God awful illustrations, fantastic writing.

this poem made absolutely ZERO sense to me, which is exactly why I loved it, it was so shocking, jarring, and uncensored that I quite literally had to pick up my jaw from the floor several times throughout. would only recommend if you are in an open minded mood for a very odd read

I am conflicted with this graphic novel. Well, first I have to admit it is the first time I have read Allen Ginsberg, so I am not super familiar with his actual work, instead, I am more aware of his influence because of his poetry and experiences. Adding a visual element adds and takes away. Although this is something that can and probably should be read over and over. But I found myself searching for the details in the words because I was trying to find the connection between the words and images. At the same time, a visual component offers new interpretations or understanding. I think ultimately it is good because I am having a conversation with myself within this writing. Definitely made an impression.

Rating this was so hard because obviously the poem is 5 stars and the animation isn’t bad but??? This is the WORST format to display both the art and the poetry. Cutting up this poem into ~200 pages is a WILD and TERRIBLE choice and undermines the tempo and momentum that makes the poem so magical. Also picking frames of a very fluid animation doesn’t do it justice, but also wasn’t a huuuuge fan of the animation style (found here in full with the poem read by Allen Ginsberg: https://vimeo.com/103197756/description). I do not understand at all why this book exists, and also it made me have to remember that James Franco exists which sucks because he sucks.

So like don’t read/buy this book, just read the poem in its original version.

I'm choosing not to give this book a star rating because I feel I am too uninformed in poetry to be fair.

This went so far over my head. Although I can recognise Ginsberg's work as hugely important, not only in literature but also to the queer community, I can't say it touched me. This I'm sure is due to my own ignorance.

Although I respect Ginsberg, certainly Beat Poetry is not for me.

Perhaps each of us get only one of the Beats. For me, it's not Ginsberg. (For the record, it's not Kerouac either. Answers on a postcard.)

Bonkers. I loved this but I couldn't honestly say I understood it. There is some beautiful writing in it and other parts that feel like the ramblings of a mad man. The visualisations helped with with my comprehension of the story and the layout of the text made it more digestible so I would recommend this book as a great way to read this poem. I might be wrong but I think the writing probably needed more thought to be given to it than I was really willing to invest. I may come back and properly study the poem in a few years time.

FULL REVIEW ON MY WEBSITE
https://thebookcornerchronicles.com/2...

Another poem which didn’t go well with me. I really consider stop reading poems because 95% of poems Ive read so far didn’t go well with me.

The plot here wasn’t great and I just couldn’t connect with me. It could be interesting if it was a short story rather than a poem.

The writing style here wasn’t the best I’ve seen in a poem.

In reading this poem as a graphic novel I realized page by page how little I understand and that essentially the poem is so much more than context, it's rant, it's energy, it's sound and deserves to build to its natural peaks in a frenetic unforgiving rush. Holy, holy, holy. I hope that those who discover Ginsburg in this way find opportunity to them read and reflect on the momentum.

O poema continua sendo uma grande inspiração - eu acho que jamais vou deixar de ter 17 anos e me encantar com essa ode aos vagabundos e marginais e patéticos personagens que buscam beleza, gozo e eternidade em meio aos escombros do pós-tudo. Por mais cínica e pomposa que eu possa ser de vez em quando a energia do Ginsberg vai sempre ressoar em mim.

Mas o projeto da graphic novel... que horror. Arte feia (stills da animação que não vi), literal demais, pouquíssimo inspirada.

Comprei o livro por 10 pratas numa banca de sobras na rodoviária e pretendo deixar o exemplar numa parada de estrada; quem sabe o poema -apesar do projeto gráfico pavoroso - não encontre algum adolescente perdido cheio de ódio e de amor que ainda não ouviu falar nada sobre Allen Ginsberg e está prestes a ter uma iluminação.

Quero acreditar que vai ser assim.

This is a very dark book of 'poem'?

I know I need to read more poetry to learn to appreciate it, but to me this sounded like a very long-winded speech of a man who's philosophical as sh**, while also being high as balls...

I can't say I fully understood this book, but there's a haunting feeling after reading this that invited deeper thought somehow.

The art was dark, beautifully done and managed to tell the story of the poem very well, but it represented so much loneliness in a world that will never try to fix the problems it causes... and damn, I'm feeling dark and philosophical now

Allen Ginsburg's epic poem was first published in 1956, when I was still too young to notice. Half a decade later, as an aspiring beatnik in the wasteland of my home city, reading it was akin to a rite of passage. Faithful to the occasion, I would toke up and start at the beginning, which I came to know well, because I never seemed to reach the end. It was a good book to carry around because it was small enough to carry in a jacket pocket and I did that for a while. Certainly it was easy to identify with his chilling assessment. I was one of those

who threw their watches off the roof to cast their ballot for Eternity outside of Time....p94

If it didn't sound so much like bragging, I would recount how I bought my first edition at the holy grail of City Lights and if I was a purist I might slam this effort. But Eric Drooker took the trouble to establish a friendship with Allen, who endorsed the project and gave it his enthusiastic blessing.
Who am I to hold out against the charm distilled from the anguish of the poem?

I love the cover with its Peter Pan allusions, and the pictures of AG and ED together. I love the idea that the spirit of my times is being transported for these times. Readers new to the poem will be inspired to look up the original I want to see the movie asap and dig out my old copy.
And yes, I read it straight through!

Visions! omens! hallucinations! miracles! ecstasies!
Gone down the American River!
Dreams! adorations! illuminations! religions! the
whole boatload of sensitive bullshit!
p59

When I first encountered "Howl" in high school, I couldn't appreciate all of the poem's references and meanings. I'm glad I revisited it because now I feel it more deeply, through life experience. However, I was not terribly impressed by the artwork that represented the poem in this graphic adaptation. The 3D renderings lacked feeling and emotion; the creature representing Moloch felt more like a video game antagonist; it just didn't capture it for me. I think some of the images were stills from the film and that could explain why it was lacking for me.

That said, I read the introduction and the artist worked with Ginsberg...so perhaps I wasn't in the right headspace. It definitely put me in the mood to read more Ginsberg, though.