Wednesday, December 17, 2008

HEROES DISCUSSION GROUP :: Bottomless Bellybutton

This wonderful graphic novel came out earlier this year and has made most of the Year's Best lists published so far (including #2 on our own Dustin Harbin's list).

The plot: The Loony family get together at their vacation house and an earth-shattering announcement is made. It is a work of serious fiction that is screaming to be discussed and dissected. It is a book that can be looked at differently by different members of different generations.In other words, I found myself relating more to the parents; but I anticipate most of the readers will respond more to the Loony children.

Issues to discuss will include:

--The title: what does it mean?
--Does this fictional family chronicle have the same tone as contemporary biographical comics?
--Does the cartoony presentation of our protagonist add to or detract from the reading experience?
--How do the shifts in panel and page layout affect the storytelling?
--And believe me--lots more!!!!

Don't be put off by its length; it is a deceptively fast read.
And don't be put off by the price-- $29.99 (27.00 if you mention the Heroes Discussion Group 10% discount!!) It is a book you will re-read and grow old with!!

NOTE: The author recommends that you read this three part book in three separate sessions taking a break between each chapter; we at Heroes concur! There's a lot of under-the-surface material that will percolate nicely in your brain during these breaks.

So come one, come all, lets start the New Year with a bang!!
You won't be disappointed!

4 comments:

Dustin Harbin said...

OH MAN OH MAN OH MAN!

I cannot WAIT to hear Andy dig into this thing. Not only that, but I'm kinda surprised at how much I'm ALREADY looking forward to re-reading this book. This is going to be a good one.

Rich Barrett said...

I'm looking forward to this one as well.

Seth Peagler said...

Definitely one of, if not the best books released this year. Hopefully we'll get some people to try out this great work.

MarkSullivan said...

I will be out of town for this, but I definitely had more mixed feelings about the book than a lot of people. Here's my PLCMC Reader's Club review: http://www.plcmc.org/readers_club/reviews/tresults.asp?id=4874

And here's an expanded, less postitive treatment on the Captain Comics message board (you don't have to join to read it):
http://www.captaincomics.us/forums/index.php?topic=30791.45

Wish I could be there for the discussion!

Mark Sullivan