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Generous Bosom #1-4
Ultrasound
Driving home from a wedding late one night during a heavy storm, out of cell range, Glen blows out his tires. He knocks on the door of the only house he sees and is greeted by an uncomfortably friendly middle-aged man, Arthur, and his attractive younger wife, Cyndi. The strange couple pours him a drink, and then more drinks, followed by odd confessions and an unexpected offer that Glen can’t refuse.
Where Ultrasound zigs and zags from there is into a dizzying plot involving mind control, government secrets, gaslighting, and political intrigue that is always one step ahead of the reader. Stechschulte’s brilliant use of color and mastery of comics storytelling yields a breathtaking puzzlebox of a sci fi thriller—the moment you finish, you will want to go back and reread Ultrasound from the start.
Ultrasound has also been adapted into an acclaimed feature film directed by Robert Schroeder and starring Vincent Kartheiser (Mad Men), from a screenplay by Stechschulte. The film earned raves at the 2021 Tribeca Film Fest and is scheduled for theatrical release in March 2022 and will premiere streaming on Hulu in June.
Where Ultrasound zigs and zags from there is into a dizzying plot involving mind control, government secrets, gaslighting, and political intrigue that is always one step ahead of the reader. Stechschulte’s brilliant use of color and mastery of comics storytelling yields a breathtaking puzzlebox of a sci fi thriller—the moment you finish, you will want to go back and reread Ultrasound from the start.
Ultrasound has also been adapted into an acclaimed feature film directed by Robert Schroeder and starring Vincent Kartheiser (Mad Men), from a screenplay by Stechschulte. The film earned raves at the 2021 Tribeca Film Fest and is scheduled for theatrical release in March 2022 and will premiere streaming on Hulu in June.
376 pages, Hardcover
First published July 21, 2022
13 people are currently reading
1243 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 132 reviews
February 16, 2024
I'm speechless, what a brilliant piece of comic book art, if I was not already in love with this art form this book would probably convert me.
Ultrasound is Conor Stechschulte's second graphic novel, but one can tell by his mastery of the craft just how much effort he invested in this work (almost a decade in the making). Structurally the book is very interesting, Stechschulte employs several techniques and visual experiments to match the non-linear and winding nature of the plot. Despite the uncanniness of the events portrayed, the writing is mostly comprised of naturalistic dialogues which grant the story a sense of realism and results in characters that feel very real. Flawed and depressed, these characters are constantly looking for connection and belonging, trying to make the right thing with the lives they're given and hold on to something meaningful regardless of the mess they're in. But how can you trust someone when you can't trust yourself? How can you heal old wounds when you're no longer sure of the past? How can trauma affect your memories? A lot of questions are raised, suggested (and not imposed) by the text, while the reader is invited to decipher the puzzling events in the life of the characters. Trying to make sense of a constantly shifting world whilst haunted by traumas that never seem to go away. There's an urgency to the narrative, a claustrophobic feeling, a tension that builds and builds, qualities that make Ultrasound an hypnotic psychological thriller. One that I will for sure be re-reading pretty soon. Strongly recommended.
Ultrasound is Conor Stechschulte's second graphic novel, but one can tell by his mastery of the craft just how much effort he invested in this work (almost a decade in the making). Structurally the book is very interesting, Stechschulte employs several techniques and visual experiments to match the non-linear and winding nature of the plot. Despite the uncanniness of the events portrayed, the writing is mostly comprised of naturalistic dialogues which grant the story a sense of realism and results in characters that feel very real. Flawed and depressed, these characters are constantly looking for connection and belonging, trying to make the right thing with the lives they're given and hold on to something meaningful regardless of the mess they're in. But how can you trust someone when you can't trust yourself? How can you heal old wounds when you're no longer sure of the past? How can trauma affect your memories? A lot of questions are raised, suggested (and not imposed) by the text, while the reader is invited to decipher the puzzling events in the life of the characters. Trying to make sense of a constantly shifting world whilst haunted by traumas that never seem to go away. There's an urgency to the narrative, a claustrophobic feeling, a tension that builds and builds, qualities that make Ultrasound an hypnotic psychological thriller. One that I will for sure be re-reading pretty soon. Strongly recommended.
February 23, 2023
Imagine a David (Lynch or Cronenberg) re-envisioning Inception: fans of Apple TV+'s Severance, Nick Drnaso's Sabrina or Charles Burns' Black Hole should drop into this immersive, trippy scifi/mystery graphic novel.
January 3, 2023
A man with two flat tires knocks on a random door late one night and is soon offered an indecent proposal from a couple with a dysfunctional marriage. Were the rest of the book simply about the increasingly complex relationships between the trio, I might have liked it, but at a certain point it goes off onto a whole new level of wild sci-fi conspiracy theory twistiness that wants to be "Nolanesque" but for me was just a hot pile of garbage to be shoveled through to reach the last page (notice I did not write "the end").
This volume collects the original four parts that were published under the series name Generous Bosom and was released in conjunction with a film adaptation that is currently available to stream on Hulu. You can watch the movie trailer here: https://youtu.be/hlQo9XI_fQ8. I'm thinking about hate watching it.
This volume collects the original four parts that were published under the series name Generous Bosom and was released in conjunction with a film adaptation that is currently available to stream on Hulu. You can watch the movie trailer here: https://youtu.be/hlQo9XI_fQ8. I'm thinking about hate watching it.
September 25, 2022
I enjoyed the fragmented narratives, unreliable memories, and creepy manipulations. But I thought sometimes the art got in the way of the story. (3.5 stars, rounded down.)
March 12, 2024
Haven’t read a graphic novel in a long time and this was so good. Really made excellent use of the medium itself and was a thrilling story!
June 26, 2022
i've been fascinated with this story since reading the first instalment several years ago.
probably the well-crafted & extremely tense storyline will get a lot of airtime in the reviews, but i just want to throw in my appreciation here for conor's excellent command of naturalistic dialogue. it gives the characters so much depth and heightened my investment in the story tenfold.
also, the art is killer. so happy to own this book and revisit it regularly.
probably the well-crafted & extremely tense storyline will get a lot of airtime in the reviews, but i just want to throw in my appreciation here for conor's excellent command of naturalistic dialogue. it gives the characters so much depth and heightened my investment in the story tenfold.
also, the art is killer. so happy to own this book and revisit it regularly.
October 16, 2022
Ultrasound is a masterclass in delivering a psychological thriller in comic book form. Conor Stechschulte experiments with formalisms with immense confidence, making for an engaging and rewarding reading experience. Lengthy conversation scenes flow incredibly well due to the expert lettering and panel layouts, while the dialogue itself is sharp and witty. There is a real claustrophobic nature to the story, where Stechschulte plants the reader in one setting long enough for the discomfort to set in. The story never feels dry and absolutely never feels predictable.
August 4, 2024
This book is FASCINATING. The pacing is incredible, the progression to bizarre is perfect, the artistic choices were exciting and effective. Stechschulte’s brain is DRIPPING, oozing, and overflowing with creativity. What and adventure that left me wanting more (but in a good way - I think if he gave us everything this would be less effective)
July 11, 2022
Noah, you’re probably reading this review, and if you are, you should really read this comic. Just a light suggestion. No hypnosis, promise.
September 12, 2022
soooooooooo damn good
May 9, 2024
There's some really interesting concepts explored here, but to be completely honest, I can't say I fully understood what was happening by the end.
November 5, 2022
The blurbs for this book promise you will want to reread immediately after finishing, and that is correct.
This is the wildest book I've read, maybe ever? Additionally interesting is that apparantly movie rights were purchased mid-creation, to the point that some lines in the book are credited to the actors.
Can't wait to watch the movie (which, TRUST that I'm firmly in the book is always better camp) just to see how this insane story plays out in film as opposed to graphic art. The book is masterful in it's approach, things that didn't seem important become critical, and ideas and actions you couldn't imagine playing out in a graphic novel are somehow successfully achieved.
An ambitious novel that somehow achieved it's intent, recommend to fans of cinematic storytelling. Hesitate to give any more specifics for fear of spoiling - this is a nutso cuckoo really good read.
This is the wildest book I've read, maybe ever? Additionally interesting is that apparantly movie rights were purchased mid-creation, to the point that some lines in the book are credited to the actors.
Can't wait to watch the movie (which, TRUST that I'm firmly in the book is always better camp) just to see how this insane story plays out in film as opposed to graphic art. The book is masterful in it's approach, things that didn't seem important become critical, and ideas and actions you couldn't imagine playing out in a graphic novel are somehow successfully achieved.
An ambitious novel that somehow achieved it's intent, recommend to fans of cinematic storytelling. Hesitate to give any more specifics for fear of spoiling - this is a nutso cuckoo really good read.
January 23, 2025
3.5 que redondeo a 3.
Entretenido en su guión, aunque quizás busque rizar el rizo en la parte final, y un poco confuso en el arte, que quiere ser innovador y a veces acierta y otras no tanto.
Se nota que se editó por entregas y esto es un compendio, porque el autor da vueltas temáticas y visuales que, vistas en conjunto, no se entienden demasiado bien.
Para pasar un rato entretenido con ese rollo de conspiración y tal, pero tampoco mucho más.
Y de lynch no tiene nada, quizá de nolan...
Entretenido en su guión, aunque quizás busque rizar el rizo en la parte final, y un poco confuso en el arte, que quiere ser innovador y a veces acierta y otras no tanto.
Se nota que se editó por entregas y esto es un compendio, porque el autor da vueltas temáticas y visuales que, vistas en conjunto, no se entienden demasiado bien.
Para pasar un rato entretenido con ese rollo de conspiración y tal, pero tampoco mucho más.
Y de lynch no tiene nada, quizá de nolan...
February 7, 2024
Si t'aimes les histoires qui te tirent le tapis sous les pieds et qui te font dire constamment "My God, qu'est-ce qui se passe?" et qu'à la fin, finalement, t'as fini par comprendre tout, oh boy que j'ai le livre pour toi.
4.5/5
4.5/5
September 16, 2023
I really enjoyed this, it was an absolute mind fuck and I can’t wait to reread this and gain new perspective:)
February 12, 2023
i can’t tell anyone i read this because trying to explain the plot makes me sound crazy
October 14, 2023
C'est dense et j'ai pas tout compris dans les détails mais le dessin et l'usage des couleurs sont top
August 4, 2022
Fucking loved this. I've seen a number of comparisons to the works of David Lynch/Cronenberg and I feel like it leans more towards the conspiracy and paranoia created by the latter. (Though much love for mister Lynch always).
After a strange and awkward sexual encounter, two people find themselves in the middle of a mind bending plot involving mysterious think tanks, political candidates, and party entertainers. The art is beautiful and conveys the dream-like atmosphere expertly. As the plot unfolds, you find yourself reframing previous scenes and doubting the authenticity of events throughout the read. A great time all around, highly recommended.
After a strange and awkward sexual encounter, two people find themselves in the middle of a mind bending plot involving mysterious think tanks, political candidates, and party entertainers. The art is beautiful and conveys the dream-like atmosphere expertly. As the plot unfolds, you find yourself reframing previous scenes and doubting the authenticity of events throughout the read. A great time all around, highly recommended.
November 9, 2023
I was enthralled by this book. It's got more "novel" in it than most graphic novels, with the art style being minimal but effective. Stechschulte seems to be a writer first and artist second, which I love to see in these tomes.
I kept having to flip back and reread earlier sections as the truth of the book's conspiracy was revealed, which only made me like it more. Reading it, I couldn't help but feel it would make a remarkable movie as a mashup of Charlie Kauffman and David Fincher.
I knocked off a star because the final few sequences really felt rushed compared to what had come before and didn't land with the weight I expected. But this is a chilling story for sure. Very cool stuff.
I kept having to flip back and reread earlier sections as the truth of the book's conspiracy was revealed, which only made me like it more. Reading it, I couldn't help but feel it would make a remarkable movie as a mashup of Charlie Kauffman and David Fincher.
I knocked off a star because the final few sequences really felt rushed compared to what had come before and didn't land with the weight I expected. But this is a chilling story for sure. Very cool stuff.
February 18, 2023
completely engrossing and insane, and it just keeps getting better and better as you go. the unique art style really pays off as more memories and stories start to overlap. i love that it looks like an indie comic but is a complex sci-fi story with a truly tense conclusion.
August 3, 2023
Very weird, complex and sometimes confusing graphic novel about mind control, pregnancy, and memory. Started this thing almost exactly a year ago and after picking it up and putting it down a handful of times, I finally finished it last night. Some heavy David Lynch vibes here, as someone else noted. I'll seek out the feature film it was adapted to at some point and will probably try to re-read it at some point with a better frame of mind.
June 20, 2025
בתחילת הקריאה בספר, במשך אולי חמש דקות דילגתי בטעות על דפים, כל פעם דפדפתי מעל עמוד או שניים, ואז חזרתי והשלמתי את מה שפספסתי. לא יכולתי שלא לדמיין איך שמו ממש ממש קצת דבק בין העמודים כדי שזה יקרה לקורא בפעם הראשונה. זה תרם כל כך והרגיש כאילו הכישוף של הספר הזה פעל עלי עוד לפני שנכנסתי אליו.
February 6, 2023
Wtf. That was one hell of a crazy ride. I think I need to read it again immediately.
March 29, 2024
(3.5)
June 12, 2024
Best surprise read yet. Masterpiece!
January 11, 2025
This is such a good thriller comic - had me enthralled but horrified turning the page. Really clever illustration style too, enjoyed it a lot!
February 22, 2025
A solid masterclass in mind/time/memory fuckery. Not sure if it’s intentional or the result of the book taking a long time to write, but the gradual shift of the art style from clear and simple to detailed and warpy makes the storyline (which shall not be revealed) really visceral. Good use of the medium. It all comes together in the end
February 4, 2024
Late night encounter
Hypnosis used with sound waves
Daring rescue made
Hypnosis used with sound waves
Daring rescue made
Displaying 1 - 30 of 132 reviews