acinthedc's review
3.0
With a brief recap, Still Life picks up where [b:Tune: Vanishing Point|13538672|Tune Vanishing Point (Tune, #1)|Derek Kirk Kim|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1336436974s/13538672.jpg|19101021] left off - Andy Go, art school drop out has started his new job as a an exhibit in an alien zoo. Unfortunately, it doesn't turn out to be exactly what he had expected. He won't be returning home anytime soon and his captors aren't sympathetic to his change of heart.
The story is stronger and more compelling in this second installment. Kim keeps the humor coming as the hero adapts to his new surroundings and comes to grips with his current predicament.
The story is stronger and more compelling in this second installment. Kim keeps the humor coming as the hero adapts to his new surroundings and comes to grips with his current predicament.
literallytara's review
4.0
I got this book from NetGalley without realizing that it's the second in a series, but it ended up okay. In this installment, Andy Go has begun his work as a human exhibit in an alien zoo. The aliens have set him up with an exact replica of his home to live in for one year as aliens watch him through panes of glass. $250,000 seemed like a good salary for this "job" when Andy signed the papers, but he slowly realizes that the job is more than he'd bargained for. His interactions with his neighbor, zookeeper, audience, and eventual companion are just not enough to make him love this life of captivity he's chosen.
I did enjoy Tune: Still Life without having read Tune: Vanishing Point. This might actually be a series I'll continue reading. Like many serial graphic novels, the story is realitively short, simple, and can read in a single setting. This is one chapter of Andy Go's story. Andy is a little bit directionless and lazy, but totally in love with his friend Yumi, so I imagine the characters and plot are developed fully over the course of the series. So I don't expect to feel satisfied at the end of the book, as that's not really the point.
Andy Go is not necessarily a "likable" character, but his situation is fascinating. It begs readers to think about what we'd do as exhibits in an alien zoo. Sure it sounds nice to get a few days to lounge around the house with your favorite foods delivered, but eventually the wall close in. Loneliness hits. Isolation is apparent. And, as Andy Go is shocked to realize, the aliens get to watch everything from going to the bathroom to getting dressed.
Final Grade: B
I will be reading the rest of this series, if I can get my hands on them. It's an interesting concept and great light reading. Though I think the intended audience for this is new adults/adults, there would be crossover appeal for high school students (though be aware of bathroom scenes of Andy on the toilet and the fact that the aliens give Andy Go a female housemate with the hopes of watching the human mating pattern).
I did enjoy Tune: Still Life without having read Tune: Vanishing Point. This might actually be a series I'll continue reading. Like many serial graphic novels, the story is realitively short, simple, and can read in a single setting. This is one chapter of Andy Go's story. Andy is a little bit directionless and lazy, but totally in love with his friend Yumi, so I imagine the characters and plot are developed fully over the course of the series. So I don't expect to feel satisfied at the end of the book, as that's not really the point.
Andy Go is not necessarily a "likable" character, but his situation is fascinating. It begs readers to think about what we'd do as exhibits in an alien zoo. Sure it sounds nice to get a few days to lounge around the house with your favorite foods delivered, but eventually the wall close in. Loneliness hits. Isolation is apparent. And, as Andy Go is shocked to realize, the aliens get to watch everything from going to the bathroom to getting dressed.
Final Grade: B
I will be reading the rest of this series, if I can get my hands on them. It's an interesting concept and great light reading. Though I think the intended audience for this is new adults/adults, there would be crossover appeal for high school students (though be aware of bathroom scenes of Andy on the toilet and the fact that the aliens give Andy Go a female housemate with the hopes of watching the human mating pattern).
verkisto's review
4.0
Tune was a story I originally read as a Webcomic a couple of years ago. For some reason, I stumbled across this story a couple of weeks ago and decided I wanted to catch up with what was going on in that story. A quick search on Half.com later, and I was just waiting to get the books so I could catch up.
The bad news is that the two volumes already available comprise exactly what's available freely on the Web. I'm not disappointed about that (I have all of the Penny Arcade collections, and several Sheldon collections just because), but considering that the entire story ends on a cliffhanger sort of ending means that I have to wait even longer to find out what happens from here.
For those unfamiliar, Tune is about Andy Go, and art school dropout who's secretly in love with one of his classmates, who has to go out and get a real job when his parents get tired of supporting him. Andy is self-centered and self-absorbed, and he's convinced that his art skills are enough to get him whatever job he wants, but when life intervenes, he finds himself applying for any and all positions that have "no experience required" attached to the description. What he gets, though, is something a little more unusual and unexpected.
Still LifeThe story here is good, and the writing is very tight. There's a casual style to Kim's narrative, which is told from Andy's perspective, with voice-over narration making up a large part of it. The artwork has a manga look to it, which tends to give it a lighter feel, making us take things a little less seriously, but the story, despite its humor and offbeat style, is heavy. It's an odd dichotomy to see the cartoony artwork with the gravitas of certain parts of the story, but Kim (and, in the second volume, McClaine) makes it work. Jud Winick's Pedro and Me had sort of the same issue, but there, Winick's cartoony style worked against him; here, Kim manages to get them to work together just perfectly.
I'd recommend the series to anyone who enjoys manga, graphic novels, good stories (fans of Gene Luen Yang should pay close attention to it), and good writing. Even if you only like one of those things, I'd still recommend it. I'm hoping that the story will be developed and/or concluded soon, because I'm very interested in seeing where it goes. It feels like the series could be about halfway through, but I could even see it going on a bit longer, if necessary. Either way, I'm on board for wherever it goes next.
The bad news is that the two volumes already available comprise exactly what's available freely on the Web. I'm not disappointed about that (I have all of the Penny Arcade collections, and several Sheldon collections just because), but considering that the entire story ends on a cliffhanger sort of ending means that I have to wait even longer to find out what happens from here.
For those unfamiliar, Tune is about Andy Go, and art school dropout who's secretly in love with one of his classmates, who has to go out and get a real job when his parents get tired of supporting him. Andy is self-centered and self-absorbed, and he's convinced that his art skills are enough to get him whatever job he wants, but when life intervenes, he finds himself applying for any and all positions that have "no experience required" attached to the description. What he gets, though, is something a little more unusual and unexpected.
Still LifeThe story here is good, and the writing is very tight. There's a casual style to Kim's narrative, which is told from Andy's perspective, with voice-over narration making up a large part of it. The artwork has a manga look to it, which tends to give it a lighter feel, making us take things a little less seriously, but the story, despite its humor and offbeat style, is heavy. It's an odd dichotomy to see the cartoony artwork with the gravitas of certain parts of the story, but Kim (and, in the second volume, McClaine) makes it work. Jud Winick's Pedro and Me had sort of the same issue, but there, Winick's cartoony style worked against him; here, Kim manages to get them to work together just perfectly.
I'd recommend the series to anyone who enjoys manga, graphic novels, good stories (fans of Gene Luen Yang should pay close attention to it), and good writing. Even if you only like one of those things, I'd still recommend it. I'm hoping that the story will be developed and/or concluded soon, because I'm very interested in seeing where it goes. It feels like the series could be about halfway through, but I could even see it going on a bit longer, if necessary. Either way, I'm on board for wherever it goes next.
calistareads's review
4.0
Another black and white comic. The story is still pretty interesting. Andy Go is still in the alien zoo, but they have brought in a mate for him and it’s supposed to be his old girlfriend, but they got her from another dimension and it’s not really his girlfriend. Lots of drama ensues.
It’s a good idea and I find myself enjoying the story. I look forward to reading more. OH drat, it looks like the story didn’t get continued. That’s a bummer. It was a good story and it ended on a cliff-hanger. I guess it didn’t have enough sales.
It’s a good idea and I find myself enjoying the story. I look forward to reading more. OH drat, it looks like the story didn’t get continued. That’s a bummer. It was a good story and it ended on a cliff-hanger. I guess it didn’t have enough sales.
thekarpuk's review
5.0
I know this isn't out yet, but having read what I assume is most of the content online, I can say that the second volume of content is damn good, and is the section that truly and fully hooked me into the story. Whereas the first volume was mostly a fun slice of life story, the second volume goes full tilt into the sci fi premise, and it actually makes me wish Kim did more science fiction work.
I'll definitely pick up a physical copy when it comes out.
I'll definitely pick up a physical copy when it comes out.
wingedpotato's review
4.0
Awesome continuation of a fascinating story. Just enough humor and pathos to keep it moving along.
solovei's review
4.0
The storyline got quite a bit darker in this volume, veering interestingly away from comedy into an existential sci-fi drama... Not that I mind, of course! We also find more about the Praxians - up until now, they were kind of presented as generic aliens; while they had personalities, we didn't know much about their world or society. I'm really looking forward to how this added world-building elements will play into the plot later.
anamaria427's review
4.0
Este volumen complementa el primero y lleva la trama más lejos, manteniendo momentos de ternura y motivos para reír. Es una buena historia, bellamente ilustrada. Pero, ¿hay Tune Vol. 3?