Collection
Publication
New York : London : First Second ; Macmillian Children's. 2006.
Description
Beaten up, tattered, and weather worn, this volume has crossed through space to become the first extra-terrestrial comic book in print on earth. The language and even the alphabet are alien, but as human readers will soon discover, the themes and stories are universal. These interwoven stories and vignettes start out quite simply, but a darker, more complex side is gradually revealed as alien characters act out very human problems, from peer pressure to intolerance to the challenges of friendship. Beneath its apparently childlike and cartoony style,A.L.I.E.E.E.N. explores human nature, cruelty, and kindness with surprising depth and loads of humor. A.L.I.E.E.E.N. is a nominee for the 2007 Eisner Awards for Best U.S. Edition of International Material and Best Writer/Artist - Humor.… (more)
Language
User reviews
LibraryThing member davidscarter
The conceit of Trondheim's A.L.I.E.E.E.N. is that the book isn't of his own devising, but rather an artifact from an alien culture that he found left behind from presumably a UFO landing. This conceit is carried forward in the high class packaging that we've come to expect from First Second, with
There are several short stories, each of which features cute little alien creatures doing rather disturbing things to themselves and each other. Eyes get poked out, body parts get swallowed, and in one case momentous defecation commences. The separate stories turn out to be interlocked, so seemingly random events in one story turn out to have relevance in another. Trondheim is definitely channeling Jim Woodring here, and with good results; fans of Frank will find a good deal to enjoy here.
The conceit of this being an alien comic adds another level to the proceedings. We don't know what the intended audience for this book is in its native culture. Is this typical children's humor for little aliens? Or is this a subversive comic akin to the underground comix of our own culture? Is this what the aliens look like, or is this their version of funny animals? Would this book be banned or embraced? Is this high art or low? Reading through this comic with different sets of assumptions can radically change how we react to the material, and brings in question how we react to all those other comics where we know--or think we know--the context in which it should be read.
Rating: 4 (of 5).
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the cover and interior pages having faux wear and singeing. The dialog is written in an alien language, making this effectively a silent comic, the type that Trondheim excels at.There are several short stories, each of which features cute little alien creatures doing rather disturbing things to themselves and each other. Eyes get poked out, body parts get swallowed, and in one case momentous defecation commences. The separate stories turn out to be interlocked, so seemingly random events in one story turn out to have relevance in another. Trondheim is definitely channeling Jim Woodring here, and with good results; fans of Frank will find a good deal to enjoy here.
The conceit of this being an alien comic adds another level to the proceedings. We don't know what the intended audience for this book is in its native culture. Is this typical children's humor for little aliens? Or is this a subversive comic akin to the underground comix of our own culture? Is this what the aliens look like, or is this their version of funny animals? Would this book be banned or embraced? Is this high art or low? Reading through this comic with different sets of assumptions can radically change how we react to the material, and brings in question how we react to all those other comics where we know--or think we know--the context in which it should be read.
Rating: 4 (of 5).
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LibraryThing member wandering_star
This purports to be an alien comic book, found by chance and reproduced for earthlings to read (singe marks on the page edges and all).
What you get is a series of interlinked stories, populated by creatures halfway between cartoon animals and aliens. There is dialogue, but of course it's in alien
I think how much you enjoy this book would depend how much you were prepared to go with the idea that it's an insight into an unknown alien civilisation. One of the other LT reviewers said they re-read the book with different assumptions: that it was for children, that it was a subversive underground comic, and so on. I personally was a bit put off by the grosser aspects - horrible bloody injuries, an unstoppable tide of shit.
What you get is a series of interlinked stories, populated by creatures halfway between cartoon animals and aliens. There is dialogue, but of course it's in alien
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- but nevertheless it's generally possible to work out what's going on. Although, I suppose, that assumes that we and the aliens share a similar emotional system: in the story where one creature is trying to help others and keeps causing terrible accidents, we think that he goes off at the end to somewhere that is lonely but he can be sure that he will bring no harm to others. But perhaps that's not what is happening at all.I think how much you enjoy this book would depend how much you were prepared to go with the idea that it's an insight into an unknown alien civilisation. One of the other LT reviewers said they re-read the book with different assumptions: that it was for children, that it was a subversive underground comic, and so on. I personally was a bit put off by the grosser aspects - horrible bloody injuries, an unstoppable tide of shit.
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LibraryThing member melissarecords
Loved the nostalgic colors and newsprint-lilke style. Despite the cheery graphics, cute-looking aliens and warm-fuzzy feeling you get from the nostalgic look, reading this is like reading "Lord of the Flies" -- something dark and very human is lurking underneath that fuzzy E.T. facade. Kids would
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love the pooping, bashing, skinning and bleeding. And the circular nature of the sub-plots. But that doesn't mean you'd want your kids to read this. All of the dialogue is written in "alien". Show Less
LibraryThing member tessa.barber
A.L.I.E.E.E.N. does what I hope to have done to me every time I sit down with a book: totally entertains, makes me forget about criticism, and causes me to question my reactions to what is happening in the story. Because the premise of the book is that it is an alien artifact, I had to ask myself
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where I was coming from, and where the book was coming from, and where we met. And, happily, in the end the book also remained as a simple pleasure of great, inventive cartooning. Show Less
LibraryThing member dr_zirk
A.L.I.E.E.E.N is slight but entertaining, a pattern that should be familiar to those who have already been exposed to the work of Lewis Trondheim. The alien setting and dialogue dislocate the reader, and the oddly disturbing scenarios are certainly thought-provoking. There's nothing particularly
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deep in these pages, but Trondheim's ability to mashup the cute with the chaotic makes for a fun read. Show Less
LibraryThing member diovival
I found this surprisingly disturbing. Maybe not the best book to read before bed?
LibraryThing member bluepigeon
As a Trondheim fan, I picked this up on a whim at Strand, and read it with my friend in the subway going back home. It is hilarious, disgusting, cute, and sad all at the same time. The creatures are well-imagined. They speak an alien language, which we humans cannot understand. There seem to be
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universal ideas and feelings that are revealed through some bizarre adventures, some of which involve peer-pressure, lots of poop, and branches. As always, a pleasure to "read." Show Less
LibraryThing member Salsabrarian
This looks like a very kid-friendly comic book about jaunty space aliens, but on closer look it's aimed at much older kids. Innocence, cruelty, peer pressure, and bullying are all themes here as assorted aliens cross paths and experience incidents and events that range from tender to horrifying.
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It's basically wordless (the aliens speak in a language of symbols so readers will benefit by taking their time and being very observant of the illustrations). There's a lot going on here; I had to read it three times. Even then I came away feeling there were still questions that left much to the imagination. Show Less
LibraryThing member LibroLindsay
Oh my god. THE GUSHING RIVERS.