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The Nobody
The tiny, isolated fishing village of Large Mouth never saw much excitement – until the arrival of the stranger, that is. Wrapped from head to toe in bandages and wearing weird goggles, he quietly took up residence in the sleepy town’s motel. Driven by curiosity, the townfolk quickly learn the tragic story of his past, and of the terrible accident that left him horribly disfigured. Eventually, the town embraces the stranger as one of their own – but do his bandages hide more than just scars?
Inspired by H.G. Wells’ The Invisible Man, THE NOBODY explores themes of identity, fear and paranoia in a small community from up-and-coming alternative comics creator and Xeric Award-winner Jeff Lemire (The Essex County Trilogy) in a story that’ll have you guessing until the very end.
Inspired by H.G. Wells’ The Invisible Man, THE NOBODY explores themes of identity, fear and paranoia in a small community from up-and-coming alternative comics creator and Xeric Award-winner Jeff Lemire (The Essex County Trilogy) in a story that’ll have you guessing until the very end.
144 pages, Hardcover
First published July 7, 2009
6 people are currently reading
1668 people want to read
About the author
Jeff Lemire
1,393 books3,871 followersLibrarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Jeff Lemire is a New York Times bestselling and award winning author, and creator of the acclaimed graphic novels Sweet Tooth, Essex County, The Underwater Welder, Trillium, Plutona, Black Hammer, Descender, Royal City, and Gideon Falls. His upcoming projects include a host of series and original graphic novels, including the fantasy series Ascender with Dustin Nguyen.
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Jeff Lemire is a New York Times bestselling and award winning author, and creator of the acclaimed graphic novels Sweet Tooth, Essex County, The Underwater Welder, Trillium, Plutona, Black Hammer, Descender, Royal City, and Gideon Falls. His upcoming projects include a host of series and original graphic novels, including the fantasy series Ascender with Dustin Nguyen.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 335 reviews
September 19, 2011
"The Nobody" opens with a mysteriously bandaged man entering the small town of Large Mouth and taking a room. His appearance causes the townspeople to start speculating about what's underneath the bandages and why he's chosen their small town for a base. The narrator is a high school girl who becomes increasingly obsessed with the man known as John Griffin and through her we slowly find out about his past life. Meanwhile the tension some of the townspeople feel toward the bandaged man grows until the inevitable climax.
Lemire uses HG Wells' novel "The Invisible Man" to tell his own version of it and brings focus onto the ordinary people who surround Griffin. The story is about Griffin but is really about how he pushes to the surface a lot of their own fears and forces them to confront them. The abandoned widower, the loner who lives in the woods with his dog, the cuckolded husband of a waitress, the lonely town drunk, and of course the 16 year old narrator dreaming of escape from the small town.
It's a slightly pulpy story with the comics covers included in the book accentuating this - "Why?! Is This Bandaged Stranger Terrorizing This Small Town?" with its retro style cover design. But it's a brilliant story told masterfully in black, white and blue, and lushly produced in hardback, I really loved it and think Lemire's developing into a really interesting graphic novelist. It's a great read and an inspired take on an old story.
Lemire uses HG Wells' novel "The Invisible Man" to tell his own version of it and brings focus onto the ordinary people who surround Griffin. The story is about Griffin but is really about how he pushes to the surface a lot of their own fears and forces them to confront them. The abandoned widower, the loner who lives in the woods with his dog, the cuckolded husband of a waitress, the lonely town drunk, and of course the 16 year old narrator dreaming of escape from the small town.
It's a slightly pulpy story with the comics covers included in the book accentuating this - "Why?! Is This Bandaged Stranger Terrorizing This Small Town?" with its retro style cover design. But it's a brilliant story told masterfully in black, white and blue, and lushly produced in hardback, I really loved it and think Lemire's developing into a really interesting graphic novelist. It's a great read and an inspired take on an old story.
May 19, 2015
Damn, what a comic! I picked up "The Nobody" because I dig "bandaged protagonists." I wasn't expecting much of a story (as I said, I was primarily interested by the cool artwork). Sometimes, though, it's good to have your expectations betrayed. The plot itself has been done many times. And, without giving any major spoilers, you can probably guess what classical literary character The Nobody is based on. Yet, like every great story, it's hardly about the plot and always about the characters.
The Nobody's cast is extremely well drawn, in the figurative and literal sense. Instantly I was pulled into the boring lake town of Large Mouth, population 754, "Home of the world's biggest bass." But the only thing jumping in Large Mouth is a dumpy little bar with its flanneled regulars drinking the same old beer. But one day a mysterious bandaged man comes into town. Everyone notices him, especially a 16-year-old girl who becomes the perspective character throughout the story. While everyone is busy making new rumors about the outsider, Vickie actually visits him in his motel room and actually gets to know the guy. A beautiful yet troubling friendship is formed, which is haunted by the older man's painful memories and the younger girl's teenage angst.
The somber tone and the characters' battling alienation and inner demons reminds me of Tim Burton's Edward Scissorhands. This book isn't a knock off. It stands on its own feet by establishing its own style. Besides the excellent characters, this story has awesome flow. The comic frames are nice and wide, sometimes taking an entire page. This layout is an eyeball massage. Often the panels would be completely devoid of words. The scenes themselves would speak for themselves. Perhaps words would just get in the way. The violent scenes lashed from the pages. This isn't a violent comic, but the threat of violence always lurked in the background.
I can't emphasize how engrossing this story was. Unfortunately, it is a self-contained tale that will most likely end with the last page of this book. Anyhow it doesn't require a sequel (Please let me be wrong). I just wish the story would have been extended by an additional 200 pages because I liked it that much. However, like the main character at the end, I am sad and happy to have seen it happen. This comic will hang around my brain for the next few days. The Nobody just isn't something you'll read and forget.
The Nobody's cast is extremely well drawn, in the figurative and literal sense. Instantly I was pulled into the boring lake town of Large Mouth, population 754, "Home of the world's biggest bass." But the only thing jumping in Large Mouth is a dumpy little bar with its flanneled regulars drinking the same old beer. But one day a mysterious bandaged man comes into town. Everyone notices him, especially a 16-year-old girl who becomes the perspective character throughout the story. While everyone is busy making new rumors about the outsider, Vickie actually visits him in his motel room and actually gets to know the guy. A beautiful yet troubling friendship is formed, which is haunted by the older man's painful memories and the younger girl's teenage angst.
The somber tone and the characters' battling alienation and inner demons reminds me of Tim Burton's Edward Scissorhands. This book isn't a knock off. It stands on its own feet by establishing its own style. Besides the excellent characters, this story has awesome flow. The comic frames are nice and wide, sometimes taking an entire page. This layout is an eyeball massage. Often the panels would be completely devoid of words. The scenes themselves would speak for themselves. Perhaps words would just get in the way. The violent scenes lashed from the pages. This isn't a violent comic, but the threat of violence always lurked in the background.
I can't emphasize how engrossing this story was. Unfortunately, it is a self-contained tale that will most likely end with the last page of this book. Anyhow it doesn't require a sequel (Please let me be wrong). I just wish the story would have been extended by an additional 200 pages because I liked it that much. However, like the main character at the end, I am sad and happy to have seen it happen. This comic will hang around my brain for the next few days. The Nobody just isn't something you'll read and forget.
July 17, 2024
Reading a story by Jeff Lemire is always an exciting experience. I've been eager to get my hands on this book for a while, and I was finally lucky enough to acquire its Brazilian edition.
This story is heavily inspired by H. G. Wells's *The Invisible Man*, but it goes beyond that. It delves into the fear of the unknown and how such fear can destroy innocent lives. It explores how love can heal the hearts of those who cannot forgive themselves and the journey of overcoming guilt and battling our inner demons.
Lemire's characteristic art style narrates this tale, direct and pragmatic as always. The coloring adds a cozy, intimate feel to the story.
What else can I say? I love Lemire's work, and it's hard for him to disappoint.
Another great work by Lemire.
This story is heavily inspired by H. G. Wells's *The Invisible Man*, but it goes beyond that. It delves into the fear of the unknown and how such fear can destroy innocent lives. It explores how love can heal the hearts of those who cannot forgive themselves and the journey of overcoming guilt and battling our inner demons.
Lemire's characteristic art style narrates this tale, direct and pragmatic as always. The coloring adds a cozy, intimate feel to the story.
What else can I say? I love Lemire's work, and it's hard for him to disappoint.
Another great work by Lemire.
November 22, 2021
This is one of those better Jeff Lemire's works, in the matter of the writing and the artwork too. The panels are really nicely done, the way he draws look actually like he tried and not just scratched random shit. Again, you get the dosage of emotions like Lemire wants, there are no characters you will hate but I don't think you can make any kind of connection to them either. Still, a nice read and recommend to anybody who likes Jeff's stuff. 4/5
April 7, 2011
Review from Badelynge
Canadian writer/artist Jeff Lemire brings H.G. Wells' classic psychological sci-fi tale The Invisible Man forward in time a hundred years to 1994 in three acts. Lemire's spare narrative and simple black and white artwork (sorry black, white & icy blue tint) are well suited to the subtle storytelling of The Nobody. The original novella put forward several philosophical theories about what would happen to a man freed of the moral constraints of society by the escape route of invisibility. J.R.R. Tolkien was also fascinated by such ideas and used them in his stories about a magical ring that could make the wearer invisible. Lemire's take on the story is somewhat more subtle, drawing on small town paranoia, as did Wells, of the mysterious stranger and the irony of an invisible man who is quite the largest and most visible event to visit the place, but adding little alternative perspectives with protagonist and satellite characters , most notably Vickie, vying for their visibility in society. The way familiarity makes people or things fade from our attention is another of the clever observations subtly suggested, usually with hardly any scripted direction beyond the panels of artwork. There's plenty of space in the telling of the story for the reader to expand their own thought on the subject. Just goes to show that you don't need to fill the page with words to tell an intelligent and subtly poignant tale.
Canadian writer/artist Jeff Lemire brings H.G. Wells' classic psychological sci-fi tale The Invisible Man forward in time a hundred years to 1994 in three acts. Lemire's spare narrative and simple black and white artwork (sorry black, white & icy blue tint) are well suited to the subtle storytelling of The Nobody. The original novella put forward several philosophical theories about what would happen to a man freed of the moral constraints of society by the escape route of invisibility. J.R.R. Tolkien was also fascinated by such ideas and used them in his stories about a magical ring that could make the wearer invisible. Lemire's take on the story is somewhat more subtle, drawing on small town paranoia, as did Wells, of the mysterious stranger and the irony of an invisible man who is quite the largest and most visible event to visit the place, but adding little alternative perspectives with protagonist and satellite characters , most notably Vickie, vying for their visibility in society. The way familiarity makes people or things fade from our attention is another of the clever observations subtly suggested, usually with hardly any scripted direction beyond the panels of artwork. There's plenty of space in the telling of the story for the reader to expand their own thought on the subject. Just goes to show that you don't need to fill the page with words to tell an intelligent and subtly poignant tale.
January 16, 2013
Yes it's very wistful and "mysterious" in a sweetly Canadian (i.e. not that extreme or challenging) way. The story itself is faintly interesting in that you don't exactly know the protagonist's motives or backstory, but Lemire never entirely commits to it either so we have little to care about. Even the grand confrontations don't contribute much except a sense that there's another story to be told just beneath the visible surface of this one.
Reminds me of Sweet Tooth - another Lemire written-and-drawn story that everyone seems to love, for reasons that feel just out of my reach. Is it the subliminal story - the thing that Lemire *doesn't* commit to the page - that everyone's so excited about? 'Cause for me, it sure isn't there on the page. Once or twice in this book I felt myself actually interested to turn the page because of something I'd just read - but mostly I was turning pages because I wanted to find the part that excited everyone else, and almost never did.
The ending isn't entirely surprising or satisfying - mostly just eh, oh well, wish he'd come up with a more compelling story. I think half the problem with Lemire's storytelling for me is what hits me as a juvenile, sloppy, not-terribly-good-at-his-craft art style. Everyone who likes it seems to respond to its "different" feel from mainstream comics - which is absolutely true. But there's one image in particular that nails it for me - a picture of a syringe going into an arm. Yes I could tell what it was, but only because of the preceding images - the close up of the needle shaft was so sloppy and warped, it's like his first pencil line in that panel was drawn precisely when Lemire's arm spasm'd, and he couldn't be arsed to try again.
I've more enjoyed Lemire when someone else is drawing him, which I'll be generous and assert that it's less his writing and more the way his art detracts from the storytelling for me. Here it definitely drags this story down.
Reminds me of Sweet Tooth - another Lemire written-and-drawn story that everyone seems to love, for reasons that feel just out of my reach. Is it the subliminal story - the thing that Lemire *doesn't* commit to the page - that everyone's so excited about? 'Cause for me, it sure isn't there on the page. Once or twice in this book I felt myself actually interested to turn the page because of something I'd just read - but mostly I was turning pages because I wanted to find the part that excited everyone else, and almost never did.
The ending isn't entirely surprising or satisfying - mostly just eh, oh well, wish he'd come up with a more compelling story. I think half the problem with Lemire's storytelling for me is what hits me as a juvenile, sloppy, not-terribly-good-at-his-craft art style. Everyone who likes it seems to respond to its "different" feel from mainstream comics - which is absolutely true. But there's one image in particular that nails it for me - a picture of a syringe going into an arm. Yes I could tell what it was, but only because of the preceding images - the close up of the needle shaft was so sloppy and warped, it's like his first pencil line in that panel was drawn precisely when Lemire's arm spasm'd, and he couldn't be arsed to try again.
I've more enjoyed Lemire when someone else is drawing him, which I'll be generous and assert that it's less his writing and more the way his art detracts from the storytelling for me. Here it definitely drags this story down.
December 15, 2009
Pulpy, engaging story that's beautifully drawn; using both shock and nuance.
February 28, 2024
Essex County ve Sualtı Kaynakçısı ile yöresel dramın dibini ekmekle sıyırıp ciğerimizi dağlayan Jeff Lemire, bu kez yöresel dramla yetinmemiş olacak ki vitesi bir miktar daha yükseltip "dramınızın üstüne azcık tarçın koyup leblebi de öfeleyeyim mi?" diyerek şova başlıyor ve klasik Lemire denklemine bilimkurgu da ekliyor. Herhalde Amerikan çizgi roman dünyasına ürettiği işlerin etkisi. Benim böyle bir tarafım var diye de göstermeye çalışıyor. Kapalıçarşıda türlü artistlikle elindeki ürünleri gösteren esnaf gibi.
Ama maalesef tüm bu çaba ile ortaya çıkan iş ne bir dram ne bir bilim kurgu. Her şeyden biraz biraz, bir şeyden hemen hemen hiç.
Kasabaya bandajlar içerisinde kaynak gözlüğü takmış bir abi çıkıp geliyor. Çok sonradan anlıyoruz ki abimiz görünmez. Öyle silik bir karakterin görünmezliğinden bahsetmiyorum ha, bildiğin görünmüyor adam. Amerika kıtasında var böyle bir fantezi. Gözü kapalı olarak en az 8 tane bandaja sarılı pardesü giymiş görünmeyen adam hikayesi sayabilirim. Neyse hikayeye döneyim.
Ahali, kasabaya gelen bu bandajlı abiyi değnekle dürte dürte kovalayacağına, altın gününde kısır kaşıklarken gıybetini yapıyor. Bizde olsa bandajlı, gözlüklü, görünmez adam falan demezler, ete kemiğe bürünene göz görene kadar döverler adamı. Buradan anlıyoruz ki Kanada medeniyeti ancak gıybete müsade ediyor.
Serim ve düğüm bölümlerindeki çoğu bilgi ya da detay sonuçsuz. Adam niye görünmüyo? Yaptığı deney neydi de Allah baba tuvalette ekmeğe basmışcasına belasını verdi bu abinin? Zaten bir noktada Lemire de toparlayamayacağını anlayıp ya herro ya merro deyip önce klişelere sarılıyor. Sonra salıyor bilimkurguyu dönüyor drama. Veriyor toplumsal mesajını, bakıyor ekmeğine, bitiriyor kitabı.
Velhasıl finalde, elimizde ayakları yere basmayan, aceleci kurgusu olan bir iş ve hayal kırıklığı kalıyor.
Ama maalesef tüm bu çaba ile ortaya çıkan iş ne bir dram ne bir bilim kurgu. Her şeyden biraz biraz, bir şeyden hemen hemen hiç.
Kasabaya bandajlar içerisinde kaynak gözlüğü takmış bir abi çıkıp geliyor. Çok sonradan anlıyoruz ki abimiz görünmez. Öyle silik bir karakterin görünmezliğinden bahsetmiyorum ha, bildiğin görünmüyor adam. Amerika kıtasında var böyle bir fantezi. Gözü kapalı olarak en az 8 tane bandaja sarılı pardesü giymiş görünmeyen adam hikayesi sayabilirim. Neyse hikayeye döneyim.
Ahali, kasabaya gelen bu bandajlı abiyi değnekle dürte dürte kovalayacağına, altın gününde kısır kaşıklarken gıybetini yapıyor. Bizde olsa bandajlı, gözlüklü, görünmez adam falan demezler, ete kemiğe bürünene göz görene kadar döverler adamı. Buradan anlıyoruz ki Kanada medeniyeti ancak gıybete müsade ediyor.
Serim ve düğüm bölümlerindeki çoğu bilgi ya da detay sonuçsuz. Adam niye görünmüyo? Yaptığı deney neydi de Allah baba tuvalette ekmeğe basmışcasına belasını verdi bu abinin? Zaten bir noktada Lemire de toparlayamayacağını anlayıp ya herro ya merro deyip önce klişelere sarılıyor. Sonra salıyor bilimkurguyu dönüyor drama. Veriyor toplumsal mesajını, bakıyor ekmeğine, bitiriyor kitabı.
Velhasıl finalde, elimizde ayakları yere basmayan, aceleci kurgusu olan bir iş ve hayal kırıklığı kalıyor.
April 18, 2024
It's not lost on us that it takes an invisible man to show people who they really are inside, where we can't see.
September 26, 2025
4.0 (biblio)
April 18, 2019
Back in 2014 I started reading issues of Jeff Lemire's Trillium and I was really intrigued by his art style as well as his writing. I came across this one the other day and figured I'd give it a shot. Reminiscent of the style of The Underwater Welder, in its small-town narrative, I found The Nobody to be an alright read. Stylistically, its clearly Lemire's signature work in its aesthetically pleasing inks and watercolor. However, I don't know if its the art critic in me, but I have to admit that the similarities of features between his characters lacked impact in differentiation, but nonetheless its his own. I suppose I just prefer more detail from a graphic novel. Having referenced The Stranger by another of my favorite authors H.G. Wells, I liked the modern twist Lemire mends together with the environment he utilizes frequently. The pacing was dynamic, and I found myself unable to put it down at times. But overall, I felt like there was something missing. Perhaps more character depth, dialogue, or the connection of different narratives could have made for a more interesting read. I felt a little underwhelmed by the ending, and prefer his more supernatural works to this one.
September 12, 2016
The Invisible Man is one of my favorite stories. Had it never been written, The Nobody would have been very impressive. But because it has been written and widely circulated in a variety of mediums since 1897 Pearson's Weekly serial, this graphic novel is both derivative and predictable. I'm actually not sure how it's legal to publish something so similar (albeit modernized) without the cover credit at least. As an adaptation it's undeniably inferior, instead of focusing on the fascinating premise of a man freed of certain social constraints by invisibility, this instead is more of a stranger in a small town tale. Much simpler plot, much less challenging and thought provoking of an experience. Aside from it being a pale copy of a classic, it was a reasonably enjoyable read, always nice to revisit an old favorite, the art is minimalistic, but works well and it's a perfectly decent way to pass half an hour with appropriately adjusted expectations.
April 4, 2020
(4 of 5 for one of the early Jeff Lemire's signature dishes)
I liked it. Besides the art, which I liked so far only in Roughneck and maybe in Trillium it's a great story. To small town in the middle of nowhere came a troubled man with a shady past to seek refuge and solitude. He makes unlikely friends and then things start to look grim again until the unjust escalation. That sound very much as Lemire's stuff. But I liked the story, I liked how it been told and I liked how he worked with the panels and the storytelling in them. I see the aspect I missed in Essex county and liked in Roughneck. Even if The Nobody followed closely after the Essex county, it's closer to the Roughneck and the fact I liked it similarly confirms it for me. If you like Lemire, at least a bit, this is worth reading.
I liked it. Besides the art, which I liked so far only in Roughneck and maybe in Trillium it's a great story. To small town in the middle of nowhere came a troubled man with a shady past to seek refuge and solitude. He makes unlikely friends and then things start to look grim again until the unjust escalation. That sound very much as Lemire's stuff. But I liked the story, I liked how it been told and I liked how he worked with the panels and the storytelling in them. I see the aspect I missed in Essex county and liked in Roughneck. Even if The Nobody followed closely after the Essex county, it's closer to the Roughneck and the fact I liked it similarly confirms it for me. If you like Lemire, at least a bit, this is worth reading.
August 9, 2018
Pro Lemirovu kresbu mám slabost, takže velká spokojenost. Příběh sice dost šablonovitej, ale nevadilo mi to.
September 1, 2025
🅡🅔🅥🅘🅔🅦
The Nobody
2009
Graphic Novel
Rating: 4.5/5
Jeff Lemire’s The Nobody is a hauntingly atmospheric graphic novel that blends noir, psychological drama, and the eerie tension of small-town isolation. Set in a rural town, it follows a mysterious, faceless man who arrives and begins to stir up suspicions and intrigue among the locals. Lemire’s distinctive art style, with its rough, sketchy lines and muted color palette, perfectly complements the moody, unsettling tone of the narrative.
What makes this book stand out is its exploration of identity, alienation, and the way communities react to the unknown. Lemire weaves these themes seamlessly into a story that is as much about the characters inner lives as it is about the mystery of the nobody character. The slow burn of the plot and the complex, introspective nature of the story offer a deep, almost meditative reading experience. Its cold isolated setting has a cinematic visual component and the way Lemire explores the inner conflict of the Nobody character provides interesting artwork changes.
While the book’s pacing is deliberate and contemplative, it’s exactly this restraint that allows the reader to immerse themselves fully in the eerie atmosphere and the growing sense of unease. The quiet moments between the characters, whether it’s a conversation or an internal struggle of Nobody are impactful.
The book is beautifully crafted, subtly haunting that’s both thought-provoking and emotionally compelling. It’s a great twist on the more outlandish Invisible Man premise adding brilliant storytelling and atmospheric art, it’s a must-read, showcasing Jeff Lemire’s remarkable ability to create something deeply human amidst the mystery and darkness.
#thenobody#2009#comics#comicbooks#comicbookcommunity#comicbooklover#booklover#bookworm#comicbookreview#comicbookcollection#comicbookcollector#comicbookcollecting#dupreewenttothemovies#books#bookrecommendations#readingtime#readingaddict#readingcommunity#readinglist#readingbooks#readingisfun#alwaysreading#ilovereading#lovereading#readreadread#readersgonnaread#jefflemire#book#dc#graphicnovel
The Nobody
2009
Graphic Novel
Rating: 4.5/5
Jeff Lemire’s The Nobody is a hauntingly atmospheric graphic novel that blends noir, psychological drama, and the eerie tension of small-town isolation. Set in a rural town, it follows a mysterious, faceless man who arrives and begins to stir up suspicions and intrigue among the locals. Lemire’s distinctive art style, with its rough, sketchy lines and muted color palette, perfectly complements the moody, unsettling tone of the narrative.
What makes this book stand out is its exploration of identity, alienation, and the way communities react to the unknown. Lemire weaves these themes seamlessly into a story that is as much about the characters inner lives as it is about the mystery of the nobody character. The slow burn of the plot and the complex, introspective nature of the story offer a deep, almost meditative reading experience. Its cold isolated setting has a cinematic visual component and the way Lemire explores the inner conflict of the Nobody character provides interesting artwork changes.
While the book’s pacing is deliberate and contemplative, it’s exactly this restraint that allows the reader to immerse themselves fully in the eerie atmosphere and the growing sense of unease. The quiet moments between the characters, whether it’s a conversation or an internal struggle of Nobody are impactful.
The book is beautifully crafted, subtly haunting that’s both thought-provoking and emotionally compelling. It’s a great twist on the more outlandish Invisible Man premise adding brilliant storytelling and atmospheric art, it’s a must-read, showcasing Jeff Lemire’s remarkable ability to create something deeply human amidst the mystery and darkness.
#thenobody#2009#comics#comicbooks#comicbookcommunity#comicbooklover#booklover#bookworm#comicbookreview#comicbookcollection#comicbookcollector#comicbookcollecting#dupreewenttothemovies#books#bookrecommendations#readingtime#readingaddict#readingcommunity#readinglist#readingbooks#readingisfun#alwaysreading#ilovereading#lovereading#readreadread#readersgonnaread#jefflemire#book#dc#graphicnovel
January 1, 2014
A Jeff Lemire retelling of The Invisible Man. He neatly cribbed a lot of names from the HG Wells novel and the classic movie, some nice little Easter eggs.
Rather than embarking on a homicidal rampage, Lemire's invisible guy makes his way to a tiny Canadian fishing village to hide out and try to find a cure for his condition. A bored teenage waitress befriends him, his only real human contact. The other locals react to the reticent, bandage-covered stranger with a mixture of small-minded suspicion and small-town laissez-faire. And then his former lab partner tracks him down and things get exciting.
The illustrations were typically Lemirean...it feels like watching a movie by a rather artistic director. The author definitely has a vision. Plotwise, I thought it suffered a bit within the constraints of the source story. I might have enjoyed The Nobody more if I weren't familiar with The Invisible Man.
Rather than embarking on a homicidal rampage, Lemire's invisible guy makes his way to a tiny Canadian fishing village to hide out and try to find a cure for his condition. A bored teenage waitress befriends him, his only real human contact. The other locals react to the reticent, bandage-covered stranger with a mixture of small-minded suspicion and small-town laissez-faire. And then his former lab partner tracks him down and things get exciting.
The illustrations were typically Lemirean...it feels like watching a movie by a rather artistic director. The author definitely has a vision. Plotwise, I thought it suffered a bit within the constraints of the source story. I might have enjoyed The Nobody more if I weren't familiar with The Invisible Man.
September 7, 2016
As always with Jeff Lemire you get a book with a good story and beautiful pictures in his typical, sombre style.
September 14, 2014
H.G. Wells Novelle vom Unsichtbaren ist mehrfach bearbeitet worden, am bekanntesten, vielleicht aber auch flachesten, ist die Verfilmung mit Claude Rains von 1933. Ich weiß nicht, ob Griffin (bei Lemire heißt er dann Griffen) der erste Unsichtbare in der phantastischen Literatur war, aber auf jeden Fall ist er aus der Popkultur des 20. Jahrhunderts nicht wegzudenken.
Lemire erzählt die Geschichte über 100 Jahre nach Veröffentlichung von Wells Novelle neu. Seine Graphic Novel ist mehr als nur angelehnt an THE INVISIBLE MAN, und trotzdem sind es gerade die Abweichungen, die aus THE NOBODY eine Story mit eigener Daseinsberechtigung machen. Es ist die alte Pulp-Story vom Unsichtbaren, aber ergänzt um die Sensibilität und den hintergründigen Humor eines Indie-Comics. Weite Teile der Handlung aus der Perspektive der 16-jährigen Vickie zu erzählen, ist ein Glücksgriff, und auch die Verlagerung der Handlung aus dem victorianischen England in ein kanadisches Fischerkaff sorgt dafür, dass Lemires Unsichtbarer ein eigenständiges, graphisch wie erzählerisch intensives Erlebnis ist.
Ebenso beeindruckt wie vom Inhalt war ich allerdings davon, wie Lemire die Story erzählt. Duotone-Artwork und Text sind bei ihm nicht redundant, sondern ergänzen sich in ihrer Aussage, generieren Rhythmus und Wirkung. Anspielungsreich variiert THE NOBODY seine Vorlage, dabei arbeit Lemire unaufdringlich aber wirksam mit Motivketten.
Ich bin schwer begeister von THE NOBODY, und auch beim Wiederlesen gibt es immer wieder etwas zu endtdecken.
Lemire erzählt die Geschichte über 100 Jahre nach Veröffentlichung von Wells Novelle neu. Seine Graphic Novel ist mehr als nur angelehnt an THE INVISIBLE MAN, und trotzdem sind es gerade die Abweichungen, die aus THE NOBODY eine Story mit eigener Daseinsberechtigung machen. Es ist die alte Pulp-Story vom Unsichtbaren, aber ergänzt um die Sensibilität und den hintergründigen Humor eines Indie-Comics. Weite Teile der Handlung aus der Perspektive der 16-jährigen Vickie zu erzählen, ist ein Glücksgriff, und auch die Verlagerung der Handlung aus dem victorianischen England in ein kanadisches Fischerkaff sorgt dafür, dass Lemires Unsichtbarer ein eigenständiges, graphisch wie erzählerisch intensives Erlebnis ist.
Ebenso beeindruckt wie vom Inhalt war ich allerdings davon, wie Lemire die Story erzählt. Duotone-Artwork und Text sind bei ihm nicht redundant, sondern ergänzen sich in ihrer Aussage, generieren Rhythmus und Wirkung. Anspielungsreich variiert THE NOBODY seine Vorlage, dabei arbeit Lemire unaufdringlich aber wirksam mit Motivketten.
Ich bin schwer begeister von THE NOBODY, und auch beim Wiederlesen gibt es immer wieder etwas zu endtdecken.
June 7, 2010
After Essex County & Sweet Tooth both blew me completely away, I picked up Lemire's The Nobody, his Vertigo graphic novel. It's a modern, small-town America take on H.G. Wells' The Invisible Man, and it really interacts with the original novel in an interesting way. The Nobody is told through the eyes of a 16-year-old girl who befriends a bandage-wrapped stranger (spoiler alert: he's invisible) who wanders into her small village. Thematic threads that are woven into Lemire's other works are prominent here, too: isolation, fear of the unknown, guilt and regrets passed from generation to generation. The science-fiction parts of the story are basically a canvas upon which to explore these themes.
The art is, of course, amazing. Sparse without being bare, subtle without losing motion. And the two-color printing really worked for me, too. In fact, my favorite panels are easily the ones without dialogue… his graphic storytelling is that good. That said, I would rate The Nobody as "good, not great," while fully acknowledging that I am judging it based on how over-the-top incredible Essex County was. That The Nobody was an interesting concept, well-executed, and beautifully drawn is not enough when it's from Jeff Lemire.
It was worth the read, but it didn't blow me away. 3/5 look-ma-no-hands.
The art is, of course, amazing. Sparse without being bare, subtle without losing motion. And the two-color printing really worked for me, too. In fact, my favorite panels are easily the ones without dialogue… his graphic storytelling is that good. That said, I would rate The Nobody as "good, not great," while fully acknowledging that I am judging it based on how over-the-top incredible Essex County was. That The Nobody was an interesting concept, well-executed, and beautifully drawn is not enough when it's from Jeff Lemire.
It was worth the read, but it didn't blow me away. 3/5 look-ma-no-hands.
December 13, 2015
This was GREAT! I started reading this and thinking to myself I knew this comic style from somewhere and then I recognized it is from the same author of Essex County which I also really liked.
The Nobody was an amazing experience, the story is very captivating, just reminded me of the Invisible Man/i> and yes, has a lot of morals behind it, such as how people judge each other out of fear and ignorance. I also loved the fact that "he" (Mister Nobody) was also not so innocent, he also had his flaws and his demons so this was not a good ol' comic about the forces of evil against the forces of goodness. (thank goodness!).
The Nobody was an amazing experience, the story is very captivating, just reminded me of the Invisible Man/i> and yes, has a lot of morals behind it, such as how people judge each other out of fear and ignorance. I also loved the fact that "he" (Mister Nobody) was also not so innocent, he also had his flaws and his demons so this was not a good ol' comic about the forces of evil against the forces of goodness. (thank goodness!).
April 4, 2011
Jeff Lemire - artist & writer
3/5 stars
An intriguing retelling of Well's "The Invisible Man" set in modern day, small-town America. Still can't get into Lemire's art.
3/5 stars
An intriguing retelling of Well's "The Invisible Man" set in modern day, small-town America. Still can't get into Lemire's art.
January 25, 2019
Lemire's version of The Invisible Man. Quirky, but fun. I enjoyed it.
June 13, 2019
I like this Griffin better than the one in the book. That guy was an ass.
March 6, 2018
Can't say this is one of the better Lemire stories, and I'm usually a fan. The Nobody is just a little too derivative, a little too slow, a little too vague, and a little too earnest in its dialogue. None of these things feels like a particularly huge problem on its own, but when you add them all together, they congeal into a story with no surprises, no stakes and no payoff.
The Nobody is a very direct re-telling H.G. Wells' The Invisible Man, to a point where it feels more like a ripoff than an homage. You've got a bandaged scientist on the run from his past, only this time he winds up in a small town in Canada. From there, Lemire hits a lot of very expected and standard monster story beats. The town shuns him. He meets a young woman who sees the good in him. Tensions escalate (at least, we're told they do, it's not really shown), and then things reach a climax. It feels like someone said "Siri, how would The Invisible Man go if it were in a small town?" and then Siri just read this out.
Now, I don't think this was inherently a bad idea. There could've been something very interesting about reframing the Invisible Man through a small-town lens. The fact that basically nothing about the classic story changes is what's so disappointing. His appearance in the town doesn't affect anyone beyond making them suspicious of him. It doesn't reveal anything deeper about the citizens, the town itself, the invisible man, the young girl he befriends. It's just... flat. It feels like a first draft, honestly.
In all, this is an easily skippable book, only for Lemire completists (if those even exist).
The Nobody is a very direct re-telling H.G. Wells' The Invisible Man, to a point where it feels more like a ripoff than an homage. You've got a bandaged scientist on the run from his past, only this time he winds up in a small town in Canada. From there, Lemire hits a lot of very expected and standard monster story beats. The town shuns him. He meets a young woman who sees the good in him. Tensions escalate (at least, we're told they do, it's not really shown), and then things reach a climax. It feels like someone said "Siri, how would The Invisible Man go if it were in a small town?" and then Siri just read this out.
Now, I don't think this was inherently a bad idea. There could've been something very interesting about reframing the Invisible Man through a small-town lens. The fact that basically nothing about the classic story changes is what's so disappointing. His appearance in the town doesn't affect anyone beyond making them suspicious of him. It doesn't reveal anything deeper about the citizens, the town itself, the invisible man, the young girl he befriends. It's just... flat. It feels like a first draft, honestly.
In all, this is an easily skippable book, only for Lemire completists (if those even exist).
June 14, 2020
Book 28
The Nobody
Jeff Lemire
4/5
"I guess the only thing this town was really guilty of was being boring."
I'm actually doing one book at a time but I think I'll go back to squeezing in a few short reads if the main one permits and I'll see how it goes. Now I'm reading Carl Jung's autobiography and it's great but it's better for long stretches so here's a graphic novel. Haven't read one in quite a while.
This is very much a retelling of the classic invincible man story. But the setting is better. It takes place in a small off-season tourist town. The colours are lovely. Black, white, and a kind of blue. It's the sort of thing now often associated with David Lynch. Not as weird but it doesn't have to. In a way that's the best thing about this book, it's a simple story, very well told, and very well drawn. I liked it.
The Nobody
Jeff Lemire
4/5
"I guess the only thing this town was really guilty of was being boring."
I'm actually doing one book at a time but I think I'll go back to squeezing in a few short reads if the main one permits and I'll see how it goes. Now I'm reading Carl Jung's autobiography and it's great but it's better for long stretches so here's a graphic novel. Haven't read one in quite a while.
This is very much a retelling of the classic invincible man story. But the setting is better. It takes place in a small off-season tourist town. The colours are lovely. Black, white, and a kind of blue. It's the sort of thing now often associated with David Lynch. Not as weird but it doesn't have to. In a way that's the best thing about this book, it's a simple story, very well told, and very well drawn. I liked it.
March 2, 2020
This is sooo good. I'm a huge sucker for slice of life stuff with a bit of the strange/supernatural thrown in so this is right up my alley.
It features one of the coolest extended metaphors I've seen in an Invisible Man story: "You don't understand. It poisoned me. It took my mind. And then I took her... by the time I knew what was happening, she was gone... and so was I." I'm not even really doing this part justice because it features a really great illustration, too.
The vintage-style suspense comic covers as the chapter breaks are also really cute.
The only thing keeping this from five stars is the way that the art style kind of broke my suspension of disbelief sometimes. When it came to Griffen (yeah, with an "e") everything was on-point but the faces of the townsfolk could be a little distracting.
It features one of the coolest extended metaphors I've seen in an Invisible Man story: "You don't understand. It poisoned me. It took my mind. And then I took her... by the time I knew what was happening, she was gone... and so was I." I'm not even really doing this part justice because it features a really great illustration, too.
The vintage-style suspense comic covers as the chapter breaks are also really cute.
The only thing keeping this from five stars is the way that the art style kind of broke my suspension of disbelief sometimes. When it came to Griffen (yeah, with an "e") everything was on-point but the faces of the townsfolk could be a little distracting.
Read
January 18, 2019The nobody is about a town where one day a man wrapped in bandages arrive, they accept him but after a while the people of the town begin to theorize about him, and who he is. The art is done in black, white, and light blue, there is little shading and there is a large light contrast. This was a good read and i would recommend it.
February 18, 2020
I really like Lemire's style, so the art really worked for me. The story is inspired by H.G. Wells’ The Invisible Man, and it had a great concept, but the story was just too predictable. I could see where it was going from the first page. Not that it's a bad story (there are interesting themes of fear of the unknown, identity, isolation and small town mentality), it just didn't blow me away.
November 24, 2023
The Nobody, Jeff Lemire
Beautifully strange and hauntingly sweet subtle modern twist on The Invisible Man with an assortment of characters in a small town. This is the surreal kinda theme that Lemire is best at. ****
“Then she was gone. And I think a piece of my Dad left with her that day, too. Something deep inside of him vanished. And it’s never come back.”
Beautifully strange and hauntingly sweet subtle modern twist on The Invisible Man with an assortment of characters in a small town. This is the surreal kinda theme that Lemire is best at. ****
“Then she was gone. And I think a piece of my Dad left with her that day, too. Something deep inside of him vanished. And it’s never come back.”
April 16, 2023
Un pequeño pueblo recibe la visita de un misterioso hombre vendado que trastocará, sin quererlo, la apacible (y aburrida) vida de sus habitantes.
Un poco de misterio, un guión sólido y el peculiar dibujo de lemire (que a mí me encanta). Entretenido.
Un poco de misterio, un guión sólido y el peculiar dibujo de lemire (que a mí me encanta). Entretenido.
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