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Elena
Web graphic novel about a larger than life love story.
ebook
Published November 27, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
February 25, 2018
OMG ... so creepy .. but I could not stop reading it ...
April 8, 2023
Webtoon sforna sempre delle chicche fuori dall'ordinario. Qui abbiamo un mystery/thriller a tinte horror dove la diversità, la stupidità e la crudeltà umane sono a livelli stratosferici. Vi è pure un sottile strato di poesia, difficile da conciliare con le brutture sopra elencate, ma cos'è l'essere umano, se non un agglomerato di tutto questo?
https://www.webtoons.com/en/horror/el...
https://www.webtoons.com/en/horror/el...
May 28, 2021
Elena is a work of GENIUS.
It is so beautiful. The kind of beauty that delivers stories of death and pain and violence, unabashed, passionate, and powerful.
There really are no more words to use to describe it.
JUST. READ. IT.
It is so beautiful. The kind of beauty that delivers stories of death and pain and violence, unabashed, passionate, and powerful.
There really are no more words to use to describe it.
JUST. READ. IT.
April 1, 2018
Edit:
Now that I'm a bit more coherent, I've come to realize the my true distaste for this ebook.
The story wasn't bad. It just probably wasn't for me.
Sure it can be classified as thriller and horror, it's one of those weird books, that are so very messed up, that thinking about it makes my stomach churn.
As a result this review is going to how long I can possibly stand writing and thinking about the novel before spewing my lunch into a toilet.
And go:
Jaramillo creates a tale of a man who has some serious family issues. In that he immortalizes his spouse(?) with a mask, and a ton of dead bodies. At the same time, there's also a coincidental case of a few kids who've been drained of their blood, and the culprit is no where to be found.
I wonder why.
The art for this novel was a little disconcerting. Obviously drawn to fit the theme it made the rotting corpses a little more revolting. No penalty points there.
The characters were also a bit creepy. The first character introduced clearly had some mental issues. And as the story went on, every character introduced was no better. It was kinda hard to like any of them too since they all seemed like such deplorable beings. (except the kid).
As for the story. Some of it I was able to guess as the story went along. For example, who drained thefour three kids, wasn't too hard to answer. At the same time, there were some parts where I kinda wanted more, or to see some other part of the characters so I could sympathize with them.
However, the only character that we saw some kind of saving light was for the creepy guy from chapter one, and he was beyond saving by the time we got to his backstory. (Though I did feel a little bad for him, and then I didn't after reading a few pages after).
What this book really boils down to is that: it wasn't for me. While I'm completely fine with gore, this ebook made any gory, at least slightly stomach-turning. And the story was a little too messed up for me.
-------------------------------
This has to be the weirdest webcomic that I have read. Everyone's a psychopath with a little bit of human in them.
Or they're a psychopath dressed in human skin.
Either way, this was some weird jazz and I don't think I will ever pick this webcomic up again.
Now that I'm a bit more coherent, I've come to realize the my true distaste for this ebook.
The story wasn't bad. It just probably wasn't for me.
Sure it can be classified as thriller and horror, it's one of those weird books, that are so very messed up, that thinking about it makes my stomach churn.
As a result this review is going to how long I can possibly stand writing and thinking about the novel before spewing my lunch into a toilet.
And go:
Jaramillo creates a tale of a man who has some serious family issues. In that he immortalizes his spouse(?) with a mask, and a ton of dead bodies. At the same time, there's also a coincidental case of a few kids who've been drained of their blood, and the culprit is no where to be found.
I wonder why.
The art for this novel was a little disconcerting. Obviously drawn to fit the theme it made the rotting corpses a little more revolting. No penalty points there.
The characters were also a bit creepy. The first character introduced clearly had some mental issues. And as the story went on, every character introduced was no better. It was kinda hard to like any of them too since they all seemed like such deplorable beings. (except the kid).
As for the story. Some of it I was able to guess as the story went along. For example, who drained the
However, the only character that we saw some kind of saving light was for the creepy guy from chapter one, and he was beyond saving by the time we got to his backstory. (Though I did feel a little bad for him, and then I didn't after reading a few pages after).
What this book really boils down to is that: it wasn't for me. While I'm completely fine with gore, this ebook made any gory, at least slightly stomach-turning. And the story was a little too messed up for me.
-------------------------------
This has to be the weirdest webcomic that I have read. Everyone's a psychopath with a little bit of human in them.
Or they're a psychopath dressed in human skin.
Either way, this was some weird jazz and I don't think I will ever pick this webcomic up again.
January 10, 2024
A man who has a warped conception of love is unable to form friendships with living people. Carl O'Malley is a man whose notion of love is disoriented. He is an all too caring husband, doing house chores, planning romantic dates with his wife but the thing his wife is actually a corpse. He could never connect to real people and make friends until Elena Dyer comes to rent his place.
Elena is a horror graphic novel by Jorge Jaramillo. It's disturbing to the core and quite frankly unsettling and nightmarish. However, it was engaging as I couldn't stop myself from reading the whole narrative in a single sitting. Perfect for a scary read. Jorge Jaramillo's 26 episodes webtoon is one that depicts horror and twisted storyline with an ingenious art style.
Three words to describe this webtoon comic : Dark, Unsettling and Queasy.
Elena is a horror graphic novel by Jorge Jaramillo. It's disturbing to the core and quite frankly unsettling and nightmarish. However, it was engaging as I couldn't stop myself from reading the whole narrative in a single sitting. Perfect for a scary read. Jorge Jaramillo's 26 episodes webtoon is one that depicts horror and twisted storyline with an ingenious art style.
Three words to describe this webtoon comic : Dark, Unsettling and Queasy.
February 26, 2021
The new graphic novel from Afterlight Comics; as this didn’t seem to be a more horror/supernatural like the other comics from this publisher, I was in two minds on whether to back this on Kickstarter.
But I did and I'm glad I did, because this was actually pretty good.
Carl O’ Malley keeps to himself. A loner, where his tenants who live the house next to his own, have never seen his wife and always want to get too close for Carl’s liking. Isolated since he was a young boy, coping with a disability and raised by an alcoholic abusive father, he has been desperate for love all throughout his life. But after a childhood prank, Carl’s idea of love and companionship became twisted, and it hasn’t got any better now as an adult. After his previous tenant ‘vanishes’, Carl’s new lodger is a young, beautiful woman, that seems to take a liking to Carl. But it seems that she’s hiding even darker secrets than Carl…
This was good, and it surprised me, because I didn’t expect it to be this good. It's a creepy thriller, with a few twists and surprises. The writing is very good; with all the characters really grabbing my attention. While the story has a couple of surprises, you can see where the story is heading, but I don’t feel that this diminishes it. Carl is both a sympathetic and uneasy character, and the story plays off these two aspects really well. The main secondary characters like Elena, the new neighbour and Rick, a determined detective, are not weakened characters and have big roles in the plot and are fleshed out characters.
The plot is two separate stories that by chance collide. There's Carl’s story that hits into Elena’s and they merge into one. Mixing childhood trauma of multiple characters, murder, grief and isolation, at times the book can get a bit depressing. The book, shoots between flashbacks of Carl’s life and events that are happening now. The story keeps a good pace, with no slow or boring sections. My only small criticism is . It's only a small thing but think it misses a beat to drive the end of the story.
The art has a unique style to it; it reminded me of the computer game Little Nightmare or for some reason Tim Burton. It seems to have a look of puppets or Claymation, which thinking back on it would suit the story well if this were intentional.
A good thriller with some nice plot twists and turns and with characters that are deep and fit really well into the story, I’d say this would be a recommend. I might describe this as a dark adult fairy-tale. For those looking for a graphic novel that's a bit different or a fan of dark, quirky, mysteries, you should perhaps give this a try.
But I did and I'm glad I did, because this was actually pretty good.
