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113th out of 146 books
—
41 voters
The Three Paradoxes
The Three Paradoxes is an intricate and complex autobiographical
comic by one of the most talented and innovative young cartoonists
today. The story begins with a story inside the story: the cartoon
character Paul Hornschemeier is trying to finish a story called "Paul
and the Magic Pencil." Paul has been granted a magical implement, a
pencil, and is trying to figure out what ex...more
comic by one of the most talented and innovative young cartoonists
today. The story begins with a story inside the story: the cartoon
character Paul Hornschemeier is trying to finish a story called "Paul
and the Magic Pencil." Paul has been granted a magical implement, a
pencil, and is trying to figure out what ex...more
Hardcover, 80 pages
Published
July 17th 2007
by Fantagraphics
(first published September 15th 2006)
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The book tells the simple story of a hometown visit for the artist of the book to his parents, along the way reminiscing about his childhood and incorporating daydreams and tangents that crop up during a conversation with his father. The drawing styles change with each story from the polished and clean look of the main story to the draft style of a story involving the artist, a monster, and the wise man in the sky, to a four colour style for flashbacks to his youth, to cutesy Manga-esque art for...more
Apr 26, 2009
Josephus FromPlacitas
added it
I'm not going to comment about this very closely, it was sufficiently understated that I didn't come away with much of an impression, even after reading it twice. It had nice-looking art, very clever use of image, background surface, and comics-making techniques to differentiate the imaginary and the "realistic". For example, he's working on a new story in rough blue pencil outline as he tries to work out his artistic demons on paper. His real life is darkly colored and relatively realistic, whi...more
Aug 16, 2007
Emilia P
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
hometown romantics
Shelves:
comic-books
By far Horschen-whatevers best book that I've read.
Sad, sweet walks around town with his dad, reminisces on childhood in a different drawing style, and Zeno's paradox.
Woot.
Sad, sweet walks around town with his dad, reminisces on childhood in a different drawing style, and Zeno's paradox.
Woot.
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Interesting graphic novel. It was fun to go back and forth across various timelines and perspectives, with the artwork shifting along with you.
But you were still stuck with a bit of a meh story. I think I've finally reached the point where the insecurities of a 20-something post-collegiate urbanite fail to make for a compelling narrative.
This was too much about process (including the process of insecurity). Which could be interesting if that process uncovers deeper truths or goes somewhere or a...more
But you were still stuck with a bit of a meh story. I think I've finally reached the point where the insecurities of a 20-something post-collegiate urbanite fail to make for a compelling narrative.
This was too much about process (including the process of insecurity). Which could be interesting if that process uncovers deeper truths or goes somewhere or a...more
Definitely not as good as Mother Come Home. Here’s what interested me: I like the way PH weaves between five different narratives (childhood sketches in blue ink; present-day visit with parents; red/orange pixilated memories of childhood; retro-brown flashback of neighbourhood child’s accident; “antique” pages of cartoon depictions of Zeno, Parmenides, and Socrates in Athens). Though rather simple, I also think the act of drawing as a strategy for defeating childhood demons could have been inter...more
Mar 17, 2008
Jace
rated it
1 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
pretentious indie kids who get off to Wes Anderson movies
Shelves:
comics
I fear that this book may turn the next generation off to graphic novels. I left this at my parents' house and my 14 year-old brother tried to read it. He put it down pretty quickly because it was, in his words, "boring and pointless." Out of the mouth of babes, they say...
Well, I'm not going to spend much time arguing with my brother. Ok, so I get what this book is supposed to be about. Introspection, the past, loss, uncertainty about the future, hope, etc, etc. Yeah, I get it. But Jesus, quit...more
Well, I'm not going to spend much time arguing with my brother. Ok, so I get what this book is supposed to be about. Introspection, the past, loss, uncertainty about the future, hope, etc, etc. Yeah, I get it. But Jesus, quit...more
Paul Hornschemeier, The Three Paradoxes (Fantagraphics, 2007)
So, the underlying question of Hornschemeier's graphic novel asks us: was Zeno, in fact, right? Even when we reach our destination, have we really reached our destination? We are here given five linked (some more firmly than others) stories: the main story details a visit from our protagonist (Paul, natch) to his parents. The one most firmly linked is a memory Paul has while walking through town with his father of a childhood memory; a...more
So, the underlying question of Hornschemeier's graphic novel asks us: was Zeno, in fact, right? Even when we reach our destination, have we really reached our destination? We are here given five linked (some more firmly than others) stories: the main story details a visit from our protagonist (Paul, natch) to his parents. The one most firmly linked is a memory Paul has while walking through town with his father of a childhood memory; a...more
An interesting rumination on the concept of change and how it relates to the act of creation. Hornschemeier, on a walk with his father, mixes his observations of his old neighborhood with his struggles to finish a comic strip about youth, all the while indulging in memory and whimsy. Encounters with other people, stray bits of conversation, everything inspires some kind of mental tangent, what could be new fictional ideas, false memories, or something truly remembered. In one panel, Paul's young...more
I didn't think this graphic novel deserved 4 stars when i first read it, but the more reviews I read, the more I understood it. It really is genuis. His memories and his current self intermingle as if to prove one of the paradoxes correct (same now as in past & future). Even the lack of a good ending (which is why I didn't like it at first) supports the idea of the arrow in flight paradox (has to travel 1/2 distance of whole and thus never reaching the target, aka, the end of the story).
Where "Mother, Come Home," absolutely stole my heart away, this just kind of made no sense as to why it was created in the first place. It's 60 or so pages of a guy walking around some city, accomplishing nothing, and worrying about things. If I wanted that, I'll just rewatch "The Big Lebowski" for the 200th time. Outside of the artistic approach taken here, I was really disappointed. Not that you're going to find it in too many places, but if/when you do, get "Mother, Come Home" instead.
Jan 22, 2008
kubby
added it
well, this was my friend's library book. it's a quick read. it had a different feel from mother, come home, but it still left me wanting more. mostly there are flashbacks of sorts from the character paul visiting his hometown. there are different drawing styles employed throughout and i do like when stories weave together. it seems like this could be a chapter of a longer work.
i wouldn't recommend this to everyone. it may have a draw for cartoonists for the frustration portrayed in the comics-ma...more
i wouldn't recommend this to everyone. it may have a draw for cartoonists for the frustration portrayed in the comics-ma...more
I really like Hornschemeier's clean style, but his story is from the Chris Ware school of comics: dudes living with their parents, the occasional liberal arts post-modern riff, and a lot of people staring blankly at nothing. A lot of modern short stories, comics, and independent films suffer from this "I am not sure what to say, so I will just portray people staring a lot" theme. Too bad.
ultimately, despite its premise, i didn't feel this book relayed any deep meaning. but the interposing of the various narratives between the present-day story, was deftly done. plus the different styles of art in each narrative were visually-pleasing. the book didn't floor me. but it was still an interesting exploration of childhood and how it effects our present life.
Rolling Stone’s assessment is dead-on that Hornschemeier is the “avant-garde of graphic novelists.” Although he masterfully blends several unique comic book styles when embedding different sub-narratives within the main quasi-autobiographical story-line, I’m not entirely convinced that he’s the next Daniel Clowes or Chris Ware.
I'm not sure why you have to read this book...you just kind of have to? His mastery over 2 types of art is pretty impressive, but the skills of narrative, the weaving of the book...it could have been a masterbatory excercise in how awesome a graphic novelist he is, but it is defintely not, he pulls it off. Really.
Superbly plotted, quietly reminiscent biopic tale of going home again, intercut with scenes of the frustrated artistic process. The use of cartoonish art for the childhood flashbacks is especially effective. One of my favorite comics in quite a while.
I definitely liked this book a lot (I read it in one sitting), but I am still trying to figure it out, which is why I gave this book 3 stars instead of 4. When I do - I'll let you know...
The artwork was great- I particularly liked the Zeno's Paradoxes section.
The artwork was great- I particularly liked the Zeno's Paradoxes section.
Visually rich autobiographical "sketch" heh heh from Paul Hornschemeier. Has a dry, bland "Daniel Clowes" quality about it but with colorful diversions and tangents. Excellent art, funny at times and kinda touching.
I loved seeing how Paul Hornschemeier is integrating his amazing ability to draw and write any type of style into a cohesive story. I hope he continues working like this, I think it could become even more complex.
I really liked the way the creator uses various illustration styles to communicate various sources for the story/memories/etc. But I'm not sure I "got" it, and I never connected emotionally with the story in any way. I did enjoy the depiction of the parents and the long-distance relationship - that rang very true.
This book broke my heart again and again, and I could not put it down. Stories within stories about the relationship of a cartoonist with his father, about the persistence of the past in the present and of the present in the future, and about the impossibility and inevitability of change. Many of the images--usually those without text--in this book convey such rich, nuanced experiences and emotions that they truly are worth thousands of words. This is one of the more moving graphic novels that I...more
Short graphical novel, great fast read. But not very memorable. It's enjoyable "beach reading" though, and that isn't a bad thing. Well written and illustrated story.
Worth a try.
Worth a try.
Enjoyable, but not as magical as Mother Come Home.
this was ok. read it in like twenty minutes. maybe i've just been out of the philosophy realm for too long, but i could not come up with any way that the 3 paradoxes theme related to the story. maybe it's just me...
Personal to the point of being uninteresting to an actual audience, though I may reevaluate at a later date. Pictures are, of course, fantastic.
I thought the plot was a little thin but the storytelling is brilliant. The style switches really work and make it a rich and layered story.
It was really beautiful and I enjoyed the different ways he showed changes in time, but I didn't really enjoy the story all that much.
It's what you want. Good art. Good craft. Truth. Thought. Gut turning embarrassment. Fantagraphics never fails.
Blah. Read in 5 minutes. Either a missed a lot of references, or it was just blah/shallow.
Meh. The different styles to show the process was kind of neat I guess. Overall: mediocre.
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