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A Scanner Darkly [Graphic Novel]
A haunting graphic version of one of Philip K. Dick's most popular and best-selling novels.
Bob Arctor is a dealer of the lethally addictive drug Substance D, which he also takes in massive quantities. Fred is the police agent assigned to tail and eventually bust him. What Fred doesn't know is that Substance D gradually splits the user's brain into two distinct, combative entities, and that he is, in fact, in frantic pursuit of himself.
A Scanner Darkly is caustically funny and razor sharp in its depiction of drug-induced paranoia and madness; it's an industrial-strength stress test of identity as unnerving as it is riveting. The novel is captured in this brilliant graphic vision, composed entirely of stills from the movie.
Bob Arctor is a dealer of the lethally addictive drug Substance D, which he also takes in massive quantities. Fred is the police agent assigned to tail and eventually bust him. What Fred doesn't know is that Substance D gradually splits the user's brain into two distinct, combative entities, and that he is, in fact, in frantic pursuit of himself.
A Scanner Darkly is caustically funny and razor sharp in its depiction of drug-induced paranoia and madness; it's an industrial-strength stress test of identity as unnerving as it is riveting. The novel is captured in this brilliant graphic vision, composed entirely of stills from the movie.
200 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1977
12 people are currently reading
392 people want to read
About the author
Philip K. Dick
2,010 books22.5k followersPhilip Kindred Dick was a prolific American science fiction author whose work has had a lasting impact on literature, cinema, and popular culture. Known for his imaginative narratives and profound philosophical themes, Dick explored the nature of reality, the boundaries of human identity, and the impact of technology and authoritarianism on society. His stories often blurred the line between the real and the artificial, challenging readers to question their perceptions and beliefs.
Raised in California, Dick began writing professionally in the early 1950s, publishing short stories in various science fiction magazines. He quickly developed a distinctive voice within the genre, marked by a fusion of science fiction concepts with deep existential and psychological inquiry. Over his career, he authored 44 novels and more than 100 short stories, many of which have become classics in the field.
Recurring themes in Dick's work include alternate realities, simulations, corporate and government control, mental illness, and the nature of consciousness. His protagonists are frequently everyday individuals—often paranoid, uncertain, or troubled—caught in surreal and often dangerous circumstances that force them to question their environment and themselves. Works such as Ubik, The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch, and A Scanner Darkly reflect his fascination with perception and altered states of consciousness, often drawing from his own experiences with mental health struggles and drug use.
One of Dick’s most influential novels is Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, which served as the basis for Ridley Scott’s iconic film Blade Runner. The novel deals with the distinction between humans and artificial beings and asks profound questions about empathy, identity, and what it means to be alive. Other adaptations of his work include Total Recall, Minority Report, A Scanner Darkly, and The Man in the High Castle, each reflecting key elements of his storytelling—uncertain realities, oppressive systems, and the search for truth. These adaptations have introduced his complex ideas to audiences well beyond the traditional readership of science fiction.
In the 1970s, Dick underwent a series of visionary and mystical experiences that had a significant influence on his later writings. He described receiving profound knowledge from an external, possibly divine, source and documented these events extensively in what became known as The Exegesis, a massive and often fragmented journal. These experiences inspired his later novels, most notably the VALIS trilogy, which mixes autobiography, theology, and metaphysics in a narrative that defies conventional structure and genre boundaries.
Throughout his life, Dick faced financial instability, health issues, and periods of personal turmoil, yet he remained a dedicated and relentless writer. Despite limited commercial success during his lifetime, his reputation grew steadily, and he came to be regarded as one of the most original voices in speculative fiction. His work has been celebrated for its ability to fuse philosophical depth with gripping storytelling and has influenced not only science fiction writers but also philosophers, filmmakers, and futurists.
Dick’s legacy continues to thrive in both literary and cinematic spheres. The themes he explored remain urgently relevant in the modern world, particularly as technology increasingly intersects with human identity and governance. The Philip K. Dick Award, named in his honor, is presented annually to distinguished works of science fiction published in paperback original form in the United States. His writings have also inspired television series, academic studies, and countless homages across media.
Through his vivid imagination and unflinching inquiry into the nature of existence, Philip K. Dick redefined what science fiction could achieve. His work continues to challenge and inspire, offering timeless insights into the human condition a
Raised in California, Dick began writing professionally in the early 1950s, publishing short stories in various science fiction magazines. He quickly developed a distinctive voice within the genre, marked by a fusion of science fiction concepts with deep existential and psychological inquiry. Over his career, he authored 44 novels and more than 100 short stories, many of which have become classics in the field.
Recurring themes in Dick's work include alternate realities, simulations, corporate and government control, mental illness, and the nature of consciousness. His protagonists are frequently everyday individuals—often paranoid, uncertain, or troubled—caught in surreal and often dangerous circumstances that force them to question their environment and themselves. Works such as Ubik, The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch, and A Scanner Darkly reflect his fascination with perception and altered states of consciousness, often drawing from his own experiences with mental health struggles and drug use.
One of Dick’s most influential novels is Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, which served as the basis for Ridley Scott’s iconic film Blade Runner. The novel deals with the distinction between humans and artificial beings and asks profound questions about empathy, identity, and what it means to be alive. Other adaptations of his work include Total Recall, Minority Report, A Scanner Darkly, and The Man in the High Castle, each reflecting key elements of his storytelling—uncertain realities, oppressive systems, and the search for truth. These adaptations have introduced his complex ideas to audiences well beyond the traditional readership of science fiction.
In the 1970s, Dick underwent a series of visionary and mystical experiences that had a significant influence on his later writings. He described receiving profound knowledge from an external, possibly divine, source and documented these events extensively in what became known as The Exegesis, a massive and often fragmented journal. These experiences inspired his later novels, most notably the VALIS trilogy, which mixes autobiography, theology, and metaphysics in a narrative that defies conventional structure and genre boundaries.
Throughout his life, Dick faced financial instability, health issues, and periods of personal turmoil, yet he remained a dedicated and relentless writer. Despite limited commercial success during his lifetime, his reputation grew steadily, and he came to be regarded as one of the most original voices in speculative fiction. His work has been celebrated for its ability to fuse philosophical depth with gripping storytelling and has influenced not only science fiction writers but also philosophers, filmmakers, and futurists.
Dick’s legacy continues to thrive in both literary and cinematic spheres. The themes he explored remain urgently relevant in the modern world, particularly as technology increasingly intersects with human identity and governance. The Philip K. Dick Award, named in his honor, is presented annually to distinguished works of science fiction published in paperback original form in the United States. His writings have also inspired television series, academic studies, and countless homages across media.
Through his vivid imagination and unflinching inquiry into the nature of existence, Philip K. Dick redefined what science fiction could achieve. His work continues to challenge and inspire, offering timeless insights into the human condition a
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
March 28, 2015
I gave this a go after reading the full-length novel. It provided some insight into the book, distilling some of the major points down to a few scenes. I found myself wondering if I'd enjoy watching the movie, especially with casting including Keanu Reeves, Robert Downey Jr. and Woody Harrelson, favorite Hollywood poster-boys for drug use (I can't speak to whether Keanu does, he just acts like it).
Apparently, these are stills from the animated version of the live-action film, but instead of being a detriment for me, I found the the translation of the actors' expression impressive. Scenes with the scramble suit were initially a visual challenge, but then became a storyline challenge when Fred was talking with his superior, also scrambled. I did like the way the comic could capture a little more of the surrounding atmosphere; it made the surroundings come to life and build a depth that I think was assumed in the book. They were also able to better capture the emotional tone of certain settings, whether a trip starting to go bad or a car out of control. I generally liked the way the panels were arranged and found the choices suited the scenes.
Overall, a fun companion to the novel and movie.
July 7, 2018
PKD is always insidious. He gives you what seems like a familiar situation and then he goes to work tweaking it until it screams (and you might be screaming along with it).
Here we have a “normal” time in the USA with its wealth and apathy and then we get “Substance D” added to the mix. D, nicknamed “death,” is a very addicting drug. Once you start, it is hard to shake it. It also can produce some profound changes to the perception of reality.
We follow several people who have very ambiguous identities. One or more use a “scrambler suit” that not only obscures who they are but also allows them to change their look at will. This and other factors create for the reader a growing apprehension about who we are actually seeing in any encounter and what is their “real” motivation.
From time to time a new character will appear and may only linger for a few moments. Such is the case when we encounter a man with a bullhorn who takes his “case” to the people on a neighborhood street at night.
“Where did Substance D come from? Why can’t we stop it? The bigger the war gets, the more freedoms we lose, the more Substance D is on our streets. Can’t you figure this out? Look around you! Look how far we’ve come! Humanity wasn’t meant to live like this! Our every waking moment trapped and traced and scanned. It’s time to stop submitting to tyranny! It’s time to realize that we’re being enslaved!”
I felt that this graphic novel’s artistic component was excellent and did a fine job of bringing useful images to the reader and enhancing PKD’s powerful text. WYSIWYG and that’s not bad at all. Thanks to Carol. Her review’s enthusiasm got me going. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Here we have a “normal” time in the USA with its wealth and apathy and then we get “Substance D” added to the mix. D, nicknamed “death,” is a very addicting drug. Once you start, it is hard to shake it. It also can produce some profound changes to the perception of reality.
We follow several people who have very ambiguous identities. One or more use a “scrambler suit” that not only obscures who they are but also allows them to change their look at will. This and other factors create for the reader a growing apprehension about who we are actually seeing in any encounter and what is their “real” motivation.
From time to time a new character will appear and may only linger for a few moments. Such is the case when we encounter a man with a bullhorn who takes his “case” to the people on a neighborhood street at night.
“Where did Substance D come from? Why can’t we stop it? The bigger the war gets, the more freedoms we lose, the more Substance D is on our streets. Can’t you figure this out? Look around you! Look how far we’ve come! Humanity wasn’t meant to live like this! Our every waking moment trapped and traced and scanned. It’s time to stop submitting to tyranny! It’s time to realize that we’re being enslaved!”
I felt that this graphic novel’s artistic component was excellent and did a fine job of bringing useful images to the reader and enhancing PKD’s powerful text. WYSIWYG and that’s not bad at all. Thanks to Carol. Her review’s enthusiasm got me going. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
April 16, 2009
Just remembered that I had read this back in Summer '06, right before the excellent film adaptation (from which this "graphic novel" takes its content in the form of dolled up storyboards). Every time I see the name "Philip K. Dick," I want to read his work, but this is as far as I've gotten. It's a fascinating story and if you liked the film, you'll like the book, and vice versa, since it's watching itself just like protagonist Bob Arctor.
March 4, 2024
GN version of the best-selling Philip K. Dick novel...read along with the book and then watch the Richard Linklater film. So many issues brought up in this novel are now being faced as law enforcement and technology start to interface; questions that will have to be answered now more than ever with the arrival of AI.
June 12, 2012
This is a very personal story with a science fiction edge to it. The scifi aspects were put in by PKD because he didn't think anyone would want to read it otherwise. The core of the story is about drug abuse and the world of people that have taken way too many drugs, that have destroyed their lives and their health. This isn't just a made up story. I am fairly certain that some of these paranoid crazy conversations did take place between Dick and his friends. It is a haunting story, but it was one that he left to them as a love letter and a cautionary tale.
August 1, 2010
Phillip K. Dick's A Scanner Darkly, is an amazingly dystopic science fiction novel that everyone should read. His use language and descriptions of southern California are a real treat especially if you happen to have ever lived there. The story follows Bob Arctor, who loses himself to Substance D, a drug that is taking over the surrounding communities. The book questions reality, identity and the role substances play in our society and interactions with other people.
January 14, 2015
Awesome graphic novel adaptation
July 25, 2016
I haven't seen the movie but after reading the graphic novel it's the first thing I plan on doing.
May 9, 2014
You know, I loved when the guy committed suicide and all of his sins were read to him. That part really pleased me.
Ok onto the review of the book now. I found the artwork makes more sense when you read the ending since it is about how reality just doesn't seem like reality. I loved way the book was physically structured as well in the pages being horizontally formatted. The surprise ending inside the surprise ending got me and I was not really seeing it coming. Yes, I kinda guessed at Hank's identity, but was still a bit surprised by it. But the ending after that was the one I never saw coming when he put the flower in his boot. Hum....
Would I call this a favorite, not sure. It did give me a lot to think about and for that I went from wanting to give it three stars to four. How much of it would I honestly retain? I am not sure. Ask me again what happens in 5 years and we shall see.
Ok onto the review of the book now. I found the artwork makes more sense when you read the ending since it is about how reality just doesn't seem like reality. I loved way the book was physically structured as well in the pages being horizontally formatted. The surprise ending inside the surprise ending got me and I was not really seeing it coming. Yes, I kinda guessed at Hank's identity, but was still a bit surprised by it. But the ending after that was the one I never saw coming when he put the flower in his boot. Hum....
Would I call this a favorite, not sure. It did give me a lot to think about and for that I went from wanting to give it three stars to four. How much of it would I honestly retain? I am not sure. Ask me again what happens in 5 years and we shall see.
February 19, 2012
This is pretty good in my opinion, probably close to 5-star, but PKD's book is better, and then since the graphic novel is based off the movie images and script, it falls a little short of actually watching Linklater's movie version.
If you like graphic novels and aren't familiar with PKD or the movie, I'd assume this would still be a good choice and enjoyable, and rank as a high quality graphic novel. I know some people are skeptical of the movie presented in rotoscope form, but I recommend it for sure, this graphic novel and the movie are far better than average at adapting science fiction as a whole and PKD's work specifically. The book can be said to be strange, but I don't think its a hard read, so anyone not afraid of words, I recommend reading the book most of all, and not be afraid of the movie, but yes, this graphic novel adaption is pretty good as well.
If you like graphic novels and aren't familiar with PKD or the movie, I'd assume this would still be a good choice and enjoyable, and rank as a high quality graphic novel. I know some people are skeptical of the movie presented in rotoscope form, but I recommend it for sure, this graphic novel and the movie are far better than average at adapting science fiction as a whole and PKD's work specifically. The book can be said to be strange, but I don't think its a hard read, so anyone not afraid of words, I recommend reading the book most of all, and not be afraid of the movie, but yes, this graphic novel adaption is pretty good as well.
July 4, 2009
Although a graphic novel I did not read it but rather listened to it on audio. It'd pretty cool, made in the 70s some of the references of technology of course are woefully out of date but it's still interesting even if they say "way out" and "dig it".
The plot is an undercover narc agent starts losing his mind, or is it the drugs, or is it some sort of strange alternative reality?
A bit trippy to listen to it, the further he goes into this world, best no to listen/read this on anything. :)
I watched the movie as well, pretty cool, it's made like a moving graphic novel which is really interesting but if I hadn't read the book I'm not sure I would find him going nuts very plausible, everything happens too fast.
The plot is an undercover narc agent starts losing his mind, or is it the drugs, or is it some sort of strange alternative reality?
A bit trippy to listen to it, the further he goes into this world, best no to listen/read this on anything. :)
I watched the movie as well, pretty cool, it's made like a moving graphic novel which is really interesting but if I hadn't read the book I'm not sure I would find him going nuts very plausible, everything happens too fast.
October 17, 2010
Well, I actually would've much rather read this as an actual novel as opposed to the graphic novel version (since I'm actually a terrible graphic novel reader. Something about getting lost in the order of the bubbles and boxes...) but since I could only find this version, I read it. I enjoyed it immensely. It's a very, very good story one that is well written and full of many plot twists and immense potential. But then again, I'm a huge Sci-Fi nerd (or is geek more appropriate here?) so I will pretty much love anything that Philip K. Dick writes. So this graphic novel is wonderful. I just hope I have the opportunity to read the actual novel one day.
September 28, 2016
I'm not sure if everyone in this book is high, or if it's just the weird expressions and conversations that make it seem that way. The blur suit effect is supercool! A confusing and convoluted plot, made unnecessarily (but understandably!) harder to understand by the POV character being an addict; we see the world twisted through his eyes and messed-up brain.
March 27, 2014
A really good depiction almost taken frame-for-frame from the movie, which was fantastic. Definitely one of the best novel-to-film adaptations to date.
December 21, 2015
Brilliant if you can keep up ;)
December 16, 2017
This is a graphic novel of the novel by Philip K. Dick by way of the rotoscoped Linklater movie. It's strange, transgressive, and slightly uncomfortable to read for some reason. I am not even sure if I like it, per se, and it takes a little to wrap your head around, and in the end, I am not even sure if I really understand it. I haven't read the original novel. I enjoy Dick when the weirdness is spooned on rather than shoveled, and this is very strange, drug induced psychosis kind of stuff. Still, it can be a lot of fun, and I know a lot of people who relish this kind of thing, and Dick does it very well, I just tend to like it in small doses. I much prefer works like Ubik where the narrative through line is more conventional, with extra added weirdness supplied by Dick's psyche. This one drives too far out along the edge for me.
April 15, 2017
In the near future an undercover agent is tasked with investigating a group of users of a new drug which causes the user’s brain function to ‘split’.
There were some great ideas in this graphic novel but overall I found it a bit of a mess. If the movie (which this book is based on) comes on TV I’ll probably watch it.
There were some great ideas in this graphic novel but overall I found it a bit of a mess. If the movie (which this book is based on) comes on TV I’ll probably watch it.
July 31, 2015
review of
Philip K. Dick & Richard Linklater's A Scanner Darkly - A Graphic Novel
by tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE - July 30, 2015
A Scanner Darkly was the 1st Philip K. Dick bk I read. It wd've been recommended to me by my friend Lamar "Chip" Layfield. I'd read a fair amt of SF as a child & a teen, authors like Robert Heinlein, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Isaac Asimov, & Arthur C. Clarke. Then I decided it wasn't serious enuf literature & stopped reading it. Reading A Scanner Darkly over a decade later might've been my 1st delving into it again, giving SF a 2nd chance. I wasn't impressed.
Not much longer after that, that all changed. The 1st movie that I noticed based on A Dick bk was Ridley Scott's Blade Runner (1982). I loved it. Starting in 1984 I spent the next yr reading about a Dick bk a wk. I was hooked.
Blade Runner wasn't really the 1st of the Dick movies, there had been a 1962 tv show episode based around Dick's short story "Impostor", but Blade Runner marked the 1st of high-quality works based on Dick & I was excited about all of them. Paul Verhoeven's Total Recall (1990) was the next important milestone for me.
I'd already been familiar w/ Richard Linklater b/c of his Slacker (1991) wch interested me b/c of the subculture represented but also b/c he used the PXL-2000 camcorder wch I'd used extensively. Here's a link to a website that indexes some of them: http://idioideo.pleintekst.nl/Philoso... . I liked Slacker so when Linklater made a purportedly rotoscoped version of A Scanner Darkly I was intrigued.
It's somewhat vague to me now but as I recall I was disappointed by Linklater's movie. 1st, I probably wasn't impressed by the 'animation'. I was long-since familiar w/ rotoscoping, a technique in wch drawings are based around individual frames of film & then animated. In its original form, where filmmakers wd project the film using an analysis projector & draw on pieces of paper that the film was based on, there was a labor-intensiveness that cd produce very rich results. My friend Steve Estes had dome great things w/ the technique.
Knowing how labor-intensive ir was, I'd get some cynical amusement when I'd see a rotoscoped film that wd start off very ambitious & detailed & gradually dissolve into lazier & lazier drawings made more & more minimal as the filmmaker broke down under the workload.
Linklater's movie didn't strike me as 'real' rotoscoping at all. It seemed more like using computer filters to 'posterize' color than it seemed like the result of actually making drawings. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe Linklater had a whole assemble-line of cell-animators. Whatever the case, the result has a homogeneity to it that reeks of computer generalizing rather than hand-touches. I much prefer the animation/pixillation of such greats as Norman MacLaren, Robert Breer, Jan Svankmajer, Walerian Borowczyk, & Wladyslaw Starewicz, to name a few. Anything that has a highly uniform frame-to-frame registration just seems visually dull. Furthermore, it seemed to me that Linklater's A Scanner Darkly was a bit too much yet-another-aren't-stoners-funny? movie w/o really getting into the tragedy of Dick's take on the down side of drug culture.
NONETHELESS, when I saw that the movie had been made into a graphic novel & that I cd pick it up for 6 bucks I 'just had to add it to me PKD collection. THEN, it sat there & collected dust b/c why the fuck wd I want to read the graphic novel version when I'd already read the bk at least twice & quite possibly seen the movie that many times too?
As I've no doubt written elsewhere, when I was a kid I read comic bks & Mad Magazine & its spin-offs: Cracked & Sick. Then there was Famous Monsters of Filmland. By the time I was a teenager National Lampoon came along. All were picture-heavy. Comic bks were 'looked down on' b/c they seemed to be targeted to, & reinforcing of, the minimally literate. There didn't seem to be much of an appreciation for their involving 2 art-forms, they were commonly seen as failed literature w/ the art hardly even worth mentioning. They certainly weren't glorified as "Graphic Novels".
That wasn't really fair. Culture snobs objected to their hybrid nature, the text wasn't full-blown literature, the images weren't paintings in & of themselves. Now it seems that the graphic novel has become 'respectable'.. but have comics? Maybe they're still not. Whatever.
I read thru A Scanner Darkly - A Graphic Novel in a few hrs. Alas, I find myself in agreement w/ my archetypal stuffy critic above: I didn't really get the literate experience from it that Dick offers, I didn't find the art outstanding, it just seemed like the easy-reading experience, an intellectual-lite beer. Still, I have some respect for the whole process that went into its making, it's all very 'professional'. Still, wd I recommend it over the bk or the movie? Nah. I'd recommend the predictable (from my critical perspective): read the actual PKD bk, maybe check out the movie, but, nah, don't bother w/ the graphic novel, it's so stylized & diluted that it's not worth it.
Philip K. Dick & Richard Linklater's A Scanner Darkly - A Graphic Novel
by tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE - July 30, 2015
A Scanner Darkly was the 1st Philip K. Dick bk I read. It wd've been recommended to me by my friend Lamar "Chip" Layfield. I'd read a fair amt of SF as a child & a teen, authors like Robert Heinlein, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Isaac Asimov, & Arthur C. Clarke. Then I decided it wasn't serious enuf literature & stopped reading it. Reading A Scanner Darkly over a decade later might've been my 1st delving into it again, giving SF a 2nd chance. I wasn't impressed.
Not much longer after that, that all changed. The 1st movie that I noticed based on A Dick bk was Ridley Scott's Blade Runner (1982). I loved it. Starting in 1984 I spent the next yr reading about a Dick bk a wk. I was hooked.
Blade Runner wasn't really the 1st of the Dick movies, there had been a 1962 tv show episode based around Dick's short story "Impostor", but Blade Runner marked the 1st of high-quality works based on Dick & I was excited about all of them. Paul Verhoeven's Total Recall (1990) was the next important milestone for me.
I'd already been familiar w/ Richard Linklater b/c of his Slacker (1991) wch interested me b/c of the subculture represented but also b/c he used the PXL-2000 camcorder wch I'd used extensively. Here's a link to a website that indexes some of them: http://idioideo.pleintekst.nl/Philoso... . I liked Slacker so when Linklater made a purportedly rotoscoped version of A Scanner Darkly I was intrigued.
It's somewhat vague to me now but as I recall I was disappointed by Linklater's movie. 1st, I probably wasn't impressed by the 'animation'. I was long-since familiar w/ rotoscoping, a technique in wch drawings are based around individual frames of film & then animated. In its original form, where filmmakers wd project the film using an analysis projector & draw on pieces of paper that the film was based on, there was a labor-intensiveness that cd produce very rich results. My friend Steve Estes had dome great things w/ the technique.
Knowing how labor-intensive ir was, I'd get some cynical amusement when I'd see a rotoscoped film that wd start off very ambitious & detailed & gradually dissolve into lazier & lazier drawings made more & more minimal as the filmmaker broke down under the workload.
Linklater's movie didn't strike me as 'real' rotoscoping at all. It seemed more like using computer filters to 'posterize' color than it seemed like the result of actually making drawings. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe Linklater had a whole assemble-line of cell-animators. Whatever the case, the result has a homogeneity to it that reeks of computer generalizing rather than hand-touches. I much prefer the animation/pixillation of such greats as Norman MacLaren, Robert Breer, Jan Svankmajer, Walerian Borowczyk, & Wladyslaw Starewicz, to name a few. Anything that has a highly uniform frame-to-frame registration just seems visually dull. Furthermore, it seemed to me that Linklater's A Scanner Darkly was a bit too much yet-another-aren't-stoners-funny? movie w/o really getting into the tragedy of Dick's take on the down side of drug culture.
NONETHELESS, when I saw that the movie had been made into a graphic novel & that I cd pick it up for 6 bucks I 'just had to add it to me PKD collection. THEN, it sat there & collected dust b/c why the fuck wd I want to read the graphic novel version when I'd already read the bk at least twice & quite possibly seen the movie that many times too?
As I've no doubt written elsewhere, when I was a kid I read comic bks & Mad Magazine & its spin-offs: Cracked & Sick. Then there was Famous Monsters of Filmland. By the time I was a teenager National Lampoon came along. All were picture-heavy. Comic bks were 'looked down on' b/c they seemed to be targeted to, & reinforcing of, the minimally literate. There didn't seem to be much of an appreciation for their involving 2 art-forms, they were commonly seen as failed literature w/ the art hardly even worth mentioning. They certainly weren't glorified as "Graphic Novels".
That wasn't really fair. Culture snobs objected to their hybrid nature, the text wasn't full-blown literature, the images weren't paintings in & of themselves. Now it seems that the graphic novel has become 'respectable'.. but have comics? Maybe they're still not. Whatever.
I read thru A Scanner Darkly - A Graphic Novel in a few hrs. Alas, I find myself in agreement w/ my archetypal stuffy critic above: I didn't really get the literate experience from it that Dick offers, I didn't find the art outstanding, it just seemed like the easy-reading experience, an intellectual-lite beer. Still, I have some respect for the whole process that went into its making, it's all very 'professional'. Still, wd I recommend it over the bk or the movie? Nah. I'd recommend the predictable (from my critical perspective): read the actual PKD bk, maybe check out the movie, but, nah, don't bother w/ the graphic novel, it's so stylized & diluted that it's not worth it.
April 23, 2018
Posted : 9 years, 5 months ago on 11 November 2008 03:55 (A review of A Scanner Darkly)
http://www.listal.com/viewentry/165219
''The pain, so unexpected and undeserved had for some reason cleared away the cobwebs. I realized I didn't hate the cabinet door, I hated my life... My house, my family, my backyard, my power mower. Nothing would ever change; nothing new could ever be expected. It had to end, and it did. Now in the dark world where I dwell, ugly things, and surprising things, and sometimes little wondrous things, spill out in me constantly, and I can count on nothing.''
An undercover cop in a not-too-distant future becomes involved with a dangerous new drug and begins to lose his own identity as a result.
Keanu Reeves: Bob Arctor
Richard Linklater's A Scanner Darkly(2006) is a humanistic and undeniably heartbreaking adaptation of Phillip K Dick's novel. What works is the film's pre-occupation with the human condition; focusing on the emotional and psychological effects of substance abuse, relationships, and essentially, trust; or lack of trust.
The performances are wonderful. Keanu Reeves' portrayal of Bob/Fred is incredibly sensitive and thoughtful. His final scene in the field, picking a blue flower, showed what a subtle and textured actor he can be. Winona Ryder is also really moving as Donna, the object of Bob/Fred's desires. Every word homes in. She seemed to capture a sense of mystery, eternal sorrow, and confusion within the phrasing of her dialogue and the tiniest of exchanges with Keanu. The scene in which the couple argue about Donna's refusal of intimacy is excellent and the chemistry really tense. There's a wonderful sense of rhythm within the delivery, and the emotion is raw. It is a good comeback. As for Downey Jr and Harrelson; they work incredibly well, bouncing off one another with the air of camp, dry wit and fun. Blowing smoke rings, watching someone choke, freaking out about a nine speed bike and the state of the universe, are all delivered with conviction and strength. Downey's Barris is stern; but also a lot of fun. Whilst Harrelson really shines when utterly confused, stoned, and paranoid.
''Total total total totally total total... total providence.''
The animation is also truly beautiful. It is rich, and artistically vibrant. It works in the film's favour, conveying a sense of hyper-reality that is also embedded within every day life. It feels real, rather than detached or futuristic. We are engrossed, not removed from the story or its characters.
The animated overlay very clever too, especially that scramble suit, which conceals its wearer's identity.
Some really clever and funny scenes that amuse and seem totally pointless. Loving the characters having idea bubbles or Freck's suicide note with the alien, Freck holding Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead; A truthful, powerful testament and compliment to Philip K Dick. Amazing how their conversations always end up being from bicycle to silenced foiled guns to paranoia about someone being in their house.
There's a major twist and may take more than one viewing to appreciate the complex ending. So amazing when you piece it together. Richard Linklater did a wonderful job directing and executing this. It has become a Graphic novel that comes to life with artistic realism that conveys the druggy state of the movie's message.
The story runs at an exciting pace; keeping you on the edge of your seat to continue and uncover Bob Arctor's fate. Will he be arrested although he is taking surveillance of himself? Or will he be able to find a bigger fish to fry while making his cover and descent to hell mean something? The layers Linklater has sewn together here are all superimposed on each other to great effect.
The language has many quotable passages that you can almost feel are Dick's words; for this I commend Linklater for the courage to stick to the real heart of the story. I almost don't have to mention the roto-scoping effect used, similar to the director's previous gem Waking Life. Without the freedom animation allows, the movie could not have been as successful as it is. I praise all involved as this journey continues with its laughs and tears all culminating in the heartbreaking finale, that when looking back really is the only way it could have played out. Also, it was a very nice touch, before the credits, having Philip K. Dick's memoriam for all his friends that had died or suffered immensely from the effects of drugs. A Scanner Darkly tries to give meaning to their descent and a glimmer of hope for the future to one day rid itself of the voluntary plague of drugs represented by Substance D.
''What does a scanner see? Into the head? Into the heart? Does it see into me? Clearly? Or darkly? Clearly or darkly? I hope it sees clearly, because I can't any longer see into myself. I see only murk. I hope for everyone's sake the scanners do better. Because if the scanner sees only darkly, the way I do, then I'm cursed and cursed again. I'll only wind up dead this way, knowing very little, and getting that little fragment wrong too.''
http://www.listal.com/viewentry/165219
''The pain, so unexpected and undeserved had for some reason cleared away the cobwebs. I realized I didn't hate the cabinet door, I hated my life... My house, my family, my backyard, my power mower. Nothing would ever change; nothing new could ever be expected. It had to end, and it did. Now in the dark world where I dwell, ugly things, and surprising things, and sometimes little wondrous things, spill out in me constantly, and I can count on nothing.''
An undercover cop in a not-too-distant future becomes involved with a dangerous new drug and begins to lose his own identity as a result.
Keanu Reeves: Bob Arctor
Richard Linklater's A Scanner Darkly(2006) is a humanistic and undeniably heartbreaking adaptation of Phillip K Dick's novel. What works is the film's pre-occupation with the human condition; focusing on the emotional and psychological effects of substance abuse, relationships, and essentially, trust; or lack of trust.
The performances are wonderful. Keanu Reeves' portrayal of Bob/Fred is incredibly sensitive and thoughtful. His final scene in the field, picking a blue flower, showed what a subtle and textured actor he can be. Winona Ryder is also really moving as Donna, the object of Bob/Fred's desires. Every word homes in. She seemed to capture a sense of mystery, eternal sorrow, and confusion within the phrasing of her dialogue and the tiniest of exchanges with Keanu. The scene in which the couple argue about Donna's refusal of intimacy is excellent and the chemistry really tense. There's a wonderful sense of rhythm within the delivery, and the emotion is raw. It is a good comeback. As for Downey Jr and Harrelson; they work incredibly well, bouncing off one another with the air of camp, dry wit and fun. Blowing smoke rings, watching someone choke, freaking out about a nine speed bike and the state of the universe, are all delivered with conviction and strength. Downey's Barris is stern; but also a lot of fun. Whilst Harrelson really shines when utterly confused, stoned, and paranoid.
''Total total total totally total total... total providence.''
The animation is also truly beautiful. It is rich, and artistically vibrant. It works in the film's favour, conveying a sense of hyper-reality that is also embedded within every day life. It feels real, rather than detached or futuristic. We are engrossed, not removed from the story or its characters.
The animated overlay very clever too, especially that scramble suit, which conceals its wearer's identity.
Some really clever and funny scenes that amuse and seem totally pointless. Loving the characters having idea bubbles or Freck's suicide note with the alien, Freck holding Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead; A truthful, powerful testament and compliment to Philip K Dick. Amazing how their conversations always end up being from bicycle to silenced foiled guns to paranoia about someone being in their house.
There's a major twist and may take more than one viewing to appreciate the complex ending. So amazing when you piece it together. Richard Linklater did a wonderful job directing and executing this. It has become a Graphic novel that comes to life with artistic realism that conveys the druggy state of the movie's message.
The story runs at an exciting pace; keeping you on the edge of your seat to continue and uncover Bob Arctor's fate. Will he be arrested although he is taking surveillance of himself? Or will he be able to find a bigger fish to fry while making his cover and descent to hell mean something? The layers Linklater has sewn together here are all superimposed on each other to great effect.
The language has many quotable passages that you can almost feel are Dick's words; for this I commend Linklater for the courage to stick to the real heart of the story. I almost don't have to mention the roto-scoping effect used, similar to the director's previous gem Waking Life. Without the freedom animation allows, the movie could not have been as successful as it is. I praise all involved as this journey continues with its laughs and tears all culminating in the heartbreaking finale, that when looking back really is the only way it could have played out. Also, it was a very nice touch, before the credits, having Philip K. Dick's memoriam for all his friends that had died or suffered immensely from the effects of drugs. A Scanner Darkly tries to give meaning to their descent and a glimmer of hope for the future to one day rid itself of the voluntary plague of drugs represented by Substance D.
''What does a scanner see? Into the head? Into the heart? Does it see into me? Clearly? Or darkly? Clearly or darkly? I hope it sees clearly, because I can't any longer see into myself. I see only murk. I hope for everyone's sake the scanners do better. Because if the scanner sees only darkly, the way I do, then I'm cursed and cursed again. I'll only wind up dead this way, knowing very little, and getting that little fragment wrong too.''
January 16, 2021
Not my thing
December 30, 2022
Pretty decent but I really thought I had bought the real novel
January 7, 2018
A roller coaster ride
October 5, 2012
I find myself agreeing and disagreeing in roughly equal measure with this critical review of the graphic novel adaptation of the cinematic adaptation of Philip K. Dick's autobiographical, paranoid druggie classic. I agree that the comic "has a very artificial and lifeless feel" in part because it hasn't really been adapted to the comics/graphic novel/sequential art medium; instead, it looks as if the film stills have simply been cut-and-pasted into a book template and left at that. I do think that this graphic novel, even in its current artificial and lifeless incarnation, is valuable, however, because it allows the reader who is also familiar with the original novel and the film to bring together the textual and the visual, to triangulate so to speak, and in so doing to obtain a clearer picture of what Dick was attempting to tell us. For me at least, the original novel on its own was less than stellar and somewhat confusing (like many of Dick's books, alas), and the film, while one of the better and certainly more original cinematic adaptations of PKD, is also a bit cryptic, and so this graphic novel, lying as it does somewhere between the worlds of print and cinema, provides a helpful bridge to flesh out Dick's vision more fully.
December 8, 2025
Sorry if you catch this mid-edit; Goodreads has been throwing out my updates as of recently.
This is an "animanga": graphic-novel-style collection of screenshots from the movie, which is one of my spouse's favourites but is one I never really fully understood. Yes, it's about drug abuse, that part's obvious. A lot of the metaphors lose me, though—the whole thing where Barris makes up the "distill cocaine from spray aerosol when absolutely no company would hide illegal substances in cheap products literally anyone can buy" scam, the whole deal with Barris getting the 18-speed bike and doesn't know how it's 18 speeds with only 6 + 3 gears, the point of the scramble suits... it's something specifically to do with drug use that addicts would understand but the average teetotaller (me) wouldn't get without a LOT of explaining.
(Spouse is also a teetotaller but hasn't explained it to me beyond that it's all metaphor, though other opinions hold that it's just illustration of their characters and growing paranoia.)
The art style is weird but arguably makes the movie work in a way that straight live-action couldn't do justice. This book in specific periodically leaves out scenes from the movie, though, which bugs me even though I don't love the movie like my spouse does.
On the whole, okay if you can't find the movie or your Blu-Ray copy spontaneously degrades (like ours did), though it might a bit flat if you haven't read the original and are reading this one cold.
This is an "animanga": graphic-novel-style collection of screenshots from the movie, which is one of my spouse's favourites but is one I never really fully understood. Yes, it's about drug abuse, that part's obvious. A lot of the metaphors lose me, though—the whole thing where Barris makes up the "distill cocaine from spray aerosol when absolutely no company would hide illegal substances in cheap products literally anyone can buy" scam, the whole deal with Barris getting the 18-speed bike and doesn't know how it's 18 speeds with only 6 + 3 gears, the point of the scramble suits... it's something specifically to do with drug use that addicts would understand but the average teetotaller (me) wouldn't get without a LOT of explaining.
(Spouse is also a teetotaller but hasn't explained it to me beyond that it's all metaphor, though other opinions hold that it's just illustration of their characters and growing paranoia.)
The art style is weird but arguably makes the movie work in a way that straight live-action couldn't do justice. This book in specific periodically leaves out scenes from the movie, though, which bugs me even though I don't love the movie like my spouse does.
On the whole, okay if you can't find the movie or your Blu-Ray copy spontaneously degrades (like ours did), though it might a bit flat if you haven't read the original and are reading this one cold.
August 24, 2024
After reading A Scanner Darkly and watching the Richard Linklater film, I was curious how the graphic novel adaptation would work. In certain ways this is the better of both worlds. The comic uses the rotoscope style images from the film (though it lacks a little of the anxiety-inducing squiggliness that plays well with the paranoia of the characters) and has the more streamlined narrative of the movie over the book. Unfortunately, I think it, like the movie, trims a bit too much, but it was interesting seeing this interpretation. In many ways, I think a lot of Philip K. Dick could be well served by having someone adapt the work and give it a bit more narrative cohesion. That might be why so many of his stories become very fun movies.
The book was the April 18, 2024 selection for the Licking County Library sci-fi/fantasy book group.
The book was the April 18, 2024 selection for the Licking County Library sci-fi/fantasy book group.
March 13, 2019
Scanner is one of Dick’s best novels, and also one of the great works of junkie lit. What I liked best about the novel were the inane conversations the characters got into, precisely the sort of discussions drugged out people have, where they make sense to themselves and are utterly absurd to anyone listening in. Dick caught that aspect of drug culture better than any author I’ve ever encountered. This adaptation includes enough of them to capture the spirit of the original book. There’s a science fiction story in here, but barely. This is about the horrors of addiction.
I’d recommend reading the novel first before picking this up; let Dick’s vision be what you encounter first. But then revisit the story here sometime later, and be reminded of what a powerful tale this.
I’d recommend reading the novel first before picking this up; let Dick’s vision be what you encounter first. But then revisit the story here sometime later, and be reminded of what a powerful tale this.
October 30, 2017
Questa volta ci ha messo un po' ad uscire. E anzi, ad un certo punto in questo libro mi sembrava che "il piacere di leggere Dick" non ci fosse proprio. Ed invece è uscito nettamente da metà in poi.
Meno "fantascentifico" di altri suoi romanzi. Come al solito confusionario, sconclusionato, raffazonato, eppure... Eppure i libri di Dick li leggerò sempre
Meno "fantascentifico" di altri suoi romanzi. Come al solito confusionario, sconclusionato, raffazonato, eppure... Eppure i libri di Dick li leggerò sempre
February 16, 2020
This was my first exposure to the story of A SCANNER DARKLY. While the plot and characters are intriguing, I'm not sure the translation from book to movie to graphic novel works very well (in this case). Don't get me wrong -- it's a good read. But it's also very confusing if you've never read the book or watched the movie.
September 10, 2018
Thought I was ordering the novel from the library, but got the graphic novel. Have tried graphic novels four or five times... hated them all. This was junk too. I must have a total blind spot as to what other's are seeing here. Will still try to get the original novel from the library.
October 10, 2018
Corporations control the population drug addictions, they feed them, make the process lucrative and handle the "wars on drugs" for profit.
What an acute vision, Philip K. Dick's.
Great transfer of stills from the flick. Can't wait to read the book.
What an acute vision, Philip K. Dick's.
Great transfer of stills from the flick. Can't wait to read the book.
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