A.L.I.E.E.E.N.: Archives of Lost Issues and Earthly Editions of Extraterrestrial Novelties [Paperback]

Lewis Trondheim (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 2, 2006

Beaten up, tattered, and weather worn, this volume has crossed through space to become the first extra-terrestrial comic book in print on earth. The language and even the alphabet are alien, but as human readers will soon discover, the themes and stories are universal. These interwoven stories and vignettes start out quite simply, but a darker, more complex side is gradually revealed as alien characters act out very human problems, from peer pressure to intolerance to the challenges of friendship. Beneath its apparently childlike and cartoony style, A.L.I.E.E.E.N. explores human nature, cruelty, and kindness with surprising depth and loads of humor.

 

A.L.I.E.E.E.N. is a nominee for the 2007 Eisner Awards for Best U.S. Edition of International Material and Best Writer/Artist - Humor.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The latest offering from the prolific French cartooning sensation winkingly purports to be an extraterrestrial comic book found by the cartoonist while on vacation in the Catskills. Trondheim fills the stories with "alien" dialogue, which naturally can be read without the help of any words, filled as they are with Trondheim's trademark silent comedy. Creatures stroll through psychedelic landscapes and have adventures in miniature. They are eaten, operated on and transformed, all in just a few short pages. Like a Pokémon story gone horribly, and hilariously, wrong, these cute little aliens are always being tortured or haplessly having their eyes poked out; one even floods an entire city with an endless stream of extra-dimensional poop. The artwork represents a departure for Trondheim, as its alien "source" results in its appearing to be old: pages are yellowed, and subtle but gorgeous dot-screens fill in the lines. Adult comics aficionados who appreciate Trondheim's work will find this book quite enjoyable. Older children should also be amused by the violent but delightful whimsy found within. (May)
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From School Library Journal

Grade 9 Up–What at first glance appears to be a charming wordless graphic novel for young children turns out to be something more complex and much more sophisticated. The conceit is charming enough: while vacationing in the Catskills, Trondheim supposedly came across a comic book that appeared to be of alien origin. In it, strange creatures speak an unrecognizable language and go about their adventures on a planet that seems both familiar and strange. The design of the book is marvelous, with the cover and pages given a slightly weathered look to match the framing story. The art is bright and enchanting, but the stories themselves tend to be dark, with terrible things happening to small vulnerable creatures or sweet monsters with good intentions. For teens seeking entertainment both whimsical and sardonic, this could be a real treasure, but most middle schools will find this French import to be an uncomfortable fit for their collections.–Dawn Rutherford, King County Library System, Bellevue, WA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: First Second; 1st edition (May 2, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1596430958
• ISBN-13: 978-1596430952
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 6.1 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,329,889 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cute, funny, and disgusting. Yay!, October 28, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: A.L.I.E.E.E.N.: Archives of Lost Issues and Earthly Editions of Extraterrestrial Novelties (Paperback)

A.L.I.E.E.N. is a strange little comic book. It has no words, only alien writing. It also has very weird stories, with blood and poop and... eyeballs stuffed into an alien's throat. But! It is not something that'll give you nightmares, what with its bright, colorful pages and cute little aliens. These bizarre little aliens go about their lives, unsuspecting of their DOOM! It's quite disturbing to see one alien walk around with its friend, only to get its eyes punctured by a prickly plant. Still... you can't help but go "aww" for the unfortunate little thing, or laugh with sick sadistic pleasure. Yeah, the book is weird, but it's funny. Too bad it's short.

4.0 out of 5 stars Dark, sinister, scary and fun, October 26, 2009

By 

DJ Joe Sixpack (...in Middle America) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: A.L.I.E.E.E.N.: Archives of Lost Issues and Earthly Editions of Extraterrestrial Novelties (Paperback)

"A.L.I.E.E.E.N.: Archives of Lost Issues and Earthly Editions of Extraterrestrial Novelties"
Written and illustrated by Louis Trondheim
(First Second Books, 2006)
---------------------------------------------------------
Wow, what a creepy, clever book. This quick, wordless graphic novel poses as a genial hoax -- the author claims it is a comic book from outer space that he found while backpacking in the hills. If it is from outer space, the culture it comes from is quite sinister and remorselessly violent. The art style is cutesy and cartoonish, sort of like Pokemon placed in a George Herriman landscape, but the story is nothing short of horrific: one minute characters are skipping playfully in the forest, the next second one winds up impaled on a thorny tree, its eyes gouged out and bloody. The creature's friend, a cute Tweety Bird-like character, leads its blinded companion to a doctor (a multi-eyeballed worm) but the doctor proceeds to violate the hapless patient in a variety of ways (and is later seen hideously torturing another "patient") In the following chapters we are brought into a dark, frightening world where smaller creatures are mercilessly pursued, tricked and killed by larger creatures, cartoon brutes who are quite cheerful about their "games." Several of the more innocent-looking critters dodge their aggressors in a variety of ways, and their lives briefly intersect until finally the saga comes to a grimy, disgusting, apocalyptic end.

Sounds awful, I know, but even though the content is disturbing, the book itself is both entertaining and intellectually provocative. On a surface level, the story of a violent culture finally swept away by its own sewage is an apt metaphor for our own world, minus the cute animals and the eyeball monsters. This is a book that is certainly worth reading, and which may haunt you for a while after you're done with it... It is not, however, recommended for very young readers. This is the stuff of screaming and nightmares. (Joe Sixpack, ReadThatAgain book reviews)

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars LOVE this book, HATE this edition, January 16, 2008

By 

Jennifer Koch (Boston) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: A.L.I.E.E.E.N.: Archives of Lost Issues and Earthly Editions of Extraterrestrial Novelties (Paperback)

I LOVE this book and its quirky story line. I found a copy of it on my cousin's bookshelf while I was visiting her this summer in France. Her copy was hardbound with excellent subtle coloring printing.
The book I received from Amazon (the English version) was a huge disappointment. The colors are very harsh and the printing is awful in comparison to the original French version.
I'll be returning my copy to Amazon and be tracking down a French version.