GRAPHIC NOVEL REVIEW: NEVERMORE: A GRAPHIC ADAPTATION OF EDGAR ALLAN POE’S SHORT STORIES
This collected volume of illustrated Edgar Allan Poe short’s is a great addition to lover’s of the great writer’s works. Some of the stories featured in Nevermore: A Graphic Adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe’s Short Stories include The Raven, The Pit And The Pendulum, The Facts in the Case of Mr. Valdemar, The Murders in the Rue Morgue, The Fall of the House of Usher, The Black Cat, The Oval Portrait, The Tell-Tale Heart, and The Masque of the Red Death. Each story is tackled by a different creative team and the only unifying agent is that they are all adapted from Poe’s work.
Some are more satisfying then others as The Raven (by Dan Whitehead & Stuart Tipples; art by Stuart Tipples) was easily one of my favorites, but The Oval Portrait (by David Berner; art by Natalie Sandells), which I had never read before in any form, and The Tell-Tale Heart (by Jeremy Slater; art by Alice Duke) were also very good additions.
The great thing about this collection is the fact that it brings to life some of Poe’s greatest works for a new generation to appreciate. Poe’s work has been adapted throughout the ages in many different forms from comics to movies to television and audio books but it never ceases to amaze me how many emerging artists still find his work so inspirational. I grew up reading Poe at an early age and his work has been a great influence on me (even if I haven’t read everything he wrote). Another great addition to this collection is the Edgar Allan Poe’s Biography segment at the end of the collection with art & script by Laura Howell, which gives a few key insights about the man to new readers. Also, the book gives historical context for each of the stories just prior to their presentations, which is great knowledge for the young readers who have only a passing knowledge of the man & his work.
CITY GARDEN - "The Old Woman & The Park"
On the set of the short film "A Gift"
Sunday, March 15, 2009
GRAPHIC NOVEL REVIEW: CORALINE Adapted & Illustrated by P. Craig Russell
GRAPHIC NOVEL REVIEW: CORALINE Adapted & Illustrated by P. Craig Russell
Neil Gaiman’s glorious novel Coraline has been adapted & illustrated by Harvey and Eisner Award winner P. Craig Russell who goes out of his way to present a faithful adaptation to the celebrated fantasy novel.
Now a major motion picture Coraline (whether you read the original novel or the graphic novel) follows the exploits of a young girl Coraline who moves into a new house where her self absorbed parents want nothing more then for their child to find something to do with her time then to pester them when they are trying to work. Coraline is an adventurous young girl whose life is turned upside down when a door that opens to a bricked in apartment next door suddenly opens up to a wondrous new world inhabited by people claiming to be her Other Mother and her Other Father. Coraline finds this new world strange but wonderful even if her Other Mother & Father do have buttons for eyes and cats can speak.
When Coraline wants to leave to be with her real parents she realizes that her Other Mother has other plans and kidnaps her parents forcing young Coraline to stay in the other world. Now Coraline must find a way to save her real parents and out smart her Other Mother before she has buttons sewed where her eyes are.
Coraline is a story filled with signature Gaiman motifs of fantasy and adventure like many of his stories in Smoke & Mirrors not to mention his novels Stardust and Neverwhere. Russell does a great job at bringing Gaiman’s world to life on the page. His character designs are realistic yet retain all the visual flair of Gaiman’s prose. Since this is not a very dark story (say like Gaiman’s Sandman series) Russell uses a lot of light colors to his palette and doesn’t crowd the paneling with unneeded details (a testament to his reserved style with compliments the work perfectly).
Coming in at just 186 pages Coraline is a fast yet enjoyable read that will leave you wanting more (or at least wanting to read it again) and is perfect for reading to younger children for that slightly scary yet fantastic bed time story.
Neil Gaiman’s glorious novel Coraline has been adapted & illustrated by Harvey and Eisner Award winner P. Craig Russell who goes out of his way to present a faithful adaptation to the celebrated fantasy novel.
Now a major motion picture Coraline (whether you read the original novel or the graphic novel) follows the exploits of a young girl Coraline who moves into a new house where her self absorbed parents want nothing more then for their child to find something to do with her time then to pester them when they are trying to work. Coraline is an adventurous young girl whose life is turned upside down when a door that opens to a bricked in apartment next door suddenly opens up to a wondrous new world inhabited by people claiming to be her Other Mother and her Other Father. Coraline finds this new world strange but wonderful even if her Other Mother & Father do have buttons for eyes and cats can speak.
When Coraline wants to leave to be with her real parents she realizes that her Other Mother has other plans and kidnaps her parents forcing young Coraline to stay in the other world. Now Coraline must find a way to save her real parents and out smart her Other Mother before she has buttons sewed where her eyes are.
Coraline is a story filled with signature Gaiman motifs of fantasy and adventure like many of his stories in Smoke & Mirrors not to mention his novels Stardust and Neverwhere. Russell does a great job at bringing Gaiman’s world to life on the page. His character designs are realistic yet retain all the visual flair of Gaiman’s prose. Since this is not a very dark story (say like Gaiman’s Sandman series) Russell uses a lot of light colors to his palette and doesn’t crowd the paneling with unneeded details (a testament to his reserved style with compliments the work perfectly).
Coming in at just 186 pages Coraline is a fast yet enjoyable read that will leave you wanting more (or at least wanting to read it again) and is perfect for reading to younger children for that slightly scary yet fantastic bed time story.
COMIC BOOK REVIEW: NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (FantaCo) #1-4 & Prequel
COMIC BOOK REVIEW: NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (FantaCo) #1-4 & Prequel
I rarely ever do reviews of individual comic books but this one warrant’s it since it has yet to be gathered into a graphic novel or trade paperback form. FantaCo’s official adaptation of the original 1968 film Night of the Living Dead is a testament to how a film adaption can go so right instead of so wrong (which is the norm). Having read many comic book adaptations of films (i.e. Batman, Willow, Darkman, Arachnophobia, Star Trek 6, and the list goes on and on) very few strive to be more then the film itself. This four issue prestige format series debuted in 1991 (even though I just recently got my hands on all the issues) from writers Tim Skulan & Eric Stanway, artist Carlos Kastro (with Eric Meheu), and letterer Mary Kelleher. Based on the original screenplay by George A. Romero & John Russo this comic book adaptation is a testament to great storytelling not only through words but through pictures and art.
Anyone who has seen the original film will know that there are many instances where very little dialogue is spoken as you watch the characters go through there personal revelations of a world plunged into the darkness of the undead. The film is everything from the film (most of the dialogue is lifted straight from the film) but the film also goes to a lot of the back story of the characters that is just hinted at in the film. When Ben tells Barbara his first encounter at the diner you see the events unfold in the comic and the Prequel issue shows you everything that happens to the Tom & Judy characters and the Coopers just before they arrive at the house.
Katro’s artwork is haunting at times and perfect for the unsettling imagery of the undead killing the living and the black & white artwork is a perfect compliment to the film. Some of the images are even more haunting on the page then in the film. I was reminiscing about the great artwork from the EC Comics era and how much Katro’s work mirrors that. And for those wanting to see a little color to their horror, the four covers to the issues are rendered in contrasting color tones (although the Prequel issue is still in black & white).
This is truly a great series to have in any collection, which is why it is a shame it hasn’t been collected as yet. FantaCo also produced only (non-related) issues in this series but it is Avatar that picked up the mantel by doing sequels to the landmark film (so be on the look out for those). Great film to comic book adaptations are rarely done right so it would be in your best interest to pick up this one.
I rarely ever do reviews of individual comic books but this one warrant’s it since it has yet to be gathered into a graphic novel or trade paperback form. FantaCo’s official adaptation of the original 1968 film Night of the Living Dead is a testament to how a film adaption can go so right instead of so wrong (which is the norm). Having read many comic book adaptations of films (i.e. Batman, Willow, Darkman, Arachnophobia, Star Trek 6, and the list goes on and on) very few strive to be more then the film itself. This four issue prestige format series debuted in 1991 (even though I just recently got my hands on all the issues) from writers Tim Skulan & Eric Stanway, artist Carlos Kastro (with Eric Meheu), and letterer Mary Kelleher. Based on the original screenplay by George A. Romero & John Russo this comic book adaptation is a testament to great storytelling not only through words but through pictures and art.
Anyone who has seen the original film will know that there are many instances where very little dialogue is spoken as you watch the characters go through there personal revelations of a world plunged into the darkness of the undead. The film is everything from the film (most of the dialogue is lifted straight from the film) but the film also goes to a lot of the back story of the characters that is just hinted at in the film. When Ben tells Barbara his first encounter at the diner you see the events unfold in the comic and the Prequel issue shows you everything that happens to the Tom & Judy characters and the Coopers just before they arrive at the house.
Katro’s artwork is haunting at times and perfect for the unsettling imagery of the undead killing the living and the black & white artwork is a perfect compliment to the film. Some of the images are even more haunting on the page then in the film. I was reminiscing about the great artwork from the EC Comics era and how much Katro’s work mirrors that. And for those wanting to see a little color to their horror, the four covers to the issues are rendered in contrasting color tones (although the Prequel issue is still in black & white).
This is truly a great series to have in any collection, which is why it is a shame it hasn’t been collected as yet. FantaCo also produced only (non-related) issues in this series but it is Avatar that picked up the mantel by doing sequels to the landmark film (so be on the look out for those). Great film to comic book adaptations are rarely done right so it would be in your best interest to pick up this one.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
THE UNINVITED (2009) is No Comparison to A TALE OF TWO SISTERS
Being a huge fan of the original film A TALE OF TWO SISTERS I was opt to be a little skeptical by yet another remake of an Asian film with the potential to be an utter water downed dredge (i.e. ONE MISSED CALL, SHUTTER, THE EYE, etc.). More often then not American filmmakers just don’t get why the original films are so good which is why we get such horrible remakes. Either that or they tend to water down the plot in order to, heaven forbid, make it more “accessible” to American audiences. This is never a good idea as horror film audiences are not “dumb” (since we are the ones that watched and liked the original films subtitled) and get even more upset when filmmakers think that we are. This is why “good” American remakes of Asian films are few and far in between – only THE RING and THE GRUDGE come to mind (with the later being directed by the original film’s director).
A TALE OF TWO SISTERS is a brilliantly crafted ghost story (possibly) with rich characters all around and magnificent performances by the ensemble cast. The story is slow but that is deliberate as the film relies on mood and dread to keep the audience on edge. It’s a mystery and a suspense film rather then a typical horror film but when the horror comes, it comes in spades (most of it at the end). The American remake THE UNINVITED (2009) barely resembles the film it claims to be a remake of. Instead this new film is a watered-down THE SIXTH SENSE-pretender that wishes it was as clever as that film or as engaging as TWO SISTERS.
The biggest problem with the remake is not with the cast as the ensemble cast in this film is actually its only asset (praise goes to the three women of the film Elizabeth Banks, Arielle Kebbel, and Emily Browning, sorry David Strathairn), but with the production design which makes the family seem like they are wealthy beyond their means with a father (Strathairn) who is merely a writer whose book just came out. It seems to be the norm in American films to present families in “suspense” films with these overly wealthy homes or situations (i.e. WHEN A STRANGER CALLS, PROM NIGHT, THE GLASS HOUSE) thus defusing any sort of empathy with the characters (with the exception of WHEN A STRANGER CALLS in which the house actually made for a very good character in the cat ‘n mouse “suspense” thriller).
No matter how hard the cast tried to make the film work they couldn’t because of the predictability of the entire affair. In this post-SIXTH SENSE movie world in which the “twist” is now looked for (and sometimes even expected) by audiences THE UNINVITED was completely predictable (even though I knew the original my friend had guessed the film long before the end and he didn’t even know it was a remake). It also doesn’t help that even though the film looks “pretty” there is no style or substance to the film like Ji-woon Kim’s TWO SISTERS. The random “jump” scares are also tiresome which happen about every ten minutes when nothing of substance is on the screen.
THE UNINVITED (2009) is a better forgotten remake (like so many of late) that leaves a sour taste in your mouth but since its less then ninety minutes long (whereas the original was almost 2 hours) you won’t have long to suffer.
A TALE OF TWO SISTERS is a brilliantly crafted ghost story (possibly) with rich characters all around and magnificent performances by the ensemble cast. The story is slow but that is deliberate as the film relies on mood and dread to keep the audience on edge. It’s a mystery and a suspense film rather then a typical horror film but when the horror comes, it comes in spades (most of it at the end). The American remake THE UNINVITED (2009) barely resembles the film it claims to be a remake of. Instead this new film is a watered-down THE SIXTH SENSE-pretender that wishes it was as clever as that film or as engaging as TWO SISTERS.
The biggest problem with the remake is not with the cast as the ensemble cast in this film is actually its only asset (praise goes to the three women of the film Elizabeth Banks, Arielle Kebbel, and Emily Browning, sorry David Strathairn), but with the production design which makes the family seem like they are wealthy beyond their means with a father (Strathairn) who is merely a writer whose book just came out. It seems to be the norm in American films to present families in “suspense” films with these overly wealthy homes or situations (i.e. WHEN A STRANGER CALLS, PROM NIGHT, THE GLASS HOUSE) thus defusing any sort of empathy with the characters (with the exception of WHEN A STRANGER CALLS in which the house actually made for a very good character in the cat ‘n mouse “suspense” thriller).
No matter how hard the cast tried to make the film work they couldn’t because of the predictability of the entire affair. In this post-SIXTH SENSE movie world in which the “twist” is now looked for (and sometimes even expected) by audiences THE UNINVITED was completely predictable (even though I knew the original my friend had guessed the film long before the end and he didn’t even know it was a remake). It also doesn’t help that even though the film looks “pretty” there is no style or substance to the film like Ji-woon Kim’s TWO SISTERS. The random “jump” scares are also tiresome which happen about every ten minutes when nothing of substance is on the screen.
THE UNINVITED (2009) is a better forgotten remake (like so many of late) that leaves a sour taste in your mouth but since its less then ninety minutes long (whereas the original was almost 2 hours) you won’t have long to suffer.
Remaking FRIDAY THE 13TH For A New Generation!
I’m not a fan of the FRIDAY THE 13TH film series but there is no denying the impact it has had not only on the slasher genre but on the horror genre as a whole. It is one of the longest running horror franchises (unless you include GODZILLA in this group) and there has never been a doubt that there would be another film (even after the abysmal response to JASON X). If there is any franchise that needs a make-over it would be this one and when I heard about the remake I was actually intrigued by the concept as it was not going to be a remake of the original film (in which the killer Jason Voorhees only shows up in a dream sequence) but a loose origin film.
Hearing that director Marcus Nispel, who so excellently revived THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE franchise, was at the helm was a plus as I enjoyed both that film and his other film PATHFINDER, so, I knew the film was in good hands. And even though I hate just about every film Michael Bay has ever directed, his production studio Platinum Dunes has crafted some of the best remakes in the past few years. When I saw the first trailer of the remake I was hooked; I was definitely going to be in line to see this new Voorhees on the coveted day Friday the 13th (aka Feb. 13).
Boy was I let down.
Even though I had high expectations for the remake (which so very few films ever reach) I was not expecting this completely derivative hack ‘n slash film that resembled some of the worst FRIDAY plots from past films. A bunch of party and sex crazed kids go out to the woods for the ultimate party weekend and piss the “killer in the woods” off and then get killed one by one, all the while continuing to do the “stupid” thing rather then the smart thing. Is it my opinion or has the horror genre gotten worse over the years. In this new age of “smart” horror films (i.e. 28 DAYS LATER, THE SIXTH SENSE, THE MIST, THE DESCENT, BROTHERHOOD OF THE WOLF), why is it still customary to have these throwbacks to bad ‘80s horror movies that don’t even try to be better then the films they are remaking?
This new FRIDAY starts off with a bang with the beheading of Pamela Voorhees (like the end of the original film) and then jumps to present day with a group of back backers looking for weed in Jason’s back yard. They stumble upon the dilapidated Camp Crystal Lake and soon fall victim to Jason’s blade. All of this is done with style and flair by Nispel and gets you hooked into the film (even though the prologue is a bit long). The running Jason actually is an improvement and as played by Derek Mears I say he is the best Jason so far, hands down. Then once the title “FRIDAY THE 13TH” graces the screen it all goes down hill from there. Clay Miller (Jared Padelecki) is in town searching for his sister (who disappeared during the opening of the film), again, when he crosses path with the group of party drinkers and sex seekers (that I mentioned before), none of which are at all remotely interesting.
Clay and the partier’s paths cross once they step into Jason’s playground, but there in lies the biggest problem with the film. The characters don’t actually have to enter Jason’s Camp Crystal Lake to be killed. The first two are killed on the lake (in one of the best kills seen in any of the franchise’s films); a lake, which is used by presumably hundreds of people all the time. I hate to say this but if Jason just killed random people on the lake all the time he sure wouldn’t have been able to keep himself secret for as long as he has. The next thing is that Camp Crystal Lake (or what’s left of it) is suppose to be on the other side of the lake from the house in which the main action takes place. If the two people killed on the lake had to take the car out to the dock to get to the boat (which has to be near the camp) then how in the heck can Jason get from his camp to the house and why would he even want to?
From the moment you learn that Jason did not kill Clay’s sister (but kept her as a prisoner in his domicile) the logic behind the film is thrown out the window and it’s hard to bother with the rest of it as each of the impending victims do the opposite of what they should do even when they are warned not to. The film is filled with everything that killed the slasher genre to begin with.
This isn’t all of Nispel’s fault as he brings the “scare” back to one of the horror icons biggest characters. Death scenes are extremely well done and the production design overall is better then all the other films combined. The cinematography is top notch for a horror film of this type but much of this will get over looked by the bad screenplay with all to often flat characters that you want Jason to kill.
Hearing that director Marcus Nispel, who so excellently revived THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE franchise, was at the helm was a plus as I enjoyed both that film and his other film PATHFINDER, so, I knew the film was in good hands. And even though I hate just about every film Michael Bay has ever directed, his production studio Platinum Dunes has crafted some of the best remakes in the past few years. When I saw the first trailer of the remake I was hooked; I was definitely going to be in line to see this new Voorhees on the coveted day Friday the 13th (aka Feb. 13).
Boy was I let down.
Even though I had high expectations for the remake (which so very few films ever reach) I was not expecting this completely derivative hack ‘n slash film that resembled some of the worst FRIDAY plots from past films. A bunch of party and sex crazed kids go out to the woods for the ultimate party weekend and piss the “killer in the woods” off and then get killed one by one, all the while continuing to do the “stupid” thing rather then the smart thing. Is it my opinion or has the horror genre gotten worse over the years. In this new age of “smart” horror films (i.e. 28 DAYS LATER, THE SIXTH SENSE, THE MIST, THE DESCENT, BROTHERHOOD OF THE WOLF), why is it still customary to have these throwbacks to bad ‘80s horror movies that don’t even try to be better then the films they are remaking?
This new FRIDAY starts off with a bang with the beheading of Pamela Voorhees (like the end of the original film) and then jumps to present day with a group of back backers looking for weed in Jason’s back yard. They stumble upon the dilapidated Camp Crystal Lake and soon fall victim to Jason’s blade. All of this is done with style and flair by Nispel and gets you hooked into the film (even though the prologue is a bit long). The running Jason actually is an improvement and as played by Derek Mears I say he is the best Jason so far, hands down. Then once the title “FRIDAY THE 13TH” graces the screen it all goes down hill from there. Clay Miller (Jared Padelecki) is in town searching for his sister (who disappeared during the opening of the film), again, when he crosses path with the group of party drinkers and sex seekers (that I mentioned before), none of which are at all remotely interesting.
Clay and the partier’s paths cross once they step into Jason’s playground, but there in lies the biggest problem with the film. The characters don’t actually have to enter Jason’s Camp Crystal Lake to be killed. The first two are killed on the lake (in one of the best kills seen in any of the franchise’s films); a lake, which is used by presumably hundreds of people all the time. I hate to say this but if Jason just killed random people on the lake all the time he sure wouldn’t have been able to keep himself secret for as long as he has. The next thing is that Camp Crystal Lake (or what’s left of it) is suppose to be on the other side of the lake from the house in which the main action takes place. If the two people killed on the lake had to take the car out to the dock to get to the boat (which has to be near the camp) then how in the heck can Jason get from his camp to the house and why would he even want to?
From the moment you learn that Jason did not kill Clay’s sister (but kept her as a prisoner in his domicile) the logic behind the film is thrown out the window and it’s hard to bother with the rest of it as each of the impending victims do the opposite of what they should do even when they are warned not to. The film is filled with everything that killed the slasher genre to begin with.
This isn’t all of Nispel’s fault as he brings the “scare” back to one of the horror icons biggest characters. Death scenes are extremely well done and the production design overall is better then all the other films combined. The cinematography is top notch for a horror film of this type but much of this will get over looked by the bad screenplay with all to often flat characters that you want Jason to kill.
FROST/NIXON Just Another Political Film
Maybe its just me but after all the awards hoopla over this film FROST/NIXON I just wasn’t convinced. Maybe it’s because it was originally a play (by Peter Morgan who also wrote the screenplay) or maybe its just me but I wasn’t pulled in by the films story of journalist David Frost (Michael Sheen) who goes toe-to-toe with former President of the United States Richard Nixon (Frank Langella) to get to the truth behind the Watergate scandal through televised interviews.
