Flight Volume 2 [Paperback]

Becky Cloonan (Author), Chris Appelhans (Author), Clio Chiang (Author), Michel Gagne (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 26, 2005

The second volume of the widely acclaimed Flight anthology. Featuring new stories by up-and-coming creators, established comics professionals, and the original crew, Flight Volume Two continues the tradition of celebrating the graphic narrative medium. From the fantasy of a fading childhood romance in a small seaside town to the tale of a pair of monster hunters looking to make a quick buck to the allegory of a young robot finding meaning in his disposal, this volume once again features stories for readers of all ages and tastes.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. Last year, the first volume of Flight introduced a squadron of talented young cartoonists whose anime/animation influence struck a fresh note among jaded comics readers. This edition shows substantial growth while introducing some veterans, such as Jeff Smith (Bone) and Doug TenNapel (Creature Tech). The general theme is flight, but many of the contributors use that as a springboard to examine symbolic journeys into adulthood or love. This thick volume is almost an embarrassment of riches, with exquisite art and coloring throughout. The story content is more variable, from the straight-out fantasy adventure of Khang Le's "Monster Slayers," to the more personal "Dust on the Shelves" by Bannister. Several stories, like Michael Gagné's "Inner Sanctum" and "Sky Blue" by Kness, take the title literally and present storyboardlike flights of fancy. It's hard to pick a standout, but Jen Wang's charming "Destiny Express," about a girl artist who doesn't want to board a symbolic train to her destiny for fear of losing her inspiration, is certainly one of them. This collection strikes a few callow or self-indulgent notes, but the sheer force of creative energy on display is impressive, and young readers should find much to spark their own imaginations. (Apr.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

*Starred Review* More than 30 accomplished young artists take off on the theme, sometimes loosely construed, of flight in this follow-up to an acclaimed anthology that appeared last year. A few, such as Jeff Smith (Bone, 2004) and Doug TenNapel (Creature Tech, 2002), have achieved prominence in the graphic-novel world, but most have devoted their considerable talents to web comics and animation. Despite their newness to print, they master the medium beautifully. The anthology's batting average is impressively high--there's nary a dud in the bunch--but standouts include TenNapel's warped funny-animal tale, with touches of both Krazy Kat and Spongebob; Rodolphe Guenoden's cautionary equation of lust and death; and Doug Holgate's wordless saga of a canine astronaut. The spirit of Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki--whose films often depict flight--is especially strong in several stories. It's encouraging to see so many young creators whose influences stem from Japanese and European comics rather than the superhero stories that have dominated American mainstream comics for decades. At more than 400 pages, there is something in this elegantly produced collection for everyone, including readers who usually snub comics. It will be exciting to watch these young creators take flight in future volumes of Flight. Gordon Flagg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Image Comics (April 26, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1582404771
• ISBN-13: 978-1582404776
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 6.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #811,746 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Collection, May 20, 2005

By 

c5 (Louisiana, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Flight Volume 2 (Paperback)

Of the 33 stories in this book, I don't think there was one that I didn't like for one reason or another. I'm generally not a big fan of superhero comics or of those that try too hard to be dark and edgy, and this is a nice alternative. I got a strong impression that the creators of the comics in this book just had fun and really put themselves into their work. The art styles are quite varied and impressive. Some of the stories are funny, some emotional, and some just inspiring artistically. The stories range from one page to around 20.

Although the book is large (and a great bargain at the Amazon price), it's a quick read. But this isn't a bad thing--I felt that I more than got my money's worth. I'll be looking for other work by some of these artists and ordering the first volume. I hope the Flight series continues.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars First class art work, a style for everyone., May 4, 2005

By 

G Smith "stupid middle age white guy" (the library) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Flight Volume 2 (Paperback)

I was intrigued by the cover in the book store so I decided to pick it up. Wow, was I ever impressed. I used to be into comic books and art in general while in high school, but never in my wildest dreams would I have envisioned what the medium would become. Yes, I am getting old and no, I haven't been keeping up with comics. So, there may be better out there but not with so many different styles: One in pastel, one comp. generated, another in oils, and even a more traditional pen and ink section (all executed exquisitely).

If you are interested in finding out what can be accomplished stylistically and artistically in the world of graphic novels look no further. I can't wait to find volume two.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Warm and fuzzy without being nauseating, June 22, 2006

By 

Craven Rock (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Flight Volume 2 (Paperback)

I picked up "Flight Volume Two" at my library because it looked kind of cool. As soon as I started reading it I was totally absorbed and had to put it down on purpose in order to save some for later. The stories are kind of fairy tale-like, sweet and refreshing but not cheesy and nauseating. This isn't usually my thing, I guess I can be sort of grounded and my literary tastes reflect that. However, this book definately transcends that and appeals to the childlike, unjaded dreamer in me. Yeah, read it!
Read especially if your sad or grumpy.