theroadjones's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Body horror
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Blood
pussreboots's review against another edition
3.0
Definitely outside of my normal range of books.
http://pussreboots.com/blog/2018/comments_08/somnambulance.html
http://pussreboots.com/blog/2018/comments_08/somnambulance.html
hypops's review
3.0
As with most collections of a cartoonist’s work across multiple decades, this collection is filled with both hits and misses. Because it’s arranged chronologically (as are most other similar collections) you can see Smyth’s ideas become more developed, abandoned, resurrected, transformed, and so on.
I was largely unfamiliar with Smyth’s work before reading this book. After making my way slowly through it, I can say confidently that her style isn’t made for this kind of collection. Her work isn’t about stories or character development. It’s about visual and emotional depth and fine-tuned detail. Her pages, panels, covers, and posters demand time, not page-turning. I’d much rather encounter one of these works on a wall every day over the course of a few years rather than to have burned my way through this collection cover to cover.
In sum, her work is absolutely incredible, but it isn’t well suited to the collection format.
I was largely unfamiliar with Smyth’s work before reading this book. After making my way slowly through it, I can say confidently that her style isn’t made for this kind of collection. Her work isn’t about stories or character development. It’s about visual and emotional depth and fine-tuned detail. Her pages, panels, covers, and posters demand time, not page-turning. I’d much rather encounter one of these works on a wall every day over the course of a few years rather than to have burned my way through this collection cover to cover.
In sum, her work is absolutely incredible, but it isn’t well suited to the collection format.
hamikka's review
4.0
It took me several tries to get into this, but I’m glad that I finally did. This creator has a unique style and vision. The controlled-chaos style is reminiscent of underground / Zap cartoonists, but with her own sexy, feminist, profane, oneiric stamp. It’s gorgeous and perverse, and worth spending some time with.
It’s a compilation across several decades of work, and some sections appealed to me more than others. I wish more of the 90s narrative pieces were included because I’d love to know how that trippy storyline turned out.
It’s a compilation across several decades of work, and some sections appealed to me more than others. I wish more of the 90s narrative pieces were included because I’d love to know how that trippy storyline turned out.
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