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Concrete
The Complete Concrete
Concrete, a political speech writer who found himself trapped in an alien body composed of living stone. His new body can accomplish feats that flesh and blood could never conceive of - he can swim the Atlantic, be a rock star's bodyguard, or climb Mt. Everest alone - but at heart, Concrete is the most human character you'll ever meet in comics. Winner of more than a dozen top
316 pages, Paperback
First published September 13, 1994
13 people are currently reading
748 people want to read
About the author
Paul Chadwick
206 books60 followersPaul Chadwick (b.1957) has worked widely as an artist and writer for comic books, with collaborators like Ron Randall, Doug Wheatley, Alan Moore, John Bolton, Harlan Ellison, Jan Strnad, Randy Stradley, Archie Goodwin, Brian K. Vaughan, and others.
He's most noted for his award-winning series Concrete, about a thoughtful man stuck in a brutish, rock-coated body. Born in Seattle, he grew up in its lakeside suburb Medina, then a haven for Boeing engineers and their families, now the site of palaces for Bill Gates and his ilk. His father Stephen F. Chadwick was City Attorney for the small hamlet.
As a teen, he joined Apa-5, the amateur press alliance of comics fans which also provided a creative outlet for future comics luminaries like Frank Miller, Mike Richardson, Randy Stradley, Chris Warner, Randy Emberlin, and others.
He attended Art Center College of Design, majoring in illustration. Around this time Chadwick lived in a courtyard apartment building, The Golden Palm, which teemed with talent. Bryn Barnard, Ron Harris, David Mattingly, James Gurney, Thomas Kinkade, Kurt Cyrus, Mark Verheiden, Andy Su, Terry Robinson all lived there, five of them as Chadwick's roommate (at different times).
Chadwick graduated in 1979, and began storyboarding movies for Disney, Warner Brothers, Lucasfilm and others. Credits include Pee Wee's Big Adventure, Strange Brew, The Big Easy and Ewoks: The Battle for Endor. Chadwick says the auteurs behind two small films he worked on, Lies (Jim & Ken Wheat) and Miracle Mile (Steve DeJarnatt) were the greatest personal influences on his writing.
Chadwick also freelanced illustration, mainly for movie advertising (Streamers and Galaxy of Terror were the only finished posters among the dozens of preliminary paintings he did) and for SF and Fantasy paperbacks.
Chadwick decided to devote himself to comics, but Concrete didn't sell at first. Chadwick's first comic in print was The Life of St. Norbert, published by an order of Norbertine monks. Going from the sacred to the (mildly) profane, he next drew Steve Perry's strange and silly Salimba, about a jungle girl fighting "wormboys" and a giant three-headed were-dog.
A year on Marvel's Dazzler completed Chadwick's apprentice years, and he sold Concrete in 1985 to Dark Horse comics. It has appeared intermittently ever since.
A Concrete movie has been in development for years. Chadwick has written several screenplays for it, first in collaboration with Larry Wilson, then solo. Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh wrote one, as well, which briefly won a green light for the film.
The decision was reversed upon the release of the surprise hit The Blair Witch Project, which caused the sudden mass delusion that Hollywood could dispense with costly visual effects and stars. The fever passed, but Concrete's window had closed, at least until somebody with the clout or energy decides to brave the thousand demons that lay waiting to kill every movie.
Chadwick wrote and drew (inks by Ron Randall) eight issues of The World Below, about a network of vast, mysteriously lit caverns beneath northern Washington State, and the strange beings and technology to be found there. Dark Horse plans to reissue the series as a collection.
The Human Dilemma, the newest Concrete series, won an Eisner Award (best cartoonist) and a Reuben Award (best in comic books division) from the National Cartoonist Society.
Chadwick is currently drawing a miniseries for DC, Seven Against Chaos, written by Harlan Ellison.
He's also working on a (non-Concrete, TBA) graphic novel for Dark Horse, as well as a new Concrete miniseries.
Biography updated 2010
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
November 15, 2010
On re-reading in 2010
Holds up quite well. Definitely has the hokey show-and-tell quality of older adventure comics, especially toward the beginning, but that's a minor qualm. The only fanciful tale in the collection is the origin story, which involves alien abduction and brain transplantation. Other stories concern matters like saving a farm, or building a bridge. I guess the characters aren't quite as fleshed out as they could be, but the stories are more about the real world around us than the world within, which frankly is unusual subject matter for a superhero(ish) comic.
March 9, 2025
A beautifully written, intelligent tale of a former political speechwriter who is out hiking one day with his buddy when the two of them are kidnapped and experimented on by aliens and turned into stone monsters. With his newfound powers and alien body, he becomes a minor celebrity and tries to use his powers to help people and commit inhuman feats of endurance. It’s essentially an action-adventure comic as Concrete with his two pals tries a big task in each issue. But Concrete is a soulful and highly educated character, forced to take on an existential tone because adjusting to life as a sexless, twelve-hundred-pound rock can be alienating. Gorgeous black and white ink art. Thoughtful ideas, progressive, politically insightful, but gentle, and references classic comic tropes (like The Hulk and The Thing) in smart ways.
February 3, 2022
#ThrowbackThursday - Back in the '90s, I used to write comic book reviews for the website of a now-defunct comic book retailer called Rockem Sockem Comics. (Collect them all!)
From the September 1998 edition with a theme of "Creative Recycling":
INTRODUCTION
Last month's column was about publishers reprinting and repackaging material. This month, I'm going to take a peek at creative recycling.
What's creative recycling? That's when a creator takes elements, plots, characters, themes, traditional frameworks, or artistic styles from another creator or creative work; puts his or her own spin on the material; and produces a work which -- while derivative -- becomes distinctly original and new. Or so it is hoped.
Let's see which of this month's books succeed and which ones fail.
