surrealism isn't my thing.
I received an electronic ARC of this book from Neutrally.com in exchange for an honest review.
fireth's review against another edition
3.0
Not sure how I feel of this book. The story was kinda all over the place so I continue reading it without trying to map the stories to the characters. Even though the story is messy, it is an interesting story.
Special thanks to NetGalley, for providing a free copy from the publisher, in return for an honest review.
Special thanks to NetGalley, for providing a free copy from the publisher, in return for an honest review.
daisysbookmusings's review against another edition
2.0
Strange and kind of hard to figure out, the story cut between different timelines but usually that shows an event that's happening to the main character (which in this case is Emily) but instead, it cuts to random characters Dalrymple has decided to create and so the story loses focus on Emily. From looking at the book cover in the shop I had thought the book would be a graphic novel that was weird and wonderful with some punk and girl power thrown in but I was left with an unsettling story with lizard people and robot astronauts.
crookedtreehouse's review against another edition
4.0
There's a scene early on in Chain Letter, where a young girl watches monsters climb down a ladder into the sewer, and wonders why she would possibly follow them down there into the unknown when there are no more monsters in the area she's currently in. She follows them down for the adventure, and to experience things she hasn't experienced before. This is precisely why you should read Pop Gun War.
The plot of this book isn't very important. It's difficult to follow in the sense that I couldn't describe to you precisely what happens and why, but it's not Distractingly Hard To Follow. You just have to go along with the weird ride.
On a scale of one to ten, the art is about a twelve. [a:Farel Dalrymple|255282|Farel Dalrymple|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1352242551p2/255282.jpg]'s cartoony faces and line work are super consistent but what intrigues me so much about his art is how he chooses to use (or, sometimes, not use) colors, and how he fluctuates between panels crammed with details and spare panels with no backgrounds.
If you're looking for a weird little science-fiction book with gorgeous art, definitely pick this up.
The plot of this book isn't very important. It's difficult to follow in the sense that I couldn't describe to you precisely what happens and why, but it's not Distractingly Hard To Follow. You just have to go along with the weird ride.
On a scale of one to ten, the art is about a twelve. [a:Farel Dalrymple|255282|Farel Dalrymple|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1352242551p2/255282.jpg]'s cartoony faces and line work are super consistent but what intrigues me so much about his art is how he chooses to use (or, sometimes, not use) colors, and how he fluctuates between panels crammed with details and spare panels with no backgrounds.
If you're looking for a weird little science-fiction book with gorgeous art, definitely pick this up.
ljrinaldi's review against another edition
2.0
I must not be doing the right drugs for this story. I read the words, I watch the action, but it all makes no sense, and I'm sure the author has a point. Bad is bad and greed is evil, and the innocent are good?
Damned if I know.
There is a boy with wings.
There is a floating fish.
There is a giant the grows larger.
And I have spent far too much time talking about this book.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
Damned if I know.
There is a boy with wings.
There is a floating fish.
There is a giant the grows larger.
And I have spent far too much time talking about this book.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
btmarino84's review against another edition
4.0
Urban Fantasy Magical Realism.
At times I wished the characters or narrative hung together a bit more (it's a loose, dreamlike structure with a lot of poetic rambles) but it's beautiful art and clearly a personal vision of a city that isn't real but that the author still lives in.
Was real happy to see a new installment of it in the newest issue of Island. It was very beautiful and shows how Dalrymple has come as an artist and storyteller but returning to an old world.
At times I wished the characters or narrative hung together a bit more (it's a loose, dreamlike structure with a lot of poetic rambles) but it's beautiful art and clearly a personal vision of a city that isn't real but that the author still lives in.
Was real happy to see a new installment of it in the newest issue of Island. It was very beautiful and shows how Dalrymple has come as an artist and storyteller but returning to an old world.
gen_wolfhailstorm's review against another edition
3.0
I received this through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
I give this a 3.5 stars. (The fact that I couldn't grasp exactly what this was about, gives it a slightly lower sitting on the 3.5 ''fence'').
So, the really decent rating may come across as a shock seeing as I didn't really understand what was going on. I would class this as some form of bizarre fiction, about a young boy called Sinclair, who takes a pair of discarded angel wings and goes on his day to day adventures with them. I will say that I found the Netgalley description to give way too much away. It almost felt like a review in it's structure and spoke about a few things I would have much preferred to have read about myself, but in saying that, it is such an intricately odd story that I found myself having an entirely different experience than what the synopsis might suggest. And as we're talking about the synopsis, even the vague and simple one on Goodreads is very vague in what this graphic novel actually has in store for you. It mentions some wonderful themes that even with my basic understanding stood out to me, and I think that's one of the main reasons this book emotionally meant a fair bit to me and why I ultimately liked it a lot.
The world, although extremely interesting and oddly fantastical, was so strange! A lot of what was going on didn't make much sense to me and I think this could be something that I should read over a few times. Even if I don't ever understand it, I still know I'll continue to appreciate it, because there's something about it that just warms me inside. I reckon there was some (probably obvious to other people) points about our world today... But they would always be at the tip of my tongue. I never really grasp those suggestions very well!
