Customer Reviews

Heavy Liquid

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Heavy Liquid series(compiled in this book)makes up one of the most amazing graphic novels I've ever seen, and on so many levels: a fascinating and creative plot, interesting characters and great loose, luscious drawings. I highly reccommend this book as an introduction to the rest of Mr. Pope's fine work, such as his giant-sized THB comics, P City Parade and also "Escapo," another amazing graphic novel. All of his comics are grrl friendly (with fully-clothed and smart,strong female characters, no ridiculously-sized bosoms to be seen) and his drawing style is completely gorgeous. Do check this out -- you'll love it. Paul Pope is a total genius.

I wish I saw this novel on more Top 10 lists, but oh well. Nevertheless, I demand that you buy this book right now, and with the hefty discount Amazon is providing, you can't afford to pass this up! With a cover price of 30 beans, I can understand why some would balk initially at purchasing this, but now you have no excuse! Thirty percent off is the deal of the century for this book, and I paid full cover at my local shop! If you are a fan of modern fiction, fine graphical art, or just insane ideas, you owe it to yourself to pick this up at Amazon's great discount.

Set in the near future, the main question in Heavy Liquid is "what is Heavy Liquid?" I'm not going to tell you, but I will tell you that the characters in this story are all affected by this strange substance, part highly addictive drug, part... I don't want to spoil it, but suffice it to say that Pope's concepts are always first rate. As someone else mentioned, fans of PK Dick should take note of this work and read it.

The art is Paul's signature style, completely unmistakably his and no one else's. The lines themselves form beautiful abstract art, in addition to the concrete images they suggest, but his execution is so fluid that nothing is stale or static; these pages rip with dynamics.

All in all, among the very best graphic novels of all time, and considering that it is the work of one man, it qualifies as genius.

When the character Stooge and his partner double-cross the mob and abscond with a package of the mysterious element Heavy Liquid, thing get out of control. With his partner dead, Stooge must find a way to escape the mobster hitmen out to get him. While on the run, he is approached by the agent of a shadowy art collector who would like him to find an artist who has disappeared from the world. The mission: find the world's greatest sculptor to make a piece of work created from Heavy Liquid. The element however is also of great interest to the United States government. Stooge's work soon attracts the attention of one of the government's top agents. . .

Paul Pope's art work is a good as ever in this collection of his Heavy Liquid comic series. The lines are bold and even still shots have a great deal of energy and movement. I recommend this to all fans of comic art, and if you're a Paul Pope fan this is of course a must-have. Get it now while it's available. Paul Pope's work tends to go out of print quickly.

I'm not looking to write an elaborate review; I just felt obligated to tell potential buyers more about the product than the story, unlike the other reviews.

It's Paul Pope. Of course HEAVY LIQUID is a great series. The writing is a mesh between dystopian and noir. It's a caper tale that serves more as a character study, and it explores the timeless themes of love and addiction, while transporting the reader to a futuristic world, that's familiar yet fresh. It doesn't exactly end in a traditional sense, which brings focus and reflects on the main concepts. It's important to remember the main character is an addict.

The dark limited color palette and spaced-out panel layout are gorgeous, and they compliment Pope's sleek yet rough penciling, that is most definitely one of HEAVY LIQUID's best attributes. There's no doubt, that HL is contemporary comic book art.

I want to make references to Science-fiction having donated sperm so same-sex couple, TRAINSPOTTING and SNATCH could have a baby together, when trying to come up with some sort of comparison for HEAVY LIQUID. There's an intensity and strangeness to both the tone and creativity, that reminds me of certain elements from cult-classics like V FOR VENDETTA, CLOCKWORK ORANGE & BLADE RUNNER.

The reasoning why I give this book a 4 instead of the 5, I think this series deserves, is because of the actual book itself. For the cover price of 40$ or even the ever-changing amazon bargain of 25-30$, you might expect an over-sized edition. That's wishful thinking. My biggest complaint is that some of the art is lost in the binding. It doesn't ruin the reading experience necessarily; however, I can't help but wonder if this was unavoidable or just laziness on the publishers part. I find myself stretching the book as far open as possible to read each panel. I doubt I'll let friends borrow this, fearing too many people doing the same thing will ruin it.

I would have liked to see the publishers, editors, etc. release a hardcover more worthy of this artsy, avant-garde sci-fi. It's still a snazzy looking addition to your library though. The dust jacket has a subtle shimmer, and the pages are the thick glossy type we fanboys drool over. The bonus material is satisfactory but not extensive. There's no introduction; it jumps right into the comic. But the book ends with a standard cover gallery, a short bit of research & development, and an afterword from the Pope himself. Recommended for all, but buying it cheaper from an independent seller will make the price more fitting.

So apparently they haven't reprinted this for a while... I don't know that it's worth $[...].
However, Pope's got his glory moment with this book. 100% and a lot of his other stuff is just a little too pretentious for me. Yes, you're a handsome man. Yes, you have an expressive line. No, not everyone gives a crap what you think about all day. The best artists are their own worst critics...and I tend to feel that Pope lets himself get away with a little too much sometimes (the new THB is another exception).
ANYWAY, this book is fabulous, and the way Pope plays with ink as material acts as this beautiful mirror/vehicle for the non-physical matter of the drug he invents, Heavy Liquid. The story is completely unconventional, and watching the characters trip is a lot of fun.

Heavy Liquid is one of the very best novels I've ever read in my life!

Forget that it's a "comic", it's more than that. It's one of the best sci-fi films never filmed, but captured by Paul Pope in glorious sequential art and prose!

This is the single best thing Pope has ever done!

I can't wait for the sequel called "100%" coming early in 2002.

Seriously, if you love P.K. Dick's novels, Blade Runner or any of William Gibson's work (especially "Neuromancer") then I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS!

People,

If you like Paul Pope, you should have this book. It's the definitive masterpiece. Best thing he's ever done
Perfect!!!

If you are looking for a light read, walk away from this page. This is not for you. If you are looking for a trippy and heady GN to wrap your hands around, this is the one, literally. Paul Pope with his completely unique style of art and storytelling, gives the reader an "experience". Not just a story to read and see but a real experience. On the flip side, the concoction is truly heady. You might want to put the book aside after reading a bit since the imagery can get to you.
Worth a read and buy if you are into "experiences" rather than just stories.

I know nothing about Pope, just happened to see this collection of the five-comic run at the library and picked it up. The story is set in a very recognizable version of our world somewhere in the late decades of this century. There are a few areas of technological improvement, such as supersonic air travel and a sort of enhanced internet with a visual/holographic interface. Otherwise, any sci-fi elements are restrained as the story takes place in a grimy, ominous and claustrophobic New York and Paris. The main plotline is pretty familiar: there's an anti-hero named "S" (for Stooge) who has stolen some mysterious stuff from some criminals who want it back. In another plotline, S is hired by a mysterious rich man to find down the sculptor who used to be S's girlfriend.

So far, all familiar stuff, a reluctant anti-hero, a mysterious package, a mysterious client, and an old flame -- and there's a mysterious man in black who also seems to want to have a word with S... What is less familiar is the titular "heavy liquid", which is highly explosive, but also highly hallucinogenic (and addictive) when heated and ingested. This is what sustains interest in what is otherwise a pretty straightforward crime/chase story. As the story goes on, it becomes apparent that there's more to the heavy liquid than meets the eye. The bulk of the story has S running around evading the trio of deadly gangsters called "the clowns", who, for some unknown reason, wear art-related masks (one is a cubist, etc...) while he does his thing. S is a kind of fatalistic, retro dude, addicted to the heavy liquid and lamenting the loss of his few friends.

The art sports a kind of late '60s, early '70s retro feel, and S looks distinctly like a late '60s Mick Jagger (Pope even describes his haircut as a "Jagger" in one insert). The title, of course, comes from the Iggy & The Stooges song, so that should give one a sense of the vibe. Pope's lines are very loose and free, which I don't particularly care for, but others will dig the fluid style. The coloring is basic red, blue, black, and blends of these, resulting in a restrained palate which adds a lot to the retro-tone of the work. The lettering is kind of irritating, stylized to the point where it's hard to read at times. The dialogue is pretty pedestrian for the most part, kind of pastiche of weary noir, although there are occasional bright spots. My favorite line is when a hacker boasts about getting access to some online info: "I hack like emphysema." On the whole, the book left me very underwhelmed, although to a certain extent, that's due to my personal dislike for Pope's art style.

This is a gritty adult graphic novel by Paul Pope. Heavy Liquid is a liquid metal that is sought both for its qualities as a potent drug and as a very valuable metal a mysterious benefactor wants to use as a material for sculpture. Interesting concept, but it left me wanting a bit more, just like Heavy Luquid itself.