Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
Wonderful, extraordinary, superb, great, etc. and so on., 30 Jul 1999
By A Customer
Neil Gaiman is my hero. I always have, and always will be intrigued by Punch & Judy. Therefore, Gaiman's Mr. Punch is one of the greatest works I've ever read. Though it is unfair to say "Gaiman's Mr. Punch", as it is equally Dave McKean's, for without him, I'm sure Mr. Punch would lose part of its eerie, strange, subtle power. Mr. Punch is an odd book. I read it in a single sitting, and afterwards, I was actually at a loss for words trying to describe what it is. This was a first; I can praise Neil Gaiman for hours on end, but I was stuck with Mr. Punch. I've seen it classified as Horror, Science Fiction, normal Fiction, and just as a Comic. But it is much more. It sent something through me - something that I am also at a loss of words about. This is a really great story, much like a dream (or nightmare, depending) it is surreal, yet uncommonly realistic; it is disturbing, but also soothing. It's more of an experience than a reading. McKean's artwork and Gaiman's words send you into something of a trance, where you enjoy yourself, get disturbed (actually, more troubled, as the young protangonist would say), and subtly reminded of your own childhood. A must read for any Gaiman or McKean fan, and also a must read for any Punch & Judy enthusiast, or anyone looking for a great read.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
Wonderfully macabre..., 2 Feb 2003
By A Customer
I have a vague recollection of watching a Punch and Judy show when I was very young. The only tangible memory is of Punch beating Judy - repeatedly. I don't remember the story or the other characters.This book, "The Comical Tragedy or Tragical Comedy of Mr Punch" had the unnerving ability to bring trace memories back to vivid recollection. This, in itself, makes the book quite brilliant. But, it is the art of Dave McKean with his juxtaposition of styles and elements that makes this book wonderfully macabre. I switched on to McKean before Gaiman. His work on 'Arkham Asylum' transcended the constraints of the 'comic book' medium and, because of it, he has been accused of being inaccessible by some so-called 'comic book' purists. Which isn't really surprising because McKean's influences owe much more to modern art and, in particular, the Dada movement of the early decades of the last century than to the Kirby school of thinking. But, this falls far short of defining McKean's art because his art is impossible to define. And as a result his version of the Joker was, in my opinion, the best ever. Dave McKean has given Mr Punch the same eerie sensibilities as he gave to the Joker. Just the right mixture of jest and malevolence to make a brutal story even more disturbing. It's difficult to nail down precisely the intent of Mr Punch. It partly revolves around a young boy's growing awareness of evil in the world with Mr Punch as the catalyst but, as with McKean's art, it is impossible to define. And because of this, it has to be read.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
A return to childhood., 23 Jul 2003
The easiest thing to say about this book is that it looks simply fantastic, but this doesn't do it true justice. Drawing disturbing parallels with the Punch & Judy Show, the story of the narrators grandfather begins to emerge but is never fully explained, much like the chiropractor's in "Violent Cases".In fact, this book is very much a companion piece to that earlier work, reflecting upon similar themes (how childhood & fiction combine) but taking you down a far more adult path. Recommend? Certainly, but it won't be to everyone's taste...
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