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Bog Bodies
An Irish gangster, on the run after a job gone wrong, stumbles upon a young woman lost in the Dublin mountains. Injured and unarmed, the unlikely pair must try to evade their pursuers and survive the desolate bog that has served as burial grounds for unspeakable murder throughout history.
Declan Shalvey (Injection, Savage Town) and Gavin Fullerton (Bags) deliver a cold and poignant story of crime, survival, and regret.
Declan Shalvey (Injection, Savage Town) and Gavin Fullerton (Bags) deliver a cold and poignant story of crime, survival, and regret.
96 pages, Paperback
First published June 2, 2020
19 people are currently reading
452 people want to read
About the author
Declan Shalvey
489 books63 followersDeclan Shalvey is an Irish comics artist and writer.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 109 reviews
March 7, 2020
Young Killian’s fucked up a hit so bad he’s gotta be taken out to the bogs outside Dublin to be executed by his fellow gangsters - no loose ends. Except he somehow escapes and so begins a chase through the night involving gangsters, a runaway kid and a house full of ghosts - who’ll make it to the dawn?
Not bad! I had no expectations for this one and knew nothing about Bog Bodies and sometimes that’s the best way to go into a book. It’s nowhere close to being what I’d consider to be a good ‘un but it’s also definitely not bad.
Why didn’t the gangster in the boot immediately shoot Killian? Because then there’d be no story, which is as contrived a storytelling choice as you can get. Neev the runaway girl was a totally underdeveloped and irrelevant character - she was just there to be talked at by Killian; she added nothing to the story.
But I liked that the story took place over the course of a night in the middle of nowhere with very few characters - it gave it a sense of urgency and reality and it was the better for it. I enjoyed the complexity of Keano’s character - an over-the-hill gangster who’s sick of killing and isn’t totally rotten like Gerry. The house of ghosts was an interesting supernatural aspect to the otherwise realistic story, though, like Neev, it was pointless.
I haven’t read enough of Declan Shalvey’s writing at this point (I’ve only read his Deadpool vs. Old Man Logan before and that was awful!) to know where he was taking the story, so the finale was unpredictable and surprising. And kudos to Shalvey for choosing the only sensible ending the story could’ve had. And yet - that hard realism gave it an anticlimactic, slightly dissatisfying air. Not that I would’ve preferred a happy ending but perhaps a more imaginative one.
I didn’t dislike Gavin Fullerton’s art, and he did the best he could with a constant night setting, but I feel like I would’ve enjoyed the book more if Shalvey himself had also drawn it - I like his art a lot more.
Still, Bog Bodies is a decent done-in-one crime thriller that tells a simple, straightforward story fairly well - not a bog-standard comic!
Not bad! I had no expectations for this one and knew nothing about Bog Bodies and sometimes that’s the best way to go into a book. It’s nowhere close to being what I’d consider to be a good ‘un but it’s also definitely not bad.
Why didn’t the gangster in the boot immediately shoot Killian? Because then there’d be no story, which is as contrived a storytelling choice as you can get. Neev the runaway girl was a totally underdeveloped and irrelevant character - she was just there to be talked at by Killian; she added nothing to the story.
But I liked that the story took place over the course of a night in the middle of nowhere with very few characters - it gave it a sense of urgency and reality and it was the better for it. I enjoyed the complexity of Keano’s character - an over-the-hill gangster who’s sick of killing and isn’t totally rotten like Gerry. The house of ghosts was an interesting supernatural aspect to the otherwise realistic story, though, like Neev, it was pointless.
I haven’t read enough of Declan Shalvey’s writing at this point (I’ve only read his Deadpool vs. Old Man Logan before and that was awful!) to know where he was taking the story, so the finale was unpredictable and surprising. And kudos to Shalvey for choosing the only sensible ending the story could’ve had. And yet - that hard realism gave it an anticlimactic, slightly dissatisfying air. Not that I would’ve preferred a happy ending but perhaps a more imaginative one.
I didn’t dislike Gavin Fullerton’s art, and he did the best he could with a constant night setting, but I feel like I would’ve enjoyed the book more if Shalvey himself had also drawn it - I like his art a lot more.
Still, Bog Bodies is a decent done-in-one crime thriller that tells a simple, straightforward story fairly well - not a bog-standard comic!
September 9, 2020
So this is what I know abut bogs and bodies: ". . . the peculiar and acidic properties of the bog have preserved the bodies so that their skin, hair, soft tissue, and internal organs—even their brains—survive." Sound something like zombies? I may have first learned about bogs as "burial grounds" (or places to dump bodies) from the poet Seamus Heaney, who writes a lot about them, and here's one poem:
Strange Fruit
Here is the girl’s head like an exhumed gourd.
Oval-faced, prune-skinned, prune-stones for teeth.
They unswaddled the wet fern of her hair
And made an exhibition of its coil,
Let the air at her leathery beauty.
Pash of tallow, perishable treasure:
Her broken nose is dark as a turf clod,
Her eyeholes blank as pools in the old workings.
Diodorus Siculus confessed
His gradual ease with the likes of this:
Murdered, forgotten, nameless, terrible
Beheaded girl, outstaring axe
And beatification, outstaring
What had begun to feel like reverence.
I also read in the last year Say Nothing : A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe where he says many murdered bodies over the years have ended up in bogs.
Declan Shalvey's graphic novel, illustrated by Gavin Fullerton, takes place mostly in one night along the bogland outside Dublin, where Killian has to face the music for a botched crime job. Two guys come to take him to the bogland area to kill him, but one of them doesn't think Killian deserves death, deliberately misses himwhile shooting in his general direction, and Killian runs off, meets a young woman, escapes with her for a time, but unfortunately meets up with the two guys again at an old lady's house, who would seem to have dementia. Or does she actually see bog bodies? She provides a kind of mad backdrop to what is essentially a simple, straightforward story, with a few lingering questions in it.
It's a short, sad, brutal story, darkly illustrated (because: night, and some violence), but is quite well done, haunting. It's short and a bit nasty, I love the harsh language, clearly Irish toughs talking, and I like the illustration work.
Strange Fruit
Here is the girl’s head like an exhumed gourd.
Oval-faced, prune-skinned, prune-stones for teeth.
They unswaddled the wet fern of her hair
And made an exhibition of its coil,
Let the air at her leathery beauty.
Pash of tallow, perishable treasure:
Her broken nose is dark as a turf clod,
Her eyeholes blank as pools in the old workings.
Diodorus Siculus confessed
His gradual ease with the likes of this:
Murdered, forgotten, nameless, terrible
Beheaded girl, outstaring axe
And beatification, outstaring
What had begun to feel like reverence.
I also read in the last year Say Nothing : A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe where he says many murdered bodies over the years have ended up in bogs.
Declan Shalvey's graphic novel, illustrated by Gavin Fullerton, takes place mostly in one night along the bogland outside Dublin, where Killian has to face the music for a botched crime job. Two guys come to take him to the bogland area to kill him, but one of them doesn't think Killian deserves death, deliberately misses himwhile shooting in his general direction, and Killian runs off, meets a young woman, escapes with her for a time, but unfortunately meets up with the two guys again at an old lady's house, who would seem to have dementia. Or does she actually see bog bodies? She provides a kind of mad backdrop to what is essentially a simple, straightforward story, with a few lingering questions in it.
It's a short, sad, brutal story, darkly illustrated (because: night, and some violence), but is quite well done, haunting. It's short and a bit nasty, I love the harsh language, clearly Irish toughs talking, and I like the illustration work.
April 28, 2020
This May release from Image Comics is deeply Irish, using lots of Irish cuss words and ones we in the US think of as swear words...ladies in the audience, "cunt" does not mean the same thing in Ireland!...which you'd do well to consult the Urban Dictionary about as you run across them.
The flat, brutal art and the dark, flat colors are a fine tonal match for the story of Killian, a small-time wise guy and a major fuck-up whose rope has finally run out. The son of a murdered gangster, he followed in his dad's footsteps without the talent for it. It has led to the moment in this story, a brutal life's summation and judgment; it's a morality tale, of course, but it's got a few little grace notes.
Mad Maureen is a sheer delight. Her weird world, the one her nephew Keano, aging in an unforgiving world as "the Bishop"'s enforcer, has made for her. It suits. It really suits. Madness is lonely; Maureen's isn't. She has plenty of company courtesy of Keano.
So at the end of the story, all the chickens come home to roost. There's closure. It's like the closure of a coffin lid, yes, but it's not less satisfying for all that. What it isn't is, well, conventional.
If you're up for a dark and cruel story of consequences and simple but brutal endings, this is your noir jam. Apart from the Irish-slang issues, it's a good solid crime read.
The flat, brutal art and the dark, flat colors are a fine tonal match for the story of Killian, a small-time wise guy and a major fuck-up whose rope has finally run out. The son of a murdered gangster, he followed in his dad's footsteps without the talent for it. It has led to the moment in this story, a brutal life's summation and judgment; it's a morality tale, of course, but it's got a few little grace notes.
Mad Maureen is a sheer delight. Her weird world, the one her nephew Keano, aging in an unforgiving world as "the Bishop"'s enforcer, has made for her. It suits. It really suits. Madness is lonely; Maureen's isn't. She has plenty of company courtesy of Keano.
So at the end of the story, all the chickens come home to roost. There's closure. It's like the closure of a coffin lid, yes, but it's not less satisfying for all that. What it isn't is, well, conventional.
If you're up for a dark and cruel story of consequences and simple but brutal endings, this is your noir jam. Apart from the Irish-slang issues, it's a good solid crime read.
March 8, 2020
Gritty crime story, situated in Dublin, Ireland - well, actually more just outside of Dublin.
Killian, a young man, was supposed to kill a certain girl, but he accidentally killed the wrong one. Now he needs to "pay", which means he has to die.
It's hard to talk about the rest of the plot without spoiling anything - there's a neat little twist that I didn't see coming, which makes the ending more poignant.
The art fit the story perfectly, and I especially enjoyed all the Irish dialogue.
(Received an ARC from Image through Edelweiss)
Killian, a young man, was supposed to kill a certain girl, but he accidentally killed the wrong one. Now he needs to "pay", which means he has to die.
It's hard to talk about the rest of the plot without spoiling anything - there's a neat little twist that I didn't see coming, which makes the ending more poignant.
The art fit the story perfectly, and I especially enjoyed all the Irish dialogue.
(Received an ARC from Image through Edelweiss)
June 8, 2021
A couple of Irish gangsters head out to the countryside to dispose of the contents of their car trunk, but as often occurs in crime fiction, things go awry. It's a bit slow but kept me interested until the supernatural elements that were slowly introduced came of nothing in the end. Without a proper convergence of the thriller and horror storylines, the ending is just pointless.
My wife and I had a running joke a while back that Irish mob movies are the worst because the characters just do the stupidest things possible in every situation, are generally incompetent, and usually end up just killing each other. Well, this book does nothing to turn my opinion around.
My wife and I had a running joke a while back that Irish mob movies are the worst because the characters just do the stupidest things possible in every situation, are generally incompetent, and usually end up just killing each other. Well, this book does nothing to turn my opinion around.
July 29, 2022
Killian is our main lead here and he goes with his partner Keano to dispose of a body. But soon is hunted by Keano and another hitman after fucking up a job.
This one long night is a man trying to survive the night. Trying to escape certain death while also trying to protect a girl. As the story progresses we get deeper into the reason everyone is in the situation they are. With twist and turns till the end feels lost and broken.
I really dug the story. While it wrapped up bit too quickly it still hit hard when it did. The art is great, with the feel of the night air wrapping around these characters as they try to survive. The expressive faces make for some excellent emotional bits. The art/story combo worked real well.
I also learned a lot of Irish Slang.
A 4 out of 5.
This one long night is a man trying to survive the night. Trying to escape certain death while also trying to protect a girl. As the story progresses we get deeper into the reason everyone is in the situation they are. With twist and turns till the end feels lost and broken.
I really dug the story. While it wrapped up bit too quickly it still hit hard when it did. The art is great, with the feel of the night air wrapping around these characters as they try to survive. The expressive faces make for some excellent emotional bits. The art/story combo worked real well.
I also learned a lot of Irish Slang.
A 4 out of 5.
September 22, 2020
This is more of a crime story than a mystery, but there are some aspects of it that fit the genre. This is definitely a slice of the bigger story and I wish we got to see more of that, since most of it is revealed while the action is going on. I didn't totally understand the ending and I wish this was longer, because I wasn't really invested in the characters.
June 1, 2020
A pretty decent crime story set over a single night. It wasnt amazing but it was better than i was expecting going in. The ghost element was kinda pointless and the ending was kinda quick. Solid
December 13, 2021
★ 3.0 Stars ★
A solid story, told over the span of one evening/night.
After a job gone wrong, Killian, a small time crook in an irish gang, has to pay for his blunder with his life. Escaping into the wilderness surrounding Dublin, he finds a girl lost in the woods, and the two end up running into the dark dodging gunfire and slippery slopes as they attempt to escape.
All in all, it's an alright graphic novel. The story is interesting enough to keep reading, and the ending even has a somewhat cool twist. It's not 'incredible' and I doubt I'll ever read it again, but I'm still happy I did.
A solid story, told over the span of one evening/night.
After a job gone wrong, Killian, a small time crook in an irish gang, has to pay for his blunder with his life. Escaping into the wilderness surrounding Dublin, he finds a girl lost in the woods, and the two end up running into the dark dodging gunfire and slippery slopes as they attempt to escape.
All in all, it's an alright graphic novel. The story is interesting enough to keep reading, and the ending even has a somewhat cool twist. It's not 'incredible' and I doubt I'll ever read it again, but I'm still happy I did.
June 11, 2020
I think this is the first time I have read a graphic novel set in Ireland. It came to my attention when a friend shared a picture the first page of the book which is a picture of the famous Poolbeg Chimneys.
I just HAD to read this one.
The first thing that came to mind as I was reading Bog Bodies was the film In Brudges - not so much because of the breath-taking scenery but because the main plot of the story is more than a little similar. Young gangster kills wrong person - Young gangster must die.
As the story moves along though this link loses importance and is overtaken by the writer’s own take on the story. The scenery of the Irish mountainsides and the bogs is incredibly important to the plot and helps drives the characters along.
This is not a happy go lucky tale. It is grim and bleak, and the incredible artwork reflects that. If you are looking for something cheerful then you have come to the wrong place. If you, like me, are looking for something a little twisted then pull up a chair and hump in. I would have liked it to be a bit longer, and felt that there was more to tell here, especially the story of "Neev", but I still really enjoyed it and look forward to reading more Irish set graphic novels in the future.
Recommended
I just HAD to read this one.
The first thing that came to mind as I was reading Bog Bodies was the film In Brudges - not so much because of the breath-taking scenery but because the main plot of the story is more than a little similar. Young gangster kills wrong person - Young gangster must die.
As the story moves along though this link loses importance and is overtaken by the writer’s own take on the story. The scenery of the Irish mountainsides and the bogs is incredibly important to the plot and helps drives the characters along.
This is not a happy go lucky tale. It is grim and bleak, and the incredible artwork reflects that. If you are looking for something cheerful then you have come to the wrong place. If you, like me, are looking for something a little twisted then pull up a chair and hump in. I would have liked it to be a bit longer, and felt that there was more to tell here, especially the story of "Neev", but I still really enjoyed it and look forward to reading more Irish set graphic novels in the future.
Recommended
January 15, 2022
So there is this kid working with this criminal crews he messes up on the job so now he has to die and his partners are the ones who are going to kill him. They drive him out to the country side to do the deed but he escapes. Now the chase is on. The story is a short one and wraps up pretty quick, a little too quick for my taste. The ending was abrupt and had me like, “that’s it??” 🤷🏾♂️
March 18, 2020
Bog Bodies is a graphic novel by author Declan Shalvey, with artist Gavin Fullerton, colorist Rebecca Nalty, letterer Clayton Cowles, and curated by editor extraordinaire Heather Antos for Image Comics (2020).
Neev Madigan, a young girl, has been reported missing in Dublin. Killian, a young Irish mob low ladder henchman is set up to take the fall for a botched job, but manages to escape certain death, as the morons setting him up were too slow for their own good (mentally as much as physically, it’ll turn out). He flees with no direction in mind. Of course, what had to happen happens, and he stumbles on the missing girl, in a sorry state, in the neck of the woods. Turns out she’s a mean bitch. And, Killian being a gangster, they probably deserve each other.
They now must escape Killian’s pursuers for both their sakes. But can Killian really saves himself and, furthermore, redeem himself ? And what exactly happened to Neev Madigan ?
This is a bleak story, making good use of good knowledge of Ireland, its landscapes, its bogs, its folklore, and the history of bog bodies (look that up - similar stuff happens with Los Angeles tar pits). You could see it first degree, as a fast paced chase in which two characters try to escape their pursuers, or you could see it as a story of redemption. Assuming redemption is even possible for one or the other of the four characters in this story.
The art is served by a clever use of color palette clearly differentiating stages and locations, allowing us to quickly read the atmosphere emanating from each one. There is a frequent use of panel shape, zoom-outs, and plain backgrounds to convey, for example, a feeling of lostness and despair. Also frequent are pages with four to five large horizontal panels, giving a cinematic feel to the ensemble
Bog Bodies is a satisfying read, even if I was expecting more depth, and maybe more content from it. I would still recommend it to the lovers of noir crime comics.
Thanks to Image Comics, Diamond Book Distributors, and Edelweiss for the ARC provided in exchange for this unbiased review.
Neev Madigan, a young girl, has been reported missing in Dublin. Killian, a young Irish mob low ladder henchman is set up to take the fall for a botched job, but manages to escape certain death, as the morons setting him up were too slow for their own good (mentally as much as physically, it’ll turn out). He flees with no direction in mind. Of course, what had to happen happens, and he stumbles on the missing girl, in a sorry state, in the neck of the woods. Turns out she’s a mean bitch. And, Killian being a gangster, they probably deserve each other.
They now must escape Killian’s pursuers for both their sakes. But can Killian really saves himself and, furthermore, redeem himself ? And what exactly happened to Neev Madigan ?
This is a bleak story, making good use of good knowledge of Ireland, its landscapes, its bogs, its folklore, and the history of bog bodies (look that up - similar stuff happens with Los Angeles tar pits). You could see it first degree, as a fast paced chase in which two characters try to escape their pursuers, or you could see it as a story of redemption. Assuming redemption is even possible for one or the other of the four characters in this story.
The art is served by a clever use of color palette clearly differentiating stages and locations, allowing us to quickly read the atmosphere emanating from each one. There is a frequent use of panel shape, zoom-outs, and plain backgrounds to convey, for example, a feeling of lostness and despair. Also frequent are pages with four to five large horizontal panels, giving a cinematic feel to the ensemble
Bog Bodies is a satisfying read, even if I was expecting more depth, and maybe more content from it. I would still recommend it to the lovers of noir crime comics.
Thanks to Image Comics, Diamond Book Distributors, and Edelweiss for the ARC provided in exchange for this unbiased review.
June 14, 2020
When I first read the synopsis of BOG BODIES, I was intrigued by the noir type setting in the mountains of Dublin, Ireland.
After reading the graphic novel, I was both disappointed and a little confused.
Declan Shalvey and Gavin Fullerton's story is billed as a "cold, poignant story of crime, survival and regret."
The tale starts out with Killian, the book's main character being picked up for a job. His job is helping dispose of victims of a local Dublin crime boss. It soon turns out the victim to be disposed of is Killian himself. It seems a screwed up job has left him in deep with the gangster.
Escaping the initial attempt on his life, he finds himself wandering through the Dublin countryside when he stumbles upon a woman lost and confused about what happened to her. The two end up traveling together as they seek to get away from the killers that are after Killian.
To this point, the story was fine. But afterwards it seems to take a not entirely convincing and ultimately disturbingly confusing turn towards what I can only assume is the supernatural. I'll let those who might want to figure things out for themselves take it from there and leave the rest of the story for them to discover.
But for me, what I found was that the final act of the story just didn't seem to fit with what came before. And while there was resolution to some of the plot, the book seemed to end well before other things could be explained.
I had some pretty high expectations when I first heard about this graphic novel but unfortunately, it didn't like up to the billing for me so I can't really say that I enjoyed the story overall.
After reading the graphic novel, I was both disappointed and a little confused.
Declan Shalvey and Gavin Fullerton's story is billed as a "cold, poignant story of crime, survival and regret."
The tale starts out with Killian, the book's main character being picked up for a job. His job is helping dispose of victims of a local Dublin crime boss. It soon turns out the victim to be disposed of is Killian himself. It seems a screwed up job has left him in deep with the gangster.
Escaping the initial attempt on his life, he finds himself wandering through the Dublin countryside when he stumbles upon a woman lost and confused about what happened to her. The two end up traveling together as they seek to get away from the killers that are after Killian.
To this point, the story was fine. But afterwards it seems to take a not entirely convincing and ultimately disturbingly confusing turn towards what I can only assume is the supernatural. I'll let those who might want to figure things out for themselves take it from there and leave the rest of the story for them to discover.
But for me, what I found was that the final act of the story just didn't seem to fit with what came before. And while there was resolution to some of the plot, the book seemed to end well before other things could be explained.
I had some pretty high expectations when I first heard about this graphic novel but unfortunately, it didn't like up to the billing for me so I can't really say that I enjoyed the story overall.
November 18, 2020
This was so cool, I didn't expect to like it as much as I did ! The story was great, as was the style, and I loved how the dialogue was really believable ( I can't think of a better adjective for it !) One of the gangsters also looked a bit like my dad which I thought was cool too :•)
March 13, 2023
Solid crime story. Quick and enjoyable read. My biggest complaint is that I wish they would’ve explained a bit more the significance of the bog and what it does to bodies. Context clues can help figure this one out, though.
January 24, 2021
Bod Bodies jsou jednohubka, ktera nenadchne, ale ani neurazi a za par dni uz si na ni ani poradne nevzpomenete.
Hlavne protagonista je mladej irskej gangster, kterej podelal svuj predchozi job a zahy se ocita na uteku bazinama, kde se od nepameti odpravovali nepohodlny lidi. Cely je to celkem svizny, postavy by clovek spocital na prstech jedny ruky a clovek se rozhodne nenudi, byt celej komiks stoji spis na dialogach nez na nejaky akci. K tomu si pridejte trochu nadprirozena, nejaky ty feels a razem je z toho oddechovka na jeden vecer.
Pro fanousky gangsterek a krimi komiksu muzu s klidnem doporucit, ale neni to zadnej Brubaker :).
Hlavne protagonista je mladej irskej gangster, kterej podelal svuj predchozi job a zahy se ocita na uteku bazinama, kde se od nepameti odpravovali nepohodlny lidi. Cely je to celkem svizny, postavy by clovek spocital na prstech jedny ruky a clovek se rozhodne nenudi, byt celej komiks stoji spis na dialogach nez na nejaky akci. K tomu si pridejte trochu nadprirozena, nejaky ty feels a razem je z toho oddechovka na jeden vecer.
Pro fanousky gangsterek a krimi komiksu muzu s klidnem doporucit, ale neni to zadnej Brubaker :).
Read
March 8, 2020Imagine the Pine Barrens episode of The Sopranos, relocated to the wilds of Ireland; it helps that the Irish are up there with Italian-Americans in the expressive obscenity stakes. Dublin gangsters traipsing around in the sticks after a hit gone wrong, with eerie, minimal art that would have been at home in the era of Crisis and Deadline. It's a shame that Shalvey's writing career has helped ensure Injection will be another on that long, long list of MIA Warren Ellis comics, but one can hardly deny he's doing some bloody good stuff off his own bat.
(Edelweiss ARC)
(Edelweiss ARC)
December 20, 2020
Firmly set in Ireland and deeply atmospheric, with some beautiful use of black and negative space in the panels.
March 9, 2021
A solid read for the crackling Irish dialogue and dark, moody art. A weak read for the bland, inconclusive plot. A wee gangster lad treks out to the sticks to deposit a body, only to find . The book becomes a chase from there, and then an awkward graveside conversation, and then...nothing. It just kind of ends.
Having recently watched and loved Derry Girls, I was all over every instance of "auld" and "sure." As in Shalvey's Savage Town, the realism presented by the dialogue is a true treat. If only the plot held as much promise.
Having recently watched and loved Derry Girls, I was all over every instance of "auld" and "sure." As in Shalvey's Savage Town, the realism presented by the dialogue is a true treat. If only the plot held as much promise.
June 21, 2020
A generous helping of thick "oirishness" with accents aplenty can't really cover up the fact that the story is written like someone's strange dreamlike amalgamation of all the crime flicks they've seen. Mouthy gangsters, teens who want to "get out" of the business, finishing off loose ends, blah blah blah. It doesn't help that the art isn't anything special with a look that does match the dark night in a forest/on the bog, which makes it about as ugly as the anticlimactic ending that renders the whole thing even more of a chore.
August 28, 2020
A gangland hit goes wrong (which itself was to remedy another hit gone wrong), and so three Dublin thugs spend a night in the Irish countryside chasing after one another and swearing up a storm.
Like Declan Shalvey’s prior graphic novel, Savage Town, his newest is very much like a comic book version of a Martin McDonagh play or movie: funny, morbid, bloody, crass, and surprising in its sharpness. Bog Bodies isn’t as impressive as Shalvey’s first OGN, but it does show just how many more great stories he has left to tell.
Like Declan Shalvey’s prior graphic novel, Savage Town, his newest is very much like a comic book version of a Martin McDonagh play or movie: funny, morbid, bloody, crass, and surprising in its sharpness. Bog Bodies isn’t as impressive as Shalvey’s first OGN, but it does show just how many more great stories he has left to tell.
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December 28, 2021Reminded me of the infamous "The Pine Barrens" episode in The Sopranos - a hit gone wrong, but instead of the wintery woods of New Jersey, the bog lands outside of Dublin, Ireland. Irish gangsters and their dirty slang, with a little twist at the end. Wanted a bit more from the story, but still an entertaining dark and violent jaunt...
February 21, 2021
What was the point of that. Irish gangster story that flirts with horror but doesn't really pay off. At best it's an excuse for 100 pages of Irish patter, but you probably already know what that looks like.
January 3, 2021
I didn't get it. the parts of a good story were there, but they never jelled for me, and both the story of the boy and the story of the girl seem either unexplained or unresolved.
May 30, 2020
This “night gone wrong” crime thriller has a distinctly Irish charm that I really like, and the dialogue is just stylized enough to easily read all the accents without adding any friction to understanding it. The broad strokes of the story are familiar enough, like a lot of crime fiction I guess, but its succinct characterizations and unique setting add a lot, and it’s careful to naturally invoke background plot points that a lot of other stories would make into a pointless 24 page flashback. And the art presents it all attractively; there’s heavy inking and most of the color comes from moonlight or the harsh reds of car taillights, a constant reminder that it all takes place across a single night.
September 15, 2024
4.5/5
Sometimes you really like something and you read other people's reviews for it and they're so wrong it makes you want to write your own review... But maybe sometimes it's better to not pay any mind to other people's lack of reading comprehension and let a sub-100 page graphic novel just speak for itself.
Sometimes you really like something and you read other people's reviews for it and they're so wrong it makes you want to write your own review... But maybe sometimes it's better to not pay any mind to other people's lack of reading comprehension and let a sub-100 page graphic novel just speak for itself.
May 8, 2023
Well that was fucking depressing.
August 16, 2020
This was fairly short. It started with a fun crime fiction premise, but the characters lacked punch. The conclusion was pretty run-of-the-mill. A bit of twist and poof, the book was over. It dragged a bit in the last few pages as I kept waiting for something happen.
It deserved to be longer. It deserved to be fleshed out more. It was good enough to be better.
And it was still pretty damned good as it was.
It deserved to be longer. It deserved to be fleshed out more. It was good enough to be better.
And it was still pretty damned good as it was.
November 11, 2020
read this with fair city on in the background which I find to be quite fitting
came for fullerton's artwork, specifically his fullerTHAN line quality and use of black, but stayed for shalvey's story, characters and funny one liners, and rebecca nalty's choice colours
also gerry's the image of one of the kids from akira
came for fullerton's artwork, specifically his fullerTHAN line quality and use of black, but stayed for shalvey's story, characters and funny one liners, and rebecca nalty's choice colours
also gerry's the image of one of the kids from akira
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