Pick of the Week

June 17, 2009 – Phonogram: The Singles Club #3

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150
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Avg Rating: 4.5
iFanboy Community Pick of the Week Percentage: 23.8%
 
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Size: pages
Price: 3.50

NOTE: For total immersion and enjoyment of this review, scroll down to the bottom and press play on the playlist I put together which features some songs/bands featured in Phonogram: The Singles Club #3.

Over the past few years, it’s been no secret as to my enjoyment for the comic book Phonogram. I’ve been quite vocal on both the audio show and the video show about how much I’ve enjoyed this book, both the first volume and the current series currently being released in issues. In the past I’ve always placed caveats around my enjoyment of Phonogram, explaining that this book isn’t for everyone. The combination of music as subject matter and the whole magic angle could possibly turn some people off or simply not be their thing. After reading Phonogram: The Singles Club #3, I say “fuck it. Everyone should be reading this comic!”

Before explaining way, a bit of recap. Phonogram is the creation of writer Kieron Gillen and artist Jamie McKelvie (as well as the talented colors of Matthew Wilson) and the first volume (available in trade paperback) told the story of a Phonomancer, a type of magic wielding being who draws upon the power of music, specifically/mainly Brit Pop. The second volume, of which this is the third issue, continues that theme, but in the scenario of several one and done stories surrounding characters at a nightclub on one night, December 23rd, 2006. The rules of the club for this evening is “No Boy Singers, You Must Dance, and No Magic.” And now you’re caught up…

Phonogram: the Singles Club #3 focuses mainly on one character, Emily, who has been dragged to the club by David Kohl (the protagonist from the first volume of Phonogram). During this vignette of the evening at the club, we get a lot of music based banter arguing the merits of some and poking quite a bit of fun at other bands. We see the window open up a bit more around Emily and her relationships with other characters, such as Seth, the club’s DJ. But it’s Emily that this story is about and during a chilling trip to the bathroom we get a glimpse into Emily’s identity, her past and the constant battle she seemingly is over being who she is, as opposed to who she was.

It’s easy to say, since there have been only 3 issues so far of the issue series, that this is the best issue of the series yet. But easy or not, it’s the truth. This is hands down the best issue of this series yet. Kieron Gillen’s script flows almost effortlessly as the banter between Emily and David rolls so easily you’d think you were there at the club with them. The manner of which details and mentions of the past are revealed, it becomes an elegant character sketch as we visit the world of Emily. It’s a clever device to so brazenly put the rule “No Magic” in this series, which relaxed boring people like me who were turned a bit off at the magic angle in the first volume. Only to watch, despite his own rules, as Gillen subtly work the world of magic and Phonomancery into each issue, as each of these characters and stories touch upon it in some form, even if for a moment. Clever because Gillen is able to slip it by the reader, to the point where I find myself looking forward now to see how magic is used in the story.

But the writing is just one piece of the puzzle, and the art of Jamie McKelvie is the other piece. I remember when issue #1 of this series came out, commenting about how McKelvie’s art had evolved since volume 1 and how we’re able to see his work as an artist evolve and get better and better. Well, that evolution continues with this issue, which is, again, probably the best work I’ve seen McKelvie do to date. What struck me about this issue was the faces of the characters, as it seems as each characters face is being treated individually. McKelvie’s clean lines often lead to characters looking the same as each face falls within his drawing style. But to look at Emily and her pointy chin compared to the other girls in the club, Emily clearly stands out. Similarly comparing David to Seth, you get the distinction between the separation of characters. Faces are becoming more evocative and almost animated at times as his figures are becoming better actors. Each page’s layout is engaging and exciting to look at, even in a simple grid of boxes. The angles that McKelvie approaches each scene and panel at makes for a dynamic read of a story that simply takes place in one room above a club. The addition of colors by Matthew Wilson is a great addition to team Phonogram, as the lights and darks are balances with finesse, sometimes giving the dark feeling of a club balanced with the brightness of the bathroom. The use of colors and patterns as panel backgrounds also works ridiculously well for the general atmosphere of the book.

In addition to the main story, for our $3.50 we get 2 back up stories and a wealth of back matter material, including annotations of the musical references, if you’d like to get in the know, as well as an interview with The Knife, one of the bands referenced in the comic. You could quite literally find yourself spending three times as long reading this issue as any other comic you bought this week. Now that’s value.

