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Box Office Poison #1
Box Office Poison
This epic story of Sherman, Dorothy, Ed, Stephen, Jane, and Mr. Flavor is not to be missed. Alex Robinson's completely natural and inspiring knack for dialogue has made his story of dreary jobs, comic books, love, sex, messy apartments, girlfriends (and the lack thereof), undisclosed pasts, and crusty old professionals one of the most delightful and whimsical graphic novels to hit the stands in years.
608 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
48 people are currently reading
3085 people want to read
About the author
Alex Robinson
32 books213 followersAlex Robinson was born in the Bronx on 8 August. He grew up in Yorktown Heights, New York where he graduated high school in 1987. His first job upon graduation was washing dishes in a gourmet deli and it was while working there he decided that maybe college was a pretty good idea afterall.
He spent one year at SUNY Brockport and then transferred to an art school in New York City, where he majored in cartooning. Among his teachers were Will Eisner, Andre LeBlanc, Sal Amendola and Gahan Wilson. In his sophomore year he got a job at a bookstore, where he continued to work for seven long years.
After graduating from art school, Alex began doing mini comics (small print run comics xeroxed and stapled by himself). He soon started working on the story that would become his first graphic novel, Box Office Poison.
In 1996, Antarctic Press started publishing the serialized version of Box Office Poison. The series ran for twenty-one issues, and once the story was complete, Top Shelf Productions published the entire thing in one 608 page book. Shortly after the book was published, Alex won the Eisner Award for Talent Deserving of Wider Recognition.
Although Box Office Poison was nominated for several awards (a Harvey, an Eisner, an Ignatz and the Firecracker book award) it failed to take home a single prize. Pathetic. Alex bitterly got to work on a second book.
2005 got off to a great start when the French translation of Box Office Poison won the prestigious Prix du Premier Album award in Angouleme, France. August finally saw the release of Tricked, which Top Shelf announced was going to a second printing in November.
In 2006, Tricked lost the Eisner Award for Best Graphic Novel, but managed to win a Harvey and Ignatz Award. This year also so Astiberri in Spain release both of his graphic novels in handsome, one volume editions.
Alex has expanded his storytelling to include fantasy, with the release of Alex Robinson's LOWER REGIONS (2007) and time travel/high school in TOO COOL TO BE FORGOTTEN (2008).
He currently lives in New York City with his wife Kristen and their pets, Krimpet and Wrigley.
He spent one year at SUNY Brockport and then transferred to an art school in New York City, where he majored in cartooning. Among his teachers were Will Eisner, Andre LeBlanc, Sal Amendola and Gahan Wilson. In his sophomore year he got a job at a bookstore, where he continued to work for seven long years.
After graduating from art school, Alex began doing mini comics (small print run comics xeroxed and stapled by himself). He soon started working on the story that would become his first graphic novel, Box Office Poison.
In 1996, Antarctic Press started publishing the serialized version of Box Office Poison. The series ran for twenty-one issues, and once the story was complete, Top Shelf Productions published the entire thing in one 608 page book. Shortly after the book was published, Alex won the Eisner Award for Talent Deserving of Wider Recognition.
Although Box Office Poison was nominated for several awards (a Harvey, an Eisner, an Ignatz and the Firecracker book award) it failed to take home a single prize. Pathetic. Alex bitterly got to work on a second book.
2005 got off to a great start when the French translation of Box Office Poison won the prestigious Prix du Premier Album award in Angouleme, France. August finally saw the release of Tricked, which Top Shelf announced was going to a second printing in November.
In 2006, Tricked lost the Eisner Award for Best Graphic Novel, but managed to win a Harvey and Ignatz Award. This year also so Astiberri in Spain release both of his graphic novels in handsome, one volume editions.
Alex has expanded his storytelling to include fantasy, with the release of Alex Robinson's LOWER REGIONS (2007) and time travel/high school in TOO COOL TO BE FORGOTTEN (2008).
He currently lives in New York City with his wife Kristen and their pets, Krimpet and Wrigley.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 255 reviews
May 16, 2010
I don't understand what the fuck people like about this book. Here's what I got from the first 150 pages (of 600), before I gave up: people who go to book stores are idiots; smugness is a virtue, as is feeling superior to everyone else all the time; misogyny is no reason not to publish a book; who cares if you spell a word wrong every few pages; Pete Bagge's art has been extremely influential; and transsexuals aren't real people, they're punchlines. Good work, Alex Robinson. Fuck all of these things that you taught me, though. Ew.
August 6, 2011
I love comics and thought this'd be fantastic but man is it anything but. Two friends out of uni hit the city, get crappy jobs, one of them works in a bookshop and wants to be a writer. He makes fun of customers in the bookshop behind their backs for not knowing anything about books. Fair enough, I've met librarians who thought Charles Dickens was a novel by David Copperfield. But come on, easy target! Hardly engaging. Then we have the foreign landlady who shouts a lot of pidgen english, the crazy ex-girlfriend, the supposedly exploitative and soulless businesspeople. I'll stop there out of politeness. Basically it's a long list of stereotypes which have been mocked before and are mocked again. No new perspective just childish pointing and nasal laughing. Utterly pathetic.
And the plot? Lots of people frustrated in love or not frustrated in love. Single life in a city, following your dreams, slowly emerging from university like adolescence into adulthood where disappointment is the order of the day. Yawn. The only thing resembling a story was the old comic book guy's story of creating a Superman/Batman like character and signing away the rights because it was the 40s/50s and comic book writers had no rights, didn't know, etc, etc. If you know about Superman you'll know the story behind the creators. Also it's a story that's been explored before by others like Will Eisner's "The Dreamer" or Daniel Clowes' "Pussey!". Hardly new.
And the inanity of it all! Mundane boring lives of wannabes moaning about life. How utterly dull. And it's 600 pages! 600 pages of whinging idiots. "People don't read enough, people aren't creative enough, blah blah". Well I read plenty and that's why I know there are much better comics out there than this load of tat. I made it halfway before giving up on this wishy washy overrated and outdated brick of a book. Don't even bother picking it up fellow readers get something else instead. Or if you want to try Robinson I'd suggest his much better work "Too Cool To Be Forgotten".
And the plot? Lots of people frustrated in love or not frustrated in love. Single life in a city, following your dreams, slowly emerging from university like adolescence into adulthood where disappointment is the order of the day. Yawn. The only thing resembling a story was the old comic book guy's story of creating a Superman/Batman like character and signing away the rights because it was the 40s/50s and comic book writers had no rights, didn't know, etc, etc. If you know about Superman you'll know the story behind the creators. Also it's a story that's been explored before by others like Will Eisner's "The Dreamer" or Daniel Clowes' "Pussey!". Hardly new.
