Book Description
Utterly eschewing the general bonhomie surrounding the newly-minted contemporary regard for the comic strip medium as a language of complicated personal expression and artistic sophistication, professional colorist and award-winning letterer F. C. Ware returns to the book trade with “The ACME Novelty Library,” a hardcover distillation of all his surviving one-page cartoon jokes with which he tuckpointed the holes of his regular comic book periodical over the
past decade. Sometimes claimed to be his “best work” by those who really don’t know any better, this definitive congestion of stories of the future, the old west, and even of modern life nonetheless tries to stay interesting by including a luminescent map of the heavens, a chart of the general structure of the universe, assorted cut-out activitites,
and a complete history of The ACME Novelty Company itself, decorated by rare photographs, early business ventures, not to mention the smallest example of a Comic Strip ever before offered to the general public. All in all, it will likely prove a rather mild disappointment, but at least it catches the light in a nice way and may force a smile here and there
before being shelved for the next generation’s ultimate disregard and/or disposal.
Customer Reviews:
A heartbreaking work of staggering...tedium?.......2007-09-15
Ware is clearly intelligent, creative, tormented, and devoted to his work. At times he achieves real poetry, which is the highest compliment I can give any creative work. The problem is that the gems contained herein are all but lost in a dense miasma of obsessive neurotica and very uneven satire that tends toward the arch, precious, and vaguely self-congratulatory.
Some of the spoof material is quite clever and I did find myself laughing out loud appreciatively a handful of times, but in general Ware pushes the same simplistic idea way too hard, over and over, and I found my eyes glazing over and my mind ardently wishing it were otherwise occupied. It doesn't help that Ware's style--graphically, narratively, and conceptually--tends to keep readers at arm's length rather than draw them in and create the illusion of intimacy. Add to this the fact that other reviewers are not exaggerating when they say you'll need a magnifying glass just to be able to read a substantial portion of the book, and the overall effect is at best ambivalent, at worst unpleasant and annoying. I couldn't escape the suspicion that Ware is resentful and perhaps even contemptuous of his readers--the self-loathing I read in his work is outweighed by anger directed at others.
He fares much better with the narrative episodes in the volume. These are not only legible (which much of the spoof material is not--ironic considering that Ware seems much more of a designer than an artist, and one who seems to demonstrate a relatively developed consciousness of typographical considerations), but also far more complex,engaging, satisfying, and evocative. Even so, the overriding aesthetic is one of alienation and brutality--a fitting reflection of our dark world, perhaps, but one which stifles and maims the generosity and sympathy that make any truly great art the gift and blessing that it is. It's as though Ware were still seeking vengeance for whatever perceived transgressions were perpetrated on him during his childhood. I would find his work more compelling if he'd tone down the obsessiveness of the presentation and focus more on his very promising cast of characters.
amazing.......2007-06-20
It's as good as the reviews say. Just get it.
A Rarity These Days.......2007-03-24
I've always enjoyed Mr. Ware's contributions to the genre, but this book....What can I say?! Amazing! Not only are the storylines dense, engaging, and complex, but the book itself is achingly gorgeous. Beautifully bound, a larger size, and with such lovely cover design, it could easily be mistaken as the manual for some ornate piece of antique machinery, or perhaps the rulebook for some vast, arcane, cabal of cannabalistic mystics, but no....it's "only" a...a what..? I guess the work could be called an underground comic (possibly more "etheric" than "underground") or a 'sequentially illustrated story,' but there's more to it than that. A more intense scrutiny exposes troves of hidden extras tucked deftly in amongst the dreamlike narrative, and re-reading brings new treasures to light. This is quite alot to add to a book that is already so beautifully and painstakingly illustrated. Chris Ware's spare, fluid style reminds me of many things...a draftsman's blueprint...early baby boom era automobile advertising...and...uh...what..? Perhaps the cover illo from a post WWII sci-fi paperback? Japanese calligraphy on a grain of rice? Not quite...This work is very evocative, yet somehow still so very hard to pin down, and yes, I do agree that it takes some effort to read some of the smaller stuff! Thank goodness for that, hunh? Otherwise, how would he ever have crammed so much work into that poor overloaded, jam-packed, wedged-in-with-a-crowbar volume? This book was barely 'street-legal' as it was! So put on your specs or borrow a good magnifying glass, and drop the sniv- -its definitely worth the effort. Mr. Ware has graciously offered us many lovely gifts, so let us not complain that some of them require more delicate handling. If it were possible, I would give this book more than 5 stars--it is beautifully drawn, possesses a storyline that snares you neatly and painlessly, contains tons of hidden treats and tricks, and is so prettily bound that it almost screams 'collectible!!'....It is rare that any book deserves this title, and rarer still to hear this word being used, but here it is: I believe this book to be A TOME.
beautiful, but relentlessly depressing.......2007-01-15
As another reviewer noted, the type in this book is so small that reading is a great effort. And the stories are so depressing that a little goes a long way. The book is quite lovely, but I seldom find myself reading it. I'd recommend buying something else.
