Dave McKean's cages

[dancj]

I hope Augie doesn't mind me posting this here. I could put it in the Indie comics forum, but I'd never see the replies!

I'm semi-tempted to pick up Dave McKean's Cages, but it looks a tad on the pretentious/poetic side which I'd have a hard time stomaching. Could anyone say where it falls on the scale of overblown/pretentious/hard going - accessible/easy-going. To give you an idea of how much I can cope with, I managed the pretentiions of Moonshadow and A Small Killing fine because they were quite easy-going reads. On the other hand Alec, Kabuki and Jimmy Corrigan were just too much like hard work for too little reward that I couldn't really enjoy them (alright, Kabuki wasn't that much hard work, but the reward was SO little).

Given that could anyone tell me where Cages falls?

Thanks

Dan

[dancj]

Well no-one replied so I've ordered it (£17 including postage from Amazon Marketlplace). I'm a sucker for those 500 page collections. I hope I don't regret it

[pmpknface]

I've never read Cages and don't know much about it. A Small Killing was pretty good, but not my favorite Moore book.

Kabuki, on the other hand, I love! I've totally given up on trying to read it monthly, but in a collected format it's excellent stuff. I can understand where you can see the reward is little, but have you tried the first story, "Circle of Blood?" That one moves much faster, is easier to get through (you don't have to turn the book upside-down to read 1/2 of it :) ), and I think has a much larger payoff than the stories that came after it.

Oh, I would have replied earlier, but I had to leave work early and usually don't get on-line at home! :D

[De Carabas]

Sorry, but I never replied because in spite of being a McKean fan, I've never read Cages. I too have found myself in your predicament, but never made the plunge.

Also, my initial reaction to your post was to defend Kabuki and that would have been serious thread drift. :o

EM

[roach04]

My 2 cents - Cages is a heavy read - and not just b/c the hardcover weighs about 8lbs! It is very abstract but doesn't require anywhere near the effort to read that Jimmy Corrigan did. I sort of put it in-between Stray Toasters and From Hell from a "reading effort" perspective.

That answer your question? (I'm out of it this morning!). And, I've never read Kabuki, even though I've always meant to at least try it...

[Augie De Blieck Jr.]

Add me to the lineup of people that's never read CAGES.

I'm so useless these days.

-Augie

[De Carabas]

"Useless?" Care to explain how your recent "uselessness" still didn't stop me from ordering Captain Gravity and the Power of the Vril #1-4 off of Penny Farthing's website last week? Hmmm? ;)

EM

[Augie De Blieck Jr.]

Did you find that "useful" or just "negatively impactful towards your wallet?"

Still, you have some very nice art coming your way. =)

-Augie

[dancj]

I can understand where you can see the reward is little, but have you tried the first story, "Circle of Blood?" That one moves much faster, is easier to get through

That's the only Kabuki story I have read. I found it overly pretentious and the art was incredibly stiff and ameteurish. That said, I've seen David Mack's more recent art and he has improved a hell of a lot so I am willing to give Kabuki another chance. I bid on the books on eBay occasionally, but I haven't won any auctions yet.

[dancj]

My 2 cents - Cages is a heavy read - and not just b/c the hardcover weighs about 8lbs! It is very abstract but doesn't require anywhere near the effort to read that Jimmy Corrigan did. I sort of put it in-between Stray Toasters and From Hell from a "reading effort" perspective.

That answer your question? (I'm out of it this morning!). And, I've never read Kabuki, even though I've always meant to at least try it...

Thanks - It's good to know it's easier going than Jimmy Corrigan. I've read Stray Toasters about 4 times and I pretty much understood it the 3rd time - but then lost the plot a bit the 4th time. I still love the book though. Bill Seinkeiwicz has such a great style!

If it falls within Stray Toasters and From Hell then I've probably made the right decision in buying it - just

Cheers