Prisoner, The: Shattered Visage

Rating:
Summary: Curses! What was the point?
Review: I am a huge fan of The Prisoner TV series and go cuckoo for anything associated with it. I'm even keen on the so-so novels by Thomas Disch, but the DC Comics graphic novel "Shattered Visage", by Motter and Askwith, is an absolute mess.

The basic plot is interesting, in a nostalgic way, and if the authors would have gone deeper, maybe this story could have been salvaged. Focusing on a grim-and-gritty "post-Village" life for Nos. 2 and 6 sounds like an interesting read (especially No. 2's incarceration and subsequent book, and 6's breakdown). The problem is that you barely get to read about them at all. The focus is instead on bland new characters who are uncovering the existence and purpose of the Village, and 2 and 6 are secondary. Furthermore, it undoes some major points that were established in the series finale "Fall Out", and once they go messing with that, I don't get interested; just angry. So I guess that this book isn't meant for long-time fans of The Prisoner, because why would we want to read about the adventures of a bunch of nobodies uncovering (or undoing) what we already know?

The writers, however, try to reel the fans back in and impress us with their "clever" use of dialogue and scenery from the TV series, but this is another thing that makes the book so irritating. It's as if they picked their favorite blocks of dialogue from the show, and purposefully wrote the entire book around their incorporation. An occasional "be seeing you" would be fine, but Motter & Askwith use SO MUCH dialogue from the TV series that I challenge their claim to be the writers of this book.

Let's not forget the art: horrific pencil scratches that benefit little from the inking, and flat washed-out colors that make deciphering the panels a chore. Also, would it have hurt to include some backgrounds in the panels? Overall, the art has no detail or depth and makes this a visually boring tale. My advice is, watch the TV series, revel in its greatness, and skip this book.

Rating:
Summary: Curses! What was the point?
Review: I am a huge fan of The Prisoner TV series and go cuckoo for anything associated with it. I'm even keen on the so-so novels by Thomas Disch, but the DC Comics graphic novel "Shattered Visage", by Motter and Askwith, is an absolute mess.

The basic plot is interesting, in a nostalgic way, and if the authors would have gone deeper, maybe this story could have been salvaged. Focusing on a grim-and-gritty "post-Village" life for Nos. 2 and 6 sounds like an interesting read (especially No. 2's incarceration and subsequent book, and 6's breakdown). The problem is that you barely get to read about them at all. The focus is instead on bland new characters who are uncovering the existence and purpose of the Village, and 2 and 6 are secondary. Furthermore, it undoes some major points that were established in the series finale "Fall Out", and once they go messing with that, I don't get interested; just angry. So I guess that this book isn't meant for long-time fans of The Prisoner, because why would we want to read about the adventures of a bunch of nobodies uncovering (or undoing) what we already know?

The writers, however, try to reel the fans back in and impress us with their "clever" use of dialogue and scenery from the TV series, but this is another thing that makes the book so irritating. It's as if they picked their favorite blocks of dialogue from the show, and purposefully wrote the entire book around their incorporation. An occasional "be seeing you" would be fine, but Motter & Askwith use SO MUCH dialogue from the TV series that I challenge their claim to be the writers of this book.

Let's not forget the art: horrific pencil scratches that benefit little from the inking, and flat washed-out colors that make deciphering the panels a chore. Also, would it have hurt to include some backgrounds in the panels? Overall, the art has no detail or depth and makes this a visually boring tale. My advice is, watch the TV series, revel in its greatness, and skip this book.

Rating:
Summary: Curses! What was the point?
Review: I am a huge fan of The Prisoner TV series and go cuckoo for anything associated with it. I'm even keen on the so-so novels by Thomas Disch, but the DC Comics graphic novel "Shattered Visage", by Motter and Askwith, is an absolute mess.

The basic plot is interesting, in a nostalgic way, and if the authors would have gone deeper, maybe this story could have been salvaged. Focusing on a grim-and-gritty "post-Village" life for Nos. 2 and 6 sounds like an interesting read (especially No. 2's incarceration and subsequent book, and 6's breakdown). The problem is that you barely get to read about them at all. The focus is instead on bland new characters who are uncovering the existence and purpose of the Village, and 2 and 6 are secondary. Furthermore, it undoes some major points that were established in the series finale "Fall Out", and once they go messing with that, I don't get interested; just angry. So I guess that this book isn't meant for long-time fans of The Prisoner, because why would we want to read about the adventures of a bunch of nobodies uncovering (or undoing) what we already know?

The writers, however, try to reel the fans back in and impress us with their "clever" use of dialogue and scenery from the TV series, but this is another thing that makes the book so irritating. It's as if they picked their favorite blocks of dialogue from the show, and purposefully wrote the entire book around their incorporation. An occasional "be seeing you" would be fine, but Motter & Askwith use SO MUCH dialogue from the TV series that I challenge their claim to be the writers of this book.

Let's not forget the art: horrific pencil scratches that benefit little from the inking, and flat washed-out colors that make deciphering the panels a chore. Also, would it have hurt to include some backgrounds in the panels? Overall, the art has no detail or depth and makes this a visually boring tale. My advice is, watch the TV series, revel in its greatness, and skip this book.

Rating:
Summary: Fascinating story from an even better concept...
Review: I had never seen The Prisoner prior to picking up this graphic novel, but this book was intriquing enough and so well written it lead me into collecting the episodes of the TV show.

The art is a bit of an acquired taste (particularly the coloring), but the story riffs on some of the same themes and ideas that made the original such a cult favorite, while bringing it into modern times.

Some reviewers have complained about it not making any sense, or being obtuse, but I disagree. Like anything worthwhile, it takes a bit of effort, and if you only try to passively "be entertained" you may not get everything out of it.

Overall, solid story work by Motter with art that grows on you. A worthy "sequel" to the TV series.

Rating:
Summary: For the Prisoner Completist Only
Review: Probably the closest we'll ever get to a Prisoner sequel, SHATTERED VISAGE is all the more disappointing as it could have explored literally any storyline and expanded on any character, yet did so very little.

A revisitation of the Village and Numbers Six and Two (appearing in the favorite Leo McKern incarnation), SHATTERED VISAGE is likely to leave the casual fan entirely befuddled and even the hardcore enthusiast scratching their head. As obtuse as the final series episode, FALL OUT, and poorly illustrated, SHATTERED VISAGE satisfies only in that it faithfully maintains the clever wordplay of the series in its dialogue, but this is little compensation for the lack of a cohesive story.

Many Prisoner fans enjoy the mystery of the series' finale, forever exploring possible meanings behind its intriguing images, but a successful sequel must answer at least some existing questions before asking others. Therefore, SHATTERED VISAGE fails in nearly every department. Only the most devoted completist need bother - and even then, this title is likely to simply take up space on your shelf.

Rating:
Summary: If you like the TV show, you'll like this.
Review: This comic has awful art, an amazingly incoprehensable storyline (even for The Prisoner) and a last chapter that will leave you saying "I didn't understand one page of that." Awful stuff!

Rating:
Summary: ...And that's only because it's associated with The Prisoner
Review: This comic has awful art, an amazingly incoprehensable storyline (even for The Prisoner) and a last chapter that will leave you saying "I didn't understand one page of that." Awful stuff!

Rating:
Summary: If you like the TV show, you'll like this.
Review: This graphic novel (ie fancy comic book)tells the sequel to the British cult TV Show "The Prisiner". It is set many years later in The Village and introduces new characters as well as the classic No. 6 (played by Patrick McGoohan in the TV show). Though this series lacks the original quirks of the TV series, it has the suspense and cat-and-mouse games of the series, perhaps more. It is somewhat difficult to follow and requires slow reading or re-readings to truly appeciate the story, especilly of you are unfamilar with the show. It is a gripping story that is difficult to put down.