And the inanity of it all! Mundane boring lives of wannabes moaning about life. How utterly dull. And it's 600 pages! 600 pages of whinging idiots. "People don't read enough, people aren't creative enough, blah blah". Well I read plenty and that's why I know there are much better comics out there than this load of tat. I made it halfway before giving up on this wishy washy overrated and outdated brick of a book. Don't even bother picking it up fellow readers get something else instead. Or if you want to try Robinson I'd suggest his much better work "Too Cool To Be Forgotten".
May 10, 2023
Robinson’s most famous work is in some ways his best—his obvious youthful enthusiasm for the comics medium helps you forgive his less successful experiments (the dark subplot about the runaway girls seems out of place with the more slice-of-life tone).
The plot revolves around a group of young New Yorkers in the mid-nineties, centered on frustrated book store clerk Sherman (clearly a stand-in for the young author) and his relationship with an alcoholic writer based on Algonquin wit Dorthy Parker. There’s a bit of comics history included, thanks to the interesting subplot about a cheated comics creator and his fight for recognition for having created the Night Stalker, a superhero who looks sort of like if Batman and Spider-Man.
The best part of the book is the characterization of the large cast. Robinson has a good ear for dialogue, and does a fun job of hinting that even minor supporting characters have their own stories going on.
The art is very much of its time, when “alternative” comics were in black and white and designed to appeal to lonely anti-social young men. It does have a crude cartoony charm and he does a very good job of “spotting blacks” which is a technical cartooning term for being awesome.
Also of its time are the dated mores of the latter half of the last century so more sensitive viewers should proceed with caution. There is a curious amount of male nudity (especially since comics at the time were, again, aimed largely at sexless, oafish males).
So if you like interesting characters and aren’t put off by the occasional wiener this book is definitely worth buying, used if you can.
The plot revolves around a group of young New Yorkers in the mid-nineties, centered on frustrated book store clerk Sherman (clearly a stand-in for the young author) and his relationship with an alcoholic writer based on Algonquin wit Dorthy Parker. There’s a bit of comics history included, thanks to the interesting subplot about a cheated comics creator and his fight for recognition for having created the Night Stalker, a superhero who looks sort of like if Batman and Spider-Man.
The best part of the book is the characterization of the large cast. Robinson has a good ear for dialogue, and does a fun job of hinting that even minor supporting characters have their own stories going on.
The art is very much of its time, when “alternative” comics were in black and white and designed to appeal to lonely anti-social young men. It does have a crude cartoony charm and he does a very good job of “spotting blacks” which is a technical cartooning term for being awesome.
Also of its time are the dated mores of the latter half of the last century so more sensitive viewers should proceed with caution. There is a curious amount of male nudity (especially since comics at the time were, again, aimed largely at sexless, oafish males).
So if you like interesting characters and aren’t put off by the occasional wiener this book is definitely worth buying, used if you can.
November 25, 2021
#ThrowbackThursday - Back in the '90s, I used to write comic book reviews for the website of a now-defunct comic book retailer called Rockem Sockem Comics. (Collect them all!)
From the July 1998 edition with a theme of "Manga Month!":
INTRODUCTION
It's manga month!
Viz Communications has been America's major importer/translator of Japanese comics for about a decade now. Eight months ago, Viz launched one of its boldest titles, PULP: MANGA FOR GROWNUPS. As the title suggests, PULP is an anthology which features adult-oriented stories: more complex and more sexual than your standard manga imports. (Alert: You're going to see a plethora of nudity and sexual content warnings in this month's column. Obvious white-outs and obscuring speed lines lightly censor most stories, but this is pretty racy stuff, folks.)
I like the idea behind PULP, though the execution has been a little sloppy. In my reviews below, I'll try not to punish the Japanese creators by remarking upon the barely adequate lettering and extremely stiff dialogue imposed upon their work by Viz's production staff and team of translators, but I want my audience to be aware that PULP does not contain the top-of-the-line Japanese to American adaptation seen in the likes of LONE WOLF AND CUB or even MAI, THE PSYCHIC GIRL which is reviewed below. I hope the quality of PULP's adaptations improve, but I am happy to have access to the material regardless.
This month, Viz is collecting several of the more popular serials from PULP into trade paperback format. If you have a little money left in your budget after buying all of DC Comics #1,000,000 issues, here a few collections you might want to consider.
INTERMISSION
BOX OFFICE POISON #0-9 (Antarctic Press)
Since PULP's spinoffs have turned out to be rather mediocre, I thought I'd break with the theme and let y'all know about a book I enjoy considerably: BOX OFFICE POISON.
BOX OFFICE POISON is an engaging comic about a group of minimum wage friends living in the big city. One works as a clerk in a bookstore (a major profession in the world of black-and-white comics) but dreams of making it as a writer. He is going through a tempestuous relationship with a woman who is secretive about her alcoholism. Another friend is trying to make it as a comic book artist and is paying his dues by serving as an assistant to a long-time professional who created a Batman-like character long ago while doing work-for-hire for a large corporation. The old artist was frozen out of the character's mega-profits, and the most interesting subplot in BOX OFFICE POISON follows the assistant's struggle to get the old pro his well-deserved credit and rewards. The core group is rounded out by a happily co-habitating couple who provide plenty of romantic comedy.
Creator Alex Robinson writes well and his drawing is pretty darn nifty too. The characters in BOX OFFICE POISON are people I wouldn't mind knowing in real life. The ordinary, if not mundane, lives of the characters aren't filled with gunfire, fights, or other excitement, but this is the sort of book which makes me excited about the possibilities of comic books in general.
Grade: B+
From the July 1998 edition with a theme of "Manga Month!":
INTRODUCTION
It's manga month!
Viz Communications has been America's major importer/translator of Japanese comics for about a decade now. Eight months ago, Viz launched one of its boldest titles, PULP: MANGA FOR GROWNUPS. As the title suggests, PULP is an anthology which features adult-oriented stories: more complex and more sexual than your standard manga imports. (Alert: You're going to see a plethora of nudity and sexual content warnings in this month's column. Obvious white-outs and obscuring speed lines lightly censor most stories, but this is pretty racy stuff, folks.)
I like the idea behind PULP, though the execution has been a little sloppy. In my reviews below, I'll try not to punish the Japanese creators by remarking upon the barely adequate lettering and extremely stiff dialogue imposed upon their work by Viz's production staff and team of translators, but I want my audience to be aware that PULP does not contain the top-of-the-line Japanese to American adaptation seen in the likes of LONE WOLF AND CUB or even MAI, THE PSYCHIC GIRL which is reviewed below. I hope the quality of PULP's adaptations improve, but I am happy to have access to the material regardless.
This month, Viz is collecting several of the more popular serials from PULP into trade paperback format. If you have a little money left in your budget after buying all of DC Comics #1,000,000 issues, here a few collections you might want to consider.
INTERMISSION
BOX OFFICE POISON #0-9 (Antarctic Press)
Since PULP's spinoffs have turned out to be rather mediocre, I thought I'd break with the theme and let y'all know about a book I enjoy considerably: BOX OFFICE POISON.
BOX OFFICE POISON is an engaging comic about a group of minimum wage friends living in the big city. One works as a clerk in a bookstore (a major profession in the world of black-and-white comics) but dreams of making it as a writer. He is going through a tempestuous relationship with a woman who is secretive about her alcoholism. Another friend is trying to make it as a comic book artist and is paying his dues by serving as an assistant to a long-time professional who created a Batman-like character long ago while doing work-for-hire for a large corporation. The old artist was frozen out of the character's mega-profits, and the most interesting subplot in BOX OFFICE POISON follows the assistant's struggle to get the old pro his well-deserved credit and rewards. The core group is rounded out by a happily co-habitating couple who provide plenty of romantic comedy.
Creator Alex Robinson writes well and his drawing is pretty darn nifty too. The characters in BOX OFFICE POISON are people I wouldn't mind knowing in real life. The ordinary, if not mundane, lives of the characters aren't filled with gunfire, fights, or other excitement, but this is the sort of book which makes me excited about the possibilities of comic books in general.
Grade: B+
June 1, 2022
It’s hard to hold the weight of a 600 page book while the author complains about the tough life of cartoonists. Yes, creative types are underpaid and stressed, and often don’t own the work they create. (You know who else gets screwed over? Research scientists and engineers who are on salary—all inventions and patents belong to their employers.)
Too long and unfocused. Dorothy has a dog when Sherman first goes to her place. Later, she gets two dogs. What happened to the first neglected dog? Characters appear and disappear. Skimming starts to appeal. Entire chunks of text are skipped. How many more pages. Jeepers—an epilogue too? Who are these people?
Small moments of interest sprinkled on a large boring canvas. That title, though, turns out to be spot-on.
Too long and unfocused. Dorothy has a dog when Sherman first goes to her place. Later, she gets two dogs. What happened to the first neglected dog? Characters appear and disappear. Skimming starts to appeal. Entire chunks of text are skipped. How many more pages. Jeepers—an epilogue too? Who are these people?
Small moments of interest sprinkled on a large boring canvas. That title, though, turns out to be spot-on.
December 16, 2012
Remember the last time you were falling out of love that too with a person who you really thought was "your person?" Remember feeling attracted to random people just because you were so unhappy in your own relationship ? Remember doubting yourself ? Remember wondering if this other attraction was the real thing or it was just another distraction courtesy your "sinful" hormones ?
Remember trying to break up but failing all the time ?
Remember sitting alone and telling yourself you are a jackass - a total coward and deciding that this time you will face it and end it ?
Remember ?
Remember the last time you together with a friend / colleague were taking on the world and suddenly you realized you were the only one who was looking at it that way ? That it never meant so much to the other person ?
Remember feeling suddenly left alone - not just physically by ideologically ? Somehow the latter feeling more cold than the former ?
Remember ?
Remember hating your job ? Remember being sure you would be so good at something else but never ever knowing what that thing is ? Worse still abusing and hating your job and yet dragging your ass to work every single day and one day looking at the calendar and knowing you've completed years ?
Remember living through your life - hoping everyday that tomorrow will be a better day till one day you realize its been 1/5/10/20/50 / a life time since tomorrow never came ?Remember realized that there are no more second chances - you just exhausted if not all then most of them- that your life - JUST PASSED YOU BY and you forgot to tip your hat !
Remember ?
Box Office Poison is like a lot of people here already have said, an extremely long and totally unremarkable book about unremarkable people. In fact till you have reached 50% of this book (300 or so pages) you wonder why should I continue reading ?
There's no powerful standing out character. The illustration's very normal. There's no overpowering twist to the story nor is there use of overtly intelligent / ornate language. It is as if someone made a comic on you - not the way you would like to think of yourself but in the way you somehow deep within yourself know you really are - very very ordinary and flawed - an imperfect person living an imperfect (even by your own standards) life! "Now why would i waste my money and time reading about things which happen to me - am i not already going through them. Is that not enough ? I read to escape not to fuck my own head." Right ?
Box Office Poison for some reasons has not even garnered enough positive "oh its so good" like others of this genre have to force you to read it and agree that its great so that you dont seem like a royal jackass on goodreads.com
Despite all that I the same guy who kept wondering if he should just quit reading it (before the first 50% of the book was over) will strongly recommend this book to anyone who liked Blankets, Habibi, Underwater Welder etc.
This is good stuff.
It moves you - it shakes you - it leaves you sort of melancholic - cos its so much about every day people like you and me and things which happen to us. Falling in love - falling out of love - sex - finance problems - discovering best pals - discovering that the best plan thing was only in your head - hating your job - still living with it - wondering what you are made for - wondering if your values by which you chose to live your life were worth it at all.
The best part about this book (in my opinion) remains that -
Remember those books which make you feel that you and your life are special - that everything you ever did was for a reason - that you can start a new life and a new chapter from tomorrow ?
This one leaves the reader (at least me) with the exact anti thesis - nothing is special, what happens to me has happened to a lot of people before me, sometimes i have just done that - screwed up - not according to some grand plan but out of my own foolish lack of judgement and lack of ability to action upon things.
And somehow not being special - also makes you special - just as this book is - too long, unimpressive dialogues, ordinary art - nothing special at all - but still special.
Read it - if you have some time on your hands and you are ok handling a bit of a depression for a night ! :)
PS : Please don't mix this book with alcohol - the results might not be very promising for your spouse / best friend.
Remember trying to break up but failing all the time ?
Remember sitting alone and telling yourself you are a jackass - a total coward and deciding that this time you will face it and end it ?
Remember ?
Remember the last time you together with a friend / colleague were taking on the world and suddenly you realized you were the only one who was looking at it that way ? That it never meant so much to the other person ?
Remember feeling suddenly left alone - not just physically by ideologically ? Somehow the latter feeling more cold than the former ?
Remember ?
Remember hating your job ? Remember being sure you would be so good at something else but never ever knowing what that thing is ? Worse still abusing and hating your job and yet dragging your ass to work every single day and one day looking at the calendar and knowing you've completed years ?
