Polarity by Max Bemis

Dec 29, 2014 Sam Quixote rated it liked it

Hold. The. Phone.

A Boom comic that’s not total poop? That’s unexpected! Polarity’s about a bipolar artist but it’s full of things I liked and didn’t like that I’m gonna sound a bit bipolar myself in this review as I go from one end of the spectrum to the other!

Tim is a bipolar Brooklyn hipster artist whose work is the toast of the art scene. Then his hipster girlfriend Alexis informs him that his new work - the work he’s produced while he’s been taking his prescribed medication - is boring and ...more

flag 15 likes · Like · see review

Feb 10, 2019 Ashley rated it liked it

Shelves: owned, extremely-unique-concepts, fantasy-epic-adventure, science-fiction, mental-health, futuristic, non-ya, comics-graphic-novels, personal-issues-with-health, superheroes

Star Rating: 3.5 Stars!

I love Max Bemis. I really do. I see Say Anything every time they tour, especially if his wife, Sherri DuPree Bemis is with (Their song, Cemetery ft. Sherri is my hubby and my song- I even have a line of the lyrics tattooed on me). He’s hella talented... anyone who can write songs as fast as he does- QUALITY songs at that- (it’s like- honestly crazy how much and how fast he can write) amazes me.

I’m not sure how someone unfamiliar with his musical works and such would take ...more

flag 7 likes · Like · see review

Mar 31, 2014 Roxy rated it liked it

So, let’s be straight up about this: If you’re not familiar with Max’s musical work, frankly, I don’t know how you’ll read this piece. I don’t know what it’s like without the lens of topic familiarity intact and glued to your eye. However, if you’ve listened to Say Anything’s work beyond "That One Phone Sex Song That Was Popular in High School" and "Holocaust Love Song (That was Uncomfortably Featured in that Movie Where the Kid Drowns)," you know that Max’s work is extremely masturbatory, and So, let’s be straight up about this: If you’re not familiar with Max’s musical work, frankly, I don’t know how you’ll read this piece. I don’t know what it’s like without the lens of topic familiarity intact and glued to your eye. However, if you’ve listened to Say Anything’s work beyond "That One Phone Sex Song That Was Popular in High School" and "Holocaust Love Song (That was Uncomfortably Featured in that Movie Where the Kid Drowns)," you know that Max’s work is extremely masturbatory, and Polarity is no exception. To be honest, I feel that most writers with a message are creating self-serving work, but it’s so much more transparent when an already known artist from another genre becomes a writer, you know?

Basically, with certainty I can say that, if you’re a Say Anything fan, you know the monologues that are going to come out of this. You know that the narrator is going to be a paper-doll stand-in for Max himself for the simple fact that he’s bipolar and mildly nihilistic. You know that all of his inspired rants about the human experience are going to center around how vapid and shallow everyone is and how much we should all hate hipsters, with the occasional nod to acknowledge his own hypocrisy. You know that there’s going to be moments of eye-twitching annoyance at the presumption that discussing how faux-progressive and pretend-enlightened everyone else is makes you, in turn, progressive and enlightened. You know what to expect. Once you understand that the tone is extremely and at times uncomfortably Max, you can get into the story bits of it.

This is where the spoilers start.

Exactly as it says on the tin, the story is about a bipolar man who discovers that he has mania-induced superpowers. Specifically, he learns this when he accidentally explodes a secret agent’s head by headbutting him, and then runs to his therapist (who, surprise, has been in on it all along). So anyway, he decides to be a “superhero.”

However, in the abyss that is his own hatred of the society surrounding him, his definition of “superhero” seems to involve reading his girlfriend’s (who he hates) and her friends’ (who he also hates) minds and out them as terrible people to one another, beat up some high school jocks, and force a pop star to admit that she uses illegal diamonds and doesn’t actually care about any of the stuff that she claims to. He also beats up a drug dealer by slapping him repeatedly and very, very fast (which is ironic because this is the first of his SuperMania bouts that isn’t created by drugs). His therapist then convinces him to get back on his meds because he’s royally fucking up, and Tim does, and everything is hunky-dory.

