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greeniezona's review against another edition
4.0
I have maintained an intense fondness for Leguizamo ever since A Pyromaniac's Love Story -- a film that everyone else in the world seems to have forgotten, even as it is one of the top three movies I scour any sale of used dvds for. Still, I knew almost nothing about him personally until watching Latin History for Morons. This graphic novel had been calling to me from the library shelves for a while.
Of course, this isn't exactly a memoir, it's a graphic novelization of his Broadway show, Ghetto Klown. And it has all the strengths and weaknesses of such -- bumping and rocketing through some amazing anecdotes, even as I'd lie to occasionally pump the brakes and get some more context. Fair warning -- you'll probably want to at least gently strangle just about everyone in his life except his grandpa and Teeny. (And Wesley Snipes, I guess?) His humor really comes across throughout -- and the art (while sometimes a bit uneven) adds a gritty reality to everything.
Some interesting insights into a complicated person. Recommended to all Leguizamo fans.
Of course, this isn't exactly a memoir, it's a graphic novelization of his Broadway show, Ghetto Klown. And it has all the strengths and weaknesses of such -- bumping and rocketing through some amazing anecdotes, even as I'd lie to occasionally pump the brakes and get some more context. Fair warning -- you'll probably want to at least gently strangle just about everyone in his life except his grandpa and Teeny. (And Wesley Snipes, I guess?) His humor really comes across throughout -- and the art (while sometimes a bit uneven) adds a gritty reality to everything.
Some interesting insights into a complicated person. Recommended to all Leguizamo fans.
amadswami's review against another edition
5.0
Maybe I'm biased as I love all-things-Johhny-Legs-related, but this graphic biopic is breathtaking. Honest, raw, genuine, smart, wicked, flawed and fabulous like the man himself.
kevinsmokler's review against another edition
4.0
Mr. Leguizamo's story of a difficult childhood in Queens, finding his way to classical theater and then his own one-man shows is pretty well told at this point. The necessity of this book are the brilliant illustrations but Eisner winner Christa Cassano who has somehow blended hip-graffiti, film noir and Mexican muralism into a style I can only call never-seen-it-before-and-will-never-see-comics-the-same-again. Add in the balls of fire and ink by co illustrator Shamus Beyale and you have a story you've heard told in a way you've never experienced. Which, at its core, is exactly what an adaptation should be.
tiedyedude's review against another edition
4.0
A lot of similar stories to other shows he's done, but it was interesting seeing the people and places in more realistic detail, as opposed to seeing John in costume or being forced to imagine the scene. Worth checking out.
locpressedbooks_'s review against another edition
3.0
I have always thought that John Leguizamo was a funny guy, he has started in some of my favorite movies so when I found saw, walking through the stacks of my library, I found his autobiography! Who knew? What I can say that I liked about it was the fact that it was John from John POV without it being too much of a joke which what, like I said, I liked most about it. This is John, you can tell at his most honest state about is life. When he was down, when he was out of work when his relationships with his family, friends and significant others weren't doing so well and how all these things turned into stand-up gold. And realizing what he had to do in this world to complete himself as a man. The style of drawing (done by Christa Cassano and Shamus Beyale) and the coloring that was used in this graphic novel were ver well done. The whole thing is done in these beautiful shades and hues of blue. If you're a fan of John Leguziamo and even want a bit of advice from a guy who felt lost at one point and watch the steps he took to "find himself" again I would suggest reading his autobiography.
livesinthetub's review against another edition
2.0
yet another volume in the endless series of works in the Victorian Ideal: the woman is the heart and the hearth of the home and rescues the man emotionally and spiritually.
glitterandtwang's review against another edition
4.0
Most of my familiarity with John Leguizamo comes from a few hundred repeated viewings of To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar when I was between the ages of 14 and 22. Every once in a while he'll pop up in a cameo and I'll remember how much I liked that film and note just how talented he is. This graphic memoir was a really fascinating look into his life and career, especially the stage plays and one-man shows that I knew nothing about.
(Also worth reading solely for the section in which he throws up fried grasshoppers all over Patrick Swayze while shooting To Wong Foo. Oh, and if anyone would like further evidence that Sean Penn is a huge jackass, Leguizamo recounts Penn slapping him repeatedly on the set of Casualties of War, using "method acting" as an excuse.)
(Also worth reading solely for the section in which he throws up fried grasshoppers all over Patrick Swayze while shooting To Wong Foo. Oh, and if anyone would like further evidence that Sean Penn is a huge jackass, Leguizamo recounts Penn slapping him repeatedly on the set of Casualties of War, using "method acting" as an excuse.)
marie6's review against another edition
4.0
Did this as a read aloud with the teen, clearly we really have not been on the best roll for choosing the mother-son reads... Other than that awkwardness (which was easily resolved with giggles), it was a fun little memoir.
tiedyedude's review against another edition
4.0
A lot of similar stories to other shows he's done, but it was interesting seeing the people and places in more realistic detail, as opposed to seeing John in costume or being forced to imagine the scene. Worth checking out.