La ficción

The Fiction #1-4

by Curt Pires, David Rubín (Illustrator)

El gallego David Rubín ha compartido proyecto junto al canadiense Curt Pires para crear el universo de La Ficción que toma forma en este tomo inaugural: cuatro amigos de la infancia descubren una caja de libros extraños que, cuando se leen en voz alta, pueden transportarlos a los mundos bellos e imaginarios que se describen en su interior. Pero cuando uno de ellos desaparece, los otros juran no revelar nunca dónde han estado y lo que han visto. Años después, cuando uno de los niños restantes, ya convertido en adulto, también desaparece misteriosamente, corresponde a los dos últimos del grupo volver a sacar sus libros polvorientos para buscarle y averiguar de una vez por todas qué pasó con su amigo tantos años antes.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Comic Book, Graphic Novels Comics, Comics Manga, Fiction

144 pages, Hardcover

First published May 3, 2016

Reviews

[Alexander Peterhans · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sometimes I get the idea that some writers think elaborate worldbuilding is the same as storytelling. Here's a book where there's an intricate world, that has its own rules (although we hardly get the chance to learn them), and oh yeah there's also a couple of characters who have a complicated history with said world, their parents and eachother. There's barely any time left to actual create living, breathing characters, and there is even less time for us to get attached to them. This means that everything becomes a shrug. Complicated world called The Fiction? Okay.. shrug. Kid gone missing in The Fiction? I guess.. shrug. Kids are now adults, and one of them gets sucked into The Fiction? Guess that happened.. shrug.

And so on. To top it all off, there's an insultingly bad ending.

Even David Rubin's art can't save The Fiction.

[Javier Muñoz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un buen cómic que mezcla fantasía con surrealismo de una forma quizás demasiado evidente (es que hasta lo explican en la historia).

El dibujo de Rubín es como siempre genial y sorprendente, la historia aunque ambiciosa puede que quede un poco coja, si quieres hacer un ejercicio de surrealismo quizás deberías dejar los flashbacks, los símbolos y las escenas realistas fuera de la ecuación e incluso no deberías dejar caer significados ocultos que puedan tirar por la borda toda la premisa de la obra... en fin, que no se puede querer contentar a todo el mundo si quieres hacer verdadero arte, que parece la pretensión de los autores, si no arriesgas lo más seguro es que te quedes a medio camino

[Dev · Rating 3 out of 5]

actual rating: 2.5

I read this like four days ago and I literally can't remember enough of it to do a proper review so that should tell you something about it. It was an interesting premise, kind of a cross between Kieron Gillen's new Die series and Mike Carey's The Unwritten. Unfortunately it was way too short to properly delve into any of the concepts it wanted to cover and I didn't really connect to any of the characters either. I would just recommend checking out the other two series I mention, even though The Unwritten does go rather off the rails after the Fables crossover towards the end.

[Althea J. · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5-stars
(I read the 4 single issues that make up The Fiction, which is what I assume will be released as the trade)

So much potential! Super-rushed ending that felt like it needed at least another issue to pull the threads together. Loved the premise but the execution fell short. Boo! Not sure what happened here.

Great, imaginative art. Especially the world-of-fiction. Close-ups of faces had this weird distorted eye thing going on. But other than that, I really enjoyed the art.


I'm curious about the writer's process -- does he write it episodically, releasing the book as he completes each issue?

As is the case with so many of these titles, The Fiction seems like it would benefit from being released as a graphic novel, written and edited as a whole. The setup is so potent, and then the non-ending is such a disappointment. I feel like this would never fly if it were presented to editors as a complete piece, start to finish. It's frustrating bc these promising stories that fizzle out end up being such a waste of money, why would I take a chance on a new title Issue #1 coming out in the future? I'm going to have to be strictly wait-for-trade. And I really, really, really wish so many of these limited release, rich-with-potential stories being released as comics... I wish they were written-for-trade, too.

