Recidivist

by Zak Sally

This is the third and final issue of Zak Sally's comic book series Recidivist. 5 years in the making, the book contains 6 intersecting stories about loss, secrets, eating things that should not be eaten, car keys, sadness, pills, love, and people whose heads turn into monkeys. Nominated for 2 "Eisner" awards.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels Comics, Fiction, Art, Comix

120 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[Alasondro Alegré · Rating 4 out of 5]

★★★★½

[Emilia P · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unrelentingly black.
The art is pretty amazing, jaw droppingly and terrifyingly precise at times. But the unrelentingness of the blackness, the secretiveness, the oppresive self-loathing for misogyny, misanthropy, mis-everything. Oof. Too much. Write some happy stuff dude. Impossible, of course, it was single-mindedly committed to its vision, but I can't say it was pleasant or that i "enjoyed" it per se.

[Rocio Bustamante · Rating 1 out of 5]

Empiezo a creer que estoy teniendo una mala racha al elegir libros por su portada.
Ya de entrada la primera historia me incómodo leerla, casi podría decir que me asquea ver esa situación, aunque bien podría ser la realidad (o la pesadilla) de alguien.
De ahi en mas empeora. Las imágenes me da una sensación de grotesco, en plan me dan repelús.
Si el libro tenia como objetivo hablar de alguna metáfora no la entendí, solo me queda una sensación de no tener idea de que me quieren decir con imágenes que me producian rechazo. Tal vez la idea era incomodar al lector, provocar esa sensación de querer revolear el libro porque ya no soportas verlo (que me paso), si ese era su objetivo lo felicito.
Mi puntuación es porque yo (y si, esto es sumamente personal) no leo con ese objetivo y la verdad la pasé mal. s

[Jason Sacks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely dark dreamlike short stories which drag the reader through a deep, all encompassing bleakness. Gorgeously produced and heartfelt with spectacularly noir artwork. This is definitely not for everyone but it is smart, passionate and powerful.

[Laredo6 · Rating 2 out of 5]

weird for weird's sake

[Grg · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is nothing you can do to end the suffering you see around you. All you can do is witness it and to read poetry.

[John Porcellino · Rating 5 out of 5]

The latest collection of self-published comix stories from Zak Sally-- and by far his strongest work in this vein (his Sammy the Mouse stories are a different breed altogether-- dark but hilarious). These comics are, as others have said, unsettling, but very deep with strains of (black) humor. Accomplished work.

[Meg · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unsettling. The first two stories pulled me in, but everything seemed to unspool from there. I can't rate it higher because I didn't really like it, but if you want something that makes you feel uneasy without a big reading commitment, you've found it.

[Hannah Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first three stories really grabbed me. Wasn't that into the last. Like strange dreams. They make just enough sense.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

weird, sometimes gross, but still enjoyable. i've always dug zak kally's work in mome; it was nice to see some longer pieces.

[Jacob · Rating 3 out of 5]

So bizarre.