The Book of Leviathan by Peter Blegvad
My rating: 5/5 cats
there is a great injustice in this world. and before i get back to my paper and before i write any job recommendations for anybody, i am going to sit down and make a heartfelt plea to anyone who is paying attention to help me fix one little thing that is symptomatic of everything else that is wrong in the world. i just got back from MOCCA, because i am a nerrrrrd, and peter blegvad just happened to be there signing. so of course i have to go up and buy another copy of this book i already own so i can have it signed and chat him up, because i am someone who believes in chatting up my heroes. and he told me that the guy from overlook press (with whom i already have some issues because they won’t give up the rights to the first in the trilogy of kjaerstad books to open letter, and my trilogy is therefore not uniform) said that they have never ever had a book sell as poorly as book of leviathan. and i know that has to be true. because even at my store, where we always have copies, often on a display, this motherfucker just doesn’t move!! and i do not understand it. seriously—i want an explanation, an excuse from each and every one of you explaining why it doesn’t just reach right out and grab you. these are its merits: first of all it is a beautifully designed book. forget the insides for a minute. look at this thing—the page-edges are red, the silver on the cover is reflective and pretty, the colors are bold and eye catching, its got a cat, a bunny, and a faceless baby on the cover and a blurb from matt groening. that deserves at least a browse. and then it is opened, and the illustrations should be enough, even before reading anything, to stop your heart: the care that has gone into this—the detail, the range of his abilities…there are so many styles here—so much technique—each page could be framed and would kick anything’s ass at the fucking whitney biennial. this is gorgeous, gorgeous stuff. and then, just read a panel f.t.l.o.g.—references to poetry and philosophy and math and art and physics—quotes from chesterton, and neruda and duchamp!! he is no slouch, this man—but it is not dull and academic—everything within is beautiful and funny and bleak and so well-put. it’s just so…right. the man has rocked the book on every level. he deserves your money more than most people. even if you end up not liking the writing, you heathen, you will at the very least have an object of undeniable beauty.
this is what he looks like:
this is what his art looks like:
seriously—you all need to improve this sales rut.
this is his awesome website, where you can read some strips. http://www.leviathan.co.uk/menu.html
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