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Meadowlark: A Coming-of-Age Crime Story
From the dream team behind #1 New York Times bestseller Indeh comes a graphic novel following a father and son as they navigate an increasingly catastrophic day.
Set against the quiet and unassuming city of Huntsville, Texas, Jack "Meadowlark" Johnson, and his teenage son, Cooper embark on a journey of epic proportions. Told over the course a single day, this electrifying graphic novel recounts Cooper's struggle to survive the consequences of his father's mistakes and the dangers they have brought home to his estranged family. As Cooper and his father desperately navigate cascading threats of violence, they must also grapple with their own combative, dysfunctional, but loving relationship.
Drawing on inspiration from the authors' childhoods in Texas, their relationships with their own sons and from ancient myths that resonate throughout the ages, this contemporary crime noir is a propulsive coming-of-age tale of the shattering transition into manhood. While both father and son strive to understand their place in the world and each other's lives, tension and resentment threaten to boil over. As emotionally evocative as it is visually stunning, this captivating graphic novel will appeal to fans of Cormac McCarthy's No Country for Old Men and Terrence Malick's Badlands.
Set against the quiet and unassuming city of Huntsville, Texas, Jack "Meadowlark" Johnson, and his teenage son, Cooper embark on a journey of epic proportions. Told over the course a single day, this electrifying graphic novel recounts Cooper's struggle to survive the consequences of his father's mistakes and the dangers they have brought home to his estranged family. As Cooper and his father desperately navigate cascading threats of violence, they must also grapple with their own combative, dysfunctional, but loving relationship.
Drawing on inspiration from the authors' childhoods in Texas, their relationships with their own sons and from ancient myths that resonate throughout the ages, this contemporary crime noir is a propulsive coming-of-age tale of the shattering transition into manhood. While both father and son strive to understand their place in the world and each other's lives, tension and resentment threaten to boil over. As emotionally evocative as it is visually stunning, this captivating graphic novel will appeal to fans of Cormac McCarthy's No Country for Old Men and Terrence Malick's Badlands.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published August 10, 2021
16 people are currently reading
463 people want to read
About the author
Ethan Hawke
42 books1,237 followersEthan Green Hawke is an American actor, author, and film director. He made his film debut in Explorers (1985), before making a breakthrough performance in Dead Poets Society (1989). Hawke starred alongside Julie Delpy in Richard Linklater's Before trilogy from 1995 to 2013. Hawke received two nominations for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for Training Day (2001) and Boyhood (2014) and two for Best Adapted Screenplay for co-writing Before Sunset (2004) and Before Midnight (2013). Other notable roles include in Reality Bites (1994), Gattaca (1997), Great Expectations (1998), Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (2007), Maggie's Plan (2015), First Reformed (2017), The Black Phone (2021), and The Northman (2022).
Hawke directed the narrative films Chelsea Walls (2001), The Hottest State (2006), and Blaze (2018) as well as the documentary Seymour: An Introduction (2014). He created, co-wrote and starred as John Brown in the Showtime limited series The Good Lord Bird (2018), and directed the HBO Max documentary series The Last Movie Stars (2022). He starred in the Marvel television miniseries Moon Knight (2022) as Arthur Harrow.
In addition to his film work, Hawke has appeared in many theater productions. He made his Broadway debut in 1992 in Anton Chekhov's The Seagull, and was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play in 2007 for his performance in Tom Stoppard's The Coast of Utopia. In 2010, Hawke directed Sam Shepard's A Lie of the Mind, for which he received a Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Director of a Play. In 2018, he starred in the Roundabout Theater Company's revival of Sam Shepard's play True West.
He has received numerous nominations including a total of four Academy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, and a Tony Award.
Hawke directed the narrative films Chelsea Walls (2001), The Hottest State (2006), and Blaze (2018) as well as the documentary Seymour: An Introduction (2014). He created, co-wrote and starred as John Brown in the Showtime limited series The Good Lord Bird (2018), and directed the HBO Max documentary series The Last Movie Stars (2022). He starred in the Marvel television miniseries Moon Knight (2022) as Arthur Harrow.
In addition to his film work, Hawke has appeared in many theater productions. He made his Broadway debut in 1992 in Anton Chekhov's The Seagull, and was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play in 2007 for his performance in Tom Stoppard's The Coast of Utopia. In 2010, Hawke directed Sam Shepard's A Lie of the Mind, for which he received a Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Director of a Play. In 2018, he starred in the Roundabout Theater Company's revival of Sam Shepard's play True West.
He has received numerous nominations including a total of four Academy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, and a Tony Award.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 114 reviews
October 28, 2024
A very bad day for a father and son trying to come to terms with their strained relationship. Jack 'Medowlark' Johnson (ex-boxer turned correctional officer) and his son Cooper are stuck with each other for the day: Cooper has been expelled from school and his mom has had enough. Soon they find themselves in a web of violence - and the only way to survive is to find trust that is not there. Greg Ruth and Ethan Hawke spin a tense tale of redemption and the price that must be paid when bad choices finally catch up with you.
December 22, 2021
So is this going to be a regular thing now? As with Indeh: A Story of the Apache Wars, Greg Ruth and Ethan Hawke collaborate on a graphic novel that just happens to have a character that looks a lot like Hawke and could be the storyboards for a ready-to-be-optioned B-movie.
