Brian Blomerth's Lilly Wave

by Brian Blomerth

A visual biography of the infamous ketamine researcher John C. Lilly.





Since 2019, graphic novelist Brian Blomerth’s stunningly original comix histories have combined detailed research and riotous visual wit to illuminate the discovery of LSD (in Brian Blomerth’s Bicycle Day) and the popularization of psilocybin mushrooms (in Brian Blomerth’s Mycelium Wassonii). Now, in the third entry in his ongoing series, Blomerth opens a porthole on the life, experiments, and addictions of John C. Lilly—the man whose development of the isolation tank, controversial studies in dolphin cognition, and ketamine-fueled dives into the nature of consciousness made him perhaps the most notorious researcher of the psychedelic era. Featuring alien visitations, interspecies encounters, and no shortage of concerned onlookers, Brian Blomerth’s Lilly Wave sees a beloved artist working from an expanded palette of industrial ink-splatter and oceanic airbrushing to bring readers a story that’s equal parts cosmic and paranoid, transcendent and tragic.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics

220 pages, Paperback

Published October 29, 2024

Reviews

[S · Rating 4 out of 5]

forever dolphin love (ﾐ ᵕ̣̣̣̣̣̣ ﻌ ᵕ̣̣̣̣̣̣ ﾐ)ﾉ

[Eric T. Voigt · Rating 4 out of 5]

A spoooOOOoooky Halloween read. More disjointed than the other Blomerth drug books. Visually on point. Found out this book was going to be released while vacationing in Iceland. SpoooOOOOoooky.

[Joe Ahearn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blomerth is masterful at illustrating this madness letting float through this man's K-hole from the comfort of my bed. Every page is dripping with colors and detail to swim in.

[Rick Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yet another exploration of the advent of 20th century hallucinogens and psychoactive compounds, Brian Blomerth delivers another psychedelic biographical comic on the life of John C. Lilly, the American physician who went from attempting to communicate with dolphins to crafting the first isolation tank. Blomerth had earlier explored the serendipitous discovery of LSD by Albert Hofmann, but here we follow Lilly's escalation of the use of LSD to further study the human consciousness on completely new levels. The absurdity of Lilly's hypotheses are clearly laid out in Blomerth's description narration, and vibrantly juxtaposed with his idiosyncratic but highly distinguished art style.

Whilst some of Lilly's work outside of designing isolation tanks is touched upon briefly, the crux of Lilly Wave is truly the time spent bobbing in flotation tanks. It's these sequences that are the striking standout, where the LSD and ketamine fueled hallucinations take Blomerth's artwork into a whole new dimension. Bordering on cosmic horror, Lilly's psyche is transported out of our more mundane plane of existence. Here is where Blomerth makes the ingenious decision to tell a chunk of Lilly's story, though mostly metaphorically with a sci-fi bend. It makes this book a tad bit less biographical than the Hofmann book or indeed the one on the Wassons, but there is ample demonstration of the thorough research that goes into making these books nonetheless.

Ultimately, Lilly Wave serves as an engaging snapshot of a significant period in the life of John C. Lilly. Like previous works from Blomerth, he's less interested in casting any form of judgment on Lilly and his experiments, as ludicrous or even bordering on malevolent they may be. Instead, Blomerth's more underground approach of capturing more dubious moments with bold and transgressive artwork but balanced out with a nuanced narration continues to work well. I'll keep reading these as long as Blomerth is interested in making these types of comics - simply because there isn't anyone else making comics quite like this.

[flesher goreman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Margaret Howe, did, in fact, jerk off Peter the dolphin.

[Timothy Grubbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Way less dolphins, drugs, and sex than I expected. Don’t get me wrong…there was still a lot…but there was also a lot of other stuff I wasn’t expecting…ketamine is a hell of a drug…

It goes without saying that this book should not be touched by young people, and I suspect a number of adults wouldn’t quite dig this…but I did. Just warning you…

Brian Blomerth's Lilly Wave by Blomerth Brian is an anthropomorphic and psychedelic look at one of the most ludicrous marine mammal adjacent research projects in human history…

John C Lilly kicked off a wave (pun intended) of research tied to sensory deprivation, ketamine use, and…enticing the certification of our distant dolphin cousins.

This graphic novel covers his experiences…as well as speculating on the drug induced mania that sent him on his way”quest”.

The notes also cover the hi tech 20th century technology that they used in their dolphin tests…in case you like to look up such things.

This was weird and several pages are rather odd surreal colorful art (possibly inspired by the author’s own “personal research”).

Worth giving a try.

[Clint · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars
This is more vibes-based in its approach to memoir than comprehensive or linearly coherent, but it seems like a great high points summary of Lilly’s psychonautic explorations (especially when paired with the context of the more traditional text sections in the front and back). Blomerth brings it to life with dazzlingly psychedelic alt comix visuals.

The splash page with Margaret Howe Lovatt and Peter the Dolphin is really something!

[Sarah AK · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I came across this at the library this weekend, I knew I'd hate it. I decided to check it out anyway, because the art is bonkers and my eyes were craving that. And I actually didn't hate it! But I definitely didn't love it either. I wasn't entirely sure what was happening most of the time, though I suppose that's to be expected when the book is essentially one big bender. But uhhhh... a woman gives a dolphin a hand job, so uhhhh, be ready for that...

[HAL Monostone AKA Cyber Monk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lånte denne fra biblioteket kun på grunn av forsiden. Ante ikke hva dette handlet om. Så leser jeg introduksjonen. Der står det at dette handler om John Cunningham Lilly, en forsker på psykedeliske stoffer, i hovedsak Ketamin. Må innrømme at det var litt uventa.
Men er skikkelig kul denne. Kler at boka er skikkelig psykedelisk med tanke på temaet, noe som gjør den til en jævli sløy biografi.

[Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wild. Lilly was an interesting character and Blomerth captures that in an absolute trip of a comic. Every bit as good as Bicycle Day, but a bit more unhinged.

Doing psychedelic biographies of drug researchers is a great idea. He pulls it off so well

[Jiapei Chen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured this book on the MUNI while doing my errands around the city. Let’s just say … it’s not the most kosher book to read in public but OMG every page is a gorgeous piece of art. I’m so gonna buy a copy for my own collection!!!

[archive · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mom I’m scared

[Dominic Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another psych-trip masterpiece from the master artist Brian Blomerth!

[Sarzaddy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. Wild

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

soo cool...made me wanna try ketamine

[Grayson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blomerth is a genius, exactly the right amount of Dolphin cock

[Maren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly a wild book! I was not expecting to see a dolphin getting a handjob but here we are.

[Peyton Garcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was delightfully weird. More biographies should be written as psychedelic furry graphic novels!!

[momo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Should have known the dolphin job was coming..

[C Libby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dolphin handy