Insecurities are funny. Right?.......2007-01-12
Imagine if you took every dark and self-loathing thought that a person ever had and then lumped it into a book. If you can imagine that then you might just understand this book. The art is phenominal, the writing is heart-wrenching and extremely clear and beautiful, but this book is not for the easily upset. Though Ware's comic style is often misread due to its breaking of the common left to right, top to bottom format this book is definetly worth the time it takes to read it. If you're a common reader of Graphic Novels or just starting out this is a great book for you.
Warning: don't buy this for your ten year old son. Comics aren't just for kids anymore and if you don't know that yet you will soon.
Book Description
Undaunted by lukewarm Internet and blogospheric opinion (“flat,” “slow,” and “always dreary”) of his meretricious return last year to the tradition of the American comic book with the sixteenth issue of his ACME Novelty Library, cartoonist and professional sentimentalist Chris Ware returns with the seventeenth issue of this same title, and it is almost certain not to change general public opinion. Continuing with the second half of the introduction to his shamelessly meandering graphic novel Rusty Brown (which began last issue at a private school in the 1970s Midwest), the six-sided crystal suggested by the exegesis of the first installment is slowly turned and examined in midmorning winter sunlight sometime between the bell of first period and the conclusion of lunch for the first through the fourth grades. Also included are more thorough examinations of many of the main characters’ cloudy motivations, personal habits, and favorite restaurants, to say nothing of the small dust mote around which they have coalesced and the complications in its life due to the acquisition of superpowers sometime the night before. Like the irritating distant family member you only have to see once a year, the ACME Novelty Library #17 will, as was its predecessor, be published by the author in a single, limited edition only, never to be reprinted until the entire library is collected as a single volume, though it may be promptly remaindered and/or discarded.
Customer Reviews:
Prepare to be Depressed.......2007-07-30
Chris Ware's works have been described as `unbearably obtuse', `psychologically abusive', `bleak' and `depressing'. And these are just the descriptions offered by Mr. Ware himself. Wikipedia says, "The defining characteristics of Ware's work include a pervasive sadness and nihilism, tales of disappointment, thwarted affection, and the dehumanization of the individual in a modern and mechanized world."
So get ready for a good ole' time....
Maybe not.
Chris Ware is a very interesting artist. His visuals have an extraordinarily clean/meticulous look with extensive use of primary shapes particularly circles, simple flat colors without shading and thick black bordering. They look like they came straight from a graphics design class. The light, whimsical visual contrast dramatically with Mr. Ware crushingly depressive writing. His stories tend to focus on pathologically introverted figures and main characters who tend to be chunky misfits and loners with little to no friends. The art teacher obsesses on the appearances of his young students and spends class time trying to sneak peeks at the girl's panties. After school he smokes pot in the back of his student's car. And the teachers name? Mr. Ware.
As strange as it may sound my biggest issue with Chris Ware is his tendency to print his books in odd physical dimensions. When I purchased `Quimby the Mouse' I was surprised to find that it was an unwieldy 14 by 11 which made it difficult to store. This may seem trivial but I now check the dimensions of anything I purchase by Mr. Ware. The book I'm reviewing is a much more compact 9 by 7. Another issue I have is his tendency to use absurdly small fonts. I have very good vision and I've never worn glasses or contacts but sometimes I flat out can't read the text. You really have to see it (or not see it?) to know what I'm talking about. My last beef is that his work often goes beyond bleak into the realm of sterile. His art is SO meticulous and precise that it can sometimes lose its humanity as if it were drawn by a robot. The characters tend to resemble each other in manner and appearance with Rusty Brown and Chalky White being practically interchangeable.
This particular edition focuses on Rusty Brown, a young boy in primary school who imagines himself with super powers rescuing the Supergirl doll he carries around. The only semi friend he has is Chalky White who is equally unaccepted by his peers. Since the events are part of an ongoing series there is no beginning or end to the story and nothing triumphant or uplifting occurs. Regardless of the quality of his works it's unlikely that Chris Ware will ever have mass appeal because he is so unconventional. I enjoyed the book but I'm generally one of those people who enjoys comics and movies that are out of the mainstream. On the other hand I love a good Superman story too. I recommend the Acme collection but I can understand where Mr. Ware's critics are coming from.
drafting for drafting's sake........2007-06-27
Chris Ware is a fantastic draftsman. He does not create good comics however. His comics are depressing & lifeless. This might be his point, but if this is what "grown up" comics are about, we'd be better off keeping comics for kids, full of optimism & dynamism.
good, not great.......2007-06-08
Ware's Jimmy Corrigan was great, and some Acme editions are great as well, but this one is just a bit too predictable. Drawings still great, color too, but more crazy little details is what i miss in this one.
#17.......2007-03-31
I much admire C.W. work. The book is flawlessly designed. The amount of details is amazing (don't forget to check the barcode sticker with the "warning" on the back cover...
Disappointed long-time fan!.......2007-02-26
Chris Ware says this in the small print himself -- this volume is not as good as previous volumes. And I realize now he wasn't being his usual, excessively self-deprecating self on this point. It is TRUE. This volume is thin on plot -- and even sort of tinny in tone. Mr Ware must have been stretching himself thin at the time of its creation -- he was doing live engagements and all those decidedly unfunny panels for the Sunday New York Times magazine's "Funny Pages."
I should have considered myself warned by his fine print. But I thought he was being funny.
Book Description
After four years of almost exclusively repackaging his sophomoric early work for the book trade, the children's entertainer and award-winning calligrapher F. C. Ware returns to his groundbreaking 1990s cartoon series "The ACME Novelty Library," a nearly decade-long publishing experiment which more or less single-handedly demonstrated the redemptive power a fancy paper stock or a little gold foil might exert over an otherwise dull, dry visual narrative.
This semi-annual periodical originally serialized his surprisingly undismissed "Jimmy Corrigan, the Smartest Kid on Earth," and now, with the 16th issue, Ware rejoins the proud, vital esthetic forum of the American comic book with his ongoing serial "Rusty Brown," a love story concerning the ambitions and mistakes of seven consciousnesses at a private school in Omaha, Nebraska, all revolving around a universally reviled child-and absolutely certain to be a favorite with readers of all tastes and biases. As told through the eyes of someone absentmindedly watching a television sitcom circa 1975, this first installment begins one January morning of that same year and describes everything of importance right up to and including the ring of the first period bell before eventually spiraling off into 1955, 2004, and toward the planet Mars, amongst other interesting and exotic time periods and locales. Riveting, fast-paced, and irresponsible, "Rusty Brown" distills the confusing and indulgent storytelling technique that led Mr. Ware's work to be referred to as "nearly impossible to read" by the Los Angeles Times Book Review. (In addition, Mr. Ware promises parallel serialization of his other work-in-progress, "Building Stories," which is actually a much better and more interesting project.)
Though originally released by alternative comics vanguard Fantagraphics Books, this new sixteenth issue is the first to be entirely produced, printed and published by Mr. Ware alone; limited to a single press run, once it is sold out, pulped, and/or burned, neither of these narratives will be available again until "Rusty Brown" and "Building Stories" are eventually edited, collected and remaindered as hardcover books. Thus, be the first in your mercantile district to own this first chapter of what years from now is sure to be a tart, possibly insincere reminder of the fragile economy and mental disposition of the early 21st century. 64 pages, full color, 9" x 7"
Customer Reviews:
Rusty's adventures from the beginning.......2007-04-10
This book is near of the "Jimmy Corrigan..." style and mood.
Visually clear and precise in order to benefit the narrative success.
There are two things that I specially enjoyed:
- The Chris Ware's cameo and his dissertation about depression
- the paralell sequence at the bottom of the page that intersect with the main story in one point of the book.
Chris Ware is a master. No doubt about it.
Great job.
A master at the peak of his powers........2006-05-30
The new Acme is finally here, and, lest I allow my excitement over its mere existence color my review, I let it sit for a little while after I bought it and then reread it. It is still amazing. The slow pace is the sign of someone who is not afraid of giving the story room to breathe. Any faster and this story would not have the same emotional impact that it already does after one all-too-brief installment. Ware's lines are wonderfully clear and his palette subdued and balanced, though the lower story does tend to strain the eyes somewhat with its nearly microscopic detail. Possibly his strongest work yet, although it seems a bit hasty to say, seeing as I'll be of retirement age by the time the damn thing's finished. But still, I am grateful that Mr. Ware is out there writing his pathetically beautiful comics.
A great collection.......2006-02-25
Much more emotional than the previous issue of ANL, this gorgeously-printed book collects installments of "Rusty Brown" and "Building Stories". The former has improved vastly since it's earlier installments---by going back to Rusty and Chalky's childhood (albeit in a sort of weird alternate universe, but then, continuity is overrated), Ware gets back to the sorrow&pity that characterized Jimmy Corrigan, rather than the snideness of previous Rusty Brown installments.
A Few Thoughts about Acme Novelty #16.......2006-01-02
I am a huge fan of Chris Ware's work, one of the few who discovered Acme Novelty way back around issue #4. This was the beginning of the Jimmy Corrigan saga, where the protaganist's perspective slides between hallucinations (the metal man), with "themes" repeated in the background (the peach!). The story telling was incredible, and the books deserved repeated readings.
As Ware has acheived the acclaim of which he is worthy, the quality of the narrative has gone down. First, there were a few boring issues of Acme with very linear storylines (ex: J.C. in the hospital getting his leg bandaged). Then, there was the repackaging of older strips in hardcover, most recently the red covered Acme Novelty Library collection. It was old stuff, padded with little gags like Dick Public and longer but unfocused stories, like the title-less "God" story.
Acme Novelty #16 falls between Ware's best and worst work. It's mostly one story (Rusty Brown and Chalky White as children), told in parallel narratives (one from each perspective). There's some interesting bits with characters we haven't seen before, namely Rusty's father and Chalky's sister. Plus there's a "cameo" of Ware himself, who prods a character in his most miserable state. (I was reminded of Kurt Vonnegut's appearance in "Breakfast of Champions".) There is beautiful art of a midwestern, middle class world in the snow, with Ware's trademark simplicity with detail and consistency and the feeling of isolation.
There at least one very interesting sequence where the view zooms out, turns, and zooms in to another part of the same building.
It's also interesting to see more about Rusty Brown's background, and actually feel a little simpathy for the poor kid, before he turns into a Big Jerk later in life!
What's missing is a story arc; the story is flat, starting and ending at arbitrary points.
The book ends with two shorter stories, one apparently autobiographical, with a happy tone (?!?!?) that counterbalances the bleak isolation and loneliness in the rest of the book.
The final story develops the one legged girl character who appears in the New York Times magazine. This is told in those diagrams where you have to follow the paths all over the page. (Ware fans know what I'm talking about.) (A chunk of this bit of A.N.L.#16 also appeared, minus color, in the recent "Masters of American Comics" book)
Overall, for Ware fans, Acme Novelty Library #16 is something you need to buy. Those who have never seen his work, however, would do better to start with the book Jimmy Corrigan. ANL#16 is not his best, but it is worth the price, and I'll certainly give it a few readings. And that's more than I can say about most graphic novels.
Another beautiful entry from Ware.......2005-12-31
I've been waiting for this one for awhile, so I was happy to finally get my hands on it a couple weeks after what was supposed to be the initial release date.
Overall, the ACME Novelty Library #16 delivers more of what you would expect from Ware. In this short hardback (64 pages), he delivers intertwining stories by pulling them together uniquely on the page for the first section, then intersecting the strips as the characters finally converge in the same place. As always, the drawing and design is amazing, and he gives us a small insight into his process (including what seems to be an ongoing, almost debilitating case of self-doubt) of creation.
I have just about everything that Ware has done to date, and the only reason that I'm giving this book 4 stars is because his always dreary stories are on the cusp of starting to get to me. Jimmy Corrigan was beautiful and sprawling masterwork that had a small sense of redemption at the end, but in the time since then (including The Acme Novelty Library and this new piece), his downer storylines have felt more and more claustrophobic. It's probably just a personal preference, and I know I'll keep buying his work since he's such a unique and talented artist, but I felt I had to explain my less than 5 star rating. As mentioned above, if you're a fan of his work, you're not going to go wrong with this one. You almost feel guilty getting such an exquisitely designed and printed book for such a cheap price (considering some of the poorly-conceived rags that are foisted upon the literary world).
Average customer rating:
- I LIKE IT! A LOT!
- Pretty Good!
- what am I missing?
- It is Big
- Treading water? In a turbulent ocean perhaps
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The ACME Novelty Library #15: The Big Book Of Jokes II
Chris Ware
Manufacturer: Fantagraphics Books
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The ACME Novelty Library #16
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ACME Novelty Library #17 (Acme Novelty Library)
ASIN: 1560974753 |
Book Description
Chris Ware's ACME Novelty Library has been the best-selling and most critically-acclaimed alternative comic book throughout the last decade, since its debut in 1993 from Fantagraphics. For the last several years, the series serialized the landmark graphic novel Jimmy Corrigan, collected last year by Pantheon and currently in a third hardcover printing. This new issue, #15, marks the first non-Jimmy Corrigan issue in years. A stand-alone, all-new collection of short humor strips featuring Ware's most popular characters, the issue serves as a perfect introduction to Ware's meticulous work as well as a welcomed follow-up to those craving more after Jimmy Corrigan. This is the first issue of the ACME series to be available to the book trade.
As Chris Ware puts it, "Our new chapbook promises the densest array of foolish quips, gags, and muddle yet. The 'Book of Jokes II' attempts to adhere the broken narratives of favorites like 'Rocket Sam,' 'Big Tex,' 'Quimby the Mouse,' and 'Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth' while introducing new favorites like 'Rusty Brown' and our scientific survey of the world of the future, 'The Tales of Tomorrow.' The volume is printed in full color with special pull-out bonuses, including a painfully complicated cut-out three-dimensional motion picture viewer, and two only slightly less cumbersome flip books. Taller than most bookshelves, this will be one of the first things you throw away the next time you move."
Customer Reviews:
I LIKE IT! A LOT!.......2003-10-17
the reviewer who said he didn't "get" chris wares illustrations is obviously a no-talent hack who wouldn't know real art if it was staring him in the face. maybe you should just stick to thomas kincade paintings of pretty streams and rainbows.
Pretty Good!.......2002-11-29
I was first introduced to Chris Ware by his novel Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth. I rented it from the library and drove to the big book store that might have it (an hour away) and ordered it from there. When it came in, I dropped what I was doing and drove the miles to go get it. While in the city, I read it in my car for about an hour and ran home. I bought this booklet (36 pages... not quite a hefty book) and didn't regret the price (neither the other book) and I loved it. If you like Chris Ware, you'll like this!
what am I missing?.......2002-03-26
People praise Ware's graphic design skills. This I understand. He is flat-out great, though a little repetitive and uninspired. People praise Ware's drawing style. Now, they start to lose me. I have done professional illustration work for years; I would consider myself an about average pen-and-ink artist. I'm certainly better than Chris Ware, but that's not saying much. His drawings are technically okay, not great; but they are the most dull, lifeless, art-school looking things imaginable, to my eye. That's okay--people have different tastes. Maybe I'm missing something. Probably not, but maybe. But it's when people call this guy a writer that they lose me completely. These "stories" are nothing but a pointless stream of nostalgic whining about the author's evident neurosis, hiding behind cardboard characters and situations. Graphic designers, take note of Chris Ware's brilliant if unoriginal style. All else, find some entertainment elsewhere.
It is Big.......2002-03-19
This book is really big. I have to fold it in half to store it.
Treading water? In a turbulent ocean perhaps.......2002-01-26
It's a pity that the first review is one which slights what is simply a continuation of one of the greatest canons of art and literature of the past century.
It bristles me to see it be referred to as heavy-handed. This is much like saying some synphonic music is "too loud" or "too quiet."
Personal tastes aside, there are other errors in that review which cannot benefit anyone. . . comparing Rusty Brown to Jimmy Corrigan because they are both "comic book geeks" is ridiculous. The Jimmy Corrigan serial spanned generations in the same way, but the similarities end there.
How was J. Corrigan a comic book geek? The only thing in that surreal tale which related to a comic book was a bizarre version of a super man. Having read the entirety of C. Ware's work, I can assure you as an unfamiliar reader, that the characters have little or nothing in common.
So, as you should be able to gather on your own, anyone purporting "who needs this" and "its heavy handed" is just displaying their own tastes on their sleeve.
This book is fabulous. The larger format is always better and welcomed. Just that alone puts it way above most "drawn big and reduced" comics, as you are seeing it nearly 1 to 1.
The drawings are perfection. The stories are sentimental and endearing, no matter the protagonist.
The baffling aspect of the first review (o how painful to see such a review of chaff up front) is that it then says "if you'd like to see 'better' go to Dan Clowes' Eightball." Not only is it juvenile, as though there is a magical pyramid somewhere where all comic book writers compete to be the best and to adhere to someone's rather sketchily undefined tastes, but it detracts from one to serve another.
I am aping the first review by stating:
"If you like good things, you'll like this!"
But I will one up it by stating that if you are a fan of the series this is essential because it draws from every character, and if you're not it's a great primer because of the variety.
Book Description
A one-mouse theater of the absurd. Quimby the Mouse is the second book from Chris Ware; his first book, Jimmy Corrigan (Pantheon, 2000), has been widely acclaimed as one of the medium's finest graphic novels in history and was the winner of the prestigious Guardian First Book Award for 2001.
Cleverly appropriated old-fashioned animation imagery and advertising styles of the 1920s and 1930s are put to use in Quimby at the service of modern vignettes of angst and existentialism. As this cartoon silhouette of a mouse ignominiously suffers at every turn, the spaces between the panels create despair and a Beckett-like rhythm of hope deceived and deferred (but never quite extinguished), buoying Quimby from page to page.
Like Ware's first book, Quimby is saturated with Ware's genius, including consistently amazing graphics, insanely perfectionist production values, cut-out-and-assemble paper projects, and the formal complexity of his narratives that have earned him the reputation as one of the most prodigious artists of his generation.
Customer Reviews:
Las historieta del siglo XXI.......2007-01-19
Chris Ware demuestra como ningún otro autor, las posibilidades únicas del noveno arte en esta recopilación de comics del Ratón Quimby y su amigo Sparky. Un libro que no puede faltar en ninguna biblioteca de comics.
Heartbreakingly funny and touching.......2004-05-17
This book showcases works mainly published in the author's college newspaper, and as he points out with humor and apologies in tiny print, are mainly a request of his publisher after the success of "Jimmy Corrigan". The scenes in his comics are each different, each experimental in a way. And if you take the time (and I highly suggest you do) to read all the fine print scattered throughout the book, you will find that he drops the shield of humor and sarcasm in parts, to tell an autobiographical account of his life at the time he was creating the "Quimby" strips. After reading this, it is apparent that all of them carry a deep personal meaning for the author, and even without that knowledge - they would be fantastic. With it though, they are heartbreaking, thoughtful, and amusing - more often all three at the same time. Chris Ware has an amazing gift.
Another Slim Volume from the Master.......2004-02-05
Nice layout and lettering almost makes up for the unfunny mouse cartoons and the miniscule text of the "confessional" autobiographical ramblings of this "genius". Gorgeous colors. Exquisite cover. Some of the pages have been "defaced". Mrs. Knoll thinks this book is "Beautiful". You will too. Bravo, Mr. Ware, bravo. 5 stars.
Review of Quimby and more-so, revue of Quimby's revues..........2003-12-08
Quimby the mouse is very very good; better than any of the pretentious little comics that Fantagraphics calls "the best..blah blah blah..works of art...blah...of the century!" Honestly, most of them aren't better than the Marvel and DC comics that they facetiously mock (I'd much rather meet Batman than David Boring).
I am not going to tell you it's "the best thing I've read all year (!)" or "true brilliance (!)" like some excited putzy twerp who thinks they've found a niche for themselves in comics ("Oh why don't I fit in anywhere! woe is me! nobody understand my art pain!")
It's just good. Very good. That's all. Quit reading.
All of these long revues are worthless. look at the stars, go with the gut.
Chris Ware is the most amazing talent of this era........2003-08-29
I will start off by saying that Chris Wares Masterpiece, Jimmy Corrigan, The Smartest Kid on Earth, is the best graphic novel ever produced, and should serve as the example of how true graphic novels, so long pushed to the fringes of acceptable reading, alongside the latest issues of X-Men, and Batman comics, can be one of the most engaging, and expressive forms of literature. As a comic fan I don't mean any disrespect to other comic books, I grew up reading them, and still do read some. But I don't read works like Jimmy Corrigan as a regular comic book. In fact this graphic novel fails in the comic book format, and you couldn't possibly experience it as it was intended when it was originally delivered over quite a few years in seperate volumes of Wares comic series The Acme Novelty Library. It was obviously a great work when released at long intervals, but in order to truely apreciate it you must read it all together, and prefferably in one sitting. Then you take in everything, with no months, or even years of time to errode what you have read before.
Quimby The Mouse, as a collection of previous weekly newspaper strips, and other comics, doesn't have the grand overall story of Jimmy Corrigan, but it also never fails to deliver any of the emotion, honesty, and visual amazement of the later masterpiece. Wares use of the comic strip to discuss his dealing with the death of his grandmother is just as moving as the semi-autobiographical Jimmy Corrigan's dealing with meeting his long estranged father, though a bit more non linear, and abstract in many parts (though quite to the point in some). With the release of this book, and also that of his sketchbooks (under the name of The Acme Novelty Datebook Volume One) This man shows that he puts truth and his real feelings in everything he does, even the most simple, and silly of comics. All of his work makes one feel as if there is more to it than just what you are seeing on the page, or is even possible to understand by simply reading the strips. In fact often to get everything out of a particular strip you must decipher different paths leading you through various overlapping sets of panels that, when followed correctly, tell you the story of everything in said strip, from a tree in the yard, to a pocket full of change.
Ware is a master whose works deserve to be taught in college literature courses, and art schools alike. If any one person could ever finally raise the graphic novel to an acceptable level in the art world then Chris Ware is that person, and he doesn't even have to try to do as much. All he has to do is keep creating works such as he already has, and the future will look back on him as the person who opened the door for graphic novels to become more than just the weirdo cousin of Spiderman and the like. I look forward to anything else that he decides to bring us in the future.
Book Description
In keeping with his athletic goal of issuing a volume of his occasionally lauded ACME series once every new autumn, volume 18 finds cartoonist Chris Ware abandoning the engaging serialization of his “Rusty Brown” and instead focusing upon his ongoing and more experimentally grim narrative “Building Stories.”
Collecting pages unseen except in obscure alternative weekly periodicals and sophisticated expensive coffee-table magazines, ACME Novelty Library #18 reintroduces the characters that New York Times readers found “dry” and “deeply depressing” when one chapter of the work (not included here) was presented in its pages during 2005 and 2006. Set in a Chicago apartment building more or less in the year 2000, the stories move from the straightforward to the mnemonically complex, invading characters’ memories and personal ambitions with a text point size likely unreadable to human beings over the age of forty-five. Reformatted to accommodate this different material, readers will be pleased by the volume’s vertical shape and tasteful design, which, unlike Ware’s earlier volumes, should discreetly blend into any stack or shelf of real books.
Average customer rating:
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MY NEW NOVELTY LIBRARY FOR 1999: ACME NO 13
Manufacturer: Fantagraphics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Graphic Novels
| Comics & Graphic Novels
| Subjects
| Books
Fantagraphics
| Publishers
| Comics & Graphic Novels
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: B000CS73PK |
Books:
- The Big Book of Humorous Training Games (Big Book of Business Games Series)
- The Biggest Loser: The Weight Loss Program to Transform Your Body, Health, and Life--Adapted from NBC's Hit Show!
- The Bully, the Bullied, and the Bystander: From Preschool to High School--How Parents and Teachers Can Help Break the Cycle of Violence
- The Complete Idiot's Guide to Business Letters and Memos, 2nd Edition (The Complete Idiot's Guide)
- The Culture of Fear: Why Americans Are Afraid of the Wrong Things
- The Four Loves
- The Game: Penetrating the Secret Society of Pickup Artists
- The Humane Society of the United States Complete Guide to Dog Care: Everything You Need to Keep Your Dog Healthy and Happy
- The Hunter's Blades Trilogy Collector's Edition (Forgotten Realms)
- The Little Soul and the Sun: A Children's Parable Adapted from Conversations With God
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- The New Toughness Training for Sports: Mental Emotional Physical Conditioning from One of the World'
- Philosophical Greek: An Introduction
- Miracle at St. Anna
- In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex
- Ingmar Bergman's Persona
- Multivariate Calculus and Mathematica: With Applications to Geometry and Physics
- Kingbird Highway: The Story of a Natural Obsession That Got a Little Out of Hand
- Taxation of Canadian Business Expansion into the United States
- Managing Workplace Chaos: Workplace Solutions for Managing Information, Paper, Time, and Stress
- The Writer's and Photographer's Guide to Global Markets
Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth
Black Hole
The Acme Novelty Datebook
