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Comic Book Tattoo
by
Pia Guerra,
Leah Moore (Goodreads Author), John Reppion (Goodreads Author), Rantz A. Hoseley
Over 80 of the best creators from every style and genre have contributed over 50 stories to this anthology featuring tales inspired by the songs of multi-platinum recording artist, Tori Amos! Featuring an introduction by Neil Gaiman, with stories by creators such as Carla Speed McNeil, Mark Buckingham, C.B. Cebulski, Nikki Cook, Hope Larson, John Ney Reiber, Ryan Kelly, an...more
Paperback
Published
July 23rd 2008
by Image Comics
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(More pictures at parkablogs.com)
I've put off the purchase of Comic Book Tattoo for a long time thinking it was a book on tattoo art. It didn't help that it was in shrink wrap at a local bookshop (which I hate and love) and I couldn't peek inside.
This is a very huge and heavy book. I bought it from Amazon and they included an additional surcharge for the bulk, which I didn't notice, making it more expensive if I were to buy it locally -- ouch!
There are both paperback and hardcover edition. Mine...more
2 likes · like · see review
view all 3 comments
Jul 23, 2010
Jace
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Tori Amos fans with low expectations
Shelves:
comics
Tori Amos and comic books are my two main obsessions, so this purchase was a no-brainer. How could the convergence of two of my favorite things be anything less than amazing, right? Wrong. In fact, I'm not exactly sure who this book is meant to appeal to.
Tori fans will be disappointed because many of the stories have nothing to do with her music. The stories are purportedly "inspired" by a specific Tori song, but a lot of them are generic and lack any appreciable connection to her lyrics. Far t...more
Tori fans will be disappointed because many of the stories have nothing to do with her music. The stories are purportedly "inspired" by a specific Tori song, but a lot of them are generic and lack any appreciable connection to her lyrics. Far t...more
5 likes · like · see review
Aug 06, 2008
Greg
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Tori Amos fans, fans of graphic novels
This anthology is made up of more than 80 artists' interpretations of 51 of Amos' songs from each of her albums (barring Strange Little Girls). Rather than be literal interpretations of the lyrics, many of the stories here are at the very least simply inspired by. While some have seemingly no connection to the source, there are plenty here that will rekindle interest in some songs and even let you see some of the songs in a different light.
What's more is that these stories stand alone so that yo...more
What's more is that these stories stand alone so that yo...more
First, I am a Tori Amos fan. I grew up listening to her and she's always been one of my favorite artists. As someone who's also a Sandman nut and enjoyed Tori's appearances in those stories, I had some high expectations for this collection. And I did not like this book.
This felt too scattered. I don't think many of the stories were well-told... I would've rather that a few songs had been cherry-picked for this book, and then given more depth. It's all very pretty to look at, for the most part, a...more
This felt too scattered. I don't think many of the stories were well-told... I would've rather that a few songs had been cherry-picked for this book, and then given more depth. It's all very pretty to look at, for the most part, a...more
So, it is a really BIG book. Ok? BIG! Like a mammoth big. If you have weak wrists, hire someone to hold it while you read! Trust me.
So now about the content of the book...
Tori Amos -- you either love her or hate her. If you hate her, why are you reading this?? If you love her, as I do, you found this a fascinating insight into what others think of her lyrical mysteries. Were you the only one that likened the Cornflake Grrl as a strict adherence to a black & white belief in the goodness of pe...more
So now about the content of the book...
Tori Amos -- you either love her or hate her. If you hate her, why are you reading this?? If you love her, as I do, you found this a fascinating insight into what others think of her lyrical mysteries. Were you the only one that likened the Cornflake Grrl as a strict adherence to a black & white belief in the goodness of pe...more
I won't give this book one star because a lot of the art really is lovely and Tori Amos's lyrics are always interesting and thought provoking to read, but man oh man... virtually none of the stories in this book are memorable or good and a good chunk of them barely make sense or can really even be called stories. The majority are more or less readable but kind of banal and, as expected, there is definitely a very precious element, a sort of butterflies/mermaids/earth goddess/fairy/grrrrrl power...more
I admit I like Tori Amos. I've seen her in concert and own many CDs but I'm not a huge fan. I like her. What I am is someone who has a life long love of comics. Ranging from the underground comix to mainstream and graphic novel formats. This book is a beauty whether you care about how artists interpret her lyrics or not. It's thick and oversized (11 3/4 x 11 3/4) and heavy. Some of the short comics inside follow the lyrics, others not so much. All of them are creative and it showcases different...more
I bought this years ago-well, when it was new but never got around to reading it because it was so freakin' bulky. I finally dropped it on the passenger side of my bed and made it my "read before bed" book. I finished it many days ago, but didn't mark it as that 'cause I had to read all the artist/writers/colorists etc. bio's. Which ultimately just made me feel like a worthless idiot for not doing more to advance my dreams of becoming a comic book artist. Moving on...
This was a wonderful little...more
This was a wonderful little...more
Mar 23, 2010
Janne Varvára
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
comics-graphic-novels
I said I didn't like comics. I take it back!
Ever since Tori Amos was revealed to me at age 17, I've been her faithful fan, she's definitely the musician that's made most of an impact on me. What attracted me to her music, aside from the rockin' piano, was her lyrics, the like of which I've never seen before (or ever since for that matter). Sometimes quirky and obscure, sometimes rudely (and crudely) straightforward, a very strange, refreshing mix. With Tori I think, either you get it, or you don...more
Ever since Tori Amos was revealed to me at age 17, I've been her faithful fan, she's definitely the musician that's made most of an impact on me. What attracted me to her music, aside from the rockin' piano, was her lyrics, the like of which I've never seen before (or ever since for that matter). Sometimes quirky and obscure, sometimes rudely (and crudely) straightforward, a very strange, refreshing mix. With Tori I think, either you get it, or you don...more
This is a multi-authored work featuring the comic stylings of various artists . . . and though the stories are unrelated in style and content, the one common thread is that they are all based, if loosely, on Tori Amos songs. I received this as a gift from my friend Mike because I am a Tori fan, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. What I liked best is that the comics inside were not just retellings of whatever the actual Tori song was about (though in some cases it seemed like they were similar)...more
This book will give you wikket bad paper-cuts, if you aren't careful! It's all glossy, dense, beautiful, wonderful pages of graphic shorts based on the lyrics of Tori Amos, whose prolific catalogue and quirky personality lend well to this project. Many of her songs don't have one specific topic or interpretation, and make a good departure point for storytellers to bring us tales of drama or whimsy or lush, under-your-skin fantasy. Some of the stories are a bit more 'straightforward', they make t...more
As an avid ear with feet, I was extremely excited to hear this was to be released, and received it as a Christmas present the same year. Originally I thought this would be one continuous story, but is in fact a great many stories, inspired by Tori Amos' songs, from her career between 1988 and 2009. So not an easy book to review.
Starting with a comic inspired by Flying Dutchman, a B-side of China, the song which also gave the book the title, and finishing with Pretty Good Year of Under the Pink,...more
Starting with a comic inspired by Flying Dutchman, a B-side of China, the song which also gave the book the title, and finishing with Pretty Good Year of Under the Pink,...more
I purchased Comic Book Tattoo because of the cover art and it's size vs. price ratio. This is a great investment for art lovers, and well worth a read even if you don't like Tori Amos. (I had no idea she was involved when I picked it up for the first time.) The artwork is widely varied as is the approach to the stories based on Amos's songs: some are abstract, others follow the lyrics exactly, and still others seem hardly related to their inspiration.
Some of the stories and artwork, I don't like...more
Some of the stories and artwork, I don't like...more
May 01, 2010
Melinda
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Tori Amos fans and comic book lovers
I was able to get one of the limited edition copies, signed by The Goddess herself. I think there is some audience for the book if one is not strictly a Tori fan. When the story more closely matched what I felt the song was about, then I loved it (like Merman or Girl) but when they were too experimental or only riffed on one line of the song I didn't like them so much. I think if you are a true comic book fan or a EWF (and if you are one, you know what that means) then, by all means, buy it. I t...more
Aug 08, 2008
Lindsey
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Toriphiles, comic book fans
Shelves:
tori
Favorites were Mr. Zebra, Teenage Hustling, Mariannne, Siren, Little Earthquakes, Past the Mission
Least favorites were Crazy, God, Pretty Good Year
Least favorites were Crazy, God, Pretty Good Year
1 like · like · see review
Not strictly for Tori Amos fans this is a fantastic collection of "comics" inspired by the songs of Tori's incredible career. Each comic has lyrics printed right before it which makes the songs more accessible even if you have never heard her beautiful and ethereal sounds. The artwork is breathtaking and done by some of today's Hottest comic book artists. Stand outs include Flying Dutchmen (which is the namesake of this book), Honey, Take to the Sky, Glory of the 80's and the very anime-esque Bo...more
I am not a big graphic novel reader. About the closest I ever came to reading comics as a kid was religiously watching X-Men and Spiderman and Friends on Saturday morning television. I briefly embraced the X-Men comic book at prodding from my friend Bart and his brother, but there were just too many stories. Too much history. Too many collectors editions and cards, and it was all just too much commitment for me at that young, fresh age. As an adult I have read exactly one graphic novel, one of t...more
Okay, brace yourselves, I'm going to say something blasphemous. I don't quite "get" Tori Amos. What I've heard of her music, I've liked, but rarely understood the lyrics. I kind of like that; tidbits here and there let me piece together my own story. I've also never enjoyed seeing song lyrics in print; for the most part, I find that a song's poetry dies when the music is removed. Both of these could be reasons why this book -- narrative art inspired by the music and lyrics of Tori Amos -- didn't...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
I am not a fan of Tori. I have nothing against her or her music, I've just never been a fan. That made this book a bit of a chore to read.
But out of some weird spite I made myself read it cover to cover.
Each story is prefaced with the lyrics for the song that the story is based on. Each story is by a different author/artist. This makes for some very uneven reading. One story will be ok or tolerable and then the next 4 will suck.
My fried JTC wrote one of the stories in this collection (which is f...more
But out of some weird spite I made myself read it cover to cover.
Each story is prefaced with the lyrics for the song that the story is based on. Each story is by a different author/artist. This makes for some very uneven reading. One story will be ok or tolerable and then the next 4 will suck.
My fried JTC wrote one of the stories in this collection (which is f...more
Heavens. The limited edition version was a surprise gift from a friend. I had resigned myself to not owning a copy as I am grievously lacking funds (in fact, even considering selling some of my more rare Tori cds -- email me if there's something you're looking for), so this box that arrived on my doorstep yesterday was an utterly delightful and wonderfully ecstatic bit of joy that dropped into my lap.
This limited edition version is exquisite. A hefty black & gold hardcover binding with gold-...more
This limited edition version is exquisite. A hefty black & gold hardcover binding with gold-...more
Man, did this collection need some tighter editorial control! Although the best 20% is some truly lovely comics inspired by individual Tori Amos songs, the other 80% is of some pretty spotty quality. Some are downright amateurish and you can't help thinking at times that they didn't reject a single selection!
It's a lovely, thick coffee table book, however, and if you're a Tori Amos fan, even the bad ones are an interesting meditation on a song of hers.
It's a lovely, thick coffee table book, however, and if you're a Tori Amos fan, even the bad ones are an interesting meditation on a song of hers.
BUARF.
A questionnaire:
Did I spend all day reading this? YES.
Do I regret it? NO.
Was it very good? Nope!
Was I familiar with a single.one.of.the.artists? Nope!
Were there enough Boys For Pele songs? No WAY.
Were there alot of the cheesy geeky I don't really get these songs, because I am such a geek, but I am also a huge Tori Amos fan sort of stuff, types of comics? YES SIR.
Was there a lot of made-up new myth stuff? SURE. I hate that stuff.
Was there some stuff that got the tension between reality and...more
A questionnaire:
Did I spend all day reading this? YES.
Do I regret it? NO.
Was it very good? Nope!
Was I familiar with a single.one.of.the.artists? Nope!
Were there enough Boys For Pele songs? No WAY.
Were there alot of the cheesy geeky I don't really get these songs, because I am such a geek, but I am also a huge Tori Amos fan sort of stuff, types of comics? YES SIR.
Was there a lot of made-up new myth stuff? SURE. I hate that stuff.
Was there some stuff that got the tension between reality and...more
I'm not listed as an author for this, but I wrote a story illustrated by the supremely talented Salgood Sam, based on the Tori Amos song Upside Down. Our story was release on MySpace for free, in its entirety. If I can find it I'll put up a link.
Sucks that anthology contributors aren't credited, and not just for me - the creative team that editor/writer/artist Rantz Hosely put together for this book is staggering.
Sucks that anthology contributors aren't credited, and not just for me - the creative team that editor/writer/artist Rantz Hosely put together for this book is staggering.
I'm not sure why Tori Amos was given this sort of tribute - is her music really that good and I just missed something? I wasn't even aware she was still making records.
Anyway, I pretty much ignored the lyrics and looked at the gorgeous pictures. Quality varies among stories and artwork, as you might expect. The large format and glossy pages helped the more poorly-illustrated comics along and added to the eye candy factor of the nicer ones. My favorite - 1000 oceans by Jonathan Hickman.
Anyway, I pretty much ignored the lyrics and looked at the gorgeous pictures. Quality varies among stories and artwork, as you might expect. The large format and glossy pages helped the more poorly-illustrated comics along and added to the eye candy factor of the nicer ones. My favorite - 1000 oceans by Jonathan Hickman.
This is one of the more amazing books I've read in a while. Inside, there's a comic inspired by each of Tori's songs and, because each one's by a different author, each comic has a completely different vibe and feel. It's very interesting to see which line in the song the artist chooses to focus on for the comic. It made me laugh, cry, and everything in between. Please, read it, for your own good.
Comic Book Tattoo is a MUST have for all Tori Amos fans as well as comic book fans! I admit it – not only am I a sci-fi geek, I’m a comic book nerd! The 480-page, 12 X 12″, full-color book is beautifully illustrated by 80 of the best in the business. The book contains 50 stories inspired by Tori Amos songs. The book was conceived by editor Rantz Hoseley and published by Image.
Aug 18, 2008
Kristen
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
1-read-2008,
7-graphic-novels
This book was much larger physically than I was expecting. It isn't going to sit nicely on the graphic novel shelf. That said, I am glad it was so massive. The art work is incredible and varied, it is nice to see it in larger and glossy format. I found it interesting that my favorite songs seemed to be my least favorite comics. I think it may be that I already had stories in my head about what they meant. Some of my favorites were: Take to the Sky, Mr. Zebra, Sugar, The Waitress, Beekeeper, Sire...more
1 like · like · see review
I loved, loved, LOVED this book. It completely lived up to my expectations, and I hope, pray, wish that they will put out another volume. I live in hope as it DOES say "Volume 1" at the back. It was so interesting to see others' takes on songs that I love and know on such a personal level. Some of the comics seemed spot on with my interpretations of the songs, and I am very tempted to now go check out other stuff that those artists have done. Some of the comics were waaaaay off from my interpret...more
I love the idea of this book, but its almost frustrating to see someone else's interpretations of some of the songs. I found some of the artwork (Marianne!!) amazing and some of the stories intriguing...but again, I'm fiercely, stubbornly holding on to my own personal interpretations & memories associated with each song.
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Pia Guerra is an award winning Canadian comic book artist best known for her work as co-creator and lead penciller on the Vertigo title Y: The Last Man.
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