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alcazalsir's review against another edition
4.0
A graphic novel telling the story of a young man’s attempt to revitalize The Escapist comic book series from Michael Chabon’s The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay. Really well done and most meaningful and enjoyable if you’ve read Chabon’s book first.
hadas's review against another edition
5.0
I was super excited to hear that Brain K. Vaughan, one of my favorite comics writes, wrote a companion piece to one of my favorites books, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay. Fortunately, I was not disappointed. This was absolutely charming and hopeful, and I really enjoyed every small connection to the book.
What stood out the most for me was how the story played with the medium - the "real world" text happening during panels of the Escapist, and the connection between what was happening in the drawings to the text.
I don't remember where I've read that this is a love letter to the medium of comics, but I totally agree.
So - absolutely recommended. I would say this would also be a good read for people who haven't read the book, but if you haven't read the The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, just read it.
What stood out the most for me was how the story played with the medium - the "real world" text happening during panels of the Escapist, and the connection between what was happening in the drawings to the text.
I don't remember where I've read that this is a love letter to the medium of comics, but I totally agree.
So - absolutely recommended. I would say this would also be a good read for people who haven't read the book, but if you haven't read the The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, just read it.
phoebec's review against another edition
3.0
3.5— nothing especially groundbreaking, but a fitting epilogue for kavalier and clay. loved the mixture of art styles and the breakdown of barriers between comic character and author. I wish we could’ve seen more of denny’s backstory and had a more nuanced female lead and romantic plot, but it’s short, so maybe they did the best with the space there was
cjordahl's review against another edition
4.0
I really got a kick out of this book. Jason Shawn Alexander's grittier art for the book-within-the-book was fantastic. The story is fun, witty, touching, but also a bit jumbled.
zulhaniff's review against another edition
5.0
Jelas The Escapists adalah love letter bukan sahaja kepada karya asal yang jadi sumber inspirasinya, malah juga meraikan kecintaan kepada proses pembuatan kraf dan seni. Kerja-kerja seni dilihat sebagai suatu yang transcendence, cetusan magik yang lahir daripada setiap pengkaryanya. The Escapists juga mengenai pengkarya yang mencari suara, dalam karya mahupun dalam makna kehidupan mereka.
Saya paling gemar dengan artwork JSA yang dark, raw dan gritty, dan sudah pastinya kekuatan novel grafik ini terserlah dengan tulisan BKV.
Saya paling gemar dengan artwork JSA yang dark, raw dan gritty, dan sudah pastinya kekuatan novel grafik ini terserlah dengan tulisan BKV.
mylibrarybooks's review
4.0
Confession, I haven't read The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay (although this will hopefully soon be rectified) but thankfully, it was easy enough to fill in the blanks. And it made me really want to read it even more. Brian K. Vaughan is my most favorite, as you might have guessed if you've even taken a peak at my read books, and it was a fascinating story and format in which to tell it. It was really like three stories in one, all with their own tone and art, and I loved each story equally. Unsurprisingly, it made me want to die deeper into more classic comics and graphic novels. Surprisingly, it made me want to write my own comics, but we'll see!
greyscarf's review against another edition
3.0
The Escapists was lent to me as part of a mutual BKV exchange with my neighbor. (He borrowed my copy of [b:Pride of Baghdad|105703|Pride of Baghdad|Brian K. Vaughan|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347887300s/105703.jpg|939995].) I haven't yet read [b:The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay|3985|The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay|Michael Chabon|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1355094690s/3985.jpg|2693329] but know a little bit about it. The Escapists is tied into Chabon's story as an extra bit of ephemera: the hero The Escapist is a Kavalier & Clay creation brought back to life by three aspiring comic writers/artists. There's Max Roth, who found his father's collection of Escapist memorabilia after he died when Max was a boy. Denny Jones is Roth's unlikely friend: a former jock with a fascination for hand-lettering. Rounding out the trio is Case Weaver, an ambitious artist with a punk's DIY attitude. Roth uses his inheritance to buy the character rights to the Escapist, to write his own stories for the classic character he loves. But when their book takes off, the three find themselves squaring off against a powerful corporation who wants their now-popular property back.
At one point, Roth says to his partners that he want their character to change the real world & this sentiment sums up much of the book's artistic style. Parts where the Escapist's comic art merges with the art of the main story effectively evokes and strengthens the parallels between the two. Whether the example is a point-by-point illustration of how a panel takes on depth and how it reveals a character's inner realizations or how to use one's cosplay powers for good, the pages will keep readers lingering. And while I know some people call it the Mistake By The Lake, this story kinda makes me want to visit Cleveland now.
I can't say whether this is a must-read for fans of the Chabon novel, but if you're someone who wants to get into graphic novels and likes the structure of a short story, Escapists may be a good starting book for you. The ending is a little facile, but Vaughn's coming-of-age story strikes the right balance of idealism & maturity.
At one point, Roth says to his partners that he want their character to change the real world & this sentiment sums up much of the book's artistic style. Parts where the Escapist's comic art merges with the art of the main story effectively evokes and strengthens the parallels between the two. Whether the example is a point-by-point illustration of how a panel takes on depth and how it reveals a character's inner realizations or how to use one's cosplay powers for good, the pages will keep readers lingering. And while I know some people call it the Mistake By The Lake, this story kinda makes me want to visit Cleveland now.
I can't say whether this is a must-read for fans of the Chabon novel, but if you're someone who wants to get into graphic novels and likes the structure of a short story, Escapists may be a good starting book for you. The ending is a little facile, but Vaughn's coming-of-age story strikes the right balance of idealism & maturity.
booknooknoggin's review against another edition
1.0
DNF...not what I expected it to be. This is about the re-making of a pulp comic. Kind of boring to be honest.