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RICK GEARY
A TREASURY OF VICTORIAN MURDERS |
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JACK
THE RIPPER
JOURNAL OF THE WHITECHAPEL MURDERS
1888-1889 |
| by Rick Geary |
Hardcover: 64 pages
NBM Publishing, Inc.
ISBN: 1561631248 |
$15.95
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| Geary's graphic
novel tells of the mystery and investigation of a Victorian murderer, using
black and white illustrations and tasteful displays to recount the Ripper
modus operandi and legend. Geary's story will satisfy fans of the graphic
novel format who appreciate seeing detective work illustrated. |
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From
Publisher's Weekly:
Rendering
the belching chimneys, puzzled bobbies and bewhiskered worthies of Victorian
London in brooding b&w panels, Geary revisits the legend of Jack the
Ripper in this stylish graphical novel. On the one hand, this is a 19th-century
police procedural: in examining the brutal murders of five prostitutes
in London's Whitechapel district in 1888, Geary recreates the scene of
each gruesomely surgical murder, annotating the evidence, the forensic
procedures of the time (some theories held that an image of the murderer
remained affixed to the victim's retina) and the eerily conflicting testimony
of witnesses. On the other hand, it's a deadpan pulp narrative in the form
of a trade comic book in which Geary's haunting drawings unite seamlessly
with his moody, well-researched text. As the atrocities mount, the story
tracks the public hysteria surrounding the murders, including journalistic
excess and rising anti-Semitism. Geary doesn't try to identify ``Saucy
Jacky.'' Instead, he taps the legend's powerful mystery and, in the process,
the period's social strictures and hypocrisies. |
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RICK GEARY
A TREASURY OF VICTORIAN MURDERS |
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THE
BORDEN TRAGEDY
A MEMOIR OF THE INFAMOUS DOUBLE
MURDER AT FALL RIVER, MASS. 1892 |
| by Rick Geary |
Paperback: 64 pages
NBM Publishing, Inc.
ISBN: 1561631892 |
$8.95
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Amazon.com
Rick Geary received quite
a bit of critical praise for his Jack the Ripper volume of A Treasury of
Victorian Murder, and rightfully so. The Borden Tragedy (the third volume
in the series), is no less impressive. Based on the famous 19th-century
Lizzie Borden double murder, this comic-book version of the event is supposedly
excerpted and adapted from the unpublished writings of an unknown woman
from the Borden's hometown of Fall River. The narrator, a friend of Lizzie
Borden, is intent on finding out all of the facts behind such a grizzly
butchering. We are taken through meticulously researched evidence, all
stunningly illustrated by Geary, but Geary leaves us without taking a strong
stand one way or the other. As an extra treat, the back cover includes
a list of comparisons between Lizzie Borden and O. J. Simpson. |
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From
School Library Journal:
[This
book is] adapted from an authenticated but currently anonymous memoir written
by someone who was at Fall River at the time of the Borden murders. The
dramatic and mystery-shrouded story of Mr. and Mrs. Borden's deaths by
hatchet during a time frame that would seem to indicate 30-year-old Lizzie
as the only possible murderer and of the contradictory physical evidence
that would seem to exonerate that same suspect is presented frame by frame,
with very few balloons attributing specific words to any of those involved.
The drawing style suits the subject neatly, extending the Victorian setting
into mood as well: Lizbeth Borden is depicted as pudgy and sour-faced,
the Bordens' maid looks as pinched and sickened as she had reason to feel,
Fall River's citizenry scowl up from the pages as clearly defined individuals.
Geary brings to this work years of experience creating fictional and documentary
comics for books and periodicals, including the National Lampoon.
While the parallel between Lizzie Borden and O.J. Simpson, drawn on the
back cover of the book, seems simplistic, it may serve as an appropriate
hook for readers unaccustomed to contemplating events outside their own
worlds. Because Geary has fit so many details of the case's facts and ambiguities
into just over 50 heavily illustrated pages, this should be an instant
hit in high interest/low reading collections.
--Francisca
Goldsmith, Berkeley Public Library, CA
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RICK GEARY
A TREASURY OF VICTORIAN MURDERS |
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THE
FATAL BULLET
THE ASSASSINATION OF PRESIDENT
GARFIELD |
| by Rick Geary |
Paperback: 80 pages
NBM Publishing, Inc.
ISBN: 1561632287 |
$8.95
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| "First
rate. Superb as always."
