The One-Trick Rip-Off

by Paul Pope

There're plenty of gangs in Los Angeles: north of downtown it's the

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Fiction, Science Fiction, Noir

104 pages, Paperback

First published May 15, 1997

About the author

PAUL POPE is an American cartoonist living and working in New York City. Pope has made a name for himself internationally as an artist and designer. He has been working primarily in comics since the early '90s, but has also done a number of projects with Italian fashion label Diesel Industries and, in the US, with DKNY. His media clients include LucasArts, Paramount Pictures, Cartoon Network, Marvel Comics, DC Comics, Conde-Naste, Kodansha (Japan), Sapporo (Japan), Marc Ecko, Dargaud Editions (France), EMI Canada, Warner Brothers, and The British Film Institute. His iconic Batman: Year 100, a science fiction take on the classic Batman origin tale, has won numerous awards, seen print in many languages, and appears frequently on many Top 10 Batman story lists. In 2010, Pope was recognized as a Master Artist by the American Council Of The Arts, and is currently sitting on the ACA advisory board. His 2010, short science fiction comic strip Strange Adventures (DC Comics)--an homage to the Flash Gordon serials of the '30s-- won the coveted National Cartoonist Society's Reuben Award for Best Comic Book of the year. He has won 5 Eisners to date.

Reviews

[Jon Nakapalau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Young lovers Tubby and Vim just want to leave the crime ridden city...all they have to do is rip-off the One Tricks - the toughest street gang in LA. and get out alive! Nice action GN that (kind of) reminded me of A Clockwork Orange. If you have not read anything by Paul Pope give him a try! You may find his work interesting and unique!

[Kevin Wright · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a Paul Pope fan who finally tracked this book down, I was a little disappointed by the story, but interested in how this work (originally serialized over the course of a year) documents the rapid development of his uniquely cosmopolitan style. All of the elements are there: the off-the-cuff sophistication and supple linework of European comics, the kinetic page designs and storytelling methods of manga and the hard-nosed romanticism and grit of pulp crime stories. But here, his disparate influences are worn on his sleeve and they don't quite gel the way they do in his later and more accomplished works.

Pope's 4-page introduction to his own story offers an interesting glimpse into his process and his influences. He admits to the story being little more than an exercise in spinning a hardboiled crime yarn, building the narrative muscles he would later use on 100%, Heavy Liquid and other works to come. By Pope's own admission, the second half of this book is better than the first due to the fact that Pope took a few month's off between chapters 5 and 6 to focus on his manga comics and came back to this story as a better cartoonist. This is the work of an artist in transition who was getting better from month to month. As such, it's not his best, but Paul Pope's worst is still better than 90% of what's out there.

Storywise, I like Pope's futuristic ideas, his hard-boiled sci-fi sensibilities and his aggressively romantic archetypal characters, but I'd love to see him collaborate with a high-caliber writer who can not only play to Pope's strengths as an artist, but also inject the narrative with wittier dialogue, more intellectual weight and more emotional resonance.

Also, as an Angeleno, minus points for his depiction of "Los Angeles," which looks suspiciously like New York's Lower East Side.

[Jason Estrin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A five star read because it is so entertaining, not because it is expertly written or his best art. It really jumps off the paper when the action scenes are underway. This would make an outstanding animated adaptation or even live action. I would love to see it done in his style though.
Great comic/Illustrated novel!

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first foray into the works of Paul Pope. The One-Trick Rip-Off is a short, thoroughly enjoyable, action packed crime tale with some subtle touches of sci-fi and magical realism. Definitely a good place to start.

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

gold, if slightly cliche

[Endev42 · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book had a lot of potential, but it turned out to retell a classic story of greed with a new twist or two. Having finished 100%, I had high hopes, but there just wasn't nearly as much depth to this work.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

pope is probably the most prolific comic artist who has the least amount of work published. in early interviews he often bragged about having hundreds of unpublished pages that had yet to see the light of day. but his projects either were late or never manifested. for such a young guy, he certainly had the chops. he draws like hugo pratt incorporating sweeping manga-like page compositions. i think, for me, the one thing this guy lacks is in the story telling department. he's style over substance for sure, but i just wish he could knock out a really well-written story, too. eh, give him another 20 years.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book isn't as well thought out as Heavy Liquid but it's still pretty bad ass.