Buddy Does Seattle (The Complete Buddy Bradley Stories from "Hate" Comics, Vol. I, 1990-94) [Paperback]

Peter Bagge (Author), Everett True (Author)

Book Description

Series: Hate | Publication Date: February 28, 2005

These legendary stories from Hate #1-15 are a defining icon of Seattle's early 1990s culture, as well as Generation X in general. Bagge's riotous tales of the early 1990s subculture are more hilarious now than ever.

These legendary stories, from the classic first fifteen issues of Bagge's Hate comic, are a defining icon of Seattle's early 1990s culture (the Seattle Weekly has written, "20 years from now, when people wonder what it was like to be young in 1990s Seattle, the only record we'll have is Hate."), as well as Generation X in general (as seen in such films as Kids and Pecker). This is the first time these hilarious stories, starring the hapless Buddy Bradley and his cast of loser cohorts, have ever been available under one cover, and never have they been available at such a low price (it would have cost at least three times as much to read all of these classic stories in any previous editions). Bagge's riotous tales of the early 1990s subculture are more hilarious now than ever, find out why he has been praised by R. Crumb, Matt Groening, John Kricfalusi, Publishers Weekly, Entertainment Weekly and many more. Comedy genius. Black-and-white comics throughout

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Collecting the complete Buddy Bradley stories from 1990 to 1994, this volume is an intense and frequently witty blast of Seattle-based slacker dysfunction. The title character is perhaps the most honestly portrayed everyman the medium has ever seen, an antihero whose utter obnoxiousness, "who cares" attitude and disdain for everyone and everything around him make him as believable as any comics character can be. A warts-and-all time capsule of lower-class 20-something life in the birthplace of grunge rock, this dense work hurls readers into borderline-disturbing tales. Functionally psychotic girlfriends, drunkenness, narcissistic rock and roll histrionics, graphic yet visually repellant sexual episodes, an edgy sibling reunion, a squirm-inducing mixed race date that culminates in bizarre role-playing, and many other escapades of rock-bottom suburban tragedy are made bearable by Bagge's wildly exaggerated art style and savagely humorous scripts. A sense of despair pervades every panel, but readers won't be able to look away from the train wreck and will find themselves drawn further into this theater of unrepentant losers. The claustrophobic b&w images are deceptively cartoony, the perfect expression of the darkness and tension that make up Bagge's bleak comedic landscape. Definitely not for kids, this is a harsh read that brilliantly wrings uncomfortable laughs from the all-too-familiar minefield of everyday life. (Feb.)
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From School Library Journal

Grade 10 Up–Buddy, a 20-something Everyman for the Gen-X, slacker, whatever generation, moves from New Jersey to Seattle with his high-maintenance friend, Stinky. The fellow blunders through the typical challenges of early adulthood: finding a career, friends, sex, and love. To call him a loser does injustice to the term; although he is smart, his lack of ambition and pattern of bad choices manage to keep success just out of reach. All of the bad choices combine with constant whining, rationalizations, and philosophizing, making Buddy one of the best-wrought characters in independent comics. His life becomes an out-of-control train, and while it's obvious that every action will bring him nothing but more bad luck, readers can't help but go along for the ride, wincing and laughing all the way to the final crash. The supporting characters, including his bipolar girlfriend and his UFO-obsessed roommate, are equally well developed and serve to push Buddy's buttons throughout his episodic misadventures. Set against the backdrop of Seattle in the 1990s, the story pokes a little fun at all the Internet start-up companies, flannel-wearing grunge rockers, and overpriced coffee bars that made up much of the city. Although influenced by talents like R. Crumb, Bagge's artwork feels unique. The cityscapes of Seattle are realistically rendered, while the characters are done in a looser, cartoon style that gets really wild whenever a character undergoes stress. Newcomers and old fans alike shouldn't miss this collection.–Matthew L. Moffett, Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 340 pages
• Publisher: Fantagraphics Books; 2nd Fantagraphics Books Ed edition (February 28, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1560976233
• ISBN-13: 978-1560976233
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #717,762 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best of the Best!, January 9, 2007

By 

Randy Warren - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Buddy Does Seattle (The Complete Buddy Bradley Stories from "Hate" Comics, Vol. I, 1990-94) (Paperback)

Okay, so Hate is generally criticized by its fans (which is bizarre in itself) for "selling out" and going to a color format. Well, you have nothing to complain about with this volume; it's the ENTIRE black & white run of Hate, from #1-15, all in one book! AWESOME! I had most of the comics of this group, but having them bound all together really increases the joy of following the whole storyline from issue to issue (not to mention I was missing a few issues, and to be honest who wants to hunt down separate comics when you can have it all in one book?).

The only downside of this volume is that it is slightly smaller than the original comic size. So, Bagge's busy inking style gets compressed somewhat, which is a bit of a drag. If you want full-size, I would suggest getting the 5-issue full-size volumes available. The only drawback is that you'd have to buy 1-5, 6-10, & 11-15, and they each retail for $16.95 (though I got the 21-25 volume for $4.95 right here from an Amazon re-seller, so really...).

Overall, I'd say this is a perfect carry-around volume of the BEST era of Hate. The ONLY negative is the size, and it's really not small, just small-ER than the comic. Which also makes it easier to carry around, so...what was I talking about?

Oh, and there's also a pretty lengthy interview with Bagge at the front, if you like that kinda thing (as I do!).

I recommend!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Truly the best of the best!, April 20, 2007

By 

Art - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Buddy Does Seattle (The Complete Buddy Bradley Stories from "Hate" Comics, Vol. I, 1990-94) (Paperback)

This collection includes the funniest issues from one of the all-time funniest comic books ever created. Peter Bagge is an absolute genius whose ear for dialogue and eye for details is unmatched. From the comic book fans arguing over Kelly vs. Kurtzmann to the garage rock band at rehearsal to the encounter with an old girlfriend, every detail rings hilariously true. If you've ever shared a cheap apartment with an assortment of weird roommates, you need to read this book, and as soon as possible. This is an all-time classic that will have you rolling on the floor with laughter.

4.0 out of 5 stars A Case Study of Gen X, July 28, 2010

By 

Jesse Haller (Minneapolis, MN USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Buddy Does Seattle (The Complete Buddy Bradley Stories from "Hate" Comics, Vol. I, 1990-94) (Paperback)

Peter Bagge's "Hate" comics are wonderful examples of Gen X culture. In case you couldn't tell from the title, the stories take place in Seattle. Where Bagge did and still lives and works. This collection holds the first 15 issues of "Hate".

Buddy is a twenty-something year old slacker. He lives with two roommates, one of which sleeps in the pantry. In the course of the book, Buddy goes through relationships and many different jobs. There is no over arching story connecting the different stories, besides characters and city.

Bagge has a wonderful cartoony art style that mixes brush and cross hatching. Everything looks dirty and gritty, but always well composed and easy to read. The stories are funny and often leave you rolling with laughter. You will find characters that you hate, love, and seem like people you know in your own life... often at the same time.