FROM THE BACKLIST
CONCRETE #1-10 (Dark Horse Comics)
CONCRETE: COMPLETE SHORT STORIES 1986-1989 (Dark Horse Comics)
CONCRETE: STRANGE ARMOR #1-5 (Dark Horse Comics)
Ben "The Thing" Grimm of the Fantastic Four is a world-renown brooder. He constantly bemoans the tragedy which has befallen him; his great strength and invulnerability come at the expense of having an ugly, orange, rocky exterior that only a blind woman could love. While the Thing may be one of the top powerhouses of the Marvel Universe, he is a pansy in the brooding department when compared to his spiritual brother, Concrete.
Concrete, who first appeared in DARK HORSE PRESENTS #1 (Dark Horse Comics), is the "real world" twin of Ben Grimm. Through Concrete, writer/artist Paul Chadwick explores the benefits, consequences, and incredible isolation of being a human trapped in a hugely powerful but ugly and ungainly body. Ron Lithgow, the man whose mind was transferred by aliens into the powerful, artificial Concrete construct, struggles to escape his introverted, nerdish roots in order to most fully live what remains of his shattered life. His greatest regret is that even if he were to somehow find love, with no nerve endings, he can never again fully enjoy the touch of a woman.
So Concrete tries to help people and perform stunts in order to distract himself. He attempts to climb mountains, swim oceans, rescue trapped miners, and hang out with celebrities. CONCRETE contains many adventure elements, but the majority of Concrete's stories are cerebral due to the introspective nature of the character. While Concrete may like to rush headlong into action in theory, in practice he generally embarrasses himself whenever he tries something bold. So he thinks through all the ramifications of his deeds, hoping to reach a morally defensible position before acting. Instead of "It's clobberin' time!", Concrete is much more likely to exclaim, "It's ponderin' time!"
As you can probably guess, most CONCRETE stories are character-driven. And you couldn't ask for a finer bunch of people to drive you around. In addition to Ron "Concrete" Lithgow, there is Maureen, the absent-minded professor. She's the scientist assigned to study and document the alien technology which Concrete's body represents. She's totally oblivious to the fact that Concrete has a huge crush on her. Then there's Larry, Concrete's aide-de-camp. A freewheelin' dude of the first order, Larry often oversteps the bounds of typing up Concrete's dictation of their adventures by exercising his own creative writing skills. Their clashing personalities causes frustration for Concrete, but he keeps Larry around because he admires his easygoing manner and luck with the ladies. Finally, there is the aggressive and outgoing Senator for whom Concrete wrote speeches before his alien transformation. The Senator is a respected mentor and father figure Concrete frequently approaches for advice.
Despite a publishing history spanning over ten years, it's pretty easy to catch up with CONCRETE. Dark Horse Comics has collected the original ten issues of CONCRETE and Concrete's frequent short story appearances from DARK HORSE PRESENTS in two separate "Complete" trade paperbacks. While CONCRETE no longer has a regular series, he resurfaces fairly regularly in a series of limited series. Most recently, Chadwick retold and revamped Concrete's origin in the limited series, CONCRETE: STRANGE ARMOR. While the changes in Concrete's origin were mostly unnecessary and unwanted (by me, at least), they don't take away from yet another beautifully drawn and thoughtfully written CONCRETE comic.
Grade: B+
From the September 1998 edition with a theme of "Creative Recycling":
INTRODUCTION
Last month's column was about publishers reprinting and repackaging material. This month, I'm going to take a peek at creative recycling.
What's creative recycling? That's when a creator takes elements, plots, characters, themes, traditional frameworks, or artistic styles from another creator or creative work; puts his or her own spin on the material; and produces a work which -- while derivative -- becomes distinctly original and new. Or so it is hoped.
Let's see which of this month's books succeed and which ones fail.
FROM THE BACKLIST
CONCRETE #1-10 (Dark Horse Comics)
CONCRETE: COMPLETE SHORT STORIES 1986-1989 (Dark Horse Comics)
CONCRETE: STRANGE ARMOR #1-5 (Dark Horse Comics)
Ben "The Thing" Grimm of the Fantastic Four is a world-renown brooder. He constantly bemoans the tragedy which has befallen him; his great strength and invulnerability come at the expense of having an ugly, orange, rocky exterior that only a blind woman could love. While the Thing may be one of the top powerhouses of the Marvel Universe, he is a pansy in the brooding department when compared to his spiritual brother, Concrete.
Concrete, who first appeared in DARK HORSE PRESENTS #1 (Dark Horse Comics), is the "real world" twin of Ben Grimm. Through Concrete, writer/artist Paul Chadwick explores the benefits, consequences, and incredible isolation of being a human trapped in a hugely powerful but ugly and ungainly body. Ron Lithgow, the man whose mind was transferred by aliens into the powerful, artificial Concrete construct, struggles to escape his introverted, nerdish roots in order to most fully live what remains of his shattered life. His greatest regret is that even if he were to somehow find love, with no nerve endings, he can never again fully enjoy the touch of a woman.
So Concrete tries to help people and perform stunts in order to distract himself. He attempts to climb mountains, swim oceans, rescue trapped miners, and hang out with celebrities. CONCRETE contains many adventure elements, but the majority of Concrete's stories are cerebral due to the introspective nature of the character. While Concrete may like to rush headlong into action in theory, in practice he generally embarrasses himself whenever he tries something bold. So he thinks through all the ramifications of his deeds, hoping to reach a morally defensible position before acting. Instead of "It's clobberin' time!", Concrete is much more likely to exclaim, "It's ponderin' time!"
As you can probably guess, most CONCRETE stories are character-driven. And you couldn't ask for a finer bunch of people to drive you around. In addition to Ron "Concrete" Lithgow, there is Maureen, the absent-minded professor. She's the scientist assigned to study and document the alien technology which Concrete's body represents. She's totally oblivious to the fact that Concrete has a huge crush on her. Then there's Larry, Concrete's aide-de-camp. A freewheelin' dude of the first order, Larry often oversteps the bounds of typing up Concrete's dictation of their adventures by exercising his own creative writing skills. Their clashing personalities causes frustration for Concrete, but he keeps Larry around because he admires his easygoing manner and luck with the ladies. Finally, there is the aggressive and outgoing Senator for whom Concrete wrote speeches before his alien transformation. The Senator is a respected mentor and father figure Concrete frequently approaches for advice.
