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Icarus and the Sun
Inspired by Icarus, who dared to fly too near the sun on wings of feathers and wax. If he was in love with the sun, then this might as well be a story of forbidden love.
60 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2020
About the author
Gabriel Picolo
22 books993 followersFreelance illustrator and comic artist. Full time overthinker.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 218 reviews
November 1, 2024
4.5 stars -> ALL I KNOW IS PAINNNNNNNNNNN
review soon!
currently reading
@Klea Bookworm I OWE YOU FOR FINDING THIS FOR ME, THANK YOU SO MUCH
I fear that I may shed tears during this
pre read
I want to read this so bad, but can't find it anywhere 😭
review soon!
currently reading
@Klea Bookworm I OWE YOU FOR FINDING THIS FOR ME, THANK YOU SO MUCH
I fear that I may shed tears during this
pre read
I want to read this so bad, but can't find it anywhere 😭
February 14, 2022
the artwork was ah-mazing!
the story?
meh
the story?
meh
December 28, 2020
Honestly I expected so much more from this book, the story was basic and made out to be so much more interesting from the sneak peeks.
I think Picolo simply bit off more than he could chew with the indiegogo campaign for this, which has lead to a rushed story and some rushed drawings... the drawings he has clearly spent a lot of time on are ones previously posted on his Instagram so it’s nothing new.
A complete shame, especially as this book has taken a year and a half to get to the people who supported his campaign I expected so much more from the quality of the book itself, to the story and drawings inside.
Meh is the only word to describe it.
I think Picolo simply bit off more than he could chew with the indiegogo campaign for this, which has lead to a rushed story and some rushed drawings... the drawings he has clearly spent a lot of time on are ones previously posted on his Instagram so it’s nothing new.
A complete shame, especially as this book has taken a year and a half to get to the people who supported his campaign I expected so much more from the quality of the book itself, to the story and drawings inside.
Meh is the only word to describe it.
December 30, 2020
What a disappointment. I really wanted to love it, but the book felt rushed. The story, as others have pointed out, is just "meh". I can see where he was going and the idea is somewhat interesting, but it's poorly executed. The dialogue is weak and the book is way too short. In sum: Picolo is just not a good writer.
The book even feels pretentious somehow - like he thinks he's telling such a deep/heavy story by talking about mental health. In reality it barely scratches the surface.
Even the art is off at points - the bits and pieces released on social media over the years are by far the best drawings in the book, everything else is just ok.
The old pages actually work much better on their own - there's a depth in them that just isn't present in the book. They told a story many of us fell in love with, but unfortunately the book doesn't do them justice. If like me, you wanted this book because you loved the story told on social media years ago: buy Icarus and the Sun art prints from Picolo instead. I don't know if the book will be available for sale outside of the Indiegogo campaign, but if so: don't waste your money.
Also: as a campaign backer, I tried to warn Picolo about bad grammar on one of his sneak peek pages. His English is not perfect, which is completely understandable, so I asked whether he would be getting a proofreader to help him with the final version. All of my messages were ignored and the printed book came out with the mistake I had pointed out to him. It just makes me cringe.
The book even feels pretentious somehow - like he thinks he's telling such a deep/heavy story by talking about mental health. In reality it barely scratches the surface.
Even the art is off at points - the bits and pieces released on social media over the years are by far the best drawings in the book, everything else is just ok.
The old pages actually work much better on their own - there's a depth in them that just isn't present in the book. They told a story many of us fell in love with, but unfortunately the book doesn't do them justice. If like me, you wanted this book because you loved the story told on social media years ago: buy Icarus and the Sun art prints from Picolo instead. I don't know if the book will be available for sale outside of the Indiegogo campaign, but if so: don't waste your money.
Also: as a campaign backer, I tried to warn Picolo about bad grammar on one of his sneak peek pages. His English is not perfect, which is completely understandable, so I asked whether he would be getting a proofreader to help him with the final version. All of my messages were ignored and the printed book came out with the mistake I had pointed out to him. It just makes me cringe.
December 7, 2019
Oh wow,
This book is like everything for me right now.
I’m in that ugly phase of being a teen where I’m trying to figure out relationships. Ick.
And a lot of this is stuff I’ve experienced.
The way you want someone to know everything about you. Even your bad sides, your demons. Sometimes, it’s hard. But you know you must break things off when there’s damage being done.
Then you go through the stages of grief. And then you do your best to move on
And find your place again.
This book is like everything for me right now.
I’m in that ugly phase of being a teen where I’m trying to figure out relationships. Ick.
And a lot of this is stuff I’ve experienced.
The way you want someone to know everything about you. Even your bad sides, your demons. Sometimes, it’s hard. But you know you must break things off when there’s damage being done.
Then you go through the stages of grief. And then you do your best to move on
And find your place again.
December 30, 2020
* The finished book has only just been published so I'm not sure where these earlier reviews are coming from but know that mine comes from having read the published hardback.
I backed this project on Indiegogo back in March of 2019 and recently received my copy of the finished book. The release of the book got pushed back a few times because Picolo wanted to get it right before publishing; I know some people were upset about this but I was happy to wait as long as needed for the book to be completed as he intended. However, I think the hype for this book and the expectations for it far exceeded what this story ended up being which is why I, unfortunately, had to give it a 3.
I backed this project on Indiegogo back in March of 2019 and recently received my copy of the finished book. The release of the book got pushed back a few times because Picolo wanted to get it right before publishing; I know some people were upset about this but I was happy to wait as long as needed for the book to be completed as he intended. However, I think the hype for this book and the expectations for it far exceeded what this story ended up being which is why I, unfortunately, had to give it a 3.
January 7, 2021
After, what, almost two years, I finally received my hardcover for Gabriel Picolo's Indiegogo campaign. I made a point of reading it right away! The dude is a fantastic artist who knows how to inject a lot of character into his work. And looking through the book, yes the art is what I wanted! The character designs are cute and endearing, the contrasting colours are beautiful, and there's a nice flow from scene to scene that makes it easy to read.
But the story is a disappointment. The promise was a reinterpretation of the Icarus myth as a romantic story, and Picolo chases that with some additional delving into mental health. Told from the perspective of Icarus talking to his therapist after the events, the young man explains how he met the Sun and how their 'relationship' began. Why they broke up, how it's affected him, all that. It does throw some curveballs and twists in so it's not completely predictable, but the whole thing felt very surface-level. We barely get to see them as a couple, the break-up is sudden, and there just aren't enough pages in the book to cover the whole story. The cute quiet moments are the best parts of this book, but they take up precious space that the story doesn't have. The pacing is just weird.
The basics of the story is that Icarus is a man with tenuous grasp on his own mental health, and the Sun is this manic pixie dream girl who comes in and lights up his life. He soon realizes that the relationship isn't healthy for either of them. Is she actually burning him? Does getting close to her actually hurt him? She's never given that level of depth. At the end of it all, this story is about Icarus and his insecurity. And just because he realizes he's insecure doesn't make it a profound story. The book just ends, with things seemingly working out to a bittersweet conclusion, but I was left wanting.
Oh, and since this is a review of the hardcover, can I say that the physical collection is a massive disappointment? The pages are glossy and thick, like the book is made up of stapled art prints and pin-ups instead of book pages. I was worried that while flipping through the pages they would bend or come apart from the binding. There are also some lettering and punctuation problems, a clear sign that this wasn't proofread. It's sloppily put together and feels amateur.
But the story is a disappointment. The promise was a reinterpretation of the Icarus myth as a romantic story, and Picolo chases that with some additional delving into mental health. Told from the perspective of Icarus talking to his therapist after the events, the young man explains how he met the Sun and how their 'relationship' began. Why they broke up, how it's affected him, all that. It does throw some curveballs and twists in so it's not completely predictable, but the whole thing felt very surface-level. We barely get to see them as a couple, the break-up is sudden, and there just aren't enough pages in the book to cover the whole story. The cute quiet moments are the best parts of this book, but they take up precious space that the story doesn't have. The pacing is just weird.
The basics of the story is that Icarus is a man with tenuous grasp on his own mental health, and the Sun is this manic pixie dream girl who comes in and lights up his life. He soon realizes that the relationship isn't healthy for either of them. Is she actually burning him? Does getting close to her actually hurt him? She's never given that level of depth. At the end of it all, this story is about Icarus and his insecurity. And just because he realizes he's insecure doesn't make it a profound story. The book just ends, with things seemingly working out to a bittersweet conclusion, but I was left wanting.
Oh, and since this is a review of the hardcover, can I say that the physical collection is a massive disappointment? The pages are glossy and thick, like the book is made up of stapled art prints and pin-ups instead of book pages. I was worried that while flipping through the pages they would bend or come apart from the binding. There are also some lettering and punctuation problems, a clear sign that this wasn't proofread. It's sloppily put together and feels amateur.
March 2, 2021
4.5/5
Llevo esperando por este libro desde el 2019 y al fin pude tenerlo. La verdad es que había visto las ilustraciones del autor y me parecen preciosas, y en este caso, muy tristes. Tenía miedo de que fuera uno de esos casos en que visualmente la novela es una preciosidad, pero el trasfondo no tenía sentido. Por suerte no fue así.
La relación de Icarus y Sun terminó, él no quiere hablar de ello, pero finalmente decide revivir todo para saber qué fue lo que salió mal.
Está de más decir que las ilustraciones son hermosas, me gusta mucho el estilo de Picolo y sabía que quería tener esta historia en físico en cuanto la anunció. Disfruté mucho de los simbolismos detrás, de la metáfora de Icarus y Sun para hablar de las relaciones, pero también para hablar de la salud mental y la importancia de estas. Porque la verdad no me esperaba una historia complicada o especialmente profunda, creí que sería algo triste y ya, pero no. Me gustó mucho que se centrara en distintos temas de salud mental y no romantizara el amor ni las relaciones. Es una historia muy corta, pero que transmite mucho.
Mi único problema es que me faltó que el autor pusiera algo más, un agradecimiento o sus palabras hablando de esta historia. Es lo único que le faltó al libro, porque se nota que es bastante personal y es una historia muy importante para él, me hubiese gustado que contara algo más.
Icarus and the Sun es una historia corta y bella que habla de las relaciones sin romantizarlas, que trata temas de la salud mental y todo con las hermosas ilustraciones del autor.
Llevo esperando por este libro desde el 2019 y al fin pude tenerlo. La verdad es que había visto las ilustraciones del autor y me parecen preciosas, y en este caso, muy tristes. Tenía miedo de que fuera uno de esos casos en que visualmente la novela es una preciosidad, pero el trasfondo no tenía sentido. Por suerte no fue así.
La relación de Icarus y Sun terminó, él no quiere hablar de ello, pero finalmente decide revivir todo para saber qué fue lo que salió mal.
Está de más decir que las ilustraciones son hermosas, me gusta mucho el estilo de Picolo y sabía que quería tener esta historia en físico en cuanto la anunció. Disfruté mucho de los simbolismos detrás, de la metáfora de Icarus y Sun para hablar de las relaciones, pero también para hablar de la salud mental y la importancia de estas. Porque la verdad no me esperaba una historia complicada o especialmente profunda, creí que sería algo triste y ya, pero no. Me gustó mucho que se centrara en distintos temas de salud mental y no romantizara el amor ni las relaciones. Es una historia muy corta, pero que transmite mucho.
Mi único problema es que me faltó que el autor pusiera algo más, un agradecimiento o sus palabras hablando de esta historia. Es lo único que le faltó al libro, porque se nota que es bastante personal y es una historia muy importante para él, me hubiese gustado que contara algo más.
Icarus and the Sun es una historia corta y bella que habla de las relaciones sin romantizarlas, que trata temas de la salud mental y todo con las hermosas ilustraciones del autor.
January 2, 2021
So, I waited for this graphic novel for a long time (about 1 year and a half or more). I don't know what it was, maybe the wait, or maybe my expectations, or even the hype, or all of these combined and which were too high, but I ended up being disappointed in the story itself.
Firstly, this a Kickstart project from Picolo that I backed up in 2019. As a big comic book fan, I've followed his work since the beginning when he posted on DeviantArt. I'm a really big fan of his illustrations and love his work. So of course I was over the moon when his kick-start project to make Icarus & the Sun came out. I backed it immediately and waited patiently while living through the illustrations he posted later on as sneak peaks.
The problem with this book is the story itself. Yes Picolo is a great illustrator, but I'm not quiet sure he's a great writer. While the idea of the story seemed highly interesting, the execution in itself was not the best. The story is too short, everything happens too fast, the characters are shallow and while the story could have had a more in depth focus, it did not. It all felt very rushed and not thought out enough.
So yep. Big disappointment when I think about how much I'd loved the mood from his sneak peaks..
About the art itself. Well, I loved most of it. I do really love his design for Icarus and for Sun. I love the composition and the contrast of the colors. Love his line art and so many more things. I do think some panels were a bit less good. Like Picolo didn't have enough time and had to throw the panel together to finish the book.
All in all, I can't say that I hate it, or that it's bad. I think maybe with more time, and a better developed plot, the book would have been much better. I guess it leaves some room for Picolo to improve when it comes to narration and writing. But I do NOT regret getting it. Even if just for some of the absolutely amazing illustrations you can find in some panels. And this is mainly why the book gets a 3 stars rating. If it wasn't for the illustrations, it would definitely have been a 1 or 2 stars graphic novel.
Firstly, this a Kickstart project from Picolo that I backed up in 2019. As a big comic book fan, I've followed his work since the beginning when he posted on DeviantArt. I'm a really big fan of his illustrations and love his work. So of course I was over the moon when his kick-start project to make Icarus & the Sun came out. I backed it immediately and waited patiently while living through the illustrations he posted later on as sneak peaks.
The problem with this book is the story itself. Yes Picolo is a great illustrator, but I'm not quiet sure he's a great writer. While the idea of the story seemed highly interesting, the execution in itself was not the best. The story is too short, everything happens too fast, the characters are shallow and while the story could have had a more in depth focus, it did not. It all felt very rushed and not thought out enough.
So yep. Big disappointment when I think about how much I'd loved the mood from his sneak peaks..
About the art itself. Well, I loved most of it. I do really love his design for Icarus and for Sun. I love the composition and the contrast of the colors. Love his line art and so many more things. I do think some panels were a bit less good. Like Picolo didn't have enough time and had to throw the panel together to finish the book.
All in all, I can't say that I hate it, or that it's bad. I think maybe with more time, and a better developed plot, the book would have been much better. I guess it leaves some room for Picolo to improve when it comes to narration and writing. But I do NOT regret getting it. Even if just for some of the absolutely amazing illustrations you can find in some panels. And this is mainly why the book gets a 3 stars rating. If it wasn't for the illustrations, it would definitely have been a 1 or 2 stars graphic novel.
January 16, 2021
The art was lovely, but the story was rather disappointing in comparison. The artwork reminded me a bit of the Child of Light game though. Very faery tale-esque looking.
January 3, 2021
So first, I am actually reviewing the entire book but I couldn’t find a Goodreads page for it, so I’ll just put my review here. First, I’ll mention the Indiegogo campaign, though I did not follow it that closely. It was one of the first campaigns I ever backed so I didn’t know what to expect. The book too a year longer than promised to come out so that was disappointing. I do hope that Picolo does more as he does have some real talent. Though, I hope he learns from whatever mistakes he may have made along the way.
As for the physical quality of the book, the only weird thing is that the pages are abnormally thick. Like thick as cardstock and it makes me feel like 10 pages are glued together and I’m missing content. As for the art, the character designs are good however the backgrounds are kind of drab. I get that Icarus is supposed to blend into the background to contrast with Sun but it still felt off.
Finally the story. The story is really where this book kind of flops. I had gone in thinking that this would literally be a forbidden love story between a being made of wax and a being made of the sun. It was actually just a metaphor for a guy’s relationship. That was pretty disappointing. Second, the pacing suffers a pacing problem that is a pitfall for new comic book writers. I found this same problem in White Sand by Brandon Sanderson where you have major events happening one after another and it’s just too fast. Part of the problem is this is being told to a therapist (who acts unprofessionally from my experience) so Icarus is going to tell her the major story beats of his relationship with Sun. However…I think the book would have been helped had this been a literal story of a wax man and the sun falling in love. Use those pages that cut to the therapist to show the passage of time and maybe another moment with Icarus and Sun.
Overall, the book had a lot of potential, I don’t think it quite reached it. However, I’m glad I backed the campaign and I wish Picolo success.
As for the physical quality of the book, the only weird thing is that the pages are abnormally thick. Like thick as cardstock and it makes me feel like 10 pages are glued together and I’m missing content. As for the art, the character designs are good however the backgrounds are kind of drab. I get that Icarus is supposed to blend into the background to contrast with Sun but it still felt off.
Finally the story. The story is really where this book kind of flops. I had gone in thinking that this would literally be a forbidden love story between a being made of wax and a being made of the sun. It was actually just a metaphor for a guy’s relationship. That was pretty disappointing. Second, the pacing suffers a pacing problem that is a pitfall for new comic book writers. I found this same problem in White Sand by Brandon Sanderson where you have major events happening one after another and it’s just too fast. Part of the problem is this is being told to a therapist (who acts unprofessionally from my experience) so Icarus is going to tell her the major story beats of his relationship with Sun. However…I think the book would have been helped had this been a literal story of a wax man and the sun falling in love. Use those pages that cut to the therapist to show the passage of time and maybe another moment with Icarus and Sun.
Overall, the book had a lot of potential, I don’t think it quite reached it. However, I’m glad I backed the campaign and I wish Picolo success.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 7, 2020
well guys, I'm following this guy on deviantart, (yeah i have an account, i'm one of the first prayers for this story to become a book) and let me tell you, the book is not completed. i just re-read and wanted to add here. cuz' i'm falling in graphic novel hole.
IT'S COMING! HE SAYS IT'S FINISHED!
but we have to wait more cuz all printing and preparing process u know.
well, does not change the fact i will not effort the book, as if it ever will be ship to turkey at all. i'm hoping it will be publish ebook too.
so Picolo-kun aka gabriel picolo's last updates are here:
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/ic...
'till then,,,
and if you think the story is meh, you are wrong. it's more than an inspiration of icarus and sun, it is a metaphor of sacrifice and sorrow and patience and connection... and above all, just love.
IT'S COMING! HE SAYS IT'S FINISHED!
but we have to wait more cuz all printing and preparing process u know.
well, does not change the fact i will not effort the book, as if it ever will be ship to turkey at all. i'm hoping it will be publish ebook too.
so Picolo-kun aka gabriel picolo's last updates are here:
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/ic...
'till then,,,
and if you think the story is meh, you are wrong. it's more than an inspiration of icarus and sun, it is a metaphor of sacrifice and sorrow and patience and connection... and above all, just love.
January 2, 2025
Disappointment.
If I had to choose a single word to describe this book, I couldn't help but say I'm extremely disappointed.
I have been following Gabriel Picolo's project "Icarus and the Sun" since it simply started as artworks online. His paintings, his style and choice of colors, the use of the classic story of Icarus who tries to reach the sun, but then fails because of his wings made of wax, really hit me at that time. I still believe that the artworks, taken singularly, have some poetry: in a single image, Picolo is able to communicate a lot of emotions, personal feelings which everybody could relate to. Even the cacti named after his issues had something evocative, somehow funny and melancholic at the same time. His attention to details, to clothes and surroudings is beautiful - but unfortunately not in this book.
The volume was finally sent after a year and a half of waiting: the self-published campain finished on 9 april 2019. The basic perk (after reaching almost 2982% of set goal) was a hardcover book plus a simple sticker set of the cacti. Its pages are thick and printed in his most recent style (e.g. lately used for his Teen Titans artworks) with bright, vibrant colours, except for two pages that were clearly copied and pasted from past artworks in a slightly lower but noticeable definition. These are two of the most important pages for the book itself: one with the hug between Icarus and Sun and his saying "What could possibly go wrong?" while his wings are melting; the other one with the five passages of accepting the breaking up ("1. Denial, 2. Anger, 3. Bargaining, 4. Depression, 5. Acceptance"). This detail is unfortunately only the top of the iceberg.
Picolo tries to talk about mental issues such as depression, anxiety, and the consequences of a very problematic romantic relationship. The main problem of the book is that the reader has no time to elaborate these difficult themes: its storytelling is really fast, too fast; the story would have needed at least twice the number of pages. Especially the scenes of the breaking up appear messy and too synthetic: every element that would show how things are not going ok is simply labeled with the word "this": a style usable for a poem, for a single artwork, but not for an entire book. The reader gets as confused as the psychologist the protagonist Icarus talks to from the beginning ("You what?!" almost made me laugh).
