Meet New Books
Meet New Books
Book Cover

Black Hole

Save:
Find on Amazon

The graphic novel "Black Hole" by Charles Burns explores the lives of teenagers in 1970s Seattle who are affected by a sexually transmitted disease that leads to bizarre physical mutations. The story delves into themes of alienation, teen angst, and growing pains, using the disease as a metaphor for these issues. The artwork is described as detailed, creepy, and haunting, effectively capturing the loneliness of adolescence.

"Black Hole" is a dark and unsettling narrative that combines elements of horror, sci-fi, and psychological exploration. The book portrays the struggles of the infected teenagers as they navigate their altered bodies and societal stigmas, reflecting on themes of adolescent loneliness and identity. The graphic novel is praised for its stark black and white illustrations, which evoke a sense of discomfort and beauty simultaneously, enhancing the overall reading experience.

Characters:

The characters are richly developed teenagers facing personal and physical transformations, reflecting the struggles of identity and belonging.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style merges haunting visuals with introspective dialogue, utilizing black and white art to enhance the emotional depth and eerie atmosphere.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot revolves around a sexually transmitted disease that causes horrific mutations among teenagers, while highlighting themes of love, alienation, and the struggles of adolescence.

Setting:

The setting captures the essence of 1970s suburban Seattle, enhancing the themes of teenage life, alienation, and societal pressures.

Pacing:

The pacing balances introspection with moments of tension, while its nonlinear structure deepens the reading experience.

Notes:

Black Hole is set in the 1970s in suburban Seattle.
The graphic novel features a sexually transmitted disease called 'The Bug' that causes bizarre mutations.
One character grows a tail, and another develops a second mouth on his neck.
The story revolves around the experiences of a group of teenagers dealing with the disease and its social ramifications.
Burns draws on themes of alienation, sexual awakening, and the struggles of adolescence.
The narrative uses body horror as a metaphor for the awkwardness of teenage growth and societal rejection.
The artwork has a distinctive black and white style, marked by heavy contrasts and expressive lines.
Burns spent over a decade creating Black Hole, originally publishing it serially before collecting it in a single volume.
Characters in the story often take refuge in the woods, forming a new community of outcasts due to their mutations.
Burns' approach to storytelling combines surreal elements with realistic portrayals of teenage life.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Triggers include body horror, sexual content, drug use, and themes of isolation and societal rejection.

Has Romance?

Romantic relationships are intricately woven into the narrative, featuring love triangles and deep connections that complicate the characters' lives.

From The Publisher:

Winner of the Eisner, Harvey, and Ignatz Awards

The setting: suburban Seattle, the mid-1970s. We learn from the outset that a strange plague has descended upon the area's teenagers, transmitted by sexual contact. The disease is manifested in any number of ways - from the hideously grotesque to the subtle (and concealable) - but once you've got it, that's it. There's no turning back.

As we inhabit the heads of several key characters - some kids who have it, some who don't, some who are about to get it - what unfolds isn't the expected battle to fight the plague, or bring heightened awareness to it , or even to treat it. What we become witness to instead is a fascinating and eerie portrait of the nature of high school alienation itself - the savagery, the cruelty, the relentless anxiety and ennui, the longing for escape.

And then the murders start.

As hypnotically beautiful as it is horrifying, Black Hole transcends its genre by deftly exploring a specific American cultural moment in flux and the kids who are caught in it- back when it wasn't exactly cool to be a hippie anymore, but Bowie was still just a little too weird.

To say nothing of sprouting horns and molting your skin…

Ratings (8)

Incredible (2)
Loved It (2)
Liked It (2)
It Was OK (2)

Reader Stats (18):

Read It (9)
Want To Read (4)
Did Not Finish (1)
Not Interested (4)

1 comment(s)

It Was OK
1 month

Interesting and unsettling. Kind of overt with the whole teenagers as outcasts, sex as sin, and the purity of a character's soul directly reflected in their deformation. But it is pretty!

 

About the Author:

CHARLES BURNS grew up in Seattle in the 1970s. His work rose to prominence in Art Spiegelman's RAW magazine in the mid-1980s, and since then he has worked on a wide range of projects including album covers, ad campaigns, and set design. He…

 
Meet New Books is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a way for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to products and services on amazon.com and its subsidiaries.
When you click the Amazon link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commision, at no cost to you.