--- product_id: 3698746 title: "Black Hole (Pantheon Graphic Library)" price: "691 kr" currency: NOK in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.no/products/3698746-black-hole-pantheon-graphic-library store_origin: NO region: Norway --- # Black Hole (Pantheon Graphic Library) **Price:** 691 kr **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Black Hole (Pantheon Graphic Library) - **How much does it cost?** 691 kr with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.no](https://www.desertcart.no/products/3698746-black-hole-pantheon-graphic-library) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description “The best graphic novel of the year” ( Time ) tells the story of a strange plague devastating the lives of teenagers in mid-1970s suburban Seattle, revealing the horrifying nature of high school alienation—the savagery, the cruelty, the relentless anxiety, and the ennui. We learn from the outset that a strange plague has descended upon the area’s teenagers, transmitted by sexual contact. The disease is manifested in any number of ways—from the hideously grotesque to the subtle (and concealable)—but once you’ve got it, that’s it. There’s no turning back. As we inhabit the heads of several key characters—some kids who have it, some who don’t, some who are about to get it—what unfolds isn’t the expected battle to fight the plague, or bring heightened awareness to it , or even to treat it. What we become witness to instead is a fascinating and eerie portrait of the nature of high school alienation itself. And then the murders start. As hypnotically beautiful as it is horrifying, Black Hole transcends its genre by deftly exploring a specific American cultural moment in flux and the kids who are caught in it—back when it wasn’t exactly cool to be a hippie anymore, but Bowie was still just a little too weird. To say nothing of sprouting horns and molting your skin… Review: Sex, Drugs, and Disease - I read Black Hole for my graphic novel class. I had never heard of, and had no idea what to expect. Although it doesn't have page numbers, Goodreads says it is 352 pages long. It felt a lot shorter than that, as it moved extremely quickly. I finished it in two sittings. However, the content makes it seem longer -- this was a strange book. Black Hole I honestly got confused with this plot, which isn't something I can say about a lot of novels. This may have been, in part, because of the fact that two male characters (and even the main female character) all looked alike -- they all had black shoulder length hair with short bangs. I plan to go back through, and reread the novel again knowing that the two guys, Keith and Rob, are not the same person. Now this may have been a hard mistake to make for some, but it made things a little confusing at first for me. I believe the basic plot takes place in the 70s and is structured around Rob and Chris, who have a rocky start to a relationship, and their various friends. The other possible main character is Keith, who I figured out was a separate person from Rob about halfway in... All these people are somehow dealing with a type of 'bug' or disease that is being spread through sexual contact/saliva that physically disfigures people in strange ways (facial restructuring, growing new body parts -- Rob's second mouth, for example). This was really odd, and not well explained, but interesting all the same. This disease is incurable, and makes people social outcasts. Many who have it resort to living in the woods, stealing food to get by, and avoiding normal society. One thing that really struck me about this book was, unsurprisingly, the artwork. Partially because the characters do drugs quite a bit, and also partially due to the weirdness of their world, the artwork was beautiful and mind-opening, and just absolutely wonderful in every way. I know it sounds like I'm fawning over the art -- probably because I am. One character does artwork throughout the book, and you get to see some of it, and even that is wonderful in a weird, disturbing way. I spent much longer taking in the details of the strange layout (when Rob is tripping on LSD) than looking at the words that just described what he was seeing. The panels start to get wavy, start to weave into one another, and start to change shape when things get trippy -- I feel this was a fantastic way to help the reader know what the characters were experiencing. If you don't have an open mind about drugs, sex, and horrible teenage actions, I would warn you away from this book. However, if you are open to that sort of thing, I would highly recommend it. Even the 'sexual' drawings, shoot, even the art from the pornographic magazines, didn't feel out of place or negative. It all fit in so well with the content of the story, that I think it really worked. The only downside (if I can even call it that) is the confusing plot. I think on a second read, everything will clear up a bit. Though I know some of it won't -- that's part of the mystery of the book; the full spreads of black pages with a few white, spiraling objects makes you question the story, the characters, and their motives. Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and definitely plan to reread it soon. Review: Black Hole delivers a welcomed experienced that infected me the very moment I picked it up. - *Warning – This GN includes heavy elements of sex, violence and drug use. Where do I start with this whirlwind of a read that left me with an unexpected and odd sort of satisfaction? I admit that I jumped into Black Hole almost fully blind. I had to make myself slow down and read through the synopsis. As someone who is developing a rapidly insatiable appetite for graphic novels, the deal was solidified when I noted the literary awards attached to the work and its author. Black Hole is set within the high school scene of the 70’s in Seattle. Needless to say there are drugs, alcohol and sex involved. We are thrown right into the lives of several teenagers who are not only tasked with the challenges of becoming young adults and self-discovery but doing so in the midst of a plague. A plague that happens to be transmitted through sexual contact. Yes, I think you can see where this is headed.. The sexually transmitted disease is spreading rapidly and causes mutations that range from minor to extreme abnormalities. During the course of the story, there is no cure. Students who acquire the disease become outcasts that are quickly ostracized by their peers upon discovery. Some have chosen to hide their subtle afflictions, while others have moved to isolated areas in attempt to achieve a safe and “peaceful” life. What ensues is a graphic tale of love, hate, sacrifice and violence. I want to address the artwork of Black Hole first because it was a huge success with me. Depicted solely in black and white, the illustrations still manage to provide a surprisingly rich and somewhat noir experience. No amount of detail has been sacrificed with lack of color and each scene transitions beautifully. I found this to be a strangely, aesthetically pleasing journey that set the appropriate atmosphere. The plot falls together quite well and manages to accomplish something remarkable in the end. If you are going to choose to write a graphic tale centered around an STD, I can think of no better setting that high school during the 70s (perhaps aside from during the 60s). The concept brilliantly increases in effect as you dive further into the story, connecting with the main characters and grasping the reality of just how catastrophic such an event would truly be while placing a new spin on the real alienation and self-consciousness that is being a teenager. “I felt like I was looking into the future… and the future looked really messed up.” Dripping with teenage angst, rebellion and exploration that is on a one-way collision course with a total nightmare, Black Hole delivers a welcomed experienced that infected me the very moment I picked it up. Solid dialog, atmospheric art and smoothly transitioning narration bring to life a surrealistic combination of youth in the throes of a terrifying plague that has quickly climbed the ranks to one of my top graphic novel experiences to date. Yet, I am not recommending this to all. Why? Simply and only because of the nature of the content. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #98,133 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #213 in Horror Graphic Novels (Books) #1,655 in Coming of Age Fantasy (Books) #2,024 in Dark Fantasy | | Customer Reviews | 4.6 out of 5 stars 1,085 Reviews | ## Images ![Black Hole (Pantheon Graphic Library) - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71gd4vnJiNL.jpg) ## Available Options This product comes in different **Media Language, Media Format** options. ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Sex, Drugs, and Disease *by H***E on March 25, 2014* I read Black Hole for my graphic novel class. I had never heard of, and had no idea what to expect. Although it doesn't have page numbers, Goodreads says it is 352 pages long. It felt a lot shorter than that, as it moved extremely quickly. I finished it in two sittings. However, the content makes it seem longer -- this was a strange book. Black Hole I honestly got confused with this plot, which isn't something I can say about a lot of novels. This may have been, in part, because of the fact that two male characters (and even the main female character) all looked alike -- they all had black shoulder length hair with short bangs. I plan to go back through, and reread the novel again knowing that the two guys, Keith and Rob, are not the same person. Now this may have been a hard mistake to make for some, but it made things a little confusing at first for me. I believe the basic plot takes place in the 70s and is structured around Rob and Chris, who have a rocky start to a relationship, and their various friends. The other possible main character is Keith, who I figured out was a separate person from Rob about halfway in... All these people are somehow dealing with a type of 'bug' or disease that is being spread through sexual contact/saliva that physically disfigures people in strange ways (facial restructuring, growing new body parts -- Rob's second mouth, for example). This was really odd, and not well explained, but interesting all the same. This disease is incurable, and makes people social outcasts. Many who have it resort to living in the woods, stealing food to get by, and avoiding normal society. One thing that really struck me about this book was, unsurprisingly, the artwork. Partially because the characters do drugs quite a bit, and also partially due to the weirdness of their world, the artwork was beautiful and mind-opening, and just absolutely wonderful in every way. I know it sounds like I'm fawning over the art -- probably because I am. One character does artwork throughout the book, and you get to see some of it, and even that is wonderful in a weird, disturbing way. I spent much longer taking in the details of the strange layout (when Rob is tripping on LSD) than looking at the words that just described what he was seeing. The panels start to get wavy, start to weave into one another, and start to change shape when things get trippy -- I feel this was a fantastic way to help the reader know what the characters were experiencing. If you don't have an open mind about drugs, sex, and horrible teenage actions, I would warn you away from this book. However, if you are open to that sort of thing, I would highly recommend it. Even the 'sexual' drawings, shoot, even the art from the pornographic magazines, didn't feel out of place or negative. It all fit in so well with the content of the story, that I think it really worked. The only downside (if I can even call it that) is the confusing plot. I think on a second read, everything will clear up a bit. Though I know some of it won't -- that's part of the mystery of the book; the full spreads of black pages with a few white, spiraling objects makes you question the story, the characters, and their motives. Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and definitely plan to reread it soon. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Black Hole delivers a welcomed experienced that infected me the very moment I picked it up. *by T***D on April 13, 2017* *Warning – This GN includes heavy elements of sex, violence and drug use. Where do I start with this whirlwind of a read that left me with an unexpected and odd sort of satisfaction? I admit that I jumped into Black Hole almost fully blind. I had to make myself slow down and read through the synopsis. As someone who is developing a rapidly insatiable appetite for graphic novels, the deal was solidified when I noted the literary awards attached to the work and its author. Black Hole is set within the high school scene of the 70’s in Seattle. Needless to say there are drugs, alcohol and sex involved. We are thrown right into the lives of several teenagers who are not only tasked with the challenges of becoming young adults and self-discovery but doing so in the midst of a plague. A plague that happens to be transmitted through sexual contact. Yes, I think you can see where this is headed.. The sexually transmitted disease is spreading rapidly and causes mutations that range from minor to extreme abnormalities. During the course of the story, there is no cure. Students who acquire the disease become outcasts that are quickly ostracized by their peers upon discovery. Some have chosen to hide their subtle afflictions, while others have moved to isolated areas in attempt to achieve a safe and “peaceful” life. What ensues is a graphic tale of love, hate, sacrifice and violence. I want to address the artwork of Black Hole first because it was a huge success with me. Depicted solely in black and white, the illustrations still manage to provide a surprisingly rich and somewhat noir experience. No amount of detail has been sacrificed with lack of color and each scene transitions beautifully. I found this to be a strangely, aesthetically pleasing journey that set the appropriate atmosphere. The plot falls together quite well and manages to accomplish something remarkable in the end. If you are going to choose to write a graphic tale centered around an STD, I can think of no better setting that high school during the 70s (perhaps aside from during the 60s). The concept brilliantly increases in effect as you dive further into the story, connecting with the main characters and grasping the reality of just how catastrophic such an event would truly be while placing a new spin on the real alienation and self-consciousness that is being a teenager. “I felt like I was looking into the future… and the future looked really messed up.” Dripping with teenage angst, rebellion and exploration that is on a one-way collision course with a total nightmare, Black Hole delivers a welcomed experienced that infected me the very moment I picked it up. Solid dialog, atmospheric art and smoothly transitioning narration bring to life a surrealistic combination of youth in the throes of a terrifying plague that has quickly climbed the ranks to one of my top graphic novel experiences to date. Yet, I am not recommending this to all. Why? Simply and only because of the nature of the content. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Eueww! It touched me with its second mouth... *by S***Y on January 6, 2006* Outstanding! Absolutely the best graphic horror novel ever written, and brought together in one book that I literally finished in only a few hours. Then I had to go back, and peer once again at the wonderfully twisted graphic cells. Forget herpes and AIDS, this story is about a $exually transmitted disease that is sweeping through the teen population in Seattle WA during the 70's. Sure, it may be fatal, but when teenagers are so concerned about looks and cliques and fitting in, this little bug reaches into the core of their self esteem and strips it by making them become...freaks. Every reaction is different, from second mouths to boils to skin peels to total disfigurement. In an era of heavy greenery-smoking, a group of friends, including Keith Pearson, like to make their way to a private spot in the woods to get high. They find strange items, like a campsite of sorts. Keith is enamored by a girl in his biology class, Chris. But Chris has a crush on Rob Facincanni. At a party, Rob protests but Chris seduces him, only afterward discovering why he protested. Rob is one of "them", the 'diseased'. While Rob and Chris come to an understanding, Keith meets an affected girl names Eliza. Rob helps Christ to escape to the `encampment', a place where the 'diseased' live in peace, in their makeshift camps. Keith tries to save Chris from the camps, but still feels Eliza pulling him to her. But really, can anyone be saved from this monstrous evil? Is hiding the best way, or would running away be better? How many of the diseased within the camp are also diseased in the mind? What will happen to Keith, Chris, Rob, and Eliza? Certainly, you will find it to be more than your average teen must deal with. 'Black Hole' is heavy gauge graphic-novel-horror at the best its ever going to get. Subtle in places, horrific in others. The setting of the 70's really touched me also, concert tickets to Emerson, Lake & Palmer, David Bowie's "new" album 'Diamond Dogs', the parties, the smoking, the haircuts. Its all realistic and stupendously great. 'Black Hole' makes my teen years in the Seattle area not look so bad after all. The only thing I could find wrong with 'Black Hole' is that there wasn't enough of it. I want more. More disfigurement, more violence, more squinginess. If you read only one book in 2006, make sure it's 'Black Hole'. A MUST for any aficionado of the horror genre, and the graphic novel nuts. Definitely worth the price. 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