Black Hole by Charles Burns Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Black Hole
Book Review: absolutely fantastic
Summary: 5 Stars
I very much like reading graphic novels and I came by this one by accident. I had never heard of Charles Burns before. When I looked through it at first, I was immediately drawn to the great artwork and bought it straightaway. The story is just plain great, no other words to describe it. Dark, intense, scary and fascinating.
I would highly, highly recommend this novel to anyone who likes the genre. If you, for instance, enjoy the books by Daniel Clowes (like a velvet glove cast in iron), this will not disappoint you! In fact, it is even better! Great, great book!
Book Review: black and white
Summary: 5 Stars
If there is only one reason comic books exist, it is so that Black Hole could come into existence. This is one of the deepest and unique trips ever written, and the only possible venue for this story is the comic book format. Black Hole is frightening, nostalgic, nightmarish, beautiful, surreal, and chock-full of teenage insecurity. If any comic books become textbooks for future college literary classes, Black Hole will be at the top of the reading list.
writing: [10/10]
art: [10/10]
Book Review: pure artistic and narrative genius
Summary: 5 Stars
Charles Burns' Black Hole is an incredible and incredibly disturbing graphic narrative. The artwork is spectacular, and deeply unsettling. The story is a brilliant journey into the perils and angst of adolescence, depicted through physical and psychological mutations. This book is a must-read, and despite the disturbing story and images, I think it's a wonderful and compelling read. Buy it. Read it.Book Review: unrelentingly creepy and disturbing
Summary: 5 Stars
I read this when it was released, but I'll never forget the feeling of dread that I had to finish reading it since I had a review copy. While this reaction is not generally taken to be complimentary, it is a testament to how effective Charles Burns' nightmare teenage world is. It's rare that you can be afraid of a drawing, but Burns reminds us that he's the master of graphic horror. Black Hole is a searing smack in the face of the fantasy that adolescence is easy or fun.
basic, basic plot: Mystery disease that attacks only teens causes mutations and deformities to varying degrees. Some start to act as monstrously as they look.
The disease is never explored and there's no cure. The mutations range from almost adorable to really disturbing. I interpret this story as a take on adolescence as a time of unpredictable, inevitable mutation that adults cannot understand and are ill-equipped to deal with. You can't stop looking at this - the art is really incredible. I heard a movie was being made, but it better be animated, as I doubt any live-action type special effects can capture the psychological unease that permeates Burns' work. These monsters aren't scary merely because of how they appear - they're frightening because they were once like you.
I understand it's quite long and seems intimidating, but you'll get through it with no trouble...provided you can put your imagination aside and not make it any more terrifying than it already is.