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Kings in Disguise #2
On the Ropes
In this long-awaited sequel to the legendary graphic novel Kings in Disguise , a young circus hand gets involved in dangerous underground activity. Kings in Disguise was praised by the likes of Art Spiegelman, Neil Gaiman, and Alan Moore. It won two Eisner Awards and has been hailed as one of the ten best graphic novels of all time (Guardian). This highly anticipated sequel tells the story of a young man’s coming of age in a world where the capacity to dream may be a fatal flaw. Set in 1937, On the Ropes continues the story of Fred Bloch, now apprenticed to escape artist Gordon Corey, a star attraction in a traveling WPA circus. Though damaged by the Depression and haunted by past mistakes, each man holds the key to the other’s salvation―but each also harbors a secret that could lead to their mutual destruction. Enacted against a backdrop of violent labor unrest and a nation’s faltering recovery, On the Ropes is a breathtaking visual achievement that delivers a powerful, timeless story.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published March 11, 2013
About the author
James Vance
91 books13 followersAward-winning writer whose career has embraced forms ranging from graphic novels to live theater and journalism.
His 1988 graphic novel Kings in Disguise (with artist Dan Burr) was honored with the Eisner and Harvey awards -the Oscars of their field- and its reissue in 2006 was hailed as one of that year's ten top comics events by Time.com. His other comics work includes the whimsical Mr. Hero adventure series, and stories for the Batman, Aliens and Predator franchises.
A multiple winner of national awards for playwriting, he was commissioned to write the drama "Halls of Ivory" as an official event of the Bicentennial Celebration of the United States Constitution. His play "Stations" was chosen to represent the United States at the International Theater Festival in Monte Carlo.
He was commissioned to write a monograph in conjunction with the Smithsonian Institution touring exhibit "Climbing Jacob's Ladder," and his script for the related television documentary "Hope is the Last Thing to Die" was honored by the National Conference of Christians and Jews.
In collaboration with his late wife Kate Worley, he has written a novel for the mystery market, and is presently at work on a new book in a similar vein. Working with artist Reed Waller, he is also shepherding Kate's all-new conclusion to the popular Omaha the Cat Dancer comics series into print.
Once again working with Dan Burr, Vance is currently completing a sequel to Kings in Disguise. Titled On the Ropes, that sequel will be issued by W.W. Norton in the near future.
His 1988 graphic novel Kings in Disguise (with artist Dan Burr) was honored with the Eisner and Harvey awards -the Oscars of their field- and its reissue in 2006 was hailed as one of that year's ten top comics events by Time.com. His other comics work includes the whimsical Mr. Hero adventure series, and stories for the Batman, Aliens and Predator franchises.
A multiple winner of national awards for playwriting, he was commissioned to write the drama "Halls of Ivory" as an official event of the Bicentennial Celebration of the United States Constitution. His play "Stations" was chosen to represent the United States at the International Theater Festival in Monte Carlo.
He was commissioned to write a monograph in conjunction with the Smithsonian Institution touring exhibit "Climbing Jacob's Ladder," and his script for the related television documentary "Hope is the Last Thing to Die" was honored by the National Conference of Christians and Jews.
In collaboration with his late wife Kate Worley, he has written a novel for the mystery market, and is presently at work on a new book in a similar vein. Working with artist Reed Waller, he is also shepherding Kate's all-new conclusion to the popular Omaha the Cat Dancer comics series into print.
Once again working with Dan Burr, Vance is currently completing a sequel to Kings in Disguise. Titled On the Ropes, that sequel will be issued by W.W. Norton in the near future.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
May 9, 2018
Ziemlich brutal, was da mit den Streikenden passiert - insgesamt ein sehr schöner Comic, nur ab und an wirken die Personen etwas starr in ihrer Mimik, und sind sich dadurch insgesamt schablonenart ähnlich.
May 29, 2023
✭✭✭✭½
March 20, 2013
How did this book come out and I did not know about it. It a sequel to the great Kings in Disguise graphic novel. It is almost as good. It does a wonderful job showing how bad the depression was and how dangerous it was to be in an union. A real good historically novel. Also was real happy to find out that Omaha the Cat Dancer was being finished and the last book will come out later this year. Now I have to find all my old books and see how they hold up.
