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Let Us Be Perfectly Clear
A cornucopia of existentialism, formal innovation and stylistic experimentation. Let Us Be Perfectly Clear is a collection of Paul Hornschemeier's full-color short stories and shows off his playful experimental side and his protean stylistic verve. Perfectly Clear brings back into print stories that Hornschemeier published prior to his Three Paradoxes Fantagraphics debut from a variety of sources―his own self-published Forlorn Funnies , as well as strips that originally appeared in independent magazines and papers―none of which has been available to the book trade.
The book is designed as a "flip book" in the tradition of the old Ace paperbacks, with one side featuring comedic work (or as comedic as Hornschemeier's mind allows), and the other decidedly more morose. With almost every page, we see a new style, a new direction; with the resultant effect being that of an anthology by creators of vastly contrasting sensibilities.
On the "funny" menu, we are treated to Dr. Rodentia (an unfortunate-looking fellow with only apathy as his weapon), a detailed artist's catalogue exploring such modern masterpieces as "Accidental Late-Night Sex With a Radiator," musings on the cancerous nature of civilization as observed by a deceased cat and a cotton-based airbus, the scatological "Feelings Check," the ever pathetic Vanderbilt Millions and his fantasies of self-worth, and the multi-narrative story that started the Forlorn Funnies comics series: "The Men and Women of the Television."
Clearly, there is a fine line in the Hornschemeier lexicon between funny and morose.
On our "forlorn" plate we are served the cold examination of the dyslexic narcoleptic and his bungled plans of murder, a sea creature's balancing of morality and sustenance, the Western romance "Wanted," a metal man's self-destructive search for meaning, and the story the alternative website Ain't It Cool News describes as delivering "a complicated mixture of disgust and pity."
Let Us Be Perfectly Clear demonstrates Paul Hornschemeier's versatility and breadth in an elegantly produced book that will appeal to connoisseurs of contemporary, cutting-edge cartoons and graphic novels. Full-color comics throughout
The book is designed as a "flip book" in the tradition of the old Ace paperbacks, with one side featuring comedic work (or as comedic as Hornschemeier's mind allows), and the other decidedly more morose. With almost every page, we see a new style, a new direction; with the resultant effect being that of an anthology by creators of vastly contrasting sensibilities.
On the "funny" menu, we are treated to Dr. Rodentia (an unfortunate-looking fellow with only apathy as his weapon), a detailed artist's catalogue exploring such modern masterpieces as "Accidental Late-Night Sex With a Radiator," musings on the cancerous nature of civilization as observed by a deceased cat and a cotton-based airbus, the scatological "Feelings Check," the ever pathetic Vanderbilt Millions and his fantasies of self-worth, and the multi-narrative story that started the Forlorn Funnies comics series: "The Men and Women of the Television."
Clearly, there is a fine line in the Hornschemeier lexicon between funny and morose.
On our "forlorn" plate we are served the cold examination of the dyslexic narcoleptic and his bungled plans of murder, a sea creature's balancing of morality and sustenance, the Western romance "Wanted," a metal man's self-destructive search for meaning, and the story the alternative website Ain't It Cool News describes as delivering "a complicated mixture of disgust and pity."
Let Us Be Perfectly Clear demonstrates Paul Hornschemeier's versatility and breadth in an elegantly produced book that will appeal to connoisseurs of contemporary, cutting-edge cartoons and graphic novels. Full-color comics throughout
136 pages, Hardcover
First published November 22, 2006
2 people are currently reading
78 people want to read
About the author
Paul Hornschemeier
49 books64 followersPaul Hornschemeier was born in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1977 and raised in nearby rural Georgetown, Ohio. As a child he liked to draw, dreaming that he might publish his own comic books one day. While majoring in philosophy and psychology at The Ohio State University, Hornschemeier was introduced to the graphic novel Ghost World by Daniel Clowes and began exploring underground and literary comics. He saw that comics could be a venue for exploring issues from his studies and other interests, and within a year he began publishing his own black and white comics, under the banner "Sequential". Those early experimental works have since been compiled by AdHouse Books under the title The Collected Sequential. After graduation from college, Hornschemeier began using colors in his comics. In 2001, after moving to Chicago, he self-published the final issue of "Sequential," and began publishing the full-color comics series "Forlorn Funnies" with (now defunct) Absence of Ink Press. In 2003, Dark Horse Comics published his first graphic novel titled Mother, Come Home.
In 2007 Hornschemeier colored the Marvel mini-series Omega The Unknown.
Hornschemeier also sang and played guitar for the now defunct band Arks.
In 2007 Hornschemeier colored the Marvel mini-series Omega The Unknown.
Hornschemeier also sang and played guitar for the now defunct band Arks.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
August 19, 2019
Perfectly Clear collects various short strips, most of which I found to be just okay (3 stars). Let Us Be includes several longer, more developed stories of an overall stronger caliber (4 stars). I liked the flip book presentation, but the design elements didn't add much to the general appeal for me. I recall having a similar reaction to Hornschemeier's The Three Paradoxes, which also excels in the 'book as art object' category, but does not deliver the same level of depth I was hoping for in terms of content.
August 31, 2008
I wish I could have changed the order I read Hornschemeier's stuff into this order:
First - Let Us Be Perfectly Clear
Second - The Three Paradoxes
Third - Mother, Come Home
This is ideal (for me) because I would have started with his shorter, less epic work and progressed into his beautifully written and drawn Mother, Come Home.
Instead I read his stuff like this:
First - Mother, Come Home
Second - The Three Paradoxes
Third - Let Us Be Perfectly Clear
So, while I thought it had merit, Let Us Be...wasn't the note I wanted to end on.
First - Let Us Be Perfectly Clear
Second - The Three Paradoxes
Third - Mother, Come Home
This is ideal (for me) because I would have started with his shorter, less epic work and progressed into his beautifully written and drawn Mother, Come Home.
Instead I read his stuff like this:
First - Mother, Come Home
Second - The Three Paradoxes
Third - Let Us Be Perfectly Clear
So, while I thought it had merit, Let Us Be...wasn't the note I wanted to end on.
December 30, 2012
A collection of short pieces. There are two books bound together, you need to flip the book to read either half. in the side "Let us be" there is a very existential story about a robot lost in the desert which is quite nice. In the other half (Perfectly Clear) there is a confusing story about a couple and their relationship.
February 6, 2010
Incredible illustration, really neat layouts, hit-and-miss stories.
August 6, 2022
Hornschemeier's "Mother Come Home" stood out to me. I don't know if that's why I chose this book, or if the variety seemed interesting while flipping through the pages. I can't tell what the auteur thinks of relationships, if we're to take much of this work seriously, or if he's simply playing with ideas to see where they go. Some of this work is certainly musings on art, art comics, critics, and philosophy. The first story, "The Trespassing Vehicles," has an indie movie feel, as we witness a double murder that ----, and where it seems the couple will be unhappy whatever happens to them. I could imagine someone such as Tilda Swinton narrating the story in a "Stranger Than Fiction" sort of way. "Underneath" has such neat creatures and the coloring fits this weird little story of an arctic and underwater biome. "We Were Not Made for This World" features a robot seeking a world beyond what it knew for most of its existence. I imagine one could identify with the robot and its journey. "Return of the Elephant" is the story that caused much discomfort. While it's possible the story isn't as creepy and transgressive as it seems, Hornschemeier gives enough detail to lead us toward what might be the worst case scenario. Does my interpretation of the story say more about me and my outlook on humanity, or is the auteur aiming for this particular result? I wonder what others' interpretations of this story are. And just like that, the first half of this flipbook comes to a conclusion--what a mind fuck. Flipping to the other side, "America, Your Boyfriend" is a sadly hilarious critique of American foreign and domestic policies. "The World Will Never Be the Same" reflects the static quality of people not giving a shit, stuck in their small perspectives, with small hearts, with perhaps some flavoring of cognitive dissonance. The highlight of my experience with this book is "Men and Women of the Television," specifically "The Bad Man" portion, in which the dialogue of the mustachioed villain is fucking hilarious. I'm reminded of the crooked Hedley Lamarr in "Blazing Saddles," with his over the top language. He's so erudite and self-aware and can't break out of his patterns despite this awareness, and thus comes off as such a prick.
PS: This "review" is mostly for my own reference, but if you find it useful, hoorah!
PS: This "review" is mostly for my own reference, but if you find it useful, hoorah!
June 22, 2023
I like Paul Hornschemeier's approach to comics since everything I've read by him comes across as someone trying to tell as authentic of a story as possible. His other works I've read like "Mother Come Home" and "Three Paradoxes" were strong entries as he was able to translate experiences into the medium readily. This book collects a bunch of strips that are evocative of similar ideas explored in Hornschemeier's lengthier works, but since they are rather brief in their telling the stories don't all quite have much impact to them. It's still an enjoyable collection as a whole, but not much really stood out to me as I read through this. A good way to sample his work I'm sure, but he's made stronger contributions with other books for sure.
September 30, 2020
I keep fluctuating between 3-stars and 4-stars.
The drawing is varied in inventive ways at times. Some of
The stories were interesting. Some seemed like half-finished bits that were just thrown into a book.
I did not read the robot story because the cursive was hard to read.
I guess the bottom line is the art was cool and you can see this author/artist growing into something really awesome, of Chris Ware caliber maybe. But the writing needs a bit of work.
The drawing is varied in inventive ways at times. Some of
The stories were interesting. Some seemed like half-finished bits that were just thrown into a book.
I did not read the robot story because the cursive was hard to read.
I guess the bottom line is the art was cool and you can see this author/artist growing into something really awesome, of Chris Ware caliber maybe. But the writing needs a bit of work.
August 2, 2018
I get that these stories are intentionally odd, and that it is a compilation and therefore the works did not originally go together, but these pieces don't mesh at all, and are not solid enough in any sense to stand on their own. I felt odd while reading and after. There are a lot of graphic novels worth reading. This one is not one of them.
August 4, 2017
This was a compilation of the author's works. Hornschemeier is a gifted artist without doubt. But this book (again, I realize that it was a compilation, a sampling) felt very disjointed.
January 6, 2018
Weird and morose, especially the Let Us Be section. But great. Hornschmeier is the most existential of the three famous Chicago cartoonists. And he is great.
April 15, 2023
I don’t. I do.
October 14, 2025
The art reminded me of Chris Ware. Some stories were confusing, but I guess that was the point, to promote imagination among the readers ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
July 13, 2008
This is a collection of shorts from the writer/artist who wrote first gained popularity with the graphic novel Mother, Come Home.
Hornschemeier's work is often surreal and completely bizarre. While I loved this collection, I recommend it with some hesitation: it's quite strange, dealing with some pretty dark topics. One short story involves a man getting off work early to meet a "cousin" who turns out to be a child pornography dealer. The way Hornschemeier tells the story is completely terrifying, yet the horror of the story is completely a work of filling in the dots. He doesn't exactly say what's going on.
The collection as a whole shows Hornschemeier to be amazingly inventive and creative, a truly unique artistic talent. I would definitely read Mother, Come Home first. However, if you like what you read in that graphic novel, this Let Us Be Perfectly Clear would be a terrific second experience.
Hornschemeier's work is often surreal and completely bizarre. While I loved this collection, I recommend it with some hesitation: it's quite strange, dealing with some pretty dark topics. One short story involves a man getting off work early to meet a "cousin" who turns out to be a child pornography dealer. The way Hornschemeier tells the story is completely terrifying, yet the horror of the story is completely a work of filling in the dots. He doesn't exactly say what's going on.
The collection as a whole shows Hornschemeier to be amazingly inventive and creative, a truly unique artistic talent. I would definitely read Mother, Come Home first. However, if you like what you read in that graphic novel, this Let Us Be Perfectly Clear would be a terrific second experience.
August 8, 2013
Paul Hornschemeier's second strongest book after Mother, Come Home. Hornschemeier works best in short, interlinked comics, which wholly comprise this anthology volume, where his illustration and clever transitions are showcased but do not overwhelm longer narratives. Also, he does better work with purely fictional comics, whether long or short. When he tries long-form memoirs, like The Three Paradoxes, the result is dull navel-gazing. So what if young Paul Hornschemeier got into a fight once, and almost had sex-- who cares?
I enjoyed this collection of comics, and the tragic Mother, Come Home. I look forward to more of this sort of work from him.
I enjoyed this collection of comics, and the tragic Mother, Come Home. I look forward to more of this sort of work from him.
February 24, 2012
Let Us Be Perfectly Clear: you need this book.
It's nothing short of brilliant. In fact, I'm willing to go out on a limb and say that I actually think that Horschemeier's experimental forays are qualitatively better than his illustrious predecessor's, Art Spiegelman. By which I mean: yes, Spiegelman was an innovator with the form, but once in a while you felt he was just going through the motions. Whereas young PH seems more driven to tell different kinds of stories in as many different alterations to "the norm" as it will take for him to get his story through to you, the reader.
That made more sense just now when I composed it in my head than it does now that I'm reading what I just typed. Probably should never review books after ten at night.
Anyway, to quote my own standard line here: run right out and buy the damned thing now.
It's nothing short of brilliant. In fact, I'm willing to go out on a limb and say that I actually think that Horschemeier's experimental forays are qualitatively better than his illustrious predecessor's, Art Spiegelman. By which I mean: yes, Spiegelman was an innovator with the form, but once in a while you felt he was just going through the motions. Whereas young PH seems more driven to tell different kinds of stories in as many different alterations to "the norm" as it will take for him to get his story through to you, the reader.
That made more sense just now when I composed it in my head than it does now that I'm reading what I just typed. Probably should never review books after ten at night.
Anyway, to quote my own standard line here: run right out and buy the damned thing now.
June 12, 2014
Book comprised in two parts containing small stories (the book flips upside down in the middle).
Part one, "Let's Us Be", is awesome both graphically and story wise. The robot story is genius. But there are other surreal, fantastic, weird stories here.
Part two, "Perfectly Clear", is the humorous part, but too experimental and inconclusive. I didn't find it particularly funny or interesting, it retains the same surreal elements of part one, some darker than others, but left me more with a surprise felling than a smile or a chuckle. Some stories even look unfinished, although they aren't.
If I was to rate part two alone I probably would give it a 2, but for part 1 I definitely have to rate it with a full 5, and just for that part I'm happy with the book.
Part one, "Let's Us Be", is awesome both graphically and story wise. The robot story is genius. But there are other surreal, fantastic, weird stories here.
Part two, "Perfectly Clear", is the humorous part, but too experimental and inconclusive. I didn't find it particularly funny or interesting, it retains the same surreal elements of part one, some darker than others, but left me more with a surprise felling than a smile or a chuckle. Some stories even look unfinished, although they aren't.
If I was to rate part two alone I probably would give it a 2, but for part 1 I definitely have to rate it with a full 5, and just for that part I'm happy with the book.
July 30, 2007
Before opening this book, I only knew Paul Horn… er, Hornscheimeier’s name because he works in the same studio as Jeffrey Brown, whose raw, autobiographical and satirical comics I really enjoy. Hornscheimer’s a completely different story. This collection of 1-6 page strips has beautiful artwork with varying levels of detail (much like The Perry Bible Fellowship) that alternate between quick gags and more meditative pieces.
I have to find more of Hornscheimeier’s work—I already have “Mother, Come Home” checked out from my library.
I have to find more of Hornscheimeier’s work—I already have “Mother, Come Home” checked out from my library.
April 28, 2009
This feels less mature narratively than The Three Paradoxes. His drawings, design and colouring are just beautiful, but it's gratuitously experimental (which is fine, but less measured). There's a metacomic in there about the supposed pretentiousness of his work, which I read early on, and then all the way through I kept thinking about pretentiousness, which didn't help. A bit like watching a whole lot of music videos instead of a feature film; but maybe I'm being too conservative. I think I just prefer a longer form. Three Paradoxes I loved, I'll have to try Mother, Come Home.
August 14, 2007
this book splits in the middle, reading right side up to the middle from either side. I really enjoyed the "Let Us Be" side as it had a good ratio of text to image, but I turned it over to the "Perfectly Clear" side and really thought it stunk.
I might have a problem with full pages of esoteric text in what appears to be a comic book.
Oh well. I like color comics about made up monsters at the very least. Yep.
I might have a problem with full pages of esoteric text in what appears to be a comic book.
Oh well. I like color comics about made up monsters at the very least. Yep.
March 20, 2008
I loved this book. Paul Hornschemeier is one of the most thoughtful and creative illustrators I've read. He does more than put pencil to paper to see where the story takes him. The one-to-twenty pages shorts that are collected in this book are extremely well-planned and drawn in various styles that appear effortless, almost like a cartoonist version of Michel Gondry.
More, Paul. More.
More, Paul. More.
July 8, 2008
I picked up this book because it looked like a Chris Ware knock off... and it was. I love the art and the variety of genres in this collection and was excited to learn Hornschemeier was from Cincinnati and went to Ohio State. I also saw some of his work from Mother, Come Home in the Weight of the World exhibition at DAAP. I will probably check out some of his other books in the future.
March 21, 2012
Definitely a strange read. Read in one direction, half the book was Let Us Be and read from the other side it is Perfectly Clear. The comics in the Perfectly Clear section were more to my liking, especially Feelings Check, Whatever Dude, Vanderbilt Millions is a Mental Case, and (of course) Men and Women of the Television.
October 25, 2014
Comics. He dedicates this to his parents who gave him the gift of Gahan Wilson, who is better this artist, but you can see him going for the bizarro tone of Wilson in many places. It's likable, worth a few laughs, and sufficiently alternative and out there to attract for those reasons.
October 17, 2019
Psychology major really shows its effects throughout- half or more of the stories have no ending leaving you to ponder and consider. I do that with my own things but read books to get the whole story.
July 18, 2007
This book collects some of my favorite work with lots of innovative techniques. Along with… gasp, humor!
November 19, 2008
what a contrast to his mother come home, this is ridiculously funny and absolutely beautifully drawn, a bunch of short little vingettes. funny stuff
September 14, 2009
This is the book that got me back into comics. I love the bold 'don't give a fuck' attitude with which he writes. Gold.
October 21, 2010
This book was great. Hornschemeier's inability to settle on a style really worked for him here--unlike the last book of his that I read. This collection had a joyful schizophrenia about it.
October 25, 2011
some were 5 star stories, some needed to be longer and some i didn't care for at all - therefore i averaged out the stars in my mind and give it 3
April 29, 2012
Wholly experimental and saturated in existentialism. Reminds me a lot of the Daniel Clowes canon. Constantly engaging and always unpredictable. Highly recomended and very enjoyable.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews