Howl: A Graphic Novel [Paperback]

Allen Ginsberg (Author), Eric Drooker (Author)

Book Description

Release date: August 31, 2010

First published in 1956, Allen Ginsberg's "Howl" is a prophetic masterpiece--an epic raging against dehumanizing society that overcame censorship trials and obscenity charges to become one of the most widely read poems of the century.  

Now a major motion picture, starring James Franco, Howl was directed by two-time Academy Award-winners Rob Epstein & Jeffrey Friedman, who hired Eric Drooker to animate the poem. Howl: A Graphic Novel visualizes the poem--stanza by stanza--with full color animation art Drooker designed for the film. 

[Printed on recycled paper with Soy Ink, this luxury art book has french flaps and spot gloss on cover.]

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A swirling, ever-changing universe, expand an often painfully personal poem about (among other things) one man's unrequited love into a visual metaphor for the alienation of an entire generation." 

- Newsweek

"Drooker's 'Howl' illustrations tend to feature elongated figures and sweeping, richly colored landscapes--making up a fantastical world that reflects the text." 

- The Wall Street Journal

"The most creative part of the movie is Eric Drooker's melodramatic drawings (fully animated)...lunging through the skyscrapers and alleys of modern experience."

- David Denby, The New Yorker

From the Author

Introduction by Eric Drooker

First time I hung with Allen Ginsberg, one long hot summer night in 1988, the streets were hopping mad. Riot cops on horseback were slowly moving in our direction, enforcing a midnight curfew, but the chanting crowd refused to leave Tompkins Square Park--a refuge for punks, homeless, squatters, artists and other riffraff who'd been "keeping real estate prices down" on Manhattan's Lower East Side. When the police charged, swinging clubs, we lost each other in the crowd. 

     When I bumped into Allen a year later, and he realized that I was the artist who'd created so many of the street posters in the neighborhood, he admitted that he'd been peeling them off brick walls and lampposts, and collecting them at home. He suggested we do a poster together. Over time, we collaborated on numerous projects, bouncing his words off my pictures. 

     Our book, Illuminated Poems, became an underground classic, and ultimately caught the attention of filmmakers Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman. They were just starting to direct a feature film about Allen's early poem "Howl" and it's historical significance--with Hollywood actors playing Ginsberg and his friends, Jack Kerouac and Neil Cassady. When they approached me with the ingenious idea of animating "Howl," I thought they were nuts and said "sure, let's animate Dante's Inferno while we're at it!" Then they told me I'd work with a team of studio animators who would bring my pictures to life . . . how could I say no? 

     Last time I hung with Allen Ginsberg was on a cold winter night three months before he died. Over the phone he'd invited me to join him for dinner at his favorite Chinese restaurant. As usual, we discussed current events, politics, and eventually got onto the subject of art. Allen brought up the painting The Triumph of Death by the 16th century master, Pieter Bruegel the Elder. 

 "Have you ever seen it . . . in real life?" he asked. 

 "No . . . not yet. Where is it?" I asked. 

 "It's in Spain, in the Prado Museum. It's enormous and fucking terrifying!" 

After supper we went up to his apartment, where Allen was in the process of getting rid of things he no longer needed. 

 "Hey Eric, you want this jacket? It looks about your size." 

He handed me a crimson-red blazer jacket. I tried it on. . . . 

 "Good fit" he said, "now it's yours."

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Harper Perennial; Original edition (August 31, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0062015176
• ISBN-13: 978-0062015174
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #493,812 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

ERIC DROOKER is a painter and graphic novelist, born and raised on Manhattan Island.
He's the award-winning author of "Flood! A Novel in Pictures," "Blood Song: A Silent Ballad" and "Howl: A Graphic Novel."
He designed the animation for the recent film, "Howl," a movie based on the epic poem by Allen Ginsberg, who collaborated with Drooker on the book "Illuminated Poems."
His paintings appear on covers of The New Yorker, and hang in numerous collections. He regularly draws from the figure, and is working on a series of nude paintings for an upcoming book.

visit: www.Drooker.com

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Not the best way to read this seminal work July 13, 2012

By Elly Zupko

Format:Paperback

Five stars for the poem, one star for the graphics and typography. This book is patently NOT the way to read this poem. Howl is momentum; Howl is movement; Howl is a wall of words that knocks you down and ties you up. This book was full of stills plucked from an animation and breaks up the wall of words over hundreds of pages. Both choices disservice both the poem and animation. The poem ends up broken into pieces. The pictures are indistinct and poorly composed, because they were never meant to be stills. The art itself borders on cheesy, with characters firmly in the uncanny valley and visual metaphor that is just too easy.

This book is a dead thing. If you want a better experience, print the poem out in its entirety on a roll of butcher paper and read it out loud to yourself by candlelight in an empty room.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars To all fellow Dharmabums... September 7, 2011

By Thedharmabum

Format:Paperback

Mr.Drooker's work captures Allen's words in every flicker, every word, ever frame. From the smoldering smoke of the cigarette's glowing ember to the haunted walls of Rockaway, Mr.Drooker takes us along a visual orgasm of forests,alleyways and rooftops as the words of Howl turn with every new page. This book is a masterpiece to capitalize ANY beat generation fans soul instantly! This book adorns one of the book shelves in my den proudly. There is also a movie for this book complete with Mr. Drooker's animation as used in the making of this book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful Work February 4, 2011

By Brux

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Does not get better than this. Great imagery along with one of the greatest poetry writings of the 20th century.

2.0 out of 5 stars The "G" in Graphic! April 19, 2013

By K. Barrows

Format:Paperback

I read "Howl" as a high school student, and thought it would be nice for my students to have the experience, in a more appealing format; the graphic novel.

I guess it had been a while since I read the poem, or maybe I was being naive? I certainly didn't anticipate what some of the language of the poem might look like in picture form. Boy am I glad I screen the books before I put them in my classroom library!!!!!

This is not meant for a classroom, even with mature high school students... This one is staying on my personal bookshelf: )

5.0 out of 5 stars great artwork September 13, 2012

By eddie

Format:Paperback

The art is terrific, creating a mesmerizing read of the classic writing. I was skeptical at first, but really enjoyed it.

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful December 9, 2010

By Ed Rowe

Format:Paperback

The modern illustrations do justice to this powerful poem. I saw this in a Bookstore and new that I had to order two copies--one as a gift for a friend, the other as a gift for myself.

7 of 11 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars The Art Is Not A Good Match for The Poem October 21, 2010

By Restless Media Fan

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I was very intrigued by the idea of creating a graphic novel of this poem. I still am; however I don't believe that this artist's style is a good match for this powerful poem.
The art is quite reminiscent of recent children's animation-- "Polar Bear Express" art and Howl are a very bad mix. Howl needs art that is explosive, colorful and frenetic. I know that this artist has worked on other Allen Ginsberg poems- I have never seen them and they could be great. Given the choice of reading this version of Howl or the City Lights pamphlet version- I would read the pamphlet in a heartbeat.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Howl January 27, 2011

By ohart

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Exactly as I hoped it would be, perfect condition, and it arrived in a timely manner.
A must have for those who love literature and art!