Now, I’ll say that my not liking FROST/NIXON has nothing to do with the fact that it was based on a play as this year’s other great based-on-a-play film DOUBT was a great film. It just seems that FROST/NIXON is one of those films that should have stayed a play and is probably infinitely more powerful on the stage then on screen. Director Ron Howard goes a long way to try to put together a great film with a great cast that includes Kevin Bacon, Toby Jones, Sam Rockwell, Oliver Platt, and Matthew Macfadyen. And all of the performances are great. Sheen does another great job as he did in THE QUEEN and Langella (who originated the role on stage) is great as Nixon (some may even say better then Anthony Hopkins version in NIXON). Rockwell as James Reston, Jr. is by far the stand out (and wrongfully over looked by all the major awards) as he dominated every scene he is in.
This film is definitely an “actor’s” film as some of the best exchanges between actors are present here (which is a testament to Morgan’s great writing), but like I said before, the film never truly feels like a film. This is definitely a “play” I’d like to go see but as a film I could’ve waited for it to hit DVD.
Now, I’ll say that my not liking FROST/NIXON has nothing to do with the fact that it was based on a play as this year’s other great based-on-a-play film DOUBT was a great film. It just seems that FROST/NIXON is one of those films that should have stayed a play and is probably infinitely more powerful on the stage then on screen. Director Ron Howard goes a long way to try to put together a great film with a great cast that includes Kevin Bacon, Toby Jones, Sam Rockwell, Oliver Platt, and Matthew Macfadyen. And all of the performances are great. Sheen does another great job as he did in THE QUEEN and Langella (who originated the role on stage) is great as Nixon (some may even say better then Anthony Hopkins version in NIXON). Rockwell as James Reston, Jr. is by far the stand out (and wrongfully over looked by all the major awards) as he dominated every scene he is in.
This film is definitely an “actor’s” film as some of the best exchanges between actors are present here (which is a testament to Morgan’s great writing), but like I said before, the film never truly feels like a film. This is definitely a “play” I’d like to go see but as a film I could’ve waited for it to hit DVD.
Take a Shark Bite out of WATER BABY By Ross Campbell
One of the reasons why I picked up Ross Campbell’s WATER BABY is because I enjoyed reading his zombie graphic novel THE ABANDONED. Even though THE ABANDONED was more my style I decided to take a chance on his female centered coming of age drama WATER BABY as it sounded (from reading the synopsis) as a unique and different kind of story.
Brody is a surf girl with everything going for her who has a chance encounter with a shark who bites off her leg. Unable to ever surf again Brody’s life is forever changed and even her best friend Louisa who has always been by her side can not help her. When her ex-boyfriend Jake weasels his way back into her life eating her out of house and home Brody finds herself at the breaking point. Not only does she have to learn to walk with a fake leg, deal with an ex-boyfriend, but she also finds herself plagued by nightmares where she finds herself (or parts of herself) as well as her friends shark food. When she finally can’t take it any more she drags Jake and Louisa on a cross country drive to drop Jake back off at his parents house, no questions asked. It will be a long journey for all but one that will help Brody get back what she lost when the shark took her leg.
The characters in Campbell’s story are far from perfect which allows them to be all the more human as they go through their day to day problems caused by such an extraordinary event. Campbell (who also illustrates) provides lush drawings especially in terms of Brody’s nightmares (which are mostly dialogue-less in an otherwise over-talkative story). This is a far more intimate story then the one he crafted for THE ABANDONED and like all great stories there is no clear cut ending, just the hint that this is just a new beginning in the life of the characters.
Brody is a surf girl with everything going for her who has a chance encounter with a shark who bites off her leg. Unable to ever surf again Brody’s life is forever changed and even her best friend Louisa who has always been by her side can not help her. When her ex-boyfriend Jake weasels his way back into her life eating her out of house and home Brody finds herself at the breaking point. Not only does she have to learn to walk with a fake leg, deal with an ex-boyfriend, but she also finds herself plagued by nightmares where she finds herself (or parts of herself) as well as her friends shark food. When she finally can’t take it any more she drags Jake and Louisa on a cross country drive to drop Jake back off at his parents house, no questions asked. It will be a long journey for all but one that will help Brody get back what she lost when the shark took her leg.
The characters in Campbell’s story are far from perfect which allows them to be all the more human as they go through their day to day problems caused by such an extraordinary event. Campbell (who also illustrates) provides lush drawings especially in terms of Brody’s nightmares (which are mostly dialogue-less in an otherwise over-talkative story). This is a far more intimate story then the one he crafted for THE ABANDONED and like all great stories there is no clear cut ending, just the hint that this is just a new beginning in the life of the characters.
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