What do you think?
Rate this book
Doomboy
A lonely, metal-obsessed teen sends a heartfelt song to his missing beloved, only to find out that his music has traveled to the beyond, and re-broadcast to the entire city. Only his best friend knows that he is really the mysterious rock god and anonymous legend known as "Doomboy."
136 pages, Hardcover
First published September 21, 2011
2 people are currently reading
227 people want to read
About the author
Tony Sandoval
80 books131 followersTony's blog: http://losmonstruosdetony.blogspot.com/
See also Antonio Sandoval.
See also Antonio Sandoval.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews
October 6, 2014
ID’s a teenage boy guitarist in a metal band but lately his life’s sucked. His girlfriend died and left a hole in his chest - literally! - and he doesn’t get along with his band anymore. Striking out on his own with a makeshift studio on the beach, his dog, and a friend to record his music, he decides to play his doom metal tributes to his fallen girl - as Doomboy!
Doomboy is a comic that takes you back to being a teenager again, or at least it did to me. Back to a time when adults were near invisible, the future wasn’t even conceivable, all that mattered was the here and now, your first love - so intense you’ll believe it’ll never end and if it did it would destroy you - and glorious music, music, music!
There’s not much of a story to this book: Doomboy plays his music anonymously, it gets picked up and broadcast over the radio, and he becomes a local celeb. The comic works fine when it’s just Doomboy and his music. There’s a kind of simple charm to that.
And it has all the melodrama that only a teen could conjure up: Doomboy playing his doom metal on the beach, swirling clouds manifesting as Viking warriors battling in the sky, his beloved being carried away, lightning everywhere, wind whipping up Doomboy’s hair as he launches into another epic solo… And then of course there are his names - Doomboy. Could you get more perfectly emo? And ID, the Freudian term for the unorganized, instinctual part of a human’s personality, which suits most teenagers to a T.
That stuff is surface level but a little sweet in its innocence, like the way Doomboy wears his heart on his sleeve. Where it really shows up its shortcomings is when it attempts to be a real book by introducing conventional story threads. Doomboy’s tough guy friend turns out to be a closet homosexual; Doomboy and his former band’s leader have a rivalry; none of this really matters or goes anywhere, it’s just thrown in as an afterthought. The book would’ve been more memorable and effective if it’d just been the story of a metal kid playing metal on the beach.
The art style is cool and quirky. Doomboy and numerous other characters are seemingly eyeless, their shaggy hair covering the top half of their faces, their arms are impossibly thin, their heads bulbous on a pencil neck, and so on. It’s not going for realism but a stylised, Gallic approach that’s interesting at least. But the style works when it comes to dramatic moments because the characters’ faces are really expressive when they need to be. And Sandoval really shines when it comes to drawing the elements - those stormy pages were fantastic, exactly like how metal albums look while reflecting the intensity of the music.
Doomboy doesn’t fully draw the reader in and I was very aware that I was reading a comic the entire time. That said it’s well drawn, has its moments here and there, and it depicts teen angst well. Ultimately though its lack of substance makes it a light read that doesn’t leave much of an impression on the reader.
Doomboy is a comic that takes you back to being a teenager again, or at least it did to me. Back to a time when adults were near invisible, the future wasn’t even conceivable, all that mattered was the here and now, your first love - so intense you’ll believe it’ll never end and if it did it would destroy you - and glorious music, music, music!
There’s not much of a story to this book: Doomboy plays his music anonymously, it gets picked up and broadcast over the radio, and he becomes a local celeb. The comic works fine when it’s just Doomboy and his music. There’s a kind of simple charm to that.
And it has all the melodrama that only a teen could conjure up: Doomboy playing his doom metal on the beach, swirling clouds manifesting as Viking warriors battling in the sky, his beloved being carried away, lightning everywhere, wind whipping up Doomboy’s hair as he launches into another epic solo… And then of course there are his names - Doomboy. Could you get more perfectly emo? And ID, the Freudian term for the unorganized, instinctual part of a human’s personality, which suits most teenagers to a T.
That stuff is surface level but a little sweet in its innocence, like the way Doomboy wears his heart on his sleeve. Where it really shows up its shortcomings is when it attempts to be a real book by introducing conventional story threads. Doomboy’s tough guy friend turns out to be a closet homosexual; Doomboy and his former band’s leader have a rivalry; none of this really matters or goes anywhere, it’s just thrown in as an afterthought. The book would’ve been more memorable and effective if it’d just been the story of a metal kid playing metal on the beach.
The art style is cool and quirky. Doomboy and numerous other characters are seemingly eyeless, their shaggy hair covering the top half of their faces, their arms are impossibly thin, their heads bulbous on a pencil neck, and so on. It’s not going for realism but a stylised, Gallic approach that’s interesting at least. But the style works when it comes to dramatic moments because the characters’ faces are really expressive when they need to be. And Sandoval really shines when it comes to drawing the elements - those stormy pages were fantastic, exactly like how metal albums look while reflecting the intensity of the music.
Doomboy doesn’t fully draw the reader in and I was very aware that I was reading a comic the entire time. That said it’s well drawn, has its moments here and there, and it depicts teen angst well. Ultimately though its lack of substance makes it a light read that doesn’t leave much of an impression on the reader.
January 8, 2016
Sandoval grew up in the northeast deserts of Mexico, he lives in Berlin and writes in French. So in some ways he is off the grid. And yet, his story is a kind of spare and airy lovely watercolored story of teenaged lost love and metal music. A boy, ID, in a band, loses his girlfriend, and then his band, and begins to play solo as Doomboy on a beach (and records it) over several months, playing mainly to the spirit of his lost girlfriend.