Despite a publishing history spanning over ten years, it's pretty easy to catch up with CONCRETE. Dark Horse Comics has collected the original ten issues of CONCRETE and Concrete's frequent short story appearances from DARK HORSE PRESENTS in two separate "Complete" trade paperbacks. While CONCRETE no longer has a regular series, he resurfaces fairly regularly in a series of limited series. Most recently, Chadwick retold and revamped Concrete's origin in the limited series, CONCRETE: STRANGE ARMOR. While the changes in Concrete's origin were mostly unnecessary and unwanted (by me, at least), they don't take away from yet another beautifully drawn and thoughtfully written CONCRETE comic.
Grade: B+
October 25, 2024
Geary Gravel's short introductory essays told me to expect superlative visual and literary artistry. He didn't say that i should adjust my expectations, so i will say it for us all:
Read Concrete from an adolescent’s point of view.
Paul Chadwick’s 8 major issues of Concrete are collected under this one cover. I read them start to finish as i suspect he intended. They tell the story of Ron Lithgow, a senatorial speech writer who has been transformed against his will into a 1200-pound anthropoid concretion? cyborg? superhero? What exactly is he? That seems to be the theme here. The US gov’t forces him to claim they made him this way as part of a secret program that failed with all its other subjects. Ron can’t even tell people what his name used to be. So in classic storytelling fashion, he loses his old self and has to find his new self.
As a youth he admired adventurous men, so he decides he’ll become a man of derring do and appeals to the public on The Tonight Show to mail (this is set in the mid-1980s) their suggestions to him. His first endeavor (Chapter 1) is to save men trapped in a collapsed mine. Next he attempts to swim across the Atlantic Ocean. Chapter 3 contains his origin story, narrated to his personal aide, Larry Munro. In Chapter 4 he’s inexplicably the bodyguard for Michael Jackson-slash-Prince-esque popstar known simply as Duke (the weakest chapter of them all). Concrete returns to noble deeds in Chapter 6 wherein he attempts to single-handedly save The Boreson Family’s farm from foreclosure in one season (ahhh, but there’s a family secret). Chadwick succumbs to the urge to tell a chapter-long “joke” in the next one, but at least the payoff is not only sensible but also somewhat amusing. Though the getting there could be a bit trying, it was a reasonably shortish chapter. Then again, the romantic intrigue—even this deep into the tale—continues to ring false for me. Next, our intrepid trio (i haven’t mentioned throwaway ice-queen character Dr. Maureen Vonnegut) travel to Asia to make a documentary about Concrete building a bridge in the Himalayas. This saga involves commentary on ethical media, more life-threatening situations, another distasteful dalliance for suave(?!) Larry, and even some political intrigue. Finally, the conclusion entails what one might expect to be an emotionally fraught drama about family, but instead appears to be about the (literal) objects of nostalgia.
All told, this set satisfies on the main level of praise pointed out by Gravel:
Paul Chadwick’s 8 major issues of Concrete are collected under this one cover. I read them start to finish as i suspect he intended. They tell the story of Ron Lithgow, a senatorial speech writer who has been transformed against his will into a 1200-pound anthropoid concretion? cyborg? superhero? What exactly is he? That seems to be the theme here. The US gov’t forces him to claim they made him this way as part of a secret program that failed with all its other subjects. Ron can’t even tell people what his name used to be. So in classic storytelling fashion, he loses his old self and has to find his new self.
As a youth he admired adventurous men, so he decides he’ll become a man of derring do and appeals to the public on The Tonight Show to mail (this is set in the mid-1980s) their suggestions to him. His first endeavor (Chapter 1) is to save men trapped in a collapsed mine. Next he attempts to swim across the Atlantic Ocean. Chapter 3 contains his origin story, narrated to his personal aide, Larry Munro. In Chapter 4 he’s inexplicably the bodyguard for Michael Jackson-slash-Prince-esque popstar known simply as Duke (the weakest chapter of them all). Concrete returns to noble deeds in Chapter 6 wherein he attempts to single-handedly save The Boreson Family’s farm from foreclosure in one season (ahhh, but there’s a family secret). Chadwick succumbs to the urge to tell a chapter-long “joke” in the next one, but at least the payoff is not only sensible but also somewhat amusing. Though the getting there could be a bit trying, it was a reasonably shortish chapter. Then again, the romantic intrigue—even this deep into the tale—continues to ring false for me. Next, our intrepid trio (i haven’t mentioned throwaway ice-queen character Dr. Maureen Vonnegut) travel to Asia to make a documentary about Concrete building a bridge in the Himalayas. This saga involves commentary on ethical media, more life-threatening situations, another distasteful dalliance for suave(?!) Larry, and even some political intrigue. Finally, the conclusion entails what one might expect to be an emotionally fraught drama about family, but instead appears to be about the (literal) objects of nostalgia.
All told, this set satisfies on the main level of praise pointed out by Gravel:
Concrete seems like the perfect embodiment of this childhood fantasy; the Compleat Explorer combined with the Ultimate Spectator, a man who has been given the chance to live the life so many of us hope we would live, if we just had the means (and the guts)—free to take all the risks and dare all the great deeds about which [we/he] could only dream.
March 7, 2016
I think I'm done with Concrete. I've just read my way through the volumes I have featuring him (this and the two Short Stories collections) and I can't see anything of any particular merit here. I've reread these books several times, and as I get older they just get worse. Chadwick's art, which was striking at the time, now looks bare bones competent (though he does some striking things with layout and perception). His writing, too, just manages. Though conversations seem to have a natural flow, too often his characters are given to unreal pontificating (especially the eponymous character) and over-coherent rumination.
This book collects all ten issues of the Concrete mini-series. This seems to have been a place for Chadwick to have explored a few concepts he wanted to try (Concrete's 'help' mission on a family farm, his stint as bodyguard for the thinly-veiled Prince doppelganger Duke) as well as to fill in spaces he'd left by mentioning them happening in the short stories he started with (the origin story, the climb of Everest, the swim across the Atlantic, Concrete's dead mother). Unfortunately, he's chosen to tell a single story in each issue, which makes it feel less like a series and more like a run of one-shots. Each issue contains its tale and nothing else forward or back. It's a clunky construction and one that is too akin to the short format to which he was accustomed. A book this size merits a continuing story.
These Concrete stories and the characters therein are likely to have more appeal to a less seasoned reader, to whom they might seem idealistic, adventurous and possibly even deep. To me, though, they're just overwrought soapboxing with adequate art and a clever twist to the narrator, and I'm done with them.
This book collects all ten issues of the Concrete mini-series. This seems to have been a place for Chadwick to have explored a few concepts he wanted to try (Concrete's 'help' mission on a family farm, his stint as bodyguard for the thinly-veiled Prince doppelganger Duke) as well as to fill in spaces he'd left by mentioning them happening in the short stories he started with (the origin story, the climb of Everest, the swim across the Atlantic, Concrete's dead mother). Unfortunately, he's chosen to tell a single story in each issue, which makes it feel less like a series and more like a run of one-shots. Each issue contains its tale and nothing else forward or back. It's a clunky construction and one that is too akin to the short format to which he was accustomed. A book this size merits a continuing story.
These Concrete stories and the characters therein are likely to have more appeal to a less seasoned reader, to whom they might seem idealistic, adventurous and possibly even deep. To me, though, they're just overwrought soapboxing with adequate art and a clever twist to the narrator, and I'm done with them.
January 15, 2013
This got a lot of praise back in the eighties when it was first published, but I never read it at the time. I can't say it looks like I missed much. Ron Lithgow is abducted by aliens and has his brain transplanted into a rocklike cyborg body--hence his sobriquet "Concrete"--and manages to escape. The aliens decamp, and apparently never are seen or heard of again--serving as a plot device to create Concrete, nothing more, or so it would seem. Anyway, the government is interested but lets him live a public life as long as he allows Dr. Maureen Vonnegut (no relation to the author, which is a repeated joke) to monitor him. And he hires an assistant. Then he engages in a few adventures--bodyguard for a rock star, Atlantic ocean swimmer (he fails), saver of the family farm, bridge builder, Mount Everest climber (he succeeds but loses all the evidence). It's not bad, but not terribly impressive, either. Chadwick's art is serviceable enough, but that's about all you can say for it. I suppose by the standards of 1980s comics it's reasonably well-written, and Chadwick does try to avoid cliches and stereotypes, but it often descends into trite philosophizing and at least brushes against the borderline between sentimentality and mawkishness. I'd call it a noble and partially successful attempt to do something a little bit different with the basic concept. Rather misleadingly titled, since it in fact is only the first ten-issue series, not the "complete" Concrete at all....
October 20, 2012
Concrete is not a superhero. He's not the Hulk smashing everything in his path. He's not The Thing shouting «It's Clobberin Time» before going into action.
In fact, there is very little action in Concrete's life. In some ways, you even get to pity the poor schmuck that had his brain transfered into a big pile of rock by a bunch of mysterious aliens. He actually probably lost more than he gained... his sense of touch is practically innexistent, no more taste buds, no more sense of smell either... also try to imagine what a guy like him's sex life is like... he doesn't wear any clothes and, well, it's pretty obvious there a part of male anatomy that just aint there. OK, so he got these amazing eyes and great strenght. But in world where superheroes are innexistant, he makes due as any of us would with what he's got on a day to day basis trying not to let his «handicap» pull him down.
One could say that Concrete is one of the most normal guys in the world. He could be anybody you just happen to cross on the street on any given day... except he's big and, you know, made of concrete.
I was lucky enough to get my hands on the limited hardcover edition of this book signed by the author Paul Chadwick and numbered 984/2000.
Contains a bunch of short stories compiled mostly from Dark Horse Presents into a neat and nice package
In fact, there is very little action in Concrete's life. In some ways, you even get to pity the poor schmuck that had his brain transfered into a big pile of rock by a bunch of mysterious aliens. He actually probably lost more than he gained... his sense of touch is practically innexistent, no more taste buds, no more sense of smell either... also try to imagine what a guy like him's sex life is like... he doesn't wear any clothes and, well, it's pretty obvious there a part of male anatomy that just aint there. OK, so he got these amazing eyes and great strenght. But in world where superheroes are innexistant, he makes due as any of us would with what he's got on a day to day basis trying not to let his «handicap» pull him down.
One could say that Concrete is one of the most normal guys in the world. He could be anybody you just happen to cross on the street on any given day... except he's big and, you know, made of concrete.
I was lucky enough to get my hands on the limited hardcover edition of this book signed by the author Paul Chadwick and numbered 984/2000.
Contains a bunch of short stories compiled mostly from Dark Horse Presents into a neat and nice package
October 6, 2024
Sorry Fred 오빠, wasn’t a fan 😅
May 14, 2015
This is not a super hero comic book series. This is not a series about what a man - a before then less than ambitious speech writer- with amazing abilities trapped (via brain transplant) in an alien body for reasons he has yet to discover might do with the abilities he was given as a result ... though that happens, too. This is essentially a deeply engaging, smartly written, series that long time comic book fans that ever wondered what would the "real world" benefits and ramifications of being a character like, say, "Thing" (from the Fantastic Four) who is just trying to live their lives in a world that refuses to "let them" be normal or live their lives away from the public realm. Reading this ominibus from cover to cover will take patience but will leave you with answers to questions about the human condition that are worth asking ... even if you have to endure a little entertainment to see what they are.
October 4, 2013
A superhero comic where the hero ain’t so super. A man stuck inside a cyborg concrete body decides to go adventuring, helping people sometimes but also testing the limits of his new body’s endurance. This could have been a corny superhero story, but instead it ponders the difficulties of someone stuck in a bizarre situation. A thoughtful and well-written comic.
