Black Hole | Charles Burns

Black Hole | Charles Burns | Mind-twisting Fun

books:

Black Hole

	Black Hole Charles Burns Pantheon, 2008 - 368 pages average customer review:based on 49 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Incredible

Black Hole is head and shoulders the best graphic novel I have ever read.

The story is based around a group of teens in suburban Seattle who are ravaged with a disfiguring STD. It drives most of them from their homes into hiding, and no one in the book ever reemerges into the "normal" world. I heard good reviews of the book but was skeptical when I picked it up, fearing that I wouldn't be able to identify with such a fantastic storyline. I was absolutely wrong: what struck me first about Black Hole is that the disease's physical effects are not at all the focus. They merely serve as a backdrop for a gripping portrayal of teenage life. Anyone who reads the book will be able to identify with the desperate need for belonging that causes us to make the most irrational decisions.

One of the interesting aspects of the book is the vast differences in symptoms from one individual to another. Some merely grow bumps on their chests, while others develop exoskeletons. Equally absorbing is the fact that the infected teenagers who fare the best in the story are those whose particular symptoms are not as visible. Whether Burns intends it or not, there is a tacit hierarchy among the diseased that I found fascinating. Just like in any other form of prejudice, the closer kids appear to the "ideal" - in this case being non-diseased - the better they fare and the more they are accepted.

Finally, the novel's graphics are simply amazing. Burns' artwork is almost overwhelming in its intensity and frequently in its detail. Despite the plot of the novel pushing me to read faster, I couldn't help but slow down and take my time looking at each page. Every pane is dark and often horrific, but each is tremendously beautiful.

Just like the story.

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Mind-twisting Fun

This is one of the strangest, yet, brilliant things you'll ever see. It's, by turns, sexy, violent, decadent, and nightmarish. The detail, to even the most, seemingly, insignificant things is incredible. While the action takes place in the 70's, the message is timeless. You'll never look at casual sex, STD's, drugs, alienation, and the homeless, the same way, ever again.

Amazing Visuals, Weak Story

I'd like to give this book 4.5 stars if possible.

The artwork is disturbing and effective. I'm less impressed with the story, especially the central idea of a disfiguring illness affecting teenagers. This lends itself to horrific imagery, which is masterfully drawn. It's a good metaphor for fears about sexual disease and alienation. However, as a narrative element it's too fantastic for my tastes.

Why are teenagers allowed to walk about looking like "Dawn of the Dead" extras? There's no involvement of doctors, teachers, or parents. Kids turn ugly, then go to live in the woods. A reader has to buy into this conceit, and I couldn't.

For me, the ghoulish visuals and the frequent nudity weaken the message about teens growing up. Alienation is a complex topic, and it's overly simplified by making it so graphic.

The "whodunnit" element feels tacked on. The aimlessness of the characters doesn't encourage much in the way of incident.

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Black Hole is, at times, both fascinating and repellent

The artwork of the graphic novel is impeccable as is its presentation. The drawings within are remarkably perfect and for once, you have no trouble differentiating between characters, environments and interpreting the images. The book is a solid (like a big textbook) hardback decorated with more of Mr. Burns remarkable art.

The story is not as straight forward as might seem apparent. The artist/author has crafted a tale of a sexually transmitted disease that, on its surface, appears horrific (varied external mutations) and ostracizing. But the deeper story is a dystopic one of the alienation of youth. The period of the story, the 1970s is a perfect one. That was the decade I grew up and much of what takes place aligns very well with my memories. Everything from songs, to images to little touches that the artist supplies.

I won't pretend that there aren't repellent images and thoughts within. The artist does not stay away from portraying nudity and sex with his characters. Instead, he tries to use these images to show vulnerability and the same kind of confused inner life that we experienced and survived back when we were teenagers.

In my humble opinion, I believe Black Hole is a remarkable story, one that they are already talking about making into a film (which part is John Cusack talking about playing??) that I plan to revisit.

The only negative to this review is that the story can be confusing at times. It is not entirely linear and it is unclear what is real or delusion within the mythology of the story. But let's face it, if it was completely clear and straight forward, it would have been boring. Half the fun is decoding Mr. Burns' tale.

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The weakest graphic novel I've seen in years . . .

In general, I like graphic novels (as opposed to a republished comic book series) when they're done right. The combination of well-written story and well-drawn art can be vastly entertaining on multiple levels. This one is huge -- it's unpaged but it's got to be 350-400 pages -- but it makes little or no sense. About one-third of the way through, I began skimming, hoping to catch on to the storyline, but it never happened. The plot, which apparently has to do with a bunch of high school students, who engage in all the often risky behavior teenagers engage in, contracting some sort of strange disease (or something) that leads to peculiar facial growths, skin-shedding, appearance of tiny mouths on the throat, and other weirdness. Moreover, the drawing style is a heavy black-and-white that (usually) doesn't allow sufficient detail.

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