Author Archive

REVIEW :: OZMA OF OZ #1

December 30, 2010 By: Shawn Daughhetee Category: DISCUSS, Opinion, Reviews

Eric Shanower and Skottie Young have been doing an incredible job of adapting L. Frank Baum’s Oz books. I love the way that they’ve re-imagined the characters making them fresh. Despite the numerous adaptations of the Oz characters, Wonderful Wizard of Oz and Marvelous Land of Oz were full of joy and imagination making them delightfully fun books to read.

I think I am more excited about reading Ozma of Oz than I was the previous two stories. I have a particular fondness for this story because of the movie Return to Oz. I rented this a million times from the local video store when I was younger. I watched it recently and it really holds up. Mombi and the Wheelers still freak me out after all these years.

Ozma of Oz #1 started off strong and I know that this book won’t let me down despite my ridiculously high expectations. Young’s art is dynamic and expressive. The characters are bubbling over with life. Shanower’s dialogue and pacing is perfect. This is an impeccably created comic book that is great for old Oz fans or those new to Baum’s world.

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REVIEW :: ACTION COMICS #894

November 01, 2010 By: Shawn Daughhetee Category: DISCUSS, Opinion, Reviews

Ever since I first read Sandman TP vol 1 Preludes and Nocturnes I was hooked. Some years later I still consider myself a huge fan and have been slowly amassing a substantial Sandman collection. I have all the trades, all the Absolutes (including Absolute Death) and now I am going back and picking up the single issues along with tie-ins. So naturally when I found out that Death would be in Action Comics #894 I knew I had to have it.

Death is one of my favorite of the Endless from Sandman. For those of you not familiar, the Endless are the siblings of Dream (the main character of Sandman): Death, Destruction, Desire, Delirium (formerly Delight), Destiny and Despair. Each is a physical embodiment of the idea its name represents. Death literally is death. As a character, Death is the perfect antithesis of your expectations. She is certainly no Grim Reaper. She is a cheery, cute goth chick who you want to usher you to the other side. A lot of people relate to her because she feels so approachable and empathetic. She is a complex and lovely character.

Before we delve deeper into the review I would like to warn readers of the possibilities of spoilers. If you have read the issue or don’t mind spoilers please read away; otherwise, read ahead at your own risk.

I was really pleased with the way this issue turned out. Paul Cornell and Pete Woods did an excellent job writing and illustrating this issue. I felt that Death was used thoughtfully and meaningfully. Her appearance did not feel like a gimmick or a publicity stunt. She felt very much “in character” and like the Death from Sandman. She provided an interesting juxtaposition to Lex Luthor and helped to reveal Luthor’s thoughts on life, death and God. The interactions between them were brilliant, especially the “nose touch scene” that was in the back of many of DC books for the week of October 27. Most of the issue was a philosophical conversation between Death and Luthor. It is a fascinating and thought-provoking conversation about Luthor’s drives and motivations. It shed new light onto Luthor for me.

It would have been easy for the dialogue to feel very forced given the situation they were in, yet Cornell made it feel natural. Cornell is able to believably put Luthor into a rare state of vulnerability. All the while Death is joking and being playful trying to calm Luthor and make him more comfortable. According to Bleeding Cool, Cornell has credited much of Death’s dialogue to Sandman writer Neil Gaiman. Gaiman is not given writing credits in this issue, though he is given a special thanks. So, some of the success of this issue needs to be given to Gaiman though most goes to Cornell’s writing and Woods’s illustrating.

Woods was able to keep the story visually engaging despite the lack of action. Death’s depiction was spot on. She is tender and sweet as she takes Luthor on a existential journey. Most of the story depends on facial expressions and Luthor’s are great. You can see that he is going through the five stages of grief. You can see the denial, anger and bargaining. It can even be argued that he reached the final stage of acceptance.

As expected this issue isn’t about what you think it is about. The twist ending definitely left me wanting more and asking myself lots of questions. What does this mean for Luthor and for the rest of the DCU? Will Death make more appearances? Are other Vertigo characters going to begin crossing into the mainstream DCU? With the Vertigo imprint changing and some of the characters moving to the DC banner one can only wonder if this is a sign of things to come. Given the success of this issue, I hope that this isn’t the last time we see Death in the DC Universe. I also hope that this means we will see more from other Vertigo characters in mainstream DC comics.

