mbhcad's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
carleesi's review against another edition
I was forcing myself to finish it and I realized that’s silly. The story just didn’t grab me.
regitzexenia's review against another edition
5.0
I cannot give this collection anything other than five stars.
I've been a MCR fan for years, yet I havne't read this graphic novel until just now. I found that having listened to the album 'Danger Days' countless numbers of times in the past years as well as having watched the music videos for "Na Na Na" and "SING", I was already quite immersed in this world and unlike some reviews I've come acros, I didn't find the story to be inconsistent or flat. Rather I was quite unable to stop turning the pages. Whenever I wasn't pouring over the pages and the images to discover and revel in the details.
I havne't read that many graphic novels, but I am sure this won't be my lasst.
I don't think this Killjoy-triangle, the album, the music videos and the comic, take anything from each other. In stead I found that they sort of give a lot to each other back and forth and I am honestly so happy I read this - finally. And it was definitely an experience reading this while listening to the 'Danger Days' album.
It's a little hard for me to seperate the stories of the album, the videos and the comic completely, but I really loved the story of True Lives ... and the artwork just added to the whole-ness of the universe and the story of the Killjoys, the B.L.I. and the Girl.
I really don't know what to say except that I loved it. I love it.
Reviewed on my blog Bookish Love Affair.
I've been a MCR fan for years, yet I havne't read this graphic novel until just now. I found that having listened to the album 'Danger Days' countless numbers of times in the past years as well as having watched the music videos for "Na Na Na" and "SING", I was already quite immersed in this world and unlike some reviews I've come acros, I didn't find the story to be inconsistent or flat. Rather I was quite unable to stop turning the pages. Whenever I wasn't pouring over the pages and the images to discover and revel in the details.
I havne't read that many graphic novels, but I am sure this won't be my lasst.
I don't think this Killjoy-triangle, the album, the music videos and the comic, take anything from each other. In stead I found that they sort of give a lot to each other back and forth and I am honestly so happy I read this - finally. And it was definitely an experience reading this while listening to the 'Danger Days' album.
It's a little hard for me to seperate the stories of the album, the videos and the comic completely, but I really loved the story of True Lives ... and the artwork just added to the whole-ness of the universe and the story of the Killjoys, the B.L.I. and the Girl.
I really don't know what to say except that I loved it. I love it.
Reviewed on my blog Bookish Love Affair.
thoroughlyme's review against another edition
3.0
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book from Edelweiss and Dark Horse. All thoughts are my own.
I wish I liked "The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys: National Anthem" more than I did. It’s a great premise, with some delightfully gritty and horrific artwork. But the story is just… disappointing.
"The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys: National Anthem" is based on Gerard Way’s original idea for the "Killjoys" comic, from before the album changed his plans. As such, it bears very little in common with the My Chemical Romance album or the original comic. "National Anthem" isn’t a sequel or a prequel or a spinoff. You could probably classify it as a reimagining, but even that doesn’t quite feel right. For better or for worse, "National Anthem" is its own beast. Some of the ideas are similar to those in the original comic, but the context is entirely different.
"National Anthem" follows Mike Milligram, the leader of a group of teenage orphans called the “Killjoys.” It’s been years since the end of the Analogue War—an event never properly explained, but which essentially saw groups of orphaned teens fighting against reality-altering creatures at the behest of entities known only as “Mom” and “Dad.” The war ended, and the Killjoys disbanded, grew up, and took their medicine. Until one day when Mike’s TV breaks and he sees the world for what it is—a whitewashed reality controlled by a mysterious organization. It’s up to him to reunite the Killjoys and save the world.
As you can see, there are broad similarities between the original comic and "National Anthem." While the original story was a sort of bright, dystopian sci-fi fantasy, "National Anthem" is a more gritty story, firmly rooted in the present day. Or, rather, a slightly alternate version of the present day. This largely works to "National Anthem"’s advantage. This comic is darker and focuses more on the psychological horror of having one’s reality reshaped before their eyes. This is firmly Mike’s story, and it’s rooted in his experiences, which gives the whole affair this kind of unreliable quality. At times, he seems crazy. Like he doesn’t know what’s real or what’s not. And so, we’re also in the same boat, unsure if what we’re seeing is actually happening.
This sort of approach makes for an immediately captivating comic. The problem is that Way and Simon don’t commit to the uncertainty for longer than an issue or so. Pretty quickly, everything just sort of turns into another generic story where the underdog rebels try to take down the evil corporation. The uncertainty of whether or not the story is happening evaporates pretty quickly. To be fair, Way and Simon try to keep things fresh by adding a lot of twists and turns and big questions, but few of those pay off in any meaningful way. And some of the twists come so far out of left field that they’re not even fun.
This is a comic with too many ideas thrown in. So, everything feels very vague. The characters’ motivations are difficult to follow. I’ve no idea what the antagonists’ actual plan is or why they’re doing it. There’s a sort of hand-wavey explanation given, but after five issues of buildup, it’s very unsatisfying. Mike is the only character with any real development or traceable motivation. The rest of the Killjoys are just there. They’ve got backstories and whatnot, but none of them are explored. This isn’t their story. And that’s a shame because what little we do know of them is every bit as captivating as what we know about Mike. I wanted to like "National Anthem." It started promisingly enough, but as the series went on, it never paid off on any of its ideas. The ending is nice, but it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, nor does it feel earned.
I did, however, like the artwork. I liked it a lot. Way more than I expected to. Normally, I don’t like this particular style of artwork. But Romero made it work. His gritty, surreal art, combined with Bellaire’s almost-garish colors, created this dark, seedy world that perfectly represented the darkness at the heart of Way and Simon’s script. There’s a grayness to the corporate world, but the colors of the Killjoys’ “more free world” aren’t exactly inviting, either. So, you’re left feeling kind of uncomfortable the whole time, like you’re seeing a world you’re not meant to see. It worked brilliantly and it makes the comic a much easier recommendation.
Ultimately, "The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys: National Anthem" is a mixed bag. If you don’t like Gerard Way’s comics, this one’s not gonna win you over. It has all the trademarks of his other work. If you’re a big fan of the My Chemical Romance album or the original comic, I’m not sure you’ll love this, either. However, for what it is, it’s still pretty fun. The road trip elements are enjoyable, even if the narrative is disappointing overall. Gerard Way always has big ideas, and they remain compelling here, even if they’re under-explained. The characters are fun, if vague. The universe is intriguing. And, most of all, the artwork is just stellar. The whole book is worth reading solely for the art. If you’re interested, give it a shot. Just be prepared for a weird ride that doesn’t always pay off what it sets up.
I wish I liked "The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys: National Anthem" more than I did. It’s a great premise, with some delightfully gritty and horrific artwork. But the story is just… disappointing.
"The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys: National Anthem" is based on Gerard Way’s original idea for the "Killjoys" comic, from before the album changed his plans. As such, it bears very little in common with the My Chemical Romance album or the original comic. "National Anthem" isn’t a sequel or a prequel or a spinoff. You could probably classify it as a reimagining, but even that doesn’t quite feel right. For better or for worse, "National Anthem" is its own beast. Some of the ideas are similar to those in the original comic, but the context is entirely different.
"National Anthem" follows Mike Milligram, the leader of a group of teenage orphans called the “Killjoys.” It’s been years since the end of the Analogue War—an event never properly explained, but which essentially saw groups of orphaned teens fighting against reality-altering creatures at the behest of entities known only as “Mom” and “Dad.” The war ended, and the Killjoys disbanded, grew up, and took their medicine. Until one day when Mike’s TV breaks and he sees the world for what it is—a whitewashed reality controlled by a mysterious organization. It’s up to him to reunite the Killjoys and save the world.
As you can see, there are broad similarities between the original comic and "National Anthem." While the original story was a sort of bright, dystopian sci-fi fantasy, "National Anthem" is a more gritty story, firmly rooted in the present day. Or, rather, a slightly alternate version of the present day. This largely works to "National Anthem"’s advantage. This comic is darker and focuses more on the psychological horror of having one’s reality reshaped before their eyes. This is firmly Mike’s story, and it’s rooted in his experiences, which gives the whole affair this kind of unreliable quality. At times, he seems crazy. Like he doesn’t know what’s real or what’s not. And so, we’re also in the same boat, unsure if what we’re seeing is actually happening.
This sort of approach makes for an immediately captivating comic. The problem is that Way and Simon don’t commit to the uncertainty for longer than an issue or so. Pretty quickly, everything just sort of turns into another generic story where the underdog rebels try to take down the evil corporation. The uncertainty of whether or not the story is happening evaporates pretty quickly. To be fair, Way and Simon try to keep things fresh by adding a lot of twists and turns and big questions, but few of those pay off in any meaningful way. And some of the twists come so far out of left field that they’re not even fun.
This is a comic with too many ideas thrown in. So, everything feels very vague. The characters’ motivations are difficult to follow. I’ve no idea what the antagonists’ actual plan is or why they’re doing it. There’s a sort of hand-wavey explanation given, but after five issues of buildup, it’s very unsatisfying. Mike is the only character with any real development or traceable motivation. The rest of the Killjoys are just there. They’ve got backstories and whatnot, but none of them are explored. This isn’t their story. And that’s a shame because what little we do know of them is every bit as captivating as what we know about Mike. I wanted to like "National Anthem." It started promisingly enough, but as the series went on, it never paid off on any of its ideas. The ending is nice, but it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, nor does it feel earned.
I did, however, like the artwork. I liked it a lot. Way more than I expected to. Normally, I don’t like this particular style of artwork. But Romero made it work. His gritty, surreal art, combined with Bellaire’s almost-garish colors, created this dark, seedy world that perfectly represented the darkness at the heart of Way and Simon’s script. There’s a grayness to the corporate world, but the colors of the Killjoys’ “more free world” aren’t exactly inviting, either. So, you’re left feeling kind of uncomfortable the whole time, like you’re seeing a world you’re not meant to see. It worked brilliantly and it makes the comic a much easier recommendation.
Ultimately, "The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys: National Anthem" is a mixed bag. If you don’t like Gerard Way’s comics, this one’s not gonna win you over. It has all the trademarks of his other work. If you’re a big fan of the My Chemical Romance album or the original comic, I’m not sure you’ll love this, either. However, for what it is, it’s still pretty fun. The road trip elements are enjoyable, even if the narrative is disappointing overall. Gerard Way always has big ideas, and they remain compelling here, even if they’re under-explained. The characters are fun, if vague. The universe is intriguing. And, most of all, the artwork is just stellar. The whole book is worth reading solely for the art. If you’re interested, give it a shot. Just be prepared for a weird ride that doesn’t always pay off what it sets up.
midnightsspells's review against another edition
3.0
3/5
"If satan screams out loud and violence is the only sound when the engines come squealing, demons reelling. The dance ground, just a mask among the crowd, you need to hold tight to whatever gets you throught the night."
don't get me wrong i love the killjoys but FUCK VAL VELOCITY ALL MY HOMIES HATE VAL VELOCITY YOU SOGGY DIRTY NUGGET-
"If satan screams out loud and violence is the only sound when the engines come squealing, demons reelling. The dance ground, just a mask among the crowd, you need to hold tight to whatever gets you throught the night."
don't get me wrong i love the killjoys but FUCK VAL VELOCITY ALL MY HOMIES HATE VAL VELOCITY YOU SOGGY DIRTY NUGGET-
midnightsspells's review against another edition
5.0
do i need to explain my rating?
many people will say that Gerard has a creative mind when it comes to characters and has nice concepts, but his writing style is comfusing and he doesn't know how to tell a story. it either doesn't make sense or your brain starts to boil like fried oil trying to perceive the main idea.
my oppinion is that Gerard's storytelling is not for everybody. not many people can make a honest and clear impression about their writing because there are not many people that will actually UNDERSTAND their way of narating. and that's why i love it so much.
i will read everything this man has written and will write. i am one of the biggest fans of his works and i'm so glad i live in the same lifetime with him.
and i love the killjoys as much as i love Gerard, and especially i love Mike and Kara and Jaime with my whole heart. i really hope we'll get to see them again even for a few pages.
many people will say that Gerard has a creative mind when it comes to characters and has nice concepts, but his writing style is comfusing and he doesn't know how to tell a story. it either doesn't make sense or your brain starts to boil like fried oil trying to perceive the main idea.
my oppinion is that Gerard's storytelling is not for everybody. not many people can make a honest and clear impression about their writing because there are not many people that will actually UNDERSTAND their way of narating. and that's why i love it so much.
i will read everything this man has written and will write. i am one of the biggest fans of his works and i'm so glad i live in the same lifetime with him.
and i love the killjoys as much as i love Gerard, and especially i love Mike and Kara and Jaime with my whole heart. i really hope we'll get to see them again even for a few pages.
formomentsthatwestole's review against another edition
5.0
Is anyone surprised that I rated this five stars though?
rileygreenstein's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
birdo's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
technicallyaly's review against another edition
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
4.0