Howl : A Graphic Novel by Allen Ginsberg & Eric Drooker

Erik Drooker does an excellent job illustrating Allen Ginsberg’s Howl. Reproducing the poem in lush, full color illustrations over 217 pages takes the poem to a new level. I was able to slow down and read small sections, as designed, and digest each verse. The illustrations add to the context of the poem and help set the mood with the art.

The blending of great art and poetry makes for a new level of understanding of Howl and its important impact on society, and as Ginsberg hoped, makes the accessible and relevant to a whole new generation of readers.

Random Thoughts – 3/30/10

• I got a new little point and shoot camera last week, a Canon S90.  I had my eye on another one, but finally decided to get one with RAW capability, as that’s pretty essential for my work.  Given that I’m walking around a lot and my main gear is too heavy and bulky, it’s nice to have this pocket camera that can go everywhere with me.  I’m enjoying being able to take a shot when I want and not kick myself for not having a camera with me.

• Took another walk to the library today.  It was time to return books. I returned three graphic novels I read and picked up a new one, Pride of Baghdad by Brian Vaughan.  I almost bought it yesterday at the comic book store, so it was a nice treat that they had this at the library.  I also extended the time for the Allen Ginsberg poetry I got last time, as I didn’t have time to read it yet.

9 – The Beats : A Graphic History edited by Paul Buhle

The Beats, a graphic novel, is divided up in multiple short comics written by an esteemed collection of artists and writers. For those already familiar with the more well-known Beats, Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac, and William Burroughs, there isn’t much new information to be found. Kerouac seems to be written about in a more cynical manner, while Ginsberg is the hero of the bunch. The three main comics deal with each of these men.

What follows after the main three is a wide range of examinations into lesser known Beat figures, including musicians, artists and publishers. This is where new information can be learned by both Beat enthusiasts and novices. My favorites were the stories on Kennth Patchen, Slim Brundage, Tuli Kupferberg, and a look at Beatnik Chicks.

The art in the book has nice variety thanks to the multitude of artists involved in the collection. There wasn’t a badly drawn comic in the mix. Overall, The Beats is an excellent overview of the Beat generation, presented in an easy to read format that is also artistic and creative. While the depth of information doesn’t go very deep, there are numerous jumping off points that can guide one to their own investigations.

See more progress on: read 52 books in 2010

Quotations:

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“You know it’s a funny thing to realize that you’re living inside yourself.  I mean that you’re alone there inside yourself and that in some different sort of way everybody else is living there too.”