The Spiral Cage
SKU: SONG0974056715
ISBN : 9780974056715
Condition : Used
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The Spiral Cage
From the Inside Flap The first time that I saw the work you are about to read, it was in colour. Dave Gibbons and myself, attending Londons Society of Strip Illustrators to talk about our experiences creating Watchmen, found ourselves talking to Al Davison and cooing over the hand-coloured version of The Spiral Cage that he was prevailed upon to show us. I would dwell at length upon the delicate hues and the sophisticated colour sensibilities that marked every page, except that I wouldnt want anyone to get the impression that the work in question is any the less successful for being in black and white. Its true that, dazzled by the iridescence of the first version Id seen, I was somewhat apprehensive concerning the prospect of a monochrome interpretation. Such doubts however, vanished with my first glimpse of the volume in hand. If anything, the black and white presentation demonstrated even more ably the strength of Als artwork, sturdy and sensitive even without the cosmetic benefits of colour to enhance it. One thing I didnt get a chance to do during that first, necessarily hurried overview was to actually read the thing, something I have since remedied more than a few times. In the course of those readings and re-readings Ive come across a further pleasant revelation: not only does the art stand up perfectly without the exquisite colouring, but the storytelling and substance of The Spiral Cage is a match for either. Let me elaborate upon that: To me, The Spiral Cage is an important work upon a couple of levels. Firstly, as the expression of a personal vision and personal experiences, it is clearly a work of the first water. I doubt I could read it without getting a very powerful sense of the protagonists situation and feelings. The way in which those feelings are articulated, and the tremendously uplifting sense of optimism that they engender would be a tribute to the power of even the most seasoned comics professional, and doubly so to an artist whose first published work is represented by the book in your hands. Secondly, The Spiral Cage is an important addition to the ranks of comic books that strive to break out of the conventions of genre and establish a beach-head of work with genuine human worth and relevance. That Al Davison is a long-time comics fan is evident by the Batman costume his child protagonist is seen wearing. That he has chosen not to slavishly recreate the genre preferences of his childhood is equally evident, and should be applauded as such. Many potentially good artists and writers, overjoyed to find themselves actually working in comics of any kind, allow themselves to become hidebound and institutionalized in the traditions of juvenile superhero comics, eventually becoming unable to imagine working in any other area. Speaking as someone who has worked fairly well within the tried and tested genres of superheroes and science-fiction and has reaped the obvious financial benefits of such a safe and conventional path, I have nothing but deepest admiration for those, like Al, who have had the courage to set their marques so far beyond the rigid perimeters of the comic book mainstream. Of course, the main risk of staking out such untrodden creative areas is a financial one; traditionally, a comic fan market weaned upon superheroes has been reluctant to try out any fare that varied too much from the diet that they were used to. I may be being optimistic, but this may not always be the case. Comic fans themselves are changing, their tastes gradually widening. This year they can accept comics with superheroes so strange and different that they hardly seem to be superheroes at all. Next year, who knows? Perhaps the fan audience will actually be able to tolerate, en masse, the idea of comics without a single cape or mask in sight. Of course, the long-time traditional comic fan market is not the only audience we have to consider; I dont know how the situation stands in America, but in this country
Specification of The Spiral Cage
GENERAL | |
---|---|
Author | Al Davison |
Binding | paperback |
Language | english |
ISBN-10 | 974056715 |
ISBN-13 | 9780974056715 |
Publisher | Active Images |
Publication Year | 01-04-2003 |
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