Product Description: A visionary work of comic art for the ages. Readers who haven't discovered Jim Woodring's "Frank" stories have a colossal treat waiting for them. Since 1991, these lusciously rendered, hypnotic fables have dazzled comics readers the world over. Now, for the first time, Fantagraphics will collect all the Frank stories in one massive and deluxe tome, The Frank Book. Between its handsome cloth covers are 344 pages of Frank comics, drawings and oddities. A fancy dustjacket, swoon-inducing endpapers and ribbon bookmark make this book a decorative object as well as a repository of storytelling genius. Frank is a unique, visionary comic, exquisitely drawn and so fully realized that readers find themselves drawn deeply into Woodring's hallucinatory mindscape. The stories, almost entirely wordless, are told with brilliant, candy colors that people of all ages find alluring. Is The Frank Book a book for children? For some children, certainly: smart, secure children who enjoy a good puzzle and aren't too upset by a little grim mayhem. This is strong stuff, in places. What are the stories about? It's impossible to say... clued-in readers all agree they are about something, but the world of Frank must be experienced to be understood.
Who is Frank? Another unanswerable question. Does it explain him to say that he is an 11-year-old generic anthropomorph who lives in a force-laden landscape called the Unifactor? That he is curious but not smart, naïve but not noble? That his most outstanding character trait is his ineducability? What of Pupshaw, Frank's semi-subservient housedog-like godling? Or Manhog, the bloated bladder of sin with a heart of radiance? Who can explain the platonic Jerry Chickens, or the lachrymose Lucky? Does it explain things to say that Frank has a Real Pa and a Faux Pa, and that they are indistinguishable? The world will little note nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget The Frank Book. This definitive collection is the very best way to give, receive and experience one of the great cartoon achievements of the 20th century. 9g pages full color.
Another world The world that Jim Woodring has created is unique and very different. His drawing is precise and clear so you have no difficulty understanding what shapes and forms you are looking at, but it isn't a place you've ever been to before. Fortunately, it's just barely familiar enough to be understandable and, also fortunately, it's also so different that it's totally fascinating. The book consists of a number of short stories or episodes collected from the Frank comic book series. There is no dialogue but Woodring is brilliant at telling a story with pictures. Some stories have an understandable plot and some don't. At least on the conscious level they don't. They often still feel like a story even though you would be hard-pressed to explain why. It's very satisfying to read/view the Frank stories, but you should probably be someone who enjoys David Lynch, surreal art, sci-fi, fantasy, and jazz.
Wow Sitting in front of a computer screen, trying to think of a title that would truly encompass the spirit of Jim Woodring's insane little fables, only the word "Wow" came to mind. Wow. Regardless of whom you are, what walk of life you come from, even what language you speak, "Frank" will floor you, simple as that.
On first glance these stories look like the drug-fueled dreams of a madman, simultaneously evoking a sense of awe and horror from the reader. The world of Frank, an anamorphic creature that looks like a combination of several different animals, is one that's utterly alien to our own yet oddly familiar. Frank himself is an enigma, at times innocently curious, while other times cruel and vengeful. The creatures, if you could call them that, which share this world with Frank are just as odd: from Frank's faithful companion Pupshaw to the vile and conniving Manhog.
The stories that occur within this world are equally bizarre and seemingly nonsensical, yet underneath the surreal nature of these stories lurks meaning. I won't even attempt to analyze the themes of these tales, as I seriously doubt there is a single concrete message to any of the stories contained in this volume. Every person probably has different interpretations for Frank's world: biblical metaphor, morality tale, apocalyptic fable or just insane fun. You can look as deep as you want into these stories, or just read them for hallucinogenic kicks.
I've never read, seen or imagined anything quite like the world of Frank, and I doubt I ever will. It manages to tap into a universal subconscious, screw around with it, and spit out a couple dozen of insane little stories for your reading pleasure. It's a staggering work of a demented genius and needs to be experienced by anyone who calls themselves a comic fan.
In a class by itself I read The Frank Book, and my eyeballs fell out.
Deceptively simplistic, devilishly exquisite... ...or something like that. How else to describe beautiful art like this? It is an art that goes well beyond simply capturing our dreams and nightmares. Rather, it brings them back to us along with the whole pieces and scattered fragments that we'd forgotten we'd experienced. Absurd and thought-provoking, it brings joy to our hearts with one moment and shocking fear to our brains with the next. It is as grotesque and sublime as life, but at first glance it looks nothing like it. But once you immerse yourself into it, you will see it and you will enjoy it. I promise you will.
Spellbinding... Nothing can be said to describe the experience of reading this book. The only way to understand is to read it yourself -which I cannot recommend enough.
Anything Goes Trivia
Trevor
Megaton Man
