Customer Reviews

Blacksad

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Length:: 2:11 Mins

Featuring some of the most gorgeous artwork I've ever seen, and scripting that would make Philip Marlowe proud, Blacksad is probably the best comic you've never heard of. Republished in English earlier this year by Dark Horse, the critically and commercially successful story follows private detective John Blacksad through three separate cases dealing with classic noir trappings like murder, kidnapping, and Cold War hysteria. It's a brilliant collection, and is a book that every single person should be reading.

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I've been trying to get my hands on just volume 1 of Blacksad for years now - the going price for it was almost $200 this time last year (2009). Now you can get all three volumes, including one never before published in English, for $30 or less. This is a no brainer - the stories are really fun, and the art is absolutely second to none. I literally cannot name another graphic novel that succeeds visually the way this does, with the same level of polish. So much detail, such perfect lighting and composition. This is definitely a must-own book (and very much not for kids - the themes, art, violence and nudity are not really ideal for young ones)!

This amazing series is always a number one recommendation. The artwork and writing are both superb, and this hardbound collection is the first time the third Blacksad story has been printed in English. Without a doubt, worth the money.

The Blacksad books are wonderful, and I'm so pleased that the third installment has finally been made available over here. Aside from giving us some great little detective episodes, the artwork is just an absolute treat for the eyes. Juanjo Guarnido's background in animation really comes through, every panel is so powerful and full of energy. As a side note for parents, these aren't for kids, keep 'em high on the bookshelf for your own enjoyment. Highly recommended!

At first I thought this was just the first volume in a book, I already owned the second one in paperback and the sketchbook in paperback, but this is actually the first 3 comics together in hardcover, so its a wonderful deal to get all 3.
Second, you shouldn't take this as "just a furry comic". Its not, its gritty and dramatic noir comic in a wonderful art style, that uses anthropomorphic characters, sometimes to the extent of using it to stereotype roles,(if you read the 2nd one, Artic Nation, you'll know what I mean). I would say it would be on par with something like the Dinotopia series, using a traditional and well done art style to tell a story.

Blacksad is absolutely AMAZING. The illustrations are superb, the story telling is fantastic. I couldn't have gotten a better deal for $20 then this here book

There are comics that I'd recommend if you like noir and you like comics. Criminal, for instance. But Blacksad's appeal is broader. Whether you like comics or you like noir, you'll like Blacksad. And if you like both, you will love it.

The writing is solid (though a few quips fail to land, perhaps a byproduct of the translation from Spanish to English), combining tried-and-true noir tropes with a rich appreciation of the political cauldron of 1950s America, but the real star here is the art. Blacksad features page after page of eye-popping detail, with gorgeous characters set against lavish backdrops. In one panel, a character stands in front of an exquisite rendering of a Jackson Pollock. I cannot fathom the amount of work that went into that single background. To call Blacksad a labor of love is an understatement. The three "albums" in this collection were released over half a decade (2000, 2003 and 2005), but feel like the work of a lifetime.

A couple of things feel a bit odd about Blacksad. For one, there are major historical characters, but their names are changed, perhaps to make clear that, unlike Maus, Blacksad is not intended as a faithful depiction of history (with anthropomorphized animals). For instance, one character recites the opening stanzas of "Howl" (attributed correctly in a footnote to Allen Ginsberg) and is referred to as "Greenberg." That verisimilitude is a bit distracting, This, again, may be due to the authors' non-American origin (and target market); perhaps French and Spanish readers are not acquainted with "Howl."

Is this the end of Blacksad? Thankfully, no. A fourth volume, "L'Enfer, Le silence," has been released in French, and will no doubt be available in English soon. I hope this beautiful hardcover collection will be the first of many.

If I read graphic novels, as a rule I tend to go for non-fiction memoirs. I picked up Blacksad after reading an amazing review of it in an old Publishers Weekly~it stated that Blacksad was unique for its toughness, raciness, and violence. Naturally, I felt I immediately had to read it. I can't tell you how grateful I am that I found this book. I will never shun a fiction graphic novel again; and coming from someone who actually shies away from the comic book/graphic novel genre...this is a HUGE statement!
Blacksad is, first off, one of the greatest art books I have ever seen. The illustrations are impeccable and convey the essences of the stories therein perfectly. This book is a compilation of the first three Blacksad issues, all of which concern some type of mystery. Blacksad reads like a noir crime thriller--it is set in the 1950's, and contains historical references (often in guise), throughout the novel. The references to nazi-ism, lynchings, the beat generation, racism, and film noir were some of my personal favrites. The illustrations can be a bit graphic...I would hesitate to put this in the hands of a teenager unless they were mature enough to handle nudity and violence. The novel doesn't go over the top in that respect, but there's enough to warrant discretion.
The stories are well-developed and will draw readers in of all ages and literary taste. I couldn't put it down. Highly recommended.

I've been waiting for this for some time, since the earlier English editions of Blacksad went out of print. This is probably some of the best art you'll ever see in a graphic novel. The characters are represented by semirealistic yet Disney-styled animal-people (unsurprising given the artist's professional background), which allows for a great range of expression and dynamic poses. Each panel is beautifully rendered in watercolor. The stories are fairly standard for the noir genre, yet they are told well.

All in all, worth a spot on the shelf of anyone who likes comics. Just be aware that it's not for the young 'uns, even if the characters are animals!

The only thing I wish is that this edition was at the original, slightly larger dimensions the individual volumes were printed at. But since that isn't enough to take the rating all the way down to 4 for me, 5 it will remain. Fantastic book.

I knew little about this character and his history, and it was a real eyeopener to come upon this book. Thanks to Amazon's preview option I found it impossible to resist.
Frank and refreshingly candid tales of Americana after the Big One.
Blacksad, a WW2 vet, inhabits the world of a country in transition. Economic prosperity for the rich but hard-line limitations for the poor and oppressed.
Dealing with issues of class separation, prejudice, and government paranoia. These tales show the kind potential that the sequential narrative can achieve. Not boggled down with the repetitive nothing that American comics still suffer from.
No, the 3 stories in this volume are thoroughly enjoying and heart-breaking.
Page 115 (p.53 of Arctic Nation)panels 4,5,6 and 7. Make me glad that it's only fiction.
And when was the last time "Strange Fruit" and "Old Black Magic" were used so effectively in a story?
Beat poets, Atomic scientist, Abstract Expressionist all in one story that's richly layered and more than worth reading.
So do yourself a favor and buy this volume, they'll be more later.