Remember living through your life - hoping everyday that tomorrow will be a better day till one day you realize its been 1/5/10/20/50 / a life time since tomorrow never came ?Remember realized that there are no more second chances - you just exhausted if not all then most of them- that your life - JUST PASSED YOU BY and you forgot to tip your hat !
Remember ?
Box Office Poison is like a lot of people here already have said, an extremely long and totally unremarkable book about unremarkable people. In fact till you have reached 50% of this book (300 or so pages) you wonder why should I continue reading ?
There's no powerful standing out character. The illustration's very normal. There's no overpowering twist to the story nor is there use of overtly intelligent / ornate language. It is as if someone made a comic on you - not the way you would like to think of yourself but in the way you somehow deep within yourself know you really are - very very ordinary and flawed - an imperfect person living an imperfect (even by your own standards) life! "Now why would i waste my money and time reading about things which happen to me - am i not already going through them. Is that not enough ? I read to escape not to fuck my own head." Right ?
Box Office Poison for some reasons has not even garnered enough positive "oh its so good" like others of this genre have to force you to read it and agree that its great so that you dont seem like a royal jackass on goodreads.com
Despite all that I the same guy who kept wondering if he should just quit reading it (before the first 50% of the book was over) will strongly recommend this book to anyone who liked Blankets, Habibi, Underwater Welder etc.
This is good stuff.
It moves you - it shakes you - it leaves you sort of melancholic - cos its so much about every day people like you and me and things which happen to us. Falling in love - falling out of love - sex - finance problems - discovering best pals - discovering that the best plan thing was only in your head - hating your job - still living with it - wondering what you are made for - wondering if your values by which you chose to live your life were worth it at all.
The best part about this book (in my opinion) remains that -
Remember those books which make you feel that you and your life are special - that everything you ever did was for a reason - that you can start a new life and a new chapter from tomorrow ?
This one leaves the reader (at least me) with the exact anti thesis - nothing is special, what happens to me has happened to a lot of people before me, sometimes i have just done that - screwed up - not according to some grand plan but out of my own foolish lack of judgement and lack of ability to action upon things.
And somehow not being special - also makes you special - just as this book is - too long, unimpressive dialogues, ordinary art - nothing special at all - but still special.
Read it - if you have some time on your hands and you are ok handling a bit of a depression for a night ! :)
PS : Please don't mix this book with alcohol - the results might not be very promising for your spouse / best friend.
July 10, 2010
I grabbed this book when I saw it in the library the other day because Imogen was so vitriolic about it, and I expected it to be deliciously awful.
Instead, it was just mediocre. The art was pretty okay, and I liked a few of the characters. But the overall plot was boring and had no real point or resolution, the main dude (Sherman) was a jackass and his girlfriend was unlikable, and there were goddamned spelling errors. Like, homophone confusion. Like, "your" when he meant "you're." And he thinks "alot" is one word. WTF. Doesn't anyone hire editors anymore? Shit you don't even need an editor, a goddamned proofreader would do! Ridiculous.
But so yeah: not necessarily recommended, but if you see it lying on the ground and you've got nothing else to read, it's better than a cereal box I guess.
Instead, it was just mediocre. The art was pretty okay, and I liked a few of the characters. But the overall plot was boring and had no real point or resolution, the main dude (Sherman) was a jackass and his girlfriend was unlikable, and there were goddamned spelling errors. Like, homophone confusion. Like, "your" when he meant "you're." And he thinks "alot" is one word. WTF. Doesn't anyone hire editors anymore? Shit you don't even need an editor, a goddamned proofreader would do! Ridiculous.
But so yeah: not necessarily recommended, but if you see it lying on the ground and you've got nothing else to read, it's better than a cereal box I guess.
January 27, 2014
This is a prime instance of the elusive comic you needn't be ashamed of reading. It's a graphic novel in the truest sense of the word; it's just regular novel with pictures instead of prose. It contains no men of steel or supervillains hellbent on blowing up Metropolis. Instead, it consists of well-conceived and -developed characters, emotional resonance, and true-to-life plot.
It's also an incredibly ambitious project. He's juggling a lot of characters and several storylines. It's the kind of book that may annoy with its overflow of brilliance and precociousness. I can understand how its unlikable characters may rub some readers the wrong way. Fortunately, it rubbed me the right way and I'm happy to add it to my favorites shelf.
Recommended reading for bookish people who think they don't like comic books.
It's also an incredibly ambitious project. He's juggling a lot of characters and several storylines. It's the kind of book that may annoy with its overflow of brilliance and precociousness. I can understand how its unlikable characters may rub some readers the wrong way. Fortunately, it rubbed me the right way and I'm happy to add it to my favorites shelf.
Recommended reading for bookish people who think they don't like comic books.
November 3, 2015
I have been wanting to read a "slice of life" or more memoir focused graphic novel for a while and happened to see Box Office Poison on sale in the Google Play Store so I picked it up. I really enjoy this type of story and as a result, found Box Office Poison to be very enjoyable. The story focuses on a group of geeky 20-something year olds in New York in the 90's. As someone who has been to New York, was once a geeky 20 year old, and am interested in comics and the comics industry, Box Office Poison's other main focus, I found this to be a great combination. Sherman and Ed are the two main characters and both are flawed, but likable people who just want to establish their careers and fall in love which is mostly what the plot is about. There are quite a few side characters in the book as well and everything feels real. I would find it hard to believe if most of these characters were not mostly based off of real people and experiences.
What I didn't expect is the character of Irviing Flavor, an old comic book artist from the "golden" era of comics who got completely screwed over, to be so interesting. He is a very unlikable old man and yet, the plot around getting him justice was very interesting and pivotal in the book. The ending of Box Office Poison was even more surprising and satisfying. Without giving too much away, the narrator of the book may not be exactly who you expected. What I liked best was just how messy the ending is. It feels just like real life where there are happy endings, but very rarely and certainly not for a lot of us.
The art style is simple, black and white cartooning and I liked it. The characters all look distinct and it is easy to tell that Ed is Latino for example and Sherman is white. This is one quality of good cartooning. I will say that there is a surprisingly high amount of naked people in this book so keep that in mind if you have a sensitive disposition. Overall though, the art is more or less what you would hope or expect in a memoir graphic novel.
Box Office Poison is a great book and the real question you have to ask is: is this a great book for me? Some people may find it boring or too routine, but if the characters, plot, or themes sound interesting or your kind of thing, then I definitely recommend hunting Box Office Poison down. I really enjoyed reading it and am glad I bought it on a whim.
What I didn't expect is the character of Irviing Flavor, an old comic book artist from the "golden" era of comics who got completely screwed over, to be so interesting. He is a very unlikable old man and yet, the plot around getting him justice was very interesting and pivotal in the book. The ending of Box Office Poison was even more surprising and satisfying. Without giving too much away, the narrator of the book may not be exactly who you expected. What I liked best was just how messy the ending is. It feels just like real life where there are happy endings, but very rarely and certainly not for a lot of us.
The art style is simple, black and white cartooning and I liked it. The characters all look distinct and it is easy to tell that Ed is Latino for example and Sherman is white. This is one quality of good cartooning. I will say that there is a surprisingly high amount of naked people in this book so keep that in mind if you have a sensitive disposition. Overall though, the art is more or less what you would hope or expect in a memoir graphic novel.
Box Office Poison is a great book and the real question you have to ask is: is this a great book for me? Some people may find it boring or too routine, but if the characters, plot, or themes sound interesting or your kind of thing, then I definitely recommend hunting Box Office Poison down. I really enjoyed reading it and am glad I bought it on a whim.
September 19, 2011
I think it perfectly captures a group of imperfect, flawed but relatable people, growing up and making choices that define us in our twenties to thirties. The characters reminded me of real people i knew, myself included. It depicted them unflinchingly, with compassion but also with clarity about people's limitations. The graphic novel definitely improved (especially the art) as it went along and the pacing feels odd but I felt this was something you just have to delve into. It had a Dickensian quality with the characters and I love the cartoony look of the characters with such realistic dialogue.
February 10, 2018
I started reading this a few hours ago, and could not put it down until I was done.
It was like reading a more adult, wittier, more sarcastic, better version of Friends.
How this is only #89 on the top 100 graphic novel list is far beyond me. These books are so damn good, I'm wondering what I've been doing wasting my life not reading them instead.
Fair warning, there is a lot of nudity, and swearing.
Sometimes, I guess, life just takes you in a path you aren't expected to take.
Like, Red and Andy said, get busy livin, or get busy dying, and we all know, that's damn right.
It was like reading a more adult, wittier, more sarcastic, better version of Friends.
How this is only #89 on the top 100 graphic novel list is far beyond me. These books are so damn good, I'm wondering what I've been doing wasting my life not reading them instead.
Fair warning, there is a lot of nudity, and swearing.
Sometimes, I guess, life just takes you in a path you aren't expected to take.
Like, Red and Andy said, get busy livin, or get busy dying, and we all know, that's damn right.
September 27, 2014
jel zbog strip tematike ili zbog tih svakodnevnih muško ženskih odnosa te raznoraznih referenci na kultne filmove i knjige ofucani holivudski film me podsjeća na Chasing Amy Kevina Smitha,a Chasing Amy mi je jedan od dražih filmova. preporuka za više popodnevnih uživanja uz kavu na balkoniću dok se na playeru vrte the beatles i the police. 600 stranica zabavnog crteža s masu dragih likova i nekoliko iritantnih. Obavezna lektira za fanove dobrog stripa
March 25, 2015
The dreaded 3 star rating. I always hate giving a three star because it always looks like a book was just average. Sometimes it is the case, but what about when you really enjoy a book, it’s just not necessarily earth shattering or important enough to make the 4 star or 5 star rating? So for purposes of distinction this one merits a 3.5 star rating from me.
This was like watching a marathon of Friends or any such twenty-something/relationship sitcom. I was sad when it came to an end because at that point I had become attached to the characters in this book.
The basics:
--Sherman: Works at a bookstore and absolutely hates it with a passion. He is tired of all the stupid questions he gets asked on a daily basis, yet he does nothing about it, with the excuse that he needs the money. He meets a girl named Dorothy and they start to date. None of his friends like her and neither did the reader, meaning me. But of course he can’t see her “non-charms” and his friends don’t want to interfere and tell him, except for Jane, who seems to have a personal vendetta against Dorothy.
--Jane: She is one-half of a couple, who rent a room out to Sherman. She’s afraid of commitment and although she is very much in love with her better-half, Stephen, she refuses to marry him.
--Stephen: Jane’s boyfriend, e very likable guy, who is the rational voice to Jane’s rants.
--Ed: Sherman’s best friend. He is a chubby guy who lives with his parents. He is an aspiring comic book writer and is waiting for his lucky break while working at his dad’s store. Tired of the demands his dad makes on his time, Ed decides to work as Irving Flavor’s assistant. Sherman is also a virgin due to his insecurities about his weight, looks, living arrangements, and anything else he can think of to put himself down for.
--Dorothy: Said hated girlfriend of Sherman. She thinks she’s much more cultured than those around her and acts like she doesn’t care about anything. She’s manipulative towards Sherman, a slob, never punctual, always borrowing money from friends, and alcoholic, just to name a few of her flaws. Sherman is the only one who refuses to see her for what she really is.
--Irving Flavor: Grouchy, old man who created the Nghtstalker comic book hero and was tricked into selling his rights away for $50. Nightstalker is now a franchise that makes millions of dollars. Irving lives in obscurity and has resigned himself to his fate, until Ed discovers one day who Irving really is. A lot of the book gets taken up in the fight to give Irving back what rightfully belongs to him.
--Hildy: A lovable girl that can’t seem to give Ed enough hints that she likes him.
It’s easy, light reading and you can’t help but become invested in the characters and the story. Would recommend for fans of graphic novels.
This was like watching a marathon of Friends or any such twenty-something/relationship sitcom. I was sad when it came to an end because at that point I had become attached to the characters in this book.
The basics:
--Sherman: Works at a bookstore and absolutely hates it with a passion. He is tired of all the stupid questions he gets asked on a daily basis, yet he does nothing about it, with the excuse that he needs the money. He meets a girl named Dorothy and they start to date. None of his friends like her and neither did the reader, meaning me. But of course he can’t see her “non-charms” and his friends don’t want to interfere and tell him, except for Jane, who seems to have a personal vendetta against Dorothy.
--Jane: She is one-half of a couple, who rent a room out to Sherman. She’s afraid of commitment and although she is very much in love with her better-half, Stephen, she refuses to marry him.
--Stephen: Jane’s boyfriend, e very likable guy, who is the rational voice to Jane’s rants.
--Ed: Sherman’s best friend. He is a chubby guy who lives with his parents. He is an aspiring comic book writer and is waiting for his lucky break while working at his dad’s store. Tired of the demands his dad makes on his time, Ed decides to work as Irving Flavor’s assistant. Sherman is also a virgin due to his insecurities about his weight, looks, living arrangements, and anything else he can think of to put himself down for.
