Rock Bottom

by Joe Casey, Charlie Adlard (Artist)

Overview

• THE ACCLAIMED OGN RETURNS IN AN ALL-NEW, OVERSIZED HARDCOVER EDITION! Meet Thomas Dare... an ordinary man dealing with an extraordinary circumstance. What would you do if you found out you were turning to stone? What choices would you make? Hint: being a superhero is not one of them. From the Codeflesh creative team of Joe Casey (GØDLAND) and Charlie Adlard (The Walking Dead) comes Rock Bottom!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781607066194
Publisher:	Image Comics
Publication date:	11/27/2012
Edition description:	Young Adult
Pages:	120
Product dimensions:	7.50(w) x 11.10(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	13 - 16 Years

Editorial Reviews

Reminiscent of Gregor Samsa in Franz Kafka’s novella The Metamorphosis is Casey’s (X-Men: Children of the Atom) Tommy Dare, who is convinced he’s slowly turning to stone. He’s juggling a messy divorce, a woman friend’s unexpected pregnancy, and a mother with Alzheimer’s. The calcification of his bones and the transformation of his skin into rock is another level of life where Tommy has lost control. The tale’s larger story looks at the societal ramifications of Tommy’s transformation, from the doctors administering his treatment to the people trying to get rich off of his unusual circumstances.

Verdict Casey has written a quiet and meditative piece, full of magical realism; aside from a man turning to stone, the story follows a mature development. The black-and-white artwork by Adlard (The Walking Dead) is spare but clean. Recommended for general sf/fiction graphic novels readers.—Peter Petruski, Cumberland Cty. Lib. Syst., Carlisle, PA
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Library Journal

A graphic novel about a man who is turning into stone might sound like it will feature superhero adventures along the lines of the Fantastic Four's The Thing. Instead, Casey (Wildcats Version 3.0; Gidland) and Adlard (Walking Dead) are more interested in what would happen to that man psychologically and emotionally. Rock Bottom quickly reveals itself to be a disease drama, albeit one with a visual hook that's perfect for comics. Adlard's art employs thin but direct black lines with no color until Thomas Dare's skin transforms into gray pavement. It's an effective way of illustrating the frightening progress of Dare's disease. Casey's story is concerned with the man inside the stone and how this strange condition has him reflect upon his entire life. Covering much ground, the story moves along at a brisk pace, and rarely melodramatic. The third act adds in some light social satire as Dare becomes a media sensation due to his remarkable situation, but Casey keeps his script focused. There's just the right amount of pathos so when the image of Dare's completely petrified face appears, except for his anxious and sad eyes, it's haunting. (Sept.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Publishers Weekly