The art was absolutely beautiful! It looked like a few different textures were used and I particularly felt drawn to the illustrations of Sinclair, where he looked as if he was drawn from oil pastels. I always found Sinclair to look really sad, I mean he gets bullied and doesn't really seem to have much of a home life, but something about that particular media used really stuck me! I felt emotional every time I saw him drawn like that.
The characters where all so unique. I really liked Sinclair and Addison! There was one character, 'The Rich Kid' who I wasn't too sure was real or not. He was absolutely horrible! Sinclair's sister was an interesting one! Her story was very odd! Literally all these characters were so weird and amazing and I feel like all of the mini story lines were just so exaggerated, but contrasted beautifully with the everyday ordinariness that the rest of the story had!
I went into this kinda thinking early on that this would be some genius piece that asks you to translate it as you will, but be so intense that I couldn't really get my head around it and honestly, that is what I got. I did end up feeling like this was one of those graphic novels where you are supposed to interpret it as you will and that's always something I struggle with, but regardless, I really did enjoy this and would happily purchase a copy to read over and over again. It would be nice if I eventually, someday, understood it, but I wouldn't mind either way.
Pick it up, give it a go and enjoy! >(^_^)<
Gén
I give this a 3.5 stars. (The fact that I couldn't grasp exactly what this was about, gives it a slightly lower sitting on the 3.5 ''fence'').
So, the really decent rating may come across as a shock seeing as I didn't really understand what was going on. I would class this as some form of bizarre fiction, about a young boy called Sinclair, who takes a pair of discarded angel wings and goes on his day to day adventures with them. I will say that I found the Netgalley description to give way too much away. It almost felt like a review in it's structure and spoke about a few things I would have much preferred to have read about myself, but in saying that, it is such an intricately odd story that I found myself having an entirely different experience than what the synopsis might suggest. And as we're talking about the synopsis, even the vague and simple one on Goodreads is very vague in what this graphic novel actually has in store for you. It mentions some wonderful themes that even with my basic understanding stood out to me, and I think that's one of the main reasons this book emotionally meant a fair bit to me and why I ultimately liked it a lot.
The world, although extremely interesting and oddly fantastical, was so strange! A lot of what was going on didn't make much sense to me and I think this could be something that I should read over a few times. Even if I don't ever understand it, I still know I'll continue to appreciate it, because there's something about it that just warms me inside. I reckon there was some (probably obvious to other people) points about our world today... But they would always be at the tip of my tongue. I never really grasp those suggestions very well!
The art was absolutely beautiful! It looked like a few different textures were used and I particularly felt drawn to the illustrations of Sinclair, where he looked as if he was drawn from oil pastels. I always found Sinclair to look really sad, I mean he gets bullied and doesn't really seem to have much of a home life, but something about that particular media used really stuck me! I felt emotional every time I saw him drawn like that.
The characters where all so unique. I really liked Sinclair and Addison! There was one character, 'The Rich Kid' who I wasn't too sure was real or not. He was absolutely horrible! Sinclair's sister was an interesting one! Her story was very odd! Literally all these characters were so weird and amazing and I feel like all of the mini story lines were just so exaggerated, but contrasted beautifully with the everyday ordinariness that the rest of the story had!
I went into this kinda thinking early on that this would be some genius piece that asks you to translate it as you will, but be so intense that I couldn't really get my head around it and honestly, that is what I got. I did end up feeling like this was one of those graphic novels where you are supposed to interpret it as you will and that's always something I struggle with, but regardless, I really did enjoy this and would happily purchase a copy to read over and over again. It would be nice if I eventually, someday, understood it, but I wouldn't mind either way.
Pick it up, give it a go and enjoy! >(^_^)<
Gén
carroq's review against another edition
2.0
Disclaimer: I received a free ecopy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book is weird. I usually like weird, but this one didn't click with me. The world is a mixture of the real world with fairy tale elements, kind of like the works of Charles de Lint. There is a talking fish that doesn't need to live in water, and a man that can grow and shrink. The story centers around a young man named Sinclair, who finds a pair of wings in the trash. He puts them on and uses them to travel around the city.
Sinclair goes through a sort of odyssey, with each chapter highlighting another character in the city. I don't like that Sinclair observes more than he acts. He guides the reader through the city but doesn't do much of anything. He does interact with some of the other characters and we get to see his thoughts at least.
The art isn't my preferred style, but it is definitely the best element of the book. Something about the character drawings turned me off. The set pieces are great though. They bring the city to life amid the meandering. I would have liked more focus to the plot, including a hook as to why I should care about these characters.
This book is weird. I usually like weird, but this one didn't click with me. The world is a mixture of the real world with fairy tale elements, kind of like the works of Charles de Lint. There is a talking fish that doesn't need to live in water, and a man that can grow and shrink. The story centers around a young man named Sinclair, who finds a pair of wings in the trash. He puts them on and uses them to travel around the city.
Sinclair goes through a sort of odyssey, with each chapter highlighting another character in the city. I don't like that Sinclair observes more than he acts. He guides the reader through the city but doesn't do much of anything. He does interact with some of the other characters and we get to see his thoughts at least.
The art isn't my preferred style, but it is definitely the best element of the book. Something about the character drawings turned me off. The set pieces are great though. They bring the city to life amid the meandering. I would have liked more focus to the plot, including a hook as to why I should care about these characters.
proceduralbob's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0