Carl O’ Malley keeps to himself. A loner, where his tenants who live the house next to his own, have never seen his wife and always want to get too close for Carl’s liking. Isolated since he was a young boy, coping with a disability and raised by an alcoholic abusive father, he has been desperate for love all throughout his life. But after a childhood prank, Carl’s idea of love and companionship became twisted, and it hasn’t got any better now as an adult. After his previous tenant ‘vanishes’, Carl’s new lodger is a young, beautiful woman, that seems to take a liking to Carl. But it seems that she’s hiding even darker secrets than Carl…
This was good, and it surprised me, because I didn’t expect it to be this good. It's a creepy thriller, with a few twists and surprises. The writing is very good; with all the characters really grabbing my attention. While the story has a couple of surprises, you can see where the story is heading, but I don’t feel that this diminishes it. Carl is both a sympathetic and uneasy character, and the story plays off these two aspects really well. The main secondary characters like Elena, the new neighbour and Rick, a determined detective, are not weakened characters and have big roles in the plot and are fleshed out characters.
The plot is two separate stories that by chance collide. There's Carl’s story that hits into Elena’s and they merge into one. Mixing childhood trauma of multiple characters, murder, grief and isolation, at times the book can get a bit depressing. The book, shoots between flashbacks of Carl’s life and events that are happening now. The story keeps a good pace, with no slow or boring sections. My only small criticism is . It's only a small thing but think it misses a beat to drive the end of the story.
The art has a unique style to it; it reminded me of the computer game Little Nightmare or for some reason Tim Burton. It seems to have a look of puppets or Claymation, which thinking back on it would suit the story well if this were intentional.
A good thriller with some nice plot twists and turns and with characters that are deep and fit really well into the story, I’d say this would be a recommend. I might describe this as a dark adult fairy-tale. For those looking for a graphic novel that's a bit different or a fan of dark, quirky, mysteries, you should perhaps give this a try.
July 26, 2021
”Instead of being the tale of a creepy necrophiliac, he represented the obscure fear we all have of getting old and dying alone.”
Weird, creepy and interesting. I’m very glad I gave it a go because this isn’t usually my jam!
Weird, creepy and interesting. I’m very glad I gave it a go because this isn’t usually my jam!
March 13, 2023
3.5
Fue medio triste. Me encantó el estilo de dibujo.
Fue medio triste. Me encantó el estilo de dibujo.
November 24, 2020
This was a good and quick read. I enjoyed the plot twist and I even did not find it predictable. Art is also great and fits the vibes of the story. I rated it 3 because I didn't love it and I didn't hate it. It was okay, just the middle of my rating system.
February 21, 2018
خیلی قشنگ بود
داستان و نقاشی حس خاصی داشت.
حتما بخونیدش
داستان و نقاشی حس خاصی داشت.
حتما بخونیدش
April 22, 2021
I read this all in one night when I was down with a bad cold and too stuffed up to sleep. It was graphic and weirdly charming. Heavily inspired by the story of Elena Hoyos and Carl Tanzler, it focuses on a twisted, lonely man's search for companionship and accidentally achieves something akin to redemption in the process.
May 27, 2021
i picked this one because 1) it was a completed webcomic (i've been having a hell of a time lately reading things that haven't been completed yet and having to WAIT FOR THE NEXT EPISODES) 2) the artwork was creepy and dark.
when i really think about it, i liked this one. just not as much as i've liked some of the others i've read.
i also figure that the author's first language is not english because there were multiple errors in the writing but i tried overlooking that because it was kind of a good story.
i think my favorite part was when Carl let the little boy go. it really shows that just because you have your own kind of hurt and sorrow doesn't mean you want to inflict that pain on others. sometimes, being in pain yourself can make you turn around and do the opposite for someone else. he saw this little boy was in trouble and knew he needed to do the right thing. Elena tricked this simple minded/traumatized man into believing he would have the thing he had always wanted: a family. and in realizing that she was nothing more than a monster herself, he found the strength to be kind.
i enjoyed reading this no matter how many stars i gave it.
when i really think about it, i liked this one. just not as much as i've liked some of the others i've read.
i also figure that the author's first language is not english because there were multiple errors in the writing but i tried overlooking that because it was kind of a good story.
i think my favorite part was when Carl let the little boy go. it really shows that just because you have your own kind of hurt and sorrow doesn't mean you want to inflict that pain on others. sometimes, being in pain yourself can make you turn around and do the opposite for someone else. he saw this little boy was in trouble and knew he needed to do the right thing. Elena tricked this simple minded/traumatized man into believing he would have the thing he had always wanted: a family. and in realizing that she was nothing more than a monster herself, he found the strength to be kind.
i enjoyed reading this no matter how many stars i gave it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 13, 2021
It was an interesting story with good art and I enjoyed reading it.
