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Gonzo: A Graphic Biography of Hunter S. Thompson
Over the course of Hunter S. Thompson’s extraordinary life he was publicly branded a bum, a vandal, a thief, a liar, an addict, a freak, and a psychopath. Some of which were true. Yet even when compared to the most significant figures of the 20th century, his legacy retains a brilliantly vital force. The great American writer, the great American iconoclast, the great American hedonist—however you choose to view him, Thompson remains the high-water mark for all social commentators worldwide, and a truly fearless champion of individual liberties. This is his story, the story of a troubled kid from Louisville who went on to become an international icon. A story that plumbs the darkest depths of American society and charts the now legendary adventures that birthed Gonzo Journalism, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas , and a lifestyle beyond imagination.
Praise for Gonzo :
“I was attracted to its bright orange cover and the drawing of the long-legged Thompson clutching a satchel, running away from something. It was enough to entice me to crack open the book. I didn't stop reading until I was finished, past my bedtime, a couple of hours later.” — Boing Boing
“This diamond-sharp graphic biography is a witty, thoughtful book . . . Bingley and Hope-Smith’s portrait is brave and badass, taking the kind of chances Thompson would have appreciated.” — Publishers Weekly
"Exactly what it says on the tin . . . brilliant." — Brain Pickings
Praise for Gonzo :
“I was attracted to its bright orange cover and the drawing of the long-legged Thompson clutching a satchel, running away from something. It was enough to entice me to crack open the book. I didn't stop reading until I was finished, past my bedtime, a couple of hours later.” — Boing Boing
“This diamond-sharp graphic biography is a witty, thoughtful book . . . Bingley and Hope-Smith’s portrait is brave and badass, taking the kind of chances Thompson would have appreciated.” — Publishers Weekly
"Exactly what it says on the tin . . . brilliant." — Brain Pickings
180 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
17 people are currently reading
529 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews
December 4, 2023
Amazing bio of HST - art really supports the fractured narrative. I have really gotten into HST recently; to me he is the 'dark avatar' of the 60's - the shadow of the Age of Aquarius - a shadow that still (very much) is still cast upon us. Right now I am looking for some of his lesser known works.
October 18, 2014
Having read both Fear and Loathing books (Las Vegas and On the Campaign Trail `72) and The Rum Diary, Hunter S. Thompson's legendary life already felt unreal and cartoonish to me just from the antics he gets up to in those books. And the hilarious, evocative, desperate and vivid syntax he used in describing what he did and saw lent his books a surrealist atmosphere amidst the chaos of the times.
Which is why a graphic novel of his life, focusing mainly on his glory days in the 60s and 70s, was always going to fall short of Thompson's rich description of his own life. That said, Gonzo isn't that bad. It shows Thompson as always the rebel, from nearly being arrested as a teen in the 40s, to being forever on the road after leaving job after job until he joined Rolling Stone (under his own terms of course).
It shows his work in parallel with the turbulent times, the Vietnam War, the Kennedy Assassination, the Equal Rights movement which all provided backdrops to his books Hell's Angels, The Rum Diary and the Fear and Loathing books. His own life had plenty of drama from running on the Freak Party ticket as Sherriff of Aspen to run-ins with political giants like Richard Nixon.
The rest of his life, the 80s, 90s, and 00s, is dealt with in a few short pages and shows the great writer's decline into the grip of drugs and drink, and his inability to once more regain the energy and excitement of his most famous books.
Gonzo is a fine summary of one of the most interesting writers of the 20th century but by no means comprehensive nor does it give the reader an idea of the genius of Hunter Thompson's words. For that reason alone I heartily recommend anyone wondering what Thompson was like to pick up Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and The Rum Diary which do him more justice than this slim comic book could achieve.
Which is why a graphic novel of his life, focusing mainly on his glory days in the 60s and 70s, was always going to fall short of Thompson's rich description of his own life. That said, Gonzo isn't that bad. It shows Thompson as always the rebel, from nearly being arrested as a teen in the 40s, to being forever on the road after leaving job after job until he joined Rolling Stone (under his own terms of course).