[Brandon · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Fiction is a four-issue limited series that reads like it should be five issues. I finish the book and I'm wondering where the fifth issue is. What happens next, or how the story gets resolved, or if the creators will ever explain what they mean. But no, it just ends. It's a wonderful and entertaining story about some kids (now adults) getting lost in fiction. There's an evil corruption stealing from the minds of dreamers and creators everywhere, luring the naive in with hopes of freedom and expression. Our protagonists try to make sense of their upturned worlds and the hard realities of life, trying to separate reality and fiction before the fictions take over. Who will win? What is the nature of the corruption? What is the dreamspace? What's the whole point? Who knows. But it looks pretty and sounds cool while you're reading. Just don't pick up the book expecting a resolution- you have older books from Grant Morrison and newer books by Kieron Gillen that can provide that for you.

[Václav · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I'm big David Rubín's fan and I look forward to any his future artist job (both writing and art, but more the art). And I'm usually happy with what I get. And I'm happy now. But mostly only with Rubín's work here. Why? I find Curt Pires' work very interesting, but not a bit innovating (magic "gate" to the "fantasy world" which main characters must save/or save someone) and rather confusing. More than few elements remain unexplained (and I do not mean "everything must be explained", not at all, but there is (an unclear) line between what works and what is annoying/confusing). Speaking of confusing, the end is just like that. It's like one issue short, so the Pires hastily push towards some end which is not satisfying but rather confusing. Which is a shame, because the book started rather well and David Rubín's work is as always excellent (although he should start to train to make middle-aged bearded guys look different from each other). It is worth the try for David's fans, for all other - think twice.

[Juan Fuentes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Si la trama es una excusa para que brille el talento de Rubín como dibujante, bien. Si nos la queremos tomar en serio, fatal.

[Ramón Fernández Ayarzagoitia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aunque se siente muy apurada la historia, y se hubiera beneficiado más de salir directamente en formato de libro, con muchas más hojas y en una historia completa (la palabra que estoy tratando de evitar es "Novela Gráfica"), este cómic vale mucho la pena. Si eres fanático de las historias fantásticas con mundos escondidos en lugares extraños este TP es para ti.
David Rubín es uno de los mejores artistas hoy en día y Curt Pires tiene una imaginación grandiosa.

[Faye Fite · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a horrible story, but not super great, either. It felt rushed and a lot of it didn't make sense. I had no connection to the characters. The bad guys and dialogue felt cliche and I wasn't a fan of the artwork. It had some really neat concepts, though, and brought up some interesting questions about what "reality" is.

[Robin Stevens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gorgeously illustrated by David Rubin (he can do no wrong), this is a very clever concept that feels slightly underdeveloped - but all the same, I love what's being attempted, and want to know what happens next. One for fans of Unwritten and general fiction nerds (14+).

*Please note: this review is meant as a recommendation only. Please do not use it in any marketing material, online or in print, without asking permission from me first. Thank you!*

[Marc Pastor · Rating 2 out of 5]

Malgrat el talent visual de Rubin, la història no té res de res. Un Stranger Things decafeïnat amb pretencions metalingüístiques que [badall].

[Minifig · Rating 3 out of 5]

La verdad es que me ha decepcionado.

La historia parte de una premisa no demasiado original: quince años atrás un grupo de niños descubre un hecho paranormal (en este caso un libro que les transporta a un mundo distinto del nuestro), uno de ellos desaparece y, ahora que son adultos, ese secreto del pasado vuelve para reclamarlos.

Tras plantear esta idea la historia se traslada al mundo paralelo donde los personajes se enfrentan a un monstruo. Pero la historia es demasiado corta para desarrollar a los personajes (que quedan como meros estereotipos) o el mundo mismo (cuyas reglas parecen arbitrarias).

Una historia breve y un dibujo con mucha fuerza, pero esperaba bastante más del cómic.

[José Manuel · Rating 2 out of 5]

...Y entonces, después de 4 números, se acaba la historia y te quedas con cara de tonto, esa es mi sensación. Una historia típica (niños descubren forma de viajar a otro mundo, niños van, uno no vuelve,pasa el tiempo y hay que ir a buscarlo) que no va a ningún lado y que tiene un final (por decirlo de alguna forma) que... bueno acaba.

Lo mejor sin duda David Rubín, un diez para él.

[Camilo Guerra · Rating 3 out of 5]

4 niños encuentran en un libro el pasaje a un mundo magico,estilo Narnia/Magicians,etc, pero algo pasa y uno de ellos no vuelve y así la magia se rompe y se va al carajo la fantasía y pasan los años, y los que quedaron deben volver a ese mundo.

Pires hace una historia concisa, llena de conceptos mágicos y de sorpresas que te hacen querer la historia, mientras el arte de David Rubin es simplemente magnifico ,desde diseños de personajes increíbles, una narrativa muy fluida, diseños de pagina mas y mas rompedores y detallados , dándote maravillas que puedes ver por horas, dejando el listón muy alto, por ejemplo, sus niños son muy bien hechos aun con lo difícil que es hacer a cada uno distinto y hacerlos ver como niños, no como personas pequeñas, mientras que su mundo mágico esta hecho a pura magia y talento, el ser dorado y el ser oscuro son construcciones únicas e inesperadas que no te cansas de ver una y otra vez. Todo va muy bien construido, hasta que sientes que falta un poco mas , que al historia termino y promesas hechas no fueron cumplidas y esperas que los autores vuelvan a la obra, aunque es difícil, ya que Rubin hizo ETHER y ahí siento que hay un primo lejano ,que ya va iniciando su segundo tomo.Lastima, pero yo quisiera que volvieran.

[Francesca Giardiello · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sinceramente ho apprezzato il ritmo, i personaggi e tutto il comparto grafico, il problema reale sorge perché non si capisce dove voglia andare a parere. La storia è uno scorcio di qualcosa che avviene in fretta, in maniera autoconclusiva e di cui non si capisce purtroppo quasi nulla.

[Nuno Gil Franco · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's an interesting premise that Pires brings us, and it really connected with me because I've always liked to imagine what it would be like to be inside the story I was currently reading. It is beaufifully drawn by David Rubin, who I've never heard before and will start to follow (as well as Pires). But that ending... Well, I can't really call it an ending, because it mostly set up a probable (and it will hopefully happen) sequel but I almost felt robbed...

Oh well, here's hoping the next one will bring "closure".

[Kit · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable, beautifully illustrated, if standard Stand-By-Me-And-Maybe-Also-Cope-With-Weird-Kid-Stuff-In-Imaginationland story.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un sí, pero no. La historia tenía mucho potencial, pero se me quedó en nada. Los dibujos de Rubín, muy buenos, como siempre y con ese toque perturbador que engancha y pega muy bien con la historia.

[Andrey Kurenkov · Rating 2 out of 5]

Super rushed and underwhelming, but kind of pretty and certainly fast to get through.

[Antoni · Rating 2 out of 5]

2/5

Diu l'autor que la idea li va venir d'un somni, i que només despertar, en va prendre nota i s'hi va posar a treballar. Jo no recordo gairebé res dels somnis en llevar-me, i penso que potser a Curt Pires li va passar el mateix. Com a mínim, el guió fa aquesta impressió de trontollar i no saber ben bé on vol anar a petar.

La idea original d'un grup d'adolescents entrant a mons fantàstics a través dels llibres m'atrau, sens dubte, i la idea que un d'ells desaparegui i els altres el vagin a buscar encara més. La trama que va endavant i enrere és interessant i queda prou ben definida per una paleta de colors diferents, però no m'ha acabat de funcionar. La raó principal és que la història, a mesura que avança, no ens explica gaire cosa i va fent tombs metafísics i emocionals. Més enllà d'uns quants referents bibliogràfics a autors literaris de renom, el guió m'ha semblat bastant absurd, sobretot en el precipitat —i absurdament ensucrat— final.

Tampoc m'acaba de fer el pes el dibuix d'en David Rubín, malgrat que és un il·lustrador que gaudeix d'una gran reputació. No és el meu estil, com tampoc ho és l'ús dels colors. Potser el que he gaudit més és la part fosca, la del món amb reminiscències a Stranger Things, i poca cosa més. La coberta m'havia generat unes expectatives que l'interior no ha complert. Suposo que el fet d'arribar amb un cert hype fa que les opcions que t'acabi decebent s'incrementin.

En definitiva, no l'he gaudit i quan l'he acabat he dit WTF! I els extres tampoc m'han acabat de convèncer, si bé m'han servit per apreciar millor la tasca d'en David Rubín, que potser amb el color final no ha destacat tant. Crec que buscaré més coses d'aquest il·lustrador per donar-li una altra oportunitat, però del guionista crec que en fugiré com de la pesta.

[Ana Pérez · Rating 4 out of 5]

En contra de lo que parece ser la tónica general (en el momento en que escribo esta reseña, este libro está valorado por debajo de 3 estrellas en Goodreads), debo decir que me ha gustado bastante. El dibujo de David Rubín es muy atractivo, con un toque oscuro y chungo que recuerda a la serie "Stranger Things" y unos personajes expresivos y bien trabajados. Por otro lado, el desarrollo de la historia, mezclando las líneas temporales y las relaciones del grupo de amigos (tanto en la infancia como en la madurez, así como la forja progresiva de sus personas adultas) me ha enganchado desde la primera página. PERO (y sí, es un inconveniente importante)... se les ha olvidado el quinto volumen. En mi opinión, falta trama para cerrar la historia de forma adecuada y esto pesa bastante en el resultado final. Por otra parte, y éste sí es un inconveniente menor, el guión no es tan original como otras novelas gráficas y se trata de la suma de historias que ya he encontrado en otras páginas. Sin embargo, recomendaría su lectura: es inmersivo, visualmente potente e incorpora recursos narrativos muy bien ejecutados.

[Chad · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wow, one of the most generic escape into a childhood fantasy stories I've read. Nothing is explained. Four friends escaped into a fantasy world as kids and one of them got lost. Now they are adults and a corrupted version of the kid has sucked them back into books. Pires's writing is consistently poor. This one feels like Boom cut it short before it was actually finished to make things worse. Even David Rubin's inventive art can't save this turkey.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

So much potential!! It kills me to give this three stars but so much is missing. This could be so much more and I bet the writers have it but the publishers didn't give them the support (# of issues) it deserved. I'd definitely keep reading this series if it continues. This can't be all there is.

[Mark Ames · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story at the core, friends in youth go back to solve an old mystery overcoming the intervening years type thing. Artwork, good - not spectacular but solid. My main complaint is that it almost moved too fast and that left some of the story a bit thin.

[Pat · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great set up but ends a failure. The concept is good especially at the beginning. The ending ,well the less said the better, probably because I struggled to figure the end. It really felt like it should have had an extra issue to resolve it.

[Warren Tutwiler · Rating 2 out of 5]

Decent artwork. The story had some promise, but ultimately left too much unexplained, which probably would have been resolved had this been a standard novel. Possibly the creators were hoping to do a sequel series that never materialized. I read all 4 issues.

[Leanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a pretty book, but it made practically no sense. I'd say it was a very, very poor man's version of The Magicians series by Lev Grossman. I definitely prefer those novels to this.

[Dean Simons · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good art, started out well but couldn't quite reach a satisfying conclusion by issue four. A bit too truncated, I think.

[Franza · Rating 3 out of 5]

It has a really good potential but the over all seemed a bit too fast... There where space for a lot more... I was expecting more tbh

[Reyel2107 · Rating 4 out of 5]

better art than tale !!!!