So anyway as time goes on, Tim gets with this girl he likes, Lily, and reconciles with his best friend (who he was a mania-driven asshat to), just in time for his friend to get murdered by a head with arms coming out of its eye sockets. Also, surprise, his therapist is a bad guy who murdered his own bipolar mom as a kid and who has other superpowered mentally ill folk at his disposal including a delusional homeless man who appears to literally vomit up his now-alive delusions (hence the weird arm-head thing, which was actually pretty cool), and another individual who makes himself a mech-suit. Did that all seem to come along pretty quickly? That’s because it did — it seems that in all of the ranting about vapidity and how much nobody cares about anything, Max forgot that there was supposed to be an actual story going on.

Everything after that is this strange, sort-of hard to follow clusterfuck as he tries to shove an entire story into the last eight pages because the first twenty were filled with holier-than-thou rambling. Eventually Tim has some sort of half-assed realization that his “fuck this place” attitude is just the sort of thought process that led to it being destroyed. He battles mech-suit guy (taking a long enough pause to either cut or tattoo the words “YOU SUCK” across his enemy’s face), and is mortally wounded.

But then, holy deux ex machina, Batman! He realizes he can fly, and starts rocketing mech-suit guy into motherfucking space because why the absolute Hell not? Fortunately Sherri— I mean, Lily, the girl he likes — helps calm down Max— I mean, Tim— with The Power of Love! He turns mech-suit and his therapist in to the police, and goes back to being a good little pill-popping average member of society. Maybe. There’s sort of a cryptic implication in the last panel that he totally might be all superpowered again, leaving the door open for potential future money-makers.

So I mean, here’s the thing: I get what the point is supposed to be. Sort of. There’s a lot of concern in the mentally ill community about the validity of meds and how, when they take the negative sides of illnesses away, they can take away the few positive effects those negatives bring with them (as expressed with Tim’s art suffering because he’s simply a better artist when he’s manic). There is a serious consideration you have to take when looking into meds because there’s that question — “will I still be as talented when I’m not as sick?” Unfortunately, a lot of this message — as well as the story’s potential to have a coherent flow to it — is lost in a bunch of monologue that could just as easily have been averted had Max suggested that the reader listen to "Admit It" and "I Hate Everyone" together on repeat while experiencing the graphic.

Then, there’s the fact that, for someone who hates faux-progressives and clearly considers himself closer to the edge of “enlightened” than not, Max sure is a white dude. There’s two POC characters, both of whom are (male) extras. There appear to be three women who get to have names, and two of them (not-Sherri-#1 and not-Sherri-#2) are painted as the usual shallow trash. Not to mention, in the most disappointing display of this I’ve ever seen, an actual mentally ill person drags out the extremely tired, overdone, and annoying as shit “love (especially out-of-nowhere, completely forced for the sake of the story kind of love) will cure your mental illness” trope.

So what’s the deal overall? The premise is interesting and I really love the idea of making your delusional creatures real by literally vomiting them into existence (seriously let’s hear more about that guy), and the art is fantastic, but it seemed that the social commentary got far too much in the way for me to give this more than two-and-a-half stars. Save the soapbox for the band, Max. You sing social hatred better than you write it anyway. ...more

flag 6 likes · Like · see review

Oct 17, 2017 Chad rated it liked it

Written by the lead singer of Say Anything, there is enough text here for multiple albums. The story is pretty good, but does get bogged down from the amount of text.

Tim is your average bi-polar hipster living in Brooklyn, tired of living a muted life from taking his meds. So one night he decides to do some drugs to get that spark back. All of a sudden he can read people's minds. It turns out he's not just paranoid from using drugs, people are spying on him. Turns out his psychiatrist is ...more

flag 5 likes · Like · see review

Jan 17, 2014 Emma Sea rated it really liked it

Shelves: graphic-novel, auckland-library, mental-illness, fantasy

Good art, for an uneven story, with a Bechdel test fail. I loved the first two chapters, and the beginning of the third, but found the conclusion a bit of a letdown. The cover gallery at the back is a lovely bonus. 3.5 stars, rounded up.

flag 5 likes · Like · see review

Aug 01, 2017 Rococo rated it it was ok

Shelves: comics-and-graphic-novels, eff-that-noise, the-unbearable-whiteness-of-being, series-i-will-never-finish

White male narcissism? Check.
Manic pixie dream girl? Check.
Mental illness as a device to justify megalomania? Check.
A protagonist who derides hipster culture while embodying the same vapid characteristics? Check.

The art caught my eye, so I bought this without realizing the author was the frontman of one of those interchangeable scene bands that proliferated in the mid-aughts. Perhaps it improves after the first issue, but I'm not particularly interested in finding out.

flag 4 likes · Like · see review

Mar 02, 2014 Stephen Brophy rated it it was amazing

I have never heard of Max Bemis or his band, Say Anything (though I do know the film they took the title from) so I didn't come into this with any preconceived notions--except for the fact that I don't put a lot of faith in indie rock darlings using their clout to break into comics writing after struggling through the first volume of Gerard Way's (very popular and much-lauded, I know) Umbrella Academy. But this one took me by surprise. I took a chance because BOOM had it at a bargain price on I have never heard of Max Bemis or his band, Say Anything (though I do know the film they took the title from) so I didn't come into this with any preconceived notions--except for the fact that I don't put a lot of faith in indie rock darlings using their clout to break into comics writing after struggling through the first volume of Gerard Way's (very popular and much-lauded, I know) Umbrella Academy. But this one took me by surprise. I took a chance because BOOM had it at a bargain price on Comixology and I liked the artwork and premise. Essentially, Bemis has crafted an allegorical memoir of his own struggles with bipolar disorder as a young struggling bohemian artist type by transplanting many of those same characteristics to his central character Tim, who learns not only that he's bipolar, but that when he's suffering his manic episodes he actually has superpowers. When medicated, abstaining from intoxicants and feeling okay, not only is he suppressing his vital creative spirit, but those powers as well. Beyond that, he's being monitored by a shadowy government cabal, trading in a shallow hipster hanger-on girlfriend for the possibility of true love, and occasionally hitting the crack pipe to give him the super-edge he needs. It's fun, smart, soulful and has something to say about everything from mental health and learning to live with our demons to the emptiness not only of hipster culture but the cynical tendency to dismiss the human beings in hipster trappings out of hand. It's quite an achievement, standing with the best of Young Adult fiction and could make a terrific Scott Pilgrim-y film in the right hands.

If I've got a quibble, it's one that only occurred to me after reading another Goodreads reviewer, who pointed out that this book in no way passes the Bechdel test. It's main female protagonist is lovable if a little Manic Pixie Dreamgirl-ish (with far less Manic than the main character, to be fair) but she doesn't have much agency outside of her interactions with Tim. That would probably knock it down to a 4.5 for me, but I'm grading up because the rest is so well done, from the smart and wise-ass writing to the gorgeous artwork. Besides, my own first published work is probably equally guilty of failing that test, so if Bemis is scrupulous, it's a failing he can take heed of and improve on in the future.
...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Apr 23, 2018 Sean Whatshisface rated it did not like it

This was awful. I want those 40 minutes of my life back. If I wanted to read about some tragic self-important douchebag, I'd have read a John Green novel..... and honestly, comparing the two is kinda unfair to John Green.

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Nov 20, 2014 Alex Ehrler rated it liked it

Shelves: comics-graphic-novels

Say Anything frontman Max Bemis has taken nods from musician/comic writer Gerard Way (of My Chemical Romance, formally, and now out on his own with a solo record) and set out to make a name for himself in the comic book biz. Personally, I find it admirable that any artist is willing to make earnest steps out from his creative bubble and try out something, mm, new, rather than settling for "oh I'm a musician, so that's all I am--no one will take me seriously if I try anything else" trap that most Say Anything frontman Max Bemis has taken nods from musician/comic writer Gerard Way (of My Chemical Romance, formally, and now out on his own with a solo record) and set out to make a name for himself in the comic book biz. Personally, I find it admirable that any artist is willing to make earnest steps out from his creative bubble and try out something, mm, new, rather than settling for "oh I'm a musician, so that's all I am--no one will take me seriously if I try anything else" trap that most celebrity creatives have found themselves in. Most may find it laughable (and, admittedly, even I do, at times, but you've got to give him credit for trying) that James Franco, stoner-actor supreme, has decided to write some poetry and a few short stories, for real write them (nothing like all those ghost-written celeb-memoirs that litter--yes, litter--the shelves at Barnes & Noble and Target's bargain book rack). I will chuckle in disbelief, but, at the same time, shoot a honest thumbs up. Go for it. If an artist has the desire (and is not driven by greed or now-cliche hispterisms) to make something that is completely out of the box, then let it be so!

"Polarity" is not perfect. It's not Lee. It's not Kirby. It's not Eisner, and it certainly is not Moore. But it's good stuff for an indie pop superstar such as Bemis, and it shows a lot of promise as a concept. Some tweaking is in order, but with practice, Max Bemis could win himself an Eisner award, like Gerard Way had with the beyond-excellent "Umbrella Academy" (both "Apocalypse Suite" and "Dallas," just stunning).

My criticisms?

Well, based on the cover (and, oh, spare me the "judging a book by its cover" crap, this is not the case when it comes to comics, since the cover is meant as something of a taste of the story inside), I had expected the artwork to be a bit more, mm, how shall we say it? Psychedelic? When our protagonist, Mr. Tim Woods, a sincere artist lost in a forest of hipsters, cursing himself for his own aimlessness, finally loses his mind and discovers his powers, I had expected the art to take a much more surreal turn. I had envisioned a world warped by delusion, and filled with unearthly patterns and bright, bright colors. Like an acid trip. Something mod-inspired. I was disappointed to find that, for the most part, it all remained fairly mundane in appearances.

Then there is the development of the characters. I learn a lot about Tim, but not enough about the villain (which is crucial to all superhero stories), or the secondary characters, for that matter (love-interest Lily, and faux-bro best-pal Adam). A good writer should never let his side-characters become annoying interjections. Lily, especially, seemed that way to me. She just kind of popped up and then disappeared. And her dialogue does help her case at all. Every other line she's got some witty pop-culture analogy and it just grows tiresome. I think do myself, "are there people that really talk like that?" and, then, "God, I hope not." Adam is a nice guy, but not around nearly often enough. It's sad: good, clean slates upon which Mr. Bemis could drizzle generous helpings of juicy characterization and he just leaves them spick and span to the very end. A shame, a damn shame.

And, again, with the villain: why not a more extensive back story? Why leave it so open-ended? Curses! And the villains have always been the highlights, for me. A hero's a hero, but everybody loves a good villain (gets us in touch with our own flaws, y'know).

But I digress.

I'm going to say, I'm being generous, here, giving this book three stars, and it's only due to my respect for Mr. Bemis, his band, and his sincerity. He wants to do this, I can tell. He's got a lot to learn still, but he'll make it if he tries.

What I'm saying is, I like what I see. Please, show me more. ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Jul 23, 2014 Jessica rated it liked it

Shelves: comics, superhero, adult, fantasy

Timothy is an artist with Bipolar Disorder, who happens to create way better art when he ditches his meds. Of course, he also falls into a deep mania where he doesn't sleep and might just walk into the street half naked and get hit by a car (again). After his hipster-queen girlfriend says his art sucks now, he flushes all his medications and purposefully goes manic, bringing on the aforementioned paranoia and other symptoms. Only someone really is watching him, and he really does have the super ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Dec 22, 2014 Celine rated it it was amazing

Shelves: horror, adult-fiction, paranormal, science-fiction, graphic-novel, stand-alone

Summary: Tim is manic depressive, and when he has a mania, he feels like a super hero. But then he finds out that he is a super hero!

What I liked:
- A manic depressive super hero is a tough subject matter. On one hand you can't trivialise the mental illness, but on the other, you can't get too deeply into it either. Max Bemis handles the subject respectfully and doesn't sugar-coat the reality of living with a mental illness
- Gah, it's such a good read! Tim in his depressive state is ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Aug 29, 2013 Gabrielle rated it liked it

Shelves: 2013-reads, graphic-novels-tpb-editions

This is a four part mini series that talked about mental health in a form of fictionalized superpowered human being. Just imagine that a shady organization had given a psychologist/psychiatrist the power to create superpowered mental freaks. The prose on the monologue tells a unique perspective of an artist with manic-depressive type of disorder, where his doctor gave him pill to unlock super human prowess that could only work when he is 1. High 2. Delusional 3. or when he's just taking the pill ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Jun 27, 2014 Stewart Tame rated it really liked it

Better than I was expecting. I was expecting your basic one-gimmick superhero book, but the writer managed to do some interesting things with the concept. It's ultimately fluff, but it's well-crafted fluff. The book reaches a satisfying conclusion just about the point where it's starting to wear thin. Pretty good. Hopefully they resist the temptation to do a sequel.

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Feb 21, 2016 Jen rated it liked it

Shelves: graphic-novels

This was a good read. Well worth the time and attention. Good writing and well drawn vibrant images. Is this going to be your new favorite comic? Nope. Does the story have holes? Yep. Is it still entertaining? Yep! Plus it dives into an unseen before storyline.

flag 1 like · Like · see review

May 29, 2013 Yomna hosny rated it really liked it

Shelves: comic-books-graphic-novels

This was both hilarious and emotionally engaging. I liked it very very much ;)

flag 1 like · Like · see review

May 01, 2016 Jessica rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, owned

Can one actually write a decent review when sick and medicated? Probably not. But this is a graphic novel I will be pushing for any and everyone I know to read. So stay tuned friends!

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Jan 05, 2019 47Time rated it really liked it

Shelves: comics-matt2019

The main charater Tim narrates the story. It's interesting to see what he thinks of the world around him when the medication for his bipolar disorder is keeping him rational and analytic. And sarcastic - the fun part of the story. When he gets off the medication, all bets are off and he goes rogue, but his inner monologue is no less funny. If you're looking for an anguished character with a tragic story, this isn't it. Worse, there are superpowered individuals in the story, so be warned.

Tim's The main charater Tim narrates the story. It's interesting to see what he thinks of the world around him when the medication for his bipolar disorder is keeping him rational and analytic. And sarcastic - the fun part of the story. When he gets off the medication, all bets are off and he goes rogue, but his inner monologue is no less funny. If you're looking for an anguished character with a tragic story, this isn't it. Worse, there are superpowered individuals in the story, so be warned.

Tim's bipolar disorder has never been pleasant, but it enabled him to create works of art that have gained him some acclaim. He is in an awful relationship with Alexis, a self-centered, preppy girl who eventually loses interest in him. His real love interest is Lily, a more down-to-Earth girl, but given the state he is in because of his medication he doesn't have the courage to talk to her.

Tim goes off his meds like he has done before. His erratic behavior returns and his best friend Adam is worried for him. During a paranoid episode when he suspects he is being watched, he really finds someone doing a stakeout and head-butts him, decapitating the man. He doesn't know where to go, so he visits his doctor who reveals to Tim that he is being watched for proof of superhuman abilities during his manic episodes.

(view spoiler) ...more

flag Like · see review

Aug 07, 2018 Matt rated it liked it

Shelves: graphic-novels

This book is problematic. Mainly because it endorses the notion that you’re only worthwhile (or at least more worthwhile) - as an artist, a love interest, a person, etc. - if you’re damaged (psychologically). That’s a really shitty premise.

This is also written by the former lead of an emo/screamo band, and the way he writes about the current music/cultural scene just comes across as bitter, hateful, a little petty.

That said, I actually enjoyed this book. I really liked the art, and Bemis can ...more

flag Like · see review

Jan 10, 2018 Chris rated it liked it

Shelves: graphic-novels

A fascinating, if niche, examination of living with bipolar disorder through the lens of a superhero comic-style. Niche because its also centered around the hipster scene but that's understandable when you look at the author's background.

I enjoyed it despite not being the target audience at all.

flag Like · see review

Sep 07, 2019 Steven Zoeller rated it it was ok

Shelves: comics

Neither the dumpster fire I feared nor the profound generational statement it aspires to be.

flag Like · see review

Aug 18, 2017 monsterlyleigh rated it really liked it

Shelves: readitandlovedit

One of the most interesting perspectives on mental illness I have read in a long time. Fantastic artwork and storyline. I definitely recommend reading this!

flag Like · see review

Jan 21, 2018 Sadie Oldenkamp rated it it was ok

The premise was really great, but a lot of the dialog relied really heavily on outdated pop culture references.

flag Like · see review

Jun 07, 2019 Rachel Simone rated it liked it

Shelves: read-harder-2019

The art and plot / idea of this comic is really cool and interesting. I was surprised to find that the dialogue and writing left something to be desired. There were a couple of parts that were a little rushed. Quick and worth reading.

flag Like · see review

Mar 12, 2017 Krystl Louwagie rated it liked it

Was interesting, artwork adequate but didn't move me a lot.

flag Like · see review

Mar 04, 2014 Thom Dunn rated it liked it

As much as I enjoy Say Anything (the band fronted by writer Max Bemis), I was hesitant to pick up this comic because, well, the premise sounds exactly like the pseudo-autobiographical premise of their first album "...Is A Real Boy," which kindofsortamaybe chronicled Bemis's descent into super-powered bi-polar disorder -- except that, while recording said album, Max Bemis was actually diagnosed with bi-polar disorder and locked himself up for a while. But, the book was on sale for $4 on As much as I enjoy Say Anything (the band fronted by writer Max Bemis), I was hesitant to pick up this comic because, well, the premise sounds exactly like the pseudo-autobiographical premise of their first album "...Is A Real Boy," which kindofsortamaybe chronicled Bemis's descent into super-powered bi-polar disorder -- except that, while recording said album, Max Bemis was actually diagnosed with bi-polar disorder and locked himself up for a while. But, the book was on sale for $4 on ComiXology, so I figured hey, why not.

While I tend to be the kind of person who connects with comic books more the writing than the art (although I do love a good collaboration), I'd first look to say that the artwork on this book is PHENOMENAL. It's slightly cartoonish, but not a childish way, and accurately portrays hyperviolence, superhero action, internal mindscape struggles, and hipster culture. As for the story itself, it didn't shy away from the fact that it was a slight variation on the story that Bemis has told several times already. The basic premise is that Tim is an artist and self-loathing hipster who suffers from bi-polar disorder, and after he's institutionalized and begins taking pills, he can't create his art. So he goes off his medication, and soon discovers that his untreated condition literally gives him superpowers. But maybe he's too dangerous, and maybe there's a Shadowy Government Organization trying to create an army of Bi-Polar Super Soldiers? Meanwhile, his art is getting better, and he meets a girl.

Overall, it's a pretty enjoyable story, and while applying science fictional concepts to mental illness is nothing new, I actually think that Bemis does it in a pretty fresh way -- by essentially saying that yes, mental illness IS a superpower, but the same way that traditional superheroes suffer from their extra-human abilities, maybe it's still better if you take your pills and try to function like a normal person. That being said, I'm not sure how this book would read to someone who was unfamiliar with "hipster" culture. The main character spends a lot of the book criticizing everyone around him for being hypocrites and poseurs, and ultimately realizes that he's just the same as the rest of them. If you're familiar with Say Anything's music, Tim's rants are all basically pulled straight out of the song "Admit it!" As far as cultural critique is concerned, it is an interesting analysis of hipsterdom that I mostly agree with, even if it is a bit misanthropic (which works well in a loud rock song, but feels different as internal monologue).

That being said, I wonder how someone who was outside of or unfamiliar with "hipster culture" would feel about this book. It's very insular, and some might even say that hipsters criticizing hipsters for being hipsters is THE most hipster thing possible, and while the story does acknowledge that irony (while also criticizing irony as the cheapest form of hipster self-defense), it never quite transcends it. I suspect that if you weren't already aware of and/or immersed in that post-art-school-Williamsburg-landscape, you'd think, "Okay, so these are a bunch of Urban Outfitters asshole who are too cool for Urban Outfitters and this main character is kind of an unlikeable dick who judges everyone around him for being fake judgmental assholes -- why should I care?" And if that's you, I might suggest that you're better served by listening to "Woe" and "Admit it!" by Say Anything, which pretty much sum up the book. ...more

flag Like · see review

Jul 18, 2015 Chie Alemán rated it really liked it

Shelves: mental-illness

3.5 Stars rounded up to 4. Full review, with images, available on http://chiealeman.com/polarity-review/

Many people who experience a manic episode report feeling special, powerful, invincible. But what if those feelings weren't delusions? What if, during a manic episode, an individual really became a superhero?

That's the conceit behind Polarity, a short graphic novel about a 20-something artist with bipolar disorder. He's fairly recently diagnosed and feeling disillusioned with his life, longing 3.5 Stars rounded up to 4. Full review, with images, available on http://chiealeman.com/polarity-review/

Many people who experience a manic episode report feeling special, powerful, invincible. But what if those feelings weren't delusions? What if, during a manic episode, an individual really became a superhero?

That's the conceit behind Polarity, a short graphic novel about a 20-something artist with bipolar disorder. He's fairly recently diagnosed and feeling disillusioned with his life, longing for the freedom and creativity that comes with mania, so he decides to flush his pills and go off them. Shortly after, he unintentionally discovers he has super strength and can read people's minds.

I love the idea of this comic so much. First of all, bipolar disorder is not something we see handled in most media in a legitimate way (yes, I realize how ironic that sounds considering I'm reviewing a kind of superhero comic). There's so much misconception about what bipolar disorder is, what it means, and what life is like for someone who has it that I'm always eager to see someone try to approach it from a "realistic" approach (again, I'm aware of the irony).

Timothy's original ascent into mania is realistically catalogued--how he thinks, feels, behaves, and the metaphor--however heavy handed at times--of his mania making him a superhero of sorts (albeit not a very good one) is creative and interesting. I also really enjoyed the parodying of the superhero comic genre that goes on here. I'm not a huge fan of hardcore superhero comics because they are so ridiculous, and this one is no exception, though of course, it's ridiculous partially because that's the whole point. There's also the endless jabs at the whole Brooklyn hipster esthetic, so social commentary is thrown in, too. The only problem is I felt like it was missing something, like it was a little underdeveloped. Like it should have been a five- or six-issue volume instead of four.

That's what really kept me from loving it as much as I love the idea of it.

For example, things get increasingly crazy: turns out Tim's paranoia isn't a symptom of his mental illness but there really are people out to get him, and while I appreciated how that whole aspect of the story was playing off superhero genre tropes, I kept expecting that more that I never real got. Yes, Tim is ultimately able to come to terms with his mental illness and accept (maybe) why he takes his medication, which is great and all that, but it felt like a lot of silly that didn't lead up to a whole lot.

I'm not saying I wanted the ending to be something like "it was all in his head after all," but I just found myself disappointed, feeling like some of the metaphors were a little heavy handed.

The art is great, though. I'll admit it didn't impress me at first, but it really fit, especially Tim's character design. He's gaunt and has this long, sad Jesusy face that really fits his character.

Overall, this book is worth a read if you're looking for something different in the superhero genre or if you want to get some insight into mania/bipolar disorder, but it falls short of being great. ...more

flag Like · see review

Feb 05, 2014 Matt LeFevers rated it really liked it

I don't normally idolize the musicians I like, but Say Anything comes close. I have every album they have ever released, each of the limited-edition solo discs Max Bemis would home-record and sell on tour, his Two Tongues project with Chris Conley, and the CD he just released with his wife Sherri from Eisley. In fact, I literally started listening to Eisley when Max married their singer (I now own all their albums). So when Max Bemis tweeted (did I mention I originally signed up for Twitter just I don't normally idolize the musicians I like, but Say Anything comes close. I have every album they have ever released, each of the limited-edition solo discs Max Bemis would home-record and sell on tour, his Two Tongues project with Chris Conley, and the CD he just released with his wife Sherri from Eisley. In fact, I literally started listening to Eisley when Max married their singer (I now own all their albums). So when Max Bemis tweeted (did I mention I originally signed up for Twitter just to follow him? now I sound like a lunatic) that he was writing his first comic book, I didn't really need to know anything besides what it was called and where I could find it.

It's called Polarity and it is super great.

I am not a fan of individual comic books, as a format, so when there's one I like, my preference is to wait for the graphic novel collection to come out so I can read them straight through. I did break down and buy the first issue of Polarity out of sheer excitement but when I couldn't find the second in stores, I settled in to wait for the trade paperback. I'm glad I did, as the story meshes nicely when read in one sitting, with the different issues serving more like chapter subdivisions.

Polarity follows Tim Woods, a pseudo-author-surrogate with bipolar disorder navigating the New York hipster scene. From interviews and Say Anything's music, I recognize that the character is a blend of fact and fiction, Bemis himself having had a fairly public meltdown due to his own bipolar disorder and erratic medications. The central question of this book seems to be: what if Tim isn't as crazy as he thinks? In the first chapter, he goes off his meds, suddenly believing he can read people's minds and that he is under secret surveillance. The twist with which the first issue ended was that he actually was being tracked, and may in fact have superpowers.

The theme of mental illness as superpower is as intriguing as it is simple, and without divulging spoilers, some of the other characters later on add other dimensions to the idea. The "Superman phone booth change"-type scenes where Tim dabbles with his drugs in order to trigger or suppress his abilities are hilarious and brilliant. A scene in which Tim reads the minds of a roomful of hipster peers and levels their own secrets against them serves as a neat shout-out to Say Anything's classic takedown song "Admit It!!!", but other than that these comics would be as intelligible to a newcomer as to a fan.

I also greatly enjoyed the art. I am not an avid comic reader per se and can sometimes find the panels hard to follow in some books, but the clean layout and realistic drawing style made this a joy to look at. Even the surreal moments look photo-realistic.

In all honesty, I probably only docked a star because I wish it was longer. The narrative arc of origin story, transformation, reveal of the evil plan, and final showdown happen pretty fast across only four issues. Polarity is a great self contained story but if there is more of this to come, count me in. ...more

flag Like · see review

Aug 14, 2016 Gnome Novels rated it really liked it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

flag Like · see review

Jun 01, 2015 Larakaa rated it liked it

this isn't easy to review as the book isn't that easy to read.

first off, this is another book written by a musician, max bemis, and accompanied there's a small EP you can download for free if you buy the book (code in the back of the trade). I really like that kind of thing, it adds a new level of...understanding the emotions of the main character.

the whole book is about bipolarity and that makes it difficult in some aspects. I'm not bipolar so I can only try to imagine how that feels. Tim, ...more

flag Like · see review