This time Ethan plays a washed up boxer who is shambling through life as a prison guard and thousands of dollars behind on child support to his son's mother. As junior recently got expelled from school, Hawke stumbles into taking the boy to prison on the day there happens to be a prison break. In an increasingly unlikely series of events the boy keeps tagging along as Hawke digs himself further and further into loserdom. (And, hey, is that Jean Reno playing Maurice, the prison break mastermind?) But, hey, they're father and son bonding so it's deep and profound drama and not just schlocky action, right? Right?
This time Ethan plays a washed up boxer who is shambling through life as a prison guard and thousands of dollars behind on child support to his son's mother. As junior recently got expelled from school, Hawke stumbles into taking the boy to prison on the day there happens to be a prison break. In an increasingly unlikely series of events the boy keeps tagging along as Hawke digs himself further and further into loserdom. (And, hey, is that Jean Reno playing Maurice, the prison break mastermind?) But, hey, they're father and son bonding so it's deep and profound drama and not just schlocky action, right? Right?
July 28, 2024
A bit two busy with drama between the teen main character and each of his parents (mom, dad, step-dad) and some other moments that pulled from the central focus of dad and son conflict. I wish that bit had been more in depth.
The ending was also a bit unbelievable, given skillsets and size of the characters facing off. I would’ve found it more plausible if the teen had bravely held off or slowed down the villain long enough for actual trained adults to resolve the situation, though I understand it was meant to be a parallel to the dad using a chokehold in the past.
Over all good and has the gritty Texas feeling it was going for, but could’ve used some more edits to make it feel believable and more focused.
The ending was also a bit unbelievable, given skillsets and size of the characters facing off. I would’ve found it more plausible if the teen had bravely held off or slowed down the villain long enough for actual trained adults to resolve the situation, though I understand it was meant to be a parallel to the dad using a chokehold in the past.
Over all good and has the gritty Texas feeling it was going for, but could’ve used some more edits to make it feel believable and more focused.
September 1, 2021
Not bad, but a little too busy. There’s father drama, step father drama, failed adult trajectories, drug lords, prison breaks, and juvenile delinquency. It’s a little too much, but it did keep my interest and I finished it in one sitting.
Even with all of the craziness, the ending was unbelievable and a cop out. I could believe the former boxer father pummeling a few people, and even surviving getting stabbed and putting a lucky bullet in a couple of guys. What I couldn’t believe I the skinny teenager strangling a monstrous psychopath with the chains from a swing set. It just doesn’t work. Strangulation is difficult and takes time. Swingset chains are also pretty thick. I think I could get my fingers under them and resist and a giant killer could definitely hold out long enough to toss off a 150lb (maybe) teen.
The art was good and the dialogue was well done, but the ending ruined it for me.
Even with all of the craziness, the ending was unbelievable and a cop out. I could believe the former boxer father pummeling a few people, and even surviving getting stabbed and putting a lucky bullet in a couple of guys. What I couldn’t believe I the skinny teenager strangling a monstrous psychopath with the chains from a swing set. It just doesn’t work. Strangulation is difficult and takes time. Swingset chains are also pretty thick. I think I could get my fingers under them and resist and a giant killer could definitely hold out long enough to toss off a 150lb (maybe) teen.
The art was good and the dialogue was well done, but the ending ruined it for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 13, 2022
Daha önce Indeh ile çok beğendiğim Ruth & Hawke ikilisinden, yine güzel bir çalışma. Özellikle film tadında hazırlanmış kareler, sinematografisi olan kareler ve tabi tutarlı bir senaryo ile çok daha iyiye doğru gidiyor.
November 13, 2021
En ce moment, j’ai du mal avec les BD même si j’ai pourtant envie d’en lire quand je les vois passer ... à part que je n’arrive pas à m’y mettre vraiment. C’est pour ça qu’il m’a fallu plus d’une semaine pour lire ce roman graphique assez épais bien que relativement peu verbeux. Ce qui m’a attirée en premier, en plus de son graphisme, c’est le fait que l’acteur Ethan Hawke ait écrit le scénario. J’ignorais totalement qu’il écrivait et donc, j’ai tout de suite été curieuse de savoir ce que cela allait donner.Côté dessin, j’ai aimé l’aspect dynamique et moderne, réaliste du trait, avec une certaine sobriété dans certaines scènes où les décors savent se faire oublier pour concentrer le regard vers les personnages et l’action. Les tons tirant vers un sépia assez pâle sont agréables, même s’ils sont parfois presque trop clairs si l’éclairage n’est pas au mieux au moment de la lecture (et bon, mes yeux ne sont plus non plus au top du top !). J’ai parfois eu un peu de mal à me repérer dans les personnages mais ça n’a pas trop duré vu que ceux-ci sont en quantité limitée et qu’on finit par s’y habituer. En tout cas, c’était aussi la première fois que je découvrais ce dessinateur donc c’était un album de la découverte ! Côté récit, il est assez traditionnel et sans grande surprise mais il est intéressant à lire, mêlant pyschologie et action. J’aurais aimé que Cooper soit plus développé, ainsi que le contexte familial qui joue un rôle important mais qui est presque trop peu creusé. On le découvre par touches mais ça m’a paru un peu frustrant car j’aurais voulu en savoir plus encore. Certains rebondissements m’ont aussi semblé parfois précipités mais ce n’est pas trop un problème (il m’a fallu quand même quelques secondes pour essayer de comprendre ce qui se passait) car on s’imagine qu’on est à la place de Cooper et qu’on découvre les faits en même temps que lui. Ce ne sera pas l’album de l’année pour moi mais j’ai eu plaisir à le lire !
May 3, 2024
2.5
Nothing very interesting on display here. Some of the artistry is damn good, but at others times the action gets very choppy and muddled.
Flat characters, rote story, and standard action/violence.
This is really nothing more than a decent quick read that my grandfathers would’ve eaten up back in the day.
Nothing very interesting on display here. Some of the artistry is damn good, but at others times the action gets very choppy and muddled.
Flat characters, rote story, and standard action/violence.
This is really nothing more than a decent quick read that my grandfathers would’ve eaten up back in the day.
March 11, 2022
Good graphic novel where the story is by Ethan Hawke.. Interesting story but the characters are made to be overly "cool", as if to be made into a movie. Would have been better (in my opinion) if they were made a little more real.
February 10, 2022
White man's violence fantacy. Well drawn though.
June 26, 2025
A strained father-son relationship is put to the test when Jack and his son Coop are caught up in a prison break. Jack and his son must come to terms while fighting to get home to keep Coop's Mom safe.
The drug lords are psychopaths are over the top, but in a fun B-movie style. This graphic novel feels like it could be a movie pitch, from it's gritty Texas setting to the action and characters with questionable morals.
The art does a great job with the setting, but at times I found the action hard to follow. Jack is Ethan Hawke. The dialogue was good too. The ending was over the top though, 130lb kid vs giant psycho, come on.
The drug lords are psychopaths are over the top, but in a fun B-movie style. This graphic novel feels like it could be a movie pitch, from it's gritty Texas setting to the action and characters with questionable morals.
The art does a great job with the setting, but at times I found the action hard to follow. Jack is Ethan Hawke. The dialogue was good too. The ending was over the top though, 130lb kid vs giant psycho, come on.
August 28, 2021
The first collaboration between actor/producer/writer Ethan Hawke and cartoonist Greg Ruth, the Apache historical drama “Indeh,” had Hawke listed first. I don’t know if they’re taking turns or if the change reflects a different division of labor but, in their sophomore effort, the gritty Western neo-noir graphic novel “Meadowlark,” Ruth is credited ahead of Hawke. Either way, they need to continue doing what they’re doing because “Meadowlark” is a definite improvement.
Part coming-of-age tale, part “Hell Or High Water”-style crime saga, “Meadowlark” is steeped in a very specific kind of Texas grit. Ruth’s vistas are wide open, full of threatening Nate Powell-esque thunderheads, every character has a chip on their shoulder, and even the colors in the comic favor dusty browns, like it was drawn in the dirt. The writing is equally raw and straightforward even if Ruth and Hawke sometimes fall into the typical comics trap of pausing the action for the characters to talk solemnly about honor and manhood (*ahem*… looking at you, “Preacher” and “The Walking Dead”). It’s thrilling, thoughtful, and just a touch bloody. I really, really enjoyed it.
Part coming-of-age tale, part “Hell Or High Water”-style crime saga, “Meadowlark” is steeped in a very specific kind of Texas grit. Ruth’s vistas are wide open, full of threatening Nate Powell-esque thunderheads, every character has a chip on their shoulder, and even the colors in the comic favor dusty browns, like it was drawn in the dirt. The writing is equally raw and straightforward even if Ruth and Hawke sometimes fall into the typical comics trap of pausing the action for the characters to talk solemnly about honor and manhood (*ahem*… looking at you, “Preacher” and “The Walking Dead”). It’s thrilling, thoughtful, and just a touch bloody. I really, really enjoyed it.
October 15, 2023
First off, I really love Ethan Hawke as an actor. He seems a very down to earth guy taking in consideration he lives among stars in one of the most powerful industries on the planet. Anyone that is able to stay humble in these conditions, deserves my respect.
This is the first time I read his work and it was a good one!
The story itself is kinda a rehash of many stories of a cop going dirty and trying to find redemption but it's still well done with its own spin. It's also a story of a kid trying to find his path in life and working his relationship with his biological parents and his stepdad.
I liked it. I liked it specially because of Greg Ruth incredible art. This is a perfect example of how cinematic a graphic novel can be. I read a book but it feels like I watched a movie.
As much as I love Ethan, it's Greg's fantastic art and cinematic sequence of panels that takes the cake here.
Again, don't expect nothing groundbreaking story-wise here, this is just a solid cop story with really good art.
This is the first time I read his work and it was a good one!
The story itself is kinda a rehash of many stories of a cop going dirty and trying to find redemption but it's still well done with its own spin. It's also a story of a kid trying to find his path in life and working his relationship with his biological parents and his stepdad.
I liked it. I liked it specially because of Greg Ruth incredible art. This is a perfect example of how cinematic a graphic novel can be. I read a book but it feels like I watched a movie.
As much as I love Ethan, it's Greg's fantastic art and cinematic sequence of panels that takes the cake here.
Again, don't expect nothing groundbreaking story-wise here, this is just a solid cop story with really good art.
April 6, 2022
the entire time I just wanted to be finished tbh
December 26, 2025
Lo primero que me llamó la atención, de este cómic fue, como a la mayoría que haya llegado hasta aquí, la implicación de Ethan Hawke como cocreador y escritor. Desconocía totalmente su faceta como escritor, y he de confesar, que si ya como actor me gustaba, puedo sumar la parte de autor al grupo de admiraciones hacia su persona.
Perfectamente podría ser este cómic una suerte de western moderno/coming of age y convertirse en una película. Como amante, ya no solo de la lectura, sino también del cine, disfruto mucho de las películas que son de ese estilo.
Me ha recordado en parte a "Cuenta conmigo" (hablo de la película, puesto que no he tenido la suerte aún de leerme la obra homónima de Stephen King): un joven lleno de esperanzas, con inocencia, y queriendo asomarse al mundo de los adultos como creyéndose uno de ellos, que acaba por cumplir ese deseo de manera desafortunada.
Muy recomendable, un relato muy entretenido y que te lleva directo a lo profundo de estados Unidos.
P.D.:A modo de curiosidad, eso de que uno de los personajes tenga la cara del propio Ethan Hawke, imagino que ha tenido algo que ver también con haberlo interiorizado por mi parte casi como un storyboard de una película.
Perfectamente podría ser este cómic una suerte de western moderno/coming of age y convertirse en una película. Como amante, ya no solo de la lectura, sino también del cine, disfruto mucho de las películas que son de ese estilo.
Me ha recordado en parte a "Cuenta conmigo" (hablo de la película, puesto que no he tenido la suerte aún de leerme la obra homónima de Stephen King): un joven lleno de esperanzas, con inocencia, y queriendo asomarse al mundo de los adultos como creyéndose uno de ellos, que acaba por cumplir ese deseo de manera desafortunada.
Muy recomendable, un relato muy entretenido y que te lleva directo a lo profundo de estados Unidos.
P.D.:A modo de curiosidad, eso de que uno de los personajes tenga la cara del propio Ethan Hawke, imagino que ha tenido algo que ver también con haberlo interiorizado por mi parte casi como un storyboard de una película.
January 21, 2024
***Livre #1 de mon défi personnel de lire un livre en anglais par mois en 2024.
C'est comme un film d'action, avec les "Pow ! Pow ! Bing ! Bang ! Ayoye ! Bouge pas sinon je tire !" qui vont avec, mais en dessins. Superbes dessins, d'ailleurs, mais pour l'histoire c'est assez ordinaire. Faut dire que je ne suis pas une grande fan des films d'action.
Ce qui est étrange, c'est qu'on dirait que Ethan Hawke a voulu préparer le terrain pour en faire un film, et qu'il a demandé à l'illustrateur de faire en sorte que le personnage principal lui ressemble beaucoup. Et j'ai comme l'impression qu'il voulait donner une place à Jean Reno dans son film parce que je crois l'avoir reconnu dans le rôle du méchant.
Bref, lecture intéressante mais dont je ne retiendrai probablement pas grand-chose à long terme.
(Disponible dans les bibliothèques de Québec)
C'est comme un film d'action, avec les "Pow ! Pow ! Bing ! Bang ! Ayoye ! Bouge pas sinon je tire !" qui vont avec, mais en dessins. Superbes dessins, d'ailleurs, mais pour l'histoire c'est assez ordinaire. Faut dire que je ne suis pas une grande fan des films d'action.
Ce qui est étrange, c'est qu'on dirait que Ethan Hawke a voulu préparer le terrain pour en faire un film, et qu'il a demandé à l'illustrateur de faire en sorte que le personnage principal lui ressemble beaucoup. Et j'ai comme l'impression qu'il voulait donner une place à Jean Reno dans son film parce que je crois l'avoir reconnu dans le rôle du méchant.
Bref, lecture intéressante mais dont je ne retiendrai probablement pas grand-chose à long terme.
(Disponible dans les bibliothèques de Québec)
April 10, 2025
Indeh: A Story of the Apache Wars'deki gibi Ethan Hawke, Greg Ruth işbirliği ile meydana çıkmış bir hikaye Tarla Kuşu. Bu kitabın konusu ve akışının İndeh'ten başarılı olduğunu düşünüyorum.
Çizgiler güzel, konu klasik aslında: Sert/sevgisini gösteremeyen/özünde iyi/potansiyelini gerçekleştirememiş baba ve ergenlikten erkekliğe geçmekte olan oğul.. Birlikte verdikleri savaş ve gelişen anlayış. Sevdiğim bir tarz.
Akış baya sinematik. Okurken filmini hayal etmeniz mümkün.. Ethan Hawke, Jean Reno, genç Tom Hardy/Matt Damon falan oynadı benim salonda..
Çizgiler güzel, konu klasik aslında: Sert/sevgisini gösteremeyen/özünde iyi/potansiyelini gerçekleştirememiş baba ve ergenlikten erkekliğe geçmekte olan oğul.. Birlikte verdikleri savaş ve gelişen anlayış. Sevdiğim bir tarz.
Akış baya sinematik. Okurken filmini hayal etmeniz mümkün.. Ethan Hawke, Jean Reno, genç Tom Hardy/Matt Damon falan oynadı benim salonda..
January 15, 2023
I’ll probably read a lot more Greg Ruth graphic novels because this artwork is insane!! One of the best illustrations I saw since I began reading graphic novels tbh.
As of the story goes: a nice coming of age story where father and son try to bond in wrong timing. I give the story a 3.5!
As of the story goes: a nice coming of age story where father and son try to bond in wrong timing. I give the story a 3.5!
September 20, 2023
Niby historia ok, choć zdarzają się głupoty (spacerek z synem wśród skazańców w pilnie strzeżonym więzieniu), ale całość tak strasznie dosłowna jak ta kreska, która nie przeszkadza, ale też kompletnie nie wymaga od czytelnika jakiegokolwiek zaangażowania. Z kolei, gdy autor chce wejść w metaforę, wychodzi banalnie (samotny wilk - litości). Trochę "Hit Polsatu" - niby można, a jednak szkoda czasu.
September 2, 2021
tw: violence, murder, violence involving teeth
Billed as a "coming of age crime drama," it's easy to see the bones of that in this graphic novel. In execution though it's not terribly good?
Part of this, I think, is likely the art. While Greg Ruth does some phenomenally photo real illustrations, the layout for this entire thing feels very flat. It's almost cinematic - but in a way that doesn't quite deliver. This doesn't utilize the comics medium in the way that you'd want something like this to do.
If this were a short film, I think I'd be more impressed by it, but as a comic work, I just didn't find it compelling and dropped it for a month or so before picking it back up again because it just couldn't hold my interest.
This book was provided as an ARC through NetGalley.
Billed as a "coming of age crime drama," it's easy to see the bones of that in this graphic novel. In execution though it's not terribly good?
Part of this, I think, is likely the art. While Greg Ruth does some phenomenally photo real illustrations, the layout for this entire thing feels very flat. It's almost cinematic - but in a way that doesn't quite deliver. This doesn't utilize the comics medium in the way that you'd want something like this to do.
If this were a short film, I think I'd be more impressed by it, but as a comic work, I just didn't find it compelling and dropped it for a month or so before picking it back up again because it just couldn't hold my interest.
This book was provided as an ARC through NetGalley.
June 30, 2022
Acıklıdır baba oğul hikayeleri.
November 19, 2024
Phenomenal art work! Love the emotions in it! Would give more than 5 stars if possible!
March 11, 2022
Üç buçuktan üç yıldız :) Siz dörde de yuvarlayabilirsiniz.
Biraz daha sade ve sofistike yazılmış olsa bir Coen Biraderler filmi kıvamını tutturacakmış. Fakat mevcut haliyle daha ortalama bir Hollywood filmine yakınsamış.
Hawke ve Ruth ikilisini daha önce “Indeh: Apaçi Savaşlarının Hikayesi”nde okumuştuk. Kocaman boyutu, kuşe kağıda baskısı, siyah beyaz renkleriyle oldukça havalıydı. O tarihten beri köprünün altından çok sular geçti, şimdi ikinci hamura basılmış ve yüklü etiketli bir kitap var elimizde. Çizimler hala havalı.
Açıkçası Indeh öyküsü beni vurmamıştı. Burada da çok özel bir frekans yakaladığımı söyleyemem. Yine de baba-oğul-ebeveyn ilişkileri konusu beni Indeh’ten daha çok etkiledi. İlk satırlarda bahsettiğim gibi, okurken aklıma sinema referanslarının gelmesinin tek sebebinin Ethan Hawke tarafından yazılmasından ve dahi baş karakterin onun suretinde çizilmiş olmasından kaynaklanmadığı kanaatindeyim. Pekala bir storyboard gibi kullanılıp hızla filmi çekilebilir. Üstelik “2 weeks later“ bile var :)
Nihayetinde başka bir disiplin olan çizgi roman ve çizgiyle anlatımın bu denli sinema çağrışımı yapmasının iyi olduğundan emin değilim. Terazinin ortalama Hollywood kefesinden ziyade Coen biraderler tarafı ağır bassa daha memnun olabilirdim.
Suç ve hapishane filmleri klişelerine yerleştirilmiş baba oğul diyaloglarıyla bir “mutlaka oku” kategorisine girmez ama ilgi uyandırdıysa güzel çizgileriyle bir çırpıda okunabilecek bir macera.
Biraz daha sade ve sofistike yazılmış olsa bir Coen Biraderler filmi kıvamını tutturacakmış. Fakat mevcut haliyle daha ortalama bir Hollywood filmine yakınsamış.
Hawke ve Ruth ikilisini daha önce “Indeh: Apaçi Savaşlarının Hikayesi”nde okumuştuk. Kocaman boyutu, kuşe kağıda baskısı, siyah beyaz renkleriyle oldukça havalıydı. O tarihten beri köprünün altından çok sular geçti, şimdi ikinci hamura basılmış ve yüklü etiketli bir kitap var elimizde. Çizimler hala havalı.
