Customer Reviews

Gear

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

GEAR is simply the greatest book ever written. I read it and exploded. Actually, I wrote it and also exploded.

that's the best way to describe this book, initially. well, i mean, all throughout that's how you describe it, but that's what this book would put down on a dating survey that asks the book to describe itself in 3 words.

i think this book has become my favorite tennapel book. the thing flat rocks. i mean, we got giant robot fights, mantis warriors, espionage cats, cults, the mob, and talking guppies as a symbol for death. the book contained many "laugh out loud" moments, many requiring me to share them with someone else because they are just that good.

the book feels incredibly surreal and other worldly, with art that's reminiscent of 30's disney shorts, but violence is in no short supply. i was honestly a little (quite pleasantly) surprised. after having seen a few episodes of catscratch (gear being the source of inspiration for the cartoon), i had developed a completely different idea of what this book was going to be like. it has a smart symbol laden stories, as tennapel books do, but is approachable. buy it. buy 2 and send one to that friend of yours that lives on the other side of the country. y'know, the one you don't talk to a whole bunch? yeah. that one. they'll thank you for it.

I remember reading this a while back, to the point where it was destroyed beyond repair. Then I went through some sort of maturity phase, I guess, and did that thing where many parts of your childhood disappear from everywhere except the darkest recesses of your mind. I've been doing some excavating, and found that many of my favorite things, albeit video games, comics, art and albums have an inexplicable link to one Doug TenNapel. I'm pretty sure it all started with this book.

While simpler and more straightforward than some of his other books, there still remains a complex and beautiful story, engaging characters, and some of the most unique artwork and vision I've seen. On many of the pages you can just FEEL the intensity and ferocity with which he drew, and the recklessness and broad stroke style that he shows in this book is one of many reasons that sets him apart artistically from others in my eye. I own them all now, and urge you to do the same, starting with this one.

If you remain interested, check out his other stuff, as he's left imprints everywhere, whether it be his video games (neverhood, skullmonkeys, earthworm jim), cartoons (catscratch, ewj), online videos (sockbaby), or album designs (Terry S. Taylor, Five Iron Frenzy.) It's nice finding an artist with this kind of vision and seemingly endless supply of stories who somehow seems to enjoy what he's doing more than I do.

This review is from someone who mainly became a fan of Doug Tennapel only within the last couple years. Back when the Gear series first released, I only had a casual awareness of Doug, in the context of Earthworm Jim. A few video games and FIF covers later, I sought out his work and was an immediate fan of all his other graphic novels.

Despite being a huge fan, Gear eluded me due to its rarity. Finally reading it now, I can certainly see the evolution of Doug's ideas and style. The art is frenetic, loose, and dirty.

Catscratch is the most obvious offspring of Gear, but an observer can clearly see elements which would later be incorporated into Creature Tech, Earthboy Jacobus, Iron West, and even Robot B*stard.

Even if you already own the original comics, pick this one up. It's in vibrant, creator-approved full color and looks gorgeous. The story is sillier and less epic than Doug's later works, but has an immense energy to it. Also, it's got an interesting afterword from Doug, describing where life has taken him since Gear's original release.

The black and white Gear TPB was the first comic of TenNapel's that I ever read. It was the book that convinced me to pick up the rest of his stuff as it was released. The art, the characters, the story -- all of it seemed explicitly designed to cater to my own personal artistic sensibilities. In short, it tickled my fancy.

Years later, he has seen fit to re-release this special book with a great lookin' new paint job. My appreciation for the art has waned a little (I still love a lot of it, but I noticed, having seen TenNapel's more recent work, that it isn't as strong), but I find myself still appreciating the story as much as I did back in 1998. I was surprised to find that there were still several moments of genuine poignancy in this book about cats in giant robots: Simon's words from Heaven during his funeral; Mr. Black's epilogue narration.

Of course, the other things I loved about Gear remain as well: the character designs, the dialogue (Gordon singing and thrusting while piloting the Gear must be seen), the unique humor, and established universe and the epic feel.

Regarding the color: it's good. While I'm always a fan of good black and white line-work sans color, the addition in Gear in no way harms it. In most cases, it actually enhances it for clarity of reading. There are a few pages that worked better in the original black and white (some of the art without contour lines, for example), but overall the color is welcome.

I'd recommend this book to fans of TenNapel's other work, as well as fans of goofy cartoon work in general. This stuff is great.

Gear is easily one of the most entertaining Graphic novels Doug TenNapel has produced, especially now that it is in color. The story isn't as deep and meaningful as that of his other books, but it works well and there are deeper messages sprinkled throughout the book. Two things set Gear apart from Doug's other graphic novels. First, it is his only book to date set around funny animal characters. The second is that, now with this re-release, Gear is in full color. The color adds some new appeal and much-needed clarity to the book. One more thing worth noting is that, while Doug's show Catscratch on Nickelodeon is inspired by the main characters of Gear, the book is aimed at an older audience than Catscratch. So don't be surprised by some of the violent images that pop up throughout the book. Overall, Gear is one of my favorite of Doug TenNapel's works..... Oh yeah, and after I read it, I exploded.

I love Doug TenNapel. I think the guy is fricken brilliant. And, although I've read various comics growing up, a lesser amount in the 80's and 90's, and a few more in the 21st century, this guy stands out as sui generis.

You read something by him and you know, you recognize the "voice."

He's nuts. But in a very wonderful way.

What would I call his trademarks?

1. a zany imagination not afraid to mix together elements that make the averge person (and maybe even the above-average one) go, "Huh?"

2. Action-packed storytelling that nevertheless connects with a compassionate thread for people in need and in trouble.

3. Humor. It's a really wacky sense of humor that is evident in both the artwork and the text. (In Gear, I just about died at the internal monologue from Heaven, that whole guppies thing, and the catacomb paintings. GUFFAW!)

4. Christian content. Let's face it, it's hip to be anti-Christian, to be blasphemous, to shove it in the face of those Jesus Freaks. Culturally, Christianity is not cool. But Doug doesn't shy away from faith content, and instead makes it an important part of the story. Whether it was that amazing panel in CREATURE TECH with the Jesusfied creature thing, or the Jonah story retold in EARTHBOY JACOBUS, or the redemption in IRON WEST, or the unexpected Jesus figure in GEAR (not to mention that hilarious glimpes of cat/mantis/guppie heaven.) Doug is not afraid to pour Christian reality into his zany stories. And that's very, very cool.

GEAR has a sort of manic quality that verges on incoherence in spots. I kinda liked it. And the artwork is different from what I'd seen in the other graphic novels by him. I read the afterword, and I understand he was using a different tool/technique. It hyperkinetic and a just plain enjoyable. Too bad it's such a quick read.

But what's it' about, Mir? you ask. It's a story of war, various factions from different points (North, South) in a fantasy land populated by giant mantises (one showed up in CREATURE TECH, huh?), cats, dogs, and guardian robots, big ones. The alliances, the battles, the cult that formed around a gear thing, the forbidden mechanism, that will be instrumental in putting an end to this bloodshed.

I think that glimpse of Heaven says a lot about that warring land, because it says a lot about US and our warring lands. We're gonna look back or down or whatever some day and go, "Sheesh, that sucked. What were we thinking. It's much nicer to get along and eat..er"...well, maybe not live rabbits and raw fish, but you get my drift. But Doug is realist enough to portray the need to fight against evil and to protect the innocent, even if you'd rather just watch guppies swim in a pond.

I'm ready for the next TenNapel.

Doug, get cracking, man.

Mir of Mirathon blog

I got this on special order from the library, read it and loved it, then had to return it. Later I received it as a Christmas present and was a very happy kitty. Later still, I bought a copy for my best friend and she loved it. This is an amazing book with a fun story and great message. Cats and bugs at war! Stupid robots! Gratuitous violence! What more could you ask for?

...color? You want it? It's yours, my friend!

I would have to say that this is still my favourite of Tennaple's works...because of that loose brushwork. With each subsequent release I have hoped to find artwork with as much energy as those in Gear. I only have the black and white version of the story...and to be honest its hard to imagine how the colour could be an improvement. Some of my favourite images from the book (waffle with the gun in the forest) work so well because of that white space. But, by all accounts, they've done a good job and I'd be curious to see how it turned out.

I'm amazed reading other reviews here saying "this is his weakest work" and "you can see he's come a long way since then". From a visual perspective...I don't think doug has since reached the high bar that he set with this book(visually at least). He seems to have moved on in a different direction and I still like what he's done in his other books...But I do wonder what he might have achieved if he'd pushed this style a little further over his next few graphic novels.

Like the description says, this book has it all: talking animals (cats vs. bugs!), giant robots, gun fights, zany dialogue, dramatic deaths, epic battles...the list goes on. If you're interested truly imaginative tale that is filled with all kinds of different themes and events, this graphic novel is good place to go to.