Lush drawings and a captivating narrative combine for a wonderful telling of the Velvet Underground story.
Shadmi tells the story of the iconic underground band in this graphic novel.
The author (who is also the illustrator) has created an extraordinary nonfiction graphic novel about the Velvet Underground, the influential, Lou Reed–led rock band of the 1960s and 1970s. The book opens with the death and funeral of pop artist Andy Warhol, who became the band’s manager in 1966 and designed the famous banana-peel cover for the band’s first album. What follows is a thorough look at the band and its members, focusing on leaders Reed and John Cale. Both Reed, in Long Island, and Cale, in Wales, endured troubled childhoods, eventually bonding during a meeting at Pickwick Records. Soon after, they formed the Velvet Underground, and the book follows the group’s many personal and professional highs and lows. Warhol is a key figure, as the Velvet Underground became the house band at his famous Factory. Shadmi takes a gritty look at a gritty band—Reed’s volatility is front and center (“Anything that scares off tourists is OK in our book”), as well as the sex, drugs, and rock ’n’ roll that anyone with a passing knowledge of the Velvet Underground knows pervaded its history. The graphic storytelling approach emerges as the perfect way to share the Velvet Underground story, a must-read for both comic book enthusiasts and music aficionados alike. Shadmi’s stunning drawings and taut prose seamlessly interweave the band’s personal history and music into a compelling narrative. The drawings are effective when capturing huge public moments, such as Warhol’s funeral, and detailing smaller, personal ones (such as a disturbing sequence with Reed in a psychiatric institution) with great impact. Stylish, poignant and intriguing, the book recounts the creation of classic Velvet Underground songs such as “I’ll Be Your Mirror,” “Sister Ray,” and “Sunday Morning.” Shadmi’s history offers an immersive and enlightening experience, one that fans will appreciate for its scope and honesty, and one that non-fans are also sure to enjoy, if only for its inventiveness.
Lush drawings and a captivating narrative combine for a wonderful telling of the Velvet Underground story.Pub Date: Aug. 22, 2023
ISBN: 978-1643375632
Page Count: 180
Publisher: Life Drawn
Review Posted Online: July 28, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
PERSPECTIVES
PERSPECTIVES
A memoir for those who want to laugh through the free fall of their own emotional roller coaster.
A humorous take on dread.
In her amusing graphic memoir, cartoonist Correll turns her emotional roller coaster into a literal, visual experience with her own amusement park of worries that she calls Anxietyland. Within this playful framework, she guides readers through her lifelong struggle with severe anxiety—there are attractions like the “worry-go-round,” “booze cruise,” “downward spiral,” and more, all culminating in finding the help that not only helps her manage the anxiety, but pushes her to do the work in confronting and living with it. To her credit, Correll uses the amusement park concept to dissect points in her life where her anxiety was holding her hostage from leading a fulfilling life. One panel shows Correll’s whimsical approach, as when her cat, Oliver, goes missing. “Why hasn’t he come home?” she thinks, her eyes full of worry, her mouth downturned. “What if he’s dead?” The subsequent image shows her pet peeking into the panel; the accompanying text reads, “Oliver (very much alive).” It’s one thing to read a memoir that breaks down episodes with the benefit of time and knowledge; it’s a completely different experience to see someone living through their depression while hanging on for dear life in “anxie-tea” cups. Readers who hold season passes to Anxietyland will be able to laugh along with the author, but this book will also benefit those coming to terms with a new or future anxiety diagnosis. These readers may, for the first time, be able to put their swirling emotions into a tangible context that makes more sense to them and others. That’s the beauty of Correll’s memoir: The book provides a comical medium lens that can open doors to understanding—rather than a door to the house of horrors.
A memoir for those who want to laugh through the free fall of their own emotional roller coaster.Pub Date: April 28, 2026
ISBN: 9781668004159
Page Count: 448
Publisher: Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Feb. 16, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2026
A cartoonist’s gentle and charming epistolary memoir.
A cartoonist uses fans’ questions to trace his personal history.
Tomine began self-publishing his work at the age of 16. Since then, he’s developed a devoted fandom that, he says, has stuck by him for almost three decades. Although cartooning is a solitary profession, Tomine says his relationship with his readers has helped him stave off the loneliness that is, so often, a hazard of the job. He writes, “It’s never felt that way. In fact, I often think of my career as a decades-long conversation between myself and an amorphous, mostly anonymous group of people who are for some reason drawn to my work.” In Q&A, Tomine continues this conversation by responding to some of the most common queries, which include how to correctly pronounce his name (which, it turns out, Tomine didn’t know until a trip to Japan), his favorite brands of art supplies, his ability to balance the inspirations and frustrations of parents, and his thoughts about adapting his comics into films. He also offers career advice, describing how he got his start at theNew Yorker, spelling out his opinions on self-publishing and marketing, and providing ideas for connecting with comic artists who could serve as role models or mentors. Although this memoir doesn’t necessarily contain a clear character arc, it does provide a fascinating insight into a beloved artist’s personal history. Tomine’s writing is compassionate, empathetic, and tongue-in-cheek, and his narratorial voice has the intimate, confessional frankness of a good friend. The book’s visuals—which include Tomine’s illustrations—are a welcome addition to the text.
A cartoonist’s gentle and charming epistolary memoir.Pub Date: Oct. 15, 2024
ISBN: 9781770467309
Page Count: 168
Publisher: Drawn & Quarterly
Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
