Bacchus, Vol. 1: Immortality Isn't Forever

Bacchus #1

by Eddie Campbell, Neil Gaiman (Introduction)

Immortality Isn't Forever tells what happened to the Greek gods. Introduces Bacchus, the 4,000 year old Greek God of Wine, Joe Theseus and the Eyeball Kid.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Fiction, Fantasy, Graphic Novels Comics, Comic Book, Comix

96 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Eddie Campbell is a British comics artist and cartoonist whose work has shaped the evolution of modern graphic storytelling. He is widely known as the illustrator and publisher of From Hell, his long collaboration with Alan Moore that reimagines the Jack the Ripper case through an ambitious and meticulously researched narrative. Campbell is also the creator of the long-running semi-autobiographical Alec series, later collected in Alec: The Years Have Pants, and the satirical adventure cycle Bacchus, which follows a handful of Greek gods who have wandered into the contemporary world. His scratchy pen-and-ink technique draws on impressionist influences and early masters of expressive line art, while his writing blends humor, candor, and literary ambition in a manner that critics have compared to Jack Kerouac and Henry Miller.
Campbell began developing autobiographical comics in the late 1970s before expanding the Alec stories throughout the following decades, publishing early instalments through small press networks in London and later with major independent publishers. After moving to Australia in the mid-1980s, he continued to produce both Alec and Bacchus stories while contributing to a range of international anthologies. His partnership with Moore on From Hell, initially serialised in the anthology Taboo, became one of the most acclaimed graphic novels of its era and further cemented his reputation for grounded, character-driven illustration.
Across a varied career Campbell has worked as a creator, editor, publisher, and occasional court illustrator. His contributions to comics have earned him numerous industry awards, including the Eisner Award, the Harvey Award, the Ignatz Award, the Eagle Award, and the UK Comic Art Award. He continues to produce new work while maintaining a strong presence in both literary and comics circles.

Reviews

[Dominick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bacchus still walks the earth today, somewhat the worse for wear, and a few other figures from or derived from classical myth do too--most bizarrely, perhaps, Argus's grandson the Eyeball Kid. Bacchus and Theseus (still around too) are enemies, though nothing much comes of that in this first volume--frustratingly, this volume is not really complete in itself. It also feels like there should be earlier material; talk about in medias res! However, there are lost of intriguing ideas popping around it, it has some fun mocking fantasy and super hero tropes, and Campbell's art, scratchy and sketchy as it is, suits the material well. The account of the decimation of the Greek pantheon is especially effective.

[Russell Willis · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is out of print but all volumes are now available on SEQUENTIAL for iPad http://t.co/StL1uqCar8 along with lots of other stuff by Eddie Campbell.

[Frank McGirk · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe I should give this 4 stars?

I discovered Campbell's Bacchus in some old Dark Horse Presents comics, and then discovered he had full comics of him, and after reading a few oddly numbered books, headed to Ebay and found the full run collected in graphic novel form.

The initial awe has worn off, but I still find them very compelling in story and art.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read as part of my Read My Shelves challenge. It was a category read, for the category: "Excelsior!". I had to read a graphic novel or comic book. This was pretty good! I will continue the series, I think. (Was kind of put off by the casual nudity. Why did so many 90s comics think "edgy" is the same as gratuitous?)

[Mackenzie Melo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very imaginative! Bringing the Greek Gods to our days and have their stories retold by themselves while dealing with day to day struggles is a brand new idea. Oh, it was written in the 80's. Even better.

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this. If you can find one of the 2 Bacchus omnibuses that's the way to go. Bacchus has been around for 4,000 years, drinking wine and telling stories. Most of the other gods are gone but someone from Greek mythology occasionally shows up and causes problems.

[Tanvir Muntasim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fanciful tale of Greek gods roaming around in present day.

[Colleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Could not
put it down!

[Fernando Gonzalo Pellico · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cómic muy original que recrea de una manera fresca la mitología griega, en especial, el personaje de Baco.

[Unique Chimera · Rating 3 out of 5]

this is very pretty but fuck if I know what it's saying

[Francesca Giardiello · Rating 3 out of 5]

Particolare, bellissimi i disegni,ma narrazione eccessivamente decontestualizzata, tenta di essere poetica, ma perde quella patina onirica nel momento in cui ci sono troppi rimandi alla realtà.

[Korynn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that this looks like very early work of Eddie Campbell's. The artwork is extremely sketchy and not as evocative as his biographical work or autobiographical work. Or even as dark as From Hell. And normally I love his art. This volume disappoints me as I enjoy the concept of Bacchus still wandering around and the retelling of Greek myth refitted to modern day but cannot really enjoy the characters enough to track down volume 2.
Essentially this volume introduces Bacchus and his nemesis Joe Theseus and explains why they don't get along. We also are introduced to the wildcard Eyeball Kid and get some backstory about what happened to the other gods on Olympus.
Also I keep thinking of Dave Sim's parody of Bacchus (otherwise known as "Deadface") in "Cerebus"'s volume of "Guys". If you like Bacchus you should check out the parody.

[Hamish · Rating 2 out of 5]

I dunno, Eddie Campbell frustrates me. He can be really, really good sometimes and other times he just seems sloppy. This reads a lot like someone trying to do an action/suspense/superhero/whatever type comic with no real conception of how to pull it off and it reads really awkwardly. The pacing in the panels and especially the dialogue reads in a clunky and awkward way and the story-telling just feels off. Supposedly it gets better in future volumes? I'm on the fence about whether I want to give them a shot.

[Chris Drew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eddie Campbell is one of the greatest graphic artists of all time, and this book sealed that deal for me. It is a gut wrenching and eye pleasing endeavor full of rich scenes overlaying complex pattern work with gritty character design. And the characters! Campbell has taken some of the most ran over literary terrain and found a way to breathe truly new and interesting life into it. As the story unfolds distant and difficult immortals become flawed, ambitious, and startlingly sympathetic. I would describe this as a must read for any comics fan.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone loves Sandman and Transmet, but to me nothing is better than Eddie Campbell's Bacchus series. As far as "graphic novel" authors go, I would rank:

1) Alan Moore
2) Eddie Campbell
3) Gaiman
4) Ellis
5) A bunch of other people

-m

[Dr. Barrett Dylan Brown, Phd · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG! I can't beleive I found this! It changed my life as a boy! WANT!

[Josephus FromPlacitas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it. Need more money so I can buy the subsequent ones. Please send your donation via Western Union immediately.

[Jarad Coats · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating is for the full series. It's wonderful.

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stylewise, I usually straddle both traditional superhero and 'artistic' indie comics. There is VERY little in-between the two, but this felt like a bridge between them.

[Steven · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bacchus is distinctly offbeat and kinda funny.

[Ian · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not clever enough to make the sluggish pacing and dull scene-writing worth it.