The Jimmy Olsen second feature is a nice compliment to the main Lex Luthor story in Action Comics. This is part two of Jimmy Olsen’s big week which sees the introduction of Chloe Sullivan into main DC continuity. You may know Chloe from the television show Smallville. Here she is Jimmy’s ex-girlfriend. Nick Spenser and RB Silva are excellent at telling a huge story very concisely. A lot of things happen in only eight pages. Plus, I dig the way the story is a throw-back to the more fantastical Superman stories from the Silver Age. I look forward to the continued adventures of Jimmy Olsen as he deals with a possibly alien invasion.

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REVIEW :: SET TO SEA BY DREW WEING

September 24, 2010 By: Shawn Daughhetee Category: DISCUSS, Opinion, Reviews

Last night as I sat down to read Drew Weing’s first graphic novel, Set to Sea, I didn’t realize what an impression it would leave on me. It is so much more than a hauntingly inspiring story about a poet who ends up on a sea vessel. It is so much more than page after page of highly-detailed illustrations. It feels like a small precious art book full of engravings or paintings on each page or an old illustrated maritime novel. Weing has even said that he wanted the book to be reminiscent of old gilded novels from the romantic period and that really comes across, especially with the faux-gilt lettering and embellishments on the cover and the title page.

The story reveals itself with one panel per page and with the sparse use of words, I flew through the book. I regret reading it at such a quick pace and I intend to go back and re-read it (multiple times) to more thoroughly absorb and appreciate the detailed illustrations. Weing’s art is mesmerizing. You could stare at one page for hours. Each page is carefully planned and crafted to maximize its storytelling ability and it is easy to see the love and effort that went into each line and crosshatch.

It would be easy to compare this to Sammy Harkham’s Poor Sailor or Chris Schweizer’s Crogan’s Vengeance. These books are loosely tied together with similar themes and artistic choice but Poor Sailor and Crogan’s Vengeance feel modern in their interpretation of the past. The tone and aesthetic of Set to Sea hearken back to a time long ago. It is as if we have discovered a long-lost relic. Furthermore, Set to Sea is a little more life-affirming than Poor Sailor. Poor Sailor is a heartbreakingly sad story that leaves you feeling morose. Although they both have circular stories that end where they begin you feel like the poet in Set to Sea has lived a happy and fulfilled life. Also, Set to Sea isn’t a kid-friendly boy adventure like Crogan’s Vengeance. There is action and adventure but it is a more character-driven story than an action-driven story. That is a long way of saying, if you enjoyed those two books then I feel certain that you will enjoy Set to Sea. It will have familiar elements but it won’t be the same read.

I don’t want to write a long and exhaustive review of this book to somehow convince you to purchase it. I just want you to pick it up and look at it. Once you do, the art will do the rest.

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REVIEW :: THOR THE MIGHTY AVENGER #3

August 19, 2010 By: Shawn Daughhetee Category: DISCUSS, Reviews

I have been loving Thor The Mighty Avenger! It is a fun and well-written book that appeals to fans of all ages! In the first issue we are introduced to the two main characters, Thor and Jane Foster. Thor has mysteriously been sent to Midgard and wants to return home. He meets Jane at the Bergen War Memorial Museum when he tries to get his hammer, Mjolnir, out an urn in one of the museum displays. We are also introduced to the villain of this story arc, Hyde. The second issue is action packed as Thor defeats Hyde. Now, in issue three, the action continues as mayhem ensues, with a little help from Loki. Thor meets superheroes Henry Pym (Ant-Man) and Janet van Dyne (Wasp) but it is not a friendly encounter.

Roger Langridge‘s writing is perfect for this series. It is fun, fast and self-contained. All you need to know is between the covers. Partner that with Chris Samnee‘s art and you’ve got magic. I love the bold lines and the dynamic movement of Samnee’s art. And I love the sense of life that he gives the characters. If you want to see more of Samnee’s art check out Siege: Embedded and the Comic Twart Blog. Matt Wilson‘s coloring really helps to accentuate Samnee’s art. Everything fits together incredibly well!

This book has a classic, timeless feel. It somehow balances retro styles and modern sensibilities. Ant-Man and Wasp don their original costumes. And Hyde is very much a throw-back villain. Yet something about this book feels modern. It might be the rich colors and the bold lines. Or it might be that Jane Foster is a strong and feisty character. At least more so than any of the 60’s Marvel women.

The first page of issue three we are given a re-cap of the events in the previous title, which adds to the retro feel. This book is perfect for new-comers. You don’t need to know anything about Thor to be able to understand and appreciate this book. You don’t need to know anything about other Marvel characters either. Langridge does a perfect job of introducing everyone. The first time we see Janet van Dyne she is reading a fashion magazine at the Pym research facility. We know right off the bat that she is fashion-conscious and intelligent. That is all you need to know about her. And Samnee’s art helps to describe the characters, especially through facial expressions. The smile on Loki’s face on the bottom of page 7 sums up that character, no words needed. Not to spoil too much, but the fight between Thor and Ant-Man is nicely executed. The coloring and lettering all work together to help make things clear and concise. The end of this issue leaves you feeling warm and fuzzy. I seriously can’t recommend this book enough. If you aren’t reading it, you really should!

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ON THE ROAD :: SHAWN’S PHOTO REPORT FROM SDCC

July 30, 2010 By: Shawn Daughhetee Category: DISCUSS, EVENTS, On the Road

Shelley and I had a blast! I took a million pictures but condensed it down to the best and posted them on our Flickr page. There was so much to do and see and experience. I have never been to anything like that in my life. Shelley and I talked to a ton of people about the convention and gave Shelton a lot of leads to follow up on. So hopefully before too long we will be able to get the initial guest list up. There will be plenty of familiar faces but maybe there will also be some new ones. And we have some exciting events planned for fall.

San Diego is a beautiful town with beautiful weather! I sure was missing it when I stepped off the plane and immediately began melting. We got to see a little bit of the city and went to several restaurants in the area. I didn’t have a bad meal the whole week! I was really surprised by how friendly everyone was. You bump into a million people as you try to maneuver the convention floor but no one is angry or mean-spirited. I had a lot of people smile and apologize. And all the artists, writers and publishers I talked to were incredible friendly. Ted McKeever, Paul Dini, Bill Willingham, Scott Snyder were so nice! It is such a good feeling when creators you really like are friendly. And it was so good to get to talk to Cully Hamner and Steve Niles. I love those guys! Almost everywhere I went I ran into someone I knew. It is a strange feeling being in a town you have never been to and yet feeling like you know everyone there.

I was able to make it to several panels which is always fun. My favorite was the Big Bang Theory panel. It was moderated by Wil Wheaton and the Barenaked Ladies came out and sang the the theme song. But I also had fun at the Fables panel (which I only caught the end of the Q & A), the Hellboy/BPRD panel and the Scott Pilgrim vol 6 panel. Mike Mignola has some interesting storylines planned for Hellboy! And a word of advice, if you don’t want things spoiled for you don’t go into a panel about a book you haven’t had the chance to read yet.

I spent most of my time walking the floor. I did a little bit of shopping here and there. How could I pass up a Sgt Slaughter SDCC exclusive GI Joe action figure or an original He-Man animation cell (I found an awesome one with Skeletor and Orko)? There were so many booths to look at that even though I walked to floor for 4 and a half days I still don’t feel like I saw everything. A number of the booths were jaw-droppingly amazing. Especially DC‘s, Marvel‘s, Lucasfilm‘s, Hasbro‘s, Mattel‘s, Lego‘s, Walking Dead‘s (both Image‘s and AMC‘s), Dark Horse and Archaia‘s. And those are just the ones I can think of right off the top of my head! The video game companies all had demos of their games. You could play Rock Band or Just Dance among others. I liked all the diversity and even though it is call Comic-Con I am ok with it having evolved into something else. There are plenty of other conventions that cater to the comic crowd. And who knows maybe someone came to meet the cast of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and stayed to check out some comics. The only thing that really surprised me was the lack of new comics. I really didn’t see any of the past couple weeks new releases (or just about any books from the past decade). Some publishers like IDW and Dark Horse had new comics but DC and Marvel didn’t (except for the occasional freebie).

And the costumes were amazing. I tried to get pictures of some of the best ones but it is hard. I didn’t always have my camera readily available and it can be hard to get a good picture when you’ve got thousands of people in your immediate vicinity. But I did get a couple of good pictures of people in costumes. Just keep in mind the pictures I took aren’t even a drop in the bucket compared to everyone wearing a costume. It was crazy!

I highly recommend going to San Diego Comic-Con (or Comic-Con International as it is now being referred to) at least once in your life. As long as you are patient and friendly you will have a blast! For more pictures and stories visit my Flickr set! And stay tuned for Shelley’s pictures!

Speaking of pictures, if any of you have any Heroes related photos we would love to see them and possibly post them on our Flickr page. I am particularly looking for photos from FCBD 2010 and the Adam Hughes signing. So if you have any send them my way (either by email or drop them off by the store and I will pick them up next time I am in). And if I do post them I will be sure and attribute the photos to the proper photographer.

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REVIEW :: DAR! A SUPER GIRLY TOP SECRET COMIC DIARY VOL 2 TP

July 16, 2010 By: Shawn Daughhetee Category: DISCUSS, Opinion, Reviews

I have been obsessed with Erika Moen‘s work ever since I was exposed to her at this past HeroesCon. I picked up the second volume of DAR! and literally could not put it down. It is engaging and funny and strongly illustrated. This volume collects her web strips from 2009. She also reprints some older work and some bonus stories. After reading volume two I went to her website and read pretty much every one of her strips. In about a day. She is a highly entertaining cartoonist and I can’t recommend her work enough.

The official title of her web strip (DAR! A Super Girly Top Secret Comic Diary) is amusing and intentionally misleading. She isn’t what I would call a “girly” girl. And the strip isn’t appropriate for young girls. Moen’s work is intended for a mature audience. There are lots of references, jokes and images that are not appropriate for children or work. But the strip is a window into her life and it looks in on her most secret moments. It is the truth for her as a girl. This strip is all about her life experiences. It is very personal and very open. Some of the strips I feel like she is laying her life bare before the audience and yet she does it with humor and wit. Her work is all about balance. Her strips can be crass and baudy and yet at the same time they are sweet and endearing. I find her work to be completely relatable. I see myself in her. We don’t have a similar life story but I think that when you imbue your work with honesty then it is easy for people to relate to it, even if their life is vastly different from yours. Her artwork greatly enhances her stories. Her artwork is engaging and her characters are easily recognizable. She uses a lot of gray-tones which help give it depth and life. Her website contains six years worth of her strips and you can really see her develop as an artist and a storyteller in her ability to flesh out stories.

Almost a year ago she stopped doing DAR! and she explains why in the strip on the website’s homepage. I am disappointed that she is no longer doing a diary comic but I am excited to see what she is working on next. I have already begun the hunt for more of Moen’s work. I went to Portland, OR a couple weeks ago and while I was there I stopped by a couple comic book shops. At Cosmic Monkey Comics I found a mini that she did with Lucy Knisley called Drawn to You. I really liked the way that the two of them worked off of each other. It was a really fun read. She is a talented storyteller and I want to read more of her work!

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PROJECT RUNWAY AND MODELS INC #1

September 08, 2009 By: Shawn Daughhetee Category: DISCUSS, Reviews

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As a whole I hate reality television shows. They seem to showcase and celebrate the worst characteristics of our society. However there is one exception: Project Runway. The show starts out with 16 contestants and each week they are given challenges where they must create garments that fit some sort of criteria; last week they were instructed to create a “beach” look. The winner wins immunity (or some other prize like their winning look being featured in a magazine or on television) and the loser is booted off of the show. The final winner gets a bunch of cash to start their own line and various other prizes (car, vacation and the like).

Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn are the two main faces of the show: Klum acts as judge and Gunn acts as mentor. Either one of them gives the challenge but Gunn is the one who critiques the progress of the contestants roughly halfway into the show. I know, you think it is just some stupid show about fashion. But you would be wrong! The show is affirming and encouraging, it celebrates the talent of the contestants. Sure the judges are honest when something doesn’t work but they are constructive with their criticism. You get the feeling that they genuinely care about the contestants and want them to do their best.

models-inc_01-fc_var-gunnProject Runway is not your typical reality television show. Let’s take all the Gordon Ramsay shows for example. I have only seen bits and pieces of that show, but every time I do Ramsay is yelling at someone and making them cry. He is tearing them down instead of building them up. That is definitely not a show I would want to participate in, much less watch.

So why this long rant on the positives of Project Runway? What does any of this have to do with comics? Well I will tell you! I love Tim Gunn. He is the heart of Project Runway. He makes the show for me. He gives it that sweetness that the other reality shows lack. This week will see the release of Models Inc #1–its release is timed to coincide with when the newest episode of Project Runway will air (10 pm on Lifetime) and it is the start of New York Fashion Week. 

Tim Gunn will have a back up feature where he dons the Iron Man suit to fight crime. I saw him on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart and he seemed thrilled to be in a comic book. He also spoke very highly of Phil Jimenez who does the variant cover of Gunn with the Iron Man suit. Models Inc will bring together the models of the Marvel Universe. And there are quite a few of them, like Millie, Chili, Jill Jerold, Patsy Walker (aka Hellcat) and Mary Jane Watson (that chick who hangs out with Peter Parker sometimes). Millie recently made an appearance in Age of the Sentry, which I thought was an underrated book. But aside from that she really hasn’t had a presence in comics in decades. I’ve read a couple of older Millie the Model comics and I found them cute and fun.

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I am curious how Marvel will handle this book and how it will compare to Marvel Divas. Carlton Hargro reviewed Marvel Divas a while back on this here blog and he endorsed it if you are a fan of Sex and the City. He wasn’t the only one who compared the book to that show. Honestly, I haven’t read Marvel Divas because of all the comparisons. I hate Sex and the City. A lot. A whole lot. It makes me angry. So I really hope that Models Inc doesn’t go that route. And I hope that it doesn’t take itself too seriously. I am really hoping for lighthearted entertainment. And I wouldn’t mind if they threw in some fashion plates for giggles. Despite the direction writers Marc Sumerak  and Paul Tobin take with this book I am at least sold on the first issue if for no other reason then Tim Gunn fighting crime using the Iron Man suit.

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REVIEW :: Storeyville

December 18, 2008 By: Shawn Daughhetee Category: DISCUSS, Reviews

STOREYVILLE by Frank Santoro is published by PictureBox. They are known for their art comics. Some of you might be familiar with two of their most famous books Maggots and Ninja, both by Brian Chippendale. I will admit I don’t really “get” these two books, and most of the other books PictureBox publishes, for that matter. I like to think of myself as an educated reader. I have a degree in art so I like to think I have the proper education to be able to understand and appreciate these works. I want to enjoy these works, but I can’t get past my initial response of “this looks like a bunch of scratchy lines” or “my friends used to draw these flip books in 5th grade.”

But Storeyville has helped me to get past all my biases. It wasn’t something I had to “get,” it was something I could just enjoy. The art and the format are out of the norm for most of the comics I read. Storeyville isn’t like an issue of Spider-Man or Superman. Generally speaking I read standard sized floppies (or pamphlets, whatever you want to call them), comics that have 32 pages, are 10 inches by 6 3/4 inches, have bright colors and have staples in the middle.

Storeyville is a hardcover collection of issues originally published on newsprint; it is oversized at 11 x 16 inches; and it has a muted color palette mainly consisting of browns, grays and yellows. The one thing that Storeyville has that connects it to standard comics is a linear narrative. Some art comics lack a linear narrative and that can make them extremely difficult to connect to and decipher. Storeyville is an excellent introduction to art comics because you still have a footing in familiar territory.


Storeyville focuses on a grifter named Will and his journey to find his former partner, Reverend Rudy. Will leaves behind his friends in Pittsburgh and travels to Montreal hoping to find Rudy there. The story is delicately paced. It is slow and winding, like Will’s journey. Many of the panels are devoted to mountains, trees, lakes and cityscapes. The journey is as important as the destination.

Along the way we learn why Rudy is so important to Will and why Will is so determined to find Rudy. The rough art style and the color palette make the story feel like a memory or a dream. It feels ephemeral. It is like Will is remembering his journey. All of the events are playing out in his mind years later. The colors are dull and faded. People’s faces are blurry and just out of reach. The storytelling and the art blend perfectly to create a story about how the past stays in the past and can never be regained. It is a story about searching for something and finding yourself.

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REVIEW :: Hellboy Volume One Hardcover

April 25, 2008 By: Shawn Daughhetee Category: DISCUSS, Reviews

by Mike Mignola with John Byrne
reviewed by Shawn Reynolds

I love oversized hardcovers. The art envelops you in a way trades or a single issue comic just can’t. You can easily fall into the story and become a part of the action. It is analogous to seeing a movie in a theater versus seeing it at home (at least this is true for those of us who don’t have a fancy widescreen plasma TV). Last week volume one of the Hellboy Library Edition came out and I took notice.

As shocking as it may be, I have never read any Hellboy or for that matter anything by Mike Mignola. That’s not to say that I haven’t drooled over his books. I love his art style, but for whatever reason I just never picked up Hellboy. But I could not resist a fancy new hardcover that contains not one story, but two (volume one includes “Seed of Destruction” and “Wake the Devil”). There is also a section of sketches in the back with commentary by Mignola.

So far I’ve only had a chance to read “Seed of Destruction”. The story is basically about the mystery surrounding the Cavendish family. You are introduced to an unusual cast of characters: Hellboy, Elizabeth Sherman and Abe Sapien. The more you find out about them, the more you want to find out about them. Anytime one of your questions is answered it brings to light even more questions. It is the perfect first story arc. It has a balanced mix of history and fantasy. I’ve always enjoyed stories about World War II. I think that is one of the reasons I enjoy Indiana Jones.

The art in the book is beautiful. It is somber and dark which fits the mood of the story perfectly. I love Mignola’s line work. It is rough and elegant at the same time. It feels immediate yet intentional. The colors (done by Mark Chiarello) pop, especially against the black page.

I look forward to delving even farther into the world of Hellboy. The previews for Hellboy II: The Golden Army look awesome. And Dark Horse is putting out a Hellboy book for Free Comic Book Day, which is May 3rd in case you haven’t heard us mention it. FCBD is going to tons of fun!

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REVIEW :: The Three Paradoxes

July 25, 2007 By: Shawn Daughhetee Category: Reviews

by Paul Hornschemeier
80 pgs :: HC :: Fantagraphics Books

reviewed by Shawn Reynolds

One of my favorite purchases during this year’s Heroes Convention was Paul Hornschemeier’s The Three Paradoxes. And after discussing it at the “Up Close and Personal” panel with Hornschemeier, moderated by the ever lovely Andy Mansell, I was very excited to get a chance to sit down and read it.

On the surface this book is simple. There are four main stories, each with a corresponding art style. The first is the story of Hornschemeier and his father talking as they walk down the street. The next story you are introduced to a young Hornschemeier searching for a bully with his friends. The third story is the origin of the man with the scar on his neck. Finally, the fourth story is of the philosopher Zeno explaining his three paradoxes. When you first begin to read this book it is hard to figure out how all the stories relate to each other. But by the time you finish you start to see how they connect. I will warn you: you will need to read this through at least two times, maybe more. It is a quick read, but it is not a light read. It is rich and dense and there are many layers and meanings.

To understand the book it is important to understand Zeno’s paradoxes. An oversimplified version of Zeno’s paradoxes is as follows: 1) you can never begin, 2) you can never catch up and 3) you can never move. For me this book is simultaneously supporting and refuting Zeno’s claims. Socrates is the voice of reason, stating that change does exist. While Socrates points out the flaws in Zeno’s paradoxes and logic does lead us to conclude that they are false, the rest of the book supports the paradoxes. That said, the book supports them in a limited way. For example, when Hornschemeier encounters the bully in that moment he could not move to defend himself. Later on he could move, but in that moment the paradox holds true (Hornschemeier directly states this in reference to not being able to move when he sees the scar, but I wanted to point out a less obvious example). Change seems to be inevitable and yet when you want something to change it seems like it never will.

An interesting aspect of this book is the symbolism of the road. It is a symbol for change and progress. Roads take you places. They send you out on journeys and they bring you back home. When you walk across the street you can become a different person. Also, it is a symbol for danger. Bad things can happen on the road. And bad things can happen when you travel down the road. In my 11th grade English class the teacher discussed the importance of the river in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. She said that it symbolized a baptism. Every time Huck got into the river he changed. In The Three Paradoxes the road takes on the same significance. Just how most of the action takes place in or around the river in Huck, most of the action takes place in or near the road in Paradoxes.

Enough about philosophy and symbolism, let’s talk about the art. There are five different art styles which help  to differentiate between the stories. This distinction is important, if there wasn’t a sharp contrast between stories the book wouldn’t flow and it would get really confusing really quickly. The story of Hornschemeier and the bully is told in a child-like comic strip style; whereas, the story of the scar is like a comic book from the 1970s (complete with yellowed paper). What strikes me most about the different art styles is that the Zeno story seems to distinguish itself from the other stories. It appears to be a separate entity, not a part of the larger narrative. The other stories relate directly to Hornschemeier, either his past or his thoughts. But this story isn’t about Hornschemeier. It is about some philosopher a long time ago. The Zeno story may be separate, but it is integral to the understanding of the story.

I think this work is highly successful. The art, the dialogue and the flow of the stories all work together to make this a rich and complex work. If after reading this Socrates is not your favorite philosopher then something is wrong with you!

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