Fall Out Toy Works, Vol. 1

Fall Out Toy Works #1-5

by Brett Lewis, Sam Basri (illustrator)

A brilliant young toymaker risks his entire company for his factory's newly produced android, Tiffany. But when he falls in love with his own creation and she's already been sold to the most powerful man on Earth, getting her back becomes his greatest passion -- and his own destruction! Inspired by the ideas and lyrics of Fall Out Boy, Fall Out Toy Works brings the magic of innocence to life as both a toymaker and his invention set about learning the true secrets of life. Created by Fall Out Boy visionaries Darren Romanelli (Dr. Romanelli DRx) and Nathan Cabrera, this trade paperback collects Fall Out Toy Works #1-5, and includes interviews with Pete Wentz and Darren Romanelli, plus a sketchbook section revealing the origins of the designs for the project.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Graphic Novels Comics

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

Reviews

[Dev · Rating 2 out of 5]

This week in the continuing saga of 'disappointing comics based off concepts from emo bands I love' is ...whatever this was supposed to be. I think my main problem with this - and I figured it would be like this even just from the description - is that the robot girl never really became more than a thing for these two guys to fight over. Yeah there were several scenes where they tried to get across the point that it's creepy to create a woman specifically to 'love' you and that they did such a good job that she is now basically her own 'person' and should be able to decide her own feelings ...but the whole thing was just really wishy-washy and never really got there as far as I'm concerned. Also at the end she ends up with the guy that made her even after she gave this big speech about how she needs to do her own thing so that was fairly disappointing. Also the last issue was just suuuper dialogue heavy and I was pretty much over it by that point so I was definitely annoyed by that even though that might just be me being petty.

[Dax · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story line of this graphic novel is so well played out, because there is so much subtext that really makes the reader examine all that is put forth. In the subtext there are so many philosophical ideas and moral dilemmas that continue to bring you back for more. To try and make the reader see everything in a new light. Can love be created? Should it be? What's truly real? Can dreams be shared? Do memories truly have to be yours to change your life and beliefs? Does God exist or is he simply a manmade idea? How does the belief in God corrupt or redeem us?

There is so much put forth, and it truly wouldn't have as great of an impact if it wasn't for the utter brilliance of the artwork. Every line is brilliantly placed, every color drawing you into this futuristic world that is so messed up you simply feel like you are there living every experience.

I was truly impressed and would recommend this to anyone who will give it the intellectual and emotional time it deserves.

[47Time · Rating 1 out of 5]

For a comic about creating artificial love, you would expect more 'love' and less 'artificial.' Sadly, everything feels shallow and forced, but I expect manga lovers to enjoy it more than I did. The dialogue is so broken up it becomes a pain to follow what the characters are saying. It gets worse with the debate over how to improver the girl's AI. It's a bunch of nonsense trying to sound technical, but failing miserably. The monologue on society at the end seems to go on forever, using too many curse words to criticize people.

The story is all over the place and none too interesting or original. It's what you might expect from any story where man wants to become God, then starts to love his creation.

A skilled toymaker is approched by one of the richest men in the world to build a one-of-a-kind android that can experience love. The task is a daunting one that discourages the toymaker who keeps delaying the product for over a year. Eventually, he himself is surprised at the outcome.

Of course, the creator becomes infatuated with his creation, but the owner doesn't want to part with it and has the toymaker beaten up. The toymaker and the girl run away together from one of the owner's parties. They talk with a French professor about improving her ('its'? whatever...) AI, but strangely end up making her look fully human. She already seemed human enough, considering the lack of humanity the characters have. Then the trip to France seems to a dream or something, so this part of the story would have been the best thing to completely cut from the book.

In the real world life between the girl and her owner is strained, but he has feeling for her and wants her to be happy. Meanwhile his factory is creating more copies of her, a thing she finds appaling. I guess the toymakes made her pretty womanly with her desire to be unique.

The toymaker is building a frying set of armor using a hammer which, given the futuristic feel of the book, is surprisingly like its medieval counterpart. Why would the future still have use for hammers, anyway? Or armor with wings and not some nuclear propulsion?

The ending made as little sense as anything else in this book. The girl shoves some sort of wire in her that either electrocutes her or shoves all sorts of memories in her or deletes her memories... I don't know. She goes out into the world to just live life and for the first time is truly happy. I'm not. Not for having read this book.

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful but tragic story of how human can machines be, with the complications of humanity and how far one will go for love.

The last issue of this series really pulled at my heart strings, and seeing Tiffany's death was truly a devastating ending.

[Bex · Rating 2 out of 5]

Yeah it's a comic book "inspired by the ideas & lyrics of Fall Out Boy" specifically the song Tiffany Blews. And I think it's pretty much one of Pete's self indulgent bits of fun. But it's not terrible, although maybe I'm just not a big enough comic book fan to "get it", but I wouldn't say it was bad. The start was a bit slow going, there's only one word in the first 5 pages so you really have to pay attention to the pictures (which I don't normally do when reading) but once you get into it you start to get it more. Course as soon as you do it's the end of this part.
Gratuitious adverts for Clan & Decaydance aside I guess I did enjoy it. I think I need to go listen to Tiffany Blews again, I don't really remember there being a plot to the song in the first place so idk, I'll give it the benefit of the doubt and wait for the next one (there's 5 in the series).

[Amber · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think I liked the concept of this graphic novel series much better than the execution. It's a steampunk/cyberpunk reimagining of Pygmalion, with a twist- the creator falls in love with what he's created for someone else.

Visually, I liked the look of the book- the cartoony-anime like appearance of the characters, the way pages were laid out, even the colors and shading. As far as setting, you're very clear on where you are (or when, at least.)

But I found myself stuck re-reading passages over and over, looking at the art and the words, and feeling like I was seriously missing something. I'm familiar with the lyrics to some Fall Out Boy songs, but maybe my lack of overall familiarity with the band, their songs, their overall message, meant that I just kept missing something from reading the actual dialogue of the book. And that was frustrating.

[Laura Wise]

I read this book over the weekend after finding out it was based off the lyrics of Tiffany Blews and I found myself Plesently surpised. What I espected to be a cleche Can a robot love story actually managed to cover several uneque themes such as dreams, Idenity and the existence of God. However this is its greatest downfall because of the many ideas the story tries to cover it comes off as thinly spread and some of the dialouge can come off as protensous. However considering the source material this can kinda be expected.

[Katriena Knights · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting story. Not as predictable as I expected.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reminds me of Doctor Who.

[M.i. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fantastic artwork though the story about artificial intelligence and what it takes to be truly human never really hits the intended emotional note(s) with the reader.

[Jenica · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars, I love the art work.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very conceptual, lots of fall out boy Easter eggs