It shows his work in parallel with the turbulent times, the Vietnam War, the Kennedy Assassination, the Equal Rights movement which all provided backdrops to his books Hell's Angels, The Rum Diary and the Fear and Loathing books. His own life had plenty of drama from running on the Freak Party ticket as Sherriff of Aspen to run-ins with political giants like Richard Nixon.
The rest of his life, the 80s, 90s, and 00s, is dealt with in a few short pages and shows the great writer's decline into the grip of drugs and drink, and his inability to once more regain the energy and excitement of his most famous books.
Gonzo is a fine summary of one of the most interesting writers of the 20th century but by no means comprehensive nor does it give the reader an idea of the genius of Hunter Thompson's words. For that reason alone I heartily recommend anyone wondering what Thompson was like to pick up Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and The Rum Diary which do him more justice than this slim comic book could achieve.
February 2, 2015
Digamos que esses quadrinhos são um grande meio de se conhecer Hunter Thompson e parte da história dos EUA, bem desenhados a narrativa das imagens torna-se muitas vezes poesia. Participações especiais de Richard Nixon, Ralph Steadman, Oscar Zeta Acosta e Cameron Crowe!
August 7, 2022
A solid effort from two graphic novel debutants, and if a po-faced illustrated recount of a modest selection of some of Hunter S. Thompson’s more serious formative moments sounds good to you, Gonzo should hit the sweet spot. Whilst it doesn’t evoke the exhilarating thrill one gets when reading Thompson’s own words, it does, if nothing else, stir up the urge to revisit his work and catch-up on anything you may have missed along the way.
January 9, 2018
Gonzo is not an exhaustive biography of Hunter Thompson. It's a poetic one: a flickering, allusive evocation of his life and times; a drive-by tour of his landmark works, projects, stunts, and provocations; above all, an attempt to inhabit the style and sensibility of Thompson as a writer—not merely the wild, cartoonish figure he cut in American pop culture, but a writer, with soul and drive and a terrible, bottomless heartache. Much is evoked here but not thoroughly explained; good luck to readers unversed in the history it alludes to (for example, the violence on the streets of Chicago in 1968; the fall of Nixon, post Watergate). The book will mean more to readers who grew up with some of this stuff or have made a point of studying it.
What sets Gonzo apart is its troubling, insinuating way of combining text and image. The relationship between the words (a first-person account in something likeThompson's voice) and pictures is seldom straightforward or transparent; for instance, the opening juxtaposes the news of JFK's assassination with images of Thompson hunting, killing a deer, and gutting it. By colliding captions with images in such provocative fashion, Gonzo succeeds in evoking Thompson's personality, his animating rage, his passion, and his sadness. The book goes by too quickly to make everything understood, but its conjuring of Thompson is no mean feat. Thank goodness the authors did not try to summon up the giddy, druggy excess of Thompson's most popular books, or to imitate Ralph Steadman's indelible illustrations of Thompson; what they've opted for instead is a quiet darkness.
What sets Gonzo apart is its troubling, insinuating way of combining text and image. The relationship between the words (a first-person account in something likeThompson's voice) and pictures is seldom straightforward or transparent; for instance, the opening juxtaposes the news of JFK's assassination with images of Thompson hunting, killing a deer, and gutting it. By colliding captions with images in such provocative fashion, Gonzo succeeds in evoking Thompson's personality, his animating rage, his passion, and his sadness. The book goes by too quickly to make everything understood, but its conjuring of Thompson is no mean feat. Thank goodness the authors did not try to summon up the giddy, druggy excess of Thompson's most popular books, or to imitate Ralph Steadman's indelible illustrations of Thompson; what they've opted for instead is a quiet darkness.
September 5, 2024
Hienoa sarjakuvaa (vaikka siitä heikosti ymmärränkin) ja tarinankuljetusta. Tää ehkä vaatii vähän taustatietoa hahmosta, mutta ei kirjaan ehkä tarttuis, jos sitä ei alkujaan olisikaan. Pohdintaa kirjailijan teoksista vähän uudesta ”henk. koht.” näkökulmasta, jonka autenttisuudesta vaikea mennä takuuseen, vaikka kiinnostavia ajatuksia nouseekin ilmoille. Pidin!