--Dorothy: Said hated girlfriend of Sherman. She thinks she’s much more cultured than those around her and acts like she doesn’t care about anything. She’s manipulative towards Sherman, a slob, never punctual, always borrowing money from friends, and alcoholic, just to name a few of her flaws. Sherman is the only one who refuses to see her for what she really is.
--Irving Flavor: Grouchy, old man who created the Nghtstalker comic book hero and was tricked into selling his rights away for $50. Nightstalker is now a franchise that makes millions of dollars. Irving lives in obscurity and has resigned himself to his fate, until Ed discovers one day who Irving really is. A lot of the book gets taken up in the fight to give Irving back what rightfully belongs to him.
--Hildy: A lovable girl that can’t seem to give Ed enough hints that she likes him.
It’s easy, light reading and you can’t help but become invested in the characters and the story. Would recommend for fans of graphic novels.
October 26, 2020
I remember seeing a review in Wizard magazine for Box Office Poison in I want to say 1997. This was when I first was getting into comics and Wizard magazine introduced me to a whole world I knew nothing about. Here was this black and white comic that was covering topics that were certainly above my 3rd grade mind. To finally read it after all these years is a bit surreal. It’s been building up in my head on what it was about (and for the most part had it right except for the comic creators part) and I loved it. It was like finding an old family photo book I didn’t know existed. I don’t recognize the pictures but I remember the feeling. This is what comics seemed like to me in the 90s. Before the huge billion dollar movie productions took comics to the mainstream there were personal indie comics like this that I was always curious about but likely would never find at a Walden Books. No catch to them, no fantasy or sci-fi twist, just a personal slice of life story.
Are there things in here that have not aged well? Absolutely like a lot of pop culture from the 90s. But there’s such personality in this comic that you don’t find too often in today’s comics. I thoroughly enjoyed the storyline of the golden age comic creator trying to reclaim some compensation for his creation. It made me remember that all the golden age creators are gone and we’re starting lose the silver age creators now. To have a book reach me in that way is rare, and I know that not everyone is going to have that same experience, but I’m happy I finally got to read this comic that’s been in mind for the last twenty years. The stories are great, and Robinson has such a unique design for every character in this book. I was invested in everyone main characters journey. I really enjoyed the cameos in crowd scenes as well. Loved this book so much I read all 600+ pages in one day.
Are there things in here that have not aged well? Absolutely like a lot of pop culture from the 90s. But there’s such personality in this comic that you don’t find too often in today’s comics. I thoroughly enjoyed the storyline of the golden age comic creator trying to reclaim some compensation for his creation. It made me remember that all the golden age creators are gone and we’re starting lose the silver age creators now. To have a book reach me in that way is rare, and I know that not everyone is going to have that same experience, but I’m happy I finally got to read this comic that’s been in mind for the last twenty years. The stories are great, and Robinson has such a unique design for every character in this book. I was invested in everyone main characters journey. I really enjoyed the cameos in crowd scenes as well. Loved this book so much I read all 600+ pages in one day.
April 19, 2018
Δεν συμμερίζομαι τους γενικούς διθυράμβους που άκουσα/διάβασα. Ναι δεν λέω, είναι ένα πιο ρεαλιστικό και σκληρό sitcom απλά σε μορφή κόμικ. Και ευκολοδιάβαστο (αν και η ροή του είχε μεγάλα σκαμπανεβάσματα και ανά σημεία απλά ήταν τόσο ανελέητα φορτωμένο με κείμενα στην προσπάθεια του να μεταφέρει το άγχος των σκέψεων του εκάστοτε πρωταγωνιστή που απλά τα προσπερνούσα γιατί δεν είχαν κανένα απολύτως νόημα) και συμπαθητικό στο σκίτσο. Μ'άρεσε το πόσο ευδιάκριτοι ήταν οι χαρακτήρες και ξεχωριστοί, αυτό αξίζει να τιμηθεί γιατί γενικά πήζουμε σε κόμικ που όλοι φατσικά είναι ίδιοι.
Δεν το 'χω γενικότερα με αυτά τα ημιβιογραφικά κοινωνικά κόμικ γεμάτα με ρεαλιστικές ιστορίες καθημερινής τρέλας. Όπως το blankets δηλαδή και πολλά άλλα. Δεν είναι κακό, αλλά δεν είναι και εξαιρετικό. Είναι απλά οκ, υπερβολικά και αναίτια μεγάλο με μια ιστορία γεμάτη κοιλιές που συνοψιζόταν μια χαρά σε 250-300 σελίδες λιγότερο. Σελίδα για την σελίδα και τίποτα παραπάνω.
Είχε όμως τις στιγμές του σίγουρα, είχε ενδιαφέροντα τρόπο στησίματος των καρέ και της αφήγησης σε μερικές σελίδες και το πως ένωνε παρόν και παρελθόν χωρίς να σκαλώνει τον αναγνώστη. Ακόμα και οι υφές στα μπαλονάκια κειμένου μου άρεσαν και το πως άλλαζαν ανάλογα με την χροιά του μηνύ��ατος που περιείχαν. Το φινάλε πάντως μου άφησε μια νοσταλγική γλυκόπικρη γεύση, είχα αρχίσει να συνδέομαι με κάποιους χαρακτήρες (προφανώς ο Εντ, η Τζέιν και η Ντόροθι ήταν μορφάρες).
Τέλος, γι'αυτούς που γουστάρουν το είδος και την θεματολογία πρέπει να είναι από τα καλύτερα, το καταλαβαίνω. Για κάποιους που το πήραν επειδή είδαν φως και μπήκαν, όπως εγώ, ήταν κάτι "ευχάριστο" αλλά μέχρι εκεί, μια ακόμα αναγνωστική εμπειρία. Δεν ξετρελάθηκα αν και σε συγκεκριμένους που θα το πρότεινα, θα ξετρελαινόντουσαν.
Δεν το 'χω γενικότερα με αυτά τα ημιβιογραφικά κοινωνικά κόμικ γεμάτα με ρεαλιστικές ιστορίες καθημερινής τρέλας. Όπως το blankets δηλαδή και πολλά άλλα. Δεν είναι κακό, αλλά δεν είναι και εξαιρετικό. Είναι απλά οκ, υπερβολικά και αναίτια μεγάλο με μια ιστορία γεμάτη κοιλιές που συνοψιζόταν μια χαρά σε 250-300 σελίδες λιγότερο. Σελίδα για την σελίδα και τίποτα παραπάνω.
Είχε όμως τις στιγμές του σίγουρα, είχε ενδιαφέροντα τρόπο στησίματος των καρέ και της αφήγησης σε μερικές σελίδες και το πως ένωνε παρόν και παρελθόν χωρίς να σκαλώνει τον αναγνώστη. Ακόμα και οι υφές στα μπαλονάκια κειμένου μου άρεσαν και το πως άλλαζαν ανάλογα με την χροιά του μηνύ��ατος που περιείχαν. Το φινάλε πάντως μου άφησε μια νοσταλγική γλυκόπικρη γεύση, είχα αρχίσει να συνδέομαι με κάποιους χαρακτήρες (προφανώς ο Εντ, η Τζέιν και η Ντόροθι ήταν μορφάρες).
Τέλος, γι'αυτούς που γουστάρουν το είδος και την θεματολογία πρέπει να είναι από τα καλύτερα, το καταλαβαίνω. Για κάποιους που το πήραν επειδή είδαν φως και μπήκαν, όπως εγώ, ήταν κάτι "ευχάριστο" αλλά μέχρι εκεί, μια ακόμα αναγνωστική εμπειρία. Δεν ξετρελάθηκα αν και σε συγκεκριμένους που θα το πρότεινα, θα ξετρελαινόντουσαν.
August 4, 2017
This is my fourth time through (and second time while wicked sick, funny how that goes.) I don't think I've ever spent more than three days; it's pretty close to all-consuming. So of course my thoughts about the book are tied up with my thoughts about my life when I first read it and particularly the (failing) relationship I was in at the time. While we're on the caveats, it is sadly starting to be a bit dated: cell phones being the hilarious part. More disturbing, at the time a guy in his early 20s dating a 16 year old was creepy not "call the cops"--yes, that really has changed a bit even in the last twenty years. Some horrible things the characters say are meant to illustrate horrible characters; some (like one transphobic "joke") just sort of hit with a thud.
In the end, this is still one of my favorite books ever. It really only works in the graphic format, not just because the subject matter is nominally comics. It is raw, deeply human, nonjudgmental while still inflicting the consequences of their actions on the characters. The balance between revelation and secrecy is perfect; a lot of revelation happens in the interstitial character questions. In particular, there's a lot about Dorothy we clearly don't know, and we never get confirmation of one of her biggest claims. Just brilliant. Flawed characters in messy relationships.
In the end, this is still one of my favorite books ever. It really only works in the graphic format, not just because the subject matter is nominally comics. It is raw, deeply human, nonjudgmental while still inflicting the consequences of their actions on the characters. The balance between revelation and secrecy is perfect; a lot of revelation happens in the interstitial character questions. In particular, there's a lot about Dorothy we clearly don't know, and we never get confirmation of one of her biggest claims. Just brilliant. Flawed characters in messy relationships.
November 7, 2019
This hefty tone is another one of those twenty-something urbanite comic book writers moping about life and love, which sounds less interesting than it really is. Robinson creates a strong cast of interesting characters who all orbit around Sherman, although by the end it actually felt more like the story was Ed's; at least Ed is the person who has the most growth throughout, and he is central to the secondary storyline (a Wayne Finger-Batman credits kind of thing), even if Sherman's love life is the main plot. This is over 600 pages, and it takes its time, often telling little side stories and embellishing secondary or tertiary characters; my favorite part was roommate Stephen's experience as Santa Claus, which was very touching. The art is strong and consistent for something this long, and all the characters are distinctive and feel multi-dimensional. If you're interested in slice-of-life stories of the late 90's, this is a worthwhile endeavor, even if it does feel a bit daunting with its 600 pages. By the end, you really feel like these people are real, and the Epilogue with its "five years later" perspective just puts a nice wrap on everything (which is good, because the main story kind of fizzles at the end). I recognize a lot of Ed in who I was at that age, which may be why the book resonates so well with me. Definitely worth the time investment to read.
December 17, 2013
Reminds me a lot of many other pseudo autobiographical graphics that I can't even name at the moment. Great illustration, but a sort of mundane and soap opera storyline. Engaging enough, but after a while I found myself thinking "I'm only reading this to finish it -- I kind of don't care what happens". I need a way to describe that feeling... you know, the one you get when you're half way into a TV series and you just keep watching it because you're comfortable but not still interested. The banality of inertia? Sunk cost entertainment?
I'm really being too hard on this particular book, it's just I've seen this done so many times that it has lost a lot of appeal. Plus when there are greats like Pekar and Eisner out there, and modern guys like Clowes, Tomine and Sacco -- you should at least go through them first.
I'm really being too hard on this particular book, it's just I've seen this done so many times that it has lost a lot of appeal. Plus when there are greats like Pekar and Eisner out there, and modern guys like Clowes, Tomine and Sacco -- you should at least go through them first.
July 29, 2016
Wonderful graphic novel. Box Office Poison follows a few years in the lives of a group of loosely connected New Yorkers. Lots of relationship and professional angst. It feels so very real; lies do not usually get uncovered to dramatic effect, fights and misunderstandings do not always get resolved, the hero does not always get the girl. People don't usually grow and change very much; who they are is who they are.
And the nudity is extremely UNflattering.
And the nudity is extremely UNflattering.
May 28, 2017
After 600 pages, I guess I was just hoping for more. The plot was uninspiring, the characters were either meh or annoying and the ending was super rushed. I didn't hate it and there were definitely moments which I enjoyed but it just wasn't for me.
August 19, 2010
Been 4 years, decided to give this a re-read. Still fantastic, and leaves me quite inspired to tell a story like this myself.
April 29, 2008
I would have enjoyed this book a lot more in the early '90s, back when college-age twentysomethings seemed like attractive, carefree jokesters as opposed to entitled, good-for-nothing space-wasters. As such types go, however, they're well-developed, occasionally amusing, and compelling enough to propel one through all googolplex pages of this graphic monster.
Peripheral stories often leave more of a lasting impression than the main narratives, such as a brief but rather wonderful vingette in which ursine history buff Stephen reluctantly accompanies his girlfriend to her family's house for Christmas, and to his initial shock and eventual delight finds himself enthralling a slew of wide-eyed nieces and nephews in a Santa suit, having unexpectedly inherited the role from their grandfather. Spending the holidays at another family's house is a very specific brand of strange, and Robinson captures the details and tone perfectly. To watch Stephen make the transformation from uncomfortable fifth-wheel to Santa Claus himself is truly touching. I loved it.
Elsewhere, there's a lot of complaining and hanging out, and much like those activities, the book is comfortable but doesn't accomplish a whole lot.
Peripheral stories often leave more of a lasting impression than the main narratives, such as a brief but rather wonderful vingette in which ursine history buff Stephen reluctantly accompanies his girlfriend to her family's house for Christmas, and to his initial shock and eventual delight finds himself enthralling a slew of wide-eyed nieces and nephews in a Santa suit, having unexpectedly inherited the role from their grandfather. Spending the holidays at another family's house is a very specific brand of strange, and Robinson captures the details and tone perfectly. To watch Stephen make the transformation from uncomfortable fifth-wheel to Santa Claus himself is truly touching. I loved it.
Elsewhere, there's a lot of complaining and hanging out, and much like those activities, the book is comfortable but doesn't accomplish a whole lot.
July 2, 2019
Box Office Poison felt like a Linklater movie but angsty-er. I really liked the dialogue and how natural all the conversations sounded. The main character is honestly a bit of a self-centred asshole - very similar to the Nick Horny novel - High Fidelity. The real heart of the story is Ed Velazquez, a mumbly cartoonist who really grows as the story progresses.
Box Office Poison is long, 600 pages of what is essentially an indie movie with barely any action in comics form. Other than Ed, none of the other characters are able to break away from who they are at the beginning. The couples: Sherman + Dorothy and Stephen + Jane stay in a state of stasis, either unable or unwilling to change. Irving Flavour seems to emerge from the husk of a bitter old man as someone renewed but sells out the moment he gets the chance. His gesture at the end was beautiful though.
What I really love about Box Office Poison is that even though the characters aren’t the most likeable or accomplish anything of note, I just got really attached to them and watching their lives play out.
Box Office Poison is long, 600 pages of what is essentially an indie movie with barely any action in comics form. Other than Ed, none of the other characters are able to break away from who they are at the beginning. The couples: Sherman + Dorothy and Stephen + Jane stay in a state of stasis, either unable or unwilling to change. Irving Flavour seems to emerge from the husk of a bitter old man as someone renewed but sells out the moment he gets the chance. His gesture at the end was beautiful though.
What I really love about Box Office Poison is that even though the characters aren’t the most likeable or accomplish anything of note, I just got really attached to them and watching their lives play out.
March 24, 2019
Slice-of-life graphic novel about the comics industry and a group of early-twenties indie types in ‘90s NYC. Really nails the emotional details of relationships between (e.g.) friends, lovers, tenants, and bosses, and especially the opaqueness of trying to learn someone else’s past (or decipher our own). There’s some humorous bellyaching borne of the author’s seven-year stint at a major metropolitan bookstore that I – with my own brief window of literary retail employment – related to, although it definitely hits high on the Whine-o-Meter. One review blurb calls it the “Almost Famous” of the comics business, and I’ll second that. Very real, very frustrating at times, very human through and through.
February 13, 2017
Alex Robinsonin "Box Office Poison" eräs pisimmistä (sillä on mittaa peräti 600 sivua) mutta samalla myös hienoimmista ja sielukkaimmista koskaan lukemistani sarjakuvaromaaneista.
Nuorten aikuisten ja yhden äreän vanhuksen muodostaman ihmissuhdeverkoston ympärille kietoutuva tarina on yhtä monimuotoinen kuin elämä itsekin.
En taida edes yrittää kommentoida tarkemmin. Lukekaa itse. En usko, että kadutte.
Nuorten aikuisten ja yhden äreän vanhuksen muodostaman ihmissuhdeverkoston ympärille kietoutuva tarina on yhtä monimuotoinen kuin elämä itsekin.
En taida edes yrittää kommentoida tarkemmin. Lukekaa itse. En usko, että kadutte.
October 20, 2015
الكوميك فن جميل محبب مقرب للنفس مهضوم حقه في مصر و الشرق الأوسط بشكل عام
لنا في المانجا اليابانية و التطور المذهل فيها و في إيراداتها لليابان عبرة و عظة و حسرة
الرسوم هنا جميلة جدا، لكن القصة سيئة
لو حد من محبي الكوميك أو المانجا يعرف سلسلة معينة بالاسم حلوة و متوفرة أونلاين فضلًا يرشحهالي و هكون في غاية الامتنان :)
لنا في المانجا اليابانية و التطور المذهل فيها و في إيراداتها لليابان عبرة و عظة و حسرة
الرسوم هنا جميلة جدا، لكن القصة سيئة
لو حد من محبي الكوميك أو المانجا يعرف سلسلة معينة بالاسم حلوة و متوفرة أونلاين فضلًا يرشحهالي و هكون في غاية الامتنان :)
January 19, 2018
I got totally hooked on the lives and inner workings of the characters and enjoyed the story.
Read
August 29, 2023Reading this 600page behemoth of a comic book in bed for a few days certainly made me physically stronger. What about mentally and emotionally, though? Did I like it? Did it conjure emotions? Well, it won't enter my top 5 comics of all time, but I had a fun time reading it, and it did conjure emotions, especially when it came to my most favorite characters - eg Ed or Hildy. There are also two certain points that I found particularly brilliant: First, the beautiful epilogue, which I found very emotional and nostalgic; And second, the scene that stood out for me, where Sherman, who is already in a relationship at that point, is considering kissing another girl. His erratic stream of thoughts, the battle of desire vs guilt, was superbly portrayed.
Overall, at 600 pages, and with plenty of text, I wouldn't call Box Office Poison a "light read", so I suggest you don't pick it up if that's what you're after.
Overall, at 600 pages, and with plenty of text, I wouldn't call Box Office Poison a "light read", so I suggest you don't pick it up if that's what you're after.
August 20, 2017
The style is visually beautiful and I love the way the text is integrated into the page design. I like the mis-direct setting up Ed in the "best friend" role when it turns out he's hero material and no one knew it, not even himself. The ending puts a lot of things into a more impactful context but it comes too late. The pacing runs a little long for me-- a lot of the drama is pretty petty, I think in an effort to convey more realistic relationship dynamics, but it gets exhausting. As an outsider to the story, it is cool to see how the characters are able or unable to break away from their past traumas, but simultaneously it's maddening to get though. I'm glad I read it and there are definitely pages I would hang on my wall but I don't think I would read the whole thing again.
May 16, 2018
Hey, I read 602 pages in less than a week! OK, fine, it was a graphic novel, your point is? So, this was published in 2005 but is set in 1994. And on the positive side, it's a pretty accurate depiction of twentysomethings in NYC in the mid-90s: bars, parties, bookstores, roommates, struggling writers, varying levels of romantic success, etc. etc. I got a bit nostalgic, shall we say? On the negative side of the ledger: I prefer comics to be on the edgier side, and this isn't. I'm a Daniel Clowes guy. The art here is what I'd call Clowes-light. The storytelling is OK but not particularly insightful. There's a Jack Kirby-inspired subplot that takes up way too many pages without being nearly compelling enough. A pleasing read, if not much more.
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