Açıkçası Indeh öyküsü beni vurmamıştı. Burada da çok özel bir frekans yakaladığımı söyleyemem. Yine de baba-oğul-ebeveyn ilişkileri konusu beni Indeh’ten daha çok etkiledi. İlk satırlarda bahsettiğim gibi, okurken aklıma sinema referanslarının gelmesinin tek sebebinin Ethan Hawke tarafından yazılmasından ve dahi baş karakterin onun suretinde çizilmiş olmasından kaynaklanmadığı kanaatindeyim. Pekala bir storyboard gibi kullanılıp hızla filmi çekilebilir. Üstelik “2 weeks later“ bile var :)
Nihayetinde başka bir disiplin olan çizgi roman ve çizgiyle anlatımın bu denli sinema çağrışımı yapmasının iyi olduğundan emin değilim. Terazinin ortalama Hollywood kefesinden ziyade Coen biraderler tarafı ağır bassa daha memnun olabilirdim.
Suç ve hapishane filmleri klişelerine yerleştirilmiş baba oğul diyaloglarıyla bir “mutlaka oku” kategorisine girmez ama ilgi uyandırdıysa güzel çizgileriyle bir çırpıda okunabilecek bir macera.
August 11, 2022
Great artwork. Farfetched journey of an adolescent "day at work" with Dad. Manna from heaven solves it all. There is a good allegory in the middle from the titular bad Dad working in a zoo feeding a lion. Basically, all the men in the book are trope bad examples of being a man. Maybe this reader is exhausted by the "bad dad" rants and, as a Dad, is looking more for inspiration.
November 22, 2024
The artwork of this story drew me in - the greyscale with pops of color is very pleasing. The story in and of itself was a bit too gruesome for me, and a bit too dramatic for me to suspend disbelief around it.
September 21, 2021
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
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WHAT'S MEADOWLARK ABOUT?
Things aren't going well for Cooper—a little prank leads his father to stop by his mother's house on his way to work. When his father learns that Cooper's been expelled from school, he drags him along with him to work.
Cooper's dad, Jack "Meadowlark" Jackson used to be a boxer of some local renown, but that was then. He's now a prison guard—one respected by his peers and even most prisoners. But Cooper still thinks of him largely as a hero figure. the boxer whose poster hangs on his bedroom wall.
While Jack gets to work in a prison tower, Cooper hangs out with the Warden—clearly a grandmotherly figure in his life. It seems like a pretty okay kind of day, actually. And then an alarm sounds. Several fights have broken out in various parts of the prison—the guards spread out to imposing order, and in the midst of chaos, three prisoners go missing.
It's after this that things really start to go south.
The book then focuses on Cooper and Jack trying to make their way through the ensuing bedlam while they deal with their relationship. Being the father of a teen boy brings a certain level of difficulty, especially if there's trouble between the custodial mother and the father. The violence—horrible violence—of the day creates a heightened atmosphere for their necessary (and rather touching) conversations.
WHAT ABOUT THE ART?
You can't talk about a graphic novel without focusing on the graphic part of it, right? Which is really a shame because I'm not equipped for it.
Ruth's art is exactly what this story needs—as usual, I don't know how to describe the art, but the pencil work—sort of rough and heavy—fits both the action and the characters. The sort of sepia-coloring says Texas to me—and makes the setting ring true.
I did appreciate the not-at-all-subtle use of Ethan Hawke as Jack, it added a little extra flavor.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT MEADOWLARK?
This seems like the kind of story that S. A. Cosby or Jordan Harper would write—a mix of family drama and crime.
The emotions and family dynamic felt real, relatable—and was even touching. The violence and criminal behavior were just as visceral—and disturbing. You put them together with some compelling artwork and you've got yourself a winner.
I'd have liked a touch more depth—but given the medium, I'm not sure you could get too much deeper (without needing another hundred pages or so)—so I'm not holding that against it too much.
There's a lot to commend in this graphic novel, and very little to complain about. I see that Hawke and Ruth have collaborated on an earlier graphic novel and I need to track that down.
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WHAT'S MEADOWLARK ABOUT?
Things aren't going well for Cooper—a little prank leads his father to stop by his mother's house on his way to work. When his father learns that Cooper's been expelled from school, he drags him along with him to work.
Cooper's dad, Jack "Meadowlark" Jackson used to be a boxer of some local renown, but that was then. He's now a prison guard—one respected by his peers and even most prisoners. But Cooper still thinks of him largely as a hero figure. the boxer whose poster hangs on his bedroom wall.
While Jack gets to work in a prison tower, Cooper hangs out with the Warden—clearly a grandmotherly figure in his life. It seems like a pretty okay kind of day, actually. And then an alarm sounds. Several fights have broken out in various parts of the prison—the guards spread out to imposing order, and in the midst of chaos, three prisoners go missing.
It's after this that things really start to go south.
The book then focuses on Cooper and Jack trying to make their way through the ensuing bedlam while they deal with their relationship. Being the father of a teen boy brings a certain level of difficulty, especially if there's trouble between the custodial mother and the father. The violence—horrible violence—of the day creates a heightened atmosphere for their necessary (and rather touching) conversations.
WHAT ABOUT THE ART?
You can't talk about a graphic novel without focusing on the graphic part of it, right? Which is really a shame because I'm not equipped for it.
Ruth's art is exactly what this story needs—as usual, I don't know how to describe the art, but the pencil work—sort of rough and heavy—fits both the action and the characters. The sort of sepia-coloring says Texas to me—and makes the setting ring true.
I did appreciate the not-at-all-subtle use of Ethan Hawke as Jack, it added a little extra flavor.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT MEADOWLARK?