After a year and a half of waiting I had very high expectations because I loved the concept of Icarus and the Sun: dealing with mental issues is not an easy task, and "love" can sometimes be a dangerous trap we put ourselves in to avoid confronting those problems. However, I was extremely disappointed in how things turned out in the final version, especially because I love Picolo's illustrations. I was really happy to meet him at a comic-con in my country (Italy) two years ago: I even bought the book he worked on with Shockdom Publishing ("Rio 2031") only because he was responsible of the illustrations (and because there's a character who totally looks like Sun).
It's a great disappointment when an author you think highly of wastes his great talent. I really hope he's going to study how to write better stories: being good at drawing is definitely not enough.
If I had to choose a single word to describe this book, I couldn't help but say I'm extremely disappointed.
I have been following Gabriel Picolo's project "Icarus and the Sun" since it simply started as artworks online. His paintings, his style and choice of colors, the use of the classic story of Icarus who tries to reach the sun, but then fails because of his wings made of wax, really hit me at that time. I still believe that the artworks, taken singularly, have some poetry: in a single image, Picolo is able to communicate a lot of emotions, personal feelings which everybody could relate to. Even the cacti named after his issues had something evocative, somehow funny and melancholic at the same time. His attention to details, to clothes and surroudings is beautiful - but unfortunately not in this book.
The volume was finally sent after a year and a half of waiting: the self-published campain finished on 9 april 2019. The basic perk (after reaching almost 2982% of set goal) was a hardcover book plus a simple sticker set of the cacti. Its pages are thick and printed in his most recent style (e.g. lately used for his Teen Titans artworks) with bright, vibrant colours, except for two pages that were clearly copied and pasted from past artworks in a slightly lower but noticeable definition. These are two of the most important pages for the book itself: one with the hug between Icarus and Sun and his saying "What could possibly go wrong?" while his wings are melting; the other one with the five passages of accepting the breaking up ("1. Denial, 2. Anger, 3. Bargaining, 4. Depression, 5. Acceptance"). This detail is unfortunately only the top of the iceberg.
Picolo tries to talk about mental issues such as depression, anxiety, and the consequences of a very problematic romantic relationship. The main problem of the book is that the reader has no time to elaborate these difficult themes: its storytelling is really fast, too fast; the story would have needed at least twice the number of pages. Especially the scenes of the breaking up appear messy and too synthetic: every element that would show how things are not going ok is simply labeled with the word "this": a style usable for a poem, for a single artwork, but not for an entire book. The reader gets as confused as the psychologist the protagonist Icarus talks to from the beginning ("You what?!" almost made me laugh).
After a year and a half of waiting I had very high expectations because I loved the concept of Icarus and the Sun: dealing with mental issues is not an easy task, and "love" can sometimes be a dangerous trap we put ourselves in to avoid confronting those problems. However, I was extremely disappointed in how things turned out in the final version, especially because I love Picolo's illustrations. I was really happy to meet him at a comic-con in my country (Italy) two years ago: I even bought the book he worked on with Shockdom Publishing ("Rio 2031") only because he was responsible of the illustrations (and because there's a character who totally looks like Sun).
It's a great disappointment when an author you think highly of wastes his great talent. I really hope he's going to study how to write better stories: being good at drawing is definitely not enough.
July 8, 2019
I love the drawing but the story it's meh. I was expecting something else.
July 27, 2020
The art is so beautiful!
January 14, 2022
I don't know about all those reviews and ratings for a graphic novel that's two years in the making and not printed yet but OKAY. yup, I'm on of those fools who actually pitched in and is waiting to see the final result. hopefully we're close to the shipping date, once that happens you'll be sure to hear about this gem (I hope) here.
//
Joke's on me who had no idea I would be waiting MANY months more for a complete disappointment.
I had stared at every panel already out (years before he even announced a book would come out of them) and was so excited to see how the story would tie them all together.
Sadly, Picolo is an artist, but isn't a writer.
He had some good ideas but lacked the skill to really flesh them out and give them a place in the narrative. Icarus and the Sun always came across as such a deep and meaningful story we were only getting snippets of, but the final rendition is far from what this had the potential to be.
Poor execution is key here. So little was added to what could be already gathered from the old artworks and the romance turned out to be rushed and flat.
With already little over the characters and their relationship, trying to include delicate subjects like mental health was just a recipe for disaster. Especially since it was introduced with such superficiality and inexperience.
With all the backing and TIME he had, I'm sure who invested in his project expected him to really take the story somewhere or at least hire an editor to help him create a balanced and paced volume. Nothing excuses him for making such a mediocre piece.
Even the art, its supposed redeaming quality, shines it's brightest in the original panels, WHICH I MUST POINT OUT: HE DIDN'T EVEN RE-DO. He just downloaded his old work off deviantart and stuck it there, not even taking the time to bring it to date with his style evolution or adapting the quality for print. And those are the good pages, most of what was added to his previous work on Icarus and the Sun was subpar compared to his other work on social media.
Picolo made such poor choices, and it's such a pity. I used to be a fan of his work but his lack of commitment and dedication to this project, with so many people waiting on him, really made him lose major brownie points.
Having known this beforehand, I probably would have avoided tarnishing my hope for this story and wasting money & time on the Indiegogo campaign, and just bought the original art prints instead.
//
Joke's on me who had no idea I would be waiting MANY months more for a complete disappointment.
I had stared at every panel already out (years before he even announced a book would come out of them) and was so excited to see how the story would tie them all together.
Sadly, Picolo is an artist, but isn't a writer.
He had some good ideas but lacked the skill to really flesh them out and give them a place in the narrative. Icarus and the Sun always came across as such a deep and meaningful story we were only getting snippets of, but the final rendition is far from what this had the potential to be.
Poor execution is key here. So little was added to what could be already gathered from the old artworks and the romance turned out to be rushed and flat.
With already little over the characters and their relationship, trying to include delicate subjects like mental health was just a recipe for disaster. Especially since it was introduced with such superficiality and inexperience.
With all the backing and TIME he had, I'm sure who invested in his project expected him to really take the story somewhere or at least hire an editor to help him create a balanced and paced volume. Nothing excuses him for making such a mediocre piece.
Even the art, its supposed redeaming quality, shines it's brightest in the original panels, WHICH I MUST POINT OUT: HE DIDN'T EVEN RE-DO. He just downloaded his old work off deviantart and stuck it there, not even taking the time to bring it to date with his style evolution or adapting the quality for print. And those are the good pages, most of what was added to his previous work on Icarus and the Sun was subpar compared to his other work on social media.
Picolo made such poor choices, and it's such a pity. I used to be a fan of his work but his lack of commitment and dedication to this project, with so many people waiting on him, really made him lose major brownie points.
Having known this beforehand, I probably would have avoided tarnishing my hope for this story and wasting money & time on the Indiegogo campaign, and just bought the original art prints instead.
May 21, 2019
A really highly emotional story with great meaning behind it.
The ending is what destroyed me the most.
It felt like he was pushing her around but he did really love her no matter what. And she loved him but her heart healed from him, his however did not
I am more then happy to try out drawing my favourite scene so let's cross fingers and hope I can these two souls justice.
The ending is what destroyed me the most.
It felt like he was pushing her around but he did really love her no matter what. And she loved him but her heart healed from him, his however did not
I am more then happy to try out drawing my favourite scene so let's cross fingers and hope I can these two souls justice.
October 4, 2024
i liked the art style and omg the message of the story conveyed in this forbidden love story....how could you end it like that 3
-They both die at the end, fire and wax-
-They both die at the end, fire and wax-
November 12, 2020
WOW this was so beautiful
January 11, 2021
I paid for this book as soon as I heard about it. I love Picolo's art and I thought these characters could be the protagonists of a very, very interesting story. However, today I read the book and it was kind of a disappointment. The drawings were really nice (I already said I love Piccolo's art), yet the story lacked in a lot of matters. It was too short, too vague, it tried to be deep but it wasn't?
Dunno, it's just not what I expected. At all.
I'm not sure wether I should rate it with 2 or 1 star.
Although I don't think this book deserves just 1 star, I'm really, really disappointed.
Dunno, it's just not what I expected. At all.
I'm not sure wether I should rate it with 2 or 1 star.
Although I don't think this book deserves just 1 star, I'm really, really disappointed.
January 2, 2021
First book of 2021, and it was beautiful.
I got the pleasure of being one the many people who helped back the project for the physical versions back in 2019, and while it took forever to get here, I was more then willing to wait it out. I adore Gabriel Picolo's art and this story has always been my favorite piece he has done.
Its short and sweet, but holds an impact on your emotions.
I'm still trying to process how exactly I want to say what I feel about this, but right now, Its just as simple as, its beautiful and I love it.
I got the pleasure of being one the many people who helped back the project for the physical versions back in 2019, and while it took forever to get here, I was more then willing to wait it out. I adore Gabriel Picolo's art and this story has always been my favorite piece he has done.
Its short and sweet, but holds an impact on your emotions.
I'm still trying to process how exactly I want to say what I feel about this, but right now, Its just as simple as, its beautiful and I love it.
February 23, 2021
So, the entire snafu with the indiegogo campaign aside, the book is... fine.
There are a few errors in the text (no space between words, text not aligned properly with the bubbles) but the art itself is gorgeous. These are the thickest pages I've ever felt with a graphic novel - from a distance, the book looks thick with a lot of content. The binding itself takes up about 1/3 of the thickness of the book; there's only about 40 individual pages.
As most other comments have said, the story is a bit cliche, a bit overdone, a bit flat.
There are very few panels that are in the book and not on his instagram. There's a few pages where the art style changes dramatically, and it's clear that that page had been drawn several years ago. The entire beginning of the book focused so heavily on Sun's ex girlfriend, but the most we get out of it is her glaring at the moon through the window on one page. This ex girlfriend is not talked about any more besides that, never shown, no additional details - which feels like a little bit of a letdown, but even more so because the *book came with an art print of her*. This character was fully designed (and posted on instagram, a few weeks before he even announced the book.)
I'm so confused by this. This entire situation surrounding the book. I don't want to just whine about how the indiegogo was handled, but because that's the only way to have gotten the book in the first place, I feel like it needs to be talked about. COVID aside, he finished the art for the book the month that it was supposed to ship - you can follow that on the updates on the campaign page. With the amount that he had already been posting on instagram, I assumed that the book was closer to done. I would have understood the delays in getting the book printed and bound, but with almost 3000% funded, I would expect it to have not been delayed as badly as it was, with communication as bad as it was, and a story as... bland as it was. It legitimately feels like a good third of the story is missing. It felt like there was no act 2.
At least mine came with the promised prints and stickers - looking at the comments, most copies of the book weren't complete.
Ugh. Just, disappointed.
There are a few errors in the text (no space between words, text not aligned properly with the bubbles) but the art itself is gorgeous. These are the thickest pages I've ever felt with a graphic novel - from a distance, the book looks thick with a lot of content. The binding itself takes up about 1/3 of the thickness of the book; there's only about 40 individual pages.
As most other comments have said, the story is a bit cliche, a bit overdone, a bit flat.
There are very few panels that are in the book and not on his instagram. There's a few pages where the art style changes dramatically, and it's clear that that page had been drawn several years ago. The entire beginning of the book focused so heavily on Sun's ex girlfriend, but the most we get out of it is her glaring at the moon through the window on one page. This ex girlfriend is not talked about any more besides that, never shown, no additional details - which feels like a little bit of a letdown, but even more so because the *book came with an art print of her*. This character was fully designed (and posted on instagram, a few weeks before he even announced the book.)
I'm so confused by this. This entire situation surrounding the book. I don't want to just whine about how the indiegogo was handled, but because that's the only way to have gotten the book in the first place, I feel like it needs to be talked about. COVID aside, he finished the art for the book the month that it was supposed to ship - you can follow that on the updates on the campaign page. With the amount that he had already been posting on instagram, I assumed that the book was closer to done. I would have understood the delays in getting the book printed and bound, but with almost 3000% funded, I would expect it to have not been delayed as badly as it was, with communication as bad as it was, and a story as... bland as it was. It legitimately feels like a good third of the story is missing. It felt like there was no act 2.
At least mine came with the promised prints and stickers - looking at the comments, most copies of the book weren't complete.
Ugh. Just, disappointed.
May 17, 2020
Beautiful artwork. Nice plot.
But the execution wasn’t done very well. The pacing felt rushed and the story wasn’t given enough time to breathe.
I get what the writer was going for but I think it could’ve been done better.
Also, in mythology, the sun is a guy.
But the execution wasn’t done very well. The pacing felt rushed and the story wasn’t given enough time to breathe.
I get what the writer was going for but I think it could’ve been done better.
Also, in mythology, the sun is a guy.
February 27, 2021
As with most graphic novels, most of my enjoyment of this came from the artwork - it’s absolutely stunning. But the story isn’t bad either! It’s not particularly long or complicated, but it is emotional, and I really enjoyed it
December 31, 2020
Aveva creato molta aspettativa con i post su instagram, per questo ho finanziato il progetto su Indiegogo senza nemmeno pensarci. MA POI...
Arriva dicembre 2019, mese in cui il fumetto doveva arrivare, e niente. Gabriel Picolo si scusa ma non da comunque nessuna novità su quando questo fumetto verrà finalmente spedito, e poi sparisce per mesi.
Dopo tre mesi ricompare per dirci che si è preso più tempo per far uscire fuori un lavoro degno, dato che ci tiene molto, e ha anche disegnato 20 pagine in più rispetto a quello che aveva in mente di fare inizialmente, raggiungendo un totale di ben...80 pagine...CHE COSA!? Conosco pubblicazioni a fumetti che escono ogni mese e che hanno un numero di pagine maggiore di questo!
Non dico che sia un male che una storia sia così breve, ma sono un po' perplessa dal fatto che ci sia voluto così tanto tempo per realizzare solo 80 pagine, e lo dico anche da artista, so quanto tempo ci può volere per realizzare un progetto del genere, ma nonostante io in primis sia abbastanza lenta a disegnare non ci avrei mai messo un anno e mezzo a disegnare 80 pagine! Per cui avevo il dubbio che parte di questo tempo lo avesse dedicato a riscrivere la storia, rifare lo storyboard, cambiare e migliorare quello che era il progetto a febbraio 2019 quando è stato finanziato...e invece:
mi arriva il fumetto, lo leggo, e la maggior parte di esso è assolutamente identico alle pagine che erano già state pubblicate online nel 2018! Semplicemente è stato ridisegnato nello stile attuale di Gabriel Picolo che non differisce di tantissimo da quello delle vecchie pagine (la composizione non cambia!) con un po' di aggiunte che non danno niente di più alla storia. Ma attenzione, non sono state ridisegnate tutte le vecchie pagine, alcune sono state tenute tali e quali e la differenza con quelle ridisegnate di vede! Addirittura ce n'è una che non è nemmeno della stessa qualità di stampa delle altre, e si vedono persino i pixel! Quindi a questo punto mi chiedo che cosa cavolo abbia fatto in questi due anni Gabiel Picolo per cui la data di consegna di questo fumetto sia slittata da dicembre 2019 a dicembre 2020!!!
Capisco che uno possa avere altre priorità nella vita, ma se il tuo progetto è stato finanziato con quasi MEZZO MILIONE di euro dovresti forse dedicarci un po' più del tuo tempo per cercare di finirlo nei tempi che avevi comunicato.
Parlando poi del fumetto in sé, ora che l'ho letto...
-I disegni a livello qualitativo sono ben realizzati, nonostante quello che ho già detto prima. Ma sembra che l'autore avesse dubbi su come disegnare Sun, perché talvolta è disegnata vestita, con i vestiti che sono sempre dello stesso colore arancione che la caratterizza, talvolta invece è arancione solo lei e i vestiti sono normali, altre volte è nuda, e questi cambiamenti non dipendono da situazioni diverse all'interno della storia, ma da...da cosa? Boh!
-la trama è basica, molto basica, e soprattutto è sviluppata in maniera molto frettolosa, per esempio:
i due si incontrano per la prima volta e parlano per ore, di cosa? Boh! Non si sa! Tutte queste ore nelle quali loro stringono un forte legame sono riassunte in una pagina sola, dove viene solo detto che hanno parlato, ma di questo dialogo a noi non è mostrato praticamente nulla, e quindi il legame che si crea tra loro in così poco tempo sembra immotivato! Tutta questa passione che si poteva vedere nelle singole illustrazioni pubblicate dall'autore su Instagram io nel fumetto non l'ho vista! Non si capisce bene quanto tempo i due stiano insieme, giorni? Settimane? A me è sembrato che stessero insieme solo per qualche giorno.
-ha delle grosse pretese di profondità, affrontando il tema della salute mentale, ma non riesce a essere veramente profondo. è infarcito di frasi che sembrano prese da tumblr...create solo per apparire molto profonde, quasi poetiche, ma se ci pensi un attimo sono solo supercazzole!
-i dialoghi sono davvero poveri, in generale in questo fumetto c'è pochissimo testo.
-e ci sono errori grammaticali nel suddetto testo! Allora...nemmeno io posso dire che saprei scrivere correttamente tutto in una lingua che non è la mia, però se mi avessero dato tutti quei soldi per il mio fumetto perlomeno avrei pagato qualcuno per rileggere il testo e correggere gli errori! NO?! No.
In definitiva Gabriel Picolo sa indubbiamente disegnare, ma è più adatto all'illustrazione singola, riesce a essere più di impatto e anche più profondo con una sola illustrazione che ognuno può interpretare, piuttosto che con un intero fumetto! Perché? Perché è un bravo illustratore, ma non è un bravo scrittore. Per questo motivo è meglio acquistare le sue stampe piuttosto che questo fumetto.
Arriva dicembre 2019, mese in cui il fumetto doveva arrivare, e niente. Gabriel Picolo si scusa ma non da comunque nessuna novità su quando questo fumetto verrà finalmente spedito, e poi sparisce per mesi.
Dopo tre mesi ricompare per dirci che si è preso più tempo per far uscire fuori un lavoro degno, dato che ci tiene molto, e ha anche disegnato 20 pagine in più rispetto a quello che aveva in mente di fare inizialmente, raggiungendo un totale di ben...80 pagine...CHE COSA!? Conosco pubblicazioni a fumetti che escono ogni mese e che hanno un numero di pagine maggiore di questo!
Non dico che sia un male che una storia sia così breve, ma sono un po' perplessa dal fatto che ci sia voluto così tanto tempo per realizzare solo 80 pagine, e lo dico anche da artista, so quanto tempo ci può volere per realizzare un progetto del genere, ma nonostante io in primis sia abbastanza lenta a disegnare non ci avrei mai messo un anno e mezzo a disegnare 80 pagine! Per cui avevo il dubbio che parte di questo tempo lo avesse dedicato a riscrivere la storia, rifare lo storyboard, cambiare e migliorare quello che era il progetto a febbraio 2019 quando è stato finanziato...e invece:
mi arriva il fumetto, lo leggo, e la maggior parte di esso è assolutamente identico alle pagine che erano già state pubblicate online nel 2018! Semplicemente è stato ridisegnato nello stile attuale di Gabriel Picolo che non differisce di tantissimo da quello delle vecchie pagine (la composizione non cambia!) con un po' di aggiunte che non danno niente di più alla storia. Ma attenzione, non sono state ridisegnate tutte le vecchie pagine, alcune sono state tenute tali e quali e la differenza con quelle ridisegnate di vede! Addirittura ce n'è una che non è nemmeno della stessa qualità di stampa delle altre, e si vedono persino i pixel! Quindi a questo punto mi chiedo che cosa cavolo abbia fatto in questi due anni Gabiel Picolo per cui la data di consegna di questo fumetto sia slittata da dicembre 2019 a dicembre 2020!!!
Capisco che uno possa avere altre priorità nella vita, ma se il tuo progetto è stato finanziato con quasi MEZZO MILIONE di euro dovresti forse dedicarci un po' più del tuo tempo per cercare di finirlo nei tempi che avevi comunicato.
Parlando poi del fumetto in sé, ora che l'ho letto...
-I disegni a livello qualitativo sono ben realizzati, nonostante quello che ho già detto prima. Ma sembra che l'autore avesse dubbi su come disegnare Sun, perché talvolta è disegnata vestita, con i vestiti che sono sempre dello stesso colore arancione che la caratterizza, talvolta invece è arancione solo lei e i vestiti sono normali, altre volte è nuda, e questi cambiamenti non dipendono da situazioni diverse all'interno della storia, ma da...da cosa? Boh!
-la trama è basica, molto basica, e soprattutto è sviluppata in maniera molto frettolosa, per esempio:
i due si incontrano per la prima volta e parlano per ore, di cosa? Boh! Non si sa! Tutte queste ore nelle quali loro stringono un forte legame sono riassunte in una pagina sola, dove viene solo detto che hanno parlato, ma di questo dialogo a noi non è mostrato praticamente nulla, e quindi il legame che si crea tra loro in così poco tempo sembra immotivato! Tutta questa passione che si poteva vedere nelle singole illustrazioni pubblicate dall'autore su Instagram io nel fumetto non l'ho vista! Non si capisce bene quanto tempo i due stiano insieme, giorni? Settimane? A me è sembrato che stessero insieme solo per qualche giorno.
-ha delle grosse pretese di profondità, affrontando il tema della salute mentale, ma non riesce a essere veramente profondo. è infarcito di frasi che sembrano prese da tumblr...create solo per apparire molto profonde, quasi poetiche, ma se ci pensi un attimo sono solo supercazzole!
-i dialoghi sono davvero poveri, in generale in questo fumetto c'è pochissimo testo.
-e ci sono errori grammaticali nel suddetto testo! Allora...nemmeno io posso dire che saprei scrivere correttamente tutto in una lingua che non è la mia, però se mi avessero dato tutti quei soldi per il mio fumetto perlomeno avrei pagato qualcuno per rileggere il testo e correggere gli errori! NO?! No.
In definitiva Gabriel Picolo sa indubbiamente disegnare, ma è più adatto all'illustrazione singola, riesce a essere più di impatto e anche più profondo con una sola illustrazione che ognuno può interpretare, piuttosto che con un intero fumetto! Perché? Perché è un bravo illustratore, ma non è un bravo scrittore. Per questo motivo è meglio acquistare le sue stampe piuttosto che questo fumetto.
January 6, 2021
3.8 stars
This was a short, sweet story, but it's far from perfect.
It's about a relationship between two people who are hurting, one more than the other.
Icarus is the main character. He's an interesting and sweet boy struggling with his loneliness and depression, but what we read in this book is but a moment in time.
With all the sketches and illustrations the author has posted over the years, I'd have loved to see more backstory - and, well, just more.
Same goes for the Sun. She's an underdeveloped character but a strong female lead who knows what she wants in her relationship with Icarus. We know virtually nothing about her, other than the fact that her ex left her and that she likes David Bowie. The ex is seen in a poster , but we know nothing about her either.
As for the story and pacing.
The story has bittersweet moments, especially the stages of grief, and they are beautifully portrayed.
I wish these stages hadn't been labelled so clearly though (I mean, they're literally labelled and mentioned in each panel). Of course that would have required a different writing and more pages for a smoother pacing and development.
I've recently played Gris, a puzzle video game, and that's the kind of writing I'd have loved to see in a book like this, where each stage of grief has its own voice, subtle but unique.
Icarus' negative emotions could have had similar treatment. The author made a beautiful metaphor using plants, so he had a solid base to explore the theme further. I feel like he barely scratched the surface of such an important topic, preferring to depict it in a more superficial way.
Everything was rushed in my opinion, which is something I can understand from a technical point of view (producing a comic book requires a lot of time and effort).
Most of us backers were expecting more pages and I must admit I was more than a little disappointed with the extra thickness of the paper (it tricked me into thinking the story was longer), so I hope this is going to be the first book in a series.
I mean, it can't be a standalone book for many reasons.
And if you put a third character in a poster who's barely mentioned in the story, I naturally expect to see it again later on!
So, why the high rating?
Because the beautiful art makes up for it. There are a couple of spreads that are absolutely breathtaking. And because I grew fond of the characters before I even read the book.
This was a short, sweet story, but it's far from perfect.
It's about a relationship between two people who are hurting, one more than the other.
Icarus is the main character. He's an interesting and sweet boy struggling with his loneliness and depression, but what we read in this book is but a moment in time.
With all the sketches and illustrations the author has posted over the years, I'd have loved to see more backstory - and, well, just more.
Same goes for the Sun. She's an underdeveloped character but a strong female lead who knows what she wants in her relationship with Icarus. We know virtually nothing about her, other than the fact that her ex left her and that she likes David Bowie. The ex is seen in a poster , but we know nothing about her either.
As for the story and pacing.
The story has bittersweet moments, especially the stages of grief, and they are beautifully portrayed.
I wish these stages hadn't been labelled so clearly though (I mean, they're literally labelled and mentioned in each panel). Of course that would have required a different writing and more pages for a smoother pacing and development.
I've recently played Gris, a puzzle video game, and that's the kind of writing I'd have loved to see in a book like this, where each stage of grief has its own voice, subtle but unique.
Icarus' negative emotions could have had similar treatment. The author made a beautiful metaphor using plants, so he had a solid base to explore the theme further. I feel like he barely scratched the surface of such an important topic, preferring to depict it in a more superficial way.
Everything was rushed in my opinion, which is something I can understand from a technical point of view (producing a comic book requires a lot of time and effort).
Most of us backers were expecting more pages and I must admit I was more than a little disappointed with the extra thickness of the paper (it tricked me into thinking the story was longer), so I hope this is going to be the first book in a series.
I mean, it can't be a standalone book for many reasons.
And if you put a third character in a poster who's barely mentioned in the story, I naturally expect to see it again later on!
So, why the high rating?
Because the beautiful art makes up for it. There are a couple of spreads that are absolutely breathtaking. And because I grew fond of the characters before I even read the book.
January 6, 2021
Habiendo seguido toda la trayectoria de ilustraciones y viñetas que ha llevado con los años la historia estaba contenida e imaginada por muchas personas, pero poder leer la edición material en papel con toda esta historia en un marco más amplio ha sido una experiencia bonita de encuentro con la nostalgia.
Voy a intentar hacer una reseña sin spoilers, pero justamente para mí lo que falla es una de las cosas que nunca supimos y ha sido añadido nueva. Para empezar diré que se hace una historia algo simple, pero esto también tiene sentido, ya que es un cómic breve y jamás podrá equipararse la historia a todas las situaciones que hemos podido imaginar o nos han podido evocar todas las viñetas o imágenes que hemos ido viendo.
Al principio la historia se me hacía algo adolescente, pero con el paso de las páginas se van creando más capas. Tampoco he creído nunca que te tengas que quedar con las palabras escritas, que en este caso pues son pocas, la situación y las ilustraciones con tu cabeza pueden dar profundidad a esta historia. En un cómic no todo es la palabra escrita. La edición es preciosa, poder ver el color en tus manos y las viñetas de cada página me parecen que están muy bien pensadas, además puede apreciarse cuales de ellas son más antiguas.
Para mí este cómic es un tesoro y me parece un detalle precioso por parte de Gabriel Picolo haber hecho el esfuerzo para enlazar y unir esta historia. La idea de partir del mito griego de Ícaro transformado en metáfora, en personas, es una idea muy potente. Además se juega con el doble sentido de la metáfora continuamente en dos realidades. Alguna parte no me cuadra del todo, pero igual tengo que darle una vuelta más o dos o tres. De hecho mezcla otro elemento que ha evocado otras historias y mito, ese detalle me ha parecido muy acertado también. El resultado final a mí me tiene muy contenta.
Sinceramente, esperaba una historia mucho más triste o que a mí me pusiera mucho más triste. No es que no lo ha hecho, igual ha sido diluida con la ilusión, con la nostalgia o con el sosiego de encontrar.
Voy a intentar hacer una reseña sin spoilers, pero justamente para mí lo que falla es una de las cosas que nunca supimos y ha sido añadido nueva. Para empezar diré que se hace una historia algo simple, pero esto también tiene sentido, ya que es un cómic breve y jamás podrá equipararse la historia a todas las situaciones que hemos podido imaginar o nos han podido evocar todas las viñetas o imágenes que hemos ido viendo.
Al principio la historia se me hacía algo adolescente, pero con el paso de las páginas se van creando más capas. Tampoco he creído nunca que te tengas que quedar con las palabras escritas, que en este caso pues son pocas, la situación y las ilustraciones con tu cabeza pueden dar profundidad a esta historia. En un cómic no todo es la palabra escrita. La edición es preciosa, poder ver el color en tus manos y las viñetas de cada página me parecen que están muy bien pensadas, además puede apreciarse cuales de ellas son más antiguas.
Para mí este cómic es un tesoro y me parece un detalle precioso por parte de Gabriel Picolo haber hecho el esfuerzo para enlazar y unir esta historia. La idea de partir del mito griego de Ícaro transformado en metáfora, en personas, es una idea muy potente. Además se juega con el doble sentido de la metáfora continuamente en dos realidades. Alguna parte no me cuadra del todo, pero igual tengo que darle una vuelta más o dos o tres. De hecho mezcla otro elemento que ha evocado otras historias y mito, ese detalle me ha parecido muy acertado también. El resultado final a mí me tiene muy contenta.
Sinceramente, esperaba una historia mucho más triste o que a mí me pusiera mucho más triste. No es que no lo ha hecho, igual ha sido diluida con la ilusión, con la nostalgia o con el sosiego de encontrar.
December 31, 2020
A lovely and concise graphic novel that, I think, could actually afford to be more visual!
(FYI: what follows are some nit-picky English major notes of criticism!)
Icarus and the Sun presents itself a lot like an essay, leading the reader through the heartbreak of its protagonist. It is certainly successful in constructing its metaphor through images. However, I think the storytelling could have been more expressive (rather than narrated) since it is a visual piece. The story’s strongest moments were entirely visual or used sparse language.
While I do appreciate the positive representation of therapy, framing the protagonist’s experience within a therapy session feels heavy handed when the narrative and imagery can support itself. Maybe if the therapist were an integral character, but she feels more like an excuse to tell the story. The art is very strong: we don’t need an excuse! Where the characters seem to exist in their own world, the therapist takes me out of it.
While I got to know certain aspects of Icarus and Sun, they did feel as though they existed in a void. We are definitely in Icarus’ head. This is certainly the artist’s aesthetic and poetic intention, but am I greedy to say I could have used some more expositional or mythological content to really ground me in the lives and personalities of these characters ? Some more clues in the “set dressing”?
In addition to additional exposition, there are moments, particularly at the emotional twists of the book, where certain reactions (Sun’s!) deserve a more generous representation. I want to see fiery emotions painted in broad strokes, not confined to six panels and certainly not summarized by her ex-boyfriend. It feels dismissive when it is one of her boldest moments and should be affecting all aspects of the story. The protagonist is very subdued, so as a reader I need to see how a powerful personality like Sun’s bombards his world. The contrast is what will put Icarus’ subtleties in relief.
Regardless of my nitpicking, the arc of Icarus is deeply heartfelt. I can tell Icarus and the Sun is the kind of story that is most touching in its time of need. (If you read this, Gabriel, know that my criticism is my way of adoring your work. <3)
It was very exciting to be a part of the Indiegogo campaign for this book and I am very happy to have my very own copy! Hoping to see more Gabriel Picolo on the shelves!
(FYI: what follows are some nit-picky English major notes of criticism!)
Icarus and the Sun presents itself a lot like an essay, leading the reader through the heartbreak of its protagonist. It is certainly successful in constructing its metaphor through images. However, I think the storytelling could have been more expressive (rather than narrated) since it is a visual piece. The story’s strongest moments were entirely visual or used sparse language.
While I do appreciate the positive representation of therapy, framing the protagonist’s experience within a therapy session feels heavy handed when the narrative and imagery can support itself. Maybe if the therapist were an integral character, but she feels more like an excuse to tell the story. The art is very strong: we don’t need an excuse! Where the characters seem to exist in their own world, the therapist takes me out of it.
While I got to know certain aspects of Icarus and Sun, they did feel as though they existed in a void. We are definitely in Icarus’ head. This is certainly the artist’s aesthetic and poetic intention, but am I greedy to say I could have used some more expositional or mythological content to really ground me in the lives and personalities of these characters ? Some more clues in the “set dressing”?
In addition to additional exposition, there are moments, particularly at the emotional twists of the book, where certain reactions (Sun’s!) deserve a more generous representation. I want to see fiery emotions painted in broad strokes, not confined to six panels and certainly not summarized by her ex-boyfriend. It feels dismissive when it is one of her boldest moments and should be affecting all aspects of the story. The protagonist is very subdued, so as a reader I need to see how a powerful personality like Sun’s bombards his world. The contrast is what will put Icarus’ subtleties in relief.
Regardless of my nitpicking, the arc of Icarus is deeply heartfelt. I can tell Icarus and the Sun is the kind of story that is most touching in its time of need. (If you read this, Gabriel, know that my criticism is my way of adoring your work. <3)
It was very exciting to be a part of the Indiegogo campaign for this book and I am very happy to have my very own copy! Hoping to see more Gabriel Picolo on the shelves!
March 23, 2021
Visualy the book is beautiful as expected from Picolo. I loved all the small details and imaginary in the frames. I liked the plot too, it wasn't anything super innovative but it was nicely executed and I really liked how Ikarus was telling his story. I saw that people were surprised that parts of the relationship were omitted or not developed enough but seeing Ikarus's psychological state this is exactly what I had expected. Different people deal with emotions in a different way. We didn't get third person perspective here but the story directly told by Ikarus so of course he wouldn't elaborate on certain things especially after what had happened.
Honestly I'm surprised at the backlash to this comic. I don't know what people were expecting because we got part of the comic already back on deviantart and this just expanded on the story. For me it was a really pleasant read.
Honestly I'm surprised at the backlash to this comic. I don't know what people were expecting because we got part of the comic already back on deviantart and this just expanded on the story. For me it was a really pleasant read.
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