November 15, 2011
Having read "Fear and Loathing" both "Las Vegas" and "On the Campaign Trail `72" and "The Rum Diary", Hunter S. Thompson's legendary life already felt unreal and cartoonish just from the antics he gets up to in those books and the hilarious, evocative, desperate and vivid syntax he used in describing what he saw lent his books the feel of surrealism amidst the chaos of the time.
Which is why a graphic novel of his life, focusing mainly on his glory days in the 60s and 70s, was always going to fall short of Thompson's rich description of his own life. That said, the book isn't that bad. It shows Thompson as always the rebel, from nearly being arrested at a teen in the 40s, to being forever on the road after leaving job after job until he joined Rolling Stone (under his own terms of course).
It shows his work in parallel with the turbulent times, the Vietnam War, the Kennedy Assassination, the Equal Rights movement all providing backdrops to his books "Hell's Angels", "The Rum Diary" and "Fear and Loathing". His own life had plenty of drama from running on the Freak Party ticket as Sherriff of Aspen to run-ins with political giants like Richard Nixon.
The rest of his life, the 80s, 90s, and 00s, is dealt with in a few short pages and shows the great writer's decline into drugs and drink, and the inability to once more regain the energy and excitement of his most famous books.
This is an interesting summary of one of the most interesting writers of the 20th century but by no means comprehensive nor does it give the reader an idea of the genius of Hunter Thompson's words. For that reason alone I heartily recommend anyone wondering what Thompson was like to pick up "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" and "The Rum Diary" which do him more justice than this slim comic book could achieve.
Which is why a graphic novel of his life, focusing mainly on his glory days in the 60s and 70s, was always going to fall short of Thompson's rich description of his own life. That said, the book isn't that bad. It shows Thompson as always the rebel, from nearly being arrested at a teen in the 40s, to being forever on the road after leaving job after job until he joined Rolling Stone (under his own terms of course).
It shows his work in parallel with the turbulent times, the Vietnam War, the Kennedy Assassination, the Equal Rights movement all providing backdrops to his books "Hell's Angels", "The Rum Diary" and "Fear and Loathing". His own life had plenty of drama from running on the Freak Party ticket as Sherriff of Aspen to run-ins with political giants like Richard Nixon.
The rest of his life, the 80s, 90s, and 00s, is dealt with in a few short pages and shows the great writer's decline into drugs and drink, and the inability to once more regain the energy and excitement of his most famous books.
This is an interesting summary of one of the most interesting writers of the 20th century but by no means comprehensive nor does it give the reader an idea of the genius of Hunter Thompson's words. For that reason alone I heartily recommend anyone wondering what Thompson was like to pick up "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" and "The Rum Diary" which do him more justice than this slim comic book could achieve.
November 13, 2014
From the introduction, I got the idea that this biography was supposed to redeem Thompson's image a little, making him more of a respected writer and less of a person known for being out of his gourd on drugs, but after reading it I think the writer of the introduction was just expressing his inner wishes. It's a little rambling.
June 23, 2017
a concise explanation of HST told in mild first person. love black and white graphics, love HST, and love how tact the whole project is. not too over the top and focuses on him as a person, a professional writer and as a legend. a fun read for HST fans and would also serve as a decent introduction for those unfamiliar.
July 4, 2014
Not bad. Feels more than a little thin. So it goes.. I read it again on July 2, 2014. Not bad but could be a lot richer.
March 2, 2018
This is more than just a graphic biography — the authors have a point to make about Thompson’s life and work. It’s often said that his greatest work came early, in Hell’s Angels, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and in his articles on political/cultural topics, especially on the 1972 election campaign. This book takes a similar view and adds some color on his inability to recreate some of those early great works.
The graphics themselves are clean and well-designed to set the mood of Thompson’s hectic, scattered, and often depressed life. The two images that stand out are, as on the cover, Thompson in full flight to or from somewhere, and then in a kind of deflated contemplation, reflecting on things around him going in ugly directions.
The text varies between a first person narrative, as if Thompson were speaking from the grave in reflection on his life, and a present-tense presentation of events in their time.
All of Thompson’s life here has a kind of accidental haphazard quality to it. The constant is his commitment to journalism. His commitment was real and deep, but the forms it took went it some odd directions, sometimes spectacularly successful but with a cost.
Thompson was writing a serious article on the death of journalist Ruben Salazar in a Chicano organized march against the VietNam War at the same time that he was writing the piece on Las Vegas and “the American Dream.” He calls the Las Vegas story “a fun thing”, “not a factual story . . . but maybe a true one.” It seems to have taken precedence over a more traditional journalistic focus on events and facts, a way to express and show something that couldn’t be shown in specific facts — fiction was a better way to show the truth.
He had hit on something, and it was a huge success. What followed was different and deflating — the election of 1972. Thompson was deeply invested in the McGovern campaign. The only way McGovern could win against the monster Nixon was to draw on a new source of votes, the young vote, impassioned by opposition to the war. And Thompson committed himself to helping to make it happen.
It didn’t happen. And now there was Nixon. It was a moral defeat. A defeat for the idealism that had survived through the war and the emptiness of the American Dream in Vegas.
It all seemed to end then. Thompson’s wife Sandy left him in 1980. Here, in the book, the 80s are a blank. And in the 90s, Thompson’s life has deteriorated — he’s angry, frustrated, and unproductive. He can’t recreate the time or the greatness of Fear and Loathing, and, for that matter, he’s no longer living the life of Hunter Thompson, committed political journalist, but the life his success almost curely created, the anti-hero life of Raoul Duke.
Alan Rinzler, Thompson’s editor for some of his best work, says in the Foreword to the book, “I’m sorry to see the spectacle of Hunter as the King of Gonzo — a brain-addled, angry, deeply depressed, self-destructive lout — has prevailed in the popular consciousness while the real story of this ground-breaking prose artist and investigative journalist has all but disappeared.”
Rinzler is right, and I can’t help but think that some of the blame at least falls on us as Thompson’s readers, reveling in the Raoul Duke character and demanding that Thompson be Duke and give us another Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, instead of the guy that wrote uniquely insightful political and cultural commentary. We should keep reading Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas -- it's truly a great and innovative work -- but I really wish we had the author of things like his article on "Hashbury" or his 1972 campaign articles around to help today.
The graphics themselves are clean and well-designed to set the mood of Thompson’s hectic, scattered, and often depressed life. The two images that stand out are, as on the cover, Thompson in full flight to or from somewhere, and then in a kind of deflated contemplation, reflecting on things around him going in ugly directions.
The text varies between a first person narrative, as if Thompson were speaking from the grave in reflection on his life, and a present-tense presentation of events in their time.
All of Thompson’s life here has a kind of accidental haphazard quality to it. The constant is his commitment to journalism. His commitment was real and deep, but the forms it took went it some odd directions, sometimes spectacularly successful but with a cost.
Thompson was writing a serious article on the death of journalist Ruben Salazar in a Chicano organized march against the VietNam War at the same time that he was writing the piece on Las Vegas and “the American Dream.” He calls the Las Vegas story “a fun thing”, “not a factual story . . . but maybe a true one.” It seems to have taken precedence over a more traditional journalistic focus on events and facts, a way to express and show something that couldn’t be shown in specific facts — fiction was a better way to show the truth.
He had hit on something, and it was a huge success. What followed was different and deflating — the election of 1972. Thompson was deeply invested in the McGovern campaign. The only way McGovern could win against the monster Nixon was to draw on a new source of votes, the young vote, impassioned by opposition to the war. And Thompson committed himself to helping to make it happen.
It didn’t happen. And now there was Nixon. It was a moral defeat. A defeat for the idealism that had survived through the war and the emptiness of the American Dream in Vegas.
It all seemed to end then. Thompson’s wife Sandy left him in 1980. Here, in the book, the 80s are a blank. And in the 90s, Thompson’s life has deteriorated — he’s angry, frustrated, and unproductive. He can’t recreate the time or the greatness of Fear and Loathing, and, for that matter, he’s no longer living the life of Hunter Thompson, committed political journalist, but the life his success almost curely created, the anti-hero life of Raoul Duke.
Alan Rinzler, Thompson’s editor for some of his best work, says in the Foreword to the book, “I’m sorry to see the spectacle of Hunter as the King of Gonzo — a brain-addled, angry, deeply depressed, self-destructive lout — has prevailed in the popular consciousness while the real story of this ground-breaking prose artist and investigative journalist has all but disappeared.”
Rinzler is right, and I can’t help but think that some of the blame at least falls on us as Thompson’s readers, reveling in the Raoul Duke character and demanding that Thompson be Duke and give us another Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, instead of the guy that wrote uniquely insightful political and cultural commentary. We should keep reading Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas -- it's truly a great and innovative work -- but I really wish we had the author of things like his article on "Hashbury" or his 1972 campaign articles around to help today.
September 17, 2020
When I got this book, I was rather skeptical about it – partly because there are plenty of not-so-good attempts to capture Hunter S. Thompson's biography, partly because I just couldn't imagine a biography, presented as a graphic novel – especially a biography of such complex, contradicting and rich personality that Thompson was.
But that is a beautiful biography.
It is sincere, does not try to idealize him, at the same time, not demonizing him either, gently pointing towards the likely reasons for his life choices, yet letting you figure it out for yourself. The simple yet powerful graphics add to the strength of the story which is told nicely, simply, yet capturing various nuances, tragic, sad, and funny – just like Thompson's own writing.
By now I can't imagine a better way to tell his life story.
The foreword deserves a separate mention. I think it is the best piece I've read about him so far, it feels accurate and right, precisely because it does not try to idolize him and his writing, as well as his addictions, describing it as it was, the complex person and his tragic fate.
This graphic biography is definitely a must-read to anyone who wants to get to know the man behind the insane, yet beautifully-written texts, a very strange kind of a genius that Thompson was, in my opinion.
But that is a beautiful biography.
It is sincere, does not try to idealize him, at the same time, not demonizing him either, gently pointing towards the likely reasons for his life choices, yet letting you figure it out for yourself. The simple yet powerful graphics add to the strength of the story which is told nicely, simply, yet capturing various nuances, tragic, sad, and funny – just like Thompson's own writing.
By now I can't imagine a better way to tell his life story.
The foreword deserves a separate mention. I think it is the best piece I've read about him so far, it feels accurate and right, precisely because it does not try to idolize him and his writing, as well as his addictions, describing it as it was, the complex person and his tragic fate.
This graphic biography is definitely a must-read to anyone who wants to get to know the man behind the insane, yet beautifully-written texts, a very strange kind of a genius that Thompson was, in my opinion.
December 3, 2025
Grafik roman formatı Hunter’ın hayatına inanılmaz yakışmış; hem ritmini hem de kaotik ruhunu doğru yerden yakalıyor. Kitap, bir biyografiden çok, zaten hiçbir zaman “normal” olmayı kabul etmemiş bir adamın yaşam eğrisini çizgilerle belgeleyen bir çalışma gibi olmuş. Hunter’ın asi, dışarıda duran gençliği; babasızlığın yarattığı öfke; erken yaşta hapishaneyle tanışması onun daha en başından beri neden kendine ait bir yol çizdiğini çok iyi anlatıyor. Ardından gelen gazeteciliğe sürüklenişi, hava kuvvetinden kovuluşu ve Latin Amerika’daki yalnız muhabirlik yılları, Hunter’ın hem öfkesini hem kırılganlığını daha somut hale getiriyor. Kitabın en etkileyici kısmı ise Gonzo gazeteciliğinin doğuşu. Hell’s Angels döneminden Rolling Stone yıllarına kadar, her sayfada onun nasıl yavaş yavaş kendi türünü yarattığını görüyorsunuz. Hunter kuralların neden insanı körleştirdiğini erken yaşta fark etmiş biri. Gonzo gazeteciliği (yani haberciliğe hem subjektifliği hem çıplak dürüstlüğü sokmak) keşfeden Hunter, Amerikan siyasetinin iki yüzlülüğünü herkesin gözü önüne korkusuzca ve filtresiz bir dürüstlükle seriyor ve gazeteciliğe edebiyatı sokuyor. Mutlaka okumanızı tavsiye ederim.