July 10, 2013
Epic in it's scope, and "Literary" in it's depth this amazing books illustrates how the truth of yesterday can shine light on the truth of today where Left vs Right battles are themselves almost a distraction from the fact that the rich use their power and influence to keep the poor down so that they can be further taken advantage of by the power-wielding rich.
This is a powerful and beautiful book.
This is a powerful and beautiful book.
March 13, 2013
Vance’s cool-headed narration and the dark contours and menacing shadows of Burr’s artwork lend a foreboding to every panel. The battles between corporations and labor organizers resemble those of union movements today, but this is no simple parable.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles...
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles...
October 13, 2019
This graphic novel is based on a lot of history, much of which is no longer heavily emphasized in the educational curricula. The setting is the United States in 1937, where the Depression is still heavy and even the employed struggle to make ends meet. Large corporations do not hesitate to hire thugs to beat up union organizers and some of those doing the beating wore police and National Guard uniforms. Major newspapers, the only real mass media outlet at the time, often took the side of the companies, claiming that people fighting for a union and decent wages were “Reds,” the common term for communists at the time.
The main character is Fred Bloch, a young man that lost his leg in a train accident and has found what passes for a home in a traveling circus funded by the WPA. He is apprenticed to Gordon Corey, an escape artist that has shackles put on his arms, a hangman’s rope around his neck and then at the count of five the trap door under his feet is opened. Although Gordon is clearly a man on the edge of self-destruction, he always manages to carry out his daring escape.
There is a great deal of labor strife and Fred is associated with a national organization of labor organizers. He is a message runner and is being stalked by two ruthless men employed by the corporations. They will not hesitate to kill to carry out their mission, and that includes the brutal slaughter of women that go contrary to their wishes.
This is a tough graphic novel, yet it revisits the days of the Depression when workers striking for union recognition and higher pay were killed, some of which were women marching in solidarity with the men. It is also important for the current generations to understand that the Depression was an extremely tough time and standing up for your worker rights could mean getting beaten or shot. It is a book that could be used in history classes in order to provoke discussion and further research and a reminder of the past struggles of labor.
The main character is Fred Bloch, a young man that lost his leg in a train accident and has found what passes for a home in a traveling circus funded by the WPA. He is apprenticed to Gordon Corey, an escape artist that has shackles put on his arms, a hangman’s rope around his neck and then at the count of five the trap door under his feet is opened. Although Gordon is clearly a man on the edge of self-destruction, he always manages to carry out his daring escape.
There is a great deal of labor strife and Fred is associated with a national organization of labor organizers. He is a message runner and is being stalked by two ruthless men employed by the corporations. They will not hesitate to kill to carry out their mission, and that includes the brutal slaughter of women that go contrary to their wishes.
This is a tough graphic novel, yet it revisits the days of the Depression when workers striking for union recognition and higher pay were killed, some of which were women marching in solidarity with the men. It is also important for the current generations to understand that the Depression was an extremely tough time and standing up for your worker rights could mean getting beaten or shot. It is a book that could be used in history classes in order to provoke discussion and further research and a reminder of the past struggles of labor.
April 21, 2019
The pluses: good art, some interesting story lines, a few good characters
The minuses: difficult to follow - the story bounces around between locations, and has a number of flashbacks to the pasts of various characters. So, one moment we're in the circus following the life of the assistant of a stage magician, then next we're in Chicago following some thugs trying to break up a union, the next we're 20 years prior at the magician assistant's teenage years, etc. There's no real signalling of where you are in time or space, so you have to rely on the art. And while the art is good, when new characters are introduced or the old characters move to new scenes, its disorienting. I occasionally read several pages thinking I was in one plotline while I was really in another, and that disrupted the flow.
I finished with the vague disappointed feeling of a book with a lot of potential, that simply didn't live up to its promise.
The minuses: difficult to follow - the story bounces around between locations, and has a number of flashbacks to the pasts of various characters. So, one moment we're in the circus following the life of the assistant of a stage magician, then next we're in Chicago following some thugs trying to break up a union, the next we're 20 years prior at the magician assistant's teenage years, etc. There's no real signalling of where you are in time or space, so you have to rely on the art. And while the art is good, when new characters are introduced or the old characters move to new scenes, its disorienting. I occasionally read several pages thinking I was in one plotline while I was really in another, and that disrupted the flow.
I finished with the vague disappointed feeling of a book with a lot of potential, that simply didn't live up to its promise.
August 14, 2020
Every bit as visceral and hypnotic as its award-winning predecessor, On the Ropes is a tour-de-force of fluid, yet detailed storytelling. --Dave Gibbons Kings in Disguise was praised by the likes of Art Spiegelman, Neil Gaiman, and Alan Moore. It won two Eisner Awards and has been hailed as one of the ten best graphic novels of all time (Guardian).
A moving and well-written account of life in post-depression America. Heartbreaking and hauntingly drawn.
Paul - The Book Grocer.
Purchase here for just $4.00
A moving and well-written account of life in post-depression America. Heartbreaking and hauntingly drawn.
Paul - The Book Grocer.
Purchase here for just $4.00
April 4, 2025
This book knocked me off my feet. It had been sitting on my shelf for years - I think it was a gift - and I regret not picking it up sooner. It’s a sharply written depression era story with violence and intrigue. It’s a political story, but also a story of personal regrets, failures, humiliations and redemptions. I was struck at how poignant and heartbreaking some of the scenes were - there are a few tearjerker moments and lines of dialogue that will stick with me for a long time. Ultimately it’s one of the best graphic novels I’ve ever read.
November 1, 2018
3.5 stars. Enjoy reading anything in and around the depression era (and this one kinda reminds me of the TV series Carnivale), the illustrations are fantastic and it's a rippin' yarn, but (through no fault of the author(s)) I didn't realise it was a sequel and so it tended to jump around a bit and felt I was missing great swathes of the overall story. Definitely a 4-star if I had read the first one - Kings in Disguise.
September 26, 2023
So good: and I waited too long to read this. Have to find and rereadKings in Disguise again; you do not need to have read the earlier book to appreciate this one. But, this is the stuff.
Highest recommendation.
Highest recommendation.
August 6, 2017
Outstanding. Fred has moved on to a WPA sponsored circus. He has a wooden leg and many pages of the story of his life on the road to remind him of his past. The union organizing storyline was extremely well done. Works as history and a fine story as well.
July 24, 2021
The book did a good job of showing the desperation of some people during the great depression. I found it to be a fascinating read. The drawings were clear and did a good job of carrying the story along.
December 20, 2024
A little harder to follow than the first one but it comes together well and packs a serious gut punch at the end.
August 23, 2013
Could there be a better example of how much has changed in comics? Twenty-three years have passed since Kings in Disguise, and now not only has it reached a wider audience in its 2006 re-issue, here’s its amazing sequel On the Ropes, published in hardcover without prior serialization.
Despite two decades passed, the transition between these books is seamless, and Vance and Dan Burr have only gotten more assured in their craft and storytelling. Everything worth cherishing about Kings in Disguise is built upon with art that feels sharper and less cluttered. Two seasoned professionals offer a second helping of their best work and barely skip a beat doing so.
Fred Bloch is five years older than when we left him. For complicated reasons that will be thoroughly explained, he is working as an assistant for a bizarre side-show act in a travelling, New-Deal-sponsored circus. Fred pulls the lever on a gallows, which will break the neck of Gordon Corey, a hard drunkard whose tragic past is painstakingly detailed later, before he rescues himself at the last second. To the poignancy of the first book, Vance weaves in a suspense element, as Fred is pursued by ruthless men, intent on killing him for his involvement with the “red” union cause. Those themes of social justice and fleeing one’s fate are not subtle, but neither were the times that drove so many to the extreme peripheries of existence – despair, bitterness, radicalism or murder.
On the Ropes does everything you want a sequel to do – continues the protagonist’s story, expands on its themes without repetition and deepens the original's world, both fictional and factual. It's an outstanding example of the immersive “You Are There” experiences that make historical fiction graphic novels so compelling. Vance has said there’s a third volume possible in the life of Fred Bloch. Here’s hoping the market opens the door for that sooner than before.
