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Kill My Mother
The Ghost Script
Hollywood is haunted. 1953. Ghosts abound. In particular, the ghost of Detective Sam Hannigan—murdered in Bay City twenty-two years earlier by Addie Perl, the hired assassin who then bought a Hollywood nightclub with her blood money. Among the nightclub’s favored clientele is Sam’s widow, Elsie. Blinded by a Japanese bullet while on a USO tour in the South Pacific, Elsie has been reinvented into “Miss Know-It-All,” a Hollywood gossip columnist. But blind Elsie is haunted by the ghost of her husband, Sam, who asks her accusingly: “If Miss Know-It-All knows so much, why can’t she find Cousin Joseph, the man who had me killed?”
Hollywood is haunted. Spooks abound. Agents Shoen and Kline, investigators for the House Un-American Activities Committee, manipulate the blacklisted, buxom, over-the-hill starlet-turned-hooker Lola Burns into working for them and naming the names she had once refused to betray.
Hollywood is haunted. Communist screenwriters Oz McCay and Faye Bloom are noisily plotting, boozing, and laughing their way toward their impending disaster.
Hollywood is haunted. As an inside joke, writer-director Annie Hannigan—Sam and Elsie’s daughter—comes up with the idea of a “Ghost Script” that may or may not exist but is rumored to expose the inside story of the Hollywood blacklist and the names of its undercover masterminds, most notably the reclusive philanthropist Lyman Murchison, a superpatriot with a dirty secret.
Hollywood is haunted. Stumbling his way through this maze is private eye Archie Goldman, a tough-talking, nebbishy good guy who’s never been in a fight he didn’t lose. Archie’s single aim is to live up to the memory of the ghost who haunts him: Detective Sam Hannigan. Trail along with Archie into the middle of this muddle, as he tracks the arc of history and finds that it has rounded itself off into a circular firing squad.
In this antic and brilliant assault on our past and present, Jules Feiffer shows us, once and for all, that if there’s one thing Americans hate, it’s learning from past mistakes. Every twenty years or so, a new generation must address new biases and injustices that are virtually identical to past biases and injustices. But who remembers? Exposing the tragically cyclical path of American history, Jules Feiffer pens the final installment to a noir masterpiece.
Hollywood is haunted. Spooks abound. Agents Shoen and Kline, investigators for the House Un-American Activities Committee, manipulate the blacklisted, buxom, over-the-hill starlet-turned-hooker Lola Burns into working for them and naming the names she had once refused to betray.
Hollywood is haunted. Communist screenwriters Oz McCay and Faye Bloom are noisily plotting, boozing, and laughing their way toward their impending disaster.
Hollywood is haunted. As an inside joke, writer-director Annie Hannigan—Sam and Elsie’s daughter—comes up with the idea of a “Ghost Script” that may or may not exist but is rumored to expose the inside story of the Hollywood blacklist and the names of its undercover masterminds, most notably the reclusive philanthropist Lyman Murchison, a superpatriot with a dirty secret.
Hollywood is haunted. Stumbling his way through this maze is private eye Archie Goldman, a tough-talking, nebbishy good guy who’s never been in a fight he didn’t lose. Archie’s single aim is to live up to the memory of the ghost who haunts him: Detective Sam Hannigan. Trail along with Archie into the middle of this muddle, as he tracks the arc of history and finds that it has rounded itself off into a circular firing squad.
In this antic and brilliant assault on our past and present, Jules Feiffer shows us, once and for all, that if there’s one thing Americans hate, it’s learning from past mistakes. Every twenty years or so, a new generation must address new biases and injustices that are virtually identical to past biases and injustices. But who remembers? Exposing the tragically cyclical path of American history, Jules Feiffer pens the final installment to a noir masterpiece.
