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Koma #1-6
Koma
Addidas est une petite fille imaginative et solitaire. Frappée d'une étrange maladie qui la plonge dans des états profonds d'inconscience, elle vit dans un monde sans arbre ni ciel bleu. Quand elle découvre la vérité sur la mort de sa mère en tombant dans le conduit d'une cheminée, Addidas ne veut plus jamais remonter là-haut. Débute alors pour elle un parcours initiatique, aux limites du rêve, où elle sera accompagnée d'une créature étrange venue des entrailles de la terre, et qui va lui faire découvrir la réalité de l'univers qui l'entoure.
280 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2004
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144 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
July 6, 2017
I enjoyed it, especially the colouring and the design by Peeters. The comic had it's strong moments with outstanding narration (the how-to torture scene) but in some others it was deliberately vague. I would prefer some loose ends were at least given with more context than what they got ( the other chimney sweep with his boy etc).
The end can be translated differently by each reader. For me, it was the breaking of bonds and starting from scratch to build something beautiful and pure again. Didn't quite like the apple reference at the end, too predictable.
The end can be translated differently by each reader. For me, it was the breaking of bonds and starting from scratch to build something beautiful and pure again. Didn't quite like the apple reference at the end, too predictable.
August 13, 2015
I found a digital coy online several years ago in Spanish. I read about half and didn't get around to it until I recently bought an English copy. It started off pretty interesting and strange and I liked it, but toward the last few chapters it became apparent the book was heavily inspired by movies like The Matrix and Dark City. I also think it may have been a coincidence, but the idea of the creature in a basement looks a lot like a painting I did in 1997 called Pedro's Monster. Look it up. Either way it is not the issue I have. I just think it started off with a really nice interesting idea and then it fell short. The ending was similar to what happens in the movies I described. Moreso like Dark City. I also found the wording very uninspiring. Perhaps it was the translation, but it lost something. I also despise computer lettering by the way. I loved the art and pacing and coloring. That was the main reason I wanted to read this. It could have been an excellent book, but it lost me with the parallels between the movies. I mean there were old guys in trench oats and hats just like Dark City. The underground theme and how the characters all fell asleep. It was disappointing. To a certain degree I blame the artist for just drawing away this story and not perhaps giving some insight or maybe he did I don't know. I would give the story 2 stars, but the art and main characters were good. It lost a lot of points in general how that ending just didn't seem to work. It should have been a more heart felt goodbye between the creature and the main character. Oh well.
January 14, 2023
It's marketed as a kids (11+) graphic novel... but there's some pretty explicit details of torture - using a scalpel to slowly peel off all the skin on the body. It was something out of a Tarantino movie. But the main character is young girl and a big friendly ape-like creature... so kids books! I really think this is a great book, but I think its for adults. Even the subject matter, I don't see it appealing to pre-teens.
It's a mind-bending breaking out of the matrix style story. Thematically more Dark City than Matrix. Dark City has long been one of my favourite movies, so I was destined to enjoy this.
I checked this out because I've enjoyed everything Frederick Peeters (the artist) has done before. Thankfully, this is another W to add to the list. He's a brilliant artist and always picks interesting projects to work on.
The characters are all great and when things go off the rails in the final few chapters I loved every second. One of the best "breaking out of the matrix" style books I've read.
It's a mind-bending breaking out of the matrix style story. Thematically more Dark City than Matrix. Dark City has long been one of my favourite movies, so I was destined to enjoy this.
I checked this out because I've enjoyed everything Frederick Peeters (the artist) has done before. Thankfully, this is another W to add to the list. He's a brilliant artist and always picks interesting projects to work on.
The characters are all great and when things go off the rails in the final few chapters I loved every second. One of the best "breaking out of the matrix" style books I've read.
April 26, 2017
I picked this book from a book fair because 1) I want to read a graphic novel 2) it's a complete book 3) the name of the character is ADDIDAS! Cool name! And I quite enjoyed it though there's some disturbing parts.
Meet Addidas and his father
Addidas is quirky and smart girl but suffered from a frequent blackout episodes. His father is a chimney sweep, a sad widower. One day while helping his father, Addidas got a blackout and felt onto underground, meet a monster who is a caretaker of her machine. Apparently every human got their own machine with such monster to take care of it. And later Addidas found out that her machine was broken.
And... Addidas journey in underground world bring an unexpected discovery about the world she living in...
It's an enjoyable read actually, felt like nice surprise for me; a children story with rather complicated idea, until that one disturbing scene came. It's a graphic step by step how to skinned alive human. I knew it's a graphic novel everything are graphic but this book is for 11+ yo children (written on the back of the book). I wont let any 11+yo children near this kind of stuff like... ever!
And the ending, let say it's very Matrix-esque, I'm fine with that but it's just didn't satisfied me.
Meet Addidas and his father
Addidas is quirky and smart girl but suffered from a frequent blackout episodes. His father is a chimney sweep, a sad widower. One day while helping his father, Addidas got a blackout and felt onto underground, meet a monster who is a caretaker of her machine. Apparently every human got their own machine with such monster to take care of it. And later Addidas found out that her machine was broken.
And... Addidas journey in underground world bring an unexpected discovery about the world she living in...
It's an enjoyable read actually, felt like nice surprise for me; a children story with rather complicated idea, until that one disturbing scene came. It's a graphic step by step how to skinned alive human. I knew it's a graphic novel everything are graphic but this book is for 11+ yo children (written on the back of the book). I wont let any 11+yo children near this kind of stuff like... ever!
And the ending, let say it's very Matrix-esque, I'm fine with that but it's just didn't satisfied me.
January 26, 2024
3.5
In een donker toekomstbeeld herbergt een industriële stad diep onder de grond een geheim.
KOMA is een bundeling van 6 boeken, in sfeervolle maar sobere illustraties in paarse, blauwe en mosterd-tinten raak je een beetje gedesoriënteerd. Want in dit verhaal weet je nooit precies wat er gebeurd en wat er nou echt of niet echt is. Toch is het, ondanks de supernatuurlijke elementen, een heel mensenlijk verhaal over verdriet, angst en een bijzondere vriendschap. Het einde ontroerde me.
Flink duister, dus pas aanraden vanaf 16+.
In een donker toekomstbeeld herbergt een industriële stad diep onder de grond een geheim.
KOMA is een bundeling van 6 boeken, in sfeervolle maar sobere illustraties in paarse, blauwe en mosterd-tinten raak je een beetje gedesoriënteerd. Want in dit verhaal weet je nooit precies wat er gebeurd en wat er nou echt of niet echt is. Toch is het, ondanks de supernatuurlijke elementen, een heel mensenlijk verhaal over verdriet, angst en een bijzondere vriendschap. Het einde ontroerde me.
Flink duister, dus pas aanraden vanaf 16+.
January 16, 2022
Parece una historia ingenua con unos diseños enternecedores pero me dejó con más preguntas que respuestas. Cuestiona mucho la esencia de la creación. A veces lo que creamos supera su objetivo inicial aunque lo consideremos un defecto.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 16, 2018
Muy del estilo de Miyazaki! Addidas, la pequeña deshollinadora nos lleva de aventuras a otros lugares, ideal para todas las edades!
May 20, 2021
A 75% de acabarlo creía que era de las mejores cosas que había leído en mi vida, pero el final me hizo distanciarme. No está mal, per se, pero creo que justo pierde un equilibrio que habia mantenido muy bien hasta este punto: el de explicar las reglas del juego lo suficiente como para poder sumergirnos emocionalmente pero sin pasar a que lo importante sea la explicación de esta cosa tan compleja. Lo que nos importa es como lo viven e interpretan los personajes, pero se vuelve inverosímil si la cosa fantástica que está ocurriendo no tiene antecedentes y no sé como interpretarla. Estoy liandola mucho para decir que no entendí por qué pasa lo que pasa. Se supone que es un final feliz, pero a mi me parece aterrador. ¡No sabemos que implica! y el futuro del padre me parece absolutamente pesadillesco.
No he querido hacer spoilers y ser más específica pero molaría hablar con alguien de esto. Aún así me parece una maravilla y el dibujo es increíble y tengo mil flores que tirarle <3
No he querido hacer spoilers y ser más específica pero molaría hablar con alguien de esto. Aún así me parece una maravilla y el dibujo es increíble y tengo mil flores que tirarle <3
May 8, 2017
Ruhların kaçışındaki hayal gücünün bir benzeri ile karşılaştığımı rahatlıkla söyleyebilirim. Girift olmayan, temiz, net ve renkli çizimler de beni ayrıca büyüledi. En sevdiğim comicsler arasına alıyorum hemen. Ama bunun için ayrı bir liste olabilmeli. Nasıl yaparım bilmem ama en sevdiğim comicsleri çok geç olmadan bir kenara ayırabilmeliyim.