September 30, 2018
he's a good rock
February 18, 2019
Concrete #1-10 of the series (this is what the back cover says but there seem to be only eight issues)
I wish there really was a complete Concrete that was complete - I've been trying to find all the short stories, mini-series, etc. but libraries are now at an end. It seems like the more current the Concrete story, the harder it is to get. Still, there were three issues here that were new to me. In order of my favorite, from best to least:
issue #6: A Remarkable Life - Concrete grows antlers
issue #5: No Sweat - Concrete helps a dying family farm (new one for me)
issue #1 A Stone Among Stones - Concrete tries to save miners after a cave-in
issue #3: A New Life - origin story
issue #8: Always Fences - Concrete's mother passes away (new one for me)
issue #4: An Armchair Stuffed with Dynamite - Concrete serves as a bodyguard for a danger-flaunting rock star
issue #2: The Transatlantic Swim- Concrete tries to swim the ocean and endangers his friends
issue #7: Everest: Solo - Concrete attempts Everest (new one for me)
The issues that are my least favorite lean heavily toward the 'too much internal dialogue and thinking about things' and include Concrete putting himself and others at risk in his attempts to do travel hero type feats. The ones I like the most are slice of life type stuff - just Concrete and his friends having a 'normal' (for them) day.
I wish there really was a complete Concrete that was complete - I've been trying to find all the short stories, mini-series, etc. but libraries are now at an end. It seems like the more current the Concrete story, the harder it is to get. Still, there were three issues here that were new to me. In order of my favorite, from best to least:
issue #6: A Remarkable Life - Concrete grows antlers
issue #5: No Sweat - Concrete helps a dying family farm (new one for me)
issue #1 A Stone Among Stones - Concrete tries to save miners after a cave-in
issue #3: A New Life - origin story
issue #8: Always Fences - Concrete's mother passes away (new one for me)
issue #4: An Armchair Stuffed with Dynamite - Concrete serves as a bodyguard for a danger-flaunting rock star
issue #2: The Transatlantic Swim- Concrete tries to swim the ocean and endangers his friends
issue #7: Everest: Solo - Concrete attempts Everest (new one for me)
The issues that are my least favorite lean heavily toward the 'too much internal dialogue and thinking about things' and include Concrete putting himself and others at risk in his attempts to do travel hero type feats. The ones I like the most are slice of life type stuff - just Concrete and his friends having a 'normal' (for them) day.
March 7, 2017
Achei esse gibi perdido na minha estante, após ter comprado baratinho numa Fest Comix da vida. Não é ruim, mas como não é recente, já li o que está ali em outros lugares. Trata da principal questão envolvendo super-heróis (e gibis) em geral: inadequação.
Os poderes não apenas te colocam acima da humanidade, mas contra ela. Nossa espécie luta para destruir os diferentes justamente por representarem uma ameaça. Mas a história do Concreto consegue ter algumas facetas interessantes que geralmente passam batidas em gibis similares.
Concreto é um sujeito de, bem, pelo de concreto com uma origem misteriosa por algumas páginas, mas que depois é escancarada — ele teve o cérebro transplantado para um corpo alienígena. É o clássico grandalhão sensível. Para evitar que a população e jornalistas o investiguem, o governo diz que o sujeito é fruto de uma experiência federal com ciborgues e cria uma superexposição dele: brinquedos, reality shows, canecas, camisas, tudo é criado para saturar a imagem de Concreto e murchar o interesse por ele.
Mas aí vemos que ele busca algo mais que ser um boneco do governo. Ele quer explorar o mundo, viajar, ajudar pessoas. Mas quando tenta (sendo usado em negociatas políticas), Concreto acaba fazendo merda e piorando as coisas. Felizmente, Concreto não se entrega a condição de inadequado e faz o possível para usar seus poderes para se tornar uma pessoa feliz, expurgando de si a missão de fazer algo pela humanidade.
O interessante não é apenas o desenvolvimento da personalidade dele (se ficasse nisso seria um sub-Monstro do Pântano apenas), mas sim colocá-lo em um caldeirão político envolto em mistérios. Ainda assim, fica aquém de um Monstro do Pântano da vida, mas não deixa de ser um gibi agradável sobre a condição humana, esvaziada quando se é diferente, ainda que super poderoso.
Os poderes não apenas te colocam acima da humanidade, mas contra ela. Nossa espécie luta para destruir os diferentes justamente por representarem uma ameaça. Mas a história do Concreto consegue ter algumas facetas interessantes que geralmente passam batidas em gibis similares.
Concreto é um sujeito de, bem, pelo de concreto com uma origem misteriosa por algumas páginas, mas que depois é escancarada — ele teve o cérebro transplantado para um corpo alienígena. É o clássico grandalhão sensível. Para evitar que a população e jornalistas o investiguem, o governo diz que o sujeito é fruto de uma experiência federal com ciborgues e cria uma superexposição dele: brinquedos, reality shows, canecas, camisas, tudo é criado para saturar a imagem de Concreto e murchar o interesse por ele.
Mas aí vemos que ele busca algo mais que ser um boneco do governo. Ele quer explorar o mundo, viajar, ajudar pessoas. Mas quando tenta (sendo usado em negociatas políticas), Concreto acaba fazendo merda e piorando as coisas. Felizmente, Concreto não se entrega a condição de inadequado e faz o possível para usar seus poderes para se tornar uma pessoa feliz, expurgando de si a missão de fazer algo pela humanidade.
O interessante não é apenas o desenvolvimento da personalidade dele (se ficasse nisso seria um sub-Monstro do Pântano apenas), mas sim colocá-lo em um caldeirão político envolto em mistérios. Ainda assim, fica aquém de um Monstro do Pântano da vida, mas não deixa de ser um gibi agradável sobre a condição humana, esvaziada quando se é diferente, ainda que super poderoso.
December 27, 2019
I love Concrete. He is a simple science-fiction conceit thrown into a very realistic world, and so he becomes a realistic character by affecting that world.
The adventures and character of Concrete, who is a Ronald Lithgow, a human speech-writer whose brain is transplanted by aliens into the body of a rock golem with super strength and endurance, is rendered with physical and psychological realism. These are stories basically about one person with the time, patience, strength and material means to explore the world and confront its natural mysteries as every human has once dreamt.
Physically, Concrete is capable of much more than any human; but his consciousness is merely human, which is to say, with our innate imagination and curiosity, pretty boundless. Paul Chadwick's book might be maudlin at times, but it is, to my mind, wonder-filled and earnest.
The adventures and character of Concrete, who is a Ronald Lithgow, a human speech-writer whose brain is transplanted by aliens into the body of a rock golem with super strength and endurance, is rendered with physical and psychological realism. These are stories basically about one person with the time, patience, strength and material means to explore the world and confront its natural mysteries as every human has once dreamt.
Physically, Concrete is capable of much more than any human; but his consciousness is merely human, which is to say, with our innate imagination and curiosity, pretty boundless. Paul Chadwick's book might be maudlin at times, but it is, to my mind, wonder-filled and earnest.
January 15, 2019
Decades ago during my very first run reading comics almost by accident came across a Concrete story where he simultaneously existed everywhere he’d ever been; a man shaped concrete form stretching back and forth across the world. I recall it being a very meditative story and the antithesis of the Image era roided, weaponized and multi-pocketed super heroes of the day. Depending on a small comic shop in middle of nowhere New England never came across it again during that first run.
Now well into my third run reading comics returning to the source was a rewarding experience. While my daughter and son grow up in a world where it is common knowledge that comics can tell a breadth and depth of different stories Concrete had been my first glance.
Now well into my third run reading comics returning to the source was a rewarding experience. While my daughter and son grow up in a world where it is common knowledge that comics can tell a breadth and depth of different stories Concrete had been my first glance.
July 3, 2023
To say that Concrete stories are all masterpieces could not be the truth, but to say that a collection like this (the first 10 issues of the regular series) is instead a masterpiece is to state the obvious. I repeat what I wrote commenting the first collection of the stories appeared in DHP: Concrete stories are really outstanding from many point of view, therefore any collection of them could be defined a masterpiece given both the text and the fine art Paul Chadwick inserts in ANY story. Please read them, and feel the same amazement that I have. You won’t be deluded.
March 24, 2022
I could not get through this collection, I must be missing something.
May 8, 2022
Simply wonderful. Paul Chadwick is enormously underrated.
April 21, 2024
I feel so calm and happy reading these stories :) Solidly drawn and quite entertaining.
December 11, 2025
issues 1-10
March 19, 2011
My review from Amazon:
This is one of the best comic books and graphic novels
I have ever read! I got this by chance at Pass It On Thrift
Store in Crestwood, IL here in the USA. It was a great
book to read filled with an interesting and exciting
cast of characters, storyline, plot and drama not to
mention comedy, action, adventure, romance and plenty
of ads in a few panels advertising real world products
or knockoffs of them.
Paul Chadwick did a great job writing this series
and this particular book in general.
The Complete Concrete by Paul Chadwick is a most awesome
grapic novel and a different take on the superhero genre.
It stands out from other books and graphic novels in
that it has a somewhat different story then most superhero
comic book and graphic novels.
The cast of characters, dialogue, story, images, product ads
and events and people we can relate to along with numerous
pop cultural references make this a fun and interesting graphic
novel to read along with plenty of drama and tension at times.
Many of the same dilemmas, challenges and emotions that we
face in real life is what Concrete and his companions face
even adversaries at times.
A great graphic novel.
I give it 5/5 stars.
All in all a great read and a must have
along with Watchmen and Batman Year One
and Batman Thew Dark Knight Returns.
;)
From wiki
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concrete...
"Concrete is a comic book series created and written by Paul Chadwick and published by Dark Horse Comics. His first appearance is Dark Horse Presents #1 (July, 1986). The eponymous central character is a normal man whose brain was transplanted into a large, stone body by aliens, and who lives an extraordinary life on Earth following his escape.
The Concrete series focuses on realism. Apart from the aliens (which disappear in the origin issue and are never heard from again) and Concrete's own high-tech artificial body (which includes superhuman sight), there are no supernatural or science-fiction elements to any stories.
The hero tries to use his body for noble endeavors, such as helping out on a family farm. Leter, Concrete climbs Mount Everest, becomes involved with a group of hardline environmental militants, and reluctantly agrees to become the spokesperson of a campaign to voluntarily reduce the earth's population.
Concrete's sexuality is addressed in the series. An artist at heart, he collects paintings of female nudes. He is noteably embarrassed at his lack of sexual organs.
Real-world physics apply to Concrete. Examples include Concrete breaking objects by sitting on them, or Concrete being shot forward from a braking car, due to the momentum of his large body. He is constantly breaking telephones and doorknobs, and must hire an assistant Larry Munro, because his hands are too clumsy to handle a pen.
The series makes frequent use of thought balloons, showing characters' interior thoughts and feelings.
In addition to the comic, Paul Chadwick has drawn Concrete in many paintings. Most show the character wandering in nature, perhaps looking at a flower or some other natural curiosity."
"Awards and recognitionThe series won the Eisner Awards for Best Continuing Series for 1988 and 1989, Best Black-and-White Series for 1988 and 1989, and Best New Series for 1988, and their Best Writer/Artist Award for Paul Chadwick for 1989. It received the Harvey Award for Best New Series in 1988, and won Chadwick their Award For Cartoonist (Writer/Artist) for 1989."
This is one of the best comic books and graphic novels
I have ever read! I got this by chance at Pass It On Thrift
Store in Crestwood, IL here in the USA. It was a great
book to read filled with an interesting and exciting
cast of characters, storyline, plot and drama not to
mention comedy, action, adventure, romance and plenty
of ads in a few panels advertising real world products
or knockoffs of them.
Paul Chadwick did a great job writing this series
and this particular book in general.
The Complete Concrete by Paul Chadwick is a most awesome
grapic novel and a different take on the superhero genre.
It stands out from other books and graphic novels in
that it has a somewhat different story then most superhero
comic book and graphic novels.
The cast of characters, dialogue, story, images, product ads
and events and people we can relate to along with numerous
pop cultural references make this a fun and interesting graphic
novel to read along with plenty of drama and tension at times.
Many of the same dilemmas, challenges and emotions that we
face in real life is what Concrete and his companions face
even adversaries at times.
A great graphic novel.
I give it 5/5 stars.
All in all a great read and a must have
along with Watchmen and Batman Year One
and Batman Thew Dark Knight Returns.
;)
From wiki
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concrete...
"Concrete is a comic book series created and written by Paul Chadwick and published by Dark Horse Comics. His first appearance is Dark Horse Presents #1 (July, 1986). The eponymous central character is a normal man whose brain was transplanted into a large, stone body by aliens, and who lives an extraordinary life on Earth following his escape.
The Concrete series focuses on realism. Apart from the aliens (which disappear in the origin issue and are never heard from again) and Concrete's own high-tech artificial body (which includes superhuman sight), there are no supernatural or science-fiction elements to any stories.
The hero tries to use his body for noble endeavors, such as helping out on a family farm. Leter, Concrete climbs Mount Everest, becomes involved with a group of hardline environmental militants, and reluctantly agrees to become the spokesperson of a campaign to voluntarily reduce the earth's population.
Concrete's sexuality is addressed in the series. An artist at heart, he collects paintings of female nudes. He is noteably embarrassed at his lack of sexual organs.
Real-world physics apply to Concrete. Examples include Concrete breaking objects by sitting on them, or Concrete being shot forward from a braking car, due to the momentum of his large body. He is constantly breaking telephones and doorknobs, and must hire an assistant Larry Munro, because his hands are too clumsy to handle a pen.
The series makes frequent use of thought balloons, showing characters' interior thoughts and feelings.
In addition to the comic, Paul Chadwick has drawn Concrete in many paintings. Most show the character wandering in nature, perhaps looking at a flower or some other natural curiosity."
"Awards and recognitionThe series won the Eisner Awards for Best Continuing Series for 1988 and 1989, Best Black-and-White Series for 1988 and 1989, and Best New Series for 1988, and their Best Writer/Artist Award for Paul Chadwick for 1989. It received the Harvey Award for Best New Series in 1988, and won Chadwick their Award For Cartoonist (Writer/Artist) for 1989."
July 8, 2008
I actually read Concrete in its 7 volumes, but I won't star each one because they ran together.
Honestly, I was a little disappointed. The concept for the character - basically taking a superhero origin story where the character was not a superhero but trying to live a normal life - was interesting, and I liked the idea of the first bits, where Concrete takes advantage of his new abilities to do the kinds of exploration and adventure that he'd always wanted. But it started spiralling downward when Chadwick politicized the story. I have nothing against politics or messages in a story, but they seemed egregiously out of place in Concrete, as though Chadwick had said "Well I have this comic book and I'm really liberal, let's rock this!" Concrete's adventures with Earth First! or with the Overpopulation crusade just felt kind of cheesy and out of place, and made me miss the wasted potential of what started out as an adventure series.
Top this off with "comic-book dialogue" which can only be considered stereotypical at best, and you've got a package with promise which sadly wastes it.
Honestly, I was a little disappointed. The concept for the character - basically taking a superhero origin story where the character was not a superhero but trying to live a normal life - was interesting, and I liked the idea of the first bits, where Concrete takes advantage of his new abilities to do the kinds of exploration and adventure that he'd always wanted. But it started spiralling downward when Chadwick politicized the story. I have nothing against politics or messages in a story, but they seemed egregiously out of place in Concrete, as though Chadwick had said "Well I have this comic book and I'm really liberal, let's rock this!" Concrete's adventures with Earth First! or with the Overpopulation crusade just felt kind of cheesy and out of place, and made me miss the wasted potential of what started out as an adventure series.
Top this off with "comic-book dialogue" which can only be considered stereotypical at best, and you've got a package with promise which sadly wastes it.
August 24, 2016
"If you liked Fraiser and also like comics then you may also like Concrete". A senator's speech writer -> deux ex machina -> concrete becomes a travel writer.
According to in story TV producers, Concrete is "entirely too urbane and sophisticated" for mass consumption on late night TV. He spends most of his time and many panels overthinking and worrying about stuff outside of his control, attempting to Sherlock is way out of trouble but fumbling due to hesitation and clumsy fingers. Luckily for him, he was gifted with physical resilience and crawls out of whatever hole he happens to find himself in and starts the cycle all over again in a different place.
The comic is realistic enough that it could be boring if you aren't into the theme.
Heck, one of the story lines revolves around
I enjoyed following concrete on his travels, and found myself learning more about the physical world through his explorations, felt kinda like reading NatGeo. Going to find and read other stories with the character (this isn't a complete selection, despite the name).
According to in story TV producers, Concrete is "entirely too urbane and sophisticated" for mass consumption on late night TV. He spends most of his time and many panels overthinking and worrying about stuff outside of his control, attempting to Sherlock is way out of trouble but fumbling due to hesitation and clumsy fingers. Luckily for him, he was gifted with physical resilience and crawls out of whatever hole he happens to find himself in and starts the cycle all over again in a different place.
The comic is realistic enough that it could be boring if you aren't into the theme.
Heck, one of the story lines revolves around
I enjoyed following concrete on his travels, and found myself learning more about the physical world through his explorations, felt kinda like reading NatGeo. Going to find and read other stories with the character (this isn't a complete selection, despite the name).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 9, 2009
Another loan from Matt-in-my-shopping-center.
I loved the Concrete's character design and the Maxfield Parrish-ish ladies. I liked the concept, but given that Ben Grimm is my favorite comic character, I couldn't help spending a lot of the time contrasting the two.
I also have 'Think Like a Mountain' which I've been told is a better story, and I'm looking forward to reading it. My first impression of the series was that there was going to be a strong environmental bend to the stories, and I'm hoping for more of that in the next book.
Lastly, the character Concrete was a speechwriter before being turned into the creature that he is now. I am not sure if the sometimes heavy-handed writing style is intended to reflect the fact that Concrete is indeed A Writer, or if it's the author's natural (somewhat heavy-handed) style. Occasionally, I'd be struck by how nicely turned a phrase was, but more often I'd be left with the impression that someone was *trying* to be evocative and missing the mark.
I loved the Concrete's character design and the Maxfield Parrish-ish ladies. I liked the concept, but given that Ben Grimm is my favorite comic character, I couldn't help spending a lot of the time contrasting the two.