160 pages, Hardcover
First published July 31, 2018
3 people are currently reading
990 people want to read
About the author
Jules Feiffer
140 books192 followersJules Feiffer was an American cartoonist, playwright, screenwriter, and author whose work left a significant imprint on American satire and cultural commentary. Emerging from the postwar era of newspaper comics, he first gained recognition through his long-running comic strip published in The Village Voice, where his loose, expressive line drawings and psychologically sharp dialogue captured the anxieties, contradictions, and social performances of contemporary life. Feiffer used humor to critique politics, relationships, and everyday neuroses, developing a voice that felt conversational, self-aware, and deeply engaged with the shifting cultural moods of the United States. His graphic style, which often emphasized gesture and tone over detailed renderings, was equally distinctive, and helped expand the visual vocabulary of editorial and literary cartooning. Beyond his cartoons, Feiffer became an accomplished writer for stage and screen; his play Little Murders offered a darkly comic exploration of violence and alienation in urban America, while his screenplay for Mike Nichols’s film Carnal Knowledge drew widespread attention for its unflinching examination of intimacy and desire. Feiffer also wrote children’s books, including the popular The Phantom Tollbooth, for which he provided the illustrations that helped establish the book’s imaginative visual identity. He demonstrated an enduring commitment to making art accessible, engaging with students and general audiences alike through teaching and public appearances, and continued producing work across multiple genres throughout his life. His comics and writings were often autobiographical in spirit, even when fictionalized, providing commentary on his experiences growing up in New York and moving through decades of cultural change. Feiffer received numerous honors for his contributions to American arts, including major awards recognizing his innovation in cartooning, his influence on graphic storytelling, and his impact on theater and film. His later work included longer-form graphic novels and personal memoirs, reflecting on childhood, family, and the evolution of his artistic voice. Feiffer remained an active and inquisitive creator well into his later years, consistently exploring new creative forms and responding to contemporary political and social issues. His legacy is seen in the work of generations of cartoonists and writers who drew inspiration from his willingness to bring emotional depth, social critique, and literary ambition to comics and satire. Feiffer’s work stands as a testament to the power of humor to illuminate the complexities of human behavior and the cultural forces that shape everyday life.
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August 17, 2018I read this awhile ago and decided not to give it a rating. I won an advance copy in a giveaway and this is the third in the series. I made the mistake in assuming that because this was a graphic novel it wouldn't be hard to follow if I hadn't read the previous novels. Unfortunately I just could never fully get into the story and felt lost most of the time.
I will say that it was cool the author incorporated the McCarthy era and the Hollywood blacklist into a graphic novel. The black and white illustrations were well done and just captured the 1950s style really well.
If I ever come across the first two books, I would love to revisit this one because the concept is unique.
I will say that it was cool the author incorporated the McCarthy era and the Hollywood blacklist into a graphic novel. The black and white illustrations were well done and just captured the 1950s style really well.
If I ever come across the first two books, I would love to revisit this one because the concept is unique.
March 4, 2022
Found this even murkier and more confusing that the previous two volumes. Unable to tell characters apart and, for some reason, unable to keep the many story lines in my head. Graphic novels just don't seem to infiltrate my consciousness in quite the same way that prose does.
So, murky and confusing. I liked the Hollywood blacklist elements, and the talk about communism—who today even knows what a Trotskyite believes? The politics were interesting, and the layers of deceit. However, it was a chore to read, a chore to finish, and having just finished it I can't tell you anything about it. Who was the screenwriter who "fronted" for herself?
Picked this volume up first, then discovered it was part 3 of a trilogy. That was how this whole thing started for me. Perhaps I'm just grumpy, but I do notice a steep decline in readership for this trilogy.
So, murky and confusing. I liked the Hollywood blacklist elements, and the talk about communism—who today even knows what a Trotskyite believes? The politics were interesting, and the layers of deceit. However, it was a chore to read, a chore to finish, and having just finished it I can't tell you anything about it. Who was the screenwriter who "fronted" for herself?
Picked this volume up first, then discovered it was part 3 of a trilogy. That was how this whole thing started for me. Perhaps I'm just grumpy, but I do notice a steep decline in readership for this trilogy.
September 27, 2018
I put this on hold after cataloging it mostly because it's Jules Feiffer but also because it seemed interesting.
I have loved Feiffer's work since I was a little kid. I couldn't differentiate between him and Quentin Blake because to my untrained child eyes, their drawings looked the same ergo, the two artists were the same person. As a result, both are responsible for many of my favorite childhood stories. My favorite Feiffer story, Bark, George, didn't show up until I was an adult who could, by then, see the differences in Feiffer's and Blake's styles but that didn't keep me from loving it like I would have had I read it when I was five.
The point being is that I am so enamoured with Feiffer's work, I checked this out without knowing anything about it.
This is the third installment of a trilogy.
I am happy to announce, however, that it's fine as a stand-alone which is how I read it because I didn't know anything about it, like that it was the final book of three. I sensed I was missing out on some backstory but that didn't hinder my understanding of the plot and characters in this book.
It starts in the early 1950's with an investigator getting beaten up by a mob. Hollywood is promoting fear of communism, people are going missing or are showing up dead, rich assholes are taking advantage of the situation, and rebel writers are gaming the system. Some people fall into line, some fight, and others play both sides. It's politics in the entertainment industry and while it would have seemed so silly just four years ago - like how did this ever happen in the first place? - everything now hits a little too close to home.
As usual, Feiffer's messy line drawings are not pretty at all but every character displays an incredible depth and breadth of emotions; you have to read the body language as much as the words to get the full story. This guy is just so good at illustrating feelings, moments, and the surrounding ambiance.
I have loved Feiffer's work since I was a little kid. I couldn't differentiate between him and Quentin Blake because to my untrained child eyes, their drawings looked the same ergo, the two artists were the same person. As a result, both are responsible for many of my favorite childhood stories. My favorite Feiffer story, Bark, George, didn't show up until I was an adult who could, by then, see the differences in Feiffer's and Blake's styles but that didn't keep me from loving it like I would have had I read it when I was five.
The point being is that I am so enamoured with Feiffer's work, I checked this out without knowing anything about it.
This is the third installment of a trilogy.
I am happy to announce, however, that it's fine as a stand-alone which is how I read it because I didn't know anything about it, like that it was the final book of three. I sensed I was missing out on some backstory but that didn't hinder my understanding of the plot and characters in this book.
It starts in the early 1950's with an investigator getting beaten up by a mob. Hollywood is promoting fear of communism, people are going missing or are showing up dead, rich assholes are taking advantage of the situation, and rebel writers are gaming the system. Some people fall into line, some fight, and others play both sides. It's politics in the entertainment industry and while it would have seemed so silly just four years ago - like how did this ever happen in the first place? - everything now hits a little too close to home.
As usual, Feiffer's messy line drawings are not pretty at all but every character displays an incredible depth and breadth of emotions; you have to read the body language as much as the words to get the full story. This guy is just so good at illustrating feelings, moments, and the surrounding ambiance.
September 8, 2018
And so we come to the final volume of Feiffer’s noir trilogy. Set during the Hollywood blacklist, the titular script is a screenplay rumored to name names, revealing all the secrets about the movers and shakers who decide who works and who doesn't in the movie business. Supposedly, if the truth gets out, the general public will boycott the motion picture industry in droves. Into this mix, we throw Archie Goldman, a private detective who gets beaten up a lot, O.Z. McCay and Faye Bloom, communist screenwriters who have no idea what they’re in for … Elsie is back, blinded by a sniper’s bullet on a USO tour, she now does a Hollywood gossip program on the radio as “Miss Know-It-All,” and still yearns to find her husband's killer.
While this book can be read on its own, it brings together characters and plot points from both Kill My Mother and Cousin Joseph. Things will be spoiled for you if you start with this book.
This is possibly my favorite book of the trilogy. Feiffer is in rare form, and both story and art shine like never before. I would still dispute his characterization of this series as “noir.” I notice that, in his introduction, he says that it was inspired by classic noir, which is a better description. He also mentions Will Eisner as an influence, which fits as well.
The dialogue really sparkles. Feiffer has had such a long and varied career that I’d almost forgotten he lists playwright among his many accomplishments. But what is stage drama if not the revelation of character through dialogue? Chapter 55 is a particularly good example of this. Archie and Lola engage in post-coital banter and it's just perfect, particularly the way her mood shifts throughout the bottom panels of the first page of the chapter. Highly recommended!
While this book can be read on its own, it brings together characters and plot points from both Kill My Mother and Cousin Joseph. Things will be spoiled for you if you start with this book.
This is possibly my favorite book of the trilogy. Feiffer is in rare form, and both story and art shine like never before. I would still dispute his characterization of this series as “noir.” I notice that, in his introduction, he says that it was inspired by classic noir, which is a better description. He also mentions Will Eisner as an influence, which fits as well.
The dialogue really sparkles. Feiffer has had such a long and varied career that I’d almost forgotten he lists playwright among his many accomplishments. But what is stage drama if not the revelation of character through dialogue? Chapter 55 is a particularly good example of this. Archie and Lola engage in post-coital banter and it's just perfect, particularly the way her mood shifts throughout the bottom panels of the first page of the chapter. Highly recommended!
March 24, 2019
The final part of the Kill My Mother trilogy, The Ghost Script mashes up noir with the 1950s Red Scare that engulfed Hollywood. The book requires that readers come into the story with some knowledge of history, and even knowing details of the hunt for communists, The Ghost Script can’t redeem this series. Too many characters – most of whom are not especially memorable – crowd the pages, and the narrative is not the sharp commentary on witch hunts and ignoring the lessons of history that it thinks it is. Not recommended.
July 1, 2018
***THIS BOOK WAS RECEIVED FROM A GOODREADS GIVEAWAY***
When I received this book in the mail, I opened it up and was suddenly surprised. First, I suppose I didn’t realize this was the third book in a series. Second, I thought the rough sketching of the cover was an aesthetic choice, but it seemed to permeate the entirety of this graphic novel. Since these first impressions took me for a loop, I had to warm up to the idea of this book before I sat down to read it. Even despite my initial misgivings, The Ghost Script is an enjoyable and quick read with a visual style that somehow works, even despite its “rough” characteristics.
Part of me almost wished the book was a little longer, but I suppose if I read all three pieces together, I’d get the length of a book I usually look for in a graphic novel. As it was, I sat down and cranked through this book in a little over an hour. At the very least, the action and intrigue made me keep reading, and seeing how close I was to the end made me finish in a single sitting. Even without the background of the two previous books in this trilogy, I was able to quickly comprehend what was happening and why the characters acted the way they did.
While the visual style almost seems like a first draft that would be polished later, the “roughness” of the illustrations actually kind of work for the noir setting. The subtle gray shadings and loose line drawings convey all the information they need to. No more. No less. There’s almost a natural talent in creating “messy” drawings that still succinctly get the point across at a glance. Perhaps because I wasn’t focused on super-detailed illustrations, I was pulled into the story more. I could also enjoy the art at a glance, which made reading it that much faster as well.
A quick read about a “messy” Hollywood noir, I give The Ghost Script 4.0 stars out of 5.
For more reviews of books and movies like this, please visit www.benjamin-m-weilert.com
When I received this book in the mail, I opened it up and was suddenly surprised. First, I suppose I didn’t realize this was the third book in a series. Second, I thought the rough sketching of the cover was an aesthetic choice, but it seemed to permeate the entirety of this graphic novel. Since these first impressions took me for a loop, I had to warm up to the idea of this book before I sat down to read it. Even despite my initial misgivings, The Ghost Script is an enjoyable and quick read with a visual style that somehow works, even despite its “rough” characteristics.
Part of me almost wished the book was a little longer, but I suppose if I read all three pieces together, I’d get the length of a book I usually look for in a graphic novel. As it was, I sat down and cranked through this book in a little over an hour. At the very least, the action and intrigue made me keep reading, and seeing how close I was to the end made me finish in a single sitting. Even without the background of the two previous books in this trilogy, I was able to quickly comprehend what was happening and why the characters acted the way they did.
While the visual style almost seems like a first draft that would be polished later, the “roughness” of the illustrations actually kind of work for the noir setting. The subtle gray shadings and loose line drawings convey all the information they need to. No more. No less. There’s almost a natural talent in creating “messy” drawings that still succinctly get the point across at a glance. Perhaps because I wasn’t focused on super-detailed illustrations, I was pulled into the story more. I could also enjoy the art at a glance, which made reading it that much faster as well.
A quick read about a “messy” Hollywood noir, I give The Ghost Script 4.0 stars out of 5.
For more reviews of books and movies like this, please visit www.benjamin-m-weilert.com
June 18, 2018
Oh my god.
I won "The Ghost Script" by Jules Feiffer in a good reads giveaway and my very excited opinion is honestly mine.
"The Ghost Script" is the third book in a trilogy. If I'd realized that I wouldn't have entered the contest, as I haven't read the first two and it can be hard to jump into a series partway through without knowing what's gone before. But I'm really glad that I entered the contest (and, of course, that I won). The noir-ish series covers the McCarthy era of anti-communism, the Red Scare, the blacklisting of folks in Hollywood and the politics of the time. There's right wing unions, left wing unions, communists, trotskyites, and young nazis.
The main protagonist is Archie Goldman, a private dick who is... not very glamorous and loses just about every fight he gets into, including fights with himself over what he should or shouldn't do. There's a cast of other PoV characters exploring different themes and adventures as well, including murder and revenge.
The book is very well paced and even though I was a bit lost at times because I hadn't read the previous two volumes, I was mostly able to follow along... a remarkable feat on Feiffer's part. The characters have very distinct voices, personalities, and motivations.
The art is very Feiffer-ian, at first glance nothing more than loose messy scribbles. A closer look shows just how familiar with the human body and body language he is, how good he is at composing scenes and conveying emotion and action. What look like toss-away rough drafts show a delicacy of facial expressions and meaning. It takes a lot of work and experience to capture such a loose line so effortlessly.
I raced through this book, eager for more, and can't wait to pick up the first two volumes. If you're a noir buff, a history buff, interested in American history, and/or interested in comics this is absolutely the book for you. I was very excited to read it.
I won "The Ghost Script" by Jules Feiffer in a good reads giveaway and my very excited opinion is honestly mine.
"The Ghost Script" is the third book in a trilogy. If I'd realized that I wouldn't have entered the contest, as I haven't read the first two and it can be hard to jump into a series partway through without knowing what's gone before. But I'm really glad that I entered the contest (and, of course, that I won). The noir-ish series covers the McCarthy era of anti-communism, the Red Scare, the blacklisting of folks in Hollywood and the politics of the time. There's right wing unions, left wing unions, communists, trotskyites, and young nazis.
The main protagonist is Archie Goldman, a private dick who is... not very glamorous and loses just about every fight he gets into, including fights with himself over what he should or shouldn't do. There's a cast of other PoV characters exploring different themes and adventures as well, including murder and revenge.
The book is very well paced and even though I was a bit lost at times because I hadn't read the previous two volumes, I was mostly able to follow along... a remarkable feat on Feiffer's part. The characters have very distinct voices, personalities, and motivations.
The art is very Feiffer-ian, at first glance nothing more than loose messy scribbles. A closer look shows just how familiar with the human body and body language he is, how good he is at composing scenes and conveying emotion and action. What look like toss-away rough drafts show a delicacy of facial expressions and meaning. It takes a lot of work and experience to capture such a loose line so effortlessly.
I raced through this book, eager for more, and can't wait to pick up the first two volumes. If you're a noir buff, a history buff, interested in American history, and/or interested in comics this is absolutely the book for you. I was very excited to read it.
April 4, 2019
Picked up this graphic novel at the library, because, hey. I likes the graphic novels.
Feiffer's style is and has always been idiosyncratic. Rough hewn and visceral, a little reminiscent of Rodin's Balzac. It works. His style befits the story, a dark noir tale set in blacklist-era LA. That story leaps from character to character, back and forth in time. It was, at first, a little disorienting.
What's happening now? Who are these people? But it didn't take long to settle in, after which I found it evocative and engaging.
A minor caveat or three...the text? It's not exactly the clearest of lettering. Rough hewn art? Fine. Rough hewn lettering? It doth not exactly help the process. Particularly if you need but have been putting off getting glasses. Which means that may be mostly on me.
And the end is...um. Really? You're going THERE? Huh. I mean, it works given the era, but seriously? After all of that gritty realism, THERE? Ah well. It's just one panel.
A three point five.
Feiffer's style is and has always been idiosyncratic. Rough hewn and visceral, a little reminiscent of Rodin's Balzac. It works. His style befits the story, a dark noir tale set in blacklist-era LA. That story leaps from character to character, back and forth in time. It was, at first, a little disorienting.
What's happening now? Who are these people? But it didn't take long to settle in, after which I found it evocative and engaging.
A minor caveat or three...the text? It's not exactly the clearest of lettering. Rough hewn art? Fine. Rough hewn lettering? It doth not exactly help the process. Particularly if you need but have been putting off getting glasses. Which means that may be mostly on me.
And the end is...um. Really? You're going THERE? Huh. I mean, it works given the era, but seriously? After all of that gritty realism, THERE? Ah well. It's just one panel.
A three point five.
August 2, 2018
The third in Feiffer's noir trilogy. Beginning with Kill My Mother, Feiffer began telling a tale of crime and the entertainment industry, eventually making his way through the 1930s and 1940s into the Cold War period and the blacklist. That's the subject matter of this most recent, and concluding, volume, the red scare of 1950s. The Ghost Script is a fascinating work that could stand on its own, but a knowledge of the previous two works is certainly preferable. As such, I went back to reread both Kill My Mother and Cousin Joseph, so as to refresh myself and set the premise. I interviewed Feiffer about this book on a recent episode of The Comics Alternative.
April 23, 2024
This book is brilliant!
April 30, 2022
THE GHOST SCRIPT concludes Jules Feiffer’s “noir trilogy,” which began with KILL MY MOTHER and continued with the prequel COUSIN JOSEPH. Now, it’s Hollywood, 1953. Elsie, arguably the lead character of KILL YOUR MOTHER, claims that she’s haunted by the ghost of her late husband Sam, who was arguably the lead character of COUSIN JOSEPH (We don’t actually see Sam’s ghost, so it’s up to the reader to decide whether Elsie’s haunting is “real.”). She believes that Sam wants her to find Cousin Joseph, the man responsible for his murder. Meanwhile, Archie Goldman, a child in COUSIN JOSEPH, is now an adult private eye approached by a mysterious would-be client named “Sox McMahon.” Who is Sox McMahan, and why does he look so familiar?. There is much, much more here, and blacklisted Hollywood writers, right wing union demonstrators, a liberal but cautious film producer, a dominatrix/prostitute who knows many secrets and the titular “ghost script” (purportedly an expose of the “real masterminds” behind Hollywood’s Red Scare) all figure into the narrative.
In my review of COUSIN JOSEPH, I noted that that books’ “gender” seemed to be male, while KILL MY MOTHER’s “gender” seemed to be female. I wondered if THE GHOST SCRIPT would provide a sort of “gender balance.” It’s certainly more “gender balanced” than the other two, but I don’t know that it reaches a complete center. While plenty of strong female characters play prominent roles, the main character (to the extent that any of the three books HAVE a main character) would seem to be Archie, the male detective.
Archie is an unlikely noir hero. He’s indecisive, berates himself and suffers abuse from others. Yet, he’s essentially a good person, something not true of many other characters in this book. You root for him, and you want him to solve the various mysteries.
Those mysteries are compelling, over all, and once again, Feiffer drew me in. I wasn’t completely sold on this trilogy when I finished KILL MY MOTHER. That book offered a similarly engaging story but despite some definite darkness, it conveyed a somewhat farcical tone. With COUSIN JOSEPH, however, the trilogy turned more hard hitting and more political, and I welcomed that change. THE GHOST SCRIPT is equally hard hitting (not that there isn’t some humor, as there is) and even more political, and proves a worthy denouement, drawing together characters and story threads from the two previous books in an impressive manner. On the down side, it doesn’t work equally well as a stand alone tale, as KILL MY MOTHER and COUSIN JOSEPH both do. I felt rewarded for sticking with Feiffer’s vision, however, and loved his insight and commentary on Hollywood’s blacklist era. Ultimately, THE GHOST SCRIPT proved my favorite of the trilogy.
Not everyone will feel this way. Some plot threads arguably resolved themselves too neatly, and one could argue that a few new characters seem relatively inconsequential to the plot and are included more for the aforementioned political commentary. The main controversial element, however, will likely be a final development at the very end. I will eschew spoilers, but some will hate this development and others will love it. I had to chew it over a bit myself but ended up loving it. In retrospect, I think that it fits as both a commentary and wrap up of this era of Hollywood history, and it will certainly make for some lively discussion.
I’ve praised the artwork in my reviews of the previous two books, and I’ll praise it here, as well. I still love Feiffer’s fluid characters and how expressive they are. Once again, I’ll note that I enjoyed how Feiffer plays with his page and panel layouts, showing characters dancing or driving through a page, using panel breaks to slow time, eschewing panel breaks to speed up time, etc. Fitting the noir theme, the art is virtually all black and white and often covered with a gray wash. In the case of THE GHOST SCRIPT, Feiffer does sparingly use color on a few odd occasions - such as to highlight one car on a busy street, the red outfit of dominatrix Lola Burns or the “fancy sox” of Sox McMahon. I will say that there seemed to be fewer standout, jaw dropping pages as in KILL MY MOTHER, or, especially, COUSIN JOSEPH, but what Feiffer delivers visually is darn good, nonetheless.
I definitely recommend Feiffer’s “noir trilogy,” and I’d like to read it again some day. I seldom re-read books anymore, but I feel that these three will merit that attention. Some works just deserve to be “soaked in.”
In my review of COUSIN JOSEPH, I noted that that books’ “gender” seemed to be male, while KILL MY MOTHER’s “gender” seemed to be female. I wondered if THE GHOST SCRIPT would provide a sort of “gender balance.” It’s certainly more “gender balanced” than the other two, but I don’t know that it reaches a complete center. While plenty of strong female characters play prominent roles, the main character (to the extent that any of the three books HAVE a main character) would seem to be Archie, the male detective.
Archie is an unlikely noir hero. He’s indecisive, berates himself and suffers abuse from others. Yet, he’s essentially a good person, something not true of many other characters in this book. You root for him, and you want him to solve the various mysteries.
Those mysteries are compelling, over all, and once again, Feiffer drew me in. I wasn’t completely sold on this trilogy when I finished KILL MY MOTHER. That book offered a similarly engaging story but despite some definite darkness, it conveyed a somewhat farcical tone. With COUSIN JOSEPH, however, the trilogy turned more hard hitting and more political, and I welcomed that change. THE GHOST SCRIPT is equally hard hitting (not that there isn’t some humor, as there is) and even more political, and proves a worthy denouement, drawing together characters and story threads from the two previous books in an impressive manner. On the down side, it doesn’t work equally well as a stand alone tale, as KILL MY MOTHER and COUSIN JOSEPH both do. I felt rewarded for sticking with Feiffer’s vision, however, and loved his insight and commentary on Hollywood’s blacklist era. Ultimately, THE GHOST SCRIPT proved my favorite of the trilogy.
Not everyone will feel this way. Some plot threads arguably resolved themselves too neatly, and one could argue that a few new characters seem relatively inconsequential to the plot and are included more for the aforementioned political commentary. The main controversial element, however, will likely be a final development at the very end. I will eschew spoilers, but some will hate this development and others will love it. I had to chew it over a bit myself but ended up loving it. In retrospect, I think that it fits as both a commentary and wrap up of this era of Hollywood history, and it will certainly make for some lively discussion.
I’ve praised the artwork in my reviews of the previous two books, and I’ll praise it here, as well. I still love Feiffer’s fluid characters and how expressive they are. Once again, I’ll note that I enjoyed how Feiffer plays with his page and panel layouts, showing characters dancing or driving through a page, using panel breaks to slow time, eschewing panel breaks to speed up time, etc. Fitting the noir theme, the art is virtually all black and white and often covered with a gray wash. In the case of THE GHOST SCRIPT, Feiffer does sparingly use color on a few odd occasions - such as to highlight one car on a busy street, the red outfit of dominatrix Lola Burns or the “fancy sox” of Sox McMahon. I will say that there seemed to be fewer standout, jaw dropping pages as in KILL MY MOTHER, or, especially, COUSIN JOSEPH, but what Feiffer delivers visually is darn good, nonetheless.
I definitely recommend Feiffer’s “noir trilogy,” and I’d like to read it again some day. I seldom re-read books anymore, but I feel that these three will merit that attention. Some works just deserve to be “soaked in.”
January 19, 2020
We are fortunate indeed that Jules Feiffer, now in his late 80s, has turned his hand to noir. His take isn’t cops-and-robbers, it’s Reds and corporate goons, in the entertainment industry in New York and Hollywood. His loose but evocative drawing style makes each character instantly recognizable, as their family ties and associations create fault lines they must cross, with violent results.
These graphic novels are adult matter – not just sex, the original “adult theme,” but politics, calculated violence, difficult choices, art, and the struggle to get by. Kill My Mother focuses on certain women: strong, gender-bending, resourceful. Along with them, we meet the rest of our cast, who will develop through the series, through the decades.
Cousin Joseph is a hit-man with many shady associations. He seems untouchable, knows everyone and what they’re doing and to whom they owe fealty and favors. He’s a tough guy’s tough guy, remorseless and relentless. The fact that he’s “cousin” Joseph suggests the depth of his hold on those he manipulates – he calls in favors you would only do for kin.
The Ghost Script is about blacklisted writers and performers. The writers make the point that Hollywood does buy their work, but at a steep discount because they’re “forbidden.” Some have the cynical strength to laugh at their situation, while anger and despair consume them.
The through-lines of revenge, disguise, and struggle are developed, and yes, converge at the finale for a noir-worthy ending. Feiffer paints them in many shades of reds – one character is a Trotskyite, deeply offended to be called a Communist because she hates them. Likewise, the socialists resist the Communist label, and trade-unionists, accused of being Commies, battle the corruption at the top in their organizations. Their sworn enemies are corporate big-wigs who hire goons – not just strike-breakers but thugs who track them in their daily lives, beating them up often and without mercy. These are not happy stories.
As he writes in his Acknowledgements at the end of The Ghost Script, Feiffer says: “But more than all the others, I owe this book to Kazan and Odets [two who testified before HUAC and named every name they could think of], who caused in me an undiluted rage, new to me in the 1950s, and almost as vivid today for the life-souring lessons they taught me about America, and political and personal betrayal.”
Where this series differs from most noir is that Feiffer tracks all the ugliness back to political roots. Unlike the fiction we enjoy on film, of Everyman characters who take a step off the straight-and-narrow only to find themselves swept into a maelstrom of increasingly ugly crimes and nasty customers, these stories, while fictionalized, are true about the America we’d rather not see. Where our film noir protagonists blunder into a house of horrors, Feiffer’s were targeted, forced there, and escape only in death.
If your interest in noir goes beyond entertainment, these books will open your eyes, and disturb you.
These graphic novels are adult matter – not just sex, the original “adult theme,” but politics, calculated violence, difficult choices, art, and the struggle to get by. Kill My Mother focuses on certain women: strong, gender-bending, resourceful. Along with them, we meet the rest of our cast, who will develop through the series, through the decades.
Cousin Joseph is a hit-man with many shady associations. He seems untouchable, knows everyone and what they’re doing and to whom they owe fealty and favors. He’s a tough guy’s tough guy, remorseless and relentless. The fact that he’s “cousin” Joseph suggests the depth of his hold on those he manipulates – he calls in favors you would only do for kin.
The Ghost Script is about blacklisted writers and performers. The writers make the point that Hollywood does buy their work, but at a steep discount because they’re “forbidden.” Some have the cynical strength to laugh at their situation, while anger and despair consume them.
The through-lines of revenge, disguise, and struggle are developed, and yes, converge at the finale for a noir-worthy ending. Feiffer paints them in many shades of reds – one character is a Trotskyite, deeply offended to be called a Communist because she hates them. Likewise, the socialists resist the Communist label, and trade-unionists, accused of being Commies, battle the corruption at the top in their organizations. Their sworn enemies are corporate big-wigs who hire goons – not just strike-breakers but thugs who track them in their daily lives, beating them up often and without mercy. These are not happy stories.
As he writes in his Acknowledgements at the end of The Ghost Script, Feiffer says: “But more than all the others, I owe this book to Kazan and Odets [two who testified before HUAC and named every name they could think of], who caused in me an undiluted rage, new to me in the 1950s, and almost as vivid today for the life-souring lessons they taught me about America, and political and personal betrayal.”
Where this series differs from most noir is that Feiffer tracks all the ugliness back to political roots. Unlike the fiction we enjoy on film, of Everyman characters who take a step off the straight-and-narrow only to find themselves swept into a maelstrom of increasingly ugly crimes and nasty customers, these stories, while fictionalized, are true about the America we’d rather not see. Where our film noir protagonists blunder into a house of horrors, Feiffer’s were targeted, forced there, and escape only in death.
If your interest in noir goes beyond entertainment, these books will open your eyes, and disturb you.
September 9, 2022
Interesting. A clever look at the Blacklist in Hollywood, and the House Committee on Un-American activities. A myth about a Ghost Book that reveals the ugly secret of it all. As interesting as all that is, I read the first two books, and feel a little cheated when I read the book and find some of the exact same material, same lines, same illustrations that I already know from the previous books, unnecessarily included into this title, when the newer illustrations would have made the same point without repeating previous parts of the story. Yes, I know this is done in movies, but with a book, it seems like padding, more so than movies that use dream sequences and such gimmicks. However, in previous reviews, I praised Mr. Feiffer for his work, and I do admire it still. But, I like to say what I think.
May 8, 2021
The third in a series of graphic novels. Each follow on from the other & it is important to read the other two to get this one.
Set largely in the 1950s America it is a dark story of betrayal, of standing up to oppression and characters finding their true worth.
For me the main attraction is Jules Feiffer’s illustration.
The plot can be a jumpy & hard to follow but it has the wackiness of Feiffer’s earlier cartoons & the acute observation he brings to human behaviour.
Set largely in the 1950s America it is a dark story of betrayal, of standing up to oppression and characters finding their true worth.
For me the main attraction is Jules Feiffer’s illustration.
The plot can be a jumpy & hard to follow but it has the wackiness of Feiffer’s earlier cartoons & the acute observation he brings to human behaviour.
August 9, 2022
Well, that was a giant waste of time.
The art is poor, the story line is nearly non existent and the characters don’t feel real at all.
There Is nothing solid in this work. It was thrown together by someone who wanted to sound like they had an interest in this part of American history but they didn’t want to do a damn bit of research.
It reads like a fourth grade book report.
A murky, unintelligible, boring, rambling by an over valued author.
Skip.
The art is poor, the story line is nearly non existent and the characters don’t feel real at all.
There Is nothing solid in this work. It was thrown together by someone who wanted to sound like they had an interest in this part of American history but they didn’t want to do a damn bit of research.
It reads like a fourth grade book report.
A murky, unintelligible, boring, rambling by an over valued author.
Skip.
August 23, 2019
If you have read the first two graphic novels in this trilogy, Kill My Mother and Cousin Joseph, then you are ready to dive in to this concluding volume.
If you have not, then start the rollercoaster ride at the beginning. When you get to this volume, you will find it a very satisfying third act to this noir saga.
If you have not, then start the rollercoaster ride at the beginning. When you get to this volume, you will find it a very satisfying third act to this noir saga.
Read
December 5, 2022Dnf not My Thing at all mainly due to the artwork which my ocd brain hated. Dont get Me wrong, ben templesmith and mignols art are all time favs and I don’t need a tidy pen, but this is all over the place.
The historical premises are interesting but the story is v much not fluent
The historical premises are interesting but the story is v much not fluent
July 6, 2023
I will forever and always love Jules Feiffer and his illustrations. Overall, I really enjoyed this series. But like many others, I found this third installment to be a bit hard to follow and difficult to tell the characters apart.
February 20, 2025
I read the three out of order with the first two. I read the second and then the first.
Kill My Mother is the weakest, the other two are ok.
I just don’t enjoy comics or graphic novels. That’s my problem really I don’t know how to read them and I don’t like to read them.
Kill My Mother is the weakest, the other two are ok.
I just don’t enjoy comics or graphic novels. That’s my problem really I don’t know how to read them and I don’t like to read them.
October 17, 2018
A nice end to the trilogy. This one can be read as a stand-alone, but you would be best served by reading the first two beforehand.
February 26, 2019
It was OK. To me the narrative was all over the place.
April 16, 2019
This series of books was always a bit difficult to follow, but this chapter was particularly confusing. Some good ideas unfortunately muddled by the storytelling.
May 6, 2019
the greenhouse.
September 17, 2020
I remember reading Kill My Mother and enjoying it...I think... I needed to read the middle book in this trilogy? Will I? Nope!
May 29, 2021
Those who don't know history are destined to repeat it. Or however you want to say it. While the first of the three is the best, the combined story over the three was great.
May 15, 2024
Some clear elements of historical fiction …
January 10, 2019
I wanted to like this book much more than I did. Great art, cheesy plot (even by noir standards). Glad Feiffer is still working.
Read
July 2, 2018I win this book off Goodreads. The graphics are awesome. The book itself is a must see and read. I enjoyed it. Will read again many times Highly recommend.
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