CSBG Archive
Phonogram: The Singles Club #1 Review
If there’s one thing you should take away from Phonogram: The Singles Club #1 (and really, that’s an idiotic conceit, but whatever, bear with my idiocy!), it is that this first issue makes the first Phonogram mini-series look like a piece of festering horse dung.
And since I quite liked the first Phonogram mini-series, that should tell you a little something about the high level of quality achieved by this comic book.
Really, with this issue, writer Kieron Gillen and artist Jamie McKelvie have mastered the form that they began with in the first Phonogram series. The improvement is marked – not so much the art, as McKelvie’s work was stellar right from the get-go (he has a bit of a Hernandez Brothers vibe to him – simple, yet extremely evocative – the way he handles expressions and body language is out of this world – and the way he expresses how the character used magic? Subtle and awesome), and while Gillen was certainly good as well, here he takes the book to a whole other level.
This is such an amazingly polished work.
It’s done in the “Fell” style of comic, where you get a 16 page comic rather than 22, but unlike Fell or Casanova, there are also two back-ups (or “B-Sides” as they call it).
It appears that the idea is that we will meet a different phonomancer (music magician) each issue. In this issue, we meet Penny (almost literally, as Penny does some fourth wall crashing, as she talks directly to the reader) and her best friend Laura. In the space of 16 pages of them going to a club (with cute rules), we learn sooo much about Penny and her personality that you’d be astonished that the comic book was only 16 pages.
There are a lot of music references, but Gillen masterfully handles it so you do not have to understand any of them, really – it’s not the songs that matter, it’s how the characters RELATE to the songs.
Fully formed characters and great, expressive artwork in a “done in one” story – this is like most comic lovers’ dream come true!
Here are the first two pages…
The backups are quite solid, too. Both are written by Gillen.
The first, by Laurenn McCubbin, is a beautiful short story about the role of women in emo music. The point being made is a strong one, and the execution is solid.
The second is a cute really short story by Marc Ellerby about, well, let’s just say the power of love. Heh.
This is not even mentioning the essay by Gillen we get or the interesting annotations (for those who WANT to know about the music mentioned).
For $3.50, this is one hell of a package – and it’s all in COLOR, EVEN!
Wow, what a great comic book.
Highly Recommended.
14 Comments
Greg Burgas
December 12, 2008 at 7:57 am
I have to disagree with you on one point – McKelvie has gotten a lot better between the first series and this one. Part of it is the color, but he’s gotten better at the kinetic part of the book, too.
But yeah, this is fantastic. I hope it sells like gangbusters.
Brian Cronin
December 12, 2008 at 7:58 am
I dunno, I think the kinetic stuff is only because last book didn’t really have those types of scenes in them.
The color definitely helps, though!
Merudh Patel
December 12, 2008 at 8:08 am
I just wanted to stop by and say this was inspiring. I’m looking into buying these comics for my nephew. Thanks for the advice.
Blackjak
December 12, 2008 at 8:10 am
Ditto, I’ve been wondering about picking up both this and the preceding trade…
You’ve just given me the last little nudge I needed…
Thank you!
T.
December 12, 2008 at 8:18 am
Wow, I never bought the first Phonogram, I was waiting for the trade and just forgot, but this piece is a great reminder. I’m headed to Amazon right now to get it. Gotta say though, the artist has improved a LOT. And I already thought he was stellar!
Kieron Gillen
December 12, 2008 at 8:44 am
Thanks for the review, Brian. Glad you dug it, sir. We’re really proud of it.
In passing – worth getting your retailer to order it quickly if they haven’t a copy if you wanted. We over-printed considerably, but orders were about the same as for the first issue of the last series. And that sold out its print-run reeeeeealllllly quickly.
KG
Sam
December 12, 2008 at 9:47 am
I don’t know, man, comics by men about teenage girls dancing around and sparkles, not my kind of thing.
s1rude
December 12, 2008 at 11:02 am
Your loss, Sam. And I’m not sure where you get your synopsis, but…anyway, your loss.
I’d agree with Brian that Gillen’s leap forward is greater than McKelvie’s, especially if you followed Suburban Glamour. What we learn about Penny and what we watch her experience in the course of 16 pages is really impressive. It packs an emotional punch that I sensed was possible from “Rue Britannica”, but that never quite landed with full impact. The backups are smart and just the right length, too.
My understanding of the premise of “The Singles Club” is that it not only introduces us to a different character each issue, but that it shows us what happens to them on this same night in this same club. Which is such an audacious idea that I almost literally can not wait for it all to play out.
Thanks to all involved!
Agent_Torpor
December 12, 2008 at 2:23 pm
Penny B is now my posting muse. All hail her glorious dance.
Drancron
December 12, 2008 at 5:20 pm
If Mephisto said I was only allowed to collect one comic series then Phonogram would win every time. Where else can I get beautiful linework, clever writing *and* a fix of Kenickie, Manic Street Preachers and Pipettes references in comic book form?
(Then I’d go kick Mephisto in the nuts.)
sgt pepper
December 12, 2008 at 8:57 pm
I really like the cartooning on the back cover. The expressions on the characters’ faces (especially silent girl) are hilarious.
Salamurai
December 12, 2008 at 10:01 pm
I read the thing and I didn’t grok what the hey was goin’ on.
“Talking to the reader/camera as if it’s a participant” puts me off, as well.
Hell, I only looked at it in the first place because I’d stumbled on the Pipettes for the first time a couple weeks ago.
Jamie McKelvie
December 13, 2008 at 12:36 pm
Thank you very much for the review, Brian. We’re really happy people are satisfied with the amount we put into the book – we really wanted the package to be worth the $3.50.
GiftingCycle2012
December 20, 2009 at 10:44 pm
Very Insparational i really enjoyed