October 19, 2019
Can't complain about the skill brought to bear on this graphic biography, but what I mainly got out of it is that HST was an unpleasant individual with serious personality issues from the get-go. I was hoping to come away with an appreciation and understanding of him as a skilled writer and insightful cultural observer, separate from they gonzo myth, but that didn't really come through. Perhaps it wasn't really there. Two lapses in the storytelling that jumped out at me. First, no explanation of why he decided to run for Sheriff. Second, very little shown or explained of his time traveling with the '72 campaign, as reported in Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail.
July 29, 2022
“But even in a world of jailers, no truth can trap an honest liar.”
The romantic myths and cringe worthy clichés have long since hijacked the real Thompson and turned him into something which is easily sold in movies and bookstores and looks and smells like a late stage Johnny Depp after the poisons have ran out.
This is a decent enough of overview of the highlights of Thompson’s career. The myth surrounding the man is equally ridiculed and inflated at various points, which I suppose amounts to reasoned balance. The art work is strong and in the end you certainly feel like you get a real feel for the man and his work.
June 10, 2017
Combining the introduction written by Thompson's former editor, Gonzo contrasts a deceptively non-Gonzo portrayal of the mythical persona and real life writer Hunter S. Thompson. I wouldn't call myself a "fan" of Thompson's, but do respect his skills as a writer. This graphic novel admirably attempts to show the man and not the legend.
July 4, 2018
It is a wonder I ended up even a smidge normal considering my teenage heroes are Hunter S. Thompson, Anthony Burgess, Anton LaVey, and Tank Girl. This is a great collection of the real history of Thompson’s life which was often not so glamorous. Beautifully illustrated and well-written.
December 28, 2018
If Hunter S. Thompson were alive today, he'd write a good profile making fun of Jordan Petersen, but he'd also be friends with Richard Spencer or something. So it's probably good that he's dead.
The pictures were good.
Three stars out of five.
The pictures were good.
Three stars out of five.
September 8, 2019
A great overview of HST's life but a true fan of his work probably won't find much new here to chew on. It's always interesting to see someone else's interpretation of his life, mythology, and legacy.
February 15, 2020
Solid graphic novel, but it really jumps around at times. I know that is kind of Hunter's style, but it works better in prose than in graphic form. It was still enjoyable, but there were definitely times where I was confused by the progression of the story.
April 25, 2021
Hunter S Thompson caught my attention in college in the 90s for his writing and of course, his drug-addled super hyped-up style of journalism. Great graphic novel format - much easier to see/feel/read his passion for the story and self-destructive behavior...
February 12, 2017
I enjoyed a view of Hunter S. Thompson that gave more than detailed the drugs and alcohols. That being said, the illustrations were just alright.
June 4, 2017
Honestly....... it was boring. I was interested for about 5 pages out of the whole book. It's not bad writing or bad art its just that Hunter S. Thompsons life was kind of boring.
October 10, 2017
totally get me interested to read more about him
March 7, 2018
J'ai bien aimé en savoir plus sur Hunter Thompson dans un contexte de BD. Ça couvre de courtes périodes, c'est décousu mais ça demeure tout de même intéressant.
May 16, 2018
It's good in offering a glimpse of a man but it isn't wholly satisfying.
August 19, 2018
Makes me want to read more of H.S.T's stuff.
September 2, 2018
If you like Hunter S. Thompson-you’ll dig this.
December 31, 2018
Awful. Reads like a synopsis for a book yet to be written. Manages to both avoid Thompson's voice while focusing so completely on him that no other characters have a chance to breathe.
April 20, 2020
Good art. I like that this one is in black and white, suits the story. This graphic novel is basically playing the hits, but from a slightly different angle, the disappointing ending is included.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews