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Fishtown
122 pages!The highly acclaimed and Xeric Award-winning series about the murder of a sixteen-year-old boy by four teenagers in the Fishtown section of Philadelphia, PA, originally serialized as a weekly webcomic, is now collected into a deluxe hardcover form. Inspired by real events, Colden's story explores what led the teens to commit such a heinous crime.
120 pages, Hardcover
First published November 5, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
June 20, 2022
Chilling - the best crime GN I have read so far this year. Crime GN have become a guilty pleasure of mine; there are some really good indie books out there. This book is focused on the dynamic between a group of teenagers who have murdered a 16 year old boy. It is taunt and disturbing. Agendas start to separate the group - and soon questions of motivation and loyalty come into focus.
March 3, 2010
I'm sure Colden's intentions were good. But what exactly were they? The quotes at the beginning and the end of the book shed more light than the story itself.
The first one: "It disturbs me no more to find men base, unjust, or selfish than to see apes mischievous, wolves savage, or the vulture ravenous." (Sartre)
What follows is the story of four teenagers killing another one for kicks and money to buy drugs. It is told in a matter-of-fact way, as though it disturbs Colden no more to find men base, unjust, etc.
But if it doesn't disturb him, why the need to do this story? If he agrees with Sartre, wouldn't it be just as pointless as a story about ravenous vultures? On the other hand, if the crime did disturb him enough to make this GN, why the Sartre quote? Perhaps Colden is responding to the quote rather than illustrating it. Saying: "Sartre may no longer be disturbed, but I'm no Sartre, I'm still disturbed by humanity's lower points, and I'm sure you, dear reader, will be too when you're done."
This reader wasn't disturbed.
I think it would have been different if the basis wasn't fictionalized but presented in a documentary form. Truth is more disturbing than speculation. I know: finding enough truth to make Fishtown a graphic In Cold Blood is a near impossible task. Colden himself appears to refer to this difficulty. By stressing the irreliability of the killers he seems to justify his inventions: why illustrate their fictions when I may get closer to the truth with my own?
Which brings us to the quote at the end of the book. "Fiction reveals truth that reality obscures." (Ralph Waldo Emerson.)
There we have it. Fishtown defiantly declaring itself Not Another In Cold Blood.
Unfortunately it doesn't live up to Emerson's words. 'Society's to blame' is hardly a revelation. Neither is: 'The one you least expect may turn out to be your worst enemy.' We learn that kids may kill ravenously because their parents act like vultures and they're living in a vulture town. True?
Fishtown certainly succeeds as proof that, with this subject matter, revealing truth from fiction is as difficult as extracting it from reality.
Artwise it succeeds reasonably. The shading has some unfortunate effects on the leading lady, though. She often seems to have a moustache and a goatee. I like the ubiquitous yellow coloring, but have mixed feelings about the pink blood. Also, I think that a book called Fishtown should have more sense of place. There are some full page city scenes for atmosphere, and lots of single panels, but it's not enough to flesh out the city as one characters that leads its youth to its doom. In this regard it resembles its human henchmen: the parents of the killers and the killed. There's no room for subtlety there, they're just angry, yelling machines.
The first one: "It disturbs me no more to find men base, unjust, or selfish than to see apes mischievous, wolves savage, or the vulture ravenous." (Sartre)
What follows is the story of four teenagers killing another one for kicks and money to buy drugs. It is told in a matter-of-fact way, as though it disturbs Colden no more to find men base, unjust, etc.
But if it doesn't disturb him, why the need to do this story? If he agrees with Sartre, wouldn't it be just as pointless as a story about ravenous vultures? On the other hand, if the crime did disturb him enough to make this GN, why the Sartre quote? Perhaps Colden is responding to the quote rather than illustrating it. Saying: "Sartre may no longer be disturbed, but I'm no Sartre, I'm still disturbed by humanity's lower points, and I'm sure you, dear reader, will be too when you're done."
This reader wasn't disturbed.
I think it would have been different if the basis wasn't fictionalized but presented in a documentary form. Truth is more disturbing than speculation. I know: finding enough truth to make Fishtown a graphic In Cold Blood is a near impossible task. Colden himself appears to refer to this difficulty. By stressing the irreliability of the killers he seems to justify his inventions: why illustrate their fictions when I may get closer to the truth with my own?
Which brings us to the quote at the end of the book. "Fiction reveals truth that reality obscures." (Ralph Waldo Emerson.)
There we have it. Fishtown defiantly declaring itself Not Another In Cold Blood.
Unfortunately it doesn't live up to Emerson's words. 'Society's to blame' is hardly a revelation. Neither is: 'The one you least expect may turn out to be your worst enemy.' We learn that kids may kill ravenously because their parents act like vultures and they're living in a vulture town. True?