This seems like the kind of story that S. A. Cosby or Jordan Harper would write—a mix of family drama and crime.
The emotions and family dynamic felt real, relatable—and was even touching. The violence and criminal behavior were just as visceral—and disturbing. You put them together with some compelling artwork and you've got yourself a winner.
I'd have liked a touch more depth—but given the medium, I'm not sure you could get too much deeper (without needing another hundred pages or so)—so I'm not holding that against it too much.
There's a lot to commend in this graphic novel, and very little to complain about. I see that Hawke and Ruth have collaborated on an earlier graphic novel and I need to track that down.
November 16, 2023
POPKulturowy Kociołek:
Ucieczka przed niebezpiecznymi więźniami, spotkanie ojca i syna walczących o przetrwanie w kontekście niesamowitej przemocy i wielka przemiana zachodząca w nich samych. Są to części składowe albumu Skowronek, który pojawił się w ofercie wydawnictwa Mucha Comics.
Akcja komiksu przenosi czytelnika do spokojnego miasteczka Huntsville w Teksasie. To właśnie tam mieszka Jack Johnson, strażnik więzienny i były mistrz boksu zwany Skowronkiem oraz jego mający poważne problemy nastoletni syn Cooper. Chłopak w wyniku pewnych okoliczności zmuszony jest spędzić z ojcem dzień w jego pracy. Pech chciał, że tego właśnie dnia dochodzi do zamieszek i ucieczki trzech psychopatycznych przestępców. Tak rozpoczyna się wielka podróż ojca i syna, mogąca drastycznie odmienić ich życie, o ile uda im się tylko przetrwać w piętrzącym się szaleństwie i przemocy.
Komiks Skowronek napisany przez Ethana Hawke’a i zilustrowany przez Grega Rutha to nie tylko pełen adrenaliny thriller z wylewającą się z kart powieści przemocą. To również poruszająca i dająca wiele do myślenia opowieść o trudnej relacji ojca i syna, gdzie wzajemne problemy niszczą rodzinną miłość. Mamy więc tutaj do czynienia z tytułem, który może zaangażować czytelnika na wielu płaszczyznach.
Sam scenariusz do najbardziej innowacyjnych jednak nie należy. Klimat trzyma się tu kanonów noir z kilkoma sprawdzonymi elementami fabularnymi pokroju problemów finansowych, bezwzględnych bandytów i ludzi, którym potrzebny jest wstrząs, aby pozwolić im się zmienić. Nie umniejsza to jednak jakości tytułu. Zwłaszcza że Ethan Hawke to gwarancja podania historii w iście kinematograficzny sposób. Twórca w świetny i co najważniejsze w bardzo płynny sposób przechodzi od momentów podnoszących adrenalinę czytelnika do takich naznaczonych mocnymi emocjami (które również udzielają się odbiorcy). Dzięki temu od lektury albumu trudno jest się oderwać, a ciekawość co wydarzy się dalej, zachęca do przewracania stron.
Nie obeszło się tu również bez kilku zauważalnych potknięć, o których należy wspomnieć. Po pierwsze w kilku miejscach (można je jednak policzyć na palcach jednej dłoni) prowadzone dialogi wydają się trochę naciągane. Po drugie i ważniejsze przemiana jednego z bohaterów następuje zbyt szybko, przez co wydaje się to być sztuczne i wytrąca trochę z ogólnie dobrego klimatu (ograniczona ilość stron rządzi się jednak własnymi prawami)....
https://popkulturowykociolek.pl/skowr...
Ucieczka przed niebezpiecznymi więźniami, spotkanie ojca i syna walczących o przetrwanie w kontekście niesamowitej przemocy i wielka przemiana zachodząca w nich samych. Są to części składowe albumu Skowronek, który pojawił się w ofercie wydawnictwa Mucha Comics.
Akcja komiksu przenosi czytelnika do spokojnego miasteczka Huntsville w Teksasie. To właśnie tam mieszka Jack Johnson, strażnik więzienny i były mistrz boksu zwany Skowronkiem oraz jego mający poważne problemy nastoletni syn Cooper. Chłopak w wyniku pewnych okoliczności zmuszony jest spędzić z ojcem dzień w jego pracy. Pech chciał, że tego właśnie dnia dochodzi do zamieszek i ucieczki trzech psychopatycznych przestępców. Tak rozpoczyna się wielka podróż ojca i syna, mogąca drastycznie odmienić ich życie, o ile uda im się tylko przetrwać w piętrzącym się szaleństwie i przemocy.
Komiks Skowronek napisany przez Ethana Hawke’a i zilustrowany przez Grega Rutha to nie tylko pełen adrenaliny thriller z wylewającą się z kart powieści przemocą. To również poruszająca i dająca wiele do myślenia opowieść o trudnej relacji ojca i syna, gdzie wzajemne problemy niszczą rodzinną miłość. Mamy więc tutaj do czynienia z tytułem, który może zaangażować czytelnika na wielu płaszczyznach.
Sam scenariusz do najbardziej innowacyjnych jednak nie należy. Klimat trzyma się tu kanonów noir z kilkoma sprawdzonymi elementami fabularnymi pokroju problemów finansowych, bezwzględnych bandytów i ludzi, którym potrzebny jest wstrząs, aby pozwolić im się zmienić. Nie umniejsza to jednak jakości tytułu. Zwłaszcza że Ethan Hawke to gwarancja podania historii w iście kinematograficzny sposób. Twórca w świetny i co najważniejsze w bardzo płynny sposób przechodzi od momentów podnoszących adrenalinę czytelnika do takich naznaczonych mocnymi emocjami (które również udzielają się odbiorcy). Dzięki temu od lektury albumu trudno jest się oderwać, a ciekawość co wydarzy się dalej, zachęca do przewracania stron.
Nie obeszło się tu również bez kilku zauważalnych potknięć, o których należy wspomnieć. Po pierwsze w kilku miejscach (można je jednak policzyć na palcach jednej dłoni) prowadzone dialogi wydają się trochę naciągane. Po drugie i ważniejsze przemiana jednego z bohaterów następuje zbyt szybko, przez co wydaje się to być sztuczne i wytrąca trochę z ogólnie dobrego klimatu (ograniczona ilość stron rządzi się jednak własnymi prawami)....
https://popkulturowykociolek.pl/skowr...
March 12, 2023
I definitely questioned why Jack would bring his son with him that day, knowing what was to come he wouldn’t just leave a teenager at home alone or drop him off somewhere safe instead? The book does refer to Jack repeatedly as a screw up and there’s certainly examples of that throughout the story so maybe it is possible that this particular father really would have been reckless enough to bring his child in contact with all of that.
There was one instance where it seemed that dialogue was attributed to the wrong character, and a couple times I went in the wrong direction as far as which panel I was meant to read next (maybe that was reader error?), but generally I thought this was really well put together, and the art truly impressive, particularly the faces, Jack being an absolute ringer for Ethan Hawke really added to the action movie-like feel of this.
While there was the aforementioned plausibility issue and I would have preferred more closure in the end, I really did like the father-son relationship especially in the more intense emotional moments, and overall this was an entertaining and memorable page turner.
There was one instance where it seemed that dialogue was attributed to the wrong character, and a couple times I went in the wrong direction as far as which panel I was meant to read next (maybe that was reader error?), but generally I thought this was really well put together, and the art truly impressive, particularly the faces, Jack being an absolute ringer for Ethan Hawke really added to the action movie-like feel of this.
While there was the aforementioned plausibility issue and I would have preferred more closure in the end, I really did like the father-son relationship especially in the more intense emotional moments, and overall this was an entertaining and memorable page turner.
April 19, 2022
On the morning Cooper steals the tires off his step-dad's car, his mother calls on Cooper's father, the former-prizefight-turned-prison security guard, Meadowlark. And since Cooper was recently expelled, Meadowlark brings Cooper into work. Then a prison riot leads to the escape of two dangerous convicts, and Meadowlark hauls Coop along to chase them down. The day holds many twists and horrors for father and son: as events teach Cooper much about his father, the two begin to heal their relationship... but will they both survive this day?
I can't remember what list I saw this graphic novel on, but the subtitle intrigued me, as well as the fact that Ethan Hawke was a co-creator. The artwork was really well-done and detailed, and the visual presentation was very cinematic. Each twist was revealed at just the right moment, through Cooper's eyes. The way the two plot threads - one about father and son patching up their relationship, and the other about escaped convicts - weave together is quite powerful.
I can't remember what list I saw this graphic novel on, but the subtitle intrigued me, as well as the fact that Ethan Hawke was a co-creator. The artwork was really well-done and detailed, and the visual presentation was very cinematic. Each twist was revealed at just the right moment, through Cooper's eyes. The way the two plot threads - one about father and son patching up their relationship, and the other about escaped convicts - weave together is quite powerful.
July 13, 2022
A few years ago I probably would have rated this higher. It reads like a film storyboard, and the illustrations are great, and the story while having a fairly predictable ending delivered on the Coming-of-Age crime story promised in the title.
I am not a huge fan of the cover art because to me it reads as Native American imagery, and it feels a bit appropriated. I don't know for certain whether Greg Ruth or Ethan Hawke have Native American ancestry, but I am very hesitate to support anything that alludes to any kind of Indigenous movement, spiritual beliefs, or characterizations that isn't written by an Own Voices author.
As for the story, if you are a fan of Tarantino, or slow burn western-esq action films that make a fast turn into violence then you will probably enjoy the arc of this book. It felt like it may have been aimed toward a younger audience, but I would recommend a parent read this before letting a younger teen read it.
***Thank you to Grand Central Publishing for providing me with the e-ARC for free via NetGalley for an unbiased review.
I am not a huge fan of the cover art because to me it reads as Native American imagery, and it feels a bit appropriated. I don't know for certain whether Greg Ruth or Ethan Hawke have Native American ancestry, but I am very hesitate to support anything that alludes to any kind of Indigenous movement, spiritual beliefs, or characterizations that isn't written by an Own Voices author.
As for the story, if you are a fan of Tarantino, or slow burn western-esq action films that make a fast turn into violence then you will probably enjoy the arc of this book. It felt like it may have been aimed toward a younger audience, but I would recommend a parent read this before letting a younger teen read it.
***Thank you to Grand Central Publishing for providing me with the e-ARC for free via NetGalley for an unbiased review.
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