Strange spirits and creatures get conjured, but not much else gets said or done in this oversized, spacious book with floppy-haired metal punks who don't really such much to each other or have anything to say. I guess the point is to call up the feeling of growing up, being teenaged and having something bad happen to you, death, loss, and how music gets you through. Was true for me! I liked it quite a bit.
Strange spirits and creatures get conjured, but not much else gets said or done in this oversized, spacious book with floppy-haired metal punks who don't really such much to each other or have anything to say. I guess the point is to call up the feeling of growing up, being teenaged and having something bad happen to you, death, loss, and how music gets you through. Was true for me! I liked it quite a bit.
May 1, 2022
Přiblížit komiks Doomboy je těžší, než by se mohlo zdát. Pokud už jste od Tonyho Sandovala četli například Vodního hada, tak víte, co od něj můžete čekat. Jeho vyprávění a kresba spolu fungují v dokonalé symbióze. Výsledné dílo je plné imaginace a mystiky, a někde hluboko se vás dokáže dotknout a vzedmout vlnu emocí. Sandovalova kresba je zvláštní. Má svůj styl, jakým kreslí postavy a navíc často mění “kvalitu” kresby. Něco je nakreslené naprosto precizně a úžasně, ale něco je zase na první pohled hrozně hrubé a kostrbaté. Brzy ale zjistíte, že i ta hrubá kresba je plná detailů, které ji dávají nový rozměr.
Doomboy vypráví o týpkovi, kterému nikdo neřekne jinak než “D”. Je to obyčejný kluk s obrovskou imaginací, kytarou a láskou k metalu. Jenže zrovna neprožívá nejšťastnější období. Nejen že ho vyhodili z kapely, ale hlavně mu zemřela jeho holka. Jeho milovanou Annie srazil náklaďák a mu po ní zbyl pes a obrovská díra v hrudi - zrovna tam, kde má být srdce. “D” teď vůbec neví, co s tím má dělat. Pomůže, když ji přes rádiové vlny bude někam do vesmíru hrát doom metalové vzkazy? Odpověď na tuhle otázku už nechám na knize, abych vás nepřipravil ani o špetku této skvělosti.
Ta kniha je zkrátka naprosto úžasná. Když jsem se rozhodoval, jestli si ji koupit, tak jsem si pročítal recenze na internetu a jedna z nich mě obzvlášť zaujala. Recenzent v ní psal, že při čtení Doomboye a zvláště při Doomboyových představách, jak na nebi během bouřky spolu dvě armády svádějí epickou bitvu, si připadal, jako kdyby znovu poprvé poslouchal hudbu kapely Amon Amarth. Když jsem si tohle přečetl, tak jsem věděl, že tu knihu musím mít. Když potom v knize “D” poprvé hrábne do strun a pošle metal do éteru, tak mi vždy naskočí husí kůže. Tenkrát před lety a nyní znovu. Doomboy se dá číst opakovaně a nyní se mi dokonce zdál ještě lepší než poprvé.
Doomboy vypráví o týpkovi, kterému nikdo neřekne jinak než “D”. Je to obyčejný kluk s obrovskou imaginací, kytarou a láskou k metalu. Jenže zrovna neprožívá nejšťastnější období. Nejen že ho vyhodili z kapely, ale hlavně mu zemřela jeho holka. Jeho milovanou Annie srazil náklaďák a mu po ní zbyl pes a obrovská díra v hrudi - zrovna tam, kde má být srdce. “D” teď vůbec neví, co s tím má dělat. Pomůže, když ji přes rádiové vlny bude někam do vesmíru hrát doom metalové vzkazy? Odpověď na tuhle otázku už nechám na knize, abych vás nepřipravil ani o špetku této skvělosti.
Ta kniha je zkrátka naprosto úžasná. Když jsem se rozhodoval, jestli si ji koupit, tak jsem si pročítal recenze na internetu a jedna z nich mě obzvlášť zaujala. Recenzent v ní psal, že při čtení Doomboye a zvláště při Doomboyových představách, jak na nebi během bouřky spolu dvě armády svádějí epickou bitvu, si připadal, jako kdyby znovu poprvé poslouchal hudbu kapely Amon Amarth. Když jsem si tohle přečetl, tak jsem věděl, že tu knihu musím mít. Když potom v knize “D” poprvé hrábne do strun a pošle metal do éteru, tak mi vždy naskočí husí kůže. Tenkrát před lety a nyní znovu. Doomboy se dá číst opakovaně a nyní se mi dokonce zdál ještě lepší než poprvé.
July 12, 2021
Story about coping with loss of love, growing up and founding your place in life. Idea is very good, metal and music theme got me interested but result is questionable.
Book offers plenty of characters but many of them are not given enough space to grow, and some of them, together with few side story lines are not really necessary. Maybe it's something personal from Tony's past that he wanted to put there, but for unfamiliar reader it's disruptive.
Story is full of metaphores, symbols and surreal scenes, but feels like author sticks to the ground, afraid to go full magic realism like... And that's kind of waste. Book is over before you know it, and it kept with feeling that something is missing. It still gives you melancholy and caress your soul in a way, but with more editor work it could be real gem. Or maybe I just didn't get it...
Visual part is unique, as said above, there is lot of surreal scenes, but drawing is not that polished as in Watersnakes. But it suits theme well. Line is simple, little bit shaky, and it resemble sketches in school notebooks - which goes great with high school (I guess) rock and anger. Also glad that Czech edition returns to original landscape format, that makes book really stand up, and encourages you to flip thorough it again and again after you finished reading...
Over and all I think it's somewhere between 3.5 and 4 *
Book offers plenty of characters but many of them are not given enough space to grow, and some of them, together with few side story lines are not really necessary. Maybe it's something personal from Tony's past that he wanted to put there, but for unfamiliar reader it's disruptive.
Story is full of metaphores, symbols and surreal scenes, but feels like author sticks to the ground, afraid to go full magic realism like... And that's kind of waste. Book is over before you know it, and it kept with feeling that something is missing. It still gives you melancholy and caress your soul in a way, but with more editor work it could be real gem. Or maybe I just didn't get it...
Visual part is unique, as said above, there is lot of surreal scenes, but drawing is not that polished as in Watersnakes. But it suits theme well. Line is simple, little bit shaky, and it resemble sketches in school notebooks - which goes great with high school (I guess) rock and anger. Also glad that Czech edition returns to original landscape format, that makes book really stand up, and encourages you to flip thorough it again and again after you finished reading...
Over and all I think it's somewhere between 3.5 and 4 *
January 28, 2015
This is an interesting little book. The author is able to tell a story using words very scarcely and yet the reader is able to understand the message very well. It’s a good example of a case when illustration and written word are complementary and the result is a compelling and hopeful story.
This book tells the story of ID, or Doomboy, the story of his coming of age, dealing with many issues that many readers will probably identify themselves with such as feeling like an outcast at school or the constant feeling of sadness and melancholy that many go through adolescence and even the loss of a dear friend. ID finds in music and artistic creation a way to cope with his loss and a way to escape the troubles he faces every day. Having a comic conveying such a positive and important message is always a point in favor of any story.
As for the artwork itself, the illustration style wasn’t particularly to my liking at first, in great part due to the rough edges which made the drawings seem a bit unpolished. I tend to prefer cleaner and well defined lines, but that’s just a personal preference.
As I got more and more into the story, I ended up getting used to the illustration style and, I must confess, the way the author used the drawings to show the way ID’s was feeling in a certain moment made me change my opinion. The artwork fits the main character, and actually helps in character development!
Here I leave with an example of a particularly beautiful illustration:
So, after all these considerations, you must be wondering why I haven’t given the comic a perfect score of 5. Well, truth be told, I had a few issues with it. The first was that many characters look alike and at the beginning the reader will probably feel confused and it’s hard to identify who is who. Then, the fact that there are so many little issues that the author tries to address in the story, issues that are so common among youngsters, particularly during school years, it made the plotline feel a bit too ambitious but not quite delivering all that it could have been.
Maybe if Tony Sandoval concentrated on two, or three topics at most, he would have produced a much more cohesive story, without any loose ends.
Anyway, balancing good and not so good aspects, I do recommend this short comic book and it is almost certain that every reader will spend an enjoyable time reading it.
Complete review at: http://passarinhoreads.wordpress.com/...
This book tells the story of ID, or Doomboy, the story of his coming of age, dealing with many issues that many readers will probably identify themselves with such as feeling like an outcast at school or the constant feeling of sadness and melancholy that many go through adolescence and even the loss of a dear friend. ID finds in music and artistic creation a way to cope with his loss and a way to escape the troubles he faces every day. Having a comic conveying such a positive and important message is always a point in favor of any story.
As for the artwork itself, the illustration style wasn’t particularly to my liking at first, in great part due to the rough edges which made the drawings seem a bit unpolished. I tend to prefer cleaner and well defined lines, but that’s just a personal preference.
As I got more and more into the story, I ended up getting used to the illustration style and, I must confess, the way the author used the drawings to show the way ID’s was feeling in a certain moment made me change my opinion. The artwork fits the main character, and actually helps in character development!
Here I leave with an example of a particularly beautiful illustration:
So, after all these considerations, you must be wondering why I haven’t given the comic a perfect score of 5. Well, truth be told, I had a few issues with it. The first was that many characters look alike and at the beginning the reader will probably feel confused and it’s hard to identify who is who. Then, the fact that there are so many little issues that the author tries to address in the story, issues that are so common among youngsters, particularly during school years, it made the plotline feel a bit too ambitious but not quite delivering all that it could have been.
Maybe if Tony Sandoval concentrated on two, or three topics at most, he would have produced a much more cohesive story, without any loose ends.
Anyway, balancing good and not so good aspects, I do recommend this short comic book and it is almost certain that every reader will spend an enjoyable time reading it.
Complete review at: http://passarinhoreads.wordpress.com/...
June 4, 2024
Identitätsfindung, Heavy Metal, Teenager und zwischen all dem der Tod. Doomboy erzählt liebevoll vom sich-selbst-wiederfinden und Abschied-nehmen. Die Zeichnungen sind im Stil Sandovals lebendig, wässrig, hart und verzahnen sich mit der Story.
March 21, 2019
Coming of age story.
January 16, 2016
The art is great, the primary story arc is okay, but the whole thing feels like an outline rather than a complete story.
There's also this thing that happens in books that talk about music or food or something that we, as readers, can't really experience through the media of text and pictures. It's why it's so hard to review music. How do you write sound? And how do you write sound such that I HEAR what's going on?
I wonder what the utility of a rock critic is anymore. Like in Rolling Stone. I mean, it's easier for me to jump on YouTube and hear a song than it is for me to read someone's opinion on it, and that listening experience is probably going to be a lot better than reading about the listening experience. I still sort of get it with movies. A movie review takes 2 minutes to read and could save me two hours. But a review of a song, it's not saving me a lot of time, and it just seems like a weak way to get across the info I need, which is what something sounds like.
Part of me wonders if this is why we're so obsessed with the personal life of musicians and the like. What else are rock critics going to write about? They know damn well we don't need their words about the songs themselves, so it helps a lot more to write about who is dating who, what happened with what. How is it that I know Kanye West's baby names and who he's married to and I have no idea what his last...I don't even know how many singles, sound like?
My personal theory, it's something people can write about. Critique.
In 1990, it made all the sense in the world for a rock critic to review a new Weezer album. Is this a bunch of bullshit? Why is this only 43 minutes long? Is the sound like Pinkerton? Blue album?
These were things I wouldn't know without going to the record store and hoping they had the record in one of their listening stations, which was also a risk because you had to don headphones worn by the other fellow scumbags who didn't want to just buy an album.
In 1990, we were talking $20, and when you bought a new album, you may have heard 2 of the songs on the radio, if you were lucky. Someone had to at least try to help us.
But in 2016, it takes less time to look up a couple songs online and then make a purchase informed by the ultimate decider, personal taste.
Anyway, Doomboy. A book that hinges quite a bit on the sound of doom metal, and a book that has a lot to do with being awesome on the guitar, but I just can't "hear" it. And in a book where the sonic qualities are so important to the arc, the reading experience is a little flat.
There's also this thing that happens in books that talk about music or food or something that we, as readers, can't really experience through the media of text and pictures. It's why it's so hard to review music. How do you write sound? And how do you write sound such that I HEAR what's going on?
I wonder what the utility of a rock critic is anymore. Like in Rolling Stone. I mean, it's easier for me to jump on YouTube and hear a song than it is for me to read someone's opinion on it, and that listening experience is probably going to be a lot better than reading about the listening experience. I still sort of get it with movies. A movie review takes 2 minutes to read and could save me two hours. But a review of a song, it's not saving me a lot of time, and it just seems like a weak way to get across the info I need, which is what something sounds like.
Part of me wonders if this is why we're so obsessed with the personal life of musicians and the like. What else are rock critics going to write about? They know damn well we don't need their words about the songs themselves, so it helps a lot more to write about who is dating who, what happened with what. How is it that I know Kanye West's baby names and who he's married to and I have no idea what his last...I don't even know how many singles, sound like?
My personal theory, it's something people can write about. Critique.
In 1990, it made all the sense in the world for a rock critic to review a new Weezer album. Is this a bunch of bullshit? Why is this only 43 minutes long? Is the sound like Pinkerton? Blue album?
These were things I wouldn't know without going to the record store and hoping they had the record in one of their listening stations, which was also a risk because you had to don headphones worn by the other fellow scumbags who didn't want to just buy an album.
In 1990, we were talking $20, and when you bought a new album, you may have heard 2 of the songs on the radio, if you were lucky. Someone had to at least try to help us.
But in 2016, it takes less time to look up a couple songs online and then make a purchase informed by the ultimate decider, personal taste.
Anyway, Doomboy. A book that hinges quite a bit on the sound of doom metal, and a book that has a lot to do with being awesome on the guitar, but I just can't "hear" it. And in a book where the sonic qualities are so important to the arc, the reading experience is a little flat.
March 8, 2015
Sometimes music is the only thing that helps you get through the day. For D, the longhaired metal kid from Tony Sandoval's Doomkid, music is the outlet to vent his emotions. All his anger and despair over the death of his girlfriend pours out from his guitar as the wind howls and the waves crash onto his sordid existence. Put on some Omega Massif and start reading.
While at the core a slice-of-life story, Doomboy's real talent lies in the vivid descriptions of D's guitar sessions: Sandoval's gritty drawings make place for beautifully rendered vikings and etherial swirls of wind and dust. There are envious ex-bandmembers, girls selling stars, the Green Room of Doom, gay Doom guys, vomit and beer: What more could you want?
Sandoval's style is somewhat unique: He doesn't strive for excessive realism and some of the panels seem too rushed, but at the important points he tends to abandon the usual ink and photoshop illustrative style for swirly watercolour paintings that makes you gasp. To be honest, I loved the art more than the actual story. I can relate to what D goes through: While no one died in my life, I used music as an outlet to get away and deal with problems I had. There is solace in music, especially Doom Metal and its derivatives (I prefer Post-Rock): Massive walls of sound, reverberating guitars, no human voices to take you out of the immersion. This is important: Sometimes you just need your time to get over the shit you have to deal with. It took D fifteen sessions to be ready to move on, and his sessions made him famous. Without true emotions, music tends to stay pale and superficial.
I think that Doomboy has some strong points, especially the art style and the guitar scenes. The story, on the other hand, skips around a lot, which makes it hard to follow. In the end, I liked it for what it is: A well-crafted comic.
(I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.)
While at the core a slice-of-life story, Doomboy's real talent lies in the vivid descriptions of D's guitar sessions: Sandoval's gritty drawings make place for beautifully rendered vikings and etherial swirls of wind and dust. There are envious ex-bandmembers, girls selling stars, the Green Room of Doom, gay Doom guys, vomit and beer: What more could you want?
Sandoval's style is somewhat unique: He doesn't strive for excessive realism and some of the panels seem too rushed, but at the important points he tends to abandon the usual ink and photoshop illustrative style for swirly watercolour paintings that makes you gasp. To be honest, I loved the art more than the actual story. I can relate to what D goes through: While no one died in my life, I used music as an outlet to get away and deal with problems I had. There is solace in music, especially Doom Metal and its derivatives (I prefer Post-Rock): Massive walls of sound, reverberating guitars, no human voices to take you out of the immersion. This is important: Sometimes you just need your time to get over the shit you have to deal with. It took D fifteen sessions to be ready to move on, and his sessions made him famous. Without true emotions, music tends to stay pale and superficial.
I think that Doomboy has some strong points, especially the art style and the guitar scenes. The story, on the other hand, skips around a lot, which makes it hard to follow. In the end, I liked it for what it is: A well-crafted comic.
(I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.)
October 5, 2014
(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)
Doomboy is the story of a young heavy metal fan who uses his love of music and guitar to soothe the feeling of loss after his girlfriend, Annie, dies. He plays his music on the beach and broadcasts it to the world in the hope that she hears him. Little does he know that the whole town hears it and he quickly becomes a legend.
This book starts off in quite a confusing fashion: lots of similar looking characters - talking to no one in particular - and there is no real flow to the story. After a few pages, though, the storyline clears itself and and the reader becomes aware of the distinct main characters and their places in the story.
This biggest selling point of this book is the artwork. The panels are fairly spare with their colours and dialogue but some of the double page spreads are simply breath-taking. The characters themselves are a good blend of realistic and hyper-exaggerated. Large heads, extremely skinny bodies and yes that express every single emotion mixed with cute little button noses and long blonde bangs. Each character ends up having a characteristic of their own that makes them easily identifiable, even when there is no dialogue.
This book was more of a 3.5 stars - but the messy beginning and sometimes confusing story couldn't muster up 4 stars.
Paul
ARH
Doomboy is the story of a young heavy metal fan who uses his love of music and guitar to soothe the feeling of loss after his girlfriend, Annie, dies. He plays his music on the beach and broadcasts it to the world in the hope that she hears him. Little does he know that the whole town hears it and he quickly becomes a legend.
This book starts off in quite a confusing fashion: lots of similar looking characters - talking to no one in particular - and there is no real flow to the story. After a few pages, though, the storyline clears itself and and the reader becomes aware of the distinct main characters and their places in the story.
This biggest selling point of this book is the artwork. The panels are fairly spare with their colours and dialogue but some of the double page spreads are simply breath-taking. The characters themselves are a good blend of realistic and hyper-exaggerated. Large heads, extremely skinny bodies and yes that express every single emotion mixed with cute little button noses and long blonde bangs. Each character ends up having a characteristic of their own that makes them easily identifiable, even when there is no dialogue.
This book was more of a 3.5 stars - but the messy beginning and sometimes confusing story couldn't muster up 4 stars.
Paul
ARH
October 12, 2014
Received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is the story of a teenage boy. His girlfriend dies and he uses his music (heavy metal) to express his grief. What he doesn't know is that the whole town can hear him playing and he becomes a legend.
It takes you back to being a teenager, with all its teen angst, drama, friendship and rock music.
I found the artwork to be really good, and it fits the story really well. And at times it is downright beautiful. And it uses the images to tell the story just as much as with words.
The only issue I had with the artwork was that in the beginning I had trouble figuring out if some of the characters were male or female. Long haired heavy metal boys looked a lot like the girls, which lead to some confusion.
The story is good, it includes a lot of standard teenage issues as well as dealing with the loss of someone you love.
I did however have an issue with the beginning of the story. I found it confusing, I wasn't sure what was happening or what the story was about. There seemed to be a lot of characters, and it took me a while to figure out who they were and what was happening. I'm glad I kept reading though, as it gets a lot better, and well worth reading.
All in all a good read. The story is pretty average, but the artwork makes it worth your time!
This is the story of a teenage boy. His girlfriend dies and he uses his music (heavy metal) to express his grief. What he doesn't know is that the whole town can hear him playing and he becomes a legend.
It takes you back to being a teenager, with all its teen angst, drama, friendship and rock music.
I found the artwork to be really good, and it fits the story really well. And at times it is downright beautiful. And it uses the images to tell the story just as much as with words.
The only issue I had with the artwork was that in the beginning I had trouble figuring out if some of the characters were male or female. Long haired heavy metal boys looked a lot like the girls, which lead to some confusion.
The story is good, it includes a lot of standard teenage issues as well as dealing with the loss of someone you love.
I did however have an issue with the beginning of the story. I found it confusing, I wasn't sure what was happening or what the story was about. There seemed to be a lot of characters, and it took me a while to figure out who they were and what was happening. I'm glad I kept reading though, as it gets a lot better, and well worth reading.
All in all a good read. The story is pretty average, but the artwork makes it worth your time!
November 11, 2014
Warning the following review contains spoilers so continue on with caution.
I'D a.k.a Doomboy feels like there is a hole in him. His life will never be the same after the death of his girlfriend Annie. So in order to fill it he plays his guitar to the sky for her not realizing it is being picked up on radio air waves and that is music is touching all that can hear it.
The story its self is told with the combination of drawing and words. And they flow together great. I found the art work to be a little hard and rough around the edges but I think that was the point. This is a story of a guitar playing, metal loving kid who just got his heart ripped from him and his journey to find away to become whole again.
So graphic novel + metal I assumed it would equal awesomesauce but it didn't quite reach my expectations. That is not to say it wasn't good because I did enjoy it. Just not to the full extent as I though I would.
I was given an eARC for review via Netgalley.
I'D a.k.a Doomboy feels like there is a hole in him. His life will never be the same after the death of his girlfriend Annie. So in order to fill it he plays his guitar to the sky for her not realizing it is being picked up on radio air waves and that is music is touching all that can hear it.
The story its self is told with the combination of drawing and words. And they flow together great. I found the art work to be a little hard and rough around the edges but I think that was the point. This is a story of a guitar playing, metal loving kid who just got his heart ripped from him and his journey to find away to become whole again.
So graphic novel + metal I assumed it would equal awesomesauce but it didn't quite reach my expectations. That is not to say it wasn't good because I did enjoy it. Just not to the full extent as I though I would.
I was given an eARC for review via Netgalley.
January 30, 2015
this is the story of how a boy learnt to move on after the lost of a loved one through music. it is quite powerful drawn and portrayed, although the art is not one i would like in normal conditions, but i think it suits the story pretty well and made it very special. also the choice of colours being mostly cold tones is perfect for the heartbreak and the pain that is shown in the book.
at the beginning it is a bit confusing who is who without shapes to differentiate between girls and boys with the long hair and dark looks, but it gets clearer the more you read. there are parts that don't seem very important for the main plot, but in the end all merge and it is kind of adorable and sweet.
especially i'd like to mention the parts with the drawings of the thunderstorms and the representations of the music. they were beautiful.
at the beginning it is a bit confusing who is who without shapes to differentiate between girls and boys with the long hair and dark looks, but it gets clearer the more you read. there are parts that don't seem very important for the main plot, but in the end all merge and it is kind of adorable and sweet.
especially i'd like to mention the parts with the drawings of the thunderstorms and the representations of the music. they were beautiful.
October 29, 2014
I received a free digital copy of this book via NetGalley for review purposes.
Doomboy is a sadder, darker Scott Pilgrim. It follows the story of ID who, after losing his girlfriend, retreats to a shoreline where mysterious images appear in the sky. There, he decides to write a song for his girlfriend hoping for closure, but he gets more than he expected when his songs are broadcast on the wrong signal.
I found the art very good as it was in tune with the story that was being told. The story is short and sweet, so it is fairly quickly paced with no dull moments, however there were some things I wish could have been explained a little better. The story captures the angst, confusion, and fantasy of being a teenager. I will eagerly read Volume 2.
Doomboy is a sadder, darker Scott Pilgrim. It follows the story of ID who, after losing his girlfriend, retreats to a shoreline where mysterious images appear in the sky. There, he decides to write a song for his girlfriend hoping for closure, but he gets more than he expected when his songs are broadcast on the wrong signal.
I found the art very good as it was in tune with the story that was being told. The story is short and sweet, so it is fairly quickly paced with no dull moments, however there were some things I wish could have been explained a little better. The story captures the angst, confusion, and fantasy of being a teenager. I will eagerly read Volume 2.
October 27, 2014
This was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed the whimsical art too.
July 14, 2022
Ich glaube, so sehen sich viele Metaller. Etwas in sich gekehrt, ein wenig schüchtern und dennoch einem gewissen Ruhm des Außenseiters nicht abgeneigt. Natürlich inklusive der Portion Mut, um sich gegen unliebsame Mitmenschen zu wehren. Diese Geschichte packt genau dieses Szenario in die Hauptfigur von Doomboy.
Die Geschichte beginnt mit Trauer und Melancholie, als die Hauptfigur D nicht nur aus seiner Band geworfen wird, sondern er auch seine Freundin verliert. Quasi als Trauerbewältigung spielt er ihr in seiner Einsamkeit noch einige Abschiedssongs. Allerdings ohne zu wissen, dass seine über eine nicht mehr genutzte Radiofrequenz veröffentlichte Stücke nicht nur von seiner verblichenen Freundin gehört werden, sondern auch von vielen Metal-Fans der Stadt. Und offenbar spielt er nicht schlecht, wenn er seine (fiktive) Musikrichtung Doom-Metal an den Tag legt und avanciert zu einem „Underground-Star“.
In dieser Graphic Novel finden sich viele weitere Ideen und Eindrücke, wie die Gesamtsituation zu bewältigen ist, die nicht immer von dieser Welt sind, weshalb der Cross-Cult-Verlag dieses Buch auch dem Fantasy zuordnet. Eine Zuordnung, die ich durchaus teilen kann.
Der Zeichenstil ist sicherlich etwas gewöhnungsbedürftig, was nicht daran liegt, dass viel zu viele Haare zu sehen sind (das gehört sich einfach nur einen Metaller), sondern dass die Proportionen nicht passen. Die Köpfe sind zu groß und passen nicht zu den Körpern und die Münder sind ebenfalls zu groß und passen nicht zu den Köpfen. Zudem ist die Strichführung sehr eigensinnig und gewöhnungsbedürftig. Es dürfte sehr individuell sein, wie dieser Stil bei der Leserschaft ankommt.
Fazit
Diese Graphic Novel ist schwer einzuschätzen. Ich denke, dass viele, die dem Metal zugeneigt sind, etwas mit der Story anzufangen wissen. Ob dies auch für Nicht-Metaller gilt, ist in meinen Augen schwer einschätzbar. Ich empfehle eine Leseprobe, um wenigstens festzustellen, ob einem der Zeichenstil zusagt. Das wäre zumindest die halbe Miete. In Summe fand ich diese Graphic Novel gar nicht mal so verkehrt und spreche eine Empfehlung für sie aus.
