Black Hole: A Graphic Novel: Burns, Charles: 9780375423802: Amazon.com: Books

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Black Hole: A Graphic Novel Hardcover – October 18, 2005

by Charles Burns (Author)

4.6 1,014 ratings

Part of: Pantheon Graphic Library

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“The best graphic novel of the year” (Time) tells the story of a strange plague devastating the lives of teenagers in mid-1970s suburban Seattle, revealing the horrifying nature of high school alienation—the savagery, the cruelty, the relentless anxiety, and the ennui.

We learn from the outset that a strange plague has descended upon the area’s teenagers, transmitted by sexual contact. The disease is manifested in any number of ways—from the hideously grotesque to the subtle (and concealable)—but once you’ve got it, that’s it. There’s no turning back.

As we inhabit the heads of several key characters—some kids who have it, some who don’t, some who are about to get it—what unfolds isn’t the expected battle to fight the plague, or bring heightened awareness to it , or even to treat it. What we become witness to instead is a fascinating and eerie portrait of the nature of high school alienation itself.

And then the murders start.

As hypnotically beautiful as it is horrifying, Black Hole transcends its genre by deftly exploring a specific American cultural moment in flux and the kids who are caught in it—back when it wasn’t exactly cool to be a hippie anymore, but Bowie was still just a little too weird.

To say nothing of sprouting horns and molting your skin…

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Part of series

Pantheon Graphic Library
Print length

368 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Pantheon
Publication date

October 18, 2005
Dimensions

6.87 x 1.56 x 9.59 inches
ISBN-10

037542380X
ISBN-13

978-0375423802
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4.6 out of 5

1,014 global ratings

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A Classic Graphic Novel

Reviewed in the United States on February 2, 2024

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Disturbing and wildly weird. This is classic graphic novel at its best form. You will either love it or hate it, but it will stay with you.

Sex, Drugs, and Disease

Reviewed in the United States on March 25, 2014

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I read Black Hole for my graphic novel class. I had never heard of, and had no idea what to expect. Although it doesn't have page numbers, Goodreads says it is 352 pages long. It felt a lot shorter than that, as it moved extremely quickly. I finished it in two sittings. However, the content makes it seem longer -- this was a strange book.

Black Hole

I honestly got confused with this plot, which isn't something I can say about a lot of novels. This may have been, in part, because of the fact that two male characters (and even the main female character) all looked alike -- they all had black shoulder length hair with short bangs. I plan to go back through, and reread the novel again knowing that the two guys, Keith and Rob, are not the same person. Now this may have been a hard mistake to make for some, but it made things a little confusing at first for me.

I believe the basic plot takes place in the 70s and is structured around Rob and Chris, who have a rocky start to a relationship, and their various friends. The other possible main character is Keith, who I figured out was a separate person from Rob about halfway in... All these people are somehow dealing with a type of 'bug' or disease that is being spread through sexual contact/saliva that physically disfigures people in strange ways (facial restructuring, growing new body parts -- Rob's second mouth, for example). This was really odd, and not well explained, but interesting all the same. This disease is incurable, and makes people social outcasts. Many who have it resort to living in the woods, stealing food to get by, and avoiding normal society.

One thing that really struck me about this book was, unsurprisingly, the artwork. Partially because the characters do drugs quite a bit, and also partially due to the weirdness of their world, the artwork was beautiful and mind-opening, and just absolutely wonderful in every way. I know it sounds like I'm fawning over the art -- probably because I am. One character does artwork throughout the book, and you get to see some of it, and even that is wonderful in a weird, disturbing way. I spent much longer taking in the details of the strange layout (when Rob is tripping on LSD) than looking at the words that just described what he was seeing. The panels start to get wavy, start to weave into one another, and start to change shape when things get trippy -- I feel this was a fantastic way to help the reader know what the characters were experiencing.

If you don't have an open mind about drugs, sex, and horrible teenage actions, I would warn you away from this book. However, if you are open to that sort of thing, I would highly recommend it. Even the 'sexual' drawings, shoot, even the art from the pornographic magazines, didn't feel out of place or negative. It all fit in so well with the content of the story, that I think it really worked. The only downside (if I can even call it that) is the confusing plot. I think on a second read, everything will clear up a bit. Though I know some of it won't -- that's part of the mystery of the book; the full spreads of black pages with a few white, spiraling objects makes you question the story, the characters, and their motives. Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and definitely plan to reread it soon.

20 people found this helpful

Strange and Fantastic graphic novel.

Reviewed in the United States on January 3, 2024

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Outstanding graphic novel collection of all 12 limited edition comic book's by Charles Burns. Teenagers,drugs,mutations,sexualy transmitted diseases ...exquisitely drawn in bold black and white.

Much ado about The Bug.

Reviewed in the United States on September 3, 2011

Verified Purchase

There is something I feel like I need to put out there so that potential buyers know what they're buying. This is a dark, sci-fi comic about kids coming of age. That is exactly what it is. Like all other stories using the coming of age archetype there are ups and downs, failed starts and missed connections. Maybe you heard that this is a comic about an STD called The Bug which mutates those that contract it and think that it will be some sci-fi thriller more akin to The Fly rather than say... The Breakfast Club. While that comparison may be a tad harsh, I think it's true. You have a smattering of teens from various backgrounds and it follows them as they learn to deal with the prejudices against them and how they will get by in this new life.

Do not get me wrong, this is still a great read and I have gladly reread it a few times, but I was definitely expecting something else going into it.

The characters are memorable and the struggles are comparable to those that any teen goes through: self-discovery, the future vs the now, who can you trust and who are your real friends, what it means to love... These are all tropes that we're familiar with but with a new angle. The Bug is only a catalyst for the events in the book, and although I would have liked to known more about it and where it came from, that does not make the story any worse for wear. That being said, I felt that something was missing. Maybe I would have liked it more if the story wasn't set so fiercely on this handful of teens. I would have liked to see what the parents were doing and how they felt. I wanted to know why some characters were stalwart loners while others were paranoid clingers. Regardless, I would recommend this book easily, I would just make sure to stress that this is not a story about The Bug, but rather about kids with The Bug.

7 people found this helpful

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Jody

great

Reviewed in Canada on July 30, 2022

Verified Purchase

I'd read this before, I knew it was excellent. First shipment was lost somehow, but Amazon redelivered a replacement, replacement delivered early, though the driver had difficulty finding my location.

IPG

Una maravilla

Reviewed in Spain on January 10, 2023

Verified Purchase

Un estupendo cómic. No siempre se entiende a la primera pero reflexionas un poco y enseguida te reubicas que le encuentras toda su magia, que la tiene y mucha.

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Cliente de Amazon

Black Hole pasta dura, en buen estado y a tiempo.

Reviewed in Mexico on August 3, 2018

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Tenía miedo de que este tomo me llegará dañado, porqué mis últimos dos pedidos anteriores me habían llegado algo maltratados, y leyendo las reseñas note que varias personas les llegó dañado este título. Pero para mí suerte llegó en perfecto estado, intacto y sin ningún detalle, llegaba el 7 de agosto y llego el 3, cabe destacar que es el tomo pasta dura y reafirmo, llegó en excelente estado. La historia nunca la había logrado leer completa, me había dejado cautivado, me gusta mucho el trabajo de Burns y esta vez podré terminar la historia, en un formato hermoso.

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graadthekeeper

Un pavé inévitable.

Reviewed in France on February 6, 2020

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Plongez dans le trou noir, on en revient pas indemne et ce pour notre plus grand déplaisir.

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Jovi Depiné

Esquisito, mas brutalmente cativante.

Reviewed in Brazil on February 11, 2017

Verified Purchase

Esse livro é do começo ao fim sobre sexo. Permeia outros tópicos, claro, especialmente os mais pertinentes à adolescência...na verdade, deixa eu reformular. Esse livro é do começo ao fim sobre sexo entre adolescentes. Se essa ideia te incomoda, não recomendo a leitura, mas se você busca um quadrinho honesto e estranho, essa é uma pedida fenomenal.

É dificil falar sem dar spoilers ou arruinar a experiência - uma leitura mais cega acho que é a melhor opção -, mas o melhor pitch para o quadrinho é que existe um vírus sexualmente transmissível que causa mutações nos contaminados. A história segue essencialmente um garoto e uma garota e seu circulo de amizades lidando, não só com seus desejos e frustrações, como com a realidade do vírus e as deformações por ele causadas.
A arte é esquisita, densa e pesada; combina com a narrativa, mas torna por vezes bem difícil distinguir os personagens uns dos outros. Acredito que tenha sido intencional, porque a personalidade e voz dos personagens é muito clara e distinta. Eles compensam o departamento visual com carisma, sem sombra de dúvida.
Não citei e acho importante comentar: o livro também apresenta uso de drogas, violência, morte, nudez gráfica e exploração de temas sexuais. Não é das leituras mais tranquilas, como "Pílulas Azuis". Na verdade, é quase o oposto completo. Enquanto a obra de Frederik Peeters trata do amor e superação de adversidades, o trabalho de Charles Burns evidencia o lado mais grotesco e pessimista de nossas relações. As atitudes inconsequentes adolescentes tem os resultados esperados, e o final é longe de otimista.

Black Hole é uma daquelas famosas graphic novels essenciais, e pode sentar confortavelmente ao lado de "O Escultor", "Retalhos" e "Maus" em sua prateleira. Se estes outros são experimentos em como quadrinhos podem evocar sentimentos cândidos ou tristeza, Black Hole foi feita para evocar o questionamento e a intriga. É esquisito, sim, mas brutalmente cativante.

7 people found this helpful

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