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A God Somewhere
After a mysterious disaster, a young man named Eric finds that he has just as mysteriously developed extraordinary abilities. He starts out trying to help people, but his solitary position in the world isolates him in ways no average human could understand. This story charts the arc of the evolution of Eric from man to...well, who knows what, as seen through the eyes of his family and his best friend, Sam.
200 pages, Paperback
First published December 10, 2010
5 people are currently reading
520 people want to read
About the author
John Arcudi
945 books100 followersJohn Arcudi has made a name for himself by scripting comics that manage to combine long-running subplots with impeccable characterization and action sequences, making for some of the most exciting and consistently good comics out today.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 107 reviews
July 11, 2024
I feel like it's safe enough to say we've all imagined having superpowers. Pictured ourselves saving people and curing all mankind's ills with our amazing singular abilities. Set ourselves as the judges for humanity and the world and guided it all towards a greater good we alone can see. Or something like that.
But maybe it's not all cracked up to be. One has to remember, power corrupts. And once you have something so great that no one else can have, once you can soar to such heights where no one can ever follow you... well, they all start to look like a bunch of little ants. That's how it goes. It's not just about bad people becoming bad guys and good people becoming good guys as you give them powers - it's an intoxicating drug that would change all of us.
And we certainly couldn't stop the regular folks from ever being afraid of us. They'd be pushing us away all the time and probably never let us near them ever again. The ones that do come near us will be the ones that think they can exploit us. That, too, would serve to drive us to the brink and give us a bit of a push.
I don't know if any of us would go so far into the deep end as Eric here. Maybe some of us could handle it and turn it into a good thing. But it's a reality check, this comic, about how things might also go.
Could've used a few more scenes in between about his downfall, though. It felt a little too abrupt and out of nowhere. Not getting to see his thoughts also hurt here, even though it was all a part of the premise and very much needed.
But no complaints other than that. Good art, bunch of characters to relate to, and the story flows all right. Injustice Superman is a dumbass.
But maybe it's not all cracked up to be. One has to remember, power corrupts. And once you have something so great that no one else can have, once you can soar to such heights where no one can ever follow you... well, they all start to look like a bunch of little ants. That's how it goes. It's not just about bad people becoming bad guys and good people becoming good guys as you give them powers - it's an intoxicating drug that would change all of us.
And we certainly couldn't stop the regular folks from ever being afraid of us. They'd be pushing us away all the time and probably never let us near them ever again. The ones that do come near us will be the ones that think they can exploit us. That, too, would serve to drive us to the brink and give us a bit of a push.
I don't know if any of us would go so far into the deep end as Eric here. Maybe some of us could handle it and turn it into a good thing. But it's a reality check, this comic, about how things might also go.
Could've used a few more scenes in between about his downfall, though. It felt a little too abrupt and out of nowhere. Not getting to see his thoughts also hurt here, even though it was all a part of the premise and very much needed.
But no complaints other than that. Good art, bunch of characters to relate to, and the story flows all right. Injustice Superman is a dumbass.
June 3, 2012
The theme of average-joe-turned-god is not a new theme in comic book medium, we're already familiar with characters like Dr. Manhattan in Watchmen or The Sentry in Marvel universe (which were also a borrowed idea from Nietzsche concept of ubermensch).
One quotable line from the book, '...you're just another character in somebody's else story.' summed up A God Somewhere perfectly. No matter how powerful, influential and godlike you are, the world still not revolve around you. A God Somewhere reminded us again and again that life is bigger than the sum of every human life combined. You live around people, but people don't live around you. No one is on the main spotlight in life, but rather, everyone.
While the opening chapter promise us an awesome plot, the rest of the story makes A God Somewhere ambiguous: the premise of the story is that it'll be a philosophical and dramatic one, yet the final execution presents us a different output: the book indulge too long in depicting the brutality of Eric (the said ubermensch, one of the main character in the story), serving us pages and pages of gruesome art and violent images. In short, the early pages promise us something as big as Watchmen, but the following gave us Kick-Ass instead. Not a bad thing, indeed, but not that great either. The book could be one classic tale of tragedy, but choose instead to be one of 'rampaging superhero' story a la World War Hulk.
One quotable line from the book, '...you're just another character in somebody's else story.' summed up A God Somewhere perfectly. No matter how powerful, influential and godlike you are, the world still not revolve around you. A God Somewhere reminded us again and again that life is bigger than the sum of every human life combined. You live around people, but people don't live around you. No one is on the main spotlight in life, but rather, everyone.
While the opening chapter promise us an awesome plot, the rest of the story makes A God Somewhere ambiguous: the premise of the story is that it'll be a philosophical and dramatic one, yet the final execution presents us a different output: the book indulge too long in depicting the brutality of Eric (the said ubermensch, one of the main character in the story), serving us pages and pages of gruesome art and violent images. In short, the early pages promise us something as big as Watchmen, but the following gave us Kick-Ass instead. Not a bad thing, indeed, but not that great either. The book could be one classic tale of tragedy, but choose instead to be one of 'rampaging superhero' story a la World War Hulk.
June 27, 2020
Wow. Dark.
A God Somewhere
is firmly in the 'real people can't handle power' camp.
The first half of the book is about Eric, a good man, and his relationships with his best friend Sam and his younger brother Hugh. Then Eric gains mysterious powers through a mysterious event and we lurch into gory superman-run-amok territory.
It's a downer, and unpredictable; whenever I thought I knew where the story was heading, everything changed. I found the ending to be vaguely unsatisfying but overall it was thought-provoking and well-written.
------------------------------------
SECOND READ
Some big questions are left unanswered but I appreciated this exploration of the terrifying nature of godhood more the second time through. I like the recurring tragedies that re-appear later on in the background of significant plot events, because "no matter who you are, no matter what you do, no matter what happens to you--you're just another character in somebody else's story."
I think Eric hints at why he ultimately snaps in a conversation with Sam:
The first half of the book is about Eric, a good man, and his relationships with his best friend Sam and his younger brother Hugh. Then Eric gains mysterious powers through a mysterious event and we lurch into gory superman-run-amok territory.
It's a downer, and unpredictable; whenever I thought I knew where the story was heading, everything changed. I found the ending to be vaguely unsatisfying but overall it was thought-provoking and well-written.
------------------------------------
SECOND READ
Some big questions are left unanswered but I appreciated this exploration of the terrifying nature of godhood more the second time through. I like the recurring tragedies that re-appear later on in the background of significant plot events, because "no matter who you are, no matter what you do, no matter what happens to you--you're just another character in somebody else's story."
I think Eric hints at why he ultimately snaps in a conversation with Sam:
November 2, 2012
The art is pretty and the beginning is promising and suddenly the guy just flips out. There is no gradual change or explanation... There is nothing that makes him attack his family like he does. Yes, the idea is a valid one: somebody with god powers would feel superior and probably would lose compassion for humanity, but the change is too sudden and feels forced. It is like the writer had an idea he wanted to say and didn't care too much about the characters.
I think is a poor attempt to make a gritty dark comic book following Alan Moore and Frank Miller. But dark for dark doesn't make sense. The attack on his brother and wife is vicious but doesn’t follow the pattern of later attacks where he seems just to think that humans are just like ants and kills them because they are annoying and unimportant. But the first attack is different his brother survives and he rapes the wife, that is not you are ants, that is cruelty more specific to a different type of criminal. It is a behavior that just is there for this action, after he becames a Oh God I am who kills people but doesn’t main them and doesn’t rape. The first attack seems to be there just for being shocking and gritty. Look he has become crazy. Why? I don't know , but now he is crazy and attacks people, let the story continue. Now he kills everybody even if in the first attack he let his brother alive, and with his powers it had to be more difficult to let his brother alive than kill him, and he raped the wife. Why? because he is evil and this is a gritty comic book.
I don't mind a pessimist story but the characters have to feel real. Here the main character just becomes crazy overnight and attacks his family for some reason.
I like the best friend which is why I put two stars, he feel real.
In resume: Good idea , awful execution.
I think is a poor attempt to make a gritty dark comic book following Alan Moore and Frank Miller. But dark for dark doesn't make sense. The attack on his brother and wife is vicious but doesn’t follow the pattern of later attacks where he seems just to think that humans are just like ants and kills them because they are annoying and unimportant. But the first attack is different his brother survives and he rapes the wife, that is not you are ants, that is cruelty more specific to a different type of criminal. It is a behavior that just is there for this action, after he becames a Oh God I am who kills people but doesn’t main them and doesn’t rape. The first attack seems to be there just for being shocking and gritty. Look he has become crazy. Why? I don't know , but now he is crazy and attacks people, let the story continue. Now he kills everybody even if in the first attack he let his brother alive, and with his powers it had to be more difficult to let his brother alive than kill him, and he raped the wife. Why? because he is evil and this is a gritty comic book.
I don't mind a pessimist story but the characters have to feel real. Here the main character just becomes crazy overnight and attacks his family for some reason.
I like the best friend which is why I put two stars, he feel real.
In resume: Good idea , awful execution.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 11, 2017
" مع القوة تأتي المسئولية "
قريب بيتر باركر الرجل العنكبوت وهو يحتضر
رواية " الرب في مكان ما " تحكي قصة أريك الشخص اللطيف للغاية المساند للجميع علاقته ب أخيه ممتازة ضد العنصرية ويساعد الجميع دون قوي خارقة تتعرض البناية التي يعيش بها ل انفجار ما ف يكتسب قوي خارقة لا يعرف مداها ولا يعرف سببها ولكنه يستطيع الطيران لا يتعرض للرصاص لا شئ يؤثر عليه أصبح خالد أذن. ما أثر ذلك؟
هذا هو السؤال الأساسي بالنسبة للرواية المصورة الصادرة عام 2010
سر قوة الرواية أنها تأخذ سؤال يحلم به الجميع ماذا لو امتلكت قوي خارقة؟ ماذا ستفعل بها؟ وما هي؟
القصة غير مهتمة ب اجواء الابطال الخارقين علي الأطلاق
في الجزء الأول نكتشف حياة أريك و أخيه هوجو و صديقهم سام وكيف تعرفوا علي بعضهم البعض الي أن يحدث الانفجار ويصبح أريك لديه قوي خارقة
شخص عادي لديه كل القوي التي تتخيلها في البداية الصدمة ثم تجربة القوي في حالة بطلنا هنا الأمر مختلف قليلا هو ظل كما هو شخص عادي ولكنه يستطيع يفعل أشياء خارقة ، مثلك ومثلي شخص فجاءة اصبح لديه القدرة
يراها في نهاية الفصل الاول انها معجزة ما ولكنه يبدو ك غير مهتم
في الفصل الثاني
يستقر الأمر تماما ولكنه مازال لا يحب الظهور اعلاميا ولكنه متواجد ويفعل ما يجب عليه فعله ولكن بدأت ترسم حوله الهالة المقدسة بعد انقاذه عدة مواقف
أصبح آله ف وجهة نظر البعض وسعي الساسة في استخدامه و مرشح الرئاسة استغلال اسم اريك وصورته وسمعته
ينتقل ل حياة راغدة ومعه سام ولكن يظل أخيه بعيدا عنه ف لطالما شعر أخيه ان علاقة اريك ب سام أقوي بكثير من علاقته به
يعرض عليه اريك المساعدة في حياته يرفض هوجو الأمر بطريقة قاسية للغاية وتصبح تلك نقطة تحول كبيرة في أريك
تدفعه دفعا للأن يكون أكثر رعبا
الفصل الثالث
بداية دموية للغاية بعد نهاية مأسوية الان أريك مقبوض عليه يطلب مقابلة سام، يحاول أن يستوعب ما يفعله ولكن من الواضح أن أريك أصبح يري عدم جدوي أي شئ وان قوته تجعله آله في مكان ما ويخبر سام أن البشر دون جدوي وتبدأ معارك أريك أخذ منحني مرعب في الصراع
الفصل دموي بشكل حقيقي مرعب، والتركيز علي الاشخاص العادية الذي لا دخل لهم في القصة يجعل الأمر مقبض للغاية
تنقلب الايه ويصبح أريك عدو الشعب رقم واحد ويحاولون قتله بكافة الطرق ولكن لاشئ يأتي بثماره معه
وكلما حاولوا كلما أصبح أكثر دموية
الي أن يتوصلوا ل طريقة ما ل ردعه وتحدث المفاجاة ل أريك
الخلود وهم
الفصل الرابع
يحاول سام الذي أصبح صحفي الوصول له بعد المعركة الكبري ومعه فريقه ولكن عندما يجدونه يكون في حالة مزرية ورد فعله قاسي للغاية
يحاول سام الفهم لما كل هذا القتل ولما لا يقتله
يشرح اريك رؤيته للأمور عن عجز البشر ومدي ضغفهم وغبائهم يشرح انه أصبح يري في قلوبهم الجشع وارواحهم العطنة
أصبح لا يعرف هل هو آله؟ أم مبعوث؟ أم مسخ؟
علاقتة المنتهية مع أخيه، حياته الوحيدة وتلك القوي اللعينة التي غيرت حياته تماما ماذا يجب عليه فعله
ف يقرر ترك هدية بسيطة ل سام ل يعرف ما يدور به
تأتي النهايات بعيدة وغريبة
والنهاية بالنسبة ل أريك تعتبر اجابة علي اشياء كثيرة
وتستمر الحياة مع سام مع هديته ويستمر في حياته وهو يحاول نسيان اشياء ما يجب أن تكون حدثت
ولكن تتبقي قصاصات تذكرنا بما نحن عليه
قريب بيتر باركر الرجل العنكبوت وهو يحتضر
رواية " الرب في مكان ما " تحكي قصة أريك الشخص اللطيف للغاية المساند للجميع علاقته ب أخيه ممتازة ضد العنصرية ويساعد الجميع دون قوي خارقة تتعرض البناية التي يعيش بها ل انفجار ما ف يكتسب قوي خارقة لا يعرف مداها ولا يعرف سببها ولكنه يستطيع الطيران لا يتعرض للرصاص لا شئ يؤثر عليه أصبح خالد أذن. ما أثر ذلك؟
هذا هو السؤال الأساسي بالنسبة للرواية المصورة الصادرة عام 2010
سر قوة الرواية أنها تأخذ سؤال يحلم به الجميع ماذا لو امتلكت قوي خارقة؟ ماذا ستفعل بها؟ وما هي؟
القصة غير مهتمة ب اجواء الابطال الخارقين علي الأطلاق
في الجزء الأول نكتشف حياة أريك و أخيه هوجو و صديقهم سام وكيف تعرفوا علي بعضهم البعض الي أن يحدث الانفجار ويصبح أريك لديه قوي خارقة
شخص عادي لديه كل القوي التي تتخيلها في البداية الصدمة ثم تجربة القوي في حالة بطلنا هنا الأمر مختلف قليلا هو ظل كما هو شخص عادي ولكنه يستطيع يفعل أشياء خارقة ، مثلك ومثلي شخص فجاءة اصبح لديه القدرة
يراها في نهاية الفصل الاول انها معجزة ما ولكنه يبدو ك غير مهتم
في الفصل الثاني
يستقر الأمر تماما ولكنه مازال لا يحب الظهور اعلاميا ولكنه متواجد ويفعل ما يجب عليه فعله ولكن بدأت ترسم حوله الهالة المقدسة بعد انقاذه عدة مواقف
أصبح آله ف وجهة نظر البعض وسعي الساسة في استخدامه و مرشح الرئاسة استغلال اسم اريك وصورته وسمعته
ينتقل ل حياة راغدة ومعه سام ولكن يظل أخيه بعيدا عنه ف لطالما شعر أخيه ان علاقة اريك ب سام أقوي بكثير من علاقته به
يعرض عليه اريك المساعدة في حياته يرفض هوجو الأمر بطريقة قاسية للغاية وتصبح تلك نقطة تحول كبيرة في أريك
تدفعه دفعا للأن يكون أكثر رعبا
الفصل الثالث
بداية دموية للغاية بعد نهاية مأسوية الان أريك مقبوض عليه يطلب مقابلة سام، يحاول أن يستوعب ما يفعله ولكن من الواضح أن أريك أصبح يري عدم جدوي أي شئ وان قوته تجعله آله في مكان ما ويخبر سام أن البشر دون جدوي وتبدأ معارك أريك أخذ منحني مرعب في الصراع
الفصل دموي بشكل حقيقي مرعب، والتركيز علي الاشخاص العادية الذي لا دخل لهم في القصة يجعل الأمر مقبض للغاية
تنقلب الايه ويصبح أريك عدو الشعب رقم واحد ويحاولون قتله بكافة الطرق ولكن لاشئ يأتي بثماره معه
وكلما حاولوا كلما أصبح أكثر دموية
الي أن يتوصلوا ل طريقة ما ل ردعه وتحدث المفاجاة ل أريك
الخلود وهم
الفصل الرابع
يحاول سام الذي أصبح صحفي الوصول له بعد المعركة الكبري ومعه فريقه ولكن عندما يجدونه يكون في حالة مزرية ورد فعله قاسي للغاية
يحاول سام الفهم لما كل هذا القتل ولما لا يقتله
يشرح اريك رؤيته للأمور عن عجز البشر ومدي ضغفهم وغبائهم يشرح انه أصبح يري في قلوبهم الجشع وارواحهم العطنة
أصبح لا يعرف هل هو آله؟ أم مبعوث؟ أم مسخ؟
علاقتة المنتهية مع أخيه، حياته الوحيدة وتلك القوي اللعينة التي غيرت حياته تماما ماذا يجب عليه فعله
ف يقرر ترك هدية بسيطة ل سام ل يعرف ما يدور به
تأتي النهايات بعيدة وغريبة
والنهاية بالنسبة ل أريك تعتبر اجابة علي اشياء كثيرة
وتستمر الحياة مع سام مع هديته ويستمر في حياته وهو يحاول نسيان اشياء ما يجب أن تكون حدثت
ولكن تتبقي قصاصات تذكرنا بما نحن عليه
August 2, 2010
My friend Dave keeps lending me things that feature superheroes or people with god-like powers that go BAD. Maybe he's trying to tell me something? I really liked how this started out - these two brothers (Eric and Hugh) save a new kid (Sam)in high school from being beaten within an inch of his life (he's still in a bad way, though) and they all become friends. Their triumvirate (of sorts) gets broken up when Hugh finds a special lady (Alma) and marries her (Eric and Sam are both into her, too). There's this interesting new tension in their relationship with her presence.
Then, one night after they hang out watching the game on Hugh's big screen TV, Eric's building is bombed. He's taken to the hospital, but there's not a scratch on him. That's when he realizes that he's been given some kind of gift, powers, which he believes come from God. He flies back to ground zero and helps the emergency responders rescue the other people trapped in the rubble. Everyone calls him a hero, and Eric sort of relishes the fame and the chance to make a difference.
Unfortunately, Hugh doesn't share his enthusiasm. He doesn't like being in the spot light. He also sees Eric's powers as yet another wedge dividing them and hurting their relationship. The breaking point comes when Eric tries to convince Hugh to move to a safer neighborhood and Hugh rebuffs him. Eric becomes enraged, suffers some kind of psychotic break, and uses his powers to attack everyone around him - breaks into Hugh's house, injures his brother, rapes Alma, then flees (wreaking havoc wherever he goes). And although he's nearly invincible, it's only a matter of time before the authorities find a way to bring him down.
The suddenness of Eric's transformation - from do-gooder to pox on the world was a bit jolting. And I didn't buy it. He just went crazy all of a sudden and I didn't see any foreshadowing. Everything that happens after that is rather accelerated and different from the slower pacing of the flashbacks as we get to know about Sam and his relationship with the brothers. Eric is supposedly lashing out against the world, but I can't see that the world has really done any more to him than it has to others, and it isn't an issue in his pre-superpowers life - he doesn't rail against injustice or fret over man's corruption. So, this seemed a little out of the blue, hard to buy into. I think this could have been reeled out a bit longer in places, and that might have improved the flow. Still, not bad. Getting to the point, though, where I'm ready for a different theme.
Then, one night after they hang out watching the game on Hugh's big screen TV, Eric's building is bombed. He's taken to the hospital, but there's not a scratch on him. That's when he realizes that he's been given some kind of gift, powers, which he believes come from God. He flies back to ground zero and helps the emergency responders rescue the other people trapped in the rubble. Everyone calls him a hero, and Eric sort of relishes the fame and the chance to make a difference.
Unfortunately, Hugh doesn't share his enthusiasm. He doesn't like being in the spot light. He also sees Eric's powers as yet another wedge dividing them and hurting their relationship. The breaking point comes when Eric tries to convince Hugh to move to a safer neighborhood and Hugh rebuffs him. Eric becomes enraged, suffers some kind of psychotic break, and uses his powers to attack everyone around him - breaks into Hugh's house, injures his brother, rapes Alma, then flees (wreaking havoc wherever he goes). And although he's nearly invincible, it's only a matter of time before the authorities find a way to bring him down.
The suddenness of Eric's transformation - from do-gooder to pox on the world was a bit jolting. And I didn't buy it. He just went crazy all of a sudden and I didn't see any foreshadowing. Everything that happens after that is rather accelerated and different from the slower pacing of the flashbacks as we get to know about Sam and his relationship with the brothers. Eric is supposedly lashing out against the world, but I can't see that the world has really done any more to him than it has to others, and it isn't an issue in his pre-superpowers life - he doesn't rail against injustice or fret over man's corruption. So, this seemed a little out of the blue, hard to buy into. I think this could have been reeled out a bit longer in places, and that might have improved the flow. Still, not bad. Getting to the point, though, where I'm ready for a different theme.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 19, 2011
There's no way to write about this book without using spoilers. So stop now if you don't want any.
I wanted to like this graphic novel. Really, I did. It's an interesting concept. And the art is fantastic.
But the characters are flat, so the story falls flat.
"A God Somewhere" is told mostly through the perspective of Sam, a black guy whose best friends are Eric and Hugh, two white guys who saved him from being beaten to death by bullies at his high school. One night, Sam and Hugh see an explosion (which is never explained) at Eric's apartment building. Hundreds of people are killed. Eric is not. Eric is fine. Eric is better than fine.
Eric suddenly develops super-human powers (their origin is never explained) - he can run as fast as The Flash, he can break through walls, he can fly, he can lift heavy objects, he can be shot multiple times and not die. He's all your favorite superheroes rolled into one. And he uses his powers to save the lives of people buried under the rubble of his building, hostages in a bank robbery and many others.
And just as suddenly as Eric develops his super-human powers, he goes insane. He beats Hugh to within an inch of his life and rapes Hugh's wife. Then he starts killing people. He kills cops, soldiers, innocent little girls who give him their teddy bears, reporters - everyone but Sam.
Eric tells Sam he had a dream that he was "a god somewhere." And Eric uses his telekinesis to help Sam fly and Sam talks about feeling powerful and separate from the world. But none of those thoughts are developed enough to give any clear insight into Eric's state of mind. There's never any real explanation - nothing explored in Eric's history or present to explain how he gets his powers, why he decides to use them to hurt and kill people, or why he always spares Sam.
Eric is just good and kind and helpful on one page, and rude and murderous on the next.
I wanted to like this graphic novel. Really, I did. It's an interesting concept. And the art is fantastic.
But the characters are flat, so the story falls flat.
"A God Somewhere" is told mostly through the perspective of Sam, a black guy whose best friends are Eric and Hugh, two white guys who saved him from being beaten to death by bullies at his high school. One night, Sam and Hugh see an explosion (which is never explained) at Eric's apartment building. Hundreds of people are killed. Eric is not. Eric is fine. Eric is better than fine.
Eric suddenly develops super-human powers (their origin is never explained) - he can run as fast as The Flash, he can break through walls, he can fly, he can lift heavy objects, he can be shot multiple times and not die. He's all your favorite superheroes rolled into one. And he uses his powers to save the lives of people buried under the rubble of his building, hostages in a bank robbery and many others.
And just as suddenly as Eric develops his super-human powers, he goes insane. He beats Hugh to within an inch of his life and rapes Hugh's wife. Then he starts killing people. He kills cops, soldiers, innocent little girls who give him their teddy bears, reporters - everyone but Sam.
Eric tells Sam he had a dream that he was "a god somewhere." And Eric uses his telekinesis to help Sam fly and Sam talks about feeling powerful and separate from the world. But none of those thoughts are developed enough to give any clear insight into Eric's state of mind. There's never any real explanation - nothing explored in Eric's history or present to explain how he gets his powers, why he decides to use them to hurt and kill people, or why he always spares Sam.
Eric is just good and kind and helpful on one page, and rude and murderous on the next.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 11, 2024
Absolute power corrupts absolutely.
That pretty much sums up this story. This story is well-told and the art is excellent. My main sticking point is that I can't figure out the motivation of the main character.
This is a superman character who flips out and goes on a rampage for no apparent reason. I mean that: it’s as if a switch gets flipped and he goes from really nice guy to absolute monster. It feels like there's an entire section of the story missing.
The other characters never developed past their surface, which is odd, considering how much time they're given to interact with one another.
Perhaps that's the ultimate message: we never really know why anyone does anything. But that's unsatisfying for me.
That pretty much sums up this story. This story is well-told and the art is excellent. My main sticking point is that I can't figure out the motivation of the main character.
This is a superman character who flips out and goes on a rampage for no apparent reason. I mean that: it’s as if a switch gets flipped and he goes from really nice guy to absolute monster. It feels like there's an entire section of the story missing.
The other characters never developed past their surface, which is odd, considering how much time they're given to interact with one another.
Perhaps that's the ultimate message: we never really know why anyone does anything. But that's unsatisfying for me.
March 14, 2016
Take cover!
A "God" is on a rampage killing spree!
Interesting artwork.
Good story.
Not for the faint-hearted readers...
A "God" is on a rampage killing spree!
Interesting artwork.
Good story.
Not for the faint-hearted readers...
March 31, 2017
A graphic novel which asks the question how does an ordinary man cope when he inadvertently ends up with superhero god-like powers, and what is it like for the people around him. Told from the perspective of his best friend this could have been a really thoughtful and interesting book, but it ended up being a gore fest that forgot to bother with character progression and just opted to change whole personalities in the space of a panel with no explanation.
July 26, 2021
комікс моторошний, красивий та хороший, я дочитувала попри бажання спати. але було б гарно, якби про те, як герой стає чудовиськом, було на кілька сторіночок більше, бо післясмак такий, ніби в нього просто був перемикач. та й про його людяність і героїзм було менше, ніж про звірства.
February 7, 2011
John Arcudi wrote one of my favorite “forgotten” comics of the 1990s. Major Bummer, his series with Dough Mahnke, was a humorous take on the “average joe gets superpowers” concept; it was funny, action-packed, and at its core, like John’s best work, human. A God Somewhere, his creator-owned graphic novel with Peter Snejbjerg, takes that same basic concept and flips it around. This is the serious sibling to Bummer, a harsh examination of absolute power being visited on the common man and corrupting absolutely.
Smartly jettisoning any convoluted origin or explanation, A God Somewhere drops special abilities on Eric Forster by way of an explosion. Whether caused by an outside force or emanating straight from Eric, it’s a shared disaster that takes many lives while also changing his. A religious man, Eric thinks that he is somehow blessed and starts doing good with his new abilities. At first, everyone loves him, but soon he starts to sense the fear that some harbor. He begins to resent that fear, and so he starts to purposely live up to those dark expectations.
There have been plenty of other comics about superheroes turned bad, but Arcudi’s is unique for its subtle use of religion to question the vagaries of human nature. Eric is ultimately mercurial, selfish, and cruel--traits we all too often share with the supreme beings we invent to govern our moral lives. This is the central conundrum of A God Somewhere: is Eric the way he is because that’s the way he is, or is it the way other people view him that warps his mind? Arcudi uses flashbacks to give us insight into his character, and he also explores the core relationships in Eric’s life. It’s not so much a book about one man as it is about four friends: Eric’s smarter and more responsible younger brother Hugh; Hugh’s wife Alma; and their best friend Sam. Much of the narrative is through Sam’s eyes. He is the human assistant who at first takes advantage of his closeness to the muscle-bound cause célèbre, only to become the victim of his own hubris. He’s also the only compassionate pair of eyes left to forgive Eric’s decline.
The art for A God Somewhere is by the Danish team of Peter Snejbjerg and colorist Bjarne Hansen. Snejbjerg’s draftsmanship is impeccable. His grasp of anatomy and expressions gives true life to the characters, and his intuition about page layout and his impressionistic approach to violence and gore lend a flare to the narrative. Hansen uses color to effect mood, embracing monotone and shadow to amp up the more dangerous scenes in the book. The killing goes way over the top, but that’s as it should be if this concept is to be examined with true seriousness. It’s never sensationalistic, however; the carnage is meant to make the reader queasy, and it works.
This done-in-one comic has a strong story arc, finishing in a sweet spot that sews up both the plot and thematic structure of the book in a way that doesn’t leave the reader wanting. It’s a book that tackles some tough subjects by a couple of guys tough enough to do so. Surprisingly, A God Somewhere was published under DC’s recently shuttered Wildstorm imprint. It’s often forgotten that Wildstorm was a place where creators were occasionally afforded the chance to go out on a limb of their own making. A God Somewhere got little fanfare on its release last summer, despite Arcudi’s popular ongoing work on Mike Mignola’s B.P.R.D. series. It’s too bad, this is one that deserves to be unearthed and reappraised.
Smartly jettisoning any convoluted origin or explanation, A God Somewhere drops special abilities on Eric Forster by way of an explosion. Whether caused by an outside force or emanating straight from Eric, it’s a shared disaster that takes many lives while also changing his. A religious man, Eric thinks that he is somehow blessed and starts doing good with his new abilities. At first, everyone loves him, but soon he starts to sense the fear that some harbor. He begins to resent that fear, and so he starts to purposely live up to those dark expectations.
There have been plenty of other comics about superheroes turned bad, but Arcudi’s is unique for its subtle use of religion to question the vagaries of human nature. Eric is ultimately mercurial, selfish, and cruel--traits we all too often share with the supreme beings we invent to govern our moral lives. This is the central conundrum of A God Somewhere: is Eric the way he is because that’s the way he is, or is it the way other people view him that warps his mind? Arcudi uses flashbacks to give us insight into his character, and he also explores the core relationships in Eric’s life. It’s not so much a book about one man as it is about four friends: Eric’s smarter and more responsible younger brother Hugh; Hugh’s wife Alma; and their best friend Sam. Much of the narrative is through Sam’s eyes. He is the human assistant who at first takes advantage of his closeness to the muscle-bound cause célèbre, only to become the victim of his own hubris. He’s also the only compassionate pair of eyes left to forgive Eric’s decline.
The art for A God Somewhere is by the Danish team of Peter Snejbjerg and colorist Bjarne Hansen. Snejbjerg’s draftsmanship is impeccable. His grasp of anatomy and expressions gives true life to the characters, and his intuition about page layout and his impressionistic approach to violence and gore lend a flare to the narrative. Hansen uses color to effect mood, embracing monotone and shadow to amp up the more dangerous scenes in the book. The killing goes way over the top, but that’s as it should be if this concept is to be examined with true seriousness. It’s never sensationalistic, however; the carnage is meant to make the reader queasy, and it works.
This done-in-one comic has a strong story arc, finishing in a sweet spot that sews up both the plot and thematic structure of the book in a way that doesn’t leave the reader wanting. It’s a book that tackles some tough subjects by a couple of guys tough enough to do so. Surprisingly, A God Somewhere was published under DC’s recently shuttered Wildstorm imprint. It’s often forgotten that Wildstorm was a place where creators were occasionally afforded the chance to go out on a limb of their own making. A God Somewhere got little fanfare on its release last summer, despite Arcudi’s popular ongoing work on Mike Mignola’s B.P.R.D. series. It’s too bad, this is one that deserves to be unearthed and reappraised.
May 10, 2014
The first thing that comes to mind on reading A God Somewhere is Mark Waid's Irredeemable.
The narrator of the story is a black guy called Sam, who is saved from school bullies by two brothers Eric and Hugh. OF course, they become the best of friends after that.
Some time later, there is an explosion in Eric's apartment building, and hundreds of people die. Eric doesn't. And that's what changes things. Forever.
Eric becomes a super-human of some sort. He develops incredible strength, speed, and the ability to not be harmed by almost any weapon known to mankind. He begins on a good note, saving people trapped under rubble, preventing bank robberies, and other stuff that typical vigilante heroes do.
However, some unknown reason causes him to become unhinged. He beats his own brother, and leaves him a quadriplegic. He brutally rapes his sister-in-law and goes completely berserk. He goes on a killing spree and kills hundreds of innocent people. The only person he leaves unharmed is Sam, and the two maintain some kind of uncertain 'friendship'.
Eric narrates to Sam that in a dream, he was 'a god somewhere' in some universe and people worshipped him.
Meanwhile, from a revered hero, Eric turns into public enemy number one and the military is practically at war against one man.
So, what happens next? Does Sam manage to 'reform' Eric? Or does Eric end up as a tyrannical ruler of the planet or even the universe?
I'm not giving away any spoilers on that front.
The artwork is fluid and gritty. The storyline begins as a bit of a cliche, but the rapid descent of Eric into sheer insanity is brilliantly depicted. The scenes depicting the horrific killings are very detailed and hard-hitting.
Overall, the book is a great read and I especially like the fact that Eric's motives are shrouded in mystery. It is left to the reader to figure out why Eric ended up the way he did. However, I took away two stars because the story does tend to sag a wee bit at times and slow down considerably in between.
Even if you've read Irredeemable, I suggest giving this a try.
The narrator of the story is a black guy called Sam, who is saved from school bullies by two brothers Eric and Hugh. OF course, they become the best of friends after that.
Some time later, there is an explosion in Eric's apartment building, and hundreds of people die. Eric doesn't. And that's what changes things. Forever.
Eric becomes a super-human of some sort. He develops incredible strength, speed, and the ability to not be harmed by almost any weapon known to mankind. He begins on a good note, saving people trapped under rubble, preventing bank robberies, and other stuff that typical vigilante heroes do.
However, some unknown reason causes him to become unhinged. He beats his own brother, and leaves him a quadriplegic. He brutally rapes his sister-in-law and goes completely berserk. He goes on a killing spree and kills hundreds of innocent people. The only person he leaves unharmed is Sam, and the two maintain some kind of uncertain 'friendship'.
Eric narrates to Sam that in a dream, he was 'a god somewhere' in some universe and people worshipped him.
Meanwhile, from a revered hero, Eric turns into public enemy number one and the military is practically at war against one man.
So, what happens next? Does Sam manage to 'reform' Eric? Or does Eric end up as a tyrannical ruler of the planet or even the universe?
I'm not giving away any spoilers on that front.
The artwork is fluid and gritty. The storyline begins as a bit of a cliche, but the rapid descent of Eric into sheer insanity is brilliantly depicted. The scenes depicting the horrific killings are very detailed and hard-hitting.
Overall, the book is a great read and I especially like the fact that Eric's motives are shrouded in mystery. It is left to the reader to figure out why Eric ended up the way he did. However, I took away two stars because the story does tend to sag a wee bit at times and slow down considerably in between.
Even if you've read Irredeemable, I suggest giving this a try.
February 28, 2012
For a long time, i've heard of this graphic novel and I even get the scan copy, but I didn't get any interest in reading it. Recently,
I've buyed a copy and started to read. I've read little about the comics, so every page, as well as the story development and end, was a completely surprise.
I really enjoyed the Sam character, the black guy friend of the blond Forsters Brothers, Eric and Hugh, and the chronicler of the fate of one of them, Eric, that after a misterious explosion develops superpowers, becoming, at firstly, a kind of superhero and after, as hinted in the title, a self declared god. Other important character is Alma, wife of Hugh and former romantic interest of Sam and Eric. The graphic Novel, just like Watchmen, The Authority and many others, tells the story in the hero-in-the-real-life perspective.
Someone said, critically, that the book doesn't explain how and why some things happened. In my opinion, they just happen like in the life. This is not a normal hero's comic book, where everything has to have an explanation. There's no thought ballons to know the intentions and secrets motivations of the main characters. The only form of narration of the events occurs in the form of the magazine article that Sam writes and we know the thoughts and feelings of anyone when its verbalized. So, it's normal that many questions remains unanswered. This is not a defect. In fact, empathizes the "real life" aspect of the book.
I've buyed a copy and started to read. I've read little about the comics, so every page, as well as the story development and end, was a completely surprise.
I really enjoyed the Sam character, the black guy friend of the blond Forsters Brothers, Eric and Hugh, and the chronicler of the fate of one of them, Eric, that after a misterious explosion develops superpowers, becoming, at firstly, a kind of superhero and after, as hinted in the title, a self declared god. Other important character is Alma, wife of Hugh and former romantic interest of Sam and Eric. The graphic Novel, just like Watchmen, The Authority and many others, tells the story in the hero-in-the-real-life perspective.
Someone said, critically, that the book doesn't explain how and why some things happened. In my opinion, they just happen like in the life. This is not a normal hero's comic book, where everything has to have an explanation. There's no thought ballons to know the intentions and secrets motivations of the main characters. The only form of narration of the events occurs in the form of the magazine article that Sam writes and we know the thoughts and feelings of anyone when its verbalized. So, it's normal that many questions remains unanswered. This is not a defect. In fact, empathizes the "real life" aspect of the book.
March 8, 2017
In the early 1980's British comic book writer Alan Moore began exploring the darkest possibilities of super hero fiction with his work on Miracleman, Book One: A Dream of Flying. In the series, he portrayed the inevitable dislocation from normal humankind that would likely occur should someone attain powers like that of say, Superman. In the mid-80s he brought the question to the forefront of mainstream American comics when he published the 12 part series Watchmen. For better or worse, superhero comics have existed under the umbrella of what Moore has done ever since. Many of the products of this legacy have been atrocious. But there have been gems too.
A God Somewhere by John Arcudi is one of the gems. The story is told through the eyes of Sam, whose best friend Eric receives incomparable powers after a strange explosion hits his apartment building. At first Eric does what any character in a superhero universe would do; he uses his newfound abilities to rescue people in danger and stop bad guys from doing bad things. But as the awesome weight of these changes sink in, Eric's humanity slips away and the narrative changes from that of a superhero origin story to one of a natural disaster. Eric abruptly becomes a monster who inflicts unparalleled levels of suffering upon mankind.
Many negative reviews I've read have focused on the unanswered questions and Eric's incomprehensible motivations. They have talked about his abrupt change from a normal southern California dude, to a budding superhero, to a force of nature completely divorced from his humanity. These reviews are correct: we don't get to view Eric's inner world and the process feels abrupt and inexplicable. But that is the point. As Eric tells Sam long after his transformation is complete, those questions can't be answered so it's not worth even trying. We do get a handful of cryptic statements from Eric to clue us in to the incomprehensibility of his motivations, and here Arcudi has the courage to trust his readers to fill in the details as they see fit. But for the most part, the reader is left to feel like an ant watching a toddler stomp his colony to oblivion for reasons that would surely make no sense to insect-kind.
Arcudi's use of Sam as his POV character is wise here as any attempts to tell the story from Eric's point of view would render the entire point of this story's purpose completely obsolete. We are not meant to understand Eric's mind, because we are incapable of seeing through the eyes of the god/monster he has become.
A God Somewhere is unsettling and does leave the reader with more questions than answers. This has obviously turned off a lot of readers and if you are looking for a tidy story, you should look elsewhere. However, if you are interested in a tale that begins a conversation and leaves the rest up to you, then pick this book up.
Also, if you like the artwork common in the Mignolaverse (Arcudi did not illustrate this story, but has illustrated for Hellboy and B.P.R.D.) you will enjoy the dark tones and thick line drawings in this book.
A God Somewhere by John Arcudi is one of the gems. The story is told through the eyes of Sam, whose best friend Eric receives incomparable powers after a strange explosion hits his apartment building. At first Eric does what any character in a superhero universe would do; he uses his newfound abilities to rescue people in danger and stop bad guys from doing bad things. But as the awesome weight of these changes sink in, Eric's humanity slips away and the narrative changes from that of a superhero origin story to one of a natural disaster. Eric abruptly becomes a monster who inflicts unparalleled levels of suffering upon mankind.
Many negative reviews I've read have focused on the unanswered questions and Eric's incomprehensible motivations. They have talked about his abrupt change from a normal southern California dude, to a budding superhero, to a force of nature completely divorced from his humanity. These reviews are correct: we don't get to view Eric's inner world and the process feels abrupt and inexplicable. But that is the point. As Eric tells Sam long after his transformation is complete, those questions can't be answered so it's not worth even trying. We do get a handful of cryptic statements from Eric to clue us in to the incomprehensibility of his motivations, and here Arcudi has the courage to trust his readers to fill in the details as they see fit. But for the most part, the reader is left to feel like an ant watching a toddler stomp his colony to oblivion for reasons that would surely make no sense to insect-kind.
