Rating: 
Summary: Unremittingly Sad, Yet Beautiful
Review: Congratulations to Chris Ware on winning the prestigious Guardian UK First Book Prize, the first graphic novel ever to garner the award. It is well deserved, and is a fine testament to his talent as both a storyteller and a craftsman of pictorial art.The use of space and captions are truly groundbreaking. There are poetic moments and narrative strands that are flawlessly transposed into the 'comic book medium.' Many metaphors and symbols that link different eras and themes, such as birds, peaches, etc... are given room to breathe and function in the work not only as images, but as integrated motifs of the work. The artwork is truly breathtaking. Every scene, every sequence has an eloquent, understated poetry... The Chicago fair of the late 19th century is recalled with nostalgic flair, as are individual miseries of the four generations of Corrigans. The sense of motion, spatiality, and poetry is perfectly judged. Many cells of the graphic novel speak as fluently as prose (if not better) about the condition of characters that inhabit this beautiful work. I have only two reservations about this book. One is that the story, although fine, is a bit too unilaterally single-minded - about the pathology and sadness of being a Corrigan. The second is that no matter how amusing/informative/poetic the postmodern interventive snippets are that pepper this work, they ultimately detract from telling the whole story. (Not all, but some.) As graphic novels go, I've never seen anything like this. Spiegelman's Maus books are textured better, and are better-layered in terms of narration and story itself, but the artistry, the graphic poetry of this book surpasses Spiegelman's work in my opinion. The urban loneliness of Corrigan is never treated with a backhand, 'aw-shucks' familiarity, but with incredible specificity that will touch your soul. 'Kafkaesque' is a big, dirty and derivative word, but it's a word that applies appropriately, without false grandeur, to Ware's book and its story. Tremendous stuff. I give this work 4 stars only because I measure it with great works of literature, graphic or prose. But this book will change your perspective on how you look at graphic novels. It's exciting what Ware is doing with this medium. He's doing great literature, and in his unique, transcendental and unimitable way.
Rating: 
Summary: Whoever you are, you should read this!
Review: If you've never read a comic book before, this is the place to start. Chris Ware's mind-blowing work is a perfect representation of the comic medium's limitless possibilities. His stories are as visually powerful as any of today's finest films and as emotionally wrenching as any prose work of recent memory. Do yourself a huge favor and buy this book! It won't cheer you up. Might even depress you. But above all it will provide you with an unforgettable glimpse of one of America's greatest contemporary creative minds.
Rating:
Summary: Extraordinary, tragic and spellbinding
Review: This is not really a book. I don't know what it is -- I guess it's a multi-panel painting, quasi-novella, short film in book form. It truly is extraordinary and nearly defies description. The other reviews are very much on target but fail to capture the absolutely wild form of storytelling. The story itself is a bit too tragic for my tastes, and if Ware were to write something positive and uplifting of this quality, it could change the world!
Rating:
Summary: Words fail.
Review: The work of Chris Ware is amazing stuff. Not only is he probably the most accomplished comics artist around, he's likely the finest writer working the comics field. The comics world seems full of talented artist/writers, and Chris Ware is the best of the best. His Jimmy Corrigan stories are painfully sad, often funny, always cutting. If you're a comics fan, you must own this book. If you enjoy fine fiction of any stripe, then I can only suggest tht you read the stories of Jimmy Corrigan. Chris Ware deserves the reputation he's built.
Rating:
Summary: Poor, poor little Jimmy
Review: So sad. So poignant. So honest. Identifiable. It's got elements from all the human and humane strips we've read: Peanuts, Calvin and Hobbes, Ziggy. Ware has created a rare treat.
Rating:
Summary: A Triumph.
Review: Best thirty-odd clams I've ever spent on a single comic. From Ware's simultaneously intricate yet simple art, to the tragically familiar main character, this book is a treasure. Immediately identifiable, and flows like the first day of junior high school. You won't walk away from this book an unchanged person.
Rating:
Summary: Sad Sad Sad, but a wonderful book
Review: When was the last time a comic book (I use the term loosely) made you cry? Jimmy Corrigan might be your first. Jimmy Corrigan is a middle aged man who's life (stinks). I mean (stinks), and it doesn't get better. The entire book is heart wrenchingly sad, but you can't help wishing that his life would get better, if just for a moment. Beautifully illustrated, and wonderfully written (Yes, Mr. Ware is also an incredible writer), Jimmy Corrigan is one of the best novels I have read in years.
Rating:
Summary: Best comic no one is reading
Review: Sure it's cliche but it's probably true. Though chances are with all the media attention it's garnerned, widespread acclaim is soon to come (if it hasn't already). Years ago I heard of Chris Ware's Acme Novelty Library and its wacky size formats and peripherally of the "Smartest Kid on Earth" story that was taking place sporadically within it. Now with the entire story available is a very nicely designed hardcover (and a meaty four hundred pages!) it's quite clear to see that Ware has crafted a masterpiece of the genre. The story alternates in tone between bitter depression and dark humor as it tells the story of Jimmy Corrigan, a lonely shell of a man who's father suddenly appears out of nowhere years after abandoning him to meet him and try to get to know him better. Interspersed with the main story are flashbacks to earlier Corrigan generations, showing that the father issues aren't a new thing with this crew. The plot is simple, but leaves plenty of room for touching scenes and absolutely poetic sequences are Ware explores the multitude of emotions that come with basically meeting your father for the first time. If anything the plot is underrated but that's only because the drawings are so spectacular. Drawing in an exacting style that somehow maintains a pristine kind of beauty, Ware uses all kinds of strange layouts and tiny panels to tell the story, and just when you least expect it blowing the panels out to full page size with enough detail to make your eyes bleed (the scenes alone at the World's Fair are worth the price of the book). By turns thought provoking and depressing, uplifting and hilarious, Ware's book is simply one the most amazing books to come out of the comic medium in a long time and a welcome relief to those who were wondering if all the medium can produce are superheroes. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: The most depressing boy in the world
Review: The design of this book is incredible. Everywhere you look there is another fascination for the eye. The layout, the commentary, and the overall style are a sight to behold. But Jimmy is such a pathetic figure you just want it too end because you can't take anymore. Abandoned by his father and raised by an overwhelming mother, Jimmy is a shell of a human being, barely existing. When given the opportunity to meet with his father he does so, which leads only to more heartache and indecision. By journeying back in time you see that Jimmy is a product of generations of neglect, and while Ware succeeds in making you want to grab a hold of Jimmy and say you'll be his friend, he is also smart enough to show you how depressing this could be for you if you let that occur. I found it too unrelentingly depressing to recommend without hesitation, but if you are looking for an example of the literary quality this format can achieve; you could do a lot worse than Ware's work.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing
Review: At times I almost needed a magnifying glass to read the incredibly small, tight, difficult-to-read wording on this book, but, although the text is important, all of this book can be found in its artwork. JIMMY CORRIGAN exists in the world of images, and that is its strongest feature: thousands of amazingly intricate, absolutely gorgeous drawings that are too beautiful to be called comic strip panels. This book is simply phenomenal. I read it in three days and absolutely loved it; it is the best book of the year and I had to buy it. There are so many details that you could read it a hundred times and still find new touches you missed before. I also loved the way that the book ended, without a real resolution. It was a poignant and fitting end. This is a real masterpiece.
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