panellogy 145 - charles burns #3 - black hole

[@billcrabtree8700]

When i first discover a band/ writer etc that is still active but has a massive back catalogue, a familiar pattern ensues. While asking myself how could I have missed such an amazing creator, I binge on a wealth of unknown riches. This is followed by the comedown of now having to wait for the next album or book. It is therefore a special day when new work is released. This is how I feel when a new earl gray video appears.

[@earlgrey862]

erm... by German standards this is nothing less than a proposal for marriage... but, hey thanks :)

[@Akstergrind]

That's a beautiful edition! Note to self: Get some more money!

[@Xbale]

Black Hole is Charles Burns' most impressive work.

[@earlgrey862]

yessir

[@thecomicspreacher3547]

I like the before-after portraits of the teenagers

[@earlgrey862]

yes, something to put in the frame in order to disturb your visitors. I can see why they've been left out of the omnibus, because they don't add anything to the story... even though they add up to the atmosphere, hence it would have been nice if they would have been included nevertheless.

[@dolevamitai1301]

what are the two painters' names you mentioned at around 05:15?

[@earlgrey862]

george grosz, max beckmann

[@trejosam00]

Sounds kind of like the movie It Follows.

[@earlgrey862]

I don't know that movie, but actually I think the idea to show the turmoils of puberty and adolescence or sexuality in general as a mutation and extreme morphing of bodies has been used a lot from certain werewolf-movies up to spiderman (... an uptight young man shooting white guck out of his body ? (I mean the organic web-shooters obviously))

[@trejosam00]

heh heh, spiderman......

[@fuzzuck]

Great series, and I'm ecstatic that Fantagraphics is doing a Studio Edition of Black Hole; at 160 pgs. (and 14.5" x 19", very cool), it'll leave more material omitted than included. But the episodic nature of what I consider the greatest work in comics should make it perfectly readable as an abridged artist showcase. It's essentially an over-arching narrative crafted via multiple perspectives, with chapters that are often self-contained short stories; Burns begins with a inear progression, following a character assumed to be the protagonist, before abruptly shifting to give us a look through someone else's eyes of the STD that literally turns teenagers into the freaks they've often seen themselves as. These narrative shifts often leave a mystery in their wake, as to the fate of a certain character, & who the protagonist of this story is; Burns then makes a partial break with linear story-telling, tastefully employs elements from Kurosawa's Rashomon, jumping back in time, to revisit the events of a previous narrator's misadventures through a very different POV, sometimes clarifying, often deepening the sense of mystery and unease. The reader's sense of uncertainty grows as the murders and totem figures in the woods point to a teen who has embraced his monstrosity; and making distinctions - between truth and lies, truth and delusion, truth and drug-induced hallucinations - becomes nearly impossible. The ominous atmosphere of intensifying anxiety and paranoia is executed with a seeming ease, but it's actually another facet of Burns' artistic and storytelling genius. And as brilliant as Black Hole is as a story, Burns' artistic virtuosity is what truly sets it above anything in sequential art history. Period. It seems to have had a strong influence on European creators; my 2nd artist, Mezzo, and his collaborations with Pirus, are very similar on first glance to the style of Charles Burns, but further examination reveals Mezzo's unique, instantly recognizable approach. Their masterpiece, 'Le Roi des Mouches' was released a year or two back by Glenat, in a Signed & Numbered 'Tirage Luxe' Ltd. Edition. It's one of the most gorgeous comic collections I own: 11.5" x 15", 200 pages, with a cloth spine and back, intaglio fly illo on the front, and gilt-pressed lettering. The paper is the highest quality semi-gloss coated archival stock, giving the blacks and colors a vibrancy that is far superior to the matte stock used on the first two volumes of the English editions published by Fantagraphics, who apparently have no intention of publishing the third and final volume. That was part of the reason I bought the deluxe French omnibus, and I'm so glad I did. I've been hoping for over a decade that Pantheon would publish an oversized, deluxe edition of Black Hole, preferably a format identical to 'Le Roi des Mouches'... but the forthcoming Studio Edition is the other version I've been hoping for, so if Fantagraphics can finally get all three of the fucking awesome books they've solicited, I'll be a happy camper.

[@earlgrey862]

wow, that's what I call a thorough comment, thank you big time for your insights, very interesting! as to the studio edition: yeah, they are milking my purse this year with these kinda things. Just when I need to save money they put out the love & rockets studio ed. in the next week or so, then there's a hellboy in hell artist ed. upcoming & of course the black hole thingie... all essential stuff of course (in the mind of the comicaholic)

[@GoreVidalComicbooks]

I'm presently adding up the earl grey tab: 100 Bullets, Scalped, Optic Nerve, and now I'm going to be adding Charles Burns' Black Hole. Where do I send the bill to?

[@earlgrey862]

he he, I knew I'll get you hooked (creating the thumbnail I thought: let's do something for Mr. Vidal)

[@GoreVidalComicbooks]

I knew it! It's conspiracy by my enemies, who are legion, to distract me from my duties through enticing works of art!

[@jonanjello]

That is a gorgeous German edition. I'll have to reread Black Hole again. I didn't enjoy it, but Teen Plague in the pages of RAW was a real gem.

[@earlgrey862]

sometimes a story catches you on the wrong foot the first or second time... but it will probably grow on you with another read.

[@moggiscomics]

have you heard the news about a new edition that's being released later this year? A studio edition featuring reproductions of the original art and in it's original size. quite pricey but It's probably going to be worth it :D

[@earlgrey862]

yes, forgerelli1 did mention that in a comment on one of the earlier Burns-videos. And it will be most certainly worth it, I'm afraid.

[@likingthecovers]

Cool 😎 Video and Covers

[@freakbuck]

Have you read Dedales 1 yet?

[@earlgrey862]

nope

[@freakbuck]

Its pretty easy to translate. (No way am i waiting for new Burns) Very excited to see where this is heading. Cornelius revelead it may be up to a 4 part series and wont be translated until its finished and collected.. anyway, obviously i reccomend getting a copy before theyre gone.. even just for the art alone

[@daniel881985]

Great video! I wanted to pick this up for a long time now but always looked at the US HC. Does the german reprodukt 1-6 collects the full run?

[@earlgrey862]

yes (each issue collects two american comic books), but the edition I've shown is out of print and hard to get... the new edition from reprodukt is similar to the english one: one omnibus collecting all 12 chapters minus the before-after portraits of the teenagers (and I guess a bit shrunken in size - but I'm not sure)

[@daniel881985]

Thanks for the fast reply! I really like this reprodukt release a lot more than the omnibus. The cover art is amazing and of course the portraits. I found one in the bay and will go for it. Sadly the two Fantagraphis you showed in the first CB video are very expensive/hard to get. Would be awesome if they would re-release them in a collected Hardcover. It's already 10 years since they're released.

[@earlgrey862]

btw: You know that fantagraphics will release an artist (called "studio") edition in autumn? (see Moggi's comment)

[@daniel881985]

Thanks, I didn't knew. I must say, I'm not the biggest fan of those studio and artist editions. They're way to big for my shelf and for my reading habits. But I'll keep an eye on it! I've paid 60 EUR shipped for the reprodukt Slip in like new condition. Pretty happy with that. Thanks again for showing me this! Now I need to find the Fantagraphics for a reasonable price.

[@LukeRynderman]

Where can you buy this version? Can't find it anywhere? When did you get it?

[@earlgrey862]

it's from reprodukt and long time out of print... I think, I bought it in a comicshop in Hamburg once.

[@LukeRynderman]

earl grey cool it looks really nice. I’ve got all the original US covers. What did they do with the other covers in your version? Are they inside the books anywhere?

[@earlgrey862]

no, as far as I recall they chose just the half of the covers and didn't use the others.

[@LukeRynderman]

Cool, thanks. Do you know what other printed versions there are of it, or just the individual issues and the collected edition? Also how is the Studio Edition. Is it worth getting? I just want to say I love your videos and seeing your collection so thank you.

[@earlgrey862]

as to the studio ed.: I recently did a panellogy about it... when you still think - after watching it- that you can live without it, I can't help you :P otherwise I only know of the thick "all in one" softcover trade as shown in one of the new planet of the apes movies.

[@BRIANCOSTELLO土澳]

Hi, I was wondering if you know where I could purchase an English language version of this box set of Black Hole?.I can only find the single graphic novel, but this six issue box set is just stunning! and the colour covers are a work of art on their own.

[@earlgrey862]

Sorry, but I believe there isn't a similar English version... I'm not 100% sure though.

[@BRIANCOSTELLO土澳]

Thanks mate, I guess its time to learn German haha.

[@Xedout1985]

Where can we get the German box set? Link?