Black Hole

I don't often buy graphic novels (with some notable exceptions) - despite my continuing adultescence and status as a member Generation-Y, I'm not really that into typical comic books or superheroes - you'll never find me in a Spiderman T-shirt and I find the writing in even some of the "good" comic book serials, well, a bit far-fetched and stupid. I'm glad I took a chance with this one, though and I hope you, dear reader, will too!Set in Seattle in the early/mid 1970s, "Black Hole" inhabits the damp, sticky, slightly wiffy world of teenage angst, as it following the lives of a group of senior high school kids over the course of a long (somewhat rainy and miserable) summer: so far, so "Dazed and Confused".The fantastical conceit here (don't worry, no vampires or werewolves in sight), is the underlying presence of a disturbing, teen-only epidemic that's gradually infecting our young charges one-by-one. "The Bug", as it's referred to colloquially, is spread via sexual contact (or is it?) and manifests itself in the form of a spectrum of strange physical mutations - from the subtle and concealable, to monstrous physical deformities; X-men it ain't. Regardless of the severity, the over-riding fact seems to be this: once you've got "The Bug", that's you forever. Those afflicted find themselves ostracised by their peers and some seek refuge by running away into the local woods, leaving them vulnerable to drink, drugs and other perils...Clearly the disease trope has parallels with the AIDS epidemic of the 80s, particularly in the early years when a diagnosis of the so-called "Gay Plague" was effectively a death sentence, and where fears about blood, hygiene and transmission vectors lead greater society to condemn and quarantine those unfortunate sufferers. Having said that, it would be lazy to allow such a pat interpretations; there's a whole lot going on within these beautifully bound pages.Teenage themes abound: identity, personal experimentation, awkwardness, conformity vs. independence, ennui, isolation and otherness all feature prominently but the story unfolds an elliptical, open-ended and deliberately ambiguous manner. The heavy symbolism in the drawing (lots of slits, incisions, breaks and openings, the title itself), combined with beautiful draughtsmanship in the monochrome inking, suggests layers of complexity and meaning bubbling under the surface - I can't remember a graphic novel that truly demonstrated the uniqueness of the art-form so clearly; makes you think that maybe Alan Moore was right about the futility of adapting them for the screen. Notably, luminaries such as David Fincher have tried (and subsequently given up).Like Moore, there's an undercurrent of eroticism prevalent throughout which (unlike Moore) thankfully never feels like exploitation or just there for male gratification; it adds a heady credibility to the thick, hormonal atmosphere - there's a strong autobiographical element here for the writer it seems. The All-or-nothing extremes of youthful emotions are captured with succinctness, sensitivity and poignancy throughout. That's not to say there isn't a brutal, sinister quality to it as well, with echoes of Columbine and Astoria in the background.Some other commentators have mentioned there's a lack of humour - probably have to agree - which can make it a bit depressing. In addition, due to stylistic choices by the author, some of the characters look quite similar, which, combined with the semi-flashback structure, can initially cause confusion between key characters. These are fairly mild criticisms of what is a masterpiece of the genre.Maybe you never read graphic novels. Perhaps were maybe put off by the macho "costumed vigilantes" of "Watchmen" or "The Dark Knight Returns"; perhaps you thought comics were just corny and superficial. If you find yourself in that position, maybe take a chance with "Black Hole" - it might just change your opinion....

Purchased as a gift.

Suburban Seattle in the 1970s, just before the Bowie era, qv before the era when you could look like a boy if you were a girl and a girl if you were a boy: kids are doing what kids did in those days, dating each other and wondering if it's still cool to wear their older brother's cast-off bootcuts. The kids in Black Hole suddenly become aware that there's a new danger besides being unfashionable - no, not just how to get hold of enough dope to take to Planet Xeno (the local woods and parkland); there's what happens when you have sex. You could read this as an allegory on AIDs, perhaps, or just as a comment on self-destructive tendencies in adolescence. The fact is these kids don't get away with sexual experimentation - they are changed. Some might develop skin allergies of an extreme kind, so much so that they shed skins, lizard-like. One girl grows a tail; one boy's face folds in on itself; Rob grows another mouth - on his neck. So what are they going to do about it? Hide it of course - have you never been a teenager? Any point of difference between you and somebody else is a point of potential ridicule. Gradually there are two kinds of kids in this suburb, those who have not had sex and those in trouble. Black Hole is a classic of the genre - one of the funniest and most moving graphic novels I've ever come across.

It took me about a year to get round to reading this. 'Blackhole' is a rare piece of art in itself and the artwork is so impressive that it doesn't do anything but impress all the way through. It's a highly unusual Graphic Novel but it borders around the description of 'David Lynch on LSD'. I have to admit I've never read anything like it and it's profound, massively sad, and also very inspiring. If you don't like or admire Charles Burns artwork, then avoid it but if your interested in having your mind expanded, then read on...

'Black Hole' is a mix of fantasy and emotional realism set in 1970s Seattle. There's a 'teenage plague' causing mutations in those who pick it up through sexual infection. Against this backdrop, a group of characters from the same High School live out their young lives and loves, hampered in many cases by catching the disease or being associated with those who do.Burns's visual style is distinctive and attractive, and the quality of illustration overall is high. He has clearly put a great deal of thought and work into each and every panel. Where it fell down a bit for me was the plot. He's great at evoking a period, but he's also trying to say something about general teenage angst and falling in love for the first time through this story, but it didn't quite hold together. There are interesting episodes but he seems to scratch the surface of various lives and characters without really going any further or bringing things to any resolution. I don't think of myself as a lazy reader, and sometimes an author can make a book more powerful by leaving some loose ends and a few mysterious characters, but here it just didn't feel satisfying. My main reaction on finishing was 'Oh - OK. Was that it?'.Overall, a mixed bag. It has some great illustration and feels very truthful as recreation of the teenage mindset, but it felt ultimately unsatisfying and abrupt. It's sometimes billed as one of the great graphic novels - I don't regret reading it but I certainly wouldn't go that far.