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Omni-visibilis
Tout le monde voit ce que je vois. Tout le monde entend ce que j'entends. Tout le monde sent ce que je sens. Sale journée....
160 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2010
1 person is currently reading
54 people want to read
About the author
Lewis Trondheim
526 books241 followersThe phenomenal Lewis Trondheim is never where you next expect him. As an artist and writer, Trondheim has earned an international following as one of the most inventive, versatile, and prolific graphic authors. From autobiography to adventure, from bestselling fantasy and children's books to visual essays, Trondheim's unique, seminal imagination consistently dazzles. His work has won numerous awards, including the Angoulême prize for best series with McConey and he also co-created the titanic fantasy epic Dungeon with Joann Sfar.
He is one of the founding members of the alternative publishing house L'Association, a proving ground for many of the greatest talents in European comics working today. He is also the editorial director of a new imprint called Shampooing, dedicated to comics for all ages.
Lewis lives in the South of France with his wife, Brigitte Findakly, and two children.
He is one of the founding members of the alternative publishing house L'Association, a proving ground for many of the greatest talents in European comics working today. He is also the editorial director of a new imprint called Shampooing, dedicated to comics for all ages.
Lewis lives in the South of France with his wife, Brigitte Findakly, and two children.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
April 19, 2021
I do like Lewis Trondheim's work in general, and this book does not disappoint. The idea of being constantly seen, heard and smelled by the rest of the world, is just the perfect nightmare.
Hervé is a mustachioed dork, somewhere in his twenties. He wants to be cool, he wants girls to think he is cool, but Herve is desperately uncool. Then from one day to the next, everyone can see what he sees, when they close their eyes.
What follows is a claustrophobic story where Hervé desperately tries to hide himself from sudden worldwide infamy, which is a hard thing to accomplish when everyone can literally see where you are, or hear you talking about where to go.
As previously said, it's a nightmare, and it becomes a sort of farce, with genuinely funny moments. The ending feels a bit pat, and is the only disappointment.
Picked up a review copy through NetGalley)
Hervé is a mustachioed dork, somewhere in his twenties. He wants to be cool, he wants girls to think he is cool, but Herve is desperately uncool. Then from one day to the next, everyone can see what he sees, when they close their eyes.
What follows is a claustrophobic story where Hervé desperately tries to hide himself from sudden worldwide infamy, which is a hard thing to accomplish when everyone can literally see where you are, or hear you talking about where to go.
As previously said, it's a nightmare, and it becomes a sort of farce, with genuinely funny moments. The ending feels a bit pat, and is the only disappointment.
Picked up a review copy through NetGalley)
April 17, 2021
i HIGHLY recommend reading this. it's so freaking funny & crazy at the same time 😂 imagine all the people around the world could see exactly what u see, hear what u hear, feel what u feel and smell what u smell! NUTS. i've had such a great time reading this!! if u want a quick and laugh out loud graphic novel - this one's for u ;) xx
April 23, 2021
The characters were difficult to like, even the main character Hervé was annoying at times. The artwork was bad and maybe if there was some color or clearer drawings I would have given this 3 stars. The plot was interesting enough but there was no real resolution in the end.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 20, 2021
3.5 stars.
How to summarize this graphic novel? hmmmm.
So, there is an everyday run-of-the-mill guy who works at an office. Then one day he wakes up and the whole world can see through his eyes and hear what he hears, smell what he smells etc. He becomes a center of attention with people seeking him out so they can make an announcement to the whole world or so they can harm him. He goes on the run with the help of friends.
This was a unique read. I like the concept. Kind of like a Being John Malkovich (which I loved) story or something similar. It was an interesting parable to life on the internet where theoretically everyone can see you if they look, but this was completely involuntary voyeurism on the part of the watched and the audience.
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy!
How to summarize this graphic novel? hmmmm.
So, there is an everyday run-of-the-mill guy who works at an office. Then one day he wakes up and the whole world can see through his eyes and hear what he hears, smell what he smells etc. He becomes a center of attention with people seeking him out so they can make an announcement to the whole world or so they can harm him. He goes on the run with the help of friends.
This was a unique read. I like the concept. Kind of like a Being John Malkovich (which I loved) story or something similar. It was an interesting parable to life on the internet where theoretically everyone can see you if they look, but this was completely involuntary voyeurism on the part of the watched and the audience.
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy!
April 11, 2021
Completely intriguing book, where slowly but surely the world gets to sense everything our main character is privy to. If they shut their eyes, they find themselves looking through his instead, or they block their ears and his auditory landscape takes over. That's already Kafka meets Charles Fort, but it's worse for our hero, who's a hypochondriac germophobe with urinary problems. What follows is a fun look at how this Truman-Show-but-then-some becomes a commodity, and even a social media provider, as people use him to send a message to the globe. I really liked this, for there are morals about how everything gets monetised, the danger of fame and a lot more – and of course it's a rollicking drama to boot, with some great bits of adult humour tucked in there too.
So it was a great surprise to find this was ten years old and more in the original French, and only just translated. It goes greatly against the First Rule of Translated Books, in that they generally reach foreign markets at the pace they deserve – the great ones with rapidity, and the weaker ones, well, whenever someone gets round to it. I actually think this book is better for being less current, for if written in 2021 it really would have been about online influencers, and how everyone on the planet is slowly but surely seeing the same thing due to internet algorithms. With it allowed to have more non-specific themes it breathes more clearly, and has a wider scope and heart. With all that considered, and its age, it's probably the best example of a lost classic I'll find all year.
So it was a great surprise to find this was ten years old and more in the original French, and only just translated. It goes greatly against the First Rule of Translated Books, in that they generally reach foreign markets at the pace they deserve – the great ones with rapidity, and the weaker ones, well, whenever someone gets round to it. I actually think this book is better for being less current, for if written in 2021 it really would have been about online influencers, and how everyone on the planet is slowly but surely seeing the same thing due to internet algorithms. With it allowed to have more non-specific themes it breathes more clearly, and has a wider scope and heart. With all that considered, and its age, it's probably the best example of a lost classic I'll find all year.
June 25, 2021
What the actual fuck???
Thank you, NetGalley and Europe Comics.
Thank you, NetGalley and Europe Comics.
May 7, 2021
A gripping story told with a gorgeous blue and white artwork: What would happen if suddenly everyone were to see what you see, hear what you hear and smell what you smell?
Read
April 14, 2021Herve Boileau, an unremarkable Parisian, suddenly finds his every perception broadcasting to the entire world. Whenever anyone, anywhere, closes their eyes, they see what he sees, hear what he hears. Suddenly his girlfriend's waning interest in him revives – but only because he's the best audition imaginable. Every business sees him as an opportunity to advertise. Wherever he goes, people converge on him, desperate to pass on a message to an old flame, an enemy, the whole world. Obviously this is an Internet metaphor, but I liked it much more for the fact that that's never made explicit, and no character is ever quite annoying enough to say 'And really, isn't that a lot like Twitter, aaaah?' Which said, it did also remind me of an RA Lafferty story I read recently, in which the protagonist had the reverse problem, and that was from decades pre-Internet. Anyway, friends and foes both have ideas for how this newfound gift/curse could be monetised, so before long Herve is on the run, and if at times this does leave the comic on the verge of generic thriller territory, it's mostly rescued by the obvious complication that anything he can see or hear, everyone else can too. I imagine this may put it in vaguely similar territory to films like Bird Box and A Quiet Place, though not having seen either, I can't be altogether sure. At first my main issue was that Herve was a bit of an arsehole, and not in a terribly interesting way, so I didn't necessarily want to spend an entire story in his company, but of course that's part of the point – which of us wouldn't be infuriating if someone couldn't escape our every little foible and daft habit?* Possibly the funniest section comes when the moment Herve has been dreading all day finally arrives, and he has to take a dump with the whole world able to see - and smell - what he does, the poor bastard. I'd largely given up on requesting Europe Comics ARCs from Netgalley, because I simply don't have the frame of reference to know which ones might be up my alley, and too often I was reading stuff which clearly wasn't bad, but also wasn't doing much for me. I made an exception here, because I recognised Trondheim's name as one with a certain cachet, and having read this I can see why.
*A question all the more topical in this locked-down nightmare decade, of course, but while Omni-Visibilis is appearing in English now, it was originally published ten years ago.
*A question all the more topical in this locked-down nightmare decade, of course, but while Omni-Visibilis is appearing in English now, it was originally published ten years ago.
April 11, 2021
*****SPOILERS*****
Release Date: March 24th, 2021
About the book:I'm not going to go over what this book is about because that's weird. You already know what the book is about and if you don't scroll up to the top and read. I'll wait. Okay welcome back 😊
Genre: Graphic novel/Sci-fi
Rating: 🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎
What I Liked:
1. The story was engrossing
2. The characters could be relatable
3. The ending
What I Didn't Like:
1. The art wasn’t that good from my perspective
Overall Thoughts: Upon reading this graphic novel I felt like it was a pretty interesting take on “seeing through someone’s eyes.” When reading this you are left wondering what is going on and why is this happening. I thought it was a great fast paced graphic novel that kept my attention. The twist at the end was a good one that I didn’t see coming. Is he a likable character…no not really but he is relatable. The whole time you are reading this you question the motives of others that claim that want to help him along the way. I would definitely recommend this graphic novel to someone who is looking for a sci-fi turn book in the same vain of “Being John Milkovich.”
Final Thoughts: This is a fun read if you give it a chance.
Thanks to Netgalley for this copy.
Release Date: March 24th, 2021
About the book:I'm not going to go over what this book is about because that's weird. You already know what the book is about and if you don't scroll up to the top and read. I'll wait. Okay welcome back 😊
Genre: Graphic novel/Sci-fi
Rating: 🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎
What I Liked:
1. The story was engrossing
2. The characters could be relatable
3. The ending
What I Didn't Like:
1. The art wasn’t that good from my perspective
Overall Thoughts: Upon reading this graphic novel I felt like it was a pretty interesting take on “seeing through someone’s eyes.” When reading this you are left wondering what is going on and why is this happening. I thought it was a great fast paced graphic novel that kept my attention. The twist at the end was a good one that I didn’t see coming. Is he a likable character…no not really but he is relatable. The whole time you are reading this you question the motives of others that claim that want to help him along the way. I would definitely recommend this graphic novel to someone who is looking for a sci-fi turn book in the same vain of “Being John Milkovich.”
Final Thoughts: This is a fun read if you give it a chance.
Thanks to Netgalley for this copy.
April 14, 2021
A fast-paced story with beautiful artwork, exclusively drawn in blue, black and white. We follow a man who suddenly has no privacy - everyone can see what he sees and hear what he hears as soon as they close their eyes or plug their ears. The premise was really interesting to me, a nice change from typical "body-swap" or time travel stories. But this is not science-fiction at all. The panels with views of Paris and its streets and parks are realistic, whilst staying away from the tourist clichés such as the Eiffel Tower or the Louvre. I really appreciated this as a French reader!
I however was slightly put off by certain dialogues. There is a lot of profanity, and the characters are quite caricatural. I really struggled to empathise with the main character due to how he was introduced in the first few pages, and his friends are immature. The only slightly developed female character was annoying and something she did (without including a spoiler) really made no sense to me. The plot was captivating... yet it fell flat by the end for me.
I almost wish this was stretched over a series of 2 or 3 books so as to explore in greater depths the consequences and various possible "adventures" of the protagonist. For instance he is presented as someone obsessed with cleanliness, but this personality trait does not really resurface later.
In a nutshell, this was an entertaining read, and I liked the way the illustrator used shades and a limited range of colours to draw Paris. The story could have been more intricate - or developed with a sequel!
This is worth noting that the story does not mention any social media or modern implications of such a "power" as it was originally published in 2010 in French.
