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raforall's review against another edition
3.0
The start of what I hope will be a long running series that will allow us to explore more of these characters. This is compilation of first 6 issues and it does feel a little rushed on character development- heavy on plot. However, I think this is because LaValle did not get commitment to keep the story going. I hope he is allowed to though because in his other work, his development of amazing characters is the best thing about his prose. Personally I am a character driven reader, but I still enjoyed the story quite a bit.
Using Frankenstein as the frame, LaValle tells a very modern story of revenge, race, science-- basically it takes a classic story and makes it VERY MUCH about right now. I think it many ways it is much scarier than Frankenstein because it keeps the themes of the original but strips the historic feeling of it. There is no denying it is about today and that is terrifying.
I do love the backstory on how the monster comes into our times. It literally begins with a splash. This book will appeal to fans of the original, and comics fans, and LaValle fans. With the 200th Anniversary of Frankenstein being celebrated all this year [2018], many readers are seeking out Frankenstein adjacent titles. This is a great suggestion.
The art has very much a comic book feel-- like a super hero novel. Personally, I prefer a less comics style, but I totally get why the artists did this. It makes what is a deep, literary story a bit more accessible to a larger group of people.
Three Words That Describe This Book: reimagining a classic, revenge, monsters [real and supernatural]
Readalikes: Of course Frankenstein, but specifically, I would urge you to read the New Annotated Frankenstein by Les Klinger. I have a full review here: https://raforall.blogspot.com/2017/08/what-im-reading-booklist-horror.html
But this is also a good read for fans of other monster graphic novels. This one reminded me of the American Vampire series by Snyder. That series is also based off of preexisting material [historical events] and features monsters both human and not. I have a review of the first one n the series here: http://raforallhorror.blogspot.com/2010/11/review-american-vampire.html
In terms of another horror novel that takes a well mined trope and brings it up to the present, addressing current political and social issues with a focus on action, I would suggest Jonathan Maberry's Joe Ledger series.
Using Frankenstein as the frame, LaValle tells a very modern story of revenge, race, science-- basically it takes a classic story and makes it VERY MUCH about right now. I think it many ways it is much scarier than Frankenstein because it keeps the themes of the original but strips the historic feeling of it. There is no denying it is about today and that is terrifying.
I do love the backstory on how the monster comes into our times. It literally begins with a splash. This book will appeal to fans of the original, and comics fans, and LaValle fans. With the 200th Anniversary of Frankenstein being celebrated all this year [2018], many readers are seeking out Frankenstein adjacent titles. This is a great suggestion.
The art has very much a comic book feel-- like a super hero novel. Personally, I prefer a less comics style, but I totally get why the artists did this. It makes what is a deep, literary story a bit more accessible to a larger group of people.
Three Words That Describe This Book: reimagining a classic, revenge, monsters [real and supernatural]
Readalikes: Of course Frankenstein, but specifically, I would urge you to read the New Annotated Frankenstein by Les Klinger. I have a full review here: https://raforall.blogspot.com/2017/08/what-im-reading-booklist-horror.html
But this is also a good read for fans of other monster graphic novels. This one reminded me of the American Vampire series by Snyder. That series is also based off of preexisting material [historical events] and features monsters both human and not. I have a review of the first one n the series here: http://raforallhorror.blogspot.com/2010/11/review-american-vampire.html
In terms of another horror novel that takes a well mined trope and brings it up to the present, addressing current political and social issues with a focus on action, I would suggest Jonathan Maberry's Joe Ledger series.
iffer's review against another edition
3.0
A timely retelling of Frankenstein that touches upon systemic racism/oppression and the varying ways the toll of it takes on individuals. It's heavy-handed, but I appreciated Victor LaValle's candor, as well as the hope that Akai represents. I also love the cover art for all the issues.
pageglue's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Set in the world of Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein but present day, Dr Baker, a scientist whose life’s work is to fuse nanotechnology with organic matter, loses her 12-year-old son to a random police shooting. Fuelled by rage, she’ll do anything to get her son back.
This series was wild - a little erratic too, maybe. The plot was all over the place, and the frequent jumping back and forth in time was kind of disorienting. Our antihero was super compelling though. She wanted to set the world on fire and I wanted to pour gasoline all over it with her. Really this story is about a family, but we spend a lot of time with these government spy agency people and I just didn’t care about any of them. I wanted more of her son’s story; his innocence and infectious joyfulness was such a great counterbalance to his mother.
Despite all the negative things I’ve pointed out, this story is cool as hell. It’s heartbreaking on a personal and a societal level. And people get ripped apart, and there’s cool sci-fi weapons and shit.
If you can forgive it for it’s flaws, I’d recommend hopping on the ride to see where it takes you. I’d say it’s worth it.
This series was wild - a little erratic too, maybe. The plot was all over the place, and the frequent jumping back and forth in time was kind of disorienting. Our antihero was super compelling though. She wanted to set the world on fire and I wanted to pour gasoline all over it with her. Really this story is about a family, but we spend a lot of time with these government spy agency people and I just didn’t care about any of them. I wanted more of her son’s story; his innocence and infectious joyfulness was such a great counterbalance to his mother.
Despite all the negative things I’ve pointed out, this story is cool as hell. It’s heartbreaking on a personal and a societal level. And people get ripped apart, and there’s cool sci-fi weapons and shit.
If you can forgive it for it’s flaws, I’d recommend hopping on the ride to see where it takes you. I’d say it’s worth it.
chrispyschaller's review against another edition
4.0
Victor LaValle takes his turn as celebrity author-turned-graphic novelist in an alternately gruesome and poignant Frankenstein tale for the George Floyd Trayvon Martin Tamir Rice era. With a series of fantastic covers by Canadian artist Micaela Dawn.
jessann235's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
bribeary's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I would have given 4.0 stars, if the series was longer. It was very good, but I was left wanting more.
panels2pages's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Destroyer is a complex discussion about race relations in America. LaValle reexamines Frankenstein's motivations and creates a new iteration of the mad scientist--Dr. Josephine Baker. After losing her son, she spirals into grief, "steels" herself as she calls it, and is determined to bring the entire country to justice for her son's senseless murder.
Dr. Baker says she'd be a hero if she were a man, fulfilling her quest for vengeance. It would be lauded. But because she's a woman she's treated like she's crazy--mad. She knows she's going to be viewed as an "angry Black woman" and that infuriates her even more. Shouldn't she be infuriated? Watching the cop who shot her young and defenseless son suffer no consequences?
This graphic novel explores so much about motherhood and familial sacrifice, too. It asks if humanity doesn't deserve the destruction awaiting it, but it never fully commits to that nihilism. Instead, Baker's "monster", Akai, is a beacon of hope and innocence. He shuns death and destruction even as his mother is manipulating him to achieve her ends. It's a really wonderful, fast-paced story that could easily serve as a love letter to Mary Shelley as much as a scathing metaphor for this country's treatment of Black people.
Dietrich Smith's art is fantastic throughout. There are some truly clever page designs with beautiful composition, and wonderful expressions on so many characters. The Creature was terrifying but I loved every panel with him.
Dr. Baker says she'd be a hero if she were a man, fulfilling her quest for vengeance. It would be lauded. But because she's a woman she's treated like she's crazy--mad. She knows she's going to be viewed as an "angry Black woman" and that infuriates her even more. Shouldn't she be infuriated? Watching the cop who shot her young and defenseless son suffer no consequences?
This graphic novel explores so much about motherhood and familial sacrifice, too. It asks if humanity doesn't deserve the destruction awaiting it, but it never fully commits to that nihilism. Instead, Baker's "monster", Akai, is a beacon of hope and innocence. He shuns death and destruction even as his mother is manipulating him to achieve her ends. It's a really wonderful, fast-paced story that could easily serve as a love letter to Mary Shelley as much as a scathing metaphor for this country's treatment of Black people.
Dietrich Smith's art is fantastic throughout. There are some truly clever page designs with beautiful composition, and wonderful expressions on so many characters. The Creature was terrifying but I loved every panel with him.
auntblh's review against another edition
3.0
This was only my second graphic novel. It was definitely graphic. The artwork was very detailed. The story was good although there were some parts that I didn't quite understand.
jbojkov's review against another edition
4.0
This had a very gothic, spooky feel to it for me. Some of the imagery was very graphic and disturbing- but probably not extreme within this genre. I liked the more modern take on Frankenstein. I think at the end I felt emotionally drained tinged with a bit of hopefulness.
sup3r_xn0va_maya's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed the art in this comic so much! It's to the point of wanting printings of the different individual issue covers! I need to give the book 4 stars based on the art alone. I don't think I'll give it the final star because I think the story needed to be fleshed out a bit more. For example, I think that the storyline about Akai being murdered by the police needed to be discussed more, nothing happened as far as justice or punishments. Akai got to live again because of his mother so that is an ending that I really like.