Despite two decades passed, the transition between these books is seamless, and Vance and Dan Burr have only gotten more assured in their craft and storytelling. Everything worth cherishing about Kings in Disguise is built upon with art that feels sharper and less cluttered. Two seasoned professionals offer a second helping of their best work and barely skip a beat doing so.
Fred Bloch is five years older than when we left him. For complicated reasons that will be thoroughly explained, he is working as an assistant for a bizarre side-show act in a travelling, New-Deal-sponsored circus. Fred pulls the lever on a gallows, which will break the neck of Gordon Corey, a hard drunkard whose tragic past is painstakingly detailed later, before he rescues himself at the last second. To the poignancy of the first book, Vance weaves in a suspense element, as Fred is pursued by ruthless men, intent on killing him for his involvement with the “red” union cause. Those themes of social justice and fleeing one’s fate are not subtle, but neither were the times that drove so many to the extreme peripheries of existence – despair, bitterness, radicalism or murder.
On the Ropes does everything you want a sequel to do – continues the protagonist’s story, expands on its themes without repetition and deepens the original's world, both fictional and factual. It's an outstanding example of the immersive “You Are There” experiences that make historical fiction graphic novels so compelling. Vance has said there’s a third volume possible in the life of Fred Bloch. Here’s hoping the market opens the door for that sooner than before.
September 20, 2015
A pot-boiler of a graphic novel, but a GOOD pot-boiler.
There is a sharp edge to this book that is overtly trying to draw connections between the vicious economic conditions of the mid-Depression Era and the aftermath of the Great Recession when this book was published. A boy, set rootless and drifting by poverty finally washes up in a socialist collective. They in turn place him in a pilot WPA circus program touring Illinois so that he can act as a cut-out in a communication chain between unionized workers and socialist headquarters.
Around this axle revolves other stories, ranging from short flashback vignettes to a fully developed tragedy starring a magician who hangs himself for the amusement of circus-goers. There are very few missteps in the presentation or staging, and the art is remarkable. The only disappointment is the sad viciousness of the ending, mostly because it is too ambiguous and incomplete an ending for a book that has been loaded with unflinching detail up to the closing pages. Steinbeck is an obvious touchstone for the author, but nothing in the ending reflects the moral clarity Steinbeck brought to his portrayals of relentless grinding powerlessness and the fight to protect some sense of security while society in general collapse.
Strong in most respects and worth the read.
There is a sharp edge to this book that is overtly trying to draw connections between the vicious economic conditions of the mid-Depression Era and the aftermath of the Great Recession when this book was published. A boy, set rootless and drifting by poverty finally washes up in a socialist collective. They in turn place him in a pilot WPA circus program touring Illinois so that he can act as a cut-out in a communication chain between unionized workers and socialist headquarters.
Around this axle revolves other stories, ranging from short flashback vignettes to a fully developed tragedy starring a magician who hangs himself for the amusement of circus-goers. There are very few missteps in the presentation or staging, and the art is remarkable. The only disappointment is the sad viciousness of the ending, mostly because it is too ambiguous and incomplete an ending for a book that has been loaded with unflinching detail up to the closing pages. Steinbeck is an obvious touchstone for the author, but nothing in the ending reflects the moral clarity Steinbeck brought to his portrayals of relentless grinding powerlessness and the fight to protect some sense of security while society in general collapse.
Strong in most respects and worth the read.
June 12, 2013
This is a sequel that needed to happen earlier. In //On the Ropes//, the follow-up to //Kings In Disguise//, Fred Bloch has lost a leg and joined a circus, and is using the circus to help the union. A pair of roughs with nothing to lose is tracking him down, even as he faces a number of decisions regarding his writing career that need to made quickly.
Although there was been a wait of twenty years, and a lot has happened over the intervening years, the wait was worth. This is a fine piece of literature; it is not something that you will finish in an afternoon. The characters are written in depth, and the plot sufficiently thick. The flashbacks, even though a necessary part of the story, feel added on; the exposition can be handled in different ways. The art has a decidedly old-school feel to it, with a lot of detail that is missing from today’s black and white comics. This is a great book, but may be a little darker and longer than what normal readers are used to; nonetheless, it’s a fun book and one of those books that shows what comics can be.
As originally written by Jamais Jochim for the http://sanfranciscobookreview.com/.
Although there was been a wait of twenty years, and a lot has happened over the intervening years, the wait was worth. This is a fine piece of literature; it is not something that you will finish in an afternoon. The characters are written in depth, and the plot sufficiently thick. The flashbacks, even though a necessary part of the story, feel added on; the exposition can be handled in different ways. The art has a decidedly old-school feel to it, with a lot of detail that is missing from today’s black and white comics. This is a great book, but may be a little darker and longer than what normal readers are used to; nonetheless, it’s a fun book and one of those books that shows what comics can be.
As originally written by Jamais Jochim for the http://sanfranciscobookreview.com/.
October 26, 2016
A surprisingly moving and well-written account of life in post-depression America. There's a good balance struck between stories of personal tragedy and the wider issues of poverty and the labour movement. Burr's artwork is detailed and expressive, and Vance's script is subtle when it needs to be, without losing any of its power or anger. The characters are full of moral complexity but most of them manage to retain some dignity, even the supposed villains.
I didn't realise when I started reading this that it was a sequel, but it doesn't matter too much as there are plenty of flashbacks to fill in the backstory. But I will be seeking out the first volume, and I hope there'll be a third.
I didn't realise when I started reading this that it was a sequel, but it doesn't matter too much as there are plenty of flashbacks to fill in the backstory. But I will be seeking out the first volume, and I hope there'll be a third.
December 17, 2013
I read this over the weekend after finishing Kings In Disguise. It was nearly as good, in my estimation as its predecessor. I wasn't quite as interested in the union story as I could have been, but Freddie's and Gordon's lives were engaging. The understatement of things, again as in Kings, was appreciated. Learning of Freddies' accident and quickly seeing what happened without dwelling on it was a good way of showing how Freddie was affected, of course, but not stopped in his tracks.
As with Kings In Disguise this, deservedly, is one of the best novels in graphic form.
As with Kings In Disguise this, deservedly, is one of the best novels in graphic form.
September 7, 2013
The long awaited sequel to "Kings in Disguise," a pioneering graphic novel. The first one was a bleak and unflinching portrayal of hobo life during the Great Depression; this second one is a drama/mystery that happens to have some of the same characters. In the first one we learn about the burgeoning labor movement -- this second one only uses that as a backdrop for a more conventional story featuring gangster villains and such.
April 28, 2013
Excellent novel! It came with very high praise and more than lived up to it. Fantastic characters and stories, great artwork. I loved how well it captured that era in U.S. history, not just the civil unrest, but also all the little details about life in the circus, and on the rails. It all felt authentic and heartfelt. I haven't read the first book, but I think I'll seek it out now.
April 25, 2013
I need to back and reread Kings In Disguise because it's been a long time. That said, I really enjoyed this, the sequel to that book. Vance has a real feel for the time period and has a knack for casually referring to events that make my internal history buff smile.
June 19, 2013
Every bit as uncompromising and gut wrenching as Kings in Disguise. I would love to see another follow up to this. (Wouldn't everyone?) So glad I had a chance to find these books, just happened to see a review in the local paper. These are true gems.
Read
August 6, 2013Just finished and am re-reading this and Kings in Disguise. Strong stuff.
August 7, 2013
A good book about surviving/unionizing in depression era America.
Nothing very heavy, but the characters are complex enough, and the details of the era "feel real."
Nothing very heavy, but the characters are complex enough, and the details of the era "feel real."
September 10, 2013
more good stuff
July 28, 2014
About as uplifting a story as Upton Sinclair, but the poor writing makes it yet more depressing.
November 9, 2014
I liked these books, very depressing to know how life was like back then (depression era). I think they are both must reads for graphic novel fans. Good story and a little history.
Want to Read
May 3, 2015Continuación de Reyes Disfrazados.
January 9, 2016
Extraordinary. A heartbreaking, beautifully written and hauntingly drawn masterwork.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews