Customer Reviews

Bone: Out from Boneville (Volume 1)

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Jeff Smith's "Bone" series is a critically acclaimed but criminally overlooked epic for a reason. Critics recognize Smith's masterful storytelling abilities and are drawn to his mix of all-ages humor and decidedly adult darkness, but the black and white art and lack of superheroes is anathema to most comic book readers, making it a hit only in the "underground" sense.

Thank goodness for trade paperbacks, which have allowed new readers unaccustomed to weekly stops at the comic store to follow this marvelous, epic, enchanting series.

Those new to "Bone" should know this: Throw away the term "comic book." It's a term that for many has become defined by superheroes, but Smith's "Bone" is much more than that.

Timeless is every way, "Bone" is an expansive story about three "bone creatures" (you'd have to see them to understand) that find themselves in a valley peopled with an assortment of crazy and interesting characters. Looming over it all is the menace of a great evil, first glimpsed by the ferocious (and funny) rat creatures, but later revealed to be something much more disturbing.

Smith combines the kind of classic storytelling perfected by the likes of the legendary Carl Barks and Bill Watterson - gleefully funny cartooning with outrageously expressive faces and gestures - with the epic and engaging plotting of a sweeping fairy tale. "Bone" walks a tightrope and walks it well, managing to be something fans of both Donald Duck and Bilbo Baggins can enjoy.

"Out From Boneville," the first volume of nine, is in the grand scheme of things little more than an introduction to the people and places that make up the "Bone" epic. We meet Thorn, the sweet girl who our protagonist Fone Bone pines over, the unnaturally tough grandma, the grumpy bar tender, and, of course, the bones themselves. It's a light-hearted introduction to what becomes a more serious tale, and it's good fun to read.

As a first chapter "Out From Boneville" is hardly representative of what "Bone" becomes, but then neither is "A Long Expected Party" in "The Lord of the Rings." Both ease the reader into what becomes an increasingly compelling, tense tale. It's a nice way to introduce us to these characters.

"Bone" is essential reading that no lover of the comic artform should skip. Little doubt people will still be reading "Bone" 50 years from now. Broad in scope yet personal and quaint, this is a charming story in every way that will long outlast 90 percent of other comic works on the shelf.

This is my favorite comic. This story is about three brothers (Fone Bone, Phoney Bone, and Smiley Bone) who have been chased from their hometown because of Phoney's overpowering greed and quest for political power. These brothers are little while creatures call Bones. These Bone brothers get lost and separated as they flee their hometown. Individually they stuble into a fantasy world populated by humans. After the brothers get separated, the story focuses on Fone Bone. Fone adapts to living in this new world. During his long winter stay, he runs into Thorn, a human girl. He instantly falls in love and becomes friends with Thorn, but he finds it impossible to express his love. Fone eventually moves in with Thorn and her grandmother. While staying at their house, there is a terrible crisis. They are attacked by the mysterious and terrifying rat creatures. Can they survive? Read it and find out.

The art in this book is simply a pleasure to look at. The story had a simple sweet touch, but really livens up when the action starts. I was especially moved by the love between Fone and Thorn. I'm hoping that Fone will build up his courage and confess his love. If you read only one comic, this is the one you have to read. Don't miss it.

I love this series. It is fun enough for a young audience(the ages 9-12 that it is attributed to by Amazon), but contains serious enough themes for young adults and adults. The characters fit any fantasy description and the story fits the best definitions for a romance(the Roman kind as well as the kind we are most familiar with). As a fantasy, the situations are exaggerated to be, in a way, more interesting than real life. As a romance, the series is full of hope and optimism; adventure and trials. Fone Bone and the other characters are forced to change their goals as they experience doubts about themselves and their world. The conclusion will be one, very large accomplishment affecting the story's entire valley.
Bone is definitely a page turner. It is humorous. Throughout the adventure the reader is invited to laugh with and at the antics of its characters. They are likeable(even Phoney) and the reader has instant, additional sympathy for them because of their youth. With the drive of concern for the characters, the artwork catches and keeps the interest of the reader. The style is unique(black and white), fun, consistent while improving, and communicates the tone and the shifts of the tone. Jeff Smith's artistic timing inspires the reader's respect.
Finally, Bone is appropriate for all. The tale is tightly woven and carefully mastered. Nothing in it, distracts or detracts from the story. I would loan or recommend it to my eight year old niece, who loves Harry Potter; my brother in high school; or my mother who just, plain likes a good adventure. It is a rich story with a fun and interesting potential.

I can't say enough good things about the Bone series. Jef Smith combines humor, drama, a solid grasp of character, a marvelous sense of pacing, and simple yet beautiful art to create one of the best stories I've ever read. This book is a great introduction to the story -- and I will be hugely surprised if by the end you're not saying, "Stupid, stupid rat creatures!"

Wow. This book will draw you in like an inexorable tractor beam. What exactly does it? The art work? It's great - the part ultra-real and part ultra-cartoon style gives the entire package credence while also nurturing fantasy and surrealism. The story? It's also great - part fantasy parody part adventure ala Crusoe part disturbing evil cult part ridiculous somehow all comes together in a coherent whole. How can a comic have a group of thickly-outlined blobs (Fone-Bone, Phoney-Bone, Smiley bone) that exude entirely different personality traits, a very realistically drawn beautiful woman who becomes the love interest of one of the blobs (Thorn, who Fone falls for), a tough as nails grandma who knows how to fight giant rat creatures and race cows, a group of gangly and stupid rat creatures who are led by even bigger rats and ultimately a creepy hooded creature, a large red dragon with a bizarre sense of humor, and resolve into an amazing and mesmerizing story that any human of almost any age can appreciate? Seems impossible, but here it is!

Volume One begins with the blobs' (Fone, Phoney, Smiley) exile from Boneville. Locusts separate them somehow onto vastly different paths. The story takes some twists and turns but is ultimately about the trio reuniting and finding their way back to Boneville (where a mob apparently awaits them). On the way Fone-Bone meets Ted the bug (and his big big big brother), some rat creatures (who try to eat him, but have issues), Thorn (a beautiful woman who Fone goes gaa gaa over), and Grandma. apparently Phoney Bone has done something that has attracted the "hooded one's" attention, and he has rat creatures (big hairy things with mawfuls of fangs) on patrol. The volume ends with the impending cow races, which Phoney and Smiley plan to fix, to the fortunes of both. Fone-Bone also attracts the attention of the Red Dragon, but for what reason is not answered in volume one.

The interplay of the characters and the artwork make this a great comic book read. It's very hard to put down once started. Also, it's very funny, but not at the expense of plot or character. Great all around.

This is awesome. It put a smile on my face that lasted for weeks--really unnerving to the neighbors. The book's sweetness and humour makes this a no-brainer. Sitting in a warm, well light room with this collection comes close to paradise. Now I have to talk about Moby Dick...ZZZZZ.

This is the best comic book ever written. Bone pulls together fantasy and humor into a great read. Jeff Smith's art is even better. The story moves through magic, dragons, swords and armor, and........cow racing. Jeff Smith is one of the best writers out there and Bone is a treasure that everyone can enjoy.

To say too much spoils the surprises that await readers at every turn. But I must confess up front that my early impressions of the artwork were wrong. While these black-and-white pages might look simplistic at first glance, I quickly discovered that the book is packed with detail -- and the expressiveness of Smith's characters, shown through face and body posture, is exquisite.

'Bone: Out From Boneville,' collects issues #1-6 of Jeff Smith's seminal Fantasy-Humor comic series that first kicked off in 1991. Anyone with an appreciation for top-notch comic book storytelling will quickly appreciate Smith's keen sense of compelling, exciting narrative blended in with keen-humor and characterization in every panel. For those not sure what this series is actually about, in a nutshell it can be described as a fantasy epic with strong overtones of humor and adventure populated with compelling characters of human, animal and mythic-being variety. Whether or not you're a fan of the fantasy genre you will nonetheless find yourself compelled with the story from the get-go thanks to Smith's wonderful storytelling ability. Give it a try, you won't be disappointed.

This whole series is amazing. It's a great all ages comic and I wouldn't have to think twice about recomending it to anyone. It's also a great book for parents to read to their children.