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The Understanding Monster - Book One Hardcover – September 1, 2012

by Theo Ellsworth (Author)

4.5 6 ratings

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An epic journey of the creative spirit begins as a cast of characters works to reunite Izadore with his body.

In a mutating house full of growing toys, a multi-dimensional robot, a Werewolf Exorcist and a reanimated mummy attempt to rescue a complicated being named Izadore. A Lynd Ward Prize Honor Book, the Understanding Monster—Book One is an exquisite exploration into the inner workings of an imaginary world.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Ellsworth fills every bit of every page with grotesque patterns and textures and doodles, and his writing is similarly wild-eyed. Nominally an adventure story involving a mouse, “phantom skeletons” and “toy growth formations,” the book is mostly an urgent (and often very funny) attempt to explain a coocoo-rococo cosmology made up of garbled fragments of role-playing games, “Transformers” episodes, relaxation exercises and horror movies. " – The New York Times

"If you missed Book One, it might not be a problem, because despite the artist’s excessively explanatory dialogue, I’m baffled by the narrative and subtext of this eerie fairy tale (mostly taking place in the mind of an immobilized mummy and involving ghosts, a laughing demon and a three-eyed house gnome). But despite my confusion, I unequivocally enjoyed the bewildering experience of navigating this visual feast." – The Chicago Tribune

"Ellsworth’s weird little tales sometimes read like acid trips of the future, complete with lonely robots and unknown creatures. But there’s also a nice personal story threading through this. I have no idea why this guy isn’t considered a comics God yet. Maybe someday he rightfully will be." – The Huffington Post

"Ellsworth conjures up a dizzying array of beautiful, intricately patterned, labyrinthine drawings, perfectly capturing the spiraling sprawl of the narrative within a narrative within a narrative. What keeps this soufflé from collapsing is this: no matter how bizarre the proceedings, Izadore’s odyssey always maintains its internal (il)logic. Somehow, Ellsworth manages to make a perfect sort of sense, and we root for Izadore to escape the forces aligned against him and complete his quest." – The Comics Journal

"In Ellsworth’s intricately crafted trilogy, a group of toys in a shapeshifting house save and revive Izadore, a being destined to transcend “Toy Mountain” and regain his corporeality. Along the way, a bevy of bizarre incidents and obstacles attempt to block Izadore. The story reflects Ellsworth’s own mentality and ideas on creativity and personality." – Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Theo Ellsworth is a self-taught artist and storyteller living in the mountains of Montana with a witch doctor and their two sons. He is a co-founder of the Pony Club Gallery in Portland, Oregon, and has served on the jury of the Small Press Expo's Ignatz Awards. His art, which Pitchfork describes as "a combination of Where the Wild Things Are, a fever dream, a pagan woodland ceremony, and a notebook doodle," has shown at galleries across the country, including Giant Robot in New York and Los Angeles, and has graced the covers of several popular musicians' albums, including Ramona Falls and Flying Lotus. Most recently, he has collaborated with Viscosity Theatre on the stage production of Mystery Mark, incorporating his artwork into the stage design and costumes.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Secret Acres; First Edition (September 1, 2012)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 72 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0983166242
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0983166245
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 14 years and up
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.37 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 9.2 x 0.5 x 11.3 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #4,454,194 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #5,226 in Literary Graphic Novels (Books)
- #6,834 in Metaphysical & Visionary Fiction (Books)
- #9,325 in Time Travel Fiction

Customer Reviews:
4.5 6 ratings

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4.5 out of 5

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RJ SAMUL

I explained the complexity of his art and the amazing things you can find in the illustrations and texts

Reviewed in the United States on September 21, 2016

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I am a writing teacher and while I was teaching a graphic novel course, I introduced Theo Ellsworth to my students. I explained the complexity of his art and the amazing things you can find in the illustrations and texts. They are more than just a frame-by-frame story, they are ruminations on the strangest, silliest, and sometimes most profound places in the world. When you look at the pages, there is a significant respect for the detail and feel of the images and designs. His first book "Capacity" is also an amazing study in complexity and beauty. Creativity spills off the page.

The day I introduced his work to my class, I noticed one girl who didn't say much in class. She was the only one left when the class was over and she sat there staring at the images. After about fifteen minutes, she whispered, "This is amazing. This is amazing." When she realized how much time went by, she smiled and said, "This is awesome. I was lost in it."

One person found this helpful

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C. Schott

Three Stars

Reviewed in the United States on October 23, 2014

Verified Purchase

Nice drawings but the color quality is crap.

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Dirk

Theo Ellsworth is an undiscovered classic

Reviewed in the United States on June 24, 2013

Verified Purchase

Imaginative, evocative, and such rich illustrations... you can't go wrong with any of this guy's work. You won't be disappointed.

One person found this helpful

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Lauri in oregon

you just have to see this for yourself.

Reviewed in the United States on August 27, 2015

Verified Purchase

Ellsworth is an amazing artist and his imagination is like a dream

Reviewed in the United States on January 20, 2014

Get on the boat before this one sells out! Theo's previous book Capacity just sold out of its second print run... And with volume two of this puppy set to drop in the fall you gotta get caught up!
There is so much going on in here! Plots inside characters inside houses inside other characters, and the jigsaw is only partially revealed. I can't wait to see how we got here and where we're going.
Any you'll feel involved! There are mind buttons to push!
Theo's worlds are very vivid, very real, and a very specific vision. Textured, exquisite, curious, biological, vicious. Get this extremely cool book!

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