However I did feel a little uneasy about the conclusion. They were all messed up people but only Carl got any sort of redemption? He went from murdering psycho to protective parental figure too fast for me.
And that's nice and everything but he still killed innocent people.
The way these womens deaths were framed to me felt a little "well, they had it coming" and?
Margarth was just a child herself when it went down for her?
Being bullied isn't an excuse for murder.
And then he got rewarded in the after life? So what do I do with that?
It all felt a little mmmmmm women punishing? Idk, if it wasn't for that I probably would have liked it better
However I did feel a little uneasy about the conclusion. They were all messed up people but only Carl got any sort of redemption? He went from murdering psycho to protective parental figure too fast for me.
And that's nice and everything but he still killed innocent people.
The way these womens deaths were framed to me felt a little "well, they had it coming" and?
Margarth was just a child herself when it went down for her?
Being bullied isn't an excuse for murder.
And then he got rewarded in the after life? So what do I do with that?
It all felt a little mmmmmm women punishing? Idk, if it wasn't for that I probably would have liked it better
December 27, 2020
Aaah! I am so absolutely torn on this book that I feel compelled to write a review, which I don't normally do. First and foremost, this book is extremely creepy, which is a good thing if you like that sort of thing (I do). The artwork and the main character come together brilliantly to get under your skin. I really, really wanted to love this book because of that. However, I was left with so many unanswered plot questions. Combine that with impossible scenarios (e.g. a character choking to death while still spouting hatred), and I was left with a mixture of anger and confusion at end that I wasn't able to get over.
February 12, 2021
Fantásticos dibujos! La historia engancha. Trata yo creo un tema universal: el miedo al rechazo, a envejecer y a la soledad. Evidentemente esto no justifica a su protagonista, la historia es oscura pero finalmente me produjo sentimientos agridulces, quizás con tintes de compasión. Recomendada.
January 3, 2020
Wonderful art style and interesting concept! Let down only by poor grammar/spelling issues which broke the flow of it a little for me but aside from that I'd definitely recommend this graphic novel!
June 8, 2021
I read it because we have the same name lol.
I really enjoyed it. Creepy but it all made sense in the end. I feel bad for Carl.
I really enjoyed it. Creepy but it all made sense in the end. I feel bad for Carl.
November 5, 2022
3.25 stars
Elena is a short web-comic based on the unsettlingly true story of Dr Carl Tanzler and his beloved Elena Milagro.
Dr Tanzler was a German radiographer who, after falling in love with a much younger Elena not long before her death, constructs a life-sized doll out of her corpse in an attempt to be with her even after her demise, for he believed her to be the "exotic, dark-haired beauty" revealed to him in his dreams.
It's somewhat different in the web comic; Carl O' Malley, a recluse old landlord desperate for affection, fashions himself mannequin wives out of the corpses of the women he has killed. When the young and beautiful Elena Dyer moves into his property, he is determined to try and begin an actual relationship with her. But Elena Dyer is just as fucked up as Carl-if not more so- and with old cult conspiracies resurfacing and the local children begin dropping dead, Carl just might have to reconsider everything he thought he knew about this woman.
So, while the story was set to be very interesting, it was rather... flawed. The narrative shifts constantly between Carl's present, Carl's past and a police officer's (whose name I have already forgotten even though I finished the story just five minutes ago what the fuck is wrong with me) perspective with no prior warning, which made it all very confusing.
Characters that were believed to play a bigger role in the story (the creepy old lady in the abandoned home, Elena's dad, etc.) didn't really do that.
Elena didn't really feel fleshed out as a villain, Carl's personality 180 happened too quick, and the story overall felt too big to successfully cram into 26 episodes.
I did really like how Carl's desire for human affection was explored; how, as a kid, he tried to find it in living humans, and when that didn't work out, he turned to the dead. I also liked he was such a nice father figure to Elena's "son", and how symbolic the name "Elena" was in the story. This name is deeply woven into Carl's life, and I think that aspect tied really well with the real Carl's crazed connection with Elena.
I also think that this story will only be enjoyable for those who are already familiar with Tanzler and Milagro. I know that if I'd read it without any prior contextual knowledge, this story would have been a confusing mess.
All in all, this is some seriously fucked up shit, but it could have been done a whole lot better.
Elena is a short web-comic based on the unsettlingly true story of Dr Carl Tanzler and his beloved Elena Milagro.
Dr Tanzler was a German radiographer who, after falling in love with a much younger Elena not long before her death, constructs a life-sized doll out of her corpse in an attempt to be with her even after her demise, for he believed her to be the "exotic, dark-haired beauty" revealed to him in his dreams.
It's somewhat different in the web comic; Carl O' Malley, a recluse old landlord desperate for affection, fashions himself mannequin wives out of the corpses of the women he has killed. When the young and beautiful Elena Dyer moves into his property, he is determined to try and begin an actual relationship with her. But Elena Dyer is just as fucked up as Carl-if not more so- and with old cult conspiracies resurfacing and the local children begin dropping dead, Carl just might have to reconsider everything he thought he knew about this woman.
So, while the story was set to be very interesting, it was rather... flawed. The narrative shifts constantly between Carl's present, Carl's past and a police officer's (whose name I have already forgotten even though I finished the story just five minutes ago what the fuck is wrong with me) perspective with no prior warning, which made it all very confusing.
Characters that were believed to play a bigger role in the story (the creepy old lady in the abandoned home, Elena's dad, etc.) didn't really do that.
Elena didn't really feel fleshed out as a villain, Carl's personality 180 happened too quick, and the story overall felt too big to successfully cram into 26 episodes.
I did really like how Carl's desire for human affection was explored; how, as a kid, he tried to find it in living humans, and when that didn't work out, he turned to the dead. I also liked he was such a nice father figure to Elena's "son", and how symbolic the name "Elena" was in the story. This name is deeply woven into Carl's life, and I think that aspect tied really well with the real Carl's crazed connection with Elena.
I also think that this story will only be enjoyable for those who are already familiar with Tanzler and Milagro. I know that if I'd read it without any prior contextual knowledge, this story would have been a confusing mess.
All in all, this is some seriously fucked up shit, but it could have been done a whole lot better.
April 27, 2023
Welp, after setting myself up for such a high number of reads this year, I've managed to complete at least one book. I've been a bit lazy, a bit too attached to my phone and above all, too distracted and tired. It also didn't help the book I started the year with had no direction, then I started a long novel, which I enjoyed, but being sick derailed me, and then I started a book of short stories and one boring story got me, again, derailed.
But then two of my students recommended a comics website to me and although I didn't ended up reading the one they wanted me to read, I found this little number called "Elena", which grabbed my attention from the start.
"Elena" is a short, choral graphic novel, about several twisted minds that converge in their necessity of family and their inclination towards wickedness. I won't go into much details about the plot, but it was a fun, thrilling read, sometimes predictable, but always entertaining and the art work wonders to get you to feel the fear in your skin.
But then two of my students recommended a comics website to me and although I didn't ended up reading the one they wanted me to read, I found this little number called "Elena", which grabbed my attention from the start.
"Elena" is a short, choral graphic novel, about several twisted minds that converge in their necessity of family and their inclination towards wickedness. I won't go into much details about the plot, but it was a fun, thrilling read, sometimes predictable, but always entertaining and the art work wonders to get you to feel the fear in your skin.
March 26, 2020
¿Estuve a punto de no acabar Elena hoy porque ya estaba oscuro y me empezaba a dar "cosa"? Sí, en efecto.
Pero ahora que he acabado la historia, no sé qué escribir ...
Desde el comienzo el arte proyecta el sabor que tendrá la historia en su mayoría y la verdad es que los primeros 14 capítulos me impactaron bastante. Sin embargo los últimos me parecieron algo predecibles.