Arcudi's use of Sam as his POV character is wise here as any attempts to tell the story from Eric's point of view would render the entire point of this story's purpose completely obsolete. We are not meant to understand Eric's mind, because we are incapable of seeing through the eyes of the god/monster he has become.
A God Somewhere is unsettling and does leave the reader with more questions than answers. This has obviously turned off a lot of readers and if you are looking for a tidy story, you should look elsewhere. However, if you are interested in a tale that begins a conversation and leaves the rest up to you, then pick this book up.
Also, if you like the artwork common in the Mignolaverse (Arcudi did not illustrate this story, but has illustrated for Hellboy and B.P.R.D.) you will enjoy the dark tones and thick line drawings in this book.
November 21, 2023
Um Deus em Algum Lugar de John Arcudi é provavelmente uma das histórias mais perturbadoras sobre racismo e xenofobia. A despeito da premissa girar em torno de um rapaz que recebe poderes, e em certa medida ser uma versão assustadora da fábula do super herói. Em certa medida a desconstrução da imagem do super herói lembra The Boys de Garth Ennis, mas aqui o dilema é mais intimista e trágico.
A violência gráfica da história trás alguma dificuldades ao leitor e de certa forma o afasta dos temas tratados, ao mesmo tempo faz bastante sentido que alguém “agraciado” com poderes divinos cedo ou tarde tenha dificuldades em lidar com seus agora não semelhantes. O autor o tempo todo usa de uma certa ironia, já que o protagonista aos poucos adquire as características físicas do “messias” padrão.
Para além da relação entre o “super homem” e os humanos comuns, não tem como ignorar o fato do narrador da história ser negro e existir uma tensão entre dois personagens brancos e dois personagens negros na narrativa, os dois últimos envolvidos em episódios extremamente violentos. É difícil não pensar que a relação entre o protagonista e os humanos não seja uma paródia irônica e por vezes cruel da dinâmica racista do americano médio.
Um Deus Em Algum Lugar portanto pode ser lida sob duas óticas complementares, sendo uma graphic bem interessante, mas que deixará o leitor incomodado, o autor não se preocupa em dar maiores explicações do porquê da transformação ou atitudes do protagonista e sua conclusão é bastante amarga.
A violência gráfica da história trás alguma dificuldades ao leitor e de certa forma o afasta dos temas tratados, ao mesmo tempo faz bastante sentido que alguém “agraciado” com poderes divinos cedo ou tarde tenha dificuldades em lidar com seus agora não semelhantes. O autor o tempo todo usa de uma certa ironia, já que o protagonista aos poucos adquire as características físicas do “messias” padrão.
Para além da relação entre o “super homem” e os humanos comuns, não tem como ignorar o fato do narrador da história ser negro e existir uma tensão entre dois personagens brancos e dois personagens negros na narrativa, os dois últimos envolvidos em episódios extremamente violentos. É difícil não pensar que a relação entre o protagonista e os humanos não seja uma paródia irônica e por vezes cruel da dinâmica racista do americano médio.
Um Deus Em Algum Lugar portanto pode ser lida sob duas óticas complementares, sendo uma graphic bem interessante, mas que deixará o leitor incomodado, o autor não se preocupa em dar maiores explicações do porquê da transformação ou atitudes do protagonista e sua conclusão é bastante amarga.
Read
December 29, 2024For my money this is the best "what if superheros but real" story.
Dark, grim and ugly at times but this is a mature story which uses a hair touch towards fantasy to explore the effects of power, how absolute strength seperates the individual from empathy and the lifelong echos of violence.
Artwork is brilliant, expressive while maintain a clear-eyed realism. Even though features are slightoly exaggerated everyone in this looks and sounds real, like they're just people.
If you get what I get from it, you'll close this feeling a bit sick and contemplative towards the nature of war and ego.
Very good stuff, I will continue to champion it.
Dark, grim and ugly at times but this is a mature story which uses a hair touch towards fantasy to explore the effects of power, how absolute strength seperates the individual from empathy and the lifelong echos of violence.
Artwork is brilliant, expressive while maintain a clear-eyed realism. Even though features are slightoly exaggerated everyone in this looks and sounds real, like they're just people.
If you get what I get from it, you'll close this feeling a bit sick and contemplative towards the nature of war and ego.
Very good stuff, I will continue to champion it.
June 7, 2019
”You think God has to be pure good, rather than the god of all things. That’s why you’re having ’trouble’.”
Enjoyed the discussion on God and suffering as well as Eric’s character, but the plot was pretty typical and the only female character exists solely to be an object of male desire and fridging. Some cool brutal imagery, and altogether fine quick read.
Enjoyed the discussion on God and suffering as well as Eric’s character, but the plot was pretty typical and the only female character exists solely to be an object of male desire and fridging. Some cool brutal imagery, and altogether fine quick read.
November 9, 2024
Loved it
October 1, 2014
Peter Snejbjerg has long been a member of the elite team of artists assembled by Mike Mignola to illustrate the various titles that make up the Hellboy-BPRD universe, pound-for-pound the most talented group of pencil-wielding warriors in mainstream comics. John Arcudi has been the mind behind most of the excellent scripts and storylines, working with the skeletal narrative architecture bolted together by Mignola. He has proven himself to be one of the best and most under-rated writers in comics, crafting unpredictable and shocking supernatural horror that displays a remarkable comfort with slow-burning, character-driven suspense and world-encompassing, plot-heavy epics involving huge casts. His collaboration with artist Guy Davis on 'BPRD: Plague of Frogs' (which includes the last three of the four volume omnibus series collecting the entire storyline) was one of those comic partnerships that transcended the artistic compromises of the assembly-line method, a true synthesis of ideas from two masters of the form.
Arcudi and Snejbjerg accomplish the same feat here, re-imagining the Marvel Universe's version of the Norse god Thor in a realistic world in which superheroes are just a fantasy, and gods are a relic of our pagan origins. A good-natured, morally grounded young man is inexplicably given superhuman abilities in a violent eruption of energy that destroys his apartment building. As he struggles to save those hurt in the blast, his exponentially increased strength, invulnerability, and power of flight are revealed to the world by the reporters and cameras on the scene. As his best friend, his brother, and his brother's wife watch helplessly, the protagonist gradually loses touch with his own humanity, his deeply felt Christian faith twisting into a conviction of his own divinity. In what is one of the most violent, shocking, and horrific takes on the reality of power, Arcudi and Snejbjerg refuse to let the reader look away as the tiny fears and jealousies that afflict the best of us consume an otherwise 'good man'. He no longer has an incentive to keep himself in check, and the onetime hero and celebrity becomes a monster, declaring war on the human race.
The parallel to Thor is obvious, and this story may have began as an idea for a non-continuity Marvel mini-series. It works far better as the 'R-rated' graphic novel it ended up as, given the grim realism that is so necessary to its emotional impact. Arcudi's pessimistic view of human nature is reminiscent of the themes explored in Katsuhiro Otomo's manga masterpiece 'Akira', particularly the madness that mirrors Tetsuo's increasingly god-like powers. The brutality of the story is perfectly rendered in Snejbjerg's crisp, clean lines, and the horrific violence cannot be overstated; combined with the raw emotions of the story, the gore is incredibly disturbing. Arcudi and Snejbjerg are determined to make the reader feel the consequences of power and battle, instead of glossing over it like so many other titles. It's not as unsettling as 'Crossed', but I found it to be a heavier read than 'The Walking Dead', so this is not for people with weak stomachs.
Arcudi and Snejbjerg accomplish the same feat here, re-imagining the Marvel Universe's version of the Norse god Thor in a realistic world in which superheroes are just a fantasy, and gods are a relic of our pagan origins. A good-natured, morally grounded young man is inexplicably given superhuman abilities in a violent eruption of energy that destroys his apartment building. As he struggles to save those hurt in the blast, his exponentially increased strength, invulnerability, and power of flight are revealed to the world by the reporters and cameras on the scene. As his best friend, his brother, and his brother's wife watch helplessly, the protagonist gradually loses touch with his own humanity, his deeply felt Christian faith twisting into a conviction of his own divinity. In what is one of the most violent, shocking, and horrific takes on the reality of power, Arcudi and Snejbjerg refuse to let the reader look away as the tiny fears and jealousies that afflict the best of us consume an otherwise 'good man'. He no longer has an incentive to keep himself in check, and the onetime hero and celebrity becomes a monster, declaring war on the human race.
The parallel to Thor is obvious, and this story may have began as an idea for a non-continuity Marvel mini-series. It works far better as the 'R-rated' graphic novel it ended up as, given the grim realism that is so necessary to its emotional impact. Arcudi's pessimistic view of human nature is reminiscent of the themes explored in Katsuhiro Otomo's manga masterpiece 'Akira', particularly the madness that mirrors Tetsuo's increasingly god-like powers. The brutality of the story is perfectly rendered in Snejbjerg's crisp, clean lines, and the horrific violence cannot be overstated; combined with the raw emotions of the story, the gore is incredibly disturbing. Arcudi and Snejbjerg are determined to make the reader feel the consequences of power and battle, instead of glossing over it like so many other titles. It's not as unsettling as 'Crossed', but I found it to be a heavier read than 'The Walking Dead', so this is not for people with weak stomachs.
July 8, 2010
"A God Somewhere" is unquestionably a very accomplished work. John Arcudi's story about a man losing his humanity after recieving super powers is an interesting one. Shifting the point-of-view from super man, Eric, to friend, Sam, is a very humanizing one. The relationship between brothers Eric and Hugh is well fleshed out and the directions the story takes are genuinely surprising and satisfying. Artist Peter Snejbjerg also deserves some of the credit for some stark and haunting illustrations that bring a creepy vibrancy to the proceedings.
The thing that drags this from a 4-star to a 3-star review is the very thing that has plagued a lot of the better graphic novels to hit the shelves in recent years: Brevity. Another reviewer compared "A God Somewhere" with "Watchmen", which is utterly absurd. "Watchmen" is 400 densely packed pages that take a few days to get through. It gives itself time to establish a complex plot with complex characters and complex resolutions.
"A God Somewhere" can be read in one sitting, and basically feels like a extra-sized issue of a regular (albeit well-written) comic book. Its there, then its done, and left me a little unsatisfied. Its very similar to how I felt after reading Alex Robinson's "Too Cool to Be Forgotten" and Brian K. Vaughan's critically-acclaimed "Pride of Baghdad". Like "A God Somewhere", both were accomplished work that showed off both interesting writing and attractive art, but both also were so brief they barely registered a few days after reading. I actually just noticed that I didn't even have "Pride of Baghdad" marked as 'read' here on GoodReads. I recall now that, at the time, I didn't feel it was substantial enough to mark.
As a work of art, I absolutely appreciate everything about "A God Somewhere". But I think I'd have been more satisfied if I'd picked this up at the comic shop for $7 or $8 bucks instead of from Barnes & Noble for $15.
If you want a graphic novel that has some more emotional weight (and literal heft), I'd recommend David Mazzuchelli's "Asteryios Polyp" or David Small's "Stitches", both recently released. Or the older "Blankets" or "Box Office Poison".
"A God Somewhere" is good, just too brief.
The thing that drags this from a 4-star to a 3-star review is the very thing that has plagued a lot of the better graphic novels to hit the shelves in recent years: Brevity. Another reviewer compared "A God Somewhere" with "Watchmen", which is utterly absurd. "Watchmen" is 400 densely packed pages that take a few days to get through. It gives itself time to establish a complex plot with complex characters and complex resolutions.
"A God Somewhere" can be read in one sitting, and basically feels like a extra-sized issue of a regular (albeit well-written) comic book. Its there, then its done, and left me a little unsatisfied. Its very similar to how I felt after reading Alex Robinson's "Too Cool to Be Forgotten" and Brian K. Vaughan's critically-acclaimed "Pride of Baghdad". Like "A God Somewhere", both were accomplished work that showed off both interesting writing and attractive art, but both also were so brief they barely registered a few days after reading. I actually just noticed that I didn't even have "Pride of Baghdad" marked as 'read' here on GoodReads. I recall now that, at the time, I didn't feel it was substantial enough to mark.
As a work of art, I absolutely appreciate everything about "A God Somewhere". But I think I'd have been more satisfied if I'd picked this up at the comic shop for $7 or $8 bucks instead of from Barnes & Noble for $15.
If you want a graphic novel that has some more emotional weight (and literal heft), I'd recommend David Mazzuchelli's "Asteryios Polyp" or David Small's "Stitches", both recently released. Or the older "Blankets" or "Box Office Poison".
"A God Somewhere" is good, just too brief.
May 24, 2011
I honestly don't know what prompted me to read this graphic novel. One day last week, I got an email notification from my library telling me I had reserved it and it was waiting for me, so I figured I must know what I like to read, whether I remember reserving it or not...so I shrugged off my sign of early senility and cracked the spine on this one. It wasn't a bad read at all - it was engaging, with characters I came to care about, flawed as they were, both intentionally and unintentionally.
Without spoiling anything, this is essentially a story about a Superman gone terribly wrong, told with a very real-world sensibility. There's more - lots more - but that's the basic premise.
I think the creative team on this comic mini-series did a fantastic job of creating characters who were just plain joes, with histories and relationships and personalities that feel genuine and relatable. At times, I felt the scripting became all TOO relatable, to the point of becoming mundane and droney...but hey, how often does a comic book err on the side of realism? This one does. And it doesn't always work. But ya know what? The story commits to its town. And overall, the commitment to realistic characterization pays off.
This is a particularly gory morality tale based on the old "absolute power corrupts absolutely" maxim, and to its credit I think the gore, while extremely graphic, is more effective than it is gratuitous. The story gains a momentum of tragedy and gravity, and its horrors are displayed less for shock value, more for empathy. We feel the dark clouds settling over our heads as the story progresses, undeniably.
Does the story succeed in cautioning us? I have to say, I'm not sold on the moral of this story, although I suppose it raises a fair possibility in the timeworn Superman myth.
Overall, a good read and a fast read. See if your library has it.
Without spoiling anything, this is essentially a story about a Superman gone terribly wrong, told with a very real-world sensibility. There's more - lots more - but that's the basic premise.
I think the creative team on this comic mini-series did a fantastic job of creating characters who were just plain joes, with histories and relationships and personalities that feel genuine and relatable. At times, I felt the scripting became all TOO relatable, to the point of becoming mundane and droney...but hey, how often does a comic book err on the side of realism? This one does. And it doesn't always work. But ya know what? The story commits to its town. And overall, the commitment to realistic characterization pays off.
This is a particularly gory morality tale based on the old "absolute power corrupts absolutely" maxim, and to its credit I think the gore, while extremely graphic, is more effective than it is gratuitous. The story gains a momentum of tragedy and gravity, and its horrors are displayed less for shock value, more for empathy. We feel the dark clouds settling over our heads as the story progresses, undeniably.
Does the story succeed in cautioning us? I have to say, I'm not sold on the moral of this story, although I suppose it raises a fair possibility in the timeworn Superman myth.
Overall, a good read and a fast read. See if your library has it.
April 4, 2020
There's a reference to 47. Always appreciated. The main character's behaviour took a turn for the worse a bit too rapidly for my taste. From a dream, no less. Still, the carnage was nice and over-the-top. The focus on relationships and human behavior rivals that of the X-Men easily, so the story is a bit more mature.
Hugh, his brother Eric and Sam have been friends for years. A freak explosion in Eric's building results in major damage and many casualties. Eric helps out and reveals he has superhuman speed, strength and he can fly. His newfound power is a blessing at first, but his human understanding of it will not bode well the people around him.
Hugh, his brother Eric and Sam have been friends for years. A freak explosion in Eric's building results in major damage and many casualties. Eric helps out and reveals he has superhuman speed, strength and he can fly. His newfound power is a blessing at first, but his human understanding of it will not bode well the people around him.
July 13, 2017
I gave this three stars because it includes something I hold near and dear to my heart (I call it friend betrayal, and I've loved it since the ye old days of Cutter and Skywise). It also includes a lot of themes that I think about a lot myself: the inconsequentiality of any one life, the impact that any one life can nevertheless have, the importance of human relationships, fragility of life.
I gave this only three stars for two big reasons - first, there are two just named female characters in this book with any importance to the plot. One is a mother, one is a wife; the wife is raped at one point. Neither woman has a life outside of the men around her, neither talks about anything but these men, neither have any time devoted to their development as people outside of Women In Relation To Their Men. Dear male comic book artists: Women are people! Radical thought, I know, but it's true!
In relation to the above, I also feel like this entire comic could have benefited from a longer format. The authors had to prioritize the development of some characters over others (naturally, the men), and even that development was rather rushed because 200 pages is not a lot of room, considering how much is contained in this book. The moral messages of the story overtook the characters in a lot of ways -- which I didn't mind terribly, but as other reviews have noted, this leaves the book feeling flat.
Worth a read, worth re-reading in order to pick up nuances you may have missed the first time around.
I gave this only three stars for two big reasons - first, there are two just named female characters in this book with any importance to the plot. One is a mother, one is a wife; the wife is raped at one point. Neither woman has a life outside of the men around her, neither talks about anything but these men, neither have any time devoted to their development as people outside of Women In Relation To Their Men. Dear male comic book artists: Women are people! Radical thought, I know, but it's true!
In relation to the above, I also feel like this entire comic could have benefited from a longer format. The authors had to prioritize the development of some characters over others (naturally, the men), and even that development was rather rushed because 200 pages is not a lot of room, considering how much is contained in this book. The moral messages of the story overtook the characters in a lot of ways -- which I didn't mind terribly, but as other reviews have noted, this leaves the book feeling flat.
Worth a read, worth re-reading in order to pick up nuances you may have missed the first time around.
June 27, 2010
This is perhaps one of the best graphic novels I have read since Alan Moore's "The Watchmen." This is truly a novel in the sense of the word, not some collected arc from a series, but an out and out, human story.
From a simple group of two brothers and their friend who are all tight evolving, separating, as one brother is "blessed" with superhuman powers, and becomes distant and disillusioned, and finally a mass murder.
The pages are so intense, so full of passion, agony, pain, and hope. I felt my pulse rise at parts in anger at the characters, in shared confusion of the characters. Brilliant writing by Arcudi and amazing art by Snejbjerg. At first I thought the art would keep me out of the story, but after the first few pages, I was hooked.
This is a story so human, so rife with flaws, that it hurts to read sometimes. It has sidebar issues of faith and the human condition but the focus is on the characters and their voice. Arcudi provides dialog providing food for thought without offering clear cut conclusions.
It is a book to make you think and it will stick with you. Well worth the read.
From a simple group of two brothers and their friend who are all tight evolving, separating, as one brother is "blessed" with superhuman powers, and becomes distant and disillusioned, and finally a mass murder.
The pages are so intense, so full of passion, agony, pain, and hope. I felt my pulse rise at parts in anger at the characters, in shared confusion of the characters. Brilliant writing by Arcudi and amazing art by Snejbjerg. At first I thought the art would keep me out of the story, but after the first few pages, I was hooked.
This is a story so human, so rife with flaws, that it hurts to read sometimes. It has sidebar issues of faith and the human condition but the focus is on the characters and their voice. Arcudi provides dialog providing food for thought without offering clear cut conclusions.
It is a book to make you think and it will stick with you. Well worth the read.
December 7, 2013
"A God Somewhere" raises a big questions: Does power comes with responsibilities, and what those responsibilities are?; Where is the border between good and evil?; What's the purpose of human existence?
Eric, the protagonist of this story is somebody in who we can recognize ourselves and because of that we can relate to his transformation from saving angel to a murdering psychopath. That transformation is the main plot-line of the story, but the story really becomes great only when all subtext and sub-plot comes into it.
"A God Somewhere" is a story about God that is not abstract and forgiving, but omnipotent, present and human-like. Every human has potential to do good, but also there is a limitless potential for wrong-doing. Eric is an image of that breakdown.
Unfortunately, that's a kind of breakdown we can see everywhere around us. It happens all the time. Is there God somewhere? Would God allow such a thing, and why we all think that God is a good guy. Maybe it's better to leave those questions unanswered. Curiosity, as you know, killed the cat.
Eric, the protagonist of this story is somebody in who we can recognize ourselves and because of that we can relate to his transformation from saving angel to a murdering psychopath. That transformation is the main plot-line of the story, but the story really becomes great only when all subtext and sub-plot comes into it.
"A God Somewhere" is a story about God that is not abstract and forgiving, but omnipotent, present and human-like. Every human has potential to do good, but also there is a limitless potential for wrong-doing. Eric is an image of that breakdown.
Unfortunately, that's a kind of breakdown we can see everywhere around us. It happens all the time. Is there God somewhere? Would God allow such a thing, and why we all think that God is a good guy. Maybe it's better to leave those questions unanswered. Curiosity, as you know, killed the cat.
Read
November 25, 2025Terrible! The Mike Mignola blurb really conned me (“the most human take”? Mignola surely has met Alan Moore, right? Or picked up an issue of Astro City?? Or watched the Incredibles????). Thin, inconsistent, unlikeable, uninteresting characters, no discernible themes, frequently expositional dialogue, and no explanation for why anyone does anything. Cartoonishly immature treatment of the sole main female character, whose only trait is she is hot and all three of the male main characters are in love with her because she is hot, and then one of them rapes her. Arcudi at least knows how to make a page readable, so I blew right through this unable to look away, as if it were a car crash, or perhaps a snuff film.
At least a Mark Millar comic has silly caricatures.
At least a Mark Millar comic has silly caricatures.
March 15, 2011
Good art and interesting story, though why Eric fell so far and so quickly is never really explained or even hinted at. Why he would start killing people after his short career as a hero is not clear. But there's a lot of great scenes of gruesome destruction and people dying horribly at his hands. I just wish the whole thing were a bit more resonant and understandable. In a lot of ways, this isn't really too different from Irredeemable, Mark Waid's comic.
April 4, 2018
This is a good book. So a guy gets superpowers, and it goes to his head. It's realistic, and yes, tragic, but has an emotional heft that few of these "realistic superhero" comics ever come close to attaining. Arcudi uses the guy's best friend as the focal character, so we're blocked out from Eric, the superpowered guy, trying to imagine what he's experiencing. Snejbjreg, of course, makes it look great, and Arcudi delivers a strong script. Worth a look.
March 7, 2024
Please consider my reading comprehension is apparently lower than I'd like to imagine.
Fantastic art that reminds me a bit of Goran Parlov.
Initial set up is compelling enough. Will they buy a sailboat? One member leaves only for his apartment complex to explode, leaving him with telekinesis, pyrokinesis, flight, and a force field.
Why? I have no idea. What have him the powers? I don't know. (Maybe I missed the explanations)
The now-superhero character quickly becomes disillusioned with his lot in life and humanity. He begins judging people and altering his views based on hallucinations and dreams he has. He learns his brother is more scared of his new powers than of criminals, which I suppose snaps the last thread in his tenuous connection to reality?
He obviously decides to give his brother, and everyone else on the planet, something to really fear. Much ( well rendered ) violence follows.
Superman gone bad eventually stops raging against humanity and all its failings and nukes himself.
His brother and sister in law end the story miserable in what remains of their lives. His best friend survives and ends up with the sailboat in what I assume is supposed to show us that people can and do move on after seeing horrible things.
I wasn't a huge fan. Deeper thinkers than me should read it and form their own opinion.
Fantastic art that reminds me a bit of Goran Parlov.
Initial set up is compelling enough. Will they buy a sailboat? One member leaves only for his apartment complex to explode, leaving him with telekinesis, pyrokinesis, flight, and a force field.
Why? I have no idea. What have him the powers? I don't know. (Maybe I missed the explanations)
The now-superhero character quickly becomes disillusioned with his lot in life and humanity. He begins judging people and altering his views based on hallucinations and dreams he has. He learns his brother is more scared of his new powers than of criminals, which I suppose snaps the last thread in his tenuous connection to reality?
He obviously decides to give his brother, and everyone else on the planet, something to really fear. Much ( well rendered ) violence follows.
Superman gone bad eventually stops raging against humanity and all its failings and nukes himself.
His brother and sister in law end the story miserable in what remains of their lives. His best friend survives and ends up with the sailboat in what I assume is supposed to show us that people can and do move on after seeing horrible things.
I wasn't a huge fan. Deeper thinkers than me should read it and form their own opinion.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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