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Barrier #1
Barrier
It's been a few months since the end of our first series, THE PRIVATE EYE and Brian, Marcos and Muntsa are back and proud to present the first issue of their newest effort, BARRIER! This unconventional drama about violence, language and illegal immigration is planned as a 5 part story. We hope you'll like it enough to help us get there!
As usual you can pick up this oversized 52 page comic-book for whatever price you want to pay at www.panelsyndicate.com.
As usual you can pick up this oversized 52 page comic-book for whatever price you want to pay at www.panelsyndicate.com.
53 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2015
About the author
Brian K. Vaughan
1,067 books14.2k followersBrian K. Vaughan is the writer and co-creator of comic-book series including SAGA, PAPER GIRLS, Y THE LAST MAN, RUNAWAYS, and most recently, BARRIER, a digital comic with artist Marcos Martin about immigration, available from their pay-what-you-want site www.PanelSyndicate.com
BKV's work has been recognized at the Eisner, Harvey, Hugo, Shuster, Eagle, and British Fantasy Awards. He sometimes writes for film and television in Los Angeles, where he lives with his family and their dogs Hamburger and Milkshake.
BKV's work has been recognized at the Eisner, Harvey, Hugo, Shuster, Eagle, and British Fantasy Awards. He sometimes writes for film and television in Los Angeles, where he lives with his family and their dogs Hamburger and Milkshake.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
December 2, 2015
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
WARNING: SPOILY BECAUSE I SUCK AT REVIEWING GRAPHIC NOVELS AND THIS ONE WAS PRETTY MUCH JUST A TEASER OF WHAT’S TO COME AND I’M AN OVERSHARER SO READ AT YOUR OWN RISK
We first meet Liddy out on the range in the sweltering Texas heat. It seems someone or something decided to leave her a little message . . .
But who was it? The mob? El chupacabra????
(Sidenote: If you have not yet partaken in the soon-to-be-classic Chupacabra vs. The Alamo, you don’t know what you’re missing)
Immigrants???
Or something even more nefarious????
Dun dun dunnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn.
Barrier then takes us to Honduras where we are introduced to Oscar. I no habla Español, so it’s probably a good thing this was a pitcherbook and I could still figure out what was going on. Stuff like Coyotes need to learn a little about acceptance . . .
and are selfish bastards who don’t even bother considering how amazing this guy would look next to Mitchell . . .
We get hints of Liddy’s past and that she’s willing to do anything in order to save her land.
Now, I’m no art aficionado, but I know what I like and I liked this okay. I especially appreciated the split screens showing what Liddy/Oscar were doing at various points in time. Spoiler alert: Oscar’s stuff went a lil’ sumthin’ like this . . .
(Do people seriously find him attractive? Really?????)
While Liddy’s was more like . . .
With a special surprise contained in one of the panels *wink*.
And then stuff and things happened and HOLY SHIT WHEN DOES THE NEXT ONE COME OUT BECAUSE I WILL SERIOUSLY JUST PULL A MOTHER-F’ING TINA BELCHER IF IT ISN’T SOON . . . .
This was really good. I have excite for future volumes. I’m also seriously digging Vaughan continually coming out with kickass female leads after taking flak and being labeled a sexist with Y. Suck it, haters!
Many thanks to my pal Sam for putting this little nugget on my radar. Go read his review and give him a “like” – he even shares the link for you to get yourself a copy : )
WARNING: SPOILY BECAUSE I SUCK AT REVIEWING GRAPHIC NOVELS AND THIS ONE WAS PRETTY MUCH JUST A TEASER OF WHAT’S TO COME AND I’M AN OVERSHARER SO READ AT YOUR OWN RISK
We first meet Liddy out on the range in the sweltering Texas heat. It seems someone or something decided to leave her a little message . . .
But who was it? The mob? El chupacabra????
(Sidenote: If you have not yet partaken in the soon-to-be-classic Chupacabra vs. The Alamo, you don’t know what you’re missing)
Immigrants???
Or something even more nefarious????
Dun dun dunnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn.
Barrier then takes us to Honduras where we are introduced to Oscar. I no habla Español, so it’s probably a good thing this was a pitcherbook and I could still figure out what was going on. Stuff like Coyotes need to learn a little about acceptance . . .
and are selfish bastards who don’t even bother considering how amazing this guy would look next to Mitchell . . .
We get hints of Liddy’s past and that she’s willing to do anything in order to save her land.
Now, I’m no art aficionado, but I know what I like and I liked this okay. I especially appreciated the split screens showing what Liddy/Oscar were doing at various points in time. Spoiler alert: Oscar’s stuff went a lil’ sumthin’ like this . . .
(Do people seriously find him attractive? Really?????)
While Liddy’s was more like . . .
With a special surprise contained in one of the panels *wink*.
And then stuff and things happened and HOLY SHIT WHEN DOES THE NEXT ONE COME OUT BECAUSE I WILL SERIOUSLY JUST PULL A MOTHER-F’ING TINA BELCHER IF IT ISN’T SOON . . . .
This was really good. I have excite for future volumes. I’m also seriously digging Vaughan continually coming out with kickass female leads after taking flak and being labeled a sexist with Y. Suck it, haters!
Many thanks to my pal Sam for putting this little nugget on my radar. Go read his review and give him a “like” – he even shares the link for you to get yourself a copy : )
December 11, 2018
Brian K. Vaughan for free!
This is a single comic book issue given in the Free Comic Book Day event of 2018, featuring the first part of a 5-part miniseries by none other than Brian K. Vaughan.
Creative Team:
Writer: Brian K. Vaughan
Illustrator: Marcos Martin
UNA INTRIGANTE HISTORIA
When you go to your local comic book store and you mee tan issue written by Brian K. Vaughan, author of Saga, you know that you have to pay attention to it.
This is the first part of an upcoming 5-part miniseries, and what I was happily amazed is that the story have latin americans on it, and they really talked in Spanish and there isn’t any translated support, so if you don’t know Spanish, well, you’ll need to look to the images to figure out what is going on, in that sections of the narrative, and even more happily amazed that the Spanish is properly used in a correct way.
There are two main characters…
Liddy, a young adult, owner of a ranch in Pharr, Texas.
And
Oscar, an illegal immigrant, originally from San Pedro Sula, Honduras.
Those two are destined to meet, and their lives won’t be the same anymore.
Since, Liddy’s ranch seemed to be a point of interest of powers far beyond of any barrier on Earth.
Smart writing, presented in an unusual (but smashing) landscape direction on the pages, you know that Barrier is something you’ll be delighted to read.
This is a single comic book issue given in the Free Comic Book Day event of 2018, featuring the first part of a 5-part miniseries by none other than Brian K. Vaughan.
Creative Team:
Writer: Brian K. Vaughan
Illustrator: Marcos Martin
UNA INTRIGANTE HISTORIA
When you go to your local comic book store and you mee tan issue written by Brian K. Vaughan, author of Saga, you know that you have to pay attention to it.
This is the first part of an upcoming 5-part miniseries, and what I was happily amazed is that the story have latin americans on it, and they really talked in Spanish and there isn’t any translated support, so if you don’t know Spanish, well, you’ll need to look to the images to figure out what is going on, in that sections of the narrative, and even more happily amazed that the Spanish is properly used in a correct way.
There are two main characters…
Liddy, a young adult, owner of a ranch in Pharr, Texas.
And
Oscar, an illegal immigrant, originally from San Pedro Sula, Honduras.
Those two are destined to meet, and their lives won’t be the same anymore.
Since, Liddy’s ranch seemed to be a point of interest of powers far beyond of any barrier on Earth.
Smart writing, presented in an unusual (but smashing) landscape direction on the pages, you know that Barrier is something you’ll be delighted to read.
December 28, 2015
The Panel Syndicate team behind The Private Eye – Brian K Vaughan, Marcos Martin and Muntsa Vicente – return for a great new digital comic: Barrier!
Texas cowgirl Liddy and her Mexican employee Balthazar find a horse’s head on her land, skinned of its hide and missing its eyeballs – is it a message from a Mexican drug cartel who’re using her land for deals, or something else...? On the other side of the border is Oscar, a young Mexican man, making the arduous journey of getting into the States illegally.
Vaughan’s script focuses on immigration issues as we see the culture of border control that exists in Texas from Liddy’s perspective, to the immense hardships numerous people like Oscar have to endure to make it to America. Interestingly, Vaughan chooses to further highlight this divide by having Liddy’s pages in English and Oscar’s in untranslated Spanish.
Martin’s artwork is as excellent as ever, switching from the wide open plains of rural Texas to the dramatic sequences of Oscar’s journey crammed full of desperate immigrants hoping for a better life stateside. It’s a credit to the artwork too that, if you don’t speak Spanish like me, you can still follow what’s happening in the story from the visuals alone. I also loved how the two storylines are brought together towards the end by slowly merging the panels and reducing the space between them.
Like The Private Eye, Barrier is perfectly designed for tablet screens with the pages laid out horizontally rather than vertically. Maybe it’s the electronic screen but Vicente’s colours look especially sharp and striking throughout.
I would’ve preferred if the Spanish was translated but otherwise this is another superb comic from Panel Syndicate - they’ve done it again! The issue effortlessly draws readers into Liddy and Oscar’s stories before taking the things to a jaw-dropping new level with that inspired ending.
As with all Panel Syndicate comics, this one’s only available on their site digitally and it’s pay what you want, meaning you can give the guys a few bucks for their efforts or download a copy for free. Given that The Private Eye was both a critical and commercial success for this team, their readership is good enough to reward quality comics justly – I expect Barrier will be no different!
Here’s the link to the comic (along with the rest of their wonderful catalogue):
http://panelsyndicate.com/
Texas cowgirl Liddy and her Mexican employee Balthazar find a horse’s head on her land, skinned of its hide and missing its eyeballs – is it a message from a Mexican drug cartel who’re using her land for deals, or something else...? On the other side of the border is Oscar, a young Mexican man, making the arduous journey of getting into the States illegally.
Vaughan’s script focuses on immigration issues as we see the culture of border control that exists in Texas from Liddy’s perspective, to the immense hardships numerous people like Oscar have to endure to make it to America. Interestingly, Vaughan chooses to further highlight this divide by having Liddy’s pages in English and Oscar’s in untranslated Spanish.
Martin’s artwork is as excellent as ever, switching from the wide open plains of rural Texas to the dramatic sequences of Oscar’s journey crammed full of desperate immigrants hoping for a better life stateside. It’s a credit to the artwork too that, if you don’t speak Spanish like me, you can still follow what’s happening in the story from the visuals alone. I also loved how the two storylines are brought together towards the end by slowly merging the panels and reducing the space between them.
Like The Private Eye, Barrier is perfectly designed for tablet screens with the pages laid out horizontally rather than vertically. Maybe it’s the electronic screen but Vicente’s colours look especially sharp and striking throughout.
I would’ve preferred if the Spanish was translated but otherwise this is another superb comic from Panel Syndicate - they’ve done it again! The issue effortlessly draws readers into Liddy and Oscar’s stories before taking the things to a jaw-dropping new level with that inspired ending.
As with all Panel Syndicate comics, this one’s only available on their site digitally and it’s pay what you want, meaning you can give the guys a few bucks for their efforts or download a copy for free. Given that The Private Eye was both a critical and commercial success for this team, their readership is good enough to reward quality comics justly – I expect Barrier will be no different!
Here’s the link to the comic (along with the rest of their wonderful catalogue):
http://panelsyndicate.com/
August 1, 2017
una pasada.... un delirio visual, un derroche de imaginación y creatividad, una narración gráfica maravillosa y una idea central que habla sobre las barreras que ponemos a la comunicación, tanto por los distintos idiomas como por nuestras ideas preconcebidas y los bloqueos mentales que nos autoimponemos...
Liddy, una ranchera Texana bastante conservadora y Oscar, un emigrante ilegal hondureño se ven envueltos en una extraña situación que les obligará a colaborar a regañadientes, ninguno de los dos habla el idioma del otro y aquí es donde encontramos el elemento más particular del cómic: No está traducido, las palabras de cada uno se rotulan en su idioma para reflejar la falta de entendimiento entre los dos, esto hace que sea más accesible para los que hablen ambos idiomas, pero también tiene alicientes para el que sólo conozca uno, ya que la mayoría de las veces se puede adivinar con bastante precisión los diálogos teniendo en cuenta las situaciones y gracias a la genial narrativa visual de Marcos Martín
A destacar también el trabajo de Muntsa vicente en el color
Liddy, una ranchera Texana bastante conservadora y Oscar, un emigrante ilegal hondureño se ven envueltos en una extraña situación que les obligará a colaborar a regañadientes, ninguno de los dos habla el idioma del otro y aquí es donde encontramos el elemento más particular del cómic: No está traducido, las palabras de cada uno se rotulan en su idioma para reflejar la falta de entendimiento entre los dos, esto hace que sea más accesible para los que hablen ambos idiomas, pero también tiene alicientes para el que sólo conozca uno, ya que la mayoría de las veces se puede adivinar con bastante precisión los diálogos teniendo en cuenta las situaciones y gracias a la genial narrativa visual de Marcos Martín
A destacar también el trabajo de Muntsa vicente en el color
May 22, 2018
First, the format. Landscape. Every page. Bit difficult to read. Not great.
Second, I don't read (or speak or generally understand) Spanish, but I don't think not knowing really detracts from the story. I think it's kind of part of the point to be honest. Two completely different people, different languages, lives, experiences, goals, and they get thrown in together. Not knowing what half the people are saying contributes to the alienation and sense of anxiety this book is throwing out.
Third, that's quite a place to stop.
I'm not sure I actually like this, but I've already got the next two issues so I guess we'll see where it goes.
Second, I don't read (or speak or generally understand) Spanish, but I don't think not knowing really detracts from the story. I think it's kind of part of the point to be honest. Two completely different people, different languages, lives, experiences, goals, and they get thrown in together. Not knowing what half the people are saying contributes to the alienation and sense of anxiety this book is throwing out.
Third, that's quite a place to stop.
I'm not sure I actually like this, but I've already got the next two issues so I guess we'll see where it goes.
August 3, 2018
A white female rancher who speaks English and a Hispanic immigrant who speaks Spanish are abducted by an alien spaceship and must work together and get over their prejudices to escape. An interesting story with beautiful art.
February 1, 2020
How can a comic with so little words be so strikingly beautiful? I love how the format made it feel so expansive. Haven't read the rest besides #2 but have read this multiple times now again recently.
May 8, 2019
I picked this up from FCBD not knowing anything except Vaughan's name, and was pleasantly surprised at the exploratory aspects of the issue, from its landscape orientation to the English and Spanish spoken in equal measure.
There are some unique layout decisions made as part of the change in orientation, giving those pages a sense of being on screen, with the convergence of our main characters being my favourite part. That said, most of it doesn't stray too far from traditional layouts. I don't understand the Spanish (if it was French I would fare much better, but this is not that kind of story) so I lose out on those dialogues and the nuances of those characters however the general Spanish arc is fairly straightforward.
It is very much a setup to the rest of the series but as first issues go, it intrigues me enough to want to pick up the next one.
There are some unique layout decisions made as part of the change in orientation, giving those pages a sense of being on screen, with the convergence of our main characters being my favourite part. That said, most of it doesn't stray too far from traditional layouts. I don't understand the Spanish (if it was French I would fare much better, but this is not that kind of story) so I lose out on those dialogues and the nuances of those characters however the general Spanish arc is fairly straightforward.
It is very much a setup to the rest of the series but as first issues go, it intrigues me enough to want to pick up the next one.
December 2, 2015
Magnificent. @PanelSyndicate brings back the Terrible Trio (@HeyBKV,Marcos and Muntsa) para una miniserie en Spanglish.
Vemos a Oscar cruzar ilegalmente desde San Pedro Sula en Honduras hasta Pharr, Texas para acabar en la propiedad de Liddy. El final es el cliffhanger que te deja pensando "what the fuck?, didn't see that comming". Espero no tarde mucho en salir el siguiente número.
Vemos a Oscar cruzar ilegalmente desde San Pedro Sula en Honduras hasta Pharr, Texas para acabar en la propiedad de Liddy. El final es el cliffhanger que te deja pensando "what the fuck?, didn't see that comming". Espero no tarde mucho en salir el siguiente número.
March 8, 2016
I'm super intrigued by the story, and the color work is awesome. It'll be fun to see where it goes next. This would be kind of a tough read for someone who has only a basic level understanding of Spanish.
May 8, 2018
I picked this up during Free Comic Book Day!
I didn't even realize the creative team of the book when I picked it up (solely because the cover is rad). I thought this was a great prologue, and I can't wait to see where it goes from here. The art is fantastic.
I didn't even realize the creative team of the book when I picked it up (solely because the cover is rad). I thought this was a great prologue, and I can't wait to see where it goes from here. The art is fantastic.
August 28, 2018
I struggled with the Spanish a bit, but I am glad Image and these creators are willing to try something multi-lingual that could be a hard sell for American readers.
The story has grabbed me thoroughly and look forward to the rest of the series!
The story has grabbed me thoroughly and look forward to the rest of the series!
December 10, 2015
Gorgeous artwork, and the story should be interesting as it develops. A little sparse on content considering the page count, though.
November 23, 2018
Note: I got this for Free Comic Book Day 2018.
May 24, 2018
Barrier has achieved the incredible task of not only telling a unique, compelling and timely story but telling it boldly while putting a new demand on readers- the books need to be read sideways. The first book in the series was given out for free on Free Comic Book Day, although collectors will likely want to buy the official version which is slightly larger than a traditional comic book and has a thicker stock for the cover.
The book opens with a ranch hand finding a severed horse head abandoned in the desert. He calls his boss, Rancher Liddy who becomes incensed by the act of violence. She assumes, with a disgusting racist tone that it was “one of those illegals,” who perpetrated the crime.
Flash to the story of Oscar. He is fleeing his native Honduras in a sketchy packed truck. This segment of the story is written in Spanish.
The book then oscillates between the two characters narratives. Liddy is seeking answers about who killed her horse and why they did it. She finds and hires a violent mercenary. Oscar exits the truck to find he is surrounded by armed men and he is forced to run to escape capture and murder.
The story continues back and forth until the two characters meet when Liddy finds Oscar trying to hide on her land. She approaches him with a gun and he can’t communicate to her in English. At this moment of high tension, a strange force lifts them into the sky. One of the final frames is a full page of them looking deep into each other’s eyes as they both realize that though moments again they were enemies, now they will be embarking on an unexpected journey together.
Author, Brian K. Vaughan is best known for his wildly popular series, Saga and the exceptional series Paper Girls. Refreshingly adult in theme, execution, and maturity of storytelling, Vaughan doesn’t spoon feed his readers. They must flip the pages back to remember characters, precise settings, and plot twists. Throughout the series, he examines Illegal immigration, racism, the complications of farm life, all definitions of the meaning of the word alien and how language can separate us.
The illustrations by Marcos Martin are clear, surprising and stunning with bold colors and a variety of different perspectives. Some frames are extreme close-ups, others are sweeping landscapes. Subsequent issues of the book continue the story with another breakthrough, the third book in the series is completely wordless.
The book opens with a ranch hand finding a severed horse head abandoned in the desert. He calls his boss, Rancher Liddy who becomes incensed by the act of violence. She assumes, with a disgusting racist tone that it was “one of those illegals,” who perpetrated the crime.
Flash to the story of Oscar. He is fleeing his native Honduras in a sketchy packed truck. This segment of the story is written in Spanish.
The book then oscillates between the two characters narratives. Liddy is seeking answers about who killed her horse and why they did it. She finds and hires a violent mercenary. Oscar exits the truck to find he is surrounded by armed men and he is forced to run to escape capture and murder.
The story continues back and forth until the two characters meet when Liddy finds Oscar trying to hide on her land. She approaches him with a gun and he can’t communicate to her in English. At this moment of high tension, a strange force lifts them into the sky. One of the final frames is a full page of them looking deep into each other’s eyes as they both realize that though moments again they were enemies, now they will be embarking on an unexpected journey together.
Author, Brian K. Vaughan is best known for his wildly popular series, Saga and the exceptional series Paper Girls. Refreshingly adult in theme, execution, and maturity of storytelling, Vaughan doesn’t spoon feed his readers. They must flip the pages back to remember characters, precise settings, and plot twists. Throughout the series, he examines Illegal immigration, racism, the complications of farm life, all definitions of the meaning of the word alien and how language can separate us.
The illustrations by Marcos Martin are clear, surprising and stunning with bold colors and a variety of different perspectives. Some frames are extreme close-ups, others are sweeping landscapes. Subsequent issues of the book continue the story with another breakthrough, the third book in the series is completely wordless.
May 8, 2020
What can I say, if it says BKV then I buy it. Nuff said.
It doesn't even have to be good. How lovely then that it is. Barrier is a timely comic that presents a world very much like our own... just with more aliens.
I wasn't too sure how I felt about it at first. But as it kept going, it slowly reminded me what BKV is best at. He makes the shit feel human effortlessly. You don't need to say much about a character when their living room has a confederate flag in it. (You just know that guy, when asked, will tell everyone "it's not a Confederate Flag, it's ACTUALLY a REBEL flag hur hur hur..."). Whether it's subtle or not is another matter entirely. The point is that it gets to the point without saying so much to be indulgent. For 52 pages, it breezes by like nothing.
As the ending ramps up there are a series of panels that truly make the characters feel more raw than real. Little details that make the comic feel so personal as to be intrusive.
I have never been so hesitant and then been so won over.
Also, the comic is unique for its wide panels. I like this decision and feel more comics should utilize it. Gives it a cinematic quality that could become redundant if overused- but here it feels fresh. It's like when Mister Miracle exclusively used that 9 panel strategy for every page.
I know some might call BKV's writing a vaccuum for liberal mindsets who have already made up their mind. Which, yeah, fine. I share many views he does so of course I would get down with his writing. But if the afterword is anything to go off of, his intention is, in its entirety, about understanding others as best you can. That's what reading's all about and it's why he is a phenomenal writer.
It doesn't even have to be good. How lovely then that it is. Barrier is a timely comic that presents a world very much like our own... just with more aliens.
I wasn't too sure how I felt about it at first. But as it kept going, it slowly reminded me what BKV is best at. He makes the shit feel human effortlessly. You don't need to say much about a character when their living room has a confederate flag in it. (You just know that guy, when asked, will tell everyone "it's not a Confederate Flag, it's ACTUALLY a REBEL flag hur hur hur..."). Whether it's subtle or not is another matter entirely. The point is that it gets to the point without saying so much to be indulgent. For 52 pages, it breezes by like nothing.
As the ending ramps up there are a series of panels that truly make the characters feel more raw than real. Little details that make the comic feel so personal as to be intrusive.
I have never been so hesitant and then been so won over.
Also, the comic is unique for its wide panels. I like this decision and feel more comics should utilize it. Gives it a cinematic quality that could become redundant if overused- but here it feels fresh. It's like when Mister Miracle exclusively used that 9 panel strategy for every page.
I know some might call BKV's writing a vaccuum for liberal mindsets who have already made up their mind. Which, yeah, fine. I share many views he does so of course I would get down with his writing. But if the afterword is anything to go off of, his intention is, in its entirety, about understanding others as best you can. That's what reading's all about and it's why he is a phenomenal writer.
January 26, 2019
As I think happens at least once in any Brian K. Vaughan work, this got a loud "What the fuck?!" out of me. Because...what in the absolute hell...??!!?!?!
I'm reading the paper/print copy, and in the Afterward, Vaughan says not to bother translating the English/Spanish (whichever you don't know) because he thinks what's happening comes across anyway. And it does, but I did (before reading his note). I like language. :) But yeah, you don't really have to do any translating if you don't want to, even though a hefty chunk of this is in Spanish. A picture is worth a thousand words! In whatever language you know.
I'm certainly interested enough to keep going! Which is good, because I already bought 4 and 5, 2 is on its way in the mail, and 3 is being ordered by my local comic book shop.
Also, landscape-style is kinda neat!
I'm reading the paper/print copy, and in the Afterward, Vaughan says not to bother translating the English/Spanish (whichever you don't know) because he thinks what's happening comes across anyway. And it does, but I did (before reading his note). I like language. :) But yeah, you don't really have to do any translating if you don't want to, even though a hefty chunk of this is in Spanish. A picture is worth a thousand words! In whatever language you know.
I'm certainly interested enough to keep going! Which is good, because I already bought 4 and 5, 2 is on its way in the mail, and 3 is being ordered by my local comic book shop.
Also, landscape-style is kinda neat!
June 21, 2018
This 5-issue mini series is so good. Having grown up on sci-fi, I’m used to diversity of species and place, but this book adds the additional diversity of language: two Earth languages and one alien. While I used Google Translate a few times to clarify specifics in Spanish, the story generally speaks for itself whether or not you understand the words. There are parts in alien language, without any hope of translating; a part without any text at all because the characters are temporarily deafened; and parts in English or Spanish entirely. I loved it.
Beyond that, the story itself is a good one. Two characters, one from each side of the U.S. border, each experiencing their own struggles until they are caught up in a classic alien abduction. It’s a very human tale.
Beyond that, the story itself is a good one. Two characters, one from each side of the U.S. border, each experiencing their own struggles until they are caught up in a classic alien abduction. It’s a very human tale.
June 23, 2018
Vzhledem k tomu, te Barrier by nemel nikdy vyjit v sebrane edici a nehodlam hodnotit kazdy cislo zvlast, tak hodnotim vsech 5 cisel.
Barrier je zajimavej pocin a BKV s Marcosem Martinem zdimou maximum z tohodle media. Komiks je bilingualni, ale i bez znalosti spanelstiny sem si ho dokazal uzit (sam autor pise, ze je to psany tak, aby ho zvladl i ten, kdo neumi jeden z jazyku).
Sledujeme pribeh imigranta z Hondurasu Oscara a americky rancerky Liddy. Jen co se jejich cesty stretnou, tak je unese mimozemska lod a mi sledujeme, jak si nesouroda dvojice poradi v extremni situaci.
Highlightem serie je #3, ktery je kompletne “nemy” a zaver se taky povedl. Neni to nova Saga nebo Y: The Last Man, ale BKV i tak vali.
Barrier je zajimavej pocin a BKV s Marcosem Martinem zdimou maximum z tohodle media. Komiks je bilingualni, ale i bez znalosti spanelstiny sem si ho dokazal uzit (sam autor pise, ze je to psany tak, aby ho zvladl i ten, kdo neumi jeden z jazyku).
Sledujeme pribeh imigranta z Hondurasu Oscara a americky rancerky Liddy. Jen co se jejich cesty stretnou, tak je unese mimozemska lod a mi sledujeme, jak si nesouroda dvojice poradi v extremni situaci.
Highlightem serie je #3, ktery je kompletne “nemy” a zaver se taky povedl. Neni to nova Saga nebo Y: The Last Man, ale BKV i tak vali.
May 10, 2020
This was dope! ( I had to download google translator tho for the Spanish parts) however at the end of the book, Vaughan says you really don’t need to translate the Spanish parts to get the story. There’s the character Liddy who owns some Land in Texas near the Mexican border. She recently found a horse head....a possible message that the cartel was going to be using her land. Then there’s this immigrant trying to make his way to the border to cross. When these two characters meet, the whole story gets flipped upside down. I definitely did not see that coming. Holy shit!! Bring on the next issue!
May 16, 2018
eh... ich glaub nicht, dass das Issue One war, sondern eher so eine Leseprobe. Nichtsdestotrotz find ichs bisher sehr interessant. Das Querformat ist zwar ein wenig ungewohnt, aber hat nen schönen Effekt mit der Zeit. Plus ist der Zeichenstil halt irgendwie... keine Ahnung. Nicht ganz Saga-Stil, dafür sind die Farben zu muted und alles ist stilisierter, comicartiger. Aber ist wirklich schön gemacht. Ausserdem hörts mit nem Cliffhanger auf bei mir, was mich, als Marketingopfer, natürlich triggert.
February 5, 2019
IM SO SORRY EVERYONE
first off, this entire series is like a 3.7—not because it isn’t good, but because i’ve read other things by brian k vaughan (namely Saga and Paper Girls) and i didn’t like this quite as much. however!! the story is engaging, and the theme of language and communication here is absolutely fantastic.
second off, barrier is only sold in issues. meaning, goodreads only has it on here in issues. meaning I’m going to have to mark all of barrier as separate books. i swear i’m not trying to cheat on my reading goal and sorry for any spam!!
first off, this entire series is like a 3.7—not because it isn’t good, but because i’ve read other things by brian k vaughan (namely Saga and Paper Girls) and i didn’t like this quite as much. however!! the story is engaging, and the theme of language and communication here is absolutely fantastic.
second off, barrier is only sold in issues. meaning, goodreads only has it on here in issues. meaning I’m going to have to mark all of barrier as separate books. i swear i’m not trying to cheat on my reading goal and sorry for any spam!!
May 12, 2018
This is a slow-building debut with a focus on character development, as well as themes related to immigrants to America (illegal or not). The art is great and so is the dialogue, but I might have to brush up on my Spanish. I think using English would have been better, or at least some translations. Having to pull out Google Translate kills the reading experience. The ending is part-silly, part-intriguing. We’ll see where it goes.
June 5, 2018
Midtown comics had extra copies from FCBD so WOO HOO!
Instead of reading left to right, Barrier is formatted up-down the entire way through. While not the most conventional or effective way to format comic panels, there's some really cool things that are achieved with it. No spoilers but the ending makes me really want to track down a #2. If you're thinking "Oh boy, a political agenda..." be prepared for, well, OKAY THAT, but also... that something else *wink wink*
Instead of reading left to right, Barrier is formatted up-down the entire way through. While not the most conventional or effective way to format comic panels, there's some really cool things that are achieved with it. No spoilers but the ending makes me really want to track down a #2. If you're thinking "Oh boy, a political agenda..." be prepared for, well, OKAY THAT, but also... that something else *wink wink*
August 3, 2018
Rating for the whole series. I didn't like it as much as I did their previous collaboration, the excellent The Private Eye but it's still a very good comic. I'm gonna add one star to the rating just because this comic is once again being published via Marcos Martin's great Panel Syndicate website which means it's offered on a pay-what-you-want model. So you can legally read this comic for free as long as you have a computer and internet.
August 14, 2018
I love Brian K. Vaughan. I can't think of a single thing I've read by him which I haven't enjoyed. This comic was no exception. The characters are well-developed, the plot is interesting, and I love the twist at the end. The only problem I had was that half the comic was in Spanish, but I was still able to get the idea of what was going on without knowing any of the language. I really hope I get to read the rest of this series. I highly recommend it.
September 1, 2018
Free Comic Book Day first issue of a new series. I didn't realize half of the dialogue would be in Spanish, but I was feeling pretty good about my Duolingo obsession as I managed to translate it for myself and get the gist of each conversation. I might pick this up when it is a trade to see how it plays out. This really only gives you the most basic setup for the story and then it ends with an epic WTF cliffhanger.
December 22, 2020
I'm always on the lookout for more work by Brian K. Vaughn! I picked up this issue asa free comic book day comic -- I adore the coloring on the front, and found myself pleasantly surprised by the unique page orientation for the comic. I hope the other issues continue to contain untranslated Spanish and English on various pages; it's a refreshing approach in a comic that gives space to both languages to exist parallel to one another.
May 5, 2018
Got this at Free Comic Book Day and liked it a lot. My high school Spanish was enough to understand the Spanish dialog for the most part, and I used google translate for a few phrases. Note to other reviewers, it's pretty clear that you're meant to struggle with a language barrier in this story about border crossing... it's a feature not a bug.
May 12, 2018
Holy f**k! I need the 2nd one like, tomorrow.
Very Brian K Vaughan. The look and feel of Paper Girls with the art and coloring. Story way more intense. I'm not bilingual, but I found that i still followed the story well by images. But, Because I have to know everything I can I went online to translate it.
So crazy. So good.
Very Brian K Vaughan. The look and feel of Paper Girls with the art and coloring. Story way more intense. I'm not bilingual, but I found that i still followed the story well by images. But, Because I have to know everything I can I went online to translate it.
So crazy. So good.
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