Die Geschichte beginnt mit Trauer und Melancholie, als die Hauptfigur D nicht nur aus seiner Band geworfen wird, sondern er auch seine Freundin verliert. Quasi als Trauerbewältigung spielt er ihr in seiner Einsamkeit noch einige Abschiedssongs. Allerdings ohne zu wissen, dass seine über eine nicht mehr genutzte Radiofrequenz veröffentlichte Stücke nicht nur von seiner verblichenen Freundin gehört werden, sondern auch von vielen Metal-Fans der Stadt. Und offenbar spielt er nicht schlecht, wenn er seine (fiktive) Musikrichtung Doom-Metal an den Tag legt und avanciert zu einem „Underground-Star“.
In dieser Graphic Novel finden sich viele weitere Ideen und Eindrücke, wie die Gesamtsituation zu bewältigen ist, die nicht immer von dieser Welt sind, weshalb der Cross-Cult-Verlag dieses Buch auch dem Fantasy zuordnet. Eine Zuordnung, die ich durchaus teilen kann.
Der Zeichenstil ist sicherlich etwas gewöhnungsbedürftig, was nicht daran liegt, dass viel zu viele Haare zu sehen sind (das gehört sich einfach nur einen Metaller), sondern dass die Proportionen nicht passen. Die Köpfe sind zu groß und passen nicht zu den Körpern und die Münder sind ebenfalls zu groß und passen nicht zu den Köpfen. Zudem ist die Strichführung sehr eigensinnig und gewöhnungsbedürftig. Es dürfte sehr individuell sein, wie dieser Stil bei der Leserschaft ankommt.
Fazit
Diese Graphic Novel ist schwer einzuschätzen. Ich denke, dass viele, die dem Metal zugeneigt sind, etwas mit der Story anzufangen wissen. Ob dies auch für Nicht-Metaller gilt, ist in meinen Augen schwer einschätzbar. Ich empfehle eine Leseprobe, um wenigstens festzustellen, ob einem der Zeichenstil zusagt. Das wäre zumindest die halbe Miete. In Summe fand ich diese Graphic Novel gar nicht mal so verkehrt und spreche eine Empfehlung für sie aus.
April 13, 2020
This is the third book by Sandoval that I have read. Each has been strange in their own way, and each has had their own kind of horror. I had quite high expectations for "Doomboy" thinking that it would be more of the same. But, I have to say that I was a little disappointed.
Doomboy is a teenager who loses the girl that he loves. As a way of trying to grieve, he starts to play music from a cliff, directing his songs to the sky, and to Annie who is no longer with him. Unknown to him though, it is not only him and his friend who are listening to what he puts out there. Others come to hear his music, by being able to tune in on their radios. He then becomes a bit of a rock legend, all without his knowledge.
I think, for me, what made this tale slightly weaker than Sandoval's previous books was that, I think he missed a better examination of teenage grief. At the start of the tale, Doomboy finds that after the death of Annie, he has a hole which appears in the middle of his chest. He is told that if he talks about Annie, that the hole will get bigger and bigger. And so, he seemingly buries down his feelings and his pain. But it isn't really mentioned again. For me, this was really a gap in the story (excuse the pun). As always, Sandoval's illustrations are eerily strange, and often dreamlike, but I just felt that the feelings that Doomboy was going through could have been explored more fully, to make his tale feel a little more complete. Overall, for me, this was 3 and a half stars.
Doomboy is a teenager who loses the girl that he loves. As a way of trying to grieve, he starts to play music from a cliff, directing his songs to the sky, and to Annie who is no longer with him. Unknown to him though, it is not only him and his friend who are listening to what he puts out there. Others come to hear his music, by being able to tune in on their radios. He then becomes a bit of a rock legend, all without his knowledge.
I think, for me, what made this tale slightly weaker than Sandoval's previous books was that, I think he missed a better examination of teenage grief. At the start of the tale, Doomboy finds that after the death of Annie, he has a hole which appears in the middle of his chest. He is told that if he talks about Annie, that the hole will get bigger and bigger. And so, he seemingly buries down his feelings and his pain. But it isn't really mentioned again. For me, this was really a gap in the story (excuse the pun). As always, Sandoval's illustrations are eerily strange, and often dreamlike, but I just felt that the feelings that Doomboy was going through could have been explored more fully, to make his tale feel a little more complete. Overall, for me, this was 3 and a half stars.
May 1, 2023
On reconnait bien l'auteur de Nocturno et sa patte graphique "inimitable" (cet adjectif n'a plus aucun sens à l'heure de DALL-E). Les images de Doomboy sur la plage arrachant des notes à sa guitare pour transformer des nuages tourbillonnants en guerriers vikings et créer une scène de bataille titanesque dans le ciel sont superbes tout comme le "vol" de calamar géant.
Malheureusement l'histoire est encore plus faible ici. Des personnages clichés : un ado émo tourmenté comme héro, un homo refoulé, une clocharde qui vend des étoiles et s'enterre inexplicablement dans le sable, un ado méchant et ses potes débiles, une jolie fille sans personnalité. L'intrigue à base de travail de deuil, d'un gamin médiocre à la guitare que le deuil transforme subitement en génie ne m'a pas convaincu tout comme la présence d'une narratrice au rôle agaçant de pure exposition ou l'apologie constante de la virilité.
Hâte que ce dessinateur se trouve pas un scénariste talentueux, l'association promettrait.
Malheureusement l'histoire est encore plus faible ici. Des personnages clichés : un ado émo tourmenté comme héro, un homo refoulé, une clocharde qui vend des étoiles et s'enterre inexplicablement dans le sable, un ado méchant et ses potes débiles, une jolie fille sans personnalité. L'intrigue à base de travail de deuil, d'un gamin médiocre à la guitare que le deuil transforme subitement en génie ne m'a pas convaincu tout comme la présence d'une narratrice au rôle agaçant de pure exposition ou l'apologie constante de la virilité.
Hâte que ce dessinateur se trouve pas un scénariste talentueux, l'association promettrait.
December 18, 2017
L'on m'a affirmé que Doomboy faisait partie du courant réaliste, de ces BD qui nous illustrent la vie, tout bonnement. J'ai plutôt vécu des moments d'angoisses, de profonde méditation, d'empathie... Rien de ce à quoi je m'attendais. Non, je dirais que Doomboy évoque, nous fait ressentir l'invisible en même temps que la réalité défile sous nos yeux. Je dirais que Doomboy, c'est cette corde sensible que l'on tend à retrouver, à faire vibrer en nous, pour combler le trou envahissant dans notre poitrine. Je parle trop en métaphores? Attendez-vous à la même chose dans cette BD. Peut-être y trouverez-vous vous-aussi l'inspiration parmi ces personnages sombres, ou parmi cette ambiance ambiguë, que sais-je... Mais vous ne resterez pas indifférent au récit de D!
January 5, 2024
Che dire di Doomboy, lo capirete solo se come D avete un buco dentro. Lo capirete solo se ci sono giorni in cui solo la musica funziona, solo la musica può darvi la forza per indossare la maschera da umani e uscire nel mondo. Doomboy non è un fumetto facile, no non è che sia difficile da leggere, ma è come fare un patto col diavolo in un modo o nell'altro, nonostante le vostre migliori intenzioni vi ruberà un pezzo di anima... Certo vi darà qualcosa in cambio ma non c'è nessuna garanzia che sia quello che cercavate. Oggettivamente al di là di stronzate altisonanti ne vale davvero la pena, e se almeno una volta siete stati travolti dal dolore e vi siete sentiti soli, capirete di esserlo un po' meno.
September 25, 2022
Ich war einfach kein richtiges Publikum für diese Geschichte. Meine Stimmung war nicht genug melancholisch, ich höre kein Metal und würde mich allgemein nicht als großen Musikfan bezeichnen. Ich kann mich nicht mit einer Stilrichtung oder Musik allgemein komplett identifizieren. Ich bin auch kein großer Fan von der Art der melancholischen Romantik, mit der Tony Sandoval offensichtlich gerne arbeitet. Und obwohl ich die graphische Umsetzung immer noch mochte, fand ich es nicht so ansprechend wie bei Sandoval´s Wasserschlangen.
Im Großen und Ganzen war es also ganz nett, aber… es ist nur bei nett geblieben.
Geschichte: 3*
Illustrationen: 3*
Im Großen und Ganzen war es also ganz nett, aber… es ist nur bei nett geblieben.
Geschichte: 3*
Illustrationen: 3*
April 11, 2018
3.5/5 It's a good graphic novel, that while isn't exactly complex or brimming with tons of character development, it is an honest story that deals with how one response to grief, exploring one's sexuality and the mistakes that come with it, and just the sheer importance of using art as a form of expression in times of need. While not the best graphic novel I've come upon, but it definitely is something to at least pick up and try on some gray and dreary when there's nothing to do.
May 10, 2022
Je suis impressionné par la façon dont l'auteur est capable de transmettre tant de choses avec ses illustrations.
C'est une histoire pleine de magie, mais en même temps très réelle.
Une histoire d'amour, de rock et surtout de deuil.Ce duel qui laisse un trou dans l'estomac et qu'il est difficile de surmonter ou d'apprendre à vivre avec.
Je n'avais jamais ressenti de la musique à travers des illustrations, jamais.
C'est une histoire pleine de magie, mais en même temps très réelle.
Une histoire d'amour, de rock et surtout de deuil.Ce duel qui laisse un trou dans l'estomac et qu'il est difficile de surmonter ou d'apprendre à vivre avec.
Je n'avais jamais ressenti de la musique à travers des illustrations, jamais.
December 9, 2017
This was a little confusing to get into at first because it definitely does not slow walk you into who the characters are. The art style is very cool but some of the characters look pretty similar (also part of the issue with that is everyone seems to be pretty white). Plot in this is great and it touches on a lot of emotional issues very well.
December 17, 2022
V podstatě krátká povídka, která kombinuje unikátní grafický styl, tématiku hudebních sub kultur, umění a utrpení umělce se základními tématy lásky a ztráty a dává ne úplně konzistentní, ale velmi zábavnou a poetickou věc. Doporučeno, snad jen pro někoho může být bariéra cena, i při podrobném prohlížení mi to víc než 30 minut nezabralo.
July 27, 2019
The artwork was great, even atmospheric in places, but the story felt light and a little forced. I also think similar stories have been told in better ways, I Kill Giants for instance.
August 14, 2020
“Doomboy” by Tony Sandoval
Grim, dramatic, heart-breaking, beautiful, expressive.
“Annie … how is it possible that I can keep walking and breathing without exploding into tears with you gone?” (p41) ***
Grim, dramatic, heart-breaking, beautiful, expressive.
“Annie … how is it possible that I can keep walking and breathing without exploding into tears with you gone?” (p41) ***
October 21, 2021
So cute and full of emotion! Most characters have little back story and the handful of arcs explored remain unfinished, but that's okay! Because, the main part of the story is the feeling it invokes: first loves, lingering loss, the power of music, and figuring life out.
May 16, 2017
A tender read about grief and art. The structure was a little too scattered for my taste, but had some really wonderful elements.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews