What do you think?
Rate this book
Tank Girl #7
Tank Girl Armadillo!: A Novel
She’s back! Join everybody’s favourite beer-swilling, chain-smoking, kangaroo-lurving lunatic as she embarks on her first ‘proper’ literary excursion. Violence! Time travel! Midgets! Yes, tremble in fear at Tank Girl: The Novel!
Tank Girl and Booga have launched an all-out assault on the town of Chankers, starting with the church. But what prompted this attack? Could it have something to do with Booga’s nightmare vacation there years ago? Well whaddyou think?
Destined to become a literary classic — y’know, like Watership Down or something — and a mainstay of high school syllabuses, this is Tank Girl as you’ve never experienced her before: in attractively justified eight point serif.
Tank Girl and Booga have launched an all-out assault on the town of Chankers, starting with the church. But what prompted this attack? Could it have something to do with Booga’s nightmare vacation there years ago? Well whaddyou think?
Destined to become a literary classic — y’know, like Watership Down or something — and a mainstay of high school syllabuses, this is Tank Girl as you’ve never experienced her before: in attractively justified eight point serif.
232 pages, Paperback
First published April 8, 2008
15 people are currently reading
325 people want to read
About the author
Alan C. Martin
191 books111 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
April 22, 2012
Our beer guzzling, chain smoking, roo shagging anti heroine is back in a whole new light.
I love Tank Girl. She came into my life at about age twelve and has always been there, even in her long absence from comics. I'll admit that though I highly enjoyed the latest series 'The Gifting' it did feel like something was missing with the absence of Jamie Hewlett's art. When I picked up Armadillo I assumed I would find the same hole Mr. Hewlett left. I couldn't have been more mistaken.
In this medium the world of Tank Girl is able to sprawl out before us in a vast new way. Gone are the constrictive bounds of the comic book panel, gone are the small clipped narratives and lack of inner monologue; all set free apart from the limits of our own imaginations.
I would recommend...no...I would insist that any long time Tank Girl fan pick this up and devour it as I did. The 156 page story, Armadillo! is comedic magnificence. The 2nd half called The Bushel is a nice collection of shorts, comic scripts and odd bits that are sure to burst or necessitate some stitches. Newer fans might want to familiarize themselves with some of the Tank Girl classics before delving into this world so they can completely appreciate the elevation of the characters, setting and general storytelling.
I always new Martin was a comedic genius, but he really shines brightest here all on his own. Until he gives us another volume like this one, I'll be rabidly craving more.
I love Tank Girl. She came into my life at about age twelve and has always been there, even in her long absence from comics. I'll admit that though I highly enjoyed the latest series 'The Gifting' it did feel like something was missing with the absence of Jamie Hewlett's art. When I picked up Armadillo I assumed I would find the same hole Mr. Hewlett left. I couldn't have been more mistaken.
In this medium the world of Tank Girl is able to sprawl out before us in a vast new way. Gone are the constrictive bounds of the comic book panel, gone are the small clipped narratives and lack of inner monologue; all set free apart from the limits of our own imaginations.
I would recommend...no...I would insist that any long time Tank Girl fan pick this up and devour it as I did. The 156 page story, Armadillo! is comedic magnificence. The 2nd half called The Bushel is a nice collection of shorts, comic scripts and odd bits that are sure to burst or necessitate some stitches. Newer fans might want to familiarize themselves with some of the Tank Girl classics before delving into this world so they can completely appreciate the elevation of the characters, setting and general storytelling.
I always new Martin was a comedic genius, but he really shines brightest here all on his own. Until he gives us another volume like this one, I'll be rabidly craving more.
November 7, 2014
I obsessed over Tank Girl when I was younger. Friggin' loved her. Drew her all the time. Read the first trade-paperback collection so many times, I'd just about memorized it. I even watched the film more time than I care to admit. (Though, truthfully, it's been a long time, and I really want to see it again.) However, I digress.
With this novella and "bushel," I was taken a bit aback. In the first trade-paperback, there are single images of Tank Girl: her laying atop a cow/bull, her standing in a tattered baseball-esque outfit, her atop a throne, her sitting on a rock with a massive troll-like figure giving her a smile and a wave. These images are ingrained within me. Even more, what words accompanied the pages stuck with me, too. I loved the psuedo-philosophy and depth they showed, acting as a fine counterpoint to the frenetic nature of the comic pages and stories. That being said, it did surprise me that the novel is written along those lines, more philosophy, heart, and genuine observation than I'd expected.
I figured it would be all nonsense and action and murder and Aussie-slang and more murder. Yes, it has much of those things, but Tank Girl's voice is much more introspective and--sometimes--beautiful in its insights that it made the novella a surprisingly fun read, with even more depth than expected.
