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Watchmen

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Cult Graphic Novels
by: Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons


I bought this comic based partly on the positive feedback it has received and the hype surrounding it; however such hype can create unrealistic expectations. That isn't to say Watchmen isn't a fantastic work of fiction, simply it wasn't what I expected.

The story begins with an intriguing murder mystery that helps to introduce one the books greatest characters, Rorschach. After this promising start the story slows down considerably with the majority of the book dedicated more to the development of the main characters rather than the story itself. The deliberate slow pacing and exploration of the inner landscape can make reading Watchmen difficult as developments in the main story take an age to develop.

Some of the ... Read More:

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V for Vendetta

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Cult Graphic Novels
by: Alan Moore, David Lloyd

April 14, 2000
Great. This deserves the hype but not the butchering it received on film at the hands of the Wachowksi brothers. This is really about Thatcher's Britain and nuclear winters and the social control of 'deviant' minorities and the power of dissent. So it has something to say about today. But don't read it as a proxy for political critique. It is a joy for many a reason, of which its anarchist politics is one, but our present predicaments require something less wedded to Cold War models. V for Vendetta is of its time, by which I mean also that it is a classic.

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The Complete Maus

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Cult Graphic Novels
by: Art Spiegelman

October 02, 2003
I had known of this book for about a year when i finally decided to buy it. I was put off by the slightly dodgy artwork and the very serious nature of the plot which to me is not what comics are about. Anyway,I wanted to read it so i could come on hear and rant about how it is an over-rated waste of time but I cant. The art isnt perfect i agree but it has its charms and as you read the story you really do get into the simplistic nature of it,it works for this,it doesnt distract from the story which over stylised art would. The story is VERY well written and everything i read totally shocked and moved me.
The jist of my review is - if you are put off by the art but you liked schindlers list or have a fascination with hearing about the holocaust from ... Read More:

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Judge Dredd: The Complete Case Files 11: Complete Case Files v. 11 (2000 Ad)

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Cult Graphic Novels
by: John Wagner, Alan Grant, et al.

October 09, 2008
Another decent addition to the Complete Judge Dredd collection - OZ was never one of my favourite storylines but it's still pretty entertaining. However, I must agree with the previous review, the cover is awful. Gone are the classy, simple, 2-tone covers of the previous 10 volumes. It it's place is this gaudy mess. What's a matter Rebellion, can't your art director choose more than 10 colours without running out of ideas? Do us a favour, buy him a Pantone book and go back to the earlier style.

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Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Cult Graphic Novels
by: Scott McCloud

May 06, 1994
This is an important book that everyone should read. I would give it twenty stars if I could.

I've long been interested in both art and comic books (I have collected them for over 50 years). While the library shelves are full of wonderful books that explain what traditional artists are trying to do and why they succeed, I've often found the books to be pretty boring. In recent years, such books have gotten bogged down into abstruse language that is much less appealing than the art which is the subject.

But in those years, I've never seen anything that was very helpful in discussing the rules of comic art, except some books about pop art when that was popular that examined how the pop art was different from comic art. Naturally, I was blown ... Read More:

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Sin City: Hard Goodbye Bk. 1 (Sin City (Dark Horse)): Hard Goodbye Bk. 1 (Sin City (Dark Horse))

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Cult Graphic Novels
by: Frank Miller
by: Frank Miller

February 01, 2005
This is one of my favourite graphic novels. Utterly fantastic and visually stunning. Even if you are not a reader of graphic novels, any traditional crime fan would be pulled into Frank Millers world of hard cases, hitmen, dames and hookers. The men are big and burly, the women are so hot and curvy, and its all conveyed perfectly in harsh black and white artwork. Its like traditional film noir on the page.

This is the first in the series of Sin city, and the protagonist is the incredible Marv, hulking street fighter and tough guy with a "condition." He can't believe his luck when he meets a beautiful woman called Goldie...But it's not to last, and she ends up murdered. Then Marv is hot on the trail of her killers, and blood splattered vengeance will be his!! ... Read More:

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From Hell

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Cult Graphic Novels
by: Alan Moore, Eddie Campbell

October 30, 2006
I read this book over the course of one week,yes it was gripping,yes it was good but lets not get too excited it wasnt great. 2 chapters were so dialogue heavy that I wondered why moore bothered making this a comic and didnt just write a novel. Waaaaaay to much of the book requires you to read the appendix at the back to make any sense of and I'm sorry but I find that both irratating and unimpressive,if the book was really well written I wouldnt need clarification of anyhting. Moore has an obsession with making people see comics as art and make them respected like any great novel or film and it causes him to forget why people read comics in the first place,fun! The art is good,very fitting to the period piece nature of the book. I would recommend this book to try but try and ... Read More:

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Ultimate X-Men Volume 18: Apocalypse TPB: Apocalypse v. 18 (Ultimate X-Men): 0 (Ultimate X-Men (Paperback))

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Cult Graphic Novels
by: Robert Kirkman

August 13, 2008
I read this book over the course of one week,yes it was gripping,yes it was good but lets not get too excited it wasnt great. 2 chapters were so dialogue heavy that I wondered why moore bothered making this a comic and didnt just write a novel. Waaaaaay to much of the book requires you to read the appendix at the back to make any sense of and I'm sorry but I find that both irratating and unimpressive,if the book was really well written I wouldnt need clarification of anyhting. Moore has an obsession with making people see comics as art and make them respected like any great novel or film and it causes him to forget why people read comics in the first place,fun! The art is good,very fitting to the period piece nature of the book. I would recommend this book to try but try and ... Read More:

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Sin City: Dame to Kill for Bk. 2 (Sin City (Dark Horse)): Dame to Kill for Bk. 2 (Sin City (Dark Horse))

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Cult Graphic Novels
by: Frank Miller
by: Frank Miller

March 02, 2005
The first Sin City book was incredible, I've never read anything like it. So, how come the next book is such a flop? Firstly, all the characters are a bit dull, none of them have the charm that Marv did in the first book. This being set before and during the events of the first book, Marv makes a cameo appearance, but you never get to hear his thoughts during the book, which is what made him such an interesting character.

The plot is as flat as the characters. The first book has you constantly wondering what's going to happen, and could easily be read in one sitting, you just don't get bored enough to put it down. This time, however, you think nothing of putting it on the shelf and returning to it later, when you have the free time. It just doesn't draw you in as well. ... Read More:

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Judge Dredd: Complete Case Files v. 1 (Judge Dredd)

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Cult Graphic Novels
by: John Wagner, etc.

December 10, 2005
BEWARE WHEN OPENING THIS BOOK THE THRILL POWER WILL TAKE YOUR HEAD OFF, IT DOES NOT FADE WITH AGE IN FACT IT GETS STRONGER, THERE ARE NOT THE WORDS THAT I KNOW TO DESCRIBE THE EXCELLENCE OF THESE COLLECTED WORKS, JUDGE DREDD IS AWESOME ITS AS SIMPLE AS THAT, BUY THEM AND RELIVE YOUR CHILDHOOD I DID

ALL HAIL THE DREDD MAN