Asterios Polyp

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I also liked the variety of characters in this novel. From Asterios himself, to Stiff Majors eccentric family and friends –to Hana. Meet Asterios Polyp: middle-aged, meagerly successful architect and teacher, aesthete and womanizer, whose life is wholly upended when his New York City apartment goes up in flames. In a tenacious daze, he leaves the city and relocates to a small town in the American heartland. But what is this “escape” really about?

I'm sure there are plenty of reasons for this that could be explained using behavioral psychology, but really, I just want to stop. I get that part of conversing in general is the act of sharing, but not to the level of attention-grabbing and narcissism. So it was a good time for this book to come along when it did. Paradigma del superamento della frontiera tra cultura alta e bassa, Asterios Polyp è un’autentica torta a più strati: sfogli, osservi, leggi, risfogli, rileggi. Una miniera di dettagli, da scoprire a poco a poco. Here’s a question. Your argument seems at least partially predicated on the idea that the book is successful in that it mirrors Asterios’ perspective; that it leaves out certain things, but that those are things that are left out because Asterios wouldn’t see them. Here’s where we see part of the charm of Asterios Polyp. Asterios has never worked on a car. But he’s got a lot of confidence and a photographic memory. So he spends an afternoon in the town library to get up to speed on mechanics. How hard could it be?

This comic provides examples of:

What if reality (as perceived) were simply an extension of the self? Wouldn't this color the way each individual experiences the world? As one who doesn't exist, I'm entitled to ask these questions."

The beauty of Asterios Polyp is that its core tenet, the need to pay attention to life as it happens, is so well reflected in the book itself—in its lush paper tone and rough-hewn, elegant design—and in the way all the formal devices serve the story. As such, it rewards attention and even devotion.”— Bookforum Asterios has built his life on this kind of thinking… Thinking that depends on classification and labeling. But when his life falls apart nothing makes sense anymore. Anyway, looking at the art from POLYP on the walls it was fascinating to see where Mazzucchelli had rejected an element — perhaps just the number 7 or a bit of lettering — and redone them. Why these choices? The originals looked unflawed to our untrained eye, but it’s that level of perfectionism that makes POLYP a book deserving of much study and enjoyment. And the “doubles” flawed and unflawed, consciously or not, also reflect the book’s themes of duality and twins.IV. Jeder Abschnitt in der Chronologie der Geschichte und jeder Schauplatz ist einer anderen Farbpalette zugeordnet. Träume und Visionen sehen anders aus als der Besuch bei den sehr alten Eltern, der Vater ist kaum noch ansprechbar, so krank ist er. Der zwanzigseitige Orpheus-Traum ist weit gehend nur zweifarbig gestaltet und somit eine Ausnahme, ansonsten werden bis zu acht Farben in einem Panel verwendet (inkl. weiß), doch "farbig" oder "bunt" wirkt das Buch an keiner einzigen Stelle, eine "erweiterte Zweifarbigkeit" trifft es eher. Wow… where to start? I know David Mazzucchelli from his art in Daredevil: Born Again and Batman: Year 1 which were both written by Frank Miller. Also: this is my second review for CCLaP, and my first in a year-long series reviewing graphic novels. W00t! The journey of this full-of-himself man, Asterios, is begun through an event beyond his control, an act of god. He ends up doing some self-exploration, and we go along with him as he, or the narrator (his dead/unborn twin brother), shows us what kind of man he is/was. He's actually a well-meaning, albeit full-of-himself sort, the kind of which most of us have met. He's smug and happy to stay in his comfort zone so, as such, he is unable to even see where he goes wrong. He's not a bad guy; just no one had ever pointed out his flaws to him. The narrator is a haunting figure who helps Asterios realize he DOES have control over some aspects of his life -- not all of them, but some. But through interpretation, the once-supine reader forces the work towards the primal catastrophe, the confiscation of meaning that snatches the phallic sceptre from the Author-Father. This castration shifts the work from ‘phallic’ (i.e.over-determined) to ‘post-phallic’ (i.e. ‘open’ to penetration by alternate readings.)

Il layout del libro è cangiante, proteiforme, flessibile, incessantemente gradevole, mai soffocante. Molte delle sue pagine hanno una composizione aperta: vignette e figure fluttuano libere nell’ampia pagina bianca, quasi respirassero più profondamente. Le vignette sono separate – in sostanza disaccoppiate – anziché sostenersi a vicenda adiacenti l’una all’altra come nella consueta struttura a griglia. I mean, the coutersuggestion would be that your affection for Mazzucchelli’s work in general, and the dazzling achievement of the art in particular, makes you want to believe he’s in control of the story and its tropes in a way that I think is not justified by the actual comic. but Steinberg’s technique (if OK used in small doses) is, at least, tiresome and blunt used in a graphic novel. It tells the reader what to think denying her (or him) all possibilities of interpretation.” This award winning graphic novel is an exploration of duality. It unfolds between the past and present. Slowly introducing us to the complex, conflicting yet fascinating charter that is Asterios. Wow. Just finished in one reading session this magical work of art. Together with "Daytripper", this is my all time favorite graphic novel. I don't have much to say about it, as I don't think I have rationalized it much yet: visually, it's extremely creative and exciting. Rich with inventions and ideas.

Opis

Formally daring yet stylistically self-assured, Asterios Polyp is a bona fide masterpiece and the early frontrunner for best graphic novel of the year…It’s the presentation— the use of narrative symbolism, color and visual metaphor—that truly sets the book apart. Much like he did with Year One over 20 years ago, Mazzucchelli has once again raised the bar for his entire artform.”— Chicago Sun Times On his journey through a rained out New York, we get to see the human suffering and realities that lie close to the surface of any big city.

Mazzuchelli is using color to convey ideas in a way not attempted by most graphic novelists. The book is all about style, design and visual language, and Mazzuchelli is moving the discussion of all of these forward with Asterios Polyp.”—Matt Price’s best graphic novels of 2009 In Asterios Polyp—the best of the summer's new releases—Mazzucchelli employs spotlights, coloring schemes, knitting, Aristophanes, an identical twin who died at birth and the wide array of secretions from a woman's body to lead us into the self-centered world of the title character even as the center implodes…. Asterios Polyp is a primer for both the fervent possibilities and the rich rewards of the graphic novel.”— Portland Oregonian Mazzucchelli experiments with numerous art styles and pushes the envelope with challenging digressions into philosophy, religion and mortality throughout Polyp’s tale. The engrossing effort culminates with a bombshell that will leave readers reeling.”— Toronto StarMind Screw: The fantasy scenes when Ignazio and Asterios talk seem deliberately put there to screw with the reader. He actually feels like a real person. He is brilliant, but vulgar. He has a measure of success, but not the one he wants. He is arrogant but capable of empathy (in the end).