[Abyss]

Let's get the obvious out of the way first... this is an OGN - original graphic novel. That's a fancy way of saying it is a big fancy comic book.

That being stated, this is not a bunch of superheroes with their underwear on the outside fighting bad guys. Utterly not.

This is a story about four lions who escaped the Baghdad zoo during the American bombardment and the adjustment they have to make from captivity to freedom in a war torn city.

It's loosely based on a true story. And it's a talking animal story.

Really. The animals talk to each other. And it's not a kids book. In fact, you know how some people said THE LION KING was inapropriate for children because the daddy lion gets ninja-hoofed to death by a vengeful herd of cracked-out cybernetic wildebeasts? This book makes that look like 'Hello Kitty Changes Her Litter Box'.

By example, early in the book a lioness reminisces about an 'encounter' (and by encounter i mean 'sex') that is most definitely not your average Discovery Channel After Dark sort of thing. And it's at that point where the reader knows this is not Disney.

But it's brilliant. Although it is a talking animal story, the animals have distinct voices as characters, and their interactions are very 'real'. Noor, the lioness who was raised in captivity puts on an act as though she knows what it takes to survive in the wild. And you know it's an act. And you wonder whether she can pull it off. Zill, the male, has real difficulty with leading, and protecting, the pride. Writer Brian k Vaughn does an amazing job of creating real, sympathetic characters that the reader can easily care about. He doesn't make the lions humans in animal suits, rather, he expresses the lions, as animals, in a way humans understand.

And the art is stunning. Quebecois illustator Niko Henrichon has a knack for making what is a 2D cartoon look appreciably real. His 2 page spreads beg the reader to just stare for minutes. His actions scenes have energy. And while he never resorts to anime-style expressions on the animals' faces, their personalities and emotions do come through.

If you can get past the talking animal comic book part... If you can accept paying roughly $20 for 135 or so pages that can be read in under an hour... if you're prepared to have your emotions jerked all over the place by a comic... then I recommend the book highly.

- Abyss, may have misled re The Lion King, btw.

[QuickTidal]

I've seen tyhis at my local Chapters and have been tempted to pick it up....perhaps now I shall!

[RodeoRanch]

I need to get my eyes checked. I saw the title of this thread and thought it said "Prick of Baghdad" and then wondered what the hell sort of stuff Abyss has been reading!:hand:

[QuickTidal]

RodeoRanch;138168 said:

I need to get my eyes checked. I saw the title of this thread and thought it said "Prick of Baghdad" and then wondered what the hell sort of stuff Abyss has been reading!:hand:

HAHAHA...this one made me chuckle out loud dude!

[Abyss]

re: Prick of Baghdad - Isn't that the sequel to 'Operation Desert P0rn'?

@Zifnab - I haven't read it. I do know there's an entire genre of fantasy with animals (mostly cats) as protagionists, but i don't fly that way myself unless they are zombie cats hunting people for brainz.

- Abyss, meow.

[Mithfanion]

Thanks for the recommendation Abyss, this one is going to my Christmas list for certain. I'd never heard of it. Have you read Morrison's "We3'? Very poignant.

[stone monkey]

I loved We3, beautiful art, wonderful writing (I rather liked the evil tempered cat - Although long-time Morrison readers should know that he does have a soft spot for cats; see Animal Man for details)

I bought it as the floppies. *start rant*Which more people should do*end rant*

[Abyss]

We3 was a great piece of work, tho' i thought the plot was a bit simplistic (cyber animals escape evil lab, fight attempts to take them back, things 'splode, dudes get kebab'd). But good fun and worth the brief read if only for the cat expressing its opinion on humans.

Afraid i differ from you on the floppy v GN topic, SMonkey. Imnsho, it's an outdated, overpriced, unsatisfying medium.
- 22 pages of story plus and equal amount of ads, maybe once a month, with inconsistent artwork, for $3-5 = weak.
- 140ish pages of story, consistent art team, delivered when the damn project is finished, minimal/no ads, for $20 = STRONG.

- Abyss, also liked LotEG, if we're talking about comics.

[stone monkey]

I see your point, but the comics industry is going to need a whole new business model before the GN becomes the default mode for graphic storytelling. Even in Japan - arguably the most sophisticated comic reading nation in the world - comics are usually published as part works before collection.

And I find there's a certain charm to the floppies - and they give me an excuse to visit the comic shop every week.

[Mithfanion]

I seriously dislike the floppies, but I realize that people need to buy them in order for a graphic novel to come out. So, hopefully enough others keep buying the better monthly comics so I can get my collections.

[polishgenius]

I prefer the art on this, (absolutely stunning. Really. And I'm no fan of Frank Quietly, especially his people) but thought we3 was a better story - for such a short and basic story it was unreasonably affecting, largely because of the mannerisms of the animals. Bad dog. Bad dog. Though this is well done, only the ending really got me.