I thought the art for this was a little simplistic at first but it does an excellent job at linking two distinct styles to create the two states of being explored in this comic. I do think that the ending is a little simplistic, given all the fanfare building up to it, but I'm also pretty sure that that's the point, so what do I know?

I would've lost interest had I waited a year for each issue of this trilogy, so I feel lucky to have waited to read them all in one sitting. This is excellent, a surreal and sad haze of a story. Even closer to oneiric Lynchian imagery than David Boring by Daniel Clowes. It makes me think that I underappreciated my first reading of Black Hole. However, I think I prefer this story in the character and plot focus seems stronger and more realistic (which is surprising given that much of it occurs in the form of a drug-induced reverie). I don't think the story will have much lasting impact for me, and wasn't so sure on the ending, but this deserves a solid rating for daring to show that even drug experiences cannot escape illustration.

This is certainly not a book I would have picked up on my own, but it was required reading for a class so here we are. This graphic novel was weird, but I liked the way the mystery unfolded. The big reveal of the mystery, however, was disappointing. I liked the main character all right at the beginning, but as the story unfolded and we learned more about him, I began to dislike him more and more. I don't know what the complete opposite of character growth is called. Character deterioration, perhaps? But that's Doug. Overall, I would have to say that this book was not my cup of tea, but I could appreciate the effort.

It's difficult to know where to start writing about this trilogy, as my thoughts are almost as jumbled as the narrative. That's not to say it's badly written - but I did need to read it twice. Last Look or the X'ed Out
The most impressive thing about the book, in my opinion, is the incredible use of symbolism throughout. It's more profound upon second reading, and who knows, even more, and Burns has a talent in taking mundane objects like a purple dressing gown, an apartment buzzer, or a glass of water, and soaking them with meaning and emotional weight. These are the main things that link Doug and Nitnit, other than their vague resemblance.

The dream sequences as well - if that's what they are - are great. I've seen many reviews comparing the trilogy to the work of David Lynch, which is indeed high praise. Yet Lynch's influence does remain firmly in the real world, and I was impressed by how uniquely Burns' dreams were depicted. They're set apart from works such as Mulholland Drive or Neil Gaiman's Sandman series. They're not too obscure and are possible to decipher - a sort of inversion of the real world story. This is of course helped by the narrative which smartly weaves between Nitnit, and then Doug of both the past and present. I can't imagine how much of a headache structuring that would have been.

I would warn however of the dark themes in this. Despite the artistic inspiration from Hergé's Tintin series, it is much much heavier, and it can be a depressing read pretty much throughout. Generally there is a sense of dread when reading it which I experienced, so well done to Charles Burns for using foreshadowing and flashbacks so effectively.

Aside from that there are flecks of humour, notably the weird characters in the dream world, and Doug's avant-garde musical performances. It's small, but it certainly helps for a respite. I do think it would be a much more difficult read if the narrative wasn't so expertly divided, with these colourful dream sequences coming at just the right moments.

Overall it's one of the most intriguing and original depictions of dreams I've experienced. And even just in its use of narrative and symbolism, it's a masterclass.

3.5.

Mesmerizing art and storytelling. Not for the squeamish.