In the Shadow of No Towers

Rating:
Summary: Nightmare for sale
Review: Art Spiegelman is the classic tortured artist -- his personal angst displayed front and foremost in his art. When he subsumes that angst in the service of his subject, as he did most ably in his "Maus" books, he raises his art beyond shallow self-involvement. But when he doesn't...

"In the Shadow of No Towers" is a narcissistic reflection on Spiegelman's inner experience revolving around the World Trade Center attack in September 2001. Spiegelman is haunted (and evidently wishes us to be) by the ghostly glow of the burning towers' skeletons just before they crashed. Since he seems to be the only one to have witnessed this phenomenon, it's hard to connect with his experience.

The end pages refer to another American crisis exactly 100 years before the WTC attacks: the assassination attempt on President McKinley in 1901. He is evidently drawing parallels between anti-anarchy panic of the early 20th century and anti-Muslim sentiments of the early 21st. Having pointed out the parallel, he drops it. The last 1/3 of the book seemingly consists of reprints of comic strips from the early 1900s. At first I thought these were clever take-offs on old strips. But they appear to be what they seemed at first - old comics page reprints. Message? Who knows?

"Two Towers" is really a missed opportunity to either chronicle a time of fear and uncertainty or to bring the reader a greater perspective on the tragedy. We hear a lot of Spiegelman's anti-Bush rhetoric and anger about going to war with Iraq, but without much insight or irony.

I didn't expect "No Towers" to attain the lofty standards of "Maus," but I expected something deeper than the mere transfer of an artist's untransformed inner anxieties to paper. As a reflection on September 11, this work has surprisingly little to say.

Rating:
Summary: Personal project that falls short of its goal
Review: Art Spiegelman presents a book that, in his own surreal, symbolical way, portrays his own emotions and experiences regarding 9/11. The first half comes out strong, but the second drags on and ultimately reverts into what Spiegelman perhaps despises the most.

In many ways, having been personally affected by 9/11 (my father worked at the Pentagon when it was struck), I can share much of his feelings. Getting disgusted at the reaction of students, trying to contact loved ones, initial responses to the event - I remember them just as well as I can see Spiegelman show them on the page. It's wonderful to see someone else disgusted with the apathy people are now beginning to show about the tragedy, and many other people who act now as if 9/11 never happened at all.

And yet, in the second half of the book, Spiegelman loses sight of his personal reactions to 9/11 and ends up showing us images satirizing Bush and his administration, particularly the war on Iraq. While the comic portraying Uncle Sam spraying "Iraknids" while the towers burn is wonderful, other pages come out weak and I'm left feeling like Spiegelman is merely using the issue to let out his feelings on other issues. You may say he's talking about how Iraq is distracting America from Al Qaeda, but then why does Spiegelman choose to waste a hole page complaining about the 2000 elections which did not happen "in the shadow of no towers." I also couldn't help thinking through out the whole time, "I wonder where a reference to Afghanistan is..."

Spiegelman tells us that the crisis was hijacked by warmongers, but in some ways I think his own personal political feelings hijacked this project. What he tells us in his personal monologues are the same things I've heard before from my peers, things which never came true. (we're going to attack France, for example) I say Spiegelman complaining or catch him satirizing things that have nothing to do with 9/11, such as the 2000 election example already mentioned. I'm not saying that I'm altogether happy with the results of the 2000 election, but like the Iraq war Spiegelman keeps mentioning it has nothing to do with 9/11.

This is nothing personal against Art Spiegelman. I still respect him as an artist and as an individual, and I believe much of "In the Shadow of No Towers" comes out strong and indeed should be read by people - in fact I encourage people to at least give it a chance. However, I found myself disappointed to find someone taking a serious issue and again distracting themselves on modern events and personal ideologies. Art Spiegelman's project is a good thing, but sadly it falls short of being a great thing.

Rating:
Summary: an intense reliving of 9/11
Review: I am a definite fan of Spiegelman. I find him to have the art of teaching through drawing. I'll explain myself. Maus I & II: one learns a lot (if not all - ok that's exagerrated) one needs to know about WOII through a comic no less! And now 'In the shadow of no towers' teaches us about the shock, the fear, the anger, the disbelieve, .... of september 11th, 2001. It brings it all back so vivid, it's startling .... chapeau!


Rating:
Summary: What happened?
Review: I read and loved Maus. To me, those books are an important part of history and literature. So when I went and got Shadow, I was expecting something a lot better than this!

This work was in no way moving. It was too short, and I never really got the point. It seemed like Spiegelman just got tired of writing/drawing about what happened. There was little continuity (maybe there wasn't supposed to be) and so much blame tossed around, it took away from the emotion that should have been directed at the victims and witnesses.

Check this out from the library (thank God I did). Don't spend money on this.

Rating:
Summary: An over extended political comic strip
Review: Physically, this book comes across as impressive with its large-sized dimensions and thick cardboard cutout pages. Unfortunately, the meat of the book is less satisfying as readers are presented with a meandering, sometimes incoherent, pastiche of political rants and allegorical vignettes of Sept. 11 and its aftermath that otherwise distracts from some artfully drawn and arranged color panels from Spiegelman. Keep in mind that those who are looking for tightly constructed narrative and pacing as seen in 'Maus' may be surprised at the complete shift in style and tone found here. The good news is that most readers will be able to absorb the book in its entirety within 30 minutes so for those who are curious go ahead and give it a try - your reading-time investement will certainly be minimal.

Rating:
Summary: Because It Is Definitely Not a One-Star Book
Review: Spiegelman perfectly captures the confusion, anxiety and outright fear of 9/11, as well as its calculated appropriation by the GOP. Laced with his own family history as well as cameo appearances by the stars and supporting characters of the early days of comics, it is an excellent display as well as a vital and telling portrait. I happen to agree with the politics, which may grate on readers who cannot see past a message with which they may not agree to consider the artistry and heart-felt concern.

Rating:
Summary: The Usual... Amazing
Review: The reading investment is minimal, BUT, consider that this is not so much of a book as it is a graphic novel, meaning that you must not only read it, but look at it.

it offers much more than just possible politcal scandals as someone here said. rather, it tells the story of one man who experienced 9/11 his way. It is how HE felt. Never does he try to IMPOSE his belief upon the reader.

Next, the book is a truly dedicated work to 9/11 in its entirity. THe composition reflects Art's mind--how it keeps replaying. The pain and panic--you see it. it is subtle and perhaps depressing, but its there.

Rating:
Summary: Partisan trash masked historical reflection
Review: There is no doubt that Art Spiegelman has achieved greatness through his Maus works and his unique artistic style. However, this book features little of his genius.

I bought this book expecting a heartfelt reflection on the events of September 11th by a person who experienced a good deal of it first hand. I expected the book to capture the emotion, the fear, and the anger of that day in a way that had not yet been done. Instead, the only thing this book offers are ridiculous conspiracy theories, the assertion that the republicans stole the election of 2000, that George Pataki, George Bush, and Dick Cheney knew about September 11th before it happened and allowed it to happen in order to push their big business agenda, and that apparently those who vote republican don't believe in crazy things like facts, science or evolution.
Essentially, the book amounts to well-illustrated partisan drivel without one shred of evidence or any enlightening or endearing quality whatsoever. I was completely let down by this book. The only unique perspective here is that of an old man who has attempted to force his talents and dark, fringe viewpoints into the framework of a book that is desperately trying to be relevant, but greatly misses the mark.

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: This book had the potential to be so much more. The artwork (especially the cover) is amazing, being Speigleman, but the ranting and self-pity grows very tiresome. I agree with (most) of his politics too, but the self-important tone of the book bugged me. The old comic strips that make up half of the book are interesting, but not as fascinating to me as they are to the author. I guess he needed to add something to keep the book from becoming a 10 page pamphlet.

Rating:
Summary: $#!^#3@%
Review: What a Jerk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My mother died in the 9/11 attacks and the disrespect floors me. Do not buy this book. If you do maybe he'll decide to sell Columbine.