Lo que sí quiero recalcar es que el autor, como él mismo lo menciona, no se centró en "el mounstro" , se centró en la persona, en Carl y su humanidad, sus anhelos y deseos y cómo estos, por una u otra razón llegaron a dar con esta creativa historia.
A mí gusto me pareció corta y algo apresurada al final, pero cada página era una impresión diferente de los personajes.
Pero ahora que he acabado la historia, no sé qué escribir ...
Desde el comienzo el arte proyecta el sabor que tendrá la historia en su mayoría y la verdad es que los primeros 14 capítulos me impactaron bastante. Sin embargo los últimos me parecieron algo predecibles.
Lo que sí quiero recalcar es que el autor, como él mismo lo menciona, no se centró en "el mounstro" , se centró en la persona, en Carl y su humanidad, sus anhelos y deseos y cómo estos, por una u otra razón llegaron a dar con esta creativa historia.
A mí gusto me pareció corta y algo apresurada al final, pero cada página era una impresión diferente de los personajes.
May 29, 2022
The art and story reminded me of monster house. I grew up OBSESSED with it.
Carl wasn't purely evil. He was messed up yes and creepy and definitely a killer. But it wasn't him entirely, it was what people around him drove him to be. He just needed a family and to feel warmth he never got as a child.
the human brain is the most vurnable organ in our bodies, so when It may not be logical or reasoned this was a story about how fear of loneliness affects us and how it messes us deeply as children and as adults.
Carl wasn't purely evil. He was messed up yes and creepy and definitely a killer. But it wasn't him entirely, it was what people around him drove him to be. He just needed a family and to feel warmth he never got as a child.
the human brain is the most vurnable organ in our bodies, so when It may not be logical or reasoned this was a story about how fear of loneliness affects us and how it messes us deeply as children and as adults.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 19, 2021
La estética de lo aberrante. Así podría definir el trabajo de Jorge, siempre he admirado su forma particular de contar historias a partir de un imaginario inimaginable para muchos.
Puedo estar sesgado en esta calificación ya que lo conozco desde hace varios años, pero cuando me enteré que una editorial en Londres le dió impresión a su primera novela gráfica, no dude en pedir mi ejemplar.
Kudos kudos y kudos para Jorge.
Puedo estar sesgado en esta calificación ya que lo conozco desde hace varios años, pero cuando me enteré que una editorial en Londres le dió impresión a su primera novela gráfica, no dude en pedir mi ejemplar.
Kudos kudos y kudos para Jorge.
March 6, 2026
i liked it. the execution wasn't necessarily good, as most webtoons, but the story was surprising and the protagonist was interestingly kind of sympathetic by snapping out of his delusions and realizing he has a chance to do one good thing in his life before knockin the boots.
i guess the pacing is bad, not jst because of the minuscule chapters but the story kind of warranted a longer narrative, give more depth to elena and the cult and make the detective less of a generic plot device, idk.
i guess the pacing is bad, not jst because of the minuscule chapters but the story kind of warranted a longer narrative, give more depth to elena and the cult and make the detective less of a generic plot device, idk.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 6, 2020
i like the comic, it gives me creeps but i think the ending was rush??? and i think there were some inconsistencies in the story like the body not rotting and smelling and not stiff even though it has been 5 years since the person had died. ans what happened to the boyy?? what happened after they died?? what happened??
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 13, 2023
Piękna i jednocześnie straszna historia. Mam po niej pewien niedosyt, trochę wątków się nie wyjaśniło, pojawiły się pewnie nielogiczności i na koniec odniosłam wrażenie, że "czegoś mi brakuje", ale poza tym historia była cudowna. Pochłonęłam za jednym razem.
Btw, idealna na walentynki dla fanów horroru!
Btw, idealna na walentynki dla fanów horroru!
January 27, 2020
Engaging plotline, efficiently creepy illustrations, fully fleshed-out characters that are as endearing (sometimes) as they are repulsive (most of the time). Spooky, gripping, and, surprisingly, heart-warming.
June 22, 2018
more like this please
November 8, 2019
3.5 / 4 stars
June 25, 2021
Beautiful and horrible.
November 17, 2021
Finished it in one sitting. I couldn't stop reading it. <3
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews