Kabuki: Metamorphosis [Hardcover]

David Mack (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 2001

Can Kabuki escape her captors before her former comrades track her down to silence her? A very personal metaphorical tale of self actualization told in a diverse array of art mediums, breathtaking paintings, and poetic first person narrative layered in subtext and Japanese culture. Uncover the nature of identity, quantum physics, time, and the meaning of life!

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

David Mack is the creator, author and artist of Kabuki. Mack's work has garnered nominations for the 1999 International Eagle Awards in the categories of Favorite Comic Artist (Painted), and Best Cover Art of the Year (Painted), the Eisner Award (America's most prestigious comics award) in the category of the Best New Talent, as well as many other awards and nominations worldwide.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Image Comics; Apparent First Edition edition (December 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1582401705
• ISBN-13: 978-1582401706
• Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 6.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,216,890 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Kabuki: Metamorphosis, February 28, 2003

By 

Stephen Berry (Alameda, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Kabuki: Metamorphosis (Hardcover)

Frankly, a piece of comicdom art-- a real groundbreaker. This graphic novel, and the whole Kabuki series, moves comics into areas that the genre should have been going for years-- namely, using the art form for one of the things it can do best-- telling a story visually. Mack's ability to bring together both the story itself, and _how_ that story is told into one, completely interdependent form is amazing. The full color paintings and ink drawings that Mack does are beautiful and visually compelling, and his use of the whole page (versus simple panel by panel exposition) is refreshing and well worth the time one can spend poring over a page looking for all his details. The story itself, a dark one of beautiful assassin "secret agents", is nether here nor there. However, what he does with that vehicle is mezmerizing. The depth of Kabuki's character is real, what she experiences internally is real, and the growth she moves through is real. Get it just to see what a graphic novel really can be-- an art form entirely its own, a merging of visual and literary mediums. Read it over and over to be awash in an obvious labor of love. Psychologically engaging, visually stunning. It's unlike any other comic I've seen yet-- transcends the comic genre, even as it moves the genre into a new level.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Compelling visual narrative, January 16, 2004

By 

wiredweird "wiredweird" (Earth, or somewhere nearby) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Kabuki: Metamorphosis (Hardcover)

The Kabuki series creates and sustains a visual intensity that has to be seen to be believed. If nothing else, the range of media is incredible - one image might contain watercolor, collage, lettering, and computer processing. The next might be three or four other media.

This is not a book to read once and put down. It deserves more than one reading, maybe many readings, to capture everything in this story. The plot itself is well done but ordinary. It's the imagery that can't be absorbed at one sitting, including lettering and private notes. These additional texts don't drive the story along the plot line. They do, however, sustain the mood and express the characters' inner experience of their situation. There is no clear dividing line between text and artwork, though.

Other artists may use experimental media and non-linear text as a substitute for technical skill. Mack uses the media to express his skill - his drawing is outstanding, and he clearly has a passion for figure.

I have many favorites among comics, each for different reasons. Mack's Kabuki is a favorite among my favorites.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars review, June 17, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Kabuki: Metamorphosis (Hardcover)

This is possibly the best Western graphic novel that I have ever read. The artwork is phenomenal-- David Mack is an amazing artist-- and the layout/storyline is incredibly designed. There are so many levels to this book, and it is very involving. It can be appreciated for its genius, its art, its characters, its symbolism, and its depth. It tells the story of Kabuki, an inspiring woman, from a very personal and unique point of view. The way it is written is so incredibly real that you can't help but get involved. You will fall in love with the artwork and the people and every time you read it you will get more out of it.