Fishtown certainly succeeds as proof that, with this subject matter, revealing truth from fiction is as difficult as extracting it from reality.
Artwise it succeeds reasonably. The shading has some unfortunate effects on the leading lady, though. She often seems to have a moustache and a goatee. I like the ubiquitous yellow coloring, but have mixed feelings about the pink blood. Also, I think that a book called Fishtown should have more sense of place. There are some full page city scenes for atmosphere, and lots of single panels, but it's not enough to flesh out the city as one characters that leads its youth to its doom. In this regard it resembles its human henchmen: the parents of the killers and the killed. There's no room for subtlety there, they're just angry, yelling machines.
February 11, 2010
Hard to believe this was converted from a webcomic. Really impressively done and dark as hell. On par with the Wire or Mystic River.
January 19, 2020
Well, that’s something I read.
June 3, 2019
A painful read because of - (it wounds me to write such a cliche but it fits to well) - the utter banality of it's evil; and another 24 pages to flesh out some of the backstory and the characters could have moved this from good to great.
July 25, 2016
I disagree with many reviews here. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and I would gladly recommend it to graphic novel puritans.
Firstly it explores the grim dark side of four teenagers and the rather low life path they have been led to. It's not just the drugs and the situations where they come from, it's also an exploration of how cold their attitudes are in general.
This is probably why Colden quotes Sartre right at the beginning. Readers are expected to be surprised and disgusted with the low levels of human behaviour sometimes, but the Sartre quote kind of alleviates this pain with its jarring truth.
Every panel and interrogation shows the utter lack of sympathy or feeling by the perpetrators towards the victims which is very typical of any sociopath or psychopath. The nonchalant manner in which Angelica describes her plot made me think she is actually proud of it and finds it thrilling. Not only did these kids commit a heinous crime - they are absolutely unapologetic about it except for some tears - we wonder if it is genuine.
Secondly some panels were absolutely awesome with the pale yellow shades reflecting an ominous atmosphere. Panel continuity was visually cinematic. The interrogation shots, the random sketches of Fishtown are true graphic novel material.
This book can pass off as a very good graphic novel and it hit all the right notes of story telling in graphic form. The story in itself was simple enough. It reminded me of an Amazon kindle single called "Murder in the Yoga store" where there is a casual resurrection of events with no particular explanation as to why the killer even committed this crime. Why do people plot and commit serious crimes for very silly reasons with terrible paybacks? This is one such story.
I disagree with many reviews which want more character exploration. This is a story where we do not know why these kids turned out the way they did and probably will never know.
I am extremely glad I picked this up for 1$ in Seattle public library sale and it exceeded my expectations by a high degree! Yay free comic book day!
Firstly it explores the grim dark side of four teenagers and the rather low life path they have been led to. It's not just the drugs and the situations where they come from, it's also an exploration of how cold their attitudes are in general.
This is probably why Colden quotes Sartre right at the beginning. Readers are expected to be surprised and disgusted with the low levels of human behaviour sometimes, but the Sartre quote kind of alleviates this pain with its jarring truth.
Every panel and interrogation shows the utter lack of sympathy or feeling by the perpetrators towards the victims which is very typical of any sociopath or psychopath. The nonchalant manner in which Angelica describes her plot made me think she is actually proud of it and finds it thrilling. Not only did these kids commit a heinous crime - they are absolutely unapologetic about it except for some tears - we wonder if it is genuine.
Secondly some panels were absolutely awesome with the pale yellow shades reflecting an ominous atmosphere. Panel continuity was visually cinematic. The interrogation shots, the random sketches of Fishtown are true graphic novel material.
This book can pass off as a very good graphic novel and it hit all the right notes of story telling in graphic form. The story in itself was simple enough. It reminded me of an Amazon kindle single called "Murder in the Yoga store" where there is a casual resurrection of events with no particular explanation as to why the killer even committed this crime. Why do people plot and commit serious crimes for very silly reasons with terrible paybacks? This is one such story.
I disagree with many reviews which want more character exploration. This is a story where we do not know why these kids turned out the way they did and probably will never know.
I am extremely glad I picked this up for 1$ in Seattle public library sale and it exceeded my expectations by a high degree! Yay free comic book day!
March 4, 2009
This comic is like one of those annoying Larry Clark movies. It is based on a true story of some teenagers who killed one of their friends. All the characters are paper thin, remorseless, heroin using shock devices. Their leader is a girl who feigns innocence, but is really an evil manipulator who uses sex to get her way. Plus she is a cutter. Kids today! Oh no!
October 30, 2009
Graphic Novel- Teens- True Story about for friends who kills a friend/associate for $500
March 1, 2010
Harrowing. It wasn't the healthiest thing to read this, really, since I already know that people like this exist in the world, and I already despise them.
July 2, 2010
Disturbing and amazing.
December 22, 2010
Totally totally awesome. And it is written by a fellow Sequart-er.
April 7, 2021
The story follows a group of drug addicts who murdered one of their friends for his paycheck. It's based on real-life events, but the names of the protagonists are changed. I warn you, this comic is not for the faint of heart. The events surrounding the murder alternate with each of them being interviewed, highlighting their indifference to their monstruous act. Their lack of remorse is quite sickening, but it's a good match for the persons involved in the real-life crime that inspired the story, at least as far as the wiki article I read about it.
The scene with the murder itself is drawn out and graphic. Though all of them are to blame for the murder and all dealt fatal blows on their friend, during the interview they still try to blame each other. Human psychology at work, I guess. The girl who distracted the victim is the only one who didn't hit him, so she is offered a deal by the district attorney if she testifies against the others.
The scene with the murder itself is drawn out and graphic. Though all of them are to blame for the murder and all dealt fatal blows on their friend, during the interview they still try to blame each other. Human psychology at work, I guess. The girl who distracted the victim is the only one who didn't hit him, so she is offered a deal by the district attorney if she testifies against the others.
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June 7, 2021Based on true story n it was so sick...
December 8, 2008
So I finally sat down with this yesterday and was blown the eff away. By far my favorite work of graphic fiction I have read this year (still have not read Bottomless Belly Button). I started reading this online, http://tr.im/1z9g, but quickly realized I wanted to hold it while I read it.
Lets just say that I read it straight through two times in my first sitting. It is amazingly powerful and beyond beautiful to read. The story is far from pretty. Gruesome would be a far better descriptor. But that does not really work either, even though it covers and vividly depicts a viciously violent crime.
Colden really relies on portraying the detachment of the protagonists. His rejected youth make the kids in River's Edge look more like the kids from The Sandlot (two obscure movie references there, for the uninitiated). The stark contrast of Colden's near sepia images only help to reinforce this severed nature the kids in his story exhibit.
After I read it the first time I wondered why it was called Fishtown, other than it being the section of Philly where the story and crime take place. But when I read though the second time (and I really believe there will be more readings in the future) I saw Colden's use of background space, the cold desolation of Fishtown, really create a near Leviathan of a character. It was as if the cityscape directed the teens toward their crime. What other possibility did they have?
This is a piece of masterful story telling. Amazingly harsh and far more full of apathy than pathos. It is sitting on a shelf somewhere challenging you to read it. Do it!
Lets just say that I read it straight through two times in my first sitting. It is amazingly powerful and beyond beautiful to read. The story is far from pretty. Gruesome would be a far better descriptor. But that does not really work either, even though it covers and vividly depicts a viciously violent crime.
Colden really relies on portraying the detachment of the protagonists. His rejected youth make the kids in River's Edge look more like the kids from The Sandlot (two obscure movie references there, for the uninitiated). The stark contrast of Colden's near sepia images only help to reinforce this severed nature the kids in his story exhibit.
After I read it the first time I wondered why it was called Fishtown, other than it being the section of Philly where the story and crime take place. But when I read though the second time (and I really believe there will be more readings in the future) I saw Colden's use of background space, the cold desolation of Fishtown, really create a near Leviathan of a character. It was as if the cityscape directed the teens toward their crime. What other possibility did they have?
This is a piece of masterful story telling. Amazingly harsh and far more full of apathy than pathos. It is sitting on a shelf somewhere challenging you to read it. Do it!
January 8, 2009
realy chilling. It's the graphic novel adaptation of the 2003 brutal murder of Jason Sweeney in philly's fishtown neighborhood (where I live). Four teenagers who are hooked on drugs and dropping out decide, at the ring-leader girl who pretends to be innocent, but in reality the ringleader of the operation. She lures a boy in with promises of sex and then her three male friends smash the kid up with hammers and bats.
Weird to think about how anyone can just snap and kill someone over something so petty. They got $500 from him and spent it all on pot and crap from south street. It's interesting how the interviews are done in jail and how the stories contradict....
Anyway, the art is awesome and the author did a super job telling a real grisly tale.
Weird to think about how anyone can just snap and kill someone over something so petty. They got $500 from him and spent it all on pot and crap from south street. It's interesting how the interviews are done in jail and how the stories contradict....
Anyway, the art is awesome and the author did a super job telling a real grisly tale.
January 3, 2011
All I can say is WOW!! Grabbed this on impulse from the shelf of the graphic novel section of my local library(which absolutely rocks!!)and read it in the freezing cold at the stop & on the bus ride home. Made me want to find out more about this crime because I could not believe these kids could be so callous-especially Angelica. I found myself just completely dumbfounded as I read through the story-it's one thing to be numbed out when you are high but to have no feelings after the fact is another.
July 26, 2011
I'm not a graphic novel guy, but I really enjoyed this. The story is pretty dark, and the artwork does a great job of developing the minimal dialogue. I liked the art, especially the colors, and the Colden's telling the story just through the kids. There aren't any adults throughout the book, which develops the story in an interesting way.
I live near Fishtown, and I know there's controversy about the creative license taken with this book. Nonetheless, I think Colden used the murder as basis for his story, which is quite good.
I live near Fishtown, and I know there's controversy about the creative license taken with this book. Nonetheless, I think Colden used the murder as basis for his story, which is quite good.
May 2, 2012
I picked this up because Kevin Colden is illustrating the new Crow series from IDW (hitting shelves July 2012).
I have mixed feelings about true crime as literature, but putting that aside there's a lot to like here. The jaundice color scheme really lends atmosphere to the book and the flat, voyeuristic storytelling is mesmerizing. I felt pathos from the story despite my inability to feel anything for the characters. It was a unique experience.
I have mixed feelings about true crime as literature, but putting that aside there's a lot to like here. The jaundice color scheme really lends atmosphere to the book and the flat, voyeuristic storytelling is mesmerizing. I felt pathos from the story despite my inability to feel anything for the characters. It was a unique experience.
March 10, 2013
The story was sort of 'meh' for me. The art on the other hand gripped me fiercely. The stark contrast and limited color palate of dull yellow, blue, and occasional pink (for blood) fit the mood of the narrative perfectly. I want to read this several times JUST for the art/color in hopes that it'll rub off on some of my own arts.
March 27, 2013
Fishtown is a disturbing reality. Crimes are being committed by younger and younger people. This short graphic novel tells the story of four teenagers who have one horrible secret. The illustrations are very simple but detailed enough and colored with a sense of grime and desperation. You know these kids are swirling around a drain.
December 13, 2008
A wicked little murder mystery in small town nowhere. This very human story of the darker side of suburban culture will have you on the edge of your seat as you turn each page to find out the full story....
August 5, 2016
chilling , cold , frustrating and frightening. Those are some of the feelings I experienced reading the Fishtown murders in comic form. The art was really good especially when you look them up afterwards to see how accurate the adaptation was.
September 21, 2014
Similar to the movie River's Edge (which was much better) this story of a teen murder has plenty of gritty realism (see teenagers do drugs and have sex!) but nothing that grabbed me (in fairness, crime comics are not my cup of tea).
June 28, 2014
Fucking bleak. Amazing art and storytelling.
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June 4, 2011Fascinating. I seem to remember this case.
November 21, 2014
This was really good, and I was super disturbed to find out it's a true story.
July 31, 2017
Nothing necessarily bad about this graphic novel - the story just left me with a bad taste in my mouth. Interesting artistic style and color choices, but the content of the plot just wasn't for me.
May 19, 2025
definitely compliments to the art work, very well done, but i just... can't bring myself to give this a higher rating because of the subject matter.
read the author's interview with CBR (https://www.cbr.com/kevin-colden-talk...) and he basically says that he did not involve anyone close to the case to avoid bias and emotional attachment which... i have a lot to say regarding that, when it comes to media involving real life crimes and not involving the people in a way... but anyways, it's a bit hard to believe that he did not have some emotions while creating this, but that's just my opinion. it just leaves a bitter taste in my mouth because it's such a delicate matter.
maybe i feel so strongly about this because it's the first graphic novel i've read involving a real murder case or whatever but i digress.
read the author's interview with CBR (https://www.cbr.com/kevin-colden-talk...) and he basically says that he did not involve anyone close to the case to avoid bias and emotional attachment which... i have a lot to say regarding that, when it comes to media involving real life crimes and not involving the people in a way... but anyways, it's a bit hard to believe that he did not have some emotions while creating this, but that's just my opinion. it just leaves a bitter taste in my mouth because it's such a delicate matter.
maybe i feel so strongly about this because it's the first graphic novel i've read involving a real murder case or whatever but i digress.
October 5, 2022
Throughout the entirety of the book I kept questioning the motivations of the characters, and if they truly felt remorse or not. To know that this was a webcomic with panels that were released in a staggered fashion translated the story better for me than the book did. You get the sense that every page ends on a cliffhanger, and that you are waiting for some big reveal.
I think it would have read better for me if I read it in the format it was originally released in. As a book, it reads choppily and some of the big "reveals" do not hold the same water they might have held if I read it as the panels were released.
I think it would have read better for me if I read it in the format it was originally released in. As a book, it reads choppily and some of the big "reveals" do not hold the same water they might have held if I read it as the panels were released.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews