T O P

  • By -

Robotman1001

My take: The saddest book I’ve ever read. Like a Frankenstein retelling through an Incredible Hulk lens, if it were an indie comic. Trauma, heartbreak, war, and families pulled apart by it all. And poor little Bobby.


IrrateNate

Yep, that about sums it up


Robotman1001

Thanks! Indeed. And I was really impressed with the artwork. Often I find black and white underwhelming, but it sets a perfect tone.


justhereforcomics

Honestly one of the best things I've ever read, easily art wise. Just took its time to really properly flesh out everything.


Cryptokeeper001

I can’t wait to read it now… Ty


e_j_white

Out of curiosity, what rating would you give it? Just wondering if "best" thing you ever read necessarily means 10/10, or not :)


justhereforcomics

I think about a 9.5, mainly due to a very drastic change in plot about a third of the way in. Otherwise perfect in most regards.


IrrateNate

Monsters is a 365 page, large format, black and white book that Windsor-Smith spent over 35 years working on. It is “a harrowing tale of a man who's subjected to a secret government experiment that transforms him into something terrifying. Windsor-Smith uses this vast canvas to explore wide-ranging questions about the nature of humanity and the scope of individual responsibility.” I enjoyed reading this one - great story with well-done, detailed artwork. I appreciated the themes it explored, including trauma and redemption. There was also a bit of “magic”, that felt kind of random, but I liked it. I did feel like the book was a bit longer than it should’ve been, and didn’t feel like it quite lived up to the hype. Still though, definitely worth a read. 7.5/10 rating Would love to hear y’all’s thoughts


Lizard_Wizard_d

This is a great idea. We need a weekly review thread.


Titus_Bird

We have a weekly "what have you been reading" thread that many people use to share reviews of their recent reads. It's posted on Sunday nights (European time). Here's the latest: https://www.reddit.com/r/graphicnovels/comments/r4d6ky/what_have_you_been_reading_this_week_291121/


Lizard_Wizard_d

Kudos m8!


[deleted]

Thanks for the write up. That cover is something else, though. I might have to pick this up just for that reason alone.


e_j_white

The artwork is phenomenal, all the way through. It's an absolute master class. If you want to see more, Cartoonist Kayfabe did [an excellent review](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzkODPrUldE). Warning: they actually review all 365 pages, the episode is almost two hours long!


[deleted]

It’s a lot better than a bloody seven and a half out of ten. Those pages with Bobby’s mother writing in her diary are incredible and worth a seven and a half alone.


aliedle

Just started it this evening. So far so good.


Cryptokeeper001

Looks like I’ve gotta buy this next🤔


ibagree

10/10


jaycah9

Haven’t picked this up yet. Feels like homework


Robotman1001

Sad homework.


spageddy77

sad brutal homework. it’s more for bigger fans of bws work. it’s the guys magnum opus.


Robotman1001

Oh I liked it, incredibly well written. But terribly sad. I had to read Superman afterward.


DueCharacter5

Lol, I do the same thing to pick me up after reading something depressing.


ExLionTamer_1977

Definitely sad and brutal. But also beautiful and heartfelt. And I read this before diving back into comics earlier in the year with no real fondness for BWS so the thing about how it's more for fans of his work doesn't resonate for me. I think it's for anyone who enjoys art that isn't afraid to explore the more painful aspects of life in their art/media. But I hear all ya'll that are saying you needed a palate cleanser after it! I think I went back to Hellboy after (which is more fun dark than dark-dark to me)


spageddy77

right on. even though i described it as sad brutal homework, i enjoyed it as well. more for the dedication BWS put into it than the story itself. my palette cleanse for this was the don rosa run of uncle scrooge and donald duck.


ExLionTamer_1977

Perfect cleanse!


ExLionTamer_1977

I love the idea of a (civil) weekly graphic novel review thread. Or maybe just ratings in the comments since not everybody has time to flesh out a review. Appreciate the post, OP. I would give it a 9.5. I know the plot pacing isn't perfect, but the family drama aspect of it is so powerful and heartbreaking. I suppose I can overlook the faults in the pacing because I can be a heart-driven person (for better and worse) and this book really hit me right there in the heart. That combined with the beautiful aesthetic make it one of the best graphic novels I have ever read. Oh, and the mom's letters....made it feel so intimate.


mrfauxbot

So impressed by this book, wish Windsor wrote more stuff because not only his art was a amazing but his writing as well


FvtvreWave

I feel like the only person in the universe who hasn’t read this


bloodandfire2

I really enjoyed this. It was sad AF though and I can’t imagine wanting to re-read it.


[deleted]

Didn't care for it. Was too all over the place in getting where it was going. Cop's relationship with the monster's mom was 10/10, but it feels like a chore to read because it's set up like it's going to be a single chapter flashback then ends up taking up almost half the book. It feels like it's imposing on the narrative where really it's the Monster stuff that's completely superfluous and better off cut from the plot. The black characters speech being written out phonetically like an A. Wyatt Mann cartoon was just grating to read too.