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Polarity #1-4
Polarity
From the mind of SAY ANYTHING frontman Max Bemis comes POLARITY, a manic-depressive spin on the superhero genre. Timothy Woods is a bipolar artist stuck in the world of hipsters, meaningless sex, and vain art -- better known as Brooklyn. But after he survives a near fatal car accident, Timothy discovers that his mental instability is more than just a disorder, and that his bipolar medication hasn't just been subduing depression and uncontrollable mania...it's been suppressing his super powers! Now it's time for Timothy to stand up to his disease alongside an onslaught of wretched human villainy as he finally finds his place in the world.
This volume collects the entire four-issue limited series, along with an exclusive, acoustic, four-song EP, composed and recorded specifically as a companion to the graphic novel!
This volume collects the entire four-issue limited series, along with an exclusive, acoustic, four-song EP, composed and recorded specifically as a companion to the graphic novel!
112 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2013
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420 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
December 29, 2014
Hold. The. Phone.
A Boom comic that’s not total poop? That’s unexpected! Polarity’s about a bipolar artist but it’s full of things I liked and didn’t like that I’m gonna sound a bit bipolar myself in this review as I go from one end of the spectrum to the other!
Tim is a bipolar Brooklyn hipster artist whose work is the toast of the art scene. Then his hipster girlfriend Alexis informs him that his new work - the work he’s produced while he’s been taking his prescribed medication - is boring and that he’s losing his edge as an artist. This sends Tim in a tizzy, he flushes his meds down the loo, starts using street drugs and booze again, and begins creating art in a frenzy, believing the idiotic Alexis that art comes from unhinged, inebriated chaos.
That’s when Tim discovers from his therapist Dr Mays that the paranoia he feels is valid - there ARE people watching his every move. Even Dr Mays is watching him too! In fact Tim has unknowingly been a part of a secret high-level programme which studies certain bipolar people who develop superpowers during manic episodes! And, kinda like the Hulk, the more manic Tim gets, the more powerful he becomes!
While I liked parts of Polarity, it does have a number of problems. First and foremost is Max Bemis’ writing style which packs the pages with multiple bulging panels of text. It’s not the worst thing to see in a comic but I do wish Bemis would trim down the script a bit. But then you encounter the convoluted - and then some! - plot and you realise why Bemis has to write so much.
I had to re-read several sections of the book because so much of this story didn’t make sense. Secret organisation studying people with bipolarity? Bipolar people get superpowers - how? How come Tim has been bipolar for years but only just now begun to manifest powers? On one level I can understand why having superheroes dependent on medication would give this organisation a degree of control over them but what if the superheroes decided to give up on the medication and just go nuts by themselves? Mental superheroes don’t make a lot of sense!
Then again this whole book could be one long delusion by Tim and that’s why a lot of the questions above don’t add up. He HAS gone manic and is imagining everything in the story - he doesn’t have superpowers, he’s just in the midst of a particularly powerful breakdown. The ending especially hints at that possibility. But I’m going to ignore the idea that this is all in Tim’s head and take it as really happening - that’s a more fun interpretation anyway, plus it would be enormously banal if “it was all a dream”.
When Tim discovers he has superpowers he decides to use them for good like Spider-Man would. And, like Spidey, there’s a scene where he crawls up an alley wall (there’s no limit on his powers, he can do anything) and he beats up a gang of muggers - both very clichéd superhero moments. But then later he does other things that are different like when he goes back to his old school and smacks the bottom of a jock bullying a kid Tim identifies with(!?), then reveals a hipster pop star called Juicebox is a hypocrite in the middle of a concert.
Even that scene though feels a bit simplistic. Tim manages to get onstage, in a mask, to reveal Juicebox’s bullshit (because he’s manifested psychic powers) who then instantly breaks down and confirms everything he’s just said. Why didn’t she just say “None of that is true - this masked weirdo is crazy, get him off the stage!” I mean, why not? It was a matter of he said/she said - he didn’t have any evidence!
I thought the bipolar side to Tim was insightful in parts and felt real which makes sense as Bemis himself is bipolar (he’s also part of a band called Say Anything though I’ve never heard of them or their music before). I liked the romance Tim had with Lily - yeah, I can appreciate emotions and junk sometimes, I’m not totally inhuman!
And I just like the idea of a superhero smoking crack to power up before going to fight a crazy in a giant robot suit - never seen Captain America do that! There is a Dark Horse comic called Buzzkill which has a similar idea though where the hero gets his powers from alcohol but he’s trying to get clean - it’s not a bad comic but not without its flaws either.
Jorge Coelho’s art is pretty strong. I liked the swirling images of the manic sequences, I think he acquitted himself well in the superhero fight scenes, and I really enjoyed his character designs, especially those of the hipsters. It all looked very convincing, and the overall look of the comic is very pleasing.
Polarity is a mixed bag, perhaps appropriately so given the subject matter! It is overwritten for the most part with Bemis’ script sometimes swamping the reader and stymying the already-treacherous-to-navigate plot still further, and it does fall into the generic pitfalls of superhero comics towards the end with the bland, overdone action.
But, despite its flaws, I enjoyed parts of Polarity quite a bit. It’s an unusual book that takes a different approach to the superhero story and it somewhat successfully fuses elements from indie and mainstream comics into one. It’s not a bad effort from Bemis/Coelho and Polarity is certainly one of the most interesting comics I’ve read from Boom, ever!
A Boom comic that’s not total poop? That’s unexpected! Polarity’s about a bipolar artist but it’s full of things I liked and didn’t like that I’m gonna sound a bit bipolar myself in this review as I go from one end of the spectrum to the other!
Tim is a bipolar Brooklyn hipster artist whose work is the toast of the art scene. Then his hipster girlfriend Alexis informs him that his new work - the work he’s produced while he’s been taking his prescribed medication - is boring and that he’s losing his edge as an artist. This sends Tim in a tizzy, he flushes his meds down the loo, starts using street drugs and booze again, and begins creating art in a frenzy, believing the idiotic Alexis that art comes from unhinged, inebriated chaos.
That’s when Tim discovers from his therapist Dr Mays that the paranoia he feels is valid - there ARE people watching his every move. Even Dr Mays is watching him too! In fact Tim has unknowingly been a part of a secret high-level programme which studies certain bipolar people who develop superpowers during manic episodes! And, kinda like the Hulk, the more manic Tim gets, the more powerful he becomes!
While I liked parts of Polarity, it does have a number of problems. First and foremost is Max Bemis’ writing style which packs the pages with multiple bulging panels of text. It’s not the worst thing to see in a comic but I do wish Bemis would trim down the script a bit. But then you encounter the convoluted - and then some! - plot and you realise why Bemis has to write so much.
I had to re-read several sections of the book because so much of this story didn’t make sense. Secret organisation studying people with bipolarity? Bipolar people get superpowers - how? How come Tim has been bipolar for years but only just now begun to manifest powers? On one level I can understand why having superheroes dependent on medication would give this organisation a degree of control over them but what if the superheroes decided to give up on the medication and just go nuts by themselves? Mental superheroes don’t make a lot of sense!
Then again this whole book could be one long delusion by Tim and that’s why a lot of the questions above don’t add up. He HAS gone manic and is imagining everything in the story - he doesn’t have superpowers, he’s just in the midst of a particularly powerful breakdown. The ending especially hints at that possibility. But I’m going to ignore the idea that this is all in Tim’s head and take it as really happening - that’s a more fun interpretation anyway, plus it would be enormously banal if “it was all a dream”.
When Tim discovers he has superpowers he decides to use them for good like Spider-Man would. And, like Spidey, there’s a scene where he crawls up an alley wall (there’s no limit on his powers, he can do anything) and he beats up a gang of muggers - both very clichéd superhero moments. But then later he does other things that are different like when he goes back to his old school and smacks the bottom of a jock bullying a kid Tim identifies with(!?), then reveals a hipster pop star called Juicebox is a hypocrite in the middle of a concert.
Even that scene though feels a bit simplistic. Tim manages to get onstage, in a mask, to reveal Juicebox’s bullshit (because he’s manifested psychic powers) who then instantly breaks down and confirms everything he’s just said. Why didn’t she just say “None of that is true - this masked weirdo is crazy, get him off the stage!” I mean, why not? It was a matter of he said/she said - he didn’t have any evidence!
I thought the bipolar side to Tim was insightful in parts and felt real which makes sense as Bemis himself is bipolar (he’s also part of a band called Say Anything though I’ve never heard of them or their music before). I liked the romance Tim had with Lily - yeah, I can appreciate emotions and junk sometimes, I’m not totally inhuman!
And I just like the idea of a superhero smoking crack to power up before going to fight a crazy in a giant robot suit - never seen Captain America do that! There is a Dark Horse comic called Buzzkill which has a similar idea though where the hero gets his powers from alcohol but he’s trying to get clean - it’s not a bad comic but not without its flaws either.
Jorge Coelho’s art is pretty strong. I liked the swirling images of the manic sequences, I think he acquitted himself well in the superhero fight scenes, and I really enjoyed his character designs, especially those of the hipsters. It all looked very convincing, and the overall look of the comic is very pleasing.
Polarity is a mixed bag, perhaps appropriately so given the subject matter! It is overwritten for the most part with Bemis’ script sometimes swamping the reader and stymying the already-treacherous-to-navigate plot still further, and it does fall into the generic pitfalls of superhero comics towards the end with the bland, overdone action.
But, despite its flaws, I enjoyed parts of Polarity quite a bit. It’s an unusual book that takes a different approach to the superhero story and it somewhat successfully fuses elements from indie and mainstream comics into one. It’s not a bad effort from Bemis/Coelho and Polarity is certainly one of the most interesting comics I’ve read from Boom, ever!
March 31, 2014
So, let’s be straight up about this: If you’re not familiar with Max’s musical work, frankly, I don’t know how you’ll read this piece. I don’t know what it’s like without the lens of topic familiarity intact and glued to your eye. However, if you’ve listened to Say Anything’s work beyond "That One Phone Sex Song That Was Popular in High School" and "Holocaust Love Song (That was Uncomfortably Featured in that Movie Where the Kid Drowns)," you know that Max’s work is extremely masturbatory, and Polarity is no exception. To be honest, I feel that most writers with a message are creating self-serving work, but it’s so much more transparent when an already known artist from another genre becomes a writer, you know?
Basically, with certainty I can say that, if you’re a Say Anything fan, you know the monologues that are going to come out of this. You know that the narrator is going to be a paper-doll stand-in for Max himself for the simple fact that he’s bipolar and mildly nihilistic. You know that all of his inspired rants about the human experience are going to center around how vapid and shallow everyone is and how much we should all hate hipsters, with the occasional nod to acknowledge his own hypocrisy. You know that there’s going to be moments of eye-twitching annoyance at the presumption that discussing how faux-progressive and pretend-enlightened everyone else is makes you, in turn, progressive and enlightened. You know what to expect. Once you understand that the tone is extremely and at times uncomfortably Max, you can get into the story bits of it.
This is where the spoilers start.
Exactly as it says on the tin, the story is about a bipolar man who discovers that he has mania-induced superpowers. Specifically, he learns this when he accidentally explodes a secret agent’s head by headbutting him, and then runs to his therapist (who, surprise, has been in on it all along). So anyway, he decides to be a “superhero.”
However, in the abyss that is his own hatred of the society surrounding him, his definition of “superhero” seems to involve reading his girlfriend’s (who he hates) and her friends’ (who he also hates) minds and out them as terrible people to one another, beat up some high school jocks, and force a pop star to admit that she uses illegal diamonds and doesn’t actually care about any of the stuff that she claims to. He also beats up a drug dealer by slapping him repeatedly and very, very fast (which is ironic because this is the first of his SuperMania bouts that isn’t created by drugs). His therapist then convinces him to get back on his meds because he’s royally fucking up, and Tim does, and everything is hunky-dory.
So anyway as time goes on, Tim gets with this girl he likes, Lily, and reconciles with his best friend (who he was a mania-driven asshat to), just in time for his friend to get murdered by a head with arms coming out of its eye sockets. Also, surprise, his therapist is a bad guy who murdered his own bipolar mom as a kid and who has other superpowered mentally ill folk at his disposal including a delusional homeless man who appears to literally vomit up his now-alive delusions (hence the weird arm-head thing, which was actually pretty cool), and another individual who makes himself a mech-suit. Did that all seem to come along pretty quickly? That’s because it did — it seems that in all of the ranting about vapidity and how much nobody cares about anything, Max forgot that there was supposed to be an actual story going on.
Everything after that is this strange, sort-of hard to follow clusterfuck as he tries to shove an entire story into the last eight pages because the first twenty were filled with holier-than-thou rambling. Eventually Tim has some sort of half-assed realization that his “fuck this place” attitude is just the sort of thought process that led to it being destroyed. He battles mech-suit guy (taking a long enough pause to either cut or tattoo the words “YOU SUCK” across his enemy’s face), and is mortally wounded.
But then, holy deux ex machina, Batman! He realizes he can fly, and starts rocketing mech-suit guy into motherfucking space because why the absolute Hell not? Fortunately Sherri— I mean, Lily, the girl he likes — helps calm down Max— I mean, Tim— with The Power of Love! He turns mech-suit and his therapist in to the police, and goes back to being a good little pill-popping average member of society. Maybe. There’s sort of a cryptic implication in the last panel that he totally might be all superpowered again, leaving the door open for potential future money-makers.
So I mean, here’s the thing: I get what the point is supposed to be. Sort of. There’s a lot of concern in the mentally ill community about the validity of meds and how, when they take the negative sides of illnesses away, they can take away the few positive effects those negatives bring with them (as expressed with Tim’s art suffering because he’s simply a better artist when he’s manic). There is a serious consideration you have to take when looking into meds because there’s that question — “will I still be as talented when I’m not as sick?” Unfortunately, a lot of this message — as well as the story’s potential to have a coherent flow to it — is lost in a bunch of monologue that could just as easily have been averted had Max suggested that the reader listen to "Admit It" and "I Hate Everyone" together on repeat while experiencing the graphic.
Then, there’s the fact that, for someone who hates faux-progressives and clearly considers himself closer to the edge of “enlightened” than not, Max sure is a white dude. There’s two POC characters, both of whom are (male) extras. There appear to be three women who get to have names, and two of them (not-Sherri-#1 and not-Sherri-#2) are painted as the usual shallow trash. Not to mention, in the most disappointing display of this I’ve ever seen, an actual mentally ill person drags out the extremely tired, overdone, and annoying as shit “love (especially out-of-nowhere, completely forced for the sake of the story kind of love) will cure your mental illness” trope.
So what’s the deal overall? The premise is interesting and I really love the idea of making your delusional creatures real by literally vomiting them into existence (seriously let’s hear more about that guy), and the art is fantastic, but it seemed that the social commentary got far too much in the way for me to give this more than two-and-a-half stars. Save the soapbox for the band, Max. You sing social hatred better than you write it anyway.
Basically, with certainty I can say that, if you’re a Say Anything fan, you know the monologues that are going to come out of this. You know that the narrator is going to be a paper-doll stand-in for Max himself for the simple fact that he’s bipolar and mildly nihilistic. You know that all of his inspired rants about the human experience are going to center around how vapid and shallow everyone is and how much we should all hate hipsters, with the occasional nod to acknowledge his own hypocrisy. You know that there’s going to be moments of eye-twitching annoyance at the presumption that discussing how faux-progressive and pretend-enlightened everyone else is makes you, in turn, progressive and enlightened. You know what to expect. Once you understand that the tone is extremely and at times uncomfortably Max, you can get into the story bits of it.
This is where the spoilers start.
Exactly as it says on the tin, the story is about a bipolar man who discovers that he has mania-induced superpowers. Specifically, he learns this when he accidentally explodes a secret agent’s head by headbutting him, and then runs to his therapist (who, surprise, has been in on it all along). So anyway, he decides to be a “superhero.”
However, in the abyss that is his own hatred of the society surrounding him, his definition of “superhero” seems to involve reading his girlfriend’s (who he hates) and her friends’ (who he also hates) minds and out them as terrible people to one another, beat up some high school jocks, and force a pop star to admit that she uses illegal diamonds and doesn’t actually care about any of the stuff that she claims to. He also beats up a drug dealer by slapping him repeatedly and very, very fast (which is ironic because this is the first of his SuperMania bouts that isn’t created by drugs). His therapist then convinces him to get back on his meds because he’s royally fucking up, and Tim does, and everything is hunky-dory.
So anyway as time goes on, Tim gets with this girl he likes, Lily, and reconciles with his best friend (who he was a mania-driven asshat to), just in time for his friend to get murdered by a head with arms coming out of its eye sockets. Also, surprise, his therapist is a bad guy who murdered his own bipolar mom as a kid and who has other superpowered mentally ill folk at his disposal including a delusional homeless man who appears to literally vomit up his now-alive delusions (hence the weird arm-head thing, which was actually pretty cool), and another individual who makes himself a mech-suit. Did that all seem to come along pretty quickly? That’s because it did — it seems that in all of the ranting about vapidity and how much nobody cares about anything, Max forgot that there was supposed to be an actual story going on.
Everything after that is this strange, sort-of hard to follow clusterfuck as he tries to shove an entire story into the last eight pages because the first twenty were filled with holier-than-thou rambling. Eventually Tim has some sort of half-assed realization that his “fuck this place” attitude is just the sort of thought process that led to it being destroyed. He battles mech-suit guy (taking a long enough pause to either cut or tattoo the words “YOU SUCK” across his enemy’s face), and is mortally wounded.
But then, holy deux ex machina, Batman! He realizes he can fly, and starts rocketing mech-suit guy into motherfucking space because why the absolute Hell not? Fortunately Sherri— I mean, Lily, the girl he likes — helps calm down Max— I mean, Tim— with The Power of Love! He turns mech-suit and his therapist in to the police, and goes back to being a good little pill-popping average member of society. Maybe. There’s sort of a cryptic implication in the last panel that he totally might be all superpowered again, leaving the door open for potential future money-makers.
So I mean, here’s the thing: I get what the point is supposed to be. Sort of. There’s a lot of concern in the mentally ill community about the validity of meds and how, when they take the negative sides of illnesses away, they can take away the few positive effects those negatives bring with them (as expressed with Tim’s art suffering because he’s simply a better artist when he’s manic). There is a serious consideration you have to take when looking into meds because there’s that question — “will I still be as talented when I’m not as sick?” Unfortunately, a lot of this message — as well as the story’s potential to have a coherent flow to it — is lost in a bunch of monologue that could just as easily have been averted had Max suggested that the reader listen to "Admit It" and "I Hate Everyone" together on repeat while experiencing the graphic.
Then, there’s the fact that, for someone who hates faux-progressives and clearly considers himself closer to the edge of “enlightened” than not, Max sure is a white dude. There’s two POC characters, both of whom are (male) extras. There appear to be three women who get to have names, and two of them (not-Sherri-#1 and not-Sherri-#2) are painted as the usual shallow trash. Not to mention, in the most disappointing display of this I’ve ever seen, an actual mentally ill person drags out the extremely tired, overdone, and annoying as shit “love (especially out-of-nowhere, completely forced for the sake of the story kind of love) will cure your mental illness” trope.
So what’s the deal overall? The premise is interesting and I really love the idea of making your delusional creatures real by literally vomiting them into existence (seriously let’s hear more about that guy), and the art is fantastic, but it seemed that the social commentary got far too much in the way for me to give this more than two-and-a-half stars. Save the soapbox for the band, Max. You sing social hatred better than you write it anyway.
February 12, 2019
Star Rating: 3.5 Stars!
I love Max Bemis. I really do. I see Say Anything every time they tour, especially if his wife, Sherri DuPree Bemis is with (Their song, Cemetery ft. Sherri is my hubby and my song- I even have a line of the lyrics tattooed on me). He’s hella talented... anyone who can write songs as fast as he does- QUALITY songs at that- (it’s like- honestly crazy how much and how fast he can write) amazes me.
I’m not sure how someone unfamiliar with his musical works and such would take this in? I feel like you need to check out his top songs on iTunes first if you aren’t familiar w his band lol. But ANYWAY.
This debut, was DECENT. I just didn’t like the constant mention of the hipster and indie culture that he resented and lived in and the atmosphere of irony and all that bc the very vibe he was making fun of he was also putting out, if that makes sense ?
Mental health wise, I am also bipolar, but depressive bipolar, so I have never had such an intense manic Episode as he has I’m sure, but I have had them. I wasn’t offended by the comics at all, and quite enjoyed the magnifying glass he used to make mania that much bigger. He also made it clear that the main character was on pretty heavy drugs a lot of the time which made the mania pretty wild. So... no problems w/ offensiveness or anything there.
Within all the crazy happenings, there was a very clear message, which I did appreciate, because I know how hard this must have been for max to express and... get out.
I do plan to read more of his comics- I want to find the one that clicks instead of one I just sorta like. I know I love his writing so, it’s out there!
Again, the only thing I didn’t like about the storyline was how cringeworthy the mention of Brooklyn hipster culture (or indie or emo or hippie kids) repeatedly had gotten. He was trying to convey that though he was a part of it, it actually was completely overrated and quite troubling- and that he wanted no part of it anymore.
BUT even though his hate for it is obvious and he feels that it is a negative representation of our generations’ culture... he instead almost glorified it at times?
I know his real life story best as any fan can, so I can understand why he feels how he feels... and what he probably was TRYING to convey... but for me it just didn’t come through completely. I hated that he HAD to constantly mention the scene. Maybe, though, that’s because not everyone has been a part of it in a way, or knows what it is? I don’t know.
I DO enjoy his writing and creativity;
(and could gush about it for hours, as well as his writing with his wife, Sherri :-D, ah, and Chris Conley- lead singer of Saves the Day)
(oh and I AM sorry if you know all that, just every time I ask someone if they know them I get a uhmmm I don’t think so? Lol)
I look forward to reading his stuff in the future :-).
I love Max Bemis. I really do. I see Say Anything every time they tour, especially if his wife, Sherri DuPree Bemis is with (Their song, Cemetery ft. Sherri is my hubby and my song- I even have a line of the lyrics tattooed on me). He’s hella talented... anyone who can write songs as fast as he does- QUALITY songs at that- (it’s like- honestly crazy how much and how fast he can write) amazes me.
I’m not sure how someone unfamiliar with his musical works and such would take this in? I feel like you need to check out his top songs on iTunes first if you aren’t familiar w his band lol. But ANYWAY.
This debut, was DECENT. I just didn’t like the constant mention of the hipster and indie culture that he resented and lived in and the atmosphere of irony and all that bc the very vibe he was making fun of he was also putting out, if that makes sense ?
Mental health wise, I am also bipolar, but depressive bipolar, so I have never had such an intense manic Episode as he has I’m sure, but I have had them. I wasn’t offended by the comics at all, and quite enjoyed the magnifying glass he used to make mania that much bigger. He also made it clear that the main character was on pretty heavy drugs a lot of the time which made the mania pretty wild. So... no problems w/ offensiveness or anything there.
Within all the crazy happenings, there was a very clear message, which I did appreciate, because I know how hard this must have been for max to express and... get out.
I do plan to read more of his comics- I want to find the one that clicks instead of one I just sorta like. I know I love his writing so, it’s out there!
Again, the only thing I didn’t like about the storyline was how cringeworthy the mention of Brooklyn hipster culture (or indie or emo or hippie kids) repeatedly had gotten. He was trying to convey that though he was a part of it, it actually was completely overrated and quite troubling- and that he wanted no part of it anymore.
BUT even though his hate for it is obvious and he feels that it is a negative representation of our generations’ culture... he instead almost glorified it at times?
I know his real life story best as any fan can, so I can understand why he feels how he feels... and what he probably was TRYING to convey... but for me it just didn’t come through completely. I hated that he HAD to constantly mention the scene. Maybe, though, that’s because not everyone has been a part of it in a way, or knows what it is? I don’t know.
I DO enjoy his writing and creativity;
(and could gush about it for hours, as well as his writing with his wife, Sherri :-D, ah, and Chris Conley- lead singer of Saves the Day)
(oh and I AM sorry if you know all that, just every time I ask someone if they know them I get a uhmmm I don’t think so? Lol)
I look forward to reading his stuff in the future :-).
October 18, 2017
Written by the lead singer of Say Anything, there is enough text here for multiple albums. The story is pretty good, but does get bogged down from the amount of text.
Tim is your average bi-polar hipster living in Brooklyn, tired of living a muted life from taking his meds. So one night he decides to do some drugs to get that spark back. All of a sudden he can read people's minds. It turns out he's not just paranoid from using drugs, people are spying on him. Turns out his psychiatrist is monitoring him and some crazy people develop superpowers. And kind of like the Hulk, the more manic he gets, the stronger his powers are. In the third act, the book takes a batshit turn. I'll leave it at that so as not to spoil anything.
Tim is your average bi-polar hipster living in Brooklyn, tired of living a muted life from taking his meds. So one night he decides to do some drugs to get that spark back. All of a sudden he can read people's minds. It turns out he's not just paranoid from using drugs, people are spying on him. Turns out his psychiatrist is monitoring him and some crazy people develop superpowers. And kind of like the Hulk, the more manic he gets, the stronger his powers are. In the third act, the book takes a batshit turn. I'll leave it at that so as not to spoil anything.
August 1, 2017
White male narcissism? Check.
Manic pixie dream girl? Check.
Mental illness as a device to justify megalomania? Check.
A protagonist who derides hipster culture while embodying the same vapid characteristics? Check.
The art caught my eye, so I bought this without realizing the author was the frontman of one of those interchangeable scene bands that proliferated in the mid-aughts. Perhaps it improves after the first issue, but I'm not particularly interested in finding out.
Manic pixie dream girl? Check.
Mental illness as a device to justify megalomania? Check.
A protagonist who derides hipster culture while embodying the same vapid characteristics? Check.
The art caught my eye, so I bought this without realizing the author was the frontman of one of those interchangeable scene bands that proliferated in the mid-aughts. Perhaps it improves after the first issue, but I'm not particularly interested in finding out.
January 17, 2014
Good art, for an uneven story, with a Bechdel test fail. I loved the first two chapters, and the beginning of the third, but found the conclusion a bit of a letdown. The cover gallery at the back is a lovely bonus. 3.5 stars, rounded up.
March 2, 2014
I have never heard of Max Bemis or his band, Say Anything (though I do know the film they took the title from) so I didn't come into this with any preconceived notions--except for the fact that I don't put a lot of faith in indie rock darlings using their clout to break into comics writing after struggling through the first volume of Gerard Way's (very popular and much-lauded, I know) Umbrella Academy. But this one took me by surprise. I took a chance because BOOM had it at a bargain price on Comixology and I liked the artwork and premise. Essentially, Bemis has crafted an allegorical memoir of his own struggles with bipolar disorder as a young struggling bohemian artist type by transplanting many of those same characteristics to his central character Tim, who learns not only that he's bipolar, but that when he's suffering his manic episodes he actually has superpowers. When medicated, abstaining from intoxicants and feeling okay, not only is he suppressing his vital creative spirit, but those powers as well. Beyond that, he's being monitored by a shadowy government cabal, trading in a shallow hipster hanger-on girlfriend for the possibility of true love, and occasionally hitting the crack pipe to give him the super-edge he needs. It's fun, smart, soulful and has something to say about everything from mental health and learning to live with our demons to the emptiness not only of hipster culture but the cynical tendency to dismiss the human beings in hipster trappings out of hand. It's quite an achievement, standing with the best of Young Adult fiction and could make a terrific Scott Pilgrim-y film in the right hands.
If I've got a quibble, it's one that only occurred to me after reading another Goodreads reviewer, who pointed out that this book in no way passes the Bechdel test. It's main female protagonist is lovable if a little Manic Pixie Dreamgirl-ish (with far less Manic than the main character, to be fair) but she doesn't have much agency outside of her interactions with Tim. That would probably knock it down to a 4.5 for me, but I'm grading up because the rest is so well done, from the smart and wise-ass writing to the gorgeous artwork. Besides, my own first published work is probably equally guilty of failing that test, so if Bemis is scrupulous, it's a failing he can take heed of and improve on in the future.
If I've got a quibble, it's one that only occurred to me after reading another Goodreads reviewer, who pointed out that this book in no way passes the Bechdel test. It's main female protagonist is lovable if a little Manic Pixie Dreamgirl-ish (with far less Manic than the main character, to be fair) but she doesn't have much agency outside of her interactions with Tim. That would probably knock it down to a 4.5 for me, but I'm grading up because the rest is so well done, from the smart and wise-ass writing to the gorgeous artwork. Besides, my own first published work is probably equally guilty of failing that test, so if Bemis is scrupulous, it's a failing he can take heed of and improve on in the future.
September 27, 2018
Premisa je super, Bemis tu pracuje s tím že hlavní hrdina je Bipolár a díky svému problému má v nitru superschopnosti které se vyvolají když užívá drogy, až moc energiťáku apod.
Samotný začátek kdy se teprve seznamujete s postavami je super, pomalu objevujete co se děje s hlavním hrdinou Timem a i máte poměrně zábavný pohled do jeho osobního života. Bohužel později začne příběh ztrácet svojí tvář a přijde mi že Bemis neví kam to celé směřovat. Vidíme tu Tima jak se snaží bojovat proti hnusům v jeho městě, ale zase ne v tak vysokém měřítku aby to mělo nějaký důvod. Tedy vy chápete motivaci hlavní postavy, ale celé to působí ne moc šťastně poskládaně. Jednoduše příběh má divný pacing a nepomáhají tomu i rozsáhlé monology o tom jak Hipsteři jsou píčusové co si na něco falešně hrají. Bemis je asi fakt nenavidí protože tohle je celé jako kritika na Hipstery, s něčím jsem i souhlasil ale pak už je to únavné.
Do toho všeho je tu i spousta poměrně nevtiravého a vtipného humoru spolu s náhledem na Bipolární poruchu, což bylo vcelku příjemné.
Ve výsledku fajn komiks který ale ztrácí ke konci silně dech a já už to dočítal z nouze, i když mě to pořád docela zajímalo, jelikož character writing je na skvělé úrovní.
Samotný začátek kdy se teprve seznamujete s postavami je super, pomalu objevujete co se děje s hlavním hrdinou Timem a i máte poměrně zábavný pohled do jeho osobního života. Bohužel později začne příběh ztrácet svojí tvář a přijde mi že Bemis neví kam to celé směřovat. Vidíme tu Tima jak se snaží bojovat proti hnusům v jeho městě, ale zase ne v tak vysokém měřítku aby to mělo nějaký důvod. Tedy vy chápete motivaci hlavní postavy, ale celé to působí ne moc šťastně poskládaně. Jednoduše příběh má divný pacing a nepomáhají tomu i rozsáhlé monology o tom jak Hipsteři jsou píčusové co si na něco falešně hrají. Bemis je asi fakt nenavidí protože tohle je celé jako kritika na Hipstery, s něčím jsem i souhlasil ale pak už je to únavné.
Do toho všeho je tu i spousta poměrně nevtiravého a vtipného humoru spolu s náhledem na Bipolární poruchu, což bylo vcelku příjemné.
Ve výsledku fajn komiks který ale ztrácí ke konci silně dech a já už to dočítal z nouze, i když mě to pořád docela zajímalo, jelikož character writing je na skvělé úrovní.
April 23, 2018
This was awful. I want those 40 minutes of my life back. If I wanted to read about some tragic self-important douchebag, I'd have read a John Green novel..... and honestly, comparing the two is kinda unfair to John Green.