I would like to thank #EuropeComics and #NetGalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
I however was slightly put off by certain dialogues. There is a lot of profanity, and the characters are quite caricatural. I really struggled to empathise with the main character due to how he was introduced in the first few pages, and his friends are immature. The only slightly developed female character was annoying and something she did (without including a spoiler) really made no sense to me. The plot was captivating... yet it fell flat by the end for me.
I almost wish this was stretched over a series of 2 or 3 books so as to explore in greater depths the consequences and various possible "adventures" of the protagonist. For instance he is presented as someone obsessed with cleanliness, but this personality trait does not really resurface later.
In a nutshell, this was an entertaining read, and I liked the way the illustrator used shades and a limited range of colours to draw Paris. The story could have been more intricate - or developed with a sequel!
This is worth noting that the story does not mention any social media or modern implications of such a "power" as it was originally published in 2010 in French.
I would like to thank #EuropeComics and #NetGalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 22, 2021
The Short Version: A beautifully drawn graphic novel with an intriguing premise but uneven execution
The Long Version: I was really interested in this graphic novel once I read the premise about the whole world being able to see/hear what the main character sees and hears. The concept was very unique, but evoked some nostalgia for The Truman Show and other works of that ilk. I think the offer did a really good job of raising questions about how voyeuristic and opportunistic our society has become with the rise of reality shows, social media, influencer culture, and the like. I felt that the reaction of the world around the main character was pretty accurate to what would happen in real life if this situation arose so in that regard the work was a very interesting think piece.
There were several problems though. The main character was thoroughly unlikable prior to his power (if you want to call it that) being discovered. Because of that, I didn’t really feel all that bad for him even though everyone treated him terribly. I also felt some of the dialogue felt contrived or forced and really jarring which hurt the reading experience. The use female characters in the story was also off putting. They were plot devices, window dressing, or sexual objects, with no attempt to really develop them. Lastly, the resolution doesn’t really resolve or explain anything so there are a lot of questions unanswered and while I think I got the point of the story, I feel a little unsatisfied.
In the end I feel like there is a tremendous story buried somewhere inside Omni-visibilis it just didn’t all come together. Luckily it’s a graphic novel so it’s a quicker read and if you aren’t captivated you didn’t lose hours of your life.
Component Ratings
Concept: 4.5 out of 5
Art: 4.5 out of 5
Characters: 1.5 out of 5
Plot: 2 out of 5
The Long Version: I was really interested in this graphic novel once I read the premise about the whole world being able to see/hear what the main character sees and hears. The concept was very unique, but evoked some nostalgia for The Truman Show and other works of that ilk. I think the offer did a really good job of raising questions about how voyeuristic and opportunistic our society has become with the rise of reality shows, social media, influencer culture, and the like. I felt that the reaction of the world around the main character was pretty accurate to what would happen in real life if this situation arose so in that regard the work was a very interesting think piece.
There were several problems though. The main character was thoroughly unlikable prior to his power (if you want to call it that) being discovered. Because of that, I didn’t really feel all that bad for him even though everyone treated him terribly. I also felt some of the dialogue felt contrived or forced and really jarring which hurt the reading experience. The use female characters in the story was also off putting. They were plot devices, window dressing, or sexual objects, with no attempt to really develop them. Lastly, the resolution doesn’t really resolve or explain anything so there are a lot of questions unanswered and while I think I got the point of the story, I feel a little unsatisfied.
In the end I feel like there is a tremendous story buried somewhere inside Omni-visibilis it just didn’t all come together. Luckily it’s a graphic novel so it’s a quicker read and if you aren’t captivated you didn’t lose hours of your life.
Component Ratings
Concept: 4.5 out of 5
Art: 4.5 out of 5
Characters: 1.5 out of 5
Plot: 2 out of 5
May 2, 2021
'Everyone sees what I see.
Everyone hears what I hear.
Everyone smells what I smell.
What a lousy day.'
It is more than a lousy day when Herve wakes up and realises he has found instant fame because everyone in the world is connected to him. They can see what he sees, hear what he hears and even smell what he smells. And so a normal, somewhat OCD everyday guy becomes the most wanted man in the world.
