This epic story of Sherman, Dorothy, Ed, Stephen, Jane, and Mr. Flavor is not to be missed. Alex Robinson's completely natural and inspiring knack ...
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reviews
Jul 10, 2010
Kerry
rated it: 
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 mea More...
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 mea More...
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Apr 29, 2008
Jeremy
rated it: 
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 v More...
Peripheral stories often leave more of a lasting impression than the main narratives, such as a brief but rather wonderful v More...
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Dec 28, 2008
Barky
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Aug 06, 2011
Sam
rated it: 
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
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Sep 20, 2009
George
rated it: 
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
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Feb 12, 2012
Fiberguy
rated it: 
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 More...
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 More...
Nov 20, 2008
Racheal
rated it:
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
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Sep 19, 2011
Keon
rated it:
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
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Jan 12, 2010
Lukas
rated it:
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 fini More...
Still, the quibbles are secondary, and the character arcs which emerge in the fini More...
May 16, 2010
Imogen
rated it:
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
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Aug 06, 2008
Jeremy
rated it:
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...
There isn’t anythin More...
May 04, 2008
George
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Feb 20, 2008
Chris
rated it:
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 absol More...
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 absol More...
Jun 27, 2009
Dale
rated it:
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!
Dec 09, 2008
Thomass
rated it:
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.
May 04, 2009
Susan
rated it:
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
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Jul 26, 2011
Matti
rated it:
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.
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.
Jul 11, 2010
Rebecca
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Feb 16, 2009
Argott
rated it:
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 More...
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 More...
Dec 17, 2009
Shlomo
rated it:
I actually skimmed through the first half of this book, before settling into it and thoroughly enjoying the second. Whats interesting about this book from an artistic process-perspective is that the artist drew each page one at a time from beginning to end. What ens up happening is that his art style matures (IMHO). He starts layouting out the page more clearly. his line-work gets more focused and the angle of perspective for each panel gets more compelling (in the beginign there are more pr
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Apr 10, 2011
Matthew
rated it:
I love graphic novels- especially the kind that are more about "normal" life than the super hero kind (although Dark Knight was grand), and this is one of the best examples of that style. It follows the lives of a group of people over the years as they muddle through, find themselves, etc etc. Seems boring, but the art and narrative style really suck you in. If you like comics, check it out :)
Mar 12, 2009
Alvin
rated it:
Angst everywhere once again. I found myself feeling less "special" after reading this, because when you look at the sort of drama that these characters go through from the outside, you realize that most of the drama in your own life is really just stupid. And at least these characters try to grow up, so they aren't super frustrating like the people in Tomine's Shortcomings.
Aug 14, 2010
Ben
rated it:
I would've given this one 3.5 stars. My tendency is to overrate these semi-autobiographical graphic novels, simply because I enjoy reading them so much. I love the brutal honesty and lack of inhibitions in the genre. I expected this one to be good and it didn't disappoint. There was added value here for me, because one of the main characters worked in a bookstore for far too long and vented about bookstore customers.
Aug 16, 2009
Earline
rated it:
I finally finished this beast! and it's official.. I am now a huge Alex Robinson fan. I loved this comic!
I'm such a sucker for drama, and this comic is oozing with it! It's hard to pick a favorite character, but I loved Sherman's bookstore rants. I also really enjoyed Ed and Mr. Flavor, very relevant in terms of the current comics movie business.
I'm such a sucker for drama, and this comic is oozing with it! It's hard to pick a favorite character, but I loved Sherman's bookstore rants. I also really enjoyed Ed and Mr. Flavor, very relevant in terms of the current comics movie business.
Jul 06, 2009
J.
rated it:
A fantastic slice-of-life comic that ties in to a major issue in publishing in such a touching and lovely way that this is a singular must-read. I loved watching Robinson's artwork evolve over the time of the novel, as well (you can tell it took long enough to create that he went from a passable alternative aritist to an amazing artist during the writing/drawing). Go get this book immediately.
Dec 15, 2007
Laurel
rated it:
So far this is a nice fun break from melodramatic old Phil. Here are my thoughts so far:
It has great drawings--detailed but not busy--and a fast storyline that is a little jumpy at times but not distractingly so. It's long and I like that, but sometimes I feel like it drags a bit--also, I'm not the biggest fan of Sherman, the main character because he is sort of a pussy, but I think he's gearing up for a ball-growing breakthrough. It's satisfying enough to allow me the motivation to keep More...
It has great drawings--detailed but not busy--and a fast storyline that is a little jumpy at times but not distractingly so. It's long and I like that, but sometimes I feel like it drags a bit--also, I'm not the biggest fan of Sherman, the main character because he is sort of a pussy, but I think he's gearing up for a ball-growing breakthrough. It's satisfying enough to allow me the motivation to keep More...
Aug 19, 2008
Steve
rated it:
I re-read this recently for the heck of it. This comic was one of the first to pull me away from the super-hero stuff back in the '90s, so I have a soft spot for it. I read it initially in serialized format, and I think it works better that way. You can see the episodic nature of the story and how it seems to shift focus as things go on and time passes for the writer/artist. The characters are fun, though, and I like Robinson's exaggerated art style. He uses it to good effect. I have to apprec
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Jan 23, 2009
Paul
rated it:
This book which orignally came out as series is a must read for any fans of comic books. Despite how thick it was, I couldn't put it down. Robinson isn't just a gifted author, but artist as well. This is a must for any fan of comic book art.
May 04, 2010
Cootie
rated it:
Now that I'm reading this I realize I've read it before. It's not really my kind of story, but it does have its moments. In the end though I agree with one review I've read on gr, that this book would be more appealing in the '90s, when 20-somethings seemed like carefree jokesters instead of entitled space-wasters. (Thanks to Jeremy Stover for the review.)
Jul 28, 2011
Nick
rated it:
Truly amazing and impressive. You'd think Alex Robinson was a voyeur with the accuracy that he writes private conversations and interactions. He balanced a huge cast of characters and made me care about all of them. The only real concern is its similarity to Tricked, but this was written first. Tricked also featured a large cast of twenty somethings, dealt with fame, and eventually intertwined all of its storylines. However, with the vast enjoyment that I got from reading each of these admi
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