March 26, 2018
Rating 2.5
I didn't really get this story. It was confusing and had a lot of subplots which were not explained.
However, two conversations in the book caught my attention. The first is Addidas conversation with the Creator (i.e. red worm-like monster). This is how it goes:
Addidas: It's one thing to wield a weapon. It's quite another to fabricate one. You have to attempt to copy the original model. To build it exactly. Understand the mechanics and reproduce them... Not easy, is it?... It can sometimes happen that the final product doesn't mirror the original, that it is defective... or...better than the original! You built the machines, didn't you?... You created us?... You wanted to make us in your image, but you failed. The outcome has far exceeded the model and some, like me, broke away from you!
Creator: The outcome exceeded the projected model...to the point miss, that you cannot even imagine!
For me, this was profound in a rather philosophical way. It made me think about the role of a Creator in the life of its creations. What if we are unintended consequences of an experimental process of creating a mirror image?
The second goes as follows:
Official: We wanted to, but we didn't know how to...yes, we wanted to control all this! Imagine what could happen if it fell into the wrong hands!
Commissioner: It didn't need to fall into anyone's hands!!
How many times has someone caused more trouble because they wanted to control something that they neither understood nor can control?
Finally, why did the story end with the last panel looking exactly like the subterranean space where the machines used to be? Was that how the first world was built after all? Are they stuck in a loop of some sort? Is Addidas no different from the first Creator?
This book leaves a lot more questions than it answers.
I didn't really get this story. It was confusing and had a lot of subplots which were not explained.
However, two conversations in the book caught my attention. The first is Addidas conversation with the Creator (i.e. red worm-like monster). This is how it goes:
Addidas: It's one thing to wield a weapon. It's quite another to fabricate one. You have to attempt to copy the original model. To build it exactly. Understand the mechanics and reproduce them... Not easy, is it?... It can sometimes happen that the final product doesn't mirror the original, that it is defective... or...better than the original! You built the machines, didn't you?... You created us?... You wanted to make us in your image, but you failed. The outcome has far exceeded the model and some, like me, broke away from you!
Creator: The outcome exceeded the projected model...to the point miss, that you cannot even imagine!
For me, this was profound in a rather philosophical way. It made me think about the role of a Creator in the life of its creations. What if we are unintended consequences of an experimental process of creating a mirror image?
The second goes as follows:
Official: We wanted to, but we didn't know how to...yes, we wanted to control all this! Imagine what could happen if it fell into the wrong hands!
Commissioner: It didn't need to fall into anyone's hands!!
How many times has someone caused more trouble because they wanted to control something that they neither understood nor can control?
Finally, why did the story end with the last panel looking exactly like the subterranean space where the machines used to be? Was that how the first world was built after all? Are they stuck in a loop of some sort? Is Addidas no different from the first Creator?
This book leaves a lot more questions than it answers.
November 3, 2018
A bizarre—but lovely—existential romp through a world that makes no sense to an ending that makes even less. This is my first exposure to the work of Pierre Wazem. It was the quality of Frederik Peeters lovely, emotive artwork that kept me engaged. The book's description claims "a touching and existential story that balances its fantastical elements with poignant and realistic themes." I agree with the "touching and existential story" but as to the rest I'm left shaking my head in confusion. If there are deep themes in the work, I'm baffled as to what they were.
The principle character—a perky and determined little girl named Addidas—is a pure delight. Most of the other characters are thin veneers that seemed to serve little purpose. The book is quite long at 280 pages but the art never falters, even when the story looses focus and meanders. Midway through it takes a surprising, and revolting, turn when one of the baddies spends four pages describing, in gruesome detail, the process of surgically removing a prisoner's skin as a method of torture. I almost stopped reading at that point, afraid the tale would continue it's descent into horror, but fortunately, this minor segue was an isolated island of the grotesque.
When the end finally came around I was left grasping for the point of it all. Perhaps I'm missing something that will be obvious to other readers, but the theme entirely eluded me. Despite this, I enjoyed the artwork a great deal, and will not turn up my nose at more of Frederik Peeters artwork, though I will be a hard sell to read anything by Pierre Wazem henceforth.
The principle character—a perky and determined little girl named Addidas—is a pure delight. Most of the other characters are thin veneers that seemed to serve little purpose. The book is quite long at 280 pages but the art never falters, even when the story looses focus and meanders. Midway through it takes a surprising, and revolting, turn when one of the baddies spends four pages describing, in gruesome detail, the process of surgically removing a prisoner's skin as a method of torture. I almost stopped reading at that point, afraid the tale would continue it's descent into horror, but fortunately, this minor segue was an isolated island of the grotesque.
When the end finally came around I was left grasping for the point of it all. Perhaps I'm missing something that will be obvious to other readers, but the theme entirely eluded me. Despite this, I enjoyed the artwork a great deal, and will not turn up my nose at more of Frederik Peeters artwork, though I will be a hard sell to read anything by Pierre Wazem henceforth.
March 10, 2023
Currently available on Kindle Unlimited, this is a collected series making a complete story. And what a story. Set in an absurdist dystopia, this dreamlike narrative defies all description.
The storytelling is deceptively simple with many philosophical asides couched in the naive language of a child, but this is not a child’s book. The language is fruity, the themes are adult and at times extremely dark, including a terrifying torture sequence. As absurdist and allegorical as the story is, it is also self-consistent, with recurring themes and jokes that fit into a coherent, well conducted whole. The ending does feel a little forced, however, a little unclear, and that keeps the score off five stars.
The art is also deceptively simple, highly stylised in a naive design, to fit the simple worldview of the protagonist, but the artwork is detailed, assured, and immensely expressive. Each panel conveys a huge amount of story telling, emotion, and movement. The visual narrative flows easily, keeping the reader engaged through all the absurdities.
Overall this is definitely a work I’ll read again and again with pleasure. It’s utterly different from anything else and yet fits in beautifully with European absurdist traditions. A very strong four stars.
The storytelling is deceptively simple with many philosophical asides couched in the naive language of a child, but this is not a child’s book. The language is fruity, the themes are adult and at times extremely dark, including a terrifying torture sequence. As absurdist and allegorical as the story is, it is also self-consistent, with recurring themes and jokes that fit into a coherent, well conducted whole. The ending does feel a little forced, however, a little unclear, and that keeps the score off five stars.
The art is also deceptively simple, highly stylised in a naive design, to fit the simple worldview of the protagonist, but the artwork is detailed, assured, and immensely expressive. Each panel conveys a huge amount of story telling, emotion, and movement. The visual narrative flows easily, keeping the reader engaged through all the absurdities.
Overall this is definitely a work I’ll read again and again with pleasure. It’s utterly different from anything else and yet fits in beautifully with European absurdist traditions. A very strong four stars.
July 8, 2020
Un interesante de trabajo de Wazem y Peteers. El dibujo de Peeteers sabe darle encanto propio al mundo y la ternura que desata la pequeña Addidas. Personalmente siento que la historia esta un poco de desbalanceada, la primera parte tiene un tono y una narrativa que apartir de la mitad se rompe para dar lugar a lo onírico y lo metafísico, que me encanta pero me hubiese gustado una transición mas orgánica. De todos modos, me parece que el viaje de Addidas es muy bueno y los personajes secundarios mas que correctos. Con respecto a al criaturas me hubiese interesado que se les diese mas trasfondo y desarrollo, principalmente la criatura que acompaña a Addidas, siento que se queda en nada. El final me encanto pero aun así se siente algo flojo, porque no sabemos las razones o el porque de la entidad y eso sumado a la falta de un poco de contexto sobre que es lo que sucede, se siente algo lejano. Otros autores han hecho algo similar a esta obra (Gaiman, Morrison, Carey) y francamente se siente algo débil en comparación. Aun así, es un lectura ligera y mas que entretenida,con elementos muy interesantes a los que le faltaron un vuelta de rosca. Recomendable.
October 28, 2019
Une série à part en bande dessinée, qui apporte des personnages intéressants dans un monde industriel entremêlé de fantastique. Beaucoup de poésie dans certains plans et surtout dans les dialogues, quelques lignes qui transportent...
Un découpage très intéressant entre les cases.
Une intégrale génialissime, avec une amélioration au fil des tomes du scénario comme du dessin, mais à ne pas mettre entre toutes les mains ! C'est une bande dessinée au départ pour enfants, mais qui a mûri en même temps que ses lecteurs, sur plusieurs années. Les premiers tomes sont donc bien pour les enfants de 8 à 12 ans, les derniers s'adressent plutôt à des personnes de minimum 15-16 ans, et finalement, l'ensemble plaira à des adultes !
Un découpage très intéressant entre les cases.
Une intégrale génialissime, avec une amélioration au fil des tomes du scénario comme du dessin, mais à ne pas mettre entre toutes les mains ! C'est une bande dessinée au départ pour enfants, mais qui a mûri en même temps que ses lecteurs, sur plusieurs années. Les premiers tomes sont donc bien pour les enfants de 8 à 12 ans, les derniers s'adressent plutôt à des personnes de minimum 15-16 ans, et finalement, l'ensemble plaira à des adultes !
October 20, 2025
4.5/5 - Koma is a charming comic series about a widower chimney sweep and his daughter, oddly named Addidas (but not like the shoe!). There is some mystery and fantasy at play as (1) Addidas has a mystery illness and blacks out,(2) something about Addidas’ mother’s death that seems off, (3) there are monsters living under the earth, and (4) the monsters are tinkering with machines that seem to be proxies for the humans.
There is fantasy, action, adventure, and a sense of tenderness to the whole series. The story is great, the pacing is great, the mystery is great. All of this is told in a colorful, whimsical art style.
Well done.
There is fantasy, action, adventure, and a sense of tenderness to the whole series. The story is great, the pacing is great, the mystery is great. All of this is told in a colorful, whimsical art style.
Well done.
December 18, 2017
Wat heb ik net gelezen? Ik heb zo'n barstende hoofdpijn nu... Nee, geen boek dat ik nog eens wil lezen. Ik weet niet eens wat ik heb gelezen. Iets met schoorstenen, een gat, gorilla-achtige wezens, virussen, een meisje die steeds in een coma gaat, en iets met machines en god. De blurb klopt in ieder geval niet echt.
July 7, 2023
Usharp UK edition = 2012 = £21.99
Very enjoyable for adults too with great characters in interesting situations that's very well drawn.
A chimney-sweep sporting an unprotected afro? Think of how gross it would get!
I'll say this about the ending:
It makes as much sense as the version that so many believe...
Very enjoyable for adults too with great characters in interesting situations that's very well drawn.
A chimney-sweep sporting an unprotected afro? Think of how gross it would get!
I'll say this about the ending:
It makes as much sense as the version that so many believe...
July 24, 2023
Books I've read and provided detailed reviews over the years but all data is lost after accidental deletion and GD refuse to restore it back.
Adding books back to my library for my own reference and tracking purposes
Adding books back to my library for my own reference and tracking purposes
October 25, 2024
Extraordinary - it doesn’t entirely work, and at the end seems to get a little lost in its own weirdness, but it’s defiantly proud to be different and throw itself into weird artistic and narrative shapes. The art is particularly beautiful and there’s a properly dreamlike quality to the best of it
June 15, 2017
Maybe something's lost in translation...but I didn't get this at all...
February 15, 2018
A weird graphic novel, but i love it! Some things lost me.
April 23, 2018
Very cute drawings and such a wonderful adventure. Told through the perspective of a child with a naughty smile that will make you want to be a young again or at least to live in her world.
April 23, 2020
Where to begin? Well, you won’t read another book like this...ever! It’s that original. You’ll love the characters and wonder how you lived before you met them.
August 2, 2020
I feel like I read this before? A bit confusing, with lots of WTF moments.
July 5, 2022
J’ai beaucoup aimé cette BD : les dessins, le ton, l’histoire, l’originalité, bref j’ai vraiment passé un bon moment :)
Read
April 18, 2023Dnf
November 15, 2023
Un petit bonheur. Des visuels fabuleux qui vous entraînent dans une histoire poétique et symbolique.
October 23, 2024
Genial el dibujo y el guion empieza muy bien, con personajes entrañables, pero luego va perdiendo fuelle hasta un final decepcionante que parece sacado de la chistera.
March 20, 2025
3.5 stars
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews