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Wimbledon Green
by
Seth
From the critically acclaimed cartoonist of Clyde Fans and It's A Good Life comes a humorous graphic novel on the obsession of comic-book collecting.
Taking a break from the serialization of his saga Clyde Fans and the design of The Complete Peanuts, critically acclaimed cartoonist and illustrator Seth creates a farcical world of the people whose passion lies in the need to...more
Taking a break from the serialization of his saga Clyde Fans and the design of The Complete Peanuts, critically acclaimed cartoonist and illustrator Seth creates a farcical world of the people whose passion lies in the need to...more
Hardcover, 128 pages
Published
October 30th 2005
by Drawn and Quarterly
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I hadn't read any Seth books before, but knew of him through his depictions in Joe Matt's harrowing book, Spent. This is a complex little comic (book) novel told through varying POVs of more than a dozen characters. It imagines a world where the top comic book collectors in the world scheme and steal from one another, are rich men, and all live in Canada. It's the antithesis of Chris Ware's collector Rusty Brown, though even here there's no pretending that such an obsession will ever get you a g...more
Supposedly taken from Seth's sketchbooks, the book is a lively, jaunty, hilarious read. As Seth notes, inspired by recent work from Dan Clowes, Chris Ware, and David Heatley, the book uses short fragmented episodes, featuring many characters, to tell one over-arching story. The story, ostensibly about a master comic book collector, is a loving portrait of the comics industry, one that encompasses creator, readers — and comic book stores! At the same time, it is a mystery, an adventure story, an...more
Graphic Novel. No one knows much about Wimbledon Green except he's probably the greatest comic book collector in the world. At least, that's what they think they heard. This is framed as a documentary, a sort of Behind the Music for comic book collectors, told through interviews and short flashbacks, no section more than a few pages, some even as short as five panels. The story builds slowly and takes off on a few tangents, part history and part action-adventure.
The paper is heavy an...more
The paper is heavy an...more
this review first appeared on [http://intraspace.blogspot.com]
this is the second graphic novel i've read in the last couple of weeks. this one wasn't overly brilliant - but it was reasonably interesting.
it is all about a mysterious comic collector named wimbledon green. it is kind of a character sketch of green and is told mainly through the recollections of other collectors who have had dealings with him. we find out that he's been involved in a number of scandals, no-on...more
this is the second graphic novel i've read in the last couple of weeks. this one wasn't overly brilliant - but it was reasonably interesting.
it is all about a mysterious comic collector named wimbledon green. it is kind of a character sketch of green and is told mainly through the recollections of other collectors who have had dealings with him. we find out that he's been involved in a number of scandals, no-on...more
Wimbledon Green is lots of fun, and despite some self-deprecating remarks that the author makes in his notes to this edition, a fully worthy addition to Seth's commendable bibliography in the world of graphic novels. [return][return]The story concerns obsessive, high-powered comic book collectors and the rarefied and highly competitive world in which they live. The art is simple and cartoony, but is nonetheless ideal for the subject matter - these collectors focus on traditional gold and silve...more
Meh... I've yet to make any final judgments, but I do feel pretty certain that "Wimbledon Green" has pushed me towards not liking graphic novels as a whole. Comic books are just fine, but I feel as if the aesthetic of illustrating (to the fullest, most literal extent) a novel pulls far too much out of the experience. I enjoy "Wimbledon Green" as a work of commentary on the absurdity of comic book collectors and their self-important, privatized universe, but that said, I'd rat...more
I would like to think that this fictional world of wealthy and incredibly eccentric comic book collectors really exists. I only know the broke-ass kind. I also wish I could read all the made up titles in this story like those "Fine & Dandy" hobo comics. Furthermore, I wish I had a secret underground hideout full of rare comics. And maybe that turban wearing manservant to fly me around in a helicopter in search of rare hobo comics.
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I liked this volume because of its use of short stories and the documentary/interview style to create a sort of full narrative. While not all the short stories quite fit, I truly enjoyed the nods to the old comics in plot as well as in characters, while focusing on the bizarre collector obsession that so many people seem to fall into nowadays. The silly names, the cartoony drawings of the collectors and the Fine and Dandy comic snippets mixed with the cloak and dagger pursuits of the fine comic ...more
this was the first full-length thing by seth i'd ever read, most of my SETHSPERIENCE i had gotten from reading about him in joe matt's comics back in like middle school or from perusing the bitchin' penguin classics covers he's doing
i really like the dorothy parker penguin cover he did but man this book straight up felt like a long version of that, tiny little things assembling into a stooooryyyyy of a liiiiiiiife and much like my feelings on kazuo ishiguro, i can respect that he is ...more
i really like the dorothy parker penguin cover he did but man this book straight up felt like a long version of that, tiny little things assembling into a stooooryyyyy of a liiiiiiiife and much like my feelings on kazuo ishiguro, i can respect that he is ...more
Seth plays around with different story telling styles here. It amounts to a documentary feeling, but with the markers, references, and style only a comic book could employ successfully.
I think an interesting study could be done of Seth concerning absent fathers, or father figures. A lot of his stories - I'm guessing this comes out of lived experience - feature conspicuously absent fathers and characters who seem to be in search of a sort of nom du pere, or structuring narrative.
...more
I think an interesting study could be done of Seth concerning absent fathers, or father figures. A lot of his stories - I'm guessing this comes out of lived experience - feature conspicuously absent fathers and characters who seem to be in search of a sort of nom du pere, or structuring narrative.
...more
The world's greatest comic book collector, profiled documentary-style by his colleagues, acquaintances and admirers: this is "Wimbledon Green", Seth's most enjoyable book. Through small panels done in single colours we hear about the great collector and his habits. How he came to be, allegedly stealing comics from unsuspecting members of the public, winning all the auctions, outfoxing his competitors with either money or other ways. We hear about the Wilbur R Webb collection, a fabled ...more
Seth, Wimbledon Green: The Greatest Comic Book Collector in the World (Drawn and Quarterly, 2005)
Amusing dig at the obsessive collector mentality (centered on comics, of course, but the obsession is universal; viz. Dork Tower and the like). The titular antihero (note to self: change word before posting to Amazon, for “titular” contains a-- gasp!-- seeming reference to the female breast) is a greedy scumsucking pig who always seems to show up where the good stuff is, and get to it bef...more
Amusing dig at the obsessive collector mentality (centered on comics, of course, but the obsession is universal; viz. Dork Tower and the like). The titular antihero (note to self: change word before posting to Amazon, for “titular” contains a-- gasp!-- seeming reference to the female breast) is a greedy scumsucking pig who always seems to show up where the good stuff is, and get to it bef...more
I'm VERY conflicted about the idea of artists and writers publishing sketchbooks. Sure, there are plenty of people out there who'd eagerly purchase the rag Picasso wiped his paintbrush on, but there's certainly no art or pride involved in that exchange. It's a way to make a quick buck when you're too lazy or uninspired to work on anything of substance.
That being said, there is a vicarious thrill in the chance to look at what Crumb idly doodles while looking after his daughter, or w...more
That being said, there is a vicarious thrill in the chance to look at what Crumb idly doodles while looking after his daughter, or w...more
Wimbledon Green (love that name) is a beautifully rendered evocation of a different, innocent time. In Seth's gold-embossed world, comics are the most important thing in life, so much so that a whole society of ernest, learned men can devote their fortunes to the collecting of them. Seth has created a wonderful world here, with just enough reality, wit, irony and cheeky attitude to keep you guessing. I highly recommend it.
As pretentious as it is entertaining, Wimbledon Green is an engaging read of melancholy art and chatty characters interwoven together to form a non-story. If anything, Wimbledon Green is a character study and a collection of interweaving narrative and oral histories. Ever the self-deprecating author, Seth has created a novel that despite any misgivings he may express in the prologue, is wonderful, sad, and often hypnotically moving.
I really enjoyed reading this book, and I think Seth is a master draftsman and designer, but the ending ... wasn't. The whole book felt like the process of solving a mystery, and the ending seemed inconclusive. Perhaps I just want to be coddled and spoonfed, but if I stopped reading this book halfway through, I wouldn't have enjoyed the story any less.
Whenever I think that comics are coming into their own as a new confident art there is this kind of self referential twaddle. This is a great medium, Seth is a great talent, they should be producing really interesting challenging work. And this is not it.
The story is a little looser and the lettering a little sloppier than I'm used to seeing from Seth, but it's out of his sketchbook instead of an actual intended project, so. It's fun, and nice to look at. He may be pretentious but I still totally love Seth.
A wonderful, brisk tale of betrayal and ambition among eccentric high stakes comic book collectors. Also a lot of silly fun. For a sketchbook exorcise it's pretty amazing. Love this book.
Hilarious (cautionary?) glimpse into the seedy, cutthroat world of comic book collecting. Lots of great moments, but I think my favorites were in the chase scenes
Wimbledon Green was okay. It wasn't as good as George Sprott, which I think is masterful storytelling. Amazing work.
This is an appealing little graphic novel that tells the story, through vignettes, of the great Wimbledon Green. With his monocle and cane, Green is more sophisticated than most comic book collectors I know in the real world, and Seth's story seems to take place in an alternate universe where comic book collectors are sophisticated financiers. I very much enjoyed it, and like the best cartoonists, Seth can convey a lot of emotion and intent through very simple drawings. Overall it came off as a ...more
Splendid! Anyone who has ever collected anything will find something to enjoy in this book. I particularly felt the excitement when Wimbledon stumbled upon a huge barn converted into a used bookstore in the middle of nowhere, and the sadness upon returning to the place only to discover it closed.
Not sure how well the humor would translate to non-comics fans, but I suspect anyone who is an avid collector of any stripe, or knows someone who is, would find this entertaining.
Emma
rated it
Quite odd. Narratively it was a bit hard to stay with this the whole time.
Amusing story about the "greatest comic book collector" Wimbledon Green. Quick fun read...
i liked it, except for the author's inability to use commas. bugged me on EVERY PAGE. . my usage has certainly slipped in recent years, but at least i try to abide by rules of clarity. phrases like "let's go boss" sound bad in my head.
and probably 40% of the charm is in the delightful design of the book.
and in the memories of Seattle... 'cause that's where i bought it and never got around to finishing reading it til tonight during rehearsal. i miss Seattle. Comictown, USA. s...more
and probably 40% of the charm is in the delightful design of the book.
and in the memories of Seattle... 'cause that's where i bought it and never got around to finishing reading it til tonight during rehearsal. i miss Seattle. Comictown, USA. s...more
I'm sort of torn about this. On the one hand, it's really nice to see Seth do something more jaunty and fun than his usual mope. On the other hand, without the angst, there just isn't that much to his work. There isn't really a story here, just fragments. Engaging fragments sometimes, sure, but just a couple weeks later I think I've already forgotten most of it. Best/ weirdest part- the terribly unflattering autobiographical character.
I like the direction that Seth is going with small cells that basically give expressions to the words on the page. With 50 or so cells per page, you get your money's worth. The best part of the book is the comic book about hobos. I was fooled into thnking it actually existed.
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Seth is the pen name of Gregory Gallant. Seth is the cartoonist behind the painfully infrequent comic book series PALOOKAVILLE. His novels, which have been translated into 8 languages, include IT'S A GOOD LIFE IF YOU DON'T WEAKEN, WIMBLEDON GREEN, CLYDE FANS BOOK ONE, and the illustrated memoir of his father, BANNOCK, BEANS AND BLACK TEA.
As a book designer, Seth has worked on a variet...more
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As a book designer, Seth has worked on a variet...more
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“The world of [comic book] collecting is not a pretty place. For a bunch of guys who like good-over-evil stories, you sure meet a lot of morally bankrupt assholes.”
—
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