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Comics & Graphic Novels |
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The Alcoholic
written by Jonathan Ames
Studio : Vertigo
by Vertigo
Release Date : 2008-09-30
Publisher : Vertigo
Released : 2008-09-30
Availability : Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Number of Items : 1
EAN : 9781401210564
Avg. Customer Rating: (based on 82 reviews)
List Price : $19.99
Our Price : $10.00
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Product Description |
Acclaimed novelist Jonathan Ames writes his first comics work with the original graphic novel THE ALCOHOLIC, illustrated by THE QUITTER artist Dean Haspiel.
This touching, compassionate, ultimately humorous story explores the heart of a failing writer who's coming off a doomed romance and searching for hope. Unfortunately, the first place his search takes him is the bottom of a bottle as he careens from one off-kilter encounter to another in search of himself. |
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Surrender to your artistic side... |
I loved this book. I sat down and read the entire book in one sitting. It is that engaging. I was interested in this book for two reasons - it is Dean Haspiel's art, which I really like, and it's the same type of graphic novel as "The Quitter", Dean's collaboration with Harvey Pekar - a book I read last year.
This is a book and story I think many can identify with quickly, and learn from. No matter what the vice, the entire addiction aspect of the book paints out the same type of person - someone who gets up and says, "today is the day I straighten things out". And it doesn't happen. You never put a stake in the ground and say "this is the point where I've turned everything around and fixed everything wrong in my life."
Even with an unwavering advocate on his side, "Jonathan A." winds up in the most precarious places, some not to be believed, and it's easy whether you've suffered an addiction or not to align with the plights he suffers in the story.
Haspiel's art in the book brings the story closer and makes you care even more about the characters. I'm not a comic book expert by any means - but it's obvious Haspiel is a master of his craft. I'm finding just like music, which I know much better than comic/graphic art, one thing opens doors to several others - this collaboration with Jonathan Ames lays out other books and authors to explore.
This collaboration introduces Haspiel's fans to Ames, and vice versa - and both authors deserve all the positive fruits of their labors.
The art me the icing on the cake, and this story will stick with me for a very long time. A special thanks to Jonathan Ames and Dean Haspiel for sharing this story with me, for all their work, and everything they did to make "The Alcoholic" wind up in my hands. I'm sure they have several projects going at once and I hope Ames and Haspiel always follow their hearts and enjoy what they do. It's obvious they did so here.
If you miss this book, you miss a lot. |
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Not as funny as previous efforts |
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I think a lot of long time Jonathan readers will find the Alcoholic a bit repetitive and not nearly as funny as some of his other work. People are likely to argue "yeah, but its not a funny topic" but he's written about dark things before with far more humor and unexpected pathos. Here the pathos were very run of the mill. I don't think his writing is really suited for this format, it was interesting, but ultimatly forgettable for me. |
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A compelling depiction of additction |
The Alcoholic approaches a serious topic in a very effective and impactful way.
I think/hope that the book exaggerates the affects that addictions can have, providing a little bit of an extreme case to maximize impact. If so I think it is necessary to depict a large number of the experiences that one might face. I don't know what to think if it's not.
I have found that the hardest thing about understanding addiction is visualizing it. Jonathan Ames, writing provides a great backdrop for Dean Haspiel's art, and the combination provides a truly evocative portrayal of addiction. For me the most difficult part is the success of Jonathan (the books protagonist), one cannot help but wonder if Jonathan would have looked for help more aggressively had he not had professional success.
I think that this graphic novel will likely affect you differently if you have experienced something similar yourself, have a family member or friend who has struggled with addiction, or have been lucky enough that you, your friends, and your family have all avoided this pitfall.
Regardless Alcoholic is an educational read and the medium is a fantastic choice for the topic.
The only big detractors are what seemed to be to be attempts of humor that fall flat and detract from the narrative. |
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A Very Graphic Graphic Novel |
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Well-done narrative with great illustrations that cover the life of an eccentric, easily-hurt, narcissistic substance-abuser with relationship obsessions that engulf him. Highly recommended ! |
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Wonderfully Addictive |
Jonathan Ames and Dean Haspiel have created one of the funniest, heart-felt, frightening and realistic graphic novels ever. The story is very secondary to the emotional reactions that it illicits from you, but the story is important, as it deals with addiction, loss, death, love, hope, confusion and the human condition as a whole. Ames' protagonist is someone that you can't help feeling more than just a little sorry for, but Ames never over-steps the boundaries of telling a story and becoming totally emotionally manipulative. He also never apologizes for the protagonist's mistakes. He allows you to form your own opinions, which is a rare thing in this day and age of force-feeding the reader how they are supposed to feel about someone or something.
Also Dean Haspiel's art is indeed something of great simplistic beauty. He never goes for glossy, and he never goes for a too-quirky look that is a staple of independent comics. It's a perfect balance between those things and the greatest testament to his storytelling abilities is his amazing rendering of human emotion.
I could not more highly recommmend buying this book, even if you're not into comics at all. This is a story that is so remarkably well done that it should never matter that you're looking at words and pictures. Don't let that be a deal-breaker for you. If you're looking for a story that runs every gamut of the emotional roller-coaster of life, and does it in a way that's better than most novelists or filmmakers out there, THE ALCOHOLIC is it. |
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