Customer Reviews

Drive-By

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I amazed to find even one copy of this extraordinarily rare book on Amazon, and even in less-than-mint condition. I bought my copy nearly twenty years ago and, since then, have kept an eye out for used copies -- but this is the first I've found. The story and format of the book are so unique that I've long wanted to pick up a few extra copies to give to colleagues & fellow fans of the graphic-story medium.

The book itself is a one-of-a-kind look into the process of comics adaptations. It begins with a copy of the original Vachss prose short story, which, like much of the author's work, is a gritty urban drama. Next is a detailed script that adapts the story to comic-book format (by Joe Lansdale). This is followed by a reprint of the comic story itself as it originally appeared in an early-1990s Dark Horse comic book. The result, greater than the sum of its parts, would be fascinating to anyone interested in the process of graphic storytelling -- or in cinema, for that matter. It illustrates the mechanics of how prose elements translate to graphic media and gives insight into how elements are selected and translated in order to best communicate the essence of the original story.

It's sad that only 300 numbered copies of this unique work were published. If you ever bump into a copy somewhere in a yard sale or used book store (or on a Buy Used page on Amazon), snatch it up.