ODB: Oddities, Discord, and B-Sides: Lyrical Ruckus in the City

by Ike Reed, Ol’ Dirty Bastard (contributor), David Gorden

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics

104 pages, Paperback

Published November 5, 2024

Reviews

[Bearded Reader - Adam]

(3.0) I really loved the idea of this book, but it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. As a Wu-Tang fan, I was excited to dive into a graphic novel inspired by ODB’s persona and cultural impact, but it felt like ODB was being used more as a way to send certain messages instead of letting his true spirit shine through. That said, there were parts I enjoyed—like the beautiful artwork and the story Love in The Mix, which had some deep, nostalgic moments. The themes of resistance, creativity, and social justice were great, but some of the stories felt too disconnected for me. They could’ve used more of ODB’s raw, unique energy that made him so iconic. Instead, it sometimes came off like a corporate tie-in, which was disappointing. While the anthology had its shining moments, it didn’t fully capture the spirit of ODB in the way I hoped. If you love graphic novels and hip-hop culture, it’s still worth a read, but it might not offer that deep connection to ODB’s vibe.

Thanks to Oni Press & NetGalley for the digital ARC!

[Jiro Dreams of Suchy]

Wack art and such lame stories. Wu tang is amazing and they’re able to tie old movies, cartoons, street violence, drugs and the ever creeping darkness of city life together this comic does not. I love the idea of- an ODB inspired collection of stories but based on all I know about him (which is a few books and his albums even N Please is a classic in my eyes) this didn’t feel DIRTY. He was an inspiration for many for being truly one of a kind but I don’t think he was this type of cheap inspiration, many of these stories give me the same feel you’d get from a fast food tie in comic like Superman eats at subway and talks about calories, just feels phony. I really didn’t like this one .

[Chyanne Diaries]

Loved this one right here. As a New York native, Wu-Tang is definitely one of the best things to come out of this city. I love the images, the stories as well as the figurative language. Wu-Tang were more than just musicians and rappers. They took the craft very seriously and understood that its more than just music. It can affect your livelihood if you let it. There were so many lessons in this I think many people can take from it whether or not they decide to pursue music.

[Dre]

This book was such a beautiful homage to rapper ODB. Known as the storyteller he was, he narrates tales within the 5 Boroughs of New York City. These tales involve black creativity, social justice, and important social commentary delivered with such amazing artwork. I thoroughly loved this book, especially the "Love in The Mix" tale. It reminded me that beautiful music transcends space and time. There is one tale that got a bit dark for me, but overall, I enjoyed this read. Graphic novel fans of hip-hop will definitely appreciate this one.

Many thanks to Netgalley for the e-copy of this read!

[D.T. Henderson]

“Hip-hop is past, present, and future, and now.”

Laguardia’s Steppers – 2 stars Kind of basic but I love the message that these computers and AI could never replace real creativity. And the less subtle how quickly corporations try to steal from Black cultures.

Demon flow – 3 stars Creepy! A rapper’s spin on “selling your soul” for fame or in this case rap ability + mini revenge tale. My favorite story of the bunch.

Love in the Mix – 2 stars For the length it had, it was cute and I liked the art style.

Sword of the Cypher – 1 star. All over the place. Not a fan.

Marcus and the Drunken Fist – 2 stars Fast-paced. Typical underdog story with a training montage.

Not my favorite anthology, but I like the messages.

[Em]

‘ODB: Oddities, Discord & B-Sides- Lyrical Ruckus in the City’ is a one of a kind graphic novel paying tribute to hip-hop legend Ol’ Dirty Bastard, reimagining New York City through his eyes.

After a mysterious event, different versions of NYC’s neighborhoods merge into one chaotic city. Ghosts roam Queens, a rogue AI controls the Lower East Side, and time travelers party in Harlem. Ol’ Dirty Bastard guides us through these strange and powerful stories about freedom, oppression, wealth, poverty, love, and loss.

With approval from Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s estate, this novel features many talented creators. As a fan, I love that Ol’ Dirty Bastard narrates the story. He was part of the Five-Percent Nation, which taught self-knowledge and pride to Black men - themes that reverberate in these pages.

The graphic novel shows New Yorkers fighting to protect their city’s creative spirit from robots, venture capitalists and demons trying to take over. It’s a tribute to NYC’s artists and communities, highlighting the resilience, love, and unity within the five boroughs.

The social justice themes are strong throughout the storylines. The characters face and resist various forms of oppression, whether from rogue AIs, spectral apparitions, or other forces trying to strip away their freedom and identity.

These stories emphasize the importance of community, resistance, and holding onto one’s culture and creativity in the face of adversity. It’s a must-read for its powerful stories, deep social justice themes, and deep love for New York City. Thank you to Oni Press for the chance to read!

[Jousef W.]

What a great collection of short stories all about power of the people, crushing big corpa, music, love, dance, and superpowered action in form of kung-fu.

There are some people that I really wish were still in this world, alive and sharing their thoughts and wisdom. ODB is one of them. He's greatly missed. And this book is a great homage to him and the city he represented, NYC.

My favorite art style and story was Demon Flow. Not to say that any of the stories were less than great. They were phenomenal!

Especially in these times, this was the motivation I needed. We can all change the world just a little bit. And with that power we hold, when we all come together and fight for justice and social equality, the world changes enough to be a better place. Inshallah!

[Ogi Ogas]

My ratings of books on Goodreads are solely a crude ranking of their utility to me, and not an evaluation of literary merit, entertainment value, social importance, humor, insightfulness, scientific accuracy, creative vigor, suspensefulness of plot, depth of characters, vitality of theme, excitement of climax, satisfaction of ending, or any other combination of dimensions of value which we are expected to boil down through some fabulous alchemy into a single digit.

[Michael Dunn]

A great graphic novel inspired by the dearly missed Wu-Tang Clan legend Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s visions of how he saw New York City. The art and stories are varied and engaging and the overall love for art is very charming.

[Melanie]

ODB: Oddities, Discord & B-Sides - Lyrical Ruckus in the City is an interesting comic rooted in music, particularly hip-hop and New York City. It's an interesting introspection of what NYC might be and what attitudes and values each borough exudes.

[Markus Seaberry]

It wasn’t quite what I expected, it’s actually an anthology, but it was solid.

[Jarred]

not actually about odb.

[Wayne McCoy]

Mediocre stories and uneven art serve as an unworthy tribute to Wu Tang’s own ODB. This should have been so much more.