July 31, 2014
Timothy is an artist with Bipolar Disorder, who happens to create way better art when he ditches his meds. Of course, he also falls into a deep mania where he doesn't sleep and might just walk into the street half naked and get hit by a car (again). After his hipster-queen girlfriend says his art sucks now, he flushes all his medications and purposefully goes manic, bringing on the aforementioned paranoia and other symptoms. Only someone really is watching him, and he really does have the super powers that he believes he possesses.
I was really impressed by the first half or so of this book, and it slid downhill a bit after that. The art was great all the way through - reminded me a lot of Chew, Vol. 1: Taster's Choice. I loved the style, I loved the build-up and concept, but it didn't conclude that well. It also seemed like the beginning of a series, but I'm not sure there's anything coming after this. In the end, it was a let down. I guess there's a message about medication keeping talented people down when it's forced on them by society, but as a person with mental illness in their family, let me just say that's bullshit. If someone makes the choice to take medication to control mental illness, it's a strong decision not a weak one. I get the joke that people in the grips of mania are egotistic, paranoid, and have delusions of grandeur, but the message isn't made any better by that. Yes, Timothy does end up being "better" than all the annoying people he surrounds himself with (and simultaneously hates), but if they're all so shallow and awful is that really an accomplishment?
I didn't know/realize/remember that the author was part of a band (hello The Umbrella Academy, Vol. 1: Apocalypse Suite?), and maybe being familiar with him/his music changes the way this book reads.
I was really impressed by the first half or so of this book, and it slid downhill a bit after that. The art was great all the way through - reminded me a lot of Chew, Vol. 1: Taster's Choice. I loved the style, I loved the build-up and concept, but it didn't conclude that well. It also seemed like the beginning of a series, but I'm not sure there's anything coming after this. In the end, it was a let down. I guess there's a message about medication keeping talented people down when it's forced on them by society, but as a person with mental illness in their family, let me just say that's bullshit. If someone makes the choice to take medication to control mental illness, it's a strong decision not a weak one. I get the joke that people in the grips of mania are egotistic, paranoid, and have delusions of grandeur, but the message isn't made any better by that. Yes, Timothy does end up being "better" than all the annoying people he surrounds himself with (and simultaneously hates), but if they're all so shallow and awful is that really an accomplishment?
I didn't know/realize/remember that the author was part of a band (hello The Umbrella Academy, Vol. 1: Apocalypse Suite?), and maybe being familiar with him/his music changes the way this book reads.
August 29, 2013
This is a four part mini series that talked about mental health in a form of fictionalized superpowered human being. Just imagine that a shady organization had given a psychologist/psychiatrist the power to create superpowered mental freaks. The prose on the monologue tells a unique perspective of an artist with manic-depressive type of disorder, where his doctor gave him pill to unlock super human prowess that could only work when he is 1. High 2. Delusional 3. or when he's just taking the pill straight. The subject in the series also covered the aspect of loneliness in the city as an artist or someone with a mental disadvantage.
This is a good quick read, but it will be a bore to a lot of people.
This is a good quick read, but it will be a bore to a lot of people.
June 29, 2014
Better than I was expecting. I was expecting your basic one-gimmick superhero book, but the writer managed to do some interesting things with the concept. It's ultimately fluff, but it's well-crafted fluff. The book reaches a satisfying conclusion just about the point where it's starting to wear thin. Pretty good. Hopefully they resist the temptation to do a sequel.
February 22, 2016
This was a good read. Well worth the time and attention. Good writing and well drawn vibrant images. Is this going to be your new favorite comic? Nope. Does the story have holes? Yep. Is it still entertaining? Yep! Plus it dives into an unseen before storyline.
May 29, 2013
This was both hilarious and emotionally engaging. I liked it very very much ;)
April 21, 2017
Can one actually write a decent review when sick and medicated? Probably not. But this is a graphic novel I will be pushing for any and everyone I know to read. So stay tuned friends!
January 5, 2019
The main charater Tim narrates the story. It's interesting to see what he thinks of the world around him when the medication for his bipolar disorder is keeping him rational and analytic. And sarcastic - the fun part of the story. When he gets off the medication, all bets are off and he goes rogue, but his inner monologue is no less funny. If you're looking for an anguished character with a tragic story, this isn't it. Worse, there are superpowered individuals in the story, so be warned.
Tim's bipolar disorder has never been pleasant, but it enabled him to create works of art that have gained him some acclaim. He is in an awful relationship with Alexis, a self-centered, preppy girl who eventually loses interest in him. His real love interest is Lily, a more down-to-Earth girl, but given the state he is in because of his medication he doesn't have the courage to talk to her.
Tim goes off his meds like he has done before. His erratic behavior returns and his best friend Adam is worried for him. During a paranoid episode when he suspects he is being watched, he really finds someone doing a stakeout and head-butts him, decapitating the man. He doesn't know where to go, so he visits his doctor who reveals to Tim that he is being watched for proof of superhuman abilities during his manic episodes.
Tim's bipolar disorder has never been pleasant, but it enabled him to create works of art that have gained him some acclaim. He is in an awful relationship with Alexis, a self-centered, preppy girl who eventually loses interest in him. His real love interest is Lily, a more down-to-Earth girl, but given the state he is in because of his medication he doesn't have the courage to talk to her.
Tim goes off his meds like he has done before. His erratic behavior returns and his best friend Adam is worried for him. During a paranoid episode when he suspects he is being watched, he really finds someone doing a stakeout and head-butts him, decapitating the man. He doesn't know where to go, so he visits his doctor who reveals to Tim that he is being watched for proof of superhuman abilities during his manic episodes.
September 24, 2020
A graphic novel written by Say Anything frontman Max Bemis, about a superhero whose superpower is his bipolar disorder. Different, right? Usually graphic novels are not top on my list of reads. (This is actually my son's, who suggested I read it.) The unusual approach is what made me give in and read it. Actually, it wasn't too bad. The premise definitely added an interesting point of view over your standard I have superhuman physical powers idea. Fairly short read, but worth the couple of hours out of your day. (I wish to note that at the time of reading this book, I was 57 years old, so it's not necessarily just for younger readers.
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Say Anything’s frontman Max Bemis makes his comic debut in this personal exploration of super powers! From the mind of SAY ANYTHING frontman Max Bemis comes POLARITY, a manic-depressive spin on the superhero genre. Timothy Woods is a bipolar artist stuck in the world of hipsters, meaningless sex, and vain art -- better known as Brooklyn. But after he survives a near fatal car accident, Timothy discovers that his mental instability is more than just a disorder, and that his bipolar medication hasn't just been subduing depression and uncontrollable mania...it's been suppressing his super powers! Now it's time for Timothy to stand up to his disease alongside an onslaught of wretched human villainy as he finally finds his place in the world. This collection collects the entire four-issue limited series along with an exclusive acoustic four song EP composed and recorded specifically as a companion to the graphic novel!
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Say Anything’s frontman Max Bemis makes his comic debut in this personal exploration of super powers! From the mind of SAY ANYTHING frontman Max Bemis comes POLARITY, a manic-depressive spin on the superhero genre. Timothy Woods is a bipolar artist stuck in the world of hipsters, meaningless sex, and vain art -- better known as Brooklyn. But after he survives a near fatal car accident, Timothy discovers that his mental instability is more than just a disorder, and that his bipolar medication hasn't just been subduing depression and uncontrollable mania...it's been suppressing his super powers! Now it's time for Timothy to stand up to his disease alongside an onslaught of wretched human villainy as he finally finds his place in the world. This collection collects the entire four-issue limited series along with an exclusive acoustic four song EP composed and recorded specifically as a companion to the graphic novel!
August 8, 2018
This book is problematic. Mainly because it endorses the notion that you’re only worthwhile (or at least more worthwhile) - as an artist, a love interest, a person, etc. - if you’re damaged (psychologically). That’s a really shitty premise.
This is also written by the former lead of an emo/screamo band, and the way he writes about the current music/cultural scene just comes across as bitter, hateful, a little petty.
That said, I actually enjoyed this book. I really liked the art, and Bemis can write, even if I don’t appreciate or agree with everything he’s saying.
This is also written by the former lead of an emo/screamo band, and the way he writes about the current music/cultural scene just comes across as bitter, hateful, a little petty.
That said, I actually enjoyed this book. I really liked the art, and Bemis can write, even if I don’t appreciate or agree with everything he’s saying.
November 12, 2020
Questo fumetto è l'emblema della frase "parte a razzo, finisce a *****".
Idea buona ma la lettura non scorre per nulla, l'azione è velocissima e appesantita da interminabili monologhi interni del protagonista. Alla fine per non sentirsi intrappolati in dei fermi immagine ci si trova costretti letteralmente a saltare interi pezzi (che tanto purtroppo sono inutili).
Il messaggio è minimo, il coinvolgimento inesistente, la trama si sorregge sul nulla. A parte l'idea (solida) di base e che tenta di essere innovativo, questo fumetto può dare davvero poco.
Idea buona ma la lettura non scorre per nulla, l'azione è velocissima e appesantita da interminabili monologhi interni del protagonista. Alla fine per non sentirsi intrappolati in dei fermi immagine ci si trova costretti letteralmente a saltare interi pezzi (che tanto purtroppo sono inutili).
Il messaggio è minimo, il coinvolgimento inesistente, la trama si sorregge sul nulla. A parte l'idea (solida) di base e che tenta di essere innovativo, questo fumetto può dare davvero poco.
February 4, 2022
In my opinion, the storyline was phenomenal. I love the artwork as well. This is a good book to read for laughs and some reality cause not taking medication when you have Bipolar can make it seem like your a superhero. I really enjoyed this story!! I recommend comics to anyone who’s trying to really know rather getting off medication is really best.
January 10, 2018
A fascinating, if niche, examination of living with bipolar disorder through the lens of a superhero comic-style. Niche because its also centered around the hipster scene but that's understandable when you look at the author's background.
I enjoyed it despite not being the target audience at all.
I enjoyed it despite not being the target audience at all.
January 31, 2021
This is an interesting if maybe a little dated read, it has mentions of George W. Bush as well as noted critiques of hipsters. Nonetheless, it does provide a nice concise read and some commentary on mental health which is appreciated.
August 18, 2017
One of the most interesting perspectives on mental illness I have read in a long time. Fantastic artwork and storyline. I definitely recommend reading this!
November 16, 2017
Ikke fullført pga dårlig kvalitet på skrivinga.
January 21, 2018
The premise was really great, but a lot of the dialog relied really heavily on outdated pop culture references.
September 7, 2019
Neither the dumpster fire I feared nor the profound generational statement it aspires to be.
December 11, 2020
I'm not even sure how to put my opinion of this into words.
2/10
2/10
February 2, 2021
A great comic and a brilliant exploration into mental health.
February 9, 2021
CN: vomit, drugs
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