I could go on and on about what a stellar job that Gillen, McKelvie and Wilson have done on this issue, but that wouldn’t sum up why I chose this book as the Pick of the Week. No, in order to do that you have to understand the feeling that this issue (and greater story gives). The merging of story and art provides a glimpse into these people’s lives, at this club, on this night and is done so well that, for me it changes the way I enjoy this comic book compared to others.

You see, after reading this issue, I desperately want to be in Bristol, at this club, on this night, drinking and dancing with friends and navigating the social avenues of a night out. The anticipation of making your way into the club, not knowing what lies beyond the door. The energy of hitting the dance floor when you hear the first few notes of your favorite song. The relief you feel after you finally get your drink. The exhilaration and completeness you feel from the combination of being bathed in excellent music while feeling the touch of the right person. The desperation you experience as the night winds to an end and you absolutely don’t want it to ever end. All those emotions and experiences are rolled up and presented back to you in comic book form. It really is, and quite fittingly, a feat of magic.

And so I’m back to my declaration of “Fuck it. Everyone should read this comic.” Why? Because I don’t care if you like hip hop, folk music, classical, pop or whatever genre of music. That’s not the point. It doesn’t matter if you never heard of The Knife or Elastica. But the feeling I get from reading this comic is one that is visceral and quite real and I hope that by reading it, you can share even a shard of it. Because, to me, that is what living feels like and no one should miss out on that.

Ron Richards
Yes, There’s Only One Album
ron@ifanboy.com

 

Comments

  1. Cool pick, but the songs didn’t work for me. Oh, well…

  2. sorry about that – working on it..

  3. Ron Richards picked Phonogram? I’m shocked!*

    *Not shocked

    Great review though

  4. I knew it!!!

    As soon as I read it I knew there was no way you wouldn’t love it too.  I ate this issue up like mad crazy, particularly the Kid-with-Knife story.  Oh so much good stuff in this issue.  I suggest everyone pick this up; completly stand-alone issue.

  5. Ok – songs are fixed – sorry aout that

  6. Oh, good, there is more to your review. I thought it was a very succinct 1 paragraph. It’s late, it’s very understandable. But alas, theres more! Well said. Unfortunately after the first series I decided to wait for trade, but it sounds like this one just reads better in issues. I found $20 at a Wal-mart today, so I think I’m gonna try and track those issues down. 

  7. i see someone didnt want to give the batbooks a three-peat.

  8. @ron: Have you heard Jose Gonzalez’s cover of Heartbeats? Its a thing of beauty.

  9. @Ron – You didn’t pick up War of Kings: Accension this week? Darkhawk man! Darkhawk! At least you’ve given us a break from the Bat-onslaught, lol.

  10. It helps that I don’t read any bat-books 🙂

    @WinTheWonderboy – of course I have Jose Gonzalez’s cover – his stuff is great

    @Devastron I did pick up War of Kings Acension – forgot to pull it, but i just pulled and rated it now

  11. Dude, great review.  Simple and heartfelt while still providing plenty of details on the issue’s specific merits.  Well done.  

  12. @ron: Do you have his cover of Born in the USA? I love it. I think almost all his covers match or come close to the original.

  13. @Ron It’s hard for me to take Elastica seriously after they completely and wholeheartedly ripped off Wire’s Three Girl Rhumba

  14. @celophuswayne – What britpop band didn’t blazenly rip off some band? I think Elastica gets a unfair shake because they ripped off fucking Wire. Oh wellz, kill yr idols and take their wallets and all that jazz.

    Nice pick Ron, It’s nice when Superhero books aren’t picked. Don’t get me wrong, I love Superhero books, but youknowwhutimean.

  15. Aw shucks.

    Cleo: Let’s be fair. They paid for the privledge. And we don’t object when someone literally samples a track and builds something out of it. More than a lot of Britpop, elastica were totally built around that sense of I like this… I’ll have it

    It helps that Three Girl Rhumba’s also a much worse pop-song than Connection.

    (Hey – I love Wire, but it’s not exactly their best track)

    KG

  16. @Ron  I thought you read dini bat books?  Plus, the on this week homaged the animated show.  Also, were you a fan of control?

  17. @mulletpeep There’s a big diff between paying homage, being influenced, and just ripping off some chords and calling it something else. There was no building on it.

    @KieronGillen I’m not EMI. My beef isn’t that they broke a copyright law. It’s just hard for me to nod my head to a song that’s a complete jack move musically. It’s not a new concept in music, but some errors are more egregious than others.

    And I’ll take Three Girl Rhumba any day of the year. But that’s just one man’s opinion.

  18. This is the first pick of the week review that ever made me sad.  Not the actual choice, but the assertation that this is something everyone should read.

     

    I respect that everyone has different tastes, but I really don’t understand the attraction to this title. I love music.  I love comics.  Comics about how music changed the life of the author (such as Freddie and Me) are facinating to me, and really connect.  This Phonogram series just seems really dull.  Now, I’ll grant you, I didn’t read the whole issue, but that’s because the first few pages were a bunch of hipster douchebags talking about music.  Many of my friends are hipsters and/or douchebags (and I don’t mean that in a "hey, I have a black friend, so it’s ok" sort of way, I mean "I spend a lot of time with people just like the characters in this book"), and listening to them talk about music can be either agonizing or really interesting, depending on how drunk/high I am or they are.  But for me to want to read about it, there has to be some hook.  And maybe the hook happened somewhere in this book, but it wasn’t during the first few pages, so I put it down.

     

    This is an aside, but it’s connected:  a few months ago, when it came out on DVD, a friend of mine brought over the DVD of Repo: The Genetic Opera.  I love musicals.  I love science.  I love the idea of Paris Hilton’s face melting off.  Twenty minutes into the movie, I had to turn it off, as I was falling asleep.  I hadn’t been tired when the film started, but even Anthony Stewart Head couldn’t make me give a shit about the beginning of the story.  I’ve since been told that it’s one of those movies/operas/pieces of art that starts really slowly, but crescendos to something interesting.  I believe that’s possible.  But, as someone who makes most of my living writing, I can’t wrap my head around why anyone wouldn’t start a story with something massive to pull the reader/listener/viewer in.  In prose, your writing better be beautiful or unique, if you don’t  plan on doing anything but setting a scene for ten pages.  In TV and movies, you start with an event before you go describing the person the event happens to.  In comics, you better have a really cool premise, or some stunning art if you’re just going to have characters standing around talking about music.  And, yes, the dialogue is really realistic.  But so what?  Why do I care what fictional characters want to hear at a fictional dance party?

     

    In response to my review,  Jedeyesniv said "Expand your record collection! Girls will thank you."  Forgetting for a moment that that isn’t the gender I’m going for, let’s take a moment to ponder the concept of reading comics to impress guys/girls, or even listening to music to impress guys/girls. Is that really a reason to form an opinion, to impress someone you want to sleep with?  Ewww.  And I don’t read comics to expand my record collection.  I read them because, usually, they”re either engaging stories, or cool artwork to ook at.  If there’s a really cool story that has a playlist attached to it, awesome.  Give me a page or two of liner notes at the end (that part of this issue was, I thought, well done).

     

    While I certainly support you choosing this as an alternative to the superhero comics you (collective iFanboy you, not you: Ron) usually pick (and tend to pick very well), I think the assertation that "Fuck it!  Everyone should read this comic" smacks of precisely the pretension that makes this comic so eyerolling to read for people  who like a solid plot or intriguing artwork.  I find Mckelvie’s artwork bland.  Yay for him being able to draw pretty alterna-people standing around looking bored.  That said, I found Lee O’Connor’s artwork in the B-Side story really engrossing: creative and versatile.  I’d love to see more of her work.  In fact, if she were the lead artist in this series, I’d probably pick up the next issue.  As it is, I don’t see any need for Everyone to check out this book,  I think it speaks to a very limited audience.  A passionate audience, apparently, and that’s great.  But it is far from a book everyone needs to be reading.  It certainly doesn’t rise to the level of comic literature like Maus, The Nightly News, or, and, though it’s not a book I enjoy, the Watchmen, do.  It’s just a comic written for a very narrow community. And it…I want to say "smacks", but that’s too strong a verb…it sneers with pretension at people who aren’t engrossed in its particular culture.  It’s even a little off-putting to some of us who are involved the culture but not defined by it.  

  19. Cleo: Oh, yeah, clearly subjective as all pop music stuff but… there’s nothing similar in Three Girl Rhumba to Connection bar the key riff – which Wire don’t even use throughout – and the deliberately gloriously bored delivery. All its other musical elements are different. If we accept sampling in hip-hop, I’m fine with accepting it elsewhere.

    I mean, I do like both records – I’m bouncing between them now as I’m writing this – but they’re working for very different purposes. You can dance to Connection, for a start.

    KG

  20. Great pick Ron!  Gotta give it up again, you turned me onto this book and it has been consistently great each time!  Looking forward to the next one.

  21. Wait, what’s her super power? I don’t get it…

  22. akamuu – I won’t comment on the rest of your post, except to say that I think there’s a difference between a *character* sneering and a *book* sneering, but as you’ve made this mistake twice: Leigh Gallagher drew the story you liked, Lee O’Connor drew the Indie Dave one, and both are guys.

  23. If you do want to check out more of Leigh’s work, the next series of Defoe starts in 2000ad this week.

  24. POW  and it comes with a live playlist? Be still my beating heart Richards…well done !

  25. What the!!!

  26. This is porn made just for Ron. However, saying everyone should read it is a taking it a little far, Ron;) I read the first two and got maybe 2 references and while the art is nice, the story is absent. This is for a niche audience of a niche medium, Ron-spawn if you will:)

  27. Great pick, great review!  I particularly liked the backup story that summed up the entire first volume of ‘Phonogram’.  It made me remember how much fun that book was to read and also made me giggle at the way David reacted to the recap.  Though I have to say the best part of this review is having Kieron & Jamie show up to talk about music in the comments.  Awesome — and great job guys.

    On a side note, I love how people are reacting to Ron saying everybody should read the book as though he actually came to their house, tied them to a chair and forced them to read. . .come to think of it, can that be a video show?

  28. Yaaaay for this pick. Hands down the best thing I read this week.

  29. Re: Leigh Gallagher. As well as Defoe starting this week, I believe there’s a trade of the first couple of arcs coming out slightly later in the year. August, last I heard. Great steampunk renasisance zombie awesomeness.

    KG

  30. I probably would’ve liked this book better if I didn’t think the type of music represented in it was unbearable to listen to. And if I liked going to clubs. And if I liked to dance. And if I didn’t absolutely hate all of the characters from the first issue. Art was nice, I’ll give it that. Maybe I’ll go back and get this, but probably not.

    But let me know if they ever do a Heavy Metal version. Throw in some Zeppelin and Sabbath, and that I would pick up.

  31. But was it good enough that I should break up with my LCS of 5 years for failing to pull one for or order ewnough to not sell out by 8pm on Wednesday? There’s actually another LCS across the street that could handle my business.

  32. My usual store actually didn’t have this, so I had to make a 20 minute walk just for this one issue.

    But yeah, it was worth it.

  33. I will say that though I find this series to be a difficult read sometimes (and that I find the backmatter too self-serving, and rarely read it all), I will say this: Gillen accomplishes in his dialogue what only the best writers (in comics or in prose) can do, which is to make the reader wish he could have such poetic coversations.  The dialogue isn’t like Gillmore Girls or Juno, which always seemed a bit too clever, but just clever enough.  Bravo.

  34. I really enjoyed the first trade, and I’ll pick this up when its collected to.  I’m not a big fan of Brit-Pop.  More an anti-folk/alt country guy myself.  It’s the love of music that comes across more than the specifics of who they’re discussing.  At least in the first trade.  I’m really confused as to how the bands the characters like would turn you off from the book.  Ah well.  Mabye I’m the one that’s crazy.

  35. Being relatively new to this site, I haven’t noticed the praise for this book previously. I can tell you that I can’t wait to read the TPB now that its been brought to my attention though. This sounds awesome (and this is a great playlist too).

  36. "It’s the love of music that comes across more than the specifics of who they’re discussing. "

    That’s what we’re attempting to do, yeah. Hell, I don’t even like half the music featured in the series. That’s not the point.

  37. I find the notion of "I don’t like this music so I can’t like this comic" very amusing.

  38. Whenever there are music references in this book, I typically equate it to when I just drop movie or tv quotes into a conversation.  Some people will get it, some won’t.  But it is usually in the context of whatever the discussion is about.  So while those who know what the hell I’m talking about will have an extra giggle, the rest should still understand what I’m saying and really shouldn’t feel out of place (at least, if my delivery is right). 

    And for the record, if this came out the same week as Wolverine, it would still be my POTW.

    P.S. Mad props for the Busta Bust name drop, Kieron.

  39. Ron- I totally agree with all your praise for this work. It’s probably my favorite series of all time. I totally agree that everyone should TRY it. It won’t be for everyone, and I can see that.

     I find this to be almost on par to the MCR/Umbrella Academy discussion. I know it’s a little different but it’s more preconcieved notions that taint the book and create guilt before conviction. But just as Umbrella Academy is worth a shot to even people who hate MCR, Phonogram is worth a shot to people who don’t like/never heard of/loathe Kenickie or The Knife (btw after reading issue 3 of vol. 1 I was able to find At the Club at a cd/dvd sale and its sweet, never heard of them before reading)

    My question is how Josh feels about this. I ask in light of listening to some old pod casts (Pick of the Week number something or other Astonishing X-Men 15) in which Josh says that he’s irritated by references and the whole "Kevin Smith" culture. Same with this title?

    Great pick, fantastic comic. KG and JM (and MW) keep it coming please!!!

  40. Oh, Ron.

  41. The references and musical sensibilities are part of the book, and are therefore part of the package.  They’re not shoved in and awkward.  It’s different than what I was describing, like having Clint Barton reference Desperate Housewives in the middle of a fight.

  42. @Josh – I don’t disagree but what’s the difference between reference being part of the book and being part of the character? I don’t know anything about DH so I can’t speak to that but I find references as a way to ground a character in reality…when done well. Sure Doom shouldn’t talk about myspace or whatever but if a character is into pop culture I think it’s fine.

  43. I like that Ron picks what he wants and writes well thought out reviews.I almost miss my old clubbing days reading this review…then I remember the horrible comedowns and moody Mondays lol.I mean hangovers,whatever.

  44. It depends.  When it works, it does.  When it’s not germaine, but shoved in, it doesn’t.  More often than not lately, it’s done poorly, because the novelty of it, from the late 90’s, is over.  But there’s an intangible quality when well done.

  45. 4 Weeks of great picks and then this turkey ? Ahh the "I read comics, but look how cool i am" brigade win again. I’m calling bullshit on this one. I look forward to skipping this on the podcast.

  46. @Conor – Why do you find it amusing? From all I’ve heard and the one issue I’ve read, this whole book is about this kind of music; the music is an integral plot thread in the book. And that’s great if you’re a fan of the music. But if you don’t like the music, it stands to reason you’re not going to like the book. That would be like trying to convince someone who doesn’t like baseball to read a book about the history of the Mets.

  47. @jerichobp: I’m not a big fan of the music. I love the book. It’s mostly about the people, not the music.

  48. @jerichobp: Hell, I’ve never even heard of half the bands.

  49. Well thats the other thing, and maybe it was just the one issue, but the girl from the first one, she made me want to beat my head against the wall.

  50. @jerichobp-I haven’t heard of most of these bands, plus I usually zone out when Ron gets on a rant about what band he just saw or how monumental their album is even though I’ve never heard of them(With love!  I say this with love, Ron!! ).  Yet I still enjoy the hell out of this series.  Sir Conor is right, it’s about the people..  The oh so pretty people.

  51. @Conor: Maybe I was wrong to say I disliked the first issue. It was more like I said to myself, I don’t really know what these people are talking about, and even if I did, they annoy me so much that I wouldn’t care. More of an apathy I guess. But hey, I’m still tempted to get it even just from the art, so that’s something.

  52. @conor: I have to agree with jerichobp. If someone isnt a fan of the music presented in this book, then they wont read it. I know if there was a book on, let’s say, hip-hop then I wouldnt bother reading it. Cause I hate hip-hop music.

    It’s great that you can find something to love outside of the music. But when it sounds like to me 99% of this series deals with someone listening or talking about a particular style of music….then it would be hard press to get someone to read it.

    However, it’s ron’s pick and if he thought it was the best then it was the best. The only. thing I’m disappointed with Ron is…..Why cant Tiny Titans be POTW? You always give it a high score 🙂

  53. @jerichobp I would read a history of the Mets if it was entertaining in itself. The fact that I don’t like baseball is irrelevant; if the book itself is entertaining then that is enough.

    I feel as though the issue people have with this is not the music thing, but more that it’s a very down to Earth and human book. Ignoring the magic stuff, which is hardly a factor anymore, at least in my enjoyment of the series.

    Perhaps I’m being cynical, but do people who do not like this book prefer their POTW to have action and fighting and heroes and villains in it? Maybe it’s the British young person that I am, but the relationships and interactions in this book are so strong that I think more people should buy it. The love of music that leaps off the page is helpful, also.

    Honestly, I never thought there would be this much controversy about a book with JAMIE MCKELVIE art.

  54. @Cooper – But isn’t a bit paradoxical to think that a book could entertain you if you didn’t enjoy the subject matter (or the characters, for that matter)?

  55. @jerichobp: The subject matter is people.  If you don’t like the characters then fine it’s not for you, but it’s a book about people (who happen to really like music).

  56. Are we sure Gillen and McKelvie arent just stalking Ron and making a bio comic on him? 🙂

  57. @jerichobp not really. A book (or any work of fiction!) is entertaining because of the way it’s done, rather than the subject itself.

    The fact that this is about music is largely irrelevant (…bear with me here…) – it’s just as much about the characters’ passion for the music. It’s about how it has affected them beyond the starting point of "this is catchy." The fact that it’s music is a means to an end.

    As they say themselves in the back matter for this issue: "…you don’t need to know the references for the story to work – the fact that they namedrop so much is really the point."

    As for the characters…yeah, I don’t like them as people. Emily is a bitch! Penny was a bit too bubbly and ditzy. But despite this, I think they are compelling characters in this context.

    I was actually talking about this earlier with someone: characters that people actually like most often tend to be quite dull. Flaws are what make people interesting, and the people in this book have flaws, even if they don’t acknowledge them themself.

    Of course, not liking this book is a valid response, but not liking it "because it’s about music" seems crazy to me. Replace "music" with "films" or "books" or even "comics" and people would react differently to the same base concepts.

  58. @Conor: I suppose it’s really stereotypical, but I guess I don’t really like the characters because I tend to associate people who like this kind of music with certain types of people (I like to think I’m less shallow in real life). I mean, this is speculation based on his previous predisposition against other books, but if this book was about goths and goth subculture, do you think Ron would’ve made it the pick of the week (or be reading it)?

  59. @Cooper: You’re right in saying that not liking something "because it’s about music" is ludacris. Music is just a medium, just like comics. But not liking something "because it’s about people who like britpop" or "because it’s about people who like indie music" I think is much more valid (especially if it seems as though that’s all the characters talk about).

    Like I said in an earlier post, if this was taking place a Heavy Metal festival and all the characters involved were metal heads, I would probably like the book more, because those are the types of people I tend to associate with. Now of course that’s only true for some of the time; I certainly have friends who like hip-hop, pop, indie, and all types of music. But I don’t really talk about music with them. And if I met someone who only seemed to talk about music I didn’t like, I probably wouldn’t like them. Luckily, most people aren’t that 1-dimensional. I can’t say the same for the characters I’ve read so far in this book though (granted, that’s only 1 issue).

  60. @jerichobp: I can’t answer for Ron, but he does like the music being talked about here, so he’s irrevlevant to the discussion of "can you enjoy a book about people who like things you don’t like?" The answer is yes, of course you can. Unless, apparently, that thing you don’t like is music or politics.

  61. @jerichobp I think enjoying this book may be having to get past the fact that you (that’s the collective "you" not "you" specifcally) can’t relate to their specific interests. Like I say, I think the type of music they listen to is irrelevant, it is more the fact that it has affected them in some way.

    In this issue, the music is used to define the relationships between the characters and what is important to them, how they perceive their "place" within this culture. How each character defines themselves is more important than the reasons they use to justify it (ie their musical tastes.)

    If you only tried the first issue I would recommend giving this one a shot! It focuses on a different character (the girl from the first one doesn’t even feature) and she is very interesting to read.

  62. I loved Sentences from Vertigo, and I’m not a hip hop fan.

  63. Like I said, you can definitely be friends and like people who’s musical or political choices disagree with your own. But I don’t think that would be the case if they were so one dimensional that all you ever heard them talk about was those aspects you disliked. I mean, generally to be friends with someone you have to have SOMETHING in common with them. If all they ever talk about is music you dislike, how can you find any common ground with them?

    And I think Music, Politics, and Art elicit reactions like this because are extremely polarizing. There’s not many songs or works of art that I can think of that I have mixed opinions on. Either I like the piece, or I don’t. Furthermore, I think that the more derivative a medium is (e.g. comics = art + words, movies = pictures + words + music), the more room for grey area there is.That’s even true for this book: the story makes me not want to read it, but the art does.

  64. Comics with a small c, for NME reading hipster scum.

  65. I love Walking Dead and I am not a fan of the actual Walking Dead.  I’m always like, give it a rest with the brain-munching and they’re all ‘uuuggggh’.  *sigh* how banal.

     In other news – way to follow your heart Ron Richards.  It’s ok to like pop music!  It doesn’t ALL have to goth-inspired!  Don’t let your clothes define you!

  66. @jerichobp: I’m not sure how many times we can say that it’s not about the music, it’s about the people. The music isn’t all they talk about. The entire story of the second issue is about a guy missing his ex-girlfriend. They make music references, yes, because they are at a club and that’s what they are into, but it’s not what the story is *about*.

    But again, if you don’t like these people then you should not read the book.

  67. @Josh – It seems like MF Grimm is a much more complex character than what was presented to me in what I read in this story.

    @Cooper – I definitely inted to read this now (if my shop still has it), seeing the response it’s caused. I hope I like it more than I did the first one.

  68. Judging whether you like a character or not is one thing.  I was just responding to the things about not liking this music.

  69. Hey Steve Rodgers is coming back….. Wait sorry wrong thread.

  70. Just admit it, guys.  If you don’t like this book, it’s because you hate the Brits.

  71. I’m British and i hate this book.

  72. Your an anomaly

  73. Well i’ve been called worse things today.

  74. see? isn’t life more interesting when the ifanbase discusses things instead of exploding into a storm of hyperbole about an average book

  75. I’ll be honest.  I’d be pretty thrilled if we could get back some of the tact when disagreeing that we used to have.

  76. @josh: T….Tact? What does that mean?

    Is it a french word? Must be foreign…

  77. iFanboys-Can we expect to hear your thoughts on Cap. Brit. during the podcast?  It seems people either love or hate the plot twist involving Plokta.  I loved it, the whole issue was fantatic.  And apparently, event he Brits love a good ol’ fist bump.

  78. Hi.

    I don’t normally actually get involved with debates around the book. The point of something like Phonogram is at least partly about the debate around it, and people’s own responses are holy. It’s a book about people’s reaction to art, after all. Trying to dictate what people’s response to it should be is against its nature. However, since I’ve watched a lot of debates around the series, I think I may have some things which may help the two sides understand each other.

    There’s lots of reasons why people won’t like Phonogram, but there’s one initial step that everyone goes through and each reader either goes one way or another.

    1) They see the references and that’s all they see. They turn off.

    2) They see the references and it doesn’t faze them at all.

    Worth noting that this doesn’t say anything about whether they like the references or not. People who like the music are just as apt to turn off when they see the name-dropping. People who literally don’t know any of the bands, if they fall into the second category, are entirely able to engage. I’ve got enough people who aren’t music fans – or have even liked music at all – say how much they like the comic for me to know that’s true.

    The debate like this arrives when the two groups don’t really understand the other side. Because the first group turned off at the music references, they don’t believe there’s anything else there. Because the second group aren’t really – at their core – there for the references, they refuse to understand why anyone doesn’t get that.

    Can one side become the other? That, I dunno. But understanding the other side isn’t actually being openly decietful about their response may be a step towards it. Of course, there’s a load of different reasons to like or dislike Phonogram once people get past the references, but it’s gateway everyone passes through towards either love or hate.

    Clearly, Jamie and I are in the second group. That’s why we did the comic. Phonogram’s largest theme is about human’s relationship with their art – both positively and negatively, internally and socially. It applies to more than just music. In fact, even when hating Phonogram, Nostalgia&Comics’* UsagiNunn totally gets this. When he describes Phonogram as "Comics with a small c, for NME reading hipster scum" he’s doing what Seth Bingo does a lot – connecting a work of art to a group of people he doesnt like, simultaneously insulting the art and the people who he identifies with it – and in the same action defining himself *against* them, thus shoring up his own sense of identity. UsagiNunn may not like Phonogram, but he’s absolutely the sort of person we write about.

    (We take extreme identies to explore this stuff, because pathologies almost always tell us more about an underlying mechanism than mild cases. Emily Aster is an extreme case of someone who art helped transform from someone else, so is interesting as a study.)

    While never saying that some of the banter can be fun and a reason some people like PG, it’s not what drives the series. What’s unsaid is always what matters. A conversation that’s about what a conversation appears to be is the definition of shit writing.

    Glad most people are digging it. We’re very proud of it.

    KG

    *The first real comic shop I walked into, I think. Kind of a mecca when you’re from a hole like Stafford. Hope all is keeping up well there. 

  79. Ron, I love that you put together a play list for this.  I spend at least a hour or more reading this book (sometimes twice) and most of it is spent on searching the songs and artists mentioned.  I know of about half of the references, but the other half is hard.  I also read the previous issues and try to point out folks in the background compared to the next ish and the next.  Just amazing stuff. 

    This is why I read comics.

  80. A fair point well made Mr Gillen. And maybe hate was too strong a word to use. It’s just not my cup of tea.

  81. @josh I blame cellphones. Progress sucks. I’m still waiting for a "this movie sucks" responses from people while in the theater, and a later one commenting that they can’t enjoy the movie because of all the god damn cellphones. That would make an interesting special edition podcast.

  82. @jerichobp: I personally do not like baseball but did read Moneyball, a book about the Oakland A’s.

    @ifanboy team: you have named books that I would have never picked up because I did not find the "reference/setting" appealing such as, Scalped, I Kill Giants, and Y: the Last Man.  After reading them, in most cases, I have greatly enjoyed them.  This is definitely an example where I do not like the setting, but after a great review and great comments by the ifanboy community, I am willing to pick this up and form my own opinion.

    Before this site, I was your typical X-men, wolverine, punisher guy.  Now you can count me in on Unwritten, Chew, Scalped, and looking forward to Astro City.  And yes, I Kill Giants is the most moving thing I have read in comic book form!  I look forward to a HC of it as well as a movie adaptation 😉

    Great site, great community!

  83. Suede! ….or the "London" Suede if your an ass

  84. Avatar photo Paul Montgomery (@fuzzytypewriter) says:

    @fingaz – It’s really awesome to hear that. Glad you’re trying new books and enjoying the majority of them. That’s the iFanboy spirit!

  85. @jamiemckelvie: my apologies on the gender mix-up.  I believe I referred to both of them as both male and female.  I’d like to blame the tequila and my obnoxiously meowing cat for my many typos in that comment.

     

    For the record, I’m not turned off by the music references.  I actually enjoyed the liner notes more than the first story.  My problem was not liking the characters, and not being given a motivation to read past my distaste for them.

  86. Also. thanks for the heads up on the upcoming 2000 AD.

  87. I’m disappointed that Capt. Britain and MI-13 wasn’t the pick, but I didn’t read this book.  I’ll give it a try, but I have a hard time envisioning Phonogram Singles Club bringing me the same amount of vocal exclamations from the sheer joy that I had reading Cap and MI-13. 

  88. the Operator Please joke was very funny.

  89. good pick

    good review

    good music

    except that last song. that song sucked.

  90. lol, jokes ron. jokes.

  91. This was a great issue to a great series.  This is one of my favorite series on the stand right now. I especially love the essays and annotations in the back of the issues.  So great!

  92. I keep forgetting about this book, for some reason. EVery time it comes out, Ron gushes about it and i think to myself "Wow, that sounds pretty awesome. i should check it out." then i space out and forget about it. I don’t know the music being discussed here, but that doesn’t really phase me or factor into my decision to read something. I don’t have to enjoy what people in the book are talking about to enjoy the actual book. i mean, i don’t like merciless dictators who oppress their subjects but i still like stories with dr. Doom in them. I don’t like racists, but i still like the Red Skull. And also, when Ron writes a review this good, that gets people talking, I can even "forget’ his unabashed praise for X-Men Forever #1 last week.  

  93. Let’s admit it. Phonogram is Ron’s Sandman 🙂

  94. I’m not sure what that means.

  95. It just seems like the passion Ron has for this book is similar to what Sandman fans have for theirs, and that the majority of the criticism comes from people who don’t read it.

  96. Okay, that makes sense.

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