Customer Reviews

Lenore, Vol. 1: Noogies (Issues 1-4) (v. 1)

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

I must admit that I am not usually one to enjoy many comic books. But who can resist such an adorable little dead girl? I flipped through my first Lenore comic in a local store, and was instantly amused. When I found this little gem on-line (the first four issues compiled into one nice, neat book) I decided that I just had to purchase it.

Lenore is a dead little girl who doesn't quite understand the living around her. She doesn't mean to do some of the things she does, she's just trying to find her niche. The humor in this book is dark, yet definitely not for the serious personality. But for those of you who can enjoy the lighter side of the dark, gothic subculture, this book will have you rolling on the floor laughing. Some highlights include:

"Babysitting," "It's magic," "Lenore's Scientific, don't even question it facts," "A walk in the city," "Little Miss Muffet," "Mr. Puffy," and "A New Toy."

So why did I give it only four stars? Because I found a couple of the strips to be a bit cheesy. The second installment, "Wedgies," is better in my opinion. However, you shouldn't read issues 5-8 without first picking up this book and reading 1-4. If you can enjoy vampires-turned dolls, things returning from the dead (Mr. Gosh is hilarious!), and a little girl's penchant for accidentally harming cute, small, fuzzy things (watch out for those hamsters!), then this comic is a must-have, as is "Wedgies!" I can't wait for the next four-issue book (9-12) to come out!

This book does something remarkable... It makes the sickest of situations adorable! Lenore is just so sweet, and never means any harm. Somehow, though, anything she gets her curious little hands on dies rather miserably. Lenore herself is quite strange. It's not really her small stature or creepy one eye'd blank stare that makes her so cute, but the entire package of her being such a curious and michievous little girl that reminds us of what good little children are like. She's not a brat, she doesn't whine or wail. She's like the child we'd all want, except for her little problem of either killing, or getting killed. All by curious misfortune.

A lot of people compare seem to like comparing Johnny the Homicidal Maniac to Lenore. Yes both are based on sick twisted humor, but there are two very big differences that make both of them nice to have and not so similar as many think:
1. Characterization: Lenore isn't insane really. She seems quite sweet and soft spoken. She knows about her mistakes, but that's all they really are. Just her little mishaps. Johnny, on the other hand is much more troubled, and knows it. throughout his comic, searches for the reasons and the way out.
2. Plot: Lenore is great, but there isn't much story to it. Other than the series of cats Lenore brings home and kills, there aren't many ties that connect the stories to each other.

So anyway, if you need some dark laughs as well as something to make you say, "aw..." then Lenore is perfect. Cute, witty, sick... everyone must love Lenore. Even if there isn't much plot...

I ordered this book on a whim after I saw the link to it on Amazon on the page for Angus Oblong's Creepy Suzie. I loved that book so I thought I'd give this a try and was pleasantly surprized. I was worried a bit since alot of these "dark" comics take themselves waaay too seriously but this one has a nice humorous edge to it.

The stories are simple and not that original but something about his dilivery and cute little Lenore with her big round eyes gives it a whole new spin and, even though you may say "ew" out loud, you know that in the deep dark corner in the back of your mind, you're finding this hillarious.

If you want something a bit dark and weird but still want to be entertained, give this one a try. You just might like it.

As an artist myself, I enjoyed the artwork... the stories were, uh... funny? Part of me says yes... that's the part of me that hasn't yet outgrown my gothier days... part of me says no... that's the part that is all middled-aged parent to a preteen girl who asked for Noogies and Wedgies for Christmas.

If your kid has decided to go all goth and loves to shop at Hot Topic (who doesn't?) don't be surprised if this ends up on their Christmas list... but if your son/daughter is a preteen/tweener (under 13) be sure to read through the books yourself and decide what is age appropriate for THEM. Some kids are more mature than others, and some kids under 13 probably shouldn't have these books quite yet.

Trust me, I'm no prude and I did buy them for *my* 12 year old, but you should know going into it that they are not aimed at children. With drugs and rape mentioned, you need to know what you're buying your kids.

That said, I enjoyed them and know my daughter will love them (she already has several Lenore t-shirts)... Sorry Roman, but I did have to rip out one page that was questionable for *my* kid ;)

A lot of gothic humour comics have been flooding the market recently, but Lenore is one of the best. Lenore is basically about a dead little girl who neither ages nor matures and is filled with oodles of innocent curiousity about the world around her. This often leads her to do gross things (she has had a long line of dead pet cats), and she is very amoral in her childlike innocence, but she is so damn cute you just can't help but forgive her for the sick things she does. Seeing her throw a tea party and invite all the nearby walking-dead or doing a happy little dance at a funeral will leave your mind conflicted over whether you should retch or sigh. And unlike most recent goth comics, this one doesn't take itself at all seriously. Not great art or literature (Gorey and Sala still reign supreme at dark humour comics), but a fun little diversion.

Ah, yes, the ever so elusive mayfly known as a gothic paradise. The Lenore comics, in my opinion, rank right on up there with The Nightmare Before Christmas, Edward Scissorhands, and Invader Zim for capturing the heart and soul of the darkness within. Cheery yet suitibly morbid, these grusome tales were passed about my high school like pop corn at a b-grade horror film.

Addictive, humorous, and fun to share with an equally apathic friend.

I would recomend this book to anyone between the ages of 14 and 21 who has ever felt like the whole world was in stark contrast with reality.

If you've ever laughed at a cheerleader that fell on her face, this book is for you.

If you *are* a cheerleader and you've *never* fallen on your face, you're too perfect to exist in this realm, let alone to read this book.

I had never heard of Roman Dirge or Lenore until my best friend brought it up in a phone converstaion one day, screaming out "POOK-POOK!"I thought it was bound to be an intresting read, and really dark. I mean a comic about a little dead girl...When she came to visit she brough her Lenore books for me to read. I couldn't put it down, laughing at the wonderfully dark and funny stories spun by Roman Dirge.If you're looking for something dark, yet something that will make you laugh Lenore is the best that there is. She is and always will be the cutiest little dead girl there is... by the way did I mention that "Fishies go pook, pook, pook"? If you're looking for more dark comics check out "Johnny The Homicidal Maniac" by Dirge's good friend Jhonen Vasquez.

I love Dark humour a ton, and I thought that Lenore: Noogies, was a fantastic blend of humour and gore. I thought that it would be gross and stupid, but it really was so cute, the gore just was...funny.
I found it stupendously inventive and origional, a comic from a category not tried much until recently. Take that, marvel!
Honestly, this was absolutely hillarious, and anyone with a strange knack for wacky dark humour, or anyone who finds vampirie dolls and obsessive lovers being killed over and over again funny, would absolutely adore this book.
I strongly recommend this to anyone 13 or over- Maybe younger kids would find it gross and scary. But I loved it! And now there's animated versions on the internet, which is just another way to watch Lenore's funny misadventures, that almost always result in something being killed.
Read this , I tell you, read this, and you will laugh like a happy cow.
I loved this!

Sorry, but though this is a good book and a fun read, the art is not even close to Jhonen's fine work, so if you're a Jhonen fan and are buying this (as I did) you WILL be dissapointed with the artwork and writing. There were plenty of funny parts, as well as interesting death scenes, but if you want something really great go with Vasquez.

Lenore is so cute and twisted I don't know how anyone couldn't positively just love her. Roman Dirge's art is wonderful, I think Lenore would make a great tattoo. These comics aren't just for gothy teenagers, they are fun and silly. I definitely recommend!