People want to follow him around, be his bodyguards, use him to transmit messages to the world or even kidnap him. His friends come up with a great scheme to hire him out to the country that can pay the most. Japan outbids every country offering Herve 23 million but before Herve can even sniff the money he is kidnapped by a thug.
But what is the point of kidnapping a man who shares his senses with the rest of the world? The race is then on to rescue Herve from his kidnapper, but Herve doesn't need any help because he has pretty much figured out how his powers work. He just hasn't figured out just what to do with them.
Meanwhile he is trying to dodge the police, fans and get back to his friends but that proves challenging when the whole world can see what you see.
This was really great fun. I laughed all the way through. Herve is a great character who seems quite dazed by his new abilities but then gets to roll with the punches and when he does get punched the whole world gets punched with him and so he legs it trying to find peace and a place to think but the only way he can shut out the world is by closing his eyes.
Hervé is such an awkward character with such weird friends and he is certainy having a weird day. It is a great story with good artwork. If you like a large dose of weird humour with your grapic novels then this one is for you.
Copy provided by Europe Comics in exchange for an unbiased review.
Everyone hears what I hear.
Everyone smells what I smell.
What a lousy day.'
It is more than a lousy day when Herve wakes up and realises he has found instant fame because everyone in the world is connected to him. They can see what he sees, hear what he hears and even smell what he smells. And so a normal, somewhat OCD everyday guy becomes the most wanted man in the world.
People want to follow him around, be his bodyguards, use him to transmit messages to the world or even kidnap him. His friends come up with a great scheme to hire him out to the country that can pay the most. Japan outbids every country offering Herve 23 million but before Herve can even sniff the money he is kidnapped by a thug.
But what is the point of kidnapping a man who shares his senses with the rest of the world? The race is then on to rescue Herve from his kidnapper, but Herve doesn't need any help because he has pretty much figured out how his powers work. He just hasn't figured out just what to do with them.
Meanwhile he is trying to dodge the police, fans and get back to his friends but that proves challenging when the whole world can see what you see.
This was really great fun. I laughed all the way through. Herve is a great character who seems quite dazed by his new abilities but then gets to roll with the punches and when he does get punched the whole world gets punched with him and so he legs it trying to find peace and a place to think but the only way he can shut out the world is by closing his eyes.
Hervé is such an awkward character with such weird friends and he is certainy having a weird day. It is a great story with good artwork. If you like a large dose of weird humour with your grapic novels then this one is for you.
Copy provided by Europe Comics in exchange for an unbiased review.
May 15, 2021
This is a high concept if I ever saw one. Omni-Visibilis written by Lewis Trondheim and illustrated by Matthieu Bonhomme is a graphic novel that asks that one question: what would happen if one day everyone saw from the eyes of an ordinary man as soon as they closed their eyelids.
I always love the concept in Trondheim’s work. He is one of my favourite comic artists with his “Lapinot” series, it just rings so emotionally right and is very funny and absurd. So when I see a work of his, I cannot walk past without itching to read it. Sadly I am less a fan of Bonhomme’s illustrations. There is something very urban/street about them that makes them unpleasant to me. I liked the flat black and cold blue colours. It’s efficient, and does make everything quite cold and alone. But that’s about all I liked. They are very well made in their own style but I missed Trondheim’s cheerfully crazy anthropomorphic characters.
From the beginning the main character is not just a “normal” everyday guy, he’s a very unlikable character which didn’t help. Truthfully as soon as he thought about cheating on his girlfriend I was rooting against him and hoping the whole thing would finish badly for him. It felt definitely more geared towards the male audience and while I loved the idea I quickly read through without much enthusiasm.
If you want to read more of my reviews check out my website.
https://opaledgar.wordpress.com/blog-2/
I always love the concept in Trondheim’s work. He is one of my favourite comic artists with his “Lapinot” series, it just rings so emotionally right and is very funny and absurd. So when I see a work of his, I cannot walk past without itching to read it. Sadly I am less a fan of Bonhomme’s illustrations. There is something very urban/street about them that makes them unpleasant to me. I liked the flat black and cold blue colours. It’s efficient, and does make everything quite cold and alone. But that’s about all I liked. They are very well made in their own style but I missed Trondheim’s cheerfully crazy anthropomorphic characters.
From the beginning the main character is not just a “normal” everyday guy, he’s a very unlikable character which didn’t help. Truthfully as soon as he thought about cheating on his girlfriend I was rooting against him and hoping the whole thing would finish badly for him. It felt definitely more geared towards the male audience and while I loved the idea I quickly read through without much enthusiasm.
If you want to read more of my reviews check out my website.
https://opaledgar.wordpress.com/blog-2/
April 15, 2021
Herve, a germaphobe with a pretty mundane life, suddenly wakes up one day and no longer has any privacy; everyone in the world is able to see and hear what Herve sees and hears when they close their eyes. The only freedom Herve gets from this is when he closes his eyes or blocks his ears.
Firstly, I love the way this comic is drawn. It sometimes has no text, and the colors and minimal, yet you can still tell what is going on. You can also clearly tell when it is daytime or nighttime, and we can see when Herve closes his eyes, etc. Comics like these truly make me appreciate how much time and effort go into planning each panel.
The story itself was also incredibly intriguing and fast-paced. I have never read any story like this before, so it definitely left an impression on me.
I’m so happy this was translated from French to English so that I could read it. Thank you NetGalley for this ebook!
Firstly, I love the way this comic is drawn. It sometimes has no text, and the colors and minimal, yet you can still tell what is going on. You can also clearly tell when it is daytime or nighttime, and we can see when Herve closes his eyes, etc. Comics like these truly make me appreciate how much time and effort go into planning each panel.
The story itself was also incredibly intriguing and fast-paced. I have never read any story like this before, so it definitely left an impression on me.
I’m so happy this was translated from French to English so that I could read it. Thank you NetGalley for this ebook!
April 24, 2021
Okay, so unfortunately right off the bat I don’t like the man character Harvé. He comes off as a huge jerk, and a bit of a creep.
Anyways, after spying on his friends sister via a webcam, when he wakes up the next day everyone can see what he sees apparently. He starts to lose his mind at some point after being held up in the house, he’s gotten famous unwillingly.
As the day goes on people start sharing more of his senses, they smell what he smells, hears what he hears etc. I won’t ruin the ending for you I’d your truly interested in this story.
Unfortunately I wasn’t too thrilled with this story, I just couldn’t get into it but I tried my best to give it a shot. I do like the art style though so there’s that .
Thank you to NetGalley and the amazing publishers/authors for giving me a chance to read & review such a wonderful story
Anyways, after spying on his friends sister via a webcam, when he wakes up the next day everyone can see what he sees apparently. He starts to lose his mind at some point after being held up in the house, he’s gotten famous unwillingly.
As the day goes on people start sharing more of his senses, they smell what he smells, hears what he hears etc. I won’t ruin the ending for you I’d your truly interested in this story.
Unfortunately I wasn’t too thrilled with this story, I just couldn’t get into it but I tried my best to give it a shot. I do like the art style though so there’s that .
Thank you to NetGalley and the amazing publishers/authors for giving me a chance to read & review such a wonderful story
April 17, 2021
An entertaining read
Key words: graphic novel, thriller, fantasy
I was surprised I got so caught up in the story. Indeed, at first I thought it was not going to be my style as the main character is far from being perfect. However, once the story gets settled, it gets very interesting and I just wanted to keep reading. It’s quite a funny and crazy story. I didn’t get attached or even felt empathy for the main character due to the way he was introduced, which explains my rating.
I guess it could have been more developed but at the same time, I liked that it wasn’t too long. Overall, it’s an entertaining read that I would recommend to people who want a fun and crazy graphic novel.
3.5/5
Thank you Netgalley for this eArc in exchange of my honest opinion
Key words: graphic novel, thriller, fantasy
I was surprised I got so caught up in the story. Indeed, at first I thought it was not going to be my style as the main character is far from being perfect. However, once the story gets settled, it gets very interesting and I just wanted to keep reading. It’s quite a funny and crazy story. I didn’t get attached or even felt empathy for the main character due to the way he was introduced, which explains my rating.
I guess it could have been more developed but at the same time, I liked that it wasn’t too long. Overall, it’s an entertaining read that I would recommend to people who want a fun and crazy graphic novel.
3.5/5
Thank you Netgalley for this eArc in exchange of my honest opinion
May 6, 2021
2.5
This graphic novel was pitched as humorous but it really wasn't. Maybe that's because it was "man's" humor? Piss and poop jokes, dirty hands sort of stuff. I'm no saint about my humor but I didn't find this funny. There was no creativity or style to it.
I was really interested in the concept of the whole world being able to see--and it turns out hear, smell, and feel--everything Hervé experiences. In some ways this played out cleverly. People wanting to send messages through him, trying to sell his powers to the government who bids the highest. But, I didn't like that it wasn't explained how this ability developed or why (or why now). Then, in the end when it reverses, that isn't explained either. It felt like a potentially funny concept was thought of but the work to make it work wasn't done.
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy!
This graphic novel was pitched as humorous but it really wasn't. Maybe that's because it was "man's" humor? Piss and poop jokes, dirty hands sort of stuff. I'm no saint about my humor but I didn't find this funny. There was no creativity or style to it.
I was really interested in the concept of the whole world being able to see--and it turns out hear, smell, and feel--everything Hervé experiences. In some ways this played out cleverly. People wanting to send messages through him, trying to sell his powers to the government who bids the highest. But, I didn't like that it wasn't explained how this ability developed or why (or why now). Then, in the end when it reverses, that isn't explained either. It felt like a potentially funny concept was thought of but the work to make it work wasn't done.
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy!
April 12, 2021
I really can’t understand this graphic novel, it’s basically about a guy called Herve who’s unhappy with his job and then suddenly, people are coming after him as if he’s a cult leader because they recognise him from a “teeth” commercial. It doesn’t really back up why he’s wanted by the police or why he has to be chased. This is probably me not hitting the exact spots needed to recognise from the novel but I felt this was rather going into a different direction than what I was expecting. Again, I am stupid not understanding the novel lol......
Thanks Netgalley for supplying me this novel!
Thanks Netgalley for supplying me this novel!
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September 23, 2022Sorpresa de Trodheim que ni sabia que existía hasta hoy, y que ha sido una lectura divertida y con un concepto divertido. Que todo el mundo sea participe de pronto de lo que ve y siente un parisino normal tirando a capullp y la histeria y caos que ello conlleva para su vida y la de todo dios da para una historia de lo más curiosa...
October 19, 2017
Une idée démente : Hervé, un type ordinaire tendance manique de la propreté, se réveille un matin : le monde entier peut désormais voir à travers ses yeux, entendre ce qu'il entend, sentir ce qu'il sent. Démentiel !
April 18, 2021
Very intriguing premise, very well executed. This went exactly where I wanted it to go. It did everything so well here. Almost no complaints here. Yes, some of the dialogue felt a little stilted but otherwise, AMAZING. Hard recommend.
May 27, 2023
Really fun comic, bonkers premise where everyone on earth sees what one unlikeable guy sees, with a pretty perfect ending. Not like a deep or contemplative treatment of the idea, but nothing wrong with something mostly zippy and fun. Someone should honestly option it for a movie.
October 20, 2017
reread this amazing graphic novel, this time looking through a lense of digital humanities. interesting perspective
March 12, 2020
Dit hylarische boekje scheurt als een sneltrein en ziet er fantastisch uit, enkel jammer van het flauwe einde.
November 8, 2020
Entretenido pero no te deja huella.
April 4, 2021
Really good!
March 8, 2022
Storia molto particolare che parte molto bene, poi diventa un po' ripetitiva. Però è originale.
February 11, 2023
High concept, very well executed. Some hilarious moments. Great artwork.
June 25, 2023
Fun and easy read, with interesting twists along the way.
May 26, 2021
Omni-Visibilis is somewhat like a strange mish-mash of Harvey Pekar’s American Splendor and a Twilight Zone episode minus the big moralistic ending that usually accompany those programs. When we are introduced to Hervé, he is a thoroughly unlikable character. He is neurotic, disingenuous and somewhat conniving (he considers cheating on his girlfriend right from the get-go). His friends are only somewhat better, but act like the stoner tag-alongs in a Seth Rogan film most of the time. Rather than get a day-to-day account of man waxing poetic about his OCD symptoms, or the downside of accidentally urinating on one’s shoes, Hervé is soon “blessed” with the power to which every person on earth can see what he sees, hears what he hears, or many other sensations. It’s all Hervé all the time.
"Hervé’s awkward, irritating, and maybe a bit OCD, but in the end, he’s a normal guy. He has a job, his buddies, a girlfriend, and a mother who keeps close tabs on him. One particular day starts out just like any other, but on his way to work, he quickly realizes that things are anything but normal. Every person he crosses paths with not only seems to know him, but sees what he sees, and hears what he hears. And he soon discovers that everyone else on Earth is connected with him too. So begins a day unlike any other, with Hervé cast out of anonymity and into a nightmare of confusion and danger."
I think one of my issues with this book is that there really isn’t a catalyst for this. Take the film The Parent Trap, wherein a mother and daughter switch bodies because each one feels that the other has it easy, and they come to a mutual understanding that life isn’t always great when it appears to be. Omni-Visibilis doesn’t really do this at all; aside from Hervé having obvious quirks that may impede his social life, there’s no real instance where he says “I wish everyone could see how I live” or something similar. As it is, the switch seems somewhat random, and Hervé doesn’t really come out the other side a better person. Perhaps I am reading too much into this, but usually stories like this have a point – this one just felt random.
That said, the art style in this book is gorgeous. Everything in an old-school monochrome blue/black color scheme with white text boxes. In a world of most comics looking somewhat similar, this one definitely stands out stylistically. The writing, when it comes to dialog, is snappy and full of wit. Everyone’s worldview is very cynical, but the book never really comes off as dark – the whole ordeal has a very humorous tone despite the sheer terror one would be in if a similar situation were to befall literally anyone.
While I feel that the story was a bit lacking, this is all self contained and has a solid ending. The art is awesome, and I can’t really say that I’ve ever seen a premise like this before. I feel that this comic could have been a classic, but did not stick the landing resulting in a merely average story.
"Hervé’s awkward, irritating, and maybe a bit OCD, but in the end, he’s a normal guy. He has a job, his buddies, a girlfriend, and a mother who keeps close tabs on him. One particular day starts out just like any other, but on his way to work, he quickly realizes that things are anything but normal. Every person he crosses paths with not only seems to know him, but sees what he sees, and hears what he hears. And he soon discovers that everyone else on Earth is connected with him too. So begins a day unlike any other, with Hervé cast out of anonymity and into a nightmare of confusion and danger."
I think one of my issues with this book is that there really isn’t a catalyst for this. Take the film The Parent Trap, wherein a mother and daughter switch bodies because each one feels that the other has it easy, and they come to a mutual understanding that life isn’t always great when it appears to be. Omni-Visibilis doesn’t really do this at all; aside from Hervé having obvious quirks that may impede his social life, there’s no real instance where he says “I wish everyone could see how I live” or something similar. As it is, the switch seems somewhat random, and Hervé doesn’t really come out the other side a better person. Perhaps I am reading too much into this, but usually stories like this have a point – this one just felt random.
That said, the art style in this book is gorgeous. Everything in an old-school monochrome blue/black color scheme with white text boxes. In a world of most comics looking somewhat similar, this one definitely stands out stylistically. The writing, when it comes to dialog, is snappy and full of wit. Everyone’s worldview is very cynical, but the book never really comes off as dark – the whole ordeal has a very humorous tone despite the sheer terror one would be in if a similar situation were to befall literally anyone.
While I feel that the story was a bit lacking, this is all self contained and has a solid ending. The art is awesome, and I can’t really say that I’ve ever seen a premise like this before. I feel that this comic could have been a classic, but did not stick the landing resulting in a merely average story.
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