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Box Office Poison

by Alex Robinson (Goodreads Author)

3.98 of 5 stars 3.98 · rating details · 1,879 ratings · 126 reviews

Sherman, Ed, Dorothy et leurs amis ont terminé depuis quelque temps leurs études, mais ont encore du mal à se fondre dans l'impitoyable monde du travail, de la " vraie vie ". Leurs parcours amoureux et professionnel s'entrecroisent et les premières difficultés apparaissent ; chagrins d'amour, alcoolisme, mesquineries, abus de confiance, escroqueries... Sans oublier les éno...more

Paperback, 602 pages

Published July 2nd 2001 by Top Shelf Productions (first published May 1st 2001)

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Jul 10, 2010 Kerry rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic_novel, fromthelibrary

I grabbed this book when I saw it in the library the other day because Imogen was so vitriolic about it, and I expected it to be deliciously awful.

Instead, it was just mediocre. The art was pretty okay, and I liked a few of the characters. But the overall plot was boring and had no real point or resolution, the main dude (Sherman) was a jackass and his girlfriend was unlikable, and there were goddamned spelling errors. Like, homophone confusion. Like, "your" when he meant "you're." And he thinks...more

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Apr 29, 2008 Jeremy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: comics-n-graphnovs, bangor-public-library

I would have enjoyed this book a lot more in the early '90s, back when college-age twentysomethings seemed like attractive, carefree jokesters as opposed to entitled, good-for-nothing space-wasters. As such types go, however, they're well-developed, occasionally amusing, and compelling enough to propel one through all googolplex pages of this graphic monster.

Peripheral stories often leave more of a lasting impression than the main narratives, such as a brief but rather wonderful vingette in whi...more

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Dec 28, 2008 Karin rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 20-somethings, angst, dark, depressing, ennui, generation-x, graphic-novel, realistic, work, coming-of-age, drinking, drug-use, nudity, sex, borrowed-from-the-library

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This graphic novel tells the stories of a group of younger (20’s and 30’s) adults living in New York. Ed wants to be a comic book artist, but he works in his father’s hardware store most of the time; Sherman wants to be a writer, but he’s stuck in a dead-end retail job at Matthew’s bookstore (and he hates it); Jane and Stephen are a graphic novelist and a college history teacher, respectively – they’re both a bit older than the others and have their lives a bit more together; Dorothy is Sherman’...more This graphic novel tells the stories of a group of younger (20’s and 30’s) adults living in New York. Ed wants to be a comic book artist, but he works in his father’s hardware store most of the time; Sherman wants to be a writer, but he’s stuck in a dead-end retail job at Matthew’s bookstore (and he hates it); Jane and Stephen are a graphic novelist and a college history teacher, respectively – they’re both a bit older than the others and have their lives a bit more together; Dorothy is Sherman’s girlfriend and she writes for a women’s magazine. They have typical that-age problems – finding work that they like, finding partners and relationships, finding fulfillment.

The story starts out being all about Sherman, and although there are other people and other stories intermixed, my impression was that he would be the character that gets the most attention in this book. Well, seems I was wrong, because we lose Sherman at the very end and the final wrap-ups are given from Ed’s perspective. He’s the one who gets to say, here’s where everyone is now after all of these things we’ve been through. The ending is realistic. Some people, but not everyone, live happily ever after; some people, but not everyone, achieve their dreams. Ed’s story seems like it could be some navel-gazing on the part of the author – as Ed is the one with the comic aspirations and probably the final hero. It’s also possible that there are shades of him in everyone in this book. I certainly identified with more than one of them. I think most of us, had we the talent, could tell similar stories about our friends and our own “coming into our own experiences.”

This is probably something that would appeal to those in their college years or early 20’s and 30’s. There’s sex and nudity, drinking, some drug use, which might cause a fuss in the young adult area. It may be something they’d be drawn to as well, but they’re also not quite there yet – many of them still being in a happy or depressed daze which doesn’t have much to do with what their adult lives will look like. Although it’s realistic, I think I’d rather escape from the more depressing bits. Meh.
(less)

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Dec 15, 2012 Subroto rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novels-comics

Remember the last time you were falling out of love that too with a person who you really thought was "your person?" Remember feeling attracted to random people just because you were so unhappy in your own relationship ? Remember doubting yourself ? Remember wondering if this other attraction was the real thing or it was just another distraction courtesy your "sinful" hormones ?

Remember trying to break up but failing all the time ?

Remember sitting alone and telling yourself you are a jackass -...more

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Oct 17, 2012 Oscar Salas rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: préstamos, graphic-novels

Publicado en 2001, Box Office Poison, curiosamente traducido como Malas Ventas (arriesgado pero sincrónico) parece, en principio, haber envejecido en su novedad. Contar la historia de un reparto de jóvenes irrumpiendo en la adultez tiene mucho de Alta Fidelidad y otro tanto de slice of life, hoy en día tan en boga. Situado en contexto, debe haber sido un pionero en su mezcla de género, pero hoy parece superado por el hipsterismo. Sin embargo, lo que aún hace deliciosa esta lectura es el increíbl...more Publicado en 2001, Box Office Poison, curiosamente traducido como Malas Ventas (arriesgado pero sincrónico) parece, en principio, haber envejecido en su novedad. Contar la historia de un reparto de jóvenes irrumpiendo en la adultez tiene mucho de Alta Fidelidad y otro tanto de slice of life, hoy en día tan en boga. Situado en contexto, debe haber sido un pionero en su mezcla de género, pero hoy parece superado por el hipsterismo. Sin embargo, lo que aún hace deliciosa esta lectura es el increíble talento de Alex Robinson para hacer queribles a sus personajes, incluso a los más detestables, a través del simple (pero cuán complejo) diálogo.

Aunque sus resoluciones son algo obvias, y se desliza cierto conservadurismo en sus resoluciones para con los personajes, la lectura es ágil y muy atrapante. Lo más increíble para los lectores no habituales de este tipo de novelas gráficas puede ser la dicotomía de Robinson como fan hardcore de la cultura pop en general y del cómic en particular, no sólo por la línea argumenatl revisionista del problema del copyright en la industria del cómic mainstream, sino también en los "entretramados". Así es; al igual que en los cómics Marvel de los buenos viejos tiempos, todas las tramas avanzan progresivamente, se entrelazan y combinan para ir dotando de continuidad al Universo. La variable, deliciosa en su constatación, es el hecho de que sean los personajes de carne y hueso los que conduzcan estos hilos, tal como lo hacían los generosos secundarios en las tramas de los herederos de Stan Lee, como Gerry Conway o Roger Stern. En ese sentido, Alex Robinson propone una especie de cultura meta-friki, un ñoño que es capaz de superar la ñoñería básica, bastarda y subnormal, para utilizar ese talento de catalogar, comprehender y condensar en aspectos más interesantes, y más reales, de la vida misma.

Por último, que gran talento tiene Robinson para dibujar expresiones faciales en trazos sencillos. Esos pequeños detalles le dan la cuarta estrella. Recomendado para lectores maduros.(less)

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Aug 06, 2011 Sam Quixote rated it 1 of 5 stars

I love comics and thought this'd be fantastic but man is it anything but. Two friends out of uni hit the city, get crappy jobs, one of them works in a bookshop and wants to be a writer. He makes fun of customers in the bookshop behind their backs for not knowing anything about books. Fair enough, I've met librarians who thought Charles Dickens was a novel by David Copperfield. But come on, easy target! Hardly engaging. Then we have the foreign landlady who shouts a lot of pidgen english, the cra...more I love comics and thought this'd be fantastic but man is it anything but. Two friends out of uni hit the city, get crappy jobs, one of them works in a bookshop and wants to be a writer. He makes fun of customers in the bookshop behind their backs for not knowing anything about books. Fair enough, I've met librarians who thought Charles Dickens was a novel by David Copperfield. But come on, easy target! Hardly engaging. Then we have the foreign landlady who shouts a lot of pidgen english, the crazy ex-girlfriend, the supposedly exploitative and soulless businesspeople. I'll stop there out of politeness. Basically it's a long list of stereotypes which have been mocked before and are mocked again. No new perspective just childish pointing and nasal laughing. Utterly pathetic.

And the plot? Lots of people frustrated in love or not frustrated in love. Single life in a city, following your dreams, slowly emerging from university like adolescence into adulthood where disappointment is the order of the day. Yawn. The only thing resembling a story was the old comic book guy's story of creating a Superman/Batman like character and signing away the rights because it was the 40s/50s and comic book writers had no rights, didn't know, etc, etc. If you know about Superman you'll know the story behind the creators. Also it's a story that's been explored before by others like Will Eisner's "The Dreamer" or Daniel Clowes' "Pussey!". Hardly new.

And the inanity of it all! Mundane boring lives of wannabes moaning about life. How utterly dull. And it's 600 pages! 600 pages of whinging idiots. "People don't read enough, people aren't creative enough, blah blah". Well I read plenty and that's why I know there are much better comics out there than this load of tat. I made it halfway before giving up on this wishy washy overrated and outdated brick of a book. Don't even bother picking it up fellow readers get something else instead. Or if you want to try Robinson I'd suggest his much better work "Too Cool To Be Forgotten". (less)

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Sep 20, 2009 George Marshall rated it 4 of 5 stars

I found it gripping and totally involving, dragging me fully into identifying with the characters. I found myself moved and excited. The art is actually remarkably clever at suggesting the nuances of body language and expression. I spent a whole weekend in this world and felt deeply sad when it ended and I had to pull myself free. BOP shows that Alex Robinson is one of the very best in this medium and like Ware, Bechdel, Seth, Tomine, Modan, Clowes- maybe just a few others- is able to create cha...more

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Feb 12, 2012 Fiberguy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novels

A few weeks ago, I started following Alex Robinson's Flickr and seeing some of his artwork again gave me the urge to re-read Box Office Poison. I thoroughly enjoyed that read (again) and thought I'd review it.

Box Office Poison could be described as a mix between Friends and Big Bang Theory, only intelligent and deep. It's funny, it's full of references, it's life in the 00s in NYC, it's the age-old story of mismatched love, it's fun and it's moving.

What more do you want in a graphic novel ?

The...more

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Nov 20, 2008 Racheal rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novels

This was one of those books that I originally gave four stars, but after thinking about it for a while I had to bump it down to three. I definitely enjoyed it--it's funny, the illustrations are charming and the characters are likeable (and in the case of the character who works at a bookstore, VERY relatable). I just had problems with the pacing. The storylines I enjoyed most got a lot less time than the one I didn't care for. Also, I felt that it started out with a definite main character, Sher...more

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May 05, 2013 Bob Dobbs rated it 1 of 5 stars

Box Office Poison is one of the worst comic books I've ever skimmed. Its art is extremely simple and ugly, for starters. It looks like something a child would draw. All I got from it was that it was about this loser getting into a dysfunctional relationship with an alcoholic, all the while living in a shitty apartment in shitty New York City and holding down a soul-crushingly tedious job to support this lifestyle. Just page after page of crudely drawn characters in an ugly world of unhappiness,...more

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Jan 04, 2013 Pammu rated it 5 of 5 stars

This really is a monster of a book. It's also a monster of a story. People don't seem to like it for reasons that I like it. It's real, it's gritty, and it's honest.

Alex Robinson has a thing for making endearing characters and I really love that about his work. He also takes his characters to places that would either make them crash and then burn, or just to where it's tragic.

The plot is nothing more than an ebb and flow of where the characters came from to where there are headed and how they co...more

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Sep 19, 2011 Keon rated it 5 of 5 stars

I think it perfectly captures a group of imperfect, flawed but relatable people, growing up and making choices that define us in our twenties to thirties. The characters reminded me of real people i knew, myself included. It depicted them unflinchingly, with compassion but also with clarity about people's limitations. The graphic novel definitely improved (especially the art) as it went along and the pacing feels odd but I felt this was something you just have to delve into. It had a Dickensian...more

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Apr 25, 2013 Alger rated it 3 of 5 stars

Competently told and with real characters, I found myself liking the individual parts of the book even as I was distracted by the many sideshows and non-linear style. Most of all the book drags through the icky details of one relationship that is so obviously doomed by the ultimately unlikable personalities involved that the tragedies that mount as the book moves to a conclusion are perfunctory rather than moving.

In stronger hands this would have been a great book. As is, it's a time capsule of...more

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Jan 12, 2010 Lukas rated it 3 of 5 stars

Robinson does a good job of conveying the clash of humor, drama, and heartbreaking aspirations of city life. The book introduces many potential threads which ultimately go unused. While the book eventually finds a strong narrative, it does so at the expense of its initial structure, and while the book is stronger for it, one might feel like a victim of a bait-and-switch if one thinks about it hard enough.

Still, the quibbles are secondary, and the character arcs which emerge in the finished piece...more

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Jan 19, 2013 Stephen Sajdak rated it 4 of 5 stars

An engrossing read. The graphic novel equivalent of the best of Kevin Smith's career, which exceeds even that back-handed praise. It's best read when you're between the ages of 22-27, but it still holds weight past that point. This is clearly the work of someone who knows the characters he's writing about, and lived the life that they live. The book falls flat whenever it reaches beyond that comfort zone, but when it sticks to the in's and out's of being confused, dispirited, and just out of col...more

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May 16, 2010 Imogen rated it 1 of 5 stars

I don't understand what the fuck people like about this book. Here's what I got from the first 150 pages (of 600), before I gave up: people who go to book stores are idiots; smugness is a virtue, as is feeling superior to everyone else all the time; misogyny is no reason not to publish a book; who cares if you spell a word wrong every few pages; Pete Bagge's art has been extremely influential; and transsexuals aren't real people, they're punchlines. Good work, Alex Robinson. Fuck all of these th...more

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May 02, 2013 Francisco Acuna rated it 5 of 5 stars

Although some reviewers here may feel that the content is outdated (too 90's), I think that a true artistic work's value is measured by its ability to depict and reflect realistic depth of its characters. This is certainly achieved by Box Office Poison, which shuns the computer coloring and big visual effects of today's comics, rather adopting a minimalistic approach to favors content and message. There are scenes in this book that made me laugh uncontrollably and some others that watered my eye...more

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Aug 01, 2012 Andrew Shuping rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novel

One of my favorite things about going into a good used bookstore (you know the ones that actually carry comics and graphic novels) is discovering artists/authors I hadn’t heard of before. And last year when exploring one of my favorite stores I came across the book “Too Cool To Be Forgotten” and was entranced by Alex’s art and story. So I eagerly looked to see what else he had done and soon discovered “Box Office Poison,” one of Alex’s best known works. The story explore themes of friendship, li...more One of my favorite things about going into a good used bookstore (you know the ones that actually carry comics and graphic novels) is discovering artists/authors I hadn’t heard of before. And last year when exploring one of my favorite stores I came across the book “Too Cool To Be Forgotten” and was entranced by Alex’s art and story. So I eagerly looked to see what else he had done and soon discovered “Box Office Poison,” one of Alex’s best known works. The story explore themes of friendship, life, love...and comic books. How could I not be intrigued by that? But I have to admit when I first picked up the book I was a bit intimidated by it, I mean it is a massive book at just over 600 pages. But I was eager to read the story and dove into the work.

Sherman and Ed are two young friends trying to make it in the larger world. Sherman is just out of college and wants to be a writer, but for now he’s working a dead end job as a clerk in a bookstore. Ed, who is shy and a bit unsure of himself, wants to create comics for a living. He’s already got a few ideas brewing in his head and he’s got an internship lined up with a once great artist, whose know fallen out of favor and is forgotten. Along the way to fulfilling their dreams, Ed and Sherman make and lose new friends and roommates all on the same path as they are. All, even the oldest, are still trying to find their dreams and survive life as best as they can.

This is a long story, probably one of the longest that I’ve read in a long time (well since “Habibi” at the very least.) And dense. Wow is it dense, I had to stop a lot while reading it to ponder what was going on and because at times the storyline felt like it was resonating all too closely with my own life. I must have stopped and started the book a dozen or more times. Don’t get me wrong I enjoyed the book, but there was a lot to take in, not only with the story, but the artwork as well. But I kept reading the book, not just because I wanted to finish it, but because I related to the characters as they dealt with whatever life tossed their way (sometimes they dealt with it poorly, but still...) How they dealt and managed relationships and their own insecurities at times hit way too close to home, but enlightening at the same time. Alex did a great job of telling the story of these characters, not just of the troubles they had in life, but those moments of sheer joy and happiness as well. He made the story feel like I was reading a documentary, because nothing was kept out, nothing was scared, it was hopeful and depressing all at the same time.

I think one of my favorite parts of this book is right there at the very end, where there’s the discussion on friendships/catch up of what the characters are up too. There’s just this quote that really resonated with me and in many ways sums up how I viewed the book. The quote is “most friendships, if the end at all, end not by earthquake, but by erosion.” Not only does it tie everything together about the book (or at least it feels that way too me), but it just resonates with me at this juncture in my life as I’m in similar place. People moving, new jobs, doing new and different things and all of us moving along our own path to different parts of our lives. It almost feels like the fireworks and the explosions would be a better way to end it, because then you at least know why it ended and it’s definitive unlike the erosion...where no one did anything in particular to end but no one did anything to save it and you at times make half hearted efforts to restart it, before at some point just giving up. Its the thing that i’m still pondering even days after reading this book.

I have some difficulty with the art in this book, in part because Alex packs a lot and I do mean a lot, of art into the page. It at times makes it a bit difficult to see everything that’s going on and is another reason why I had to keep stopping and starting the book. He adds so many details in and in many ways it reminds me of some other underground comics artists, such as some of the work I’ve seen done by Matt Groening. What I did like though is that Alex isn’t often bound by typical border panels, he often has characters going off the edge or rearranging the panels till they twist and turn around a character’s head or in one instance using a solid black line through a panel bisecting the same scene to give a character the chance to interact with the story in a new way.

Overall I’d give the work 3.5 out of 5 stars (the density takes a bit off for me.) I’d recommend this book to those that like watching documentaries and wouldn’t mind reading one in print. (less)

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Aug 06, 2008 Jeremy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Box Office Poison is a monster, and even though it’s a graphic novel, 600 pages is still an enormous story. Alex Robinson’s story is about a group of twenty-something friends and how their lives intersect with each other. Sherman drams of being a writer but works in a local bookstore. His best friend Ed wants to crate comics. Jane, Stephen, Irving Flavor, and Sherman’s girlfriend round out the cast. Each of the characters has a full story and is fun to follow through the book.

There isn’t anythin...more

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May 04, 2008 George rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novels

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This long (almost 600 page) graphic novel features an ensemble cast of characters living in NYC. The art reminds me of Dave Sims, minus the talking aardvark. Box Office Poison is a page turner, with great dialogue and tons of jokes, but the best part of this graphic novel is the characters. We have a bookstore clerk, a historian, three cartoonists and an editor of a fashion magazine. These people were very real to me; by the end of the book I felt like they were friends, or at least people I kne...more This long (almost 600 page) graphic novel features an ensemble cast of characters living in NYC. The art reminds me of Dave Sims, minus the talking aardvark. Box Office Poison is a page turner, with great dialogue and tons of jokes, but the best part of this graphic novel is the characters. We have a bookstore clerk, a historian, three cartoonists and an editor of a fashion magazine. These people were very real to me; by the end of the book I felt like they were friends, or at least people I knew. I identified with Sherman, the bookstore clerk; I worked at a bookstore for six fun-filled years, and certainly had my share of moronic questions.

My favorite character is the cartoonist, Irving Flavor. Irving is a cranky old bastard, but being old and impoverished can do that to a person. He’s been in the comics business for years and years and is thus a realist; Ed is the bright-eyed dreamer just starting out. I like their interplay. I think Irving does his best to help Ed out: he tells him straight out that the comics business is full of sharks, and even advises him to do that Night Stalker graphic novel. And Ed really puts it out there for Irving.

(SPOILER ALERT)
My only quibble is the confrontation between Ed and Irving at the end. Ed has a right to be mad that Irving stole his character designs, but I don’t get the impression that’s what he’s angry about. He seems to think Irving “sold out,” and comes across as being totally self-righteous. Irving is right about that – Ed doesn’t have the right to treat him with such contempt. Irving knows he isn’t going to win a fight with ZOOM comics, so he takes what he feels he can get. And he’s working again, which is what he wanted, so good for him. Give the guy a break. Of course: the character design issue is a different matter.
(END SPOILER ALERT)

End of rant. Anyway…the fates of the characters make sense, given what we know about them. The author resists the temptation to sprinkle the joy glitter at the end – not everyone gets (or even deserves) a happy ending. This is a wonderful graphic novel; highly recommended.(less)

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Mar 26, 2013 Bullcityfats rated it 4 of 5 stars

A sprawling, 600-page graphic novel centered on two friends in New York, one an aspiring writer, the other an aspiring comic artist. The strength of this work is in the characters; they have strong and memorable personalities replete with quirks, flaws and obsessions. One thing I had difficulty getting a handle on was the time period; it was clearly pre-internet, but otherwise it could have been mid-80s to late-90s from various clues, but didn't really seem to fit anywhere.

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Feb 20, 2008 Chris rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphicnovels

One of the things I really love about Box Office Poison is that when you're reading the book, you get a clear picture of a cartoonist coming into his own. I don't know if Alex Robinson ever intented on completely flip-flopping his POV characters halfway through the story, but the bold move pays off, especially on a second read-through.

The story meanders, but in a pleasant way. You enjoy the detours because you like the people you're reading about.

If I had to pick my absolute favorite part of BOP...more

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Dec 14, 2012 Kristi rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: quit

I think I would have enjoyed this book a lot more if I had read it 10 years ago. It's very much a slice of late 1990s New York twenty-something life (like Rent without the music and AIDS), and I'm so far beyond that kind of thinking that the characters simply bored me. Angst, whine, angst. Things that used to seem important and profound are now a lot less bothersome. That said, the artwork is wonderful, and the book is a great example of sequential storytelling. I can see why it's so lauded.

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Mar 18, 2012 Zedsdead rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novels

Wonderful graphic novel. Box Office Poison follows a few years in the lives of a group of loosely connected New Yorkers. Lots of relationship and professional angst. It feels so very real; lies do not usually get uncovered to dramatic effect, fights and misunderstandings do not always get resolved, the hero does not always get the girl. People don't usually grow and change very much; who they are is who they are.

And the nudity is extremely UNflattering.

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Jun 27, 2009 Dale Philbrick rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is a really good graphic novel about a circle of friends (and the characters that swirl around them) in mid-90's NY. I liked the way that the main characters at the start of the book moved out of the way and let their supporting cast take center-stage toward the middle. I found myself caring for these characters (so much so that a reveal about 75% of the way through was like a punch in the gut that I was not expecting). Highly recommended!

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Dec 09, 2008 Thomass rated it 4 of 5 stars

At first I wasn't really feeling it, felt too much like prototypical sophmore at college stereotype re-hash; tom robbins, vennegut, etc but with a comic nerd sensibility. Some of the writing ironically becomes self referential in it's complaining about writing that's too 'insider'. But, alas it comes out the hole it's dug and drudges up much more real, live human material, touching on nerves, doubts, temptations most of us face. A good read.

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May 04, 2009 Susan rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: manga-graphic-novels

Fans of Allison Bechdel's The Essential Dykes to Watch Out For might appreciate Robinson's anecdotal slice-of-life vignettes about Sherman, Ed, Beatrice, Dorothy, Stephen and Jane. Kevin Smith fans could also be a potential target audience for these stories of snarky pseudo-adults perpetually stuck in a transitional phase . Robinsons' characters are somehow both intellectually savvy and socially challenged, always having the last word and the quick retort but doomed to struggle at maintaining st...more

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Jul 26, 2011 Matti Karjalainen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: sarjakuvat, kotikirjasto, in-english, 2000-luku

Alex Robinsonin "Box Office Poison" eräs pisimmistä (sillä on mittaa peräti 600 sivua) mutta samalla myös hienoimmista ja sielukkaimmista koskaan lukemistani sarjakuvaromaaneista.

Nuorten aikuisten ja yhden äreän vanhuksen muodostaman ihmissuhdeverkoston ympärille kietoutuva tarina on yhtä monimuotoinen kuin elämä itsekin.

En taida edes yrittää kommentoida tarkemmin. Lukekaa itse. En usko, että kadutte.

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Jul 11, 2010 Rebecca rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, comic-graphic-novel

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Feb 16, 2009 Argott rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: i_do_not_just_read_comics

When my friend Herb worked at Antarctic Press, he "discovered" Alex Robinson and Box Office Poison. Aside from becoming my friend, giving Alex Robinson his first big break is probably the most important thing Herb has ever done. (It's neat to know someone who knows someone who should be famous.)

By any standard, Box Office Poison is exceptionally well-written. It's a remarkable work in every way. Better than the Watchman even. And not a superhero in sight.

No dice for those of you who refuse to re...more

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About Alex Robinson

Alex Robinson was born in the Bronx on 8 August. He grew up in Yorktown Heights, New York where he graduated high school in 1987. His first job upon graduation was washing dishes in a gourmet deli and it was while working there he decided that maybe college was a pretty good idea afterall.

He spent one year at SUNY Brockport and then transferred to an art school in New York City, where he majored...more Alex Robinson was born in the Bronx on 8 August. He grew up in Yorktown Heights, New York where he graduated high school in 1987. His first job upon graduation was washing dishes in a gourmet deli and it was while working there he decided that maybe college was a pretty good idea afterall.

He spent one year at SUNY Brockport and then transferred to an art school in New York City, where he majored in cartooning. Among his teachers were Will Eisner, Andre LeBlanc, Sal Amendola and Gahan Wilson. In his sophomore year he got a job at a bookstore, where he continued to work for seven long years.

After graduating from art school, Alex began doing mini comics (small print run comics xeroxed and stapled by himself). He soon started working on the story that would become his first graphic novel, Box Office Poison.

In 1996, Antarctic Press started publishing the serialized version of Box Office Poison. The series ran for twenty-one issues, and once the story was complete, Top Shelf Productions published the entire thing in one 608 page book. Shortly after the book was published, Alex won the Eisner Award for Talent Deserving of Wider Recognition.

Although Box Office Poison was nominated for several awards (a Harvey, an Eisner, an Ignatz and the Firecracker book award) it failed to take home a single prize. Pathetic. Alex bitterly got to work on a second book.

2005 got off to a great start when the French translation of Box Office Poison won the prestigious Prix du Premier Album award in Angouleme, France. August finally saw the release of Tricked, which Top Shelf announced was going to a second printing in November.

In 2006, Tricked lost the Eisner Award for Best Graphic Novel, but managed to win a Harvey and Ignatz Award. This year also so Astiberri in Spain release both of his graphic novels in handsome, one volume editions.

Alex has expanded his storytelling to include fantasy, with the release of Alex Robinson's LOWER REGIONS (2007) and time travel/high school in TOO COOL TO BE FORGOTTEN (2008).

He currently lives in New York City with his wife Kristen and their pets, Krimpet and Wrigley.
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