I also have 'Think Like a Mountain' which I've been told is a better story, and I'm looking forward to reading it. My first impression of the series was that there was going to be a strong environmental bend to the stories, and I'm hoping for more of that in the next book.
Lastly, the character Concrete was a speechwriter before being turned into the creature that he is now. I am not sure if the sometimes heavy-handed writing style is intended to reflect the fact that Concrete is indeed A Writer, or if it's the author's natural (somewhat heavy-handed) style. Occasionally, I'd be struck by how nicely turned a phrase was, but more often I'd be left with the impression that someone was *trying* to be evocative and missing the mark.
February 2, 2014
I remember first learning about this series many years ago when they interviewed Paul Chadwick. Both my brother and I agreed that Chadwick seemed kind of odd and egotistical in the interview, so we mocked him and his unconventional idea for a story. Recently though I stumbled across someone discussing the series on facebook and I decided to give it a try. I am very glad I did. As a kid I didn't appreciate what Chadwick was trying to say in his interview and how unique of a story he was telling in the Concrete series. A superhero story without villains, Concrete is about the misfortune that happens to one man (abducted by aliens and placed in a golem's body) and how he uses that tragedy to push himself to be better. The adventures in the story deal with the individual growing and overcoming self prescribed obstacles. It is a fascinating take on the superhero story. I highly recommend it.
March 16, 2014
Dark Horse for years has published some of the most literary graphic fiction. This series by Paul Chadwick is a treat. One of the great joys is trying to figure out how Chadwick devised the concept. A political speechwriter, divorced, chubby, diffident, is captured by aliens and turned into a 1,200 pound giant with superpowers. This is quite literally THE WEST WING set in stone. Ron Lithgow, commonly known as Concrete, tries to save trapped miners, swim the Atlantic, save a family farm, and climb Everest. He is a bodyguard to a Prince like rocker. He loves a woman but dares not reveal it. He even grows horns, perhaps out if jealousy, when she attempts to reunite with her husband. Although many of the political references are now dated ( the series was written in the late 80s), CONCRETE takes on Celebrity culture, alienation, and the resilience of the human will. Although absurdist, it touches upon some very honest emotions. Great stuff!
March 22, 2009
I am a big fan of the Concrete series, which might be best described as a superhero comic without the superheroics.
Concrete is the story of a man who is abducted by aliens and finds his mind transplanted into a nigh indestructible cyborg body. However, rather than decide to try to save the world by punching out bad guys, he uses his newfound fame to become a writer and use his words to elicit change.
Most of the drama in Concrete comes from his feelings of alienation and the fact that he has to deal with the all too fragile world around him. He cannot have a physically intimate relationship with the woman he loves. His strength and weight make him unable to sit in normal chairs or even dial a phone without breaking it. Concrete is not bitter though, more wistful and melancholy as he tries to make the best of the hand life has dealt him.
Concrete is the story of a man who is abducted by aliens and finds his mind transplanted into a nigh indestructible cyborg body. However, rather than decide to try to save the world by punching out bad guys, he uses his newfound fame to become a writer and use his words to elicit change.
Most of the drama in Concrete comes from his feelings of alienation and the fact that he has to deal with the all too fragile world around him. He cannot have a physically intimate relationship with the woman he loves. His strength and weight make him unable to sit in normal chairs or even dial a phone without breaking it. Concrete is not bitter though, more wistful and melancholy as he tries to make the best of the hand life has dealt him.
February 7, 2012
A political speech writer is kidnapped by aliens while on a camping trip trying to get over his divorce. He wakes to find himself trapped in a powerful body of stone. Escaping from the aliens he attempts to lead a heroic magnificent life using the strength given by his new body. Unfortunately, giant stone hands make daily life difficult and despite his good intentions Concrete's plans don't always work out.
It's a great non-superhero comic, Concrete is a man removed from humanity, despite his obvious desire to be be human and find love. I really enjoyed the details of the art, like how his companions are quite often cleaning up broken vases and other debris that Concrete creates just by walking around. The art and story does have a very 80's feel.
This is one of those books I can't believe I had never heard of and I would recommend to anyone.
It's a great non-superhero comic, Concrete is a man removed from humanity, despite his obvious desire to be be human and find love. I really enjoyed the details of the art, like how his companions are quite often cleaning up broken vases and other debris that Concrete creates just by walking around. The art and story does have a very 80's feel.
This is one of those books I can't believe I had never heard of and I would recommend to anyone.
August 14, 2023
(Review from 2023)
I remember as a kid reading through old Dark Horse comicbooks and seeing Concrete advertised. It wasn't until college that I actually found a collection and checked it out. It was certainly interesting, the character is reminiscent of The Thing from Marvel's Fantastic Four but the story itself isn't a superhero comic but more of an intelligent man trying to make due in life with a new alien body (so it does have traces of The Thing's story anyway). Not sure I'd recommend but college me did find it interesting to finally see what Concrete was about.
I remember as a kid reading through old Dark Horse comicbooks and seeing Concrete advertised. It wasn't until college that I actually found a collection and checked it out. It was certainly interesting, the character is reminiscent of The Thing from Marvel's Fantastic Four but the story itself isn't a superhero comic but more of an intelligent man trying to make due in life with a new alien body (so it does have traces of The Thing's story anyway). Not sure I'd recommend but college me did find it interesting to finally see what Concrete was about.
September 24, 2008
Thanks to my man Rook for GIVING this to me.
Never picked this thing up before. Never even glanced at the Dark Horse comic anthologies for the most part.
This is not only a beautifully drawn anthology, but the writing is BEYOND what I thought Chadwick was going to do with such a character.
No villains. This hunk of rock used to be a political speech writer. From THAT premise, it's hard to even guess at what's coming next.
Never picked this thing up before. Never even glanced at the Dark Horse comic anthologies for the most part.
This is not only a beautifully drawn anthology, but the writing is BEYOND what I thought Chadwick was going to do with such a character.
No villains. This hunk of rock used to be a political speech writer. From THAT premise, it's hard to even guess at what's coming next.
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