It really is quite different in many ways than the comics themselves, but it's still Tank Girl. It's still full of death and some cheesy/bad jokes and some wonderful observations about the cultures we immerse ourselves in. Honestly, the "bushel" does fall a bit short, but even for the main tale of "Armadillo," it's worth the price of admission.
I doubt it will win any converts, but it does give a deeper insight and perspective to everyone's favorite, tank-driving, murder-machine.
With this novella and "bushel," I was taken a bit aback. In the first trade-paperback, there are single images of Tank Girl: her laying atop a cow/bull, her standing in a tattered baseball-esque outfit, her atop a throne, her sitting on a rock with a massive troll-like figure giving her a smile and a wave. These images are ingrained within me. Even more, what words accompanied the pages stuck with me, too. I loved the psuedo-philosophy and depth they showed, acting as a fine counterpoint to the frenetic nature of the comic pages and stories. That being said, it did surprise me that the novel is written along those lines, more philosophy, heart, and genuine observation than I'd expected.
I figured it would be all nonsense and action and murder and Aussie-slang and more murder. Yes, it has much of those things, but Tank Girl's voice is much more introspective and--sometimes--beautiful in its insights that it made the novella a surprisingly fun read, with even more depth than expected.
It really is quite different in many ways than the comics themselves, but it's still Tank Girl. It's still full of death and some cheesy/bad jokes and some wonderful observations about the cultures we immerse ourselves in. Honestly, the "bushel" does fall a bit short, but even for the main tale of "Armadillo," it's worth the price of admission.
I doubt it will win any converts, but it does give a deeper insight and perspective to everyone's favorite, tank-driving, murder-machine.
Read
April 29, 2009I can't believe I didn't seek this out sooner. As a fan, nay, disciple of Tank Girl, I was aware that Martin had released a text-only novel about the heroine and her coterie that had starred in his seminal comic work with artist Jamie Hewlett.
Hewlett moved on to bigger and better things (he illustrates the Gorillaz), taking his allegedly hammer-shaped penis with him.
Anyway, I didn't dare to believe that I could enjoy Tank Girl without Hewlett's incredible illustration. I hadn't realized the extent to which Alan Martin held up the characters and atmosphere of Tank Girl.
Well, I did enjoy it. I laughed out loud (at work) at the most childish and scatological of humor. Now all I really want is a tank. Again.
One thing- I hadn't read any Tank Girl since I became a serious feminist. In that sense, it was, predictably, a bit of a bummer. Strong, hilarious, crass female protagonist, yay, gratuitous tit shots and occasionally offensive language and humor, nay.
With that more somber note, I must say I am going to seek out the rest of Tank Girl's exploits post-Hewlett. I'll miss the little fuck's brilliant illustration, but I trust Martin to make good.
Hewlett moved on to bigger and better things (he illustrates the Gorillaz), taking his allegedly hammer-shaped penis with him.
Anyway, I didn't dare to believe that I could enjoy Tank Girl without Hewlett's incredible illustration. I hadn't realized the extent to which Alan Martin held up the characters and atmosphere of Tank Girl.
Well, I did enjoy it. I laughed out loud (at work) at the most childish and scatological of humor. Now all I really want is a tank. Again.
One thing- I hadn't read any Tank Girl since I became a serious feminist. In that sense, it was, predictably, a bit of a bummer. Strong, hilarious, crass female protagonist, yay, gratuitous tit shots and occasionally offensive language and humor, nay.
With that more somber note, I must say I am going to seek out the rest of Tank Girl's exploits post-Hewlett. I'll miss the little fuck's brilliant illustration, but I trust Martin to make good.
September 14, 2020
im surprised by how awful this novelization was. even after reading the disclaimer notes in the front. i found its plot dull and its vocabulary weak. ive read a lot of the original comics- i can see what was attempted in this book, but i feel like it lacked. also alot of typos and i feel like its presented style was a mistake in the editing choices. to go from a richly detailed and textured visual presentation to this basic book is a let down for me.
January 15, 2021
Top banger!
Read
November 15, 2022Found this book at the used bookstore and remembered the comic books. Entertaining read, quick and fun. It works if you like this kind of genre.
August 30, 2011
The 1980s saw a significant shift in 'alternative' comics, led most obviously by the sheer literary wonder that is Love and Rockets, Los Bros Hernandez tales of LA's barrios and Mexican village life. Meanwhile, across the Atlantic 'alternative' comics took a different thoroughly (e)sc(h)atological turn with the arrival of an angry, take no prisoners fantasy figure of a woman lead character who must have led Robert Crumb to a new understanding of his own scatology..... Quite simply, Tank Girl, owner of a tank of spectacular standing, rocks her way through Australia's outback, nuking, puking, shooting, drinking, smoking and getting up to other things her I suspect parents woukld disapprove of.