--Publishers
Weekly
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"Subtly
expressive low-key wit. First-rate historical graphic novel."
--Booklist
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Geary explores
the first assassination of one of our presidents in the hands of an obsessive-compulsive
stalker, a deluded loser who thought his action would bring him national
glory. In this typically carefully researched and constructed story, Geary
parallels the lives of the President and the killer. They have striking
similarities. The fascinating element is how one went so wrong while the
other rose to so high a post even despite himself. Once again, beyond a
mere presentation of facts, the author surreptitiously unpeels for us a
bit of our national psyche.
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From Publishers Weekly
In this first-rate nonfiction
comics work, Geary examines the assassination of our 20th president, James
Garfield, murdered barely six months into his presidency by Charles Guiteau,
a failed lawyer and demented evangelist. Although the two men never knew
one another, Geary focuses on the peculiar similarities in their backgrounds.
Both hailed from the Midwest (Garfield from Ohio and Guiteau from Illinois)
and were devoutly religious, studied law and gravitated toward politics.
But the two couldn't have been more different. Garfield was honest, a brilliant
student, a decorated Civil War hero destined for distinction. Guiteau was
a misfit even as a child and ended up a deadbeat and a religious fanatic,
convinced that he was chosen by God for greatness. Geary's well-researched
account also documents how easy it was to gain access to, and the vulnerability
of, American presidents in the 19th century. Guiteau secretly stalked the
newly elected Garfield (who was given to strolling unguarded around D.C.
at any hour) and shot him from behind as he was about to board a train.
Geary also takes note of the woeful state of medical treatment at the time.
Shot in early July, Garfield finally died in September after suffering
through inept and painful attempts by his doctors to remove the bullet.
Guiteau was tried and hanged for the murder shortly afterward. Geary's
black and white drawings are superb as always in this work, a fitting follow-up
to his equally fine The Borden Tragedy.
Copyright
1999 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
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| LARRY GONICK |
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The
CARTOON HISTORY of the UNIVERSE
VOLUMES 1-7
FROM THE BIG BANG TO ALEXANDER
THE GREAT |
| by Larry Gonick |
Paperback: 359 pages
black & white illustrations
Doubleday
ISBN: 0385265204 |
$19.95
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| An entertaining
and informative illustrated guide that makes world history accessible,
appealing, and funny. |
| In seven wild and witty
chapters, cartoonist Larry Gonick takes us on an uproarious joyride through
the ancient world. Gonick's brilliant insights, exuberant humor, and delightful
drawings combine to make a truly unique work that is sure to be a valuable
resource as well as a great escape for all ages.
One of the beautiful things
about comics is that it is possibly the best medium for combining education
and entertainment. No one knows this better than Larry Gonick, whose Cartoon
History series spans many subjects. Whether you are a fan of history, comics,
or Gonick's books, The Cartoon History of the Universe I is a great place
to start. Part I contains volumes 1 to 7, from the Big Bang to Alexander
the Great.
"Obviously
one of the great books of all time."
--Terry
Jones.
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The author, Larry Gonick:
Why Volume 7 looks different!
Several readers have complained
that the drawing in Volume 7 doesn't look so hot. I guess I agree. The
reason is that, smitten with the work of the Maylasian cartoonist Lat,
I thought I'd try to draw it with a pen. All the previous volumes were
drawn with a brush.
Well, I still think Lat
is one of the world's great cartoonists, but I gave up on the pen after
48 gruelling pages. Volumes 8-13 were also all drawn with a brush, and
so will all future volumes!!! I'm not done! |
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| LARRY GONICK |
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The
CARTOON HISTORY of the UNIVERSE II
VOLUMES 8-13
FROM THE SPRINGTIME OF CHINA
TO THE FALL OF THE ROME |
| by Larry Gonick |
Paperback: 320 pages
Main Street Books
ISBN: 0385420935 |
$19.95
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| Continuing right
where the first book left off, The Cartoon History of the Universe II once
again combines Gonick's superb cartooning with the lessons of history. |
| Find out what
Lynn Johnston, creator of For Better of Worse, calls "a gift to those of
us who love to laugh and who love to learn." Part II contains volumes 8
to 13, from the Springtime of China to the Fall of Rome (plus the history
of India, too!).
From Booklist
As Ray Olson noted in his
review of the first seven volumes of this cartoon history, Gonick "consistently
considers the status of women, lower-class people, and the losers of wars"
in one of the "most amusing, provocative surveys of the planet's progress
ever made." Typically, Gonick lays down a serious narrative line, then
illustrates it with something boffo; he varies his shadings and panel sizes
dramatically and often drops in a "footnote" that is a separate, related
story. His first seven volumes began with a bang, the big one, and took
the reader through the time of Alexander the Great. We pick up Alexander
marching to India, where he makes an about-face, thus occasioning Gonick's
treatise on India with witty portraits of Hinduism, Buddhism, and the Jain
sect, followed by a history of China, concentrating on Confucius and various
monarchs and occupying nearly half the book. Then Gonick flashes back,
as it were, to the aftermath of Alexander, tracing Rome's rise and fall
through 564 A.D., the end of Justinian's reign. The result, in both volumes,
is simply a delightful way to be introduced to world history--relaxing
and yet often provocative reading for adults but also an excellent primer
for children and for poor readers. This new installment ought to circulate
heavily and bring renewed demand for the first.
John Mort
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From Kirkus Reviews
Imagine a collaboration
between Arnold Toynbee and R. Crumb and you get a pretty good idea of Gonick's
clever and ambitious comic book series. This volume should not be taken
as some kind of Mel Brooksish joke. Gonick does his research and interprets
his sources with scholarly care. Inspired by the educational comic books
of Latin American artist RIUS, Gonick makes world history a blast-- literally,
with his predilection for onomatopoeic word balloons. In this second collection--the
last left us with Alexander the Great schlepping toward Persia--Gonick
takes us on a side tour through India and China. He integrates myth and
history to establish the origins of sectarian conflict in India, and attends
to migration patterns from the Middle East to China in order to explain
the development of Buddhism and Confucianism. Dynamic intrigue and the
threat of northern barbarians compete with periods of prolonged peace.
This highly selective version of Chinese history, though full of diverting
stories, will be a bit confusing to readers unfamiliar with the main players.
Back in Rome, meanwhile, after the death of Alexander, the republic enters
its period of glory, followed by the building of the empire. Problems of
succession lead to lots of lurid anecdotes about perverse and insatiable
emperors, violent entertainments, brutal conquests--all of which Gonick
records with Mad-like irreverence. He equivocates, however, in telling
the story of Jesus, ending up with an uneasy mix of canonical fact and
outright heresy. His account of the historical rise of Christianity is
superb and demonstrates an interesting parallel with China: In both cases
alien cults from the edge of the empires eventually captured the capital
cities. Gonick's humor is mostly visual and relies on the juxtaposition
of comical images with his relatively sober text. Despite his lefty, multi-culty
inclinations, Gonick maintains the high level of sophistication, skepticism,
and just plain fun established by the first volume.
-- Copyright
©1994, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
Ingram
The first Cartoon History
of the Universe won raves from book critics and general readers alike and
became a smash bestseller. Now Larry Gonick's back, with six more hilarious
volumes in one tremendous package. Hip, multicultural, and funny, it has
something for absolutely everyone.
From the Publisher
Here's a new installment
of the phenomenal bestseller that Publishers Weekly selected as one of
the twelve great books of all time. Spanning ages and continents from Ancient
India to Rome and China in A.D. 600, Volume II is hip, funny, and full
of info.
B & W illustrations. |
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| LARRY GONICK |
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The
CARTOON HISTORY of the UNITED STATES |
| by Larry Gonick |
Paperback: 392 pages
HarperCollins
ISBN: 0062730983 |
$17.95
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What? You don't
know what a Burgess is?
-- You can't outline the
Monroe Doctrine?
-- Recall the 14th Amendment?
-- Explain the difference
between a sputnik and a beatnik? |
Then you need
The Cartoon History of the United States to fill those gaps. From the first
English colonies to the Gulf War and the S&L debacle, Larry Gonick
spells it all out from his unique cartoon perspective.
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"A
perfect gift for that teenager who simply can't get American history straight
. . . "
--
San Francisco Chronicle
.
"Gonick's
irreverent humor is effective . . . the text sparkles . . . "
--
Los Angeles Times
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"
. . . a vital, dynamic, and consistently challenging panorama of our past."
--
The Comics Journal
.
About the Author
Larry Gonick is the creator
of the bestselling Cartoon Guide series, comprised of nine books that have
sold more than half a million copies and been translated into more than
a dozen languages. Currently staff cartoonist for Muse magazine, he has
also been a Knight Science Journalism Fellow at MIT. |
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