Concrete, Volume 5: Think Like A Mountain

Concrete #5

by Paul Chadwick

Celebrity has its benefits... and its costs. Due to his status as the world's most unusual travel writer - being a thousand pounds of walking, talking rock will do that - Concrete is approached by a group of radical eco-warriors to see firsthand and write about their efforts to save old-growth forest. What begins as a lark soon turns into a harrowing struggle, and Concrete must decide whether to dispassionately observe or to join these people who would risk anything, even life itself, to save the planet. Called "the best comic being published by anyone, anywhere," Paul Chadwick's critically acclaimed Concrete is at once rousing fantasy and grounded reality, as thought-provoking and challenging as it is entertaining. Think Like a Mountain collects the 1996 Parents' Choice Award winning series along with bonus short stories, some collected here for the first time.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics, Comic Book, Science Fiction, Superheroes

208 pages, Paperback

First published May 6, 1997

About the author

Paul 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

Reviews

[Cam Netland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn’t recommend this comic more. Much more effective than Swamp Thing in grappling with environmental destruction. Absolutely spellbinding artwork and story.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

This trade collects Concrete: Think Like a Mountain issues #1-6 and numerous shorter stories from various anthology comics.

The main story here doesn't depend on previous events nor characters (except Concrete). The first four volumes add a little depth but aren't prerequisites.

An extremist environmental group asks Concrete to help their protests against deforestation and to protect an ancient forest. He agrees only to travel with them and anonymously chronicle their struggle, but they hope to sway him into a more active role.

Think Like a Mountain is one of the most well-known and praised Concrete stories, and with good reason. It's researched in amazing detail, carefully plotted, and attempts an even handed presentation of both sides of the conflict. Both the loggers and the environmentalists have faults, and reasons behind their actions.

Where it falls apart a bit for me is that the story isn't nearly as objective or fair as it tries to be. The author has chosen a side, and it seeps into little details that bias the narrative. I'm not saying it was wrong to do so - Chadwick has every right to put a message into his writing. But the lesson would have been even more persuasive if this had been as balanced as it appears and allowed the reader to draw their own conclusions and of using Concrete as an impartial guide all the way through. Instead one side's questionable actions are motivated by selflessness and righteousness, and the other's by fear and greed. And our "impartial" narrator eventually decides one side is justified in the lengths they are willing to go.

Again, Chadwick delivers a powerful, important message here none-the-less, but as is becoming a running theme with me and this comic I feel it had significantly more potential than was reached.

The short stories are the weakest I've read so far. Nothing bad but nothing that stands out either and the themes are getting repetitive.

The longer Concrete goes on the less interested I'm becoming with the direction it's taken. Still, for all my criticisms and laments about what could have been, the titular story is still an extremely strong look at an important world issue and well worth reading for yourself.

[Summer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the volume where the Concrete character really becomes interesting. He goes from being somewhat directionless to being a crusader for the environmentalist cause (somewhat ironic, given the origin of his rocky body). One would think that this would be tiresome or overly preachy, even if you agree with the sentiment, but Chadwick manages to include enough dissension and gray-area morality that it feels genuine. Even a story that is simply an illustrated speech is more interesting than, say, Dave Sim's schizophrenic book-length rants. If you don't start at the beginning with Concrete, this is an excellent jumping-in point.

[François Vigneault · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book, one of my favorite volumes in the series, follows the protagonist as he is drawn into the circle of Earth First!, a group of radical environmentalists seeking to stop the clear cutting of old-growth forests in the Pacific Northwest. Written in 1996, this graphic novel hits many of the themes of the recent Pulitzer Prize winner The Overstory by Richard Powers, and Think Like a Mountain is depressingly relevant over 20 years later.

Chadwick does such a good job taking his central sci-fi conceit (man is abducted by aliens and has his brain implanted in a super-strong, rocky alien body) as a starting point, and then using that platform to examine ideas and experiences that are obviously near and dear to to the author's heart... In particular a multi-faceted engagement with environmentalism, on display most prominently in this volume but a major thread throughout the entire series. This look at the earth has been really moving to me... I know this work, which I first encountered in my teens/early twenties, has had a major influence on my own thinking about the natural world and the (human-created) problems facing it.

"Concrete" was a big revelation and influence on me in my teen years (1990s). I came to this work through individual, scattered stories in Dark Horse Presents, then I remember Killer Smile being the first miniseries I bought as it was coming out. I especially loved the short stories, the way Chadwick used his main character to explore such a wide variety of themes and ideas. Years later when the smaller paperbacks began coming out (Heights, Depths, etc) I bought them all and really enjoyed reading all the work in order. The other day, inspired by reading The Overstory I decided to reread this volume, Think Like a Mountain, one of my favorites. I think it might be time for me to do a big re-read of the work again!

Chadwick combines a great capacity for invention with a keen ear for human emotion and a wide-ranging interest in the world at large. He is also a consummate draftsman who creates gorgeous tableaus. If you've never read this underrated creator don't miss out!

[RSC_Collecting · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. I hadn't read any Concrete in a long time. Since I was in highschool, so I'll treat this as my first book. Since I don't actually remember anything outside of liking the art and character. This was all about environmentalism. Protecting the forests of Washington and Canada from logging. Not a movement I ever researched. But Paul Chadwick certainly did. Not only adding a real activism group in Earth First! But also adding real events, people, and data to fully immerse the reader into a real problem that he obviously seemed to care about. It's not only a well researched work, but a work of passion. And you can feel that flowing through every page and panel of beautiful artwork. It makes me want to learn more about the cause and read more Concrete.

Which I guess is exactly what the book was supposed to do. Good stuff.

[Kirk · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have this book in color. Unfortunately, when my students order it they only get a black and white copy, which is unfortunate because the color in my edition is beautiful.

Concrete can be a pain in the ass because he’s a Byronic hero, and he’s always got to run off and contemplate his role in the world as this bulky hero, covering himself with mud or traipsing through Puget Sound and shit. But I found this to be my favorite of the concrete collections I had to read, and it was so refreshingly different for its time (when Maxx, Pitt, and a bunch of other Hulk and Wolverine clones were kicking around).

[David Botcherby · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a surprising turn for the series, detailing Concrete's involvement with environmental activism. It's an interesting exploration of the radicalisation of a classic liberal, who generally balks at the direct action of the anti-deforestation activists he gets involved with. It's a worthy cause, stopping the clear cut logging of old growth forest in Washington state. His journey through seeing the 'world of wounds' of classic environmental campaigners and deciding to join the cause is engaging, and often with good visuals. It's a great shame that 30 years on the struggle continues. It perhaps could have done with some more nuance, and took a fairly ambivalent view to the politics of extractivism (this reflecting the author's beliefs), but overall a good read

[Todd · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not the book I was expecting. The character was right and I was told to read "Think Like a Mountain" but the plot is not what was described. This is a really preachy environmental activist tale. The message is okay, I guess, but it's really in your face and if don't immediately accept my position, you're an asshole. I really doesn't work and is really off-putting, even if I agree with some of the positions.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Think Like A Mountain is Chadwick's environmental dissertation, as Concrete gets involved in the eco-war. I wish I were more involved in this cause myself, but I appreciate that Chadwick took time to make the Earth First!ers fully fleshed out people, including their flaws. Good stuff.

[Angelika Silva · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a little weird, but I might read more about eco-terrorism.

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

The art is always beautiful and the stories are thought-provoking, even when they are a bit outdated.

[Patrick Book · Rating 3 out of 5]

Seems like it was wildly ahead of its time, but also…what a bummer.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Classic Concrete

[Alberto · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Elias · Rating 5 out of 5]

What will Concrete get up to next?

[Mouse · Rating 1 out of 5]

Huh??? Great artwork, but WTF is happening here?
Definitely a cult thing and not for the first timer!

[Jace · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hadn't gleaned much about Paul Chadwick's political leanings from his prior Concrete books, but in THINK LIKE A MOUNTAIN his opinions come through loud and clear. And I like what I'm hearing. Through one 6-part arc and a handful of shorter stories, THINK LIKE A MOUNTAIN explores Concrete's transformation from a largely indifferent outsider into a concerned player in the environmental movement. Concrete addresses logging, pollution, alternative energy, population control, climate change, suburban sprawl and more, all in an even-handed approach without ever becoming too preachy. I'm not sure if Concrete's journey would change the mind of an anti-environment type, but it would sure persuade anyone still on the fence about the dire circumstances facing our planet and our species. Some of these stories are nearly 20 years old, and the sense of urgency they convey is even more powerful today than when they were originally written.

All throughout the book, Concrete is still the same lovable, thoughtful character that I've come to know after reading a number of Chadwick's collections. While the underlying topic of environmentalism is accessible to any reader, this may not be the best book to start with as it doesn't explain much about how Concrete came to be.

As with all of Chadwick's work, the illustrations are absolutely gorgeous. His black and white ink drawings are so lushly detailed, I didn't even once miss the lack of color. It's a shame that these collected volumes are smaller than the original 6.5" x 10" comic, but Chadwick's drawings survive the translation intact.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Concrete, my favorite comic book that's pretty much about nothing. Which is kind of a minimization of what each volume of the series brings. Other than protagonist, Ron Livingston, having his brain transferred into a giant rock body, this series is very grounded in reality. It's not quite a power-fantasy story; perhaps more of a deep-though, "what if"-kind of fantasy. For this volume, the "what if" comes in the form of Concrete's participation with a fringe environmental group hoping to save a forest from being crushed by a logging group. Probably the greatest praise I can give this mini-series comes from the fact that I, a conservative with highly negative opinions of environmentalists of the type pictured in "Think Like A Mountain", left this book with a slightly different opinion on the issue of man's mark on the world than that with which I entered it. Chadwick has a clear message but he rarely presents it as anything but an organic presence in his story. While other writers proudly display their opinions in their work, assuming their "great, novel ideas" will overcome their ham-handed delivery, Chadwick always creates an entertaining narrative first. While some of the other collected short stories start to wear away this veneer (seriously, one of them is just Concrete reading his super-preachy Earth Day speech!), the major portion of this collection is fascinating, benign, and, thought-provoking.

[HeavyReader · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up a copy of this Dark Horse Comics collection at a thrift store for a quarter. I hadn't read a graphic novel in quite a long while, and this one looked interesting.

I'd never heard of Concrete before. Apparently, the character used to be human, and still has a human brain, but some time in the past, aliens turned his body to stone. Concrete is huge and strong and nearly indestructible. I didn't realize the book's main character was going to be an alien created superhero. Well, ok.

The story involves Earth First!ers who convince Concrete to help them save an old growth forest. This premise allows for a lot of discussion on environmentalism, tactics of Earth First! vs. those of other more mainstream environmental groups, and the ethics of tree spiking and property destruction.

This book seems have been written and published in the late 1990s, so a lot of aspects of Earth First! and other environmental activism laid out here may have changed.

I did enjoy reading this book, and enjoyed looking at the artwork as well. The price was definitely right.

[Alfie · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first Concrete story, bought way back in 96. Recommended by Garth Ennis in the Preacher lettercol (he mentioned Concrete was one of his favorite comics). So I ended up trying. At first wasn't really into the whole neo-realistic story of a couple of Earth-Firsters (real-life gung-ho environmentalists) fighting their fight with a huge talking rock (Concrete) getting involved in their lives, but was slowly taken by the characterization (Paul Chadwick really knows how to get into the souls of his characters, and the art (mind-blowing). Concrete is just beautiful from start to finish. Pity it's pretty hard to get the collected editions in color these days - for the later arcs (the earlier stories were all in black and white). Unless of course there are color editions out there which I'm unaware of.

[Alana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I still don't like 'Concrete's' writing style. Too "Look at me. I am having thoughts that are profound." for my taste, but the drawings are beautiful, and the message is fairly convincing(although as far as 'Save The Earth!' goes as a message, I am pretty much the choir). There are some bits that are essentially just telling the reader to "Behold! The Wonder Of Nature!" (most notably a little mini drama about the insect and plant life in one of Concrete's footprints), and I actually found those to be more interesting than the main story.

I was more distracted than one would imagine by the fact that one very incidental character is named "Myron E. Mayron". I kept flipping back to it and wondering what was going on in the author's head as settled on that name.

[Rocco Versaci · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Concrete" is actually Ron Lithgow, a speechwriter who was abducted by aliens and had his brain transplanted into a virtually indestructible 1,200 pound stone body. Sound ridiculous? Then you have to read some of these titles which are surprisingly moving, thoughtful, and intelligent. In fact, I would rate "Concrete" as one of the best titles for young adults (though it is certainly enjoyable for older readers as well). This is not a superhero story; instead, it is about a man on a journey to learn about himself and those around him. Adding to their value is the fact that the art is beautiful and the narratives engaging--especially in "Think Like a Mountain," which is must-reading for anyone interested in the environmental movement.

[Keith · Rating 3 out of 5]

7 out of 10

comic book superhero Concrete... who I hadn't heard of before... not that surprising as I'm not all that conversant with the superhero genre beyond the biggies.

falls in with some radical Earth First! ers... my only issue with Earth First! is their insistence on that exlamation point... learns of their cause and is converted to their ways. a good story... pretty basic comic art that serves its purpose in showing the story but doesn't distinguish itself otherwise. A good intro to the environmental movement/history of Earth First! there's some additional info in the back, including further reading recomendations.

[Jake Forbes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first time reading Chadwick's classic eco-comic. While this isn't the first Concrete story, the volume is self-contained and doesn't suffer much for not knowing the character's origins. Think Like a Mountain is a story about wrestling with conscience and and the line between observation and action. The Earth First movement is front and center here, not superheroics or fantasy. Eco fiction always makes me a little sad. The more radical passion of the last generation of the green movement has given way to a more pragmatic and consumer-driven one, which is arguably for the best, but my inner Muir/Lorax still weeps for the trees.

[Deodand · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yep, I liked it. Didn't love it, in spite of the obvious signs of Chadwick's technical expertise growing in the drawings. Chadwick is always in a hurry to set Concrete beyond his origins and beyond the essence of what he is - which I felt was the most compelling part of Concrete's story. I didn't care for the secondary characters in this one, they are interchangeable. I also thought we spend too many panels watching Concrete lay around and think in this one.

But even my not-favourite Concrete is pretty damn good. I will be sorry when I finally catch up to the present day and have to wait for the next anthology.

[matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why don't more adults read comics? Because they assume that they are melodramatic soaps about guys in tights. Well, pick up any "Concrete" collection, and be amazed at the possibilities a great comic can offer. A reader finds all of the intelligence, excitement, and thought-provoking stories one could wish for - and beautiful artwork to boot! What could be better?
I think that "Think Like A Mountain" was a real breakthrough in the series, because it had such a powerful story, such an important message -and it's a blast to read.
Check it out!

[Sarah Beaudoin · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this installment, Concrete becomes reluctantly involved with a group of environmentalists.While this story was not as poignant to me as Fragile Creatures, I really appreciate Chadwick's even treatment of the environmental questions raised. Even though Concrete befriends some ecological warriors, it was rare that I felt Chadwick was pushing an underlying philosophy. I also felt this story demonstrated the degree to which Concrete protects his morality and the burden this seems to place upon him.

[Dr. Barrett Dylan Brown, Phd · Rating 3 out of 5]

Concrete is always a thinking-person's comic as opposed to those involving adventure.

This volume deals with Concrete's feelings about "Left-Wing" Environmental movements. Though written in 1997, the issues dealt with herein are still sadly current, mirroring such groups as the ELF, etc.

While not being easily taken in by rhetoric, Concrete is forced to face some difficult facts about the world we live in.

Four stars for writting, three for illustrations.

[Alexander · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a Christmas present from my brother, and for a graphic novel, it was really surprising. I would recommend this to anyone interested in ecology or preservation - or anyone else who would like to read some fascinating social commentary and an extraordinary essay on humanity.

[Emily Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the art in this a ton (I really like bold colors in graphic novels/comics). The story is about radicalizing someone to really be invested in environmentalism and I think it's pretty well done and makes the reader feel a bit more radicalized as well.