The comic books, written by Alan Martin and drawn by Jamie Hewlett grew from their tentative beginnings (I first saw them in Deadline, a late '80s magazine) to become cult reading - Tank Girl, Jet Girl, Booga and the gang have been rampaging, cussing in a most offensive manner (and blowing up stuff by the bushel) since then - and a film best forgotten. There was a long hiatus - Hewlett went off to Gorillaz and other projects, and Tank Girl was driven into hiding by New Lad cultures: somehow I suspect she figured they wouldn't get that she was taking the piss.
But now, she's back in a non-illustrated novel form (and some new comic books still written by Martin but now with a former Judge Dread illustrator, and not bad with it). The story fair zips along with the verve and meandering divergences should expect from Tank Girl and her crew, the absurdity of weaponised milk tankers, and the delights of what can only be the Whitsundays (briefly). Rollicking good deeply politically unsound fun - but not sure what you'd make of it if this was your first Tank Girl meeting - check out some of the comic books first (but don't watch the film).
The comic books, written by Alan Martin and drawn by Jamie Hewlett grew from their tentative beginnings (I first saw them in Deadline, a late '80s magazine) to become cult reading - Tank Girl, Jet Girl, Booga and the gang have been rampaging, cussing in a most offensive manner (and blowing up stuff by the bushel) since then - and a film best forgotten. There was a long hiatus - Hewlett went off to Gorillaz and other projects, and Tank Girl was driven into hiding by New Lad cultures: somehow I suspect she figured they wouldn't get that she was taking the piss.
But now, she's back in a non-illustrated novel form (and some new comic books still written by Martin but now with a former Judge Dread illustrator, and not bad with it). The story fair zips along with the verve and meandering divergences should expect from Tank Girl and her crew, the absurdity of weaponised milk tankers, and the delights of what can only be the Whitsundays (briefly). Rollicking good deeply politically unsound fun - but not sure what you'd make of it if this was your first Tank Girl meeting - check out some of the comic books first (but don't watch the film).
February 26, 2014
Who doesn't love Tank Girl? At least of those who know who the heck she is, of course. She's a tough livin', pistol-packin', tank-drivin' maniac with a talking kangaroo for a boyfriend. But she's more than that. This chaotic collection of stories, poetry, interviews, and snippets of dialog from comic books that were never completed is a crazy blend of post-apocalyptic Western pastiche and a full-on collision with a freight train full of heavy artillery. A quick, fun read, but not for the faint-hearted.
June 23, 2013
The thing that always bothered me about graphic novels is that they finish too early and as great as they look inside, I always was left feeling bereft so I never really got into them. But I do think they look great and one that I did enjoy was Tank Girl (along with the consequent film) and I loved the main character for her no nonsense, bratty attitude. This though, has everything I wanted being in a long form novel. It really kicks ass and I hope they more like this.
March 31, 2015
To be honest in many ways a lightweight read but a fun one for all that...the main tale Armadillo is a novella in many ways..it's quirky fun and constantly twists and turns though luckily it's not overtly in depth so you can always keep pace.
What follows are blue prints for comic strips...short tales and bits of prose from the Tank Girl universe..I'm happy enough to have picked this book up it didn't take up much of my time and did what it was supposed to do inasmuch as it entertained.
What follows are blue prints for comic strips...short tales and bits of prose from the Tank Girl universe..I'm happy enough to have picked this book up it didn't take up much of my time and did what it was supposed to do inasmuch as it entertained.
May 8, 2019
I first fell in love with Tank Girl when I was a little girl and I couldn’t nerd over it because my mom would have ringed me dry if she knew I watched it. With that said this is my first written Tank Girl I have been able to read, and I can say it was like I was watching that movie for the first time. It might be my crush of Lori Perry’s voice that made it better but I was giggling about farts and heads being blown off like the little shit I was. Loved it!
August 9, 2012
Absolutely brilliant (although perhaps less so for non- Tank Girl enthusiasts). I wasn't sure if Martin could capture all the manic energy and chaos of a TG adventure through his prose but this baby doesn't skip a beat. Far as I'm concerned, if TG continued on in this format I would be just as happy as when one of the series' amazing artists are illustrating it. So much fun!!
April 19, 2008
The prose adventures of Tank Girl (and a few comic scripts, used and unused) -- fairly well-done (should be, after all we're talking about the creator of the character here), but somehow lacking a lot of the oomph without pictures to go along with ...
December 28, 2008
For being based off a nut-case comic book, this was truly a superb novel full of lots of explosions and all around epic-ness.
October 4, 2009
I don't think I've ever read a book of a comic character that actually was any good.
Fucking brotherfuckers.
Fucking brotherfuckers.
July 28, 2010
completely insane, but hilarious if you have a dark/sick sense of humour :)
July 8, 2015
Who knew Tank Girl would be just as great in text? Or that I'd enjoy a poem about tormenting a Simply Red fan? Now I'll have to give the rebooted comics a shot.
February 19, 2013
Fun stuff and a nice transition from comic to novel...
May 14, 2014
Glad she's back
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews