Wenzel, Kurt

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Great artwork.
Not at all like Busiek's more sophisticated works.
A great work in an underused genre
The Worst Evil You'll Ever Meet
Magic, Mayhem and Great Graphics

Wizards Tale
Kurt Busiek
Manufacturer: Image Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Stardust

ASIN: 1887279342

Customer Reviews:

Great artwork........2003-12-13

This comic caught my eye with its very nice-looking artwork, And, indeed, the one unalloyed positive aspect of the book is the art: it simply oozes with warmth and charm creating the old-tyme fantasy feel the artist was clearly going for. It seemed to me that what we had here was clearly an homage to the classic swords-and-sorcery type of thing, and, although (let's face it) the vast majority of fantasy is hideously bad, I can definitely in theory get behind the concept, so I was willing to check this out.

My assumption was correct, of course, more or less. Regrettably, it also features the ever-so-cutesy conceit of self-aware characters who know and frequently comment upon the fact that they're acting out fantasy cliches, but I suppose I can live with that in this one instance.

At any rate, I did enjoy the comic, in the hour or so it took me to read it, but once I was finished, I realized how remarkably flimsy and insubtantial it was. For all that it involves a potentially cataclysmic good vs. evil struggle, there's no particular sense of conflict or urgency conveyed. Sure, we know good is going to triumph, but does it have to triumph in such a lackadaisical manner? The biggest obstacle is the title wizard's self-doubt, but let's face it, this ain't going to win any prizes as a psychological drama; we really need something more than that.

And what's the deal with the kid, anyway? Okay, yes, I know that this particular template includes a humble village boy who goes on adventures and sees the world et cetera, but here he plays little meaningful role. Characters have to have a purpose other than just being there because we think they OUGHT to be there, and he does not. And then at the end they make him KING? Okay, once again, followin' the template, but seriously, what the HELL? He does nothing particularly noteworthy over the course of the story. What possible qualifications could he have? And just where do these people get the authority to be appointing absolute rulers, anyway?

So anyway, I can't really recommend this comic. Unless you just want it for the artwork, I find it difficult to justify paying the heftyish price for something this lightweight.

Not at all like Busiek's more sophisticated works........2002-12-12

I'm a fan of Kurt Busiek, but I found this book to fall way below the (high) standards he set with the "Astro City" series. Maybe he was just aiming for a pre-adolescent audience. In fact, it might be an OK kid's story, but, if you are a more "mature reader", I suggest that you pass it up.

A great work in an underused genre.......2001-11-30

Okay, so we all know Superheroes dominate the world of comic books. We can't deny that. But they are by no means the only genre -- horror comics were huge at one point, as were romances, westerns, science fiction and crime comics, all of which survive in one form or another to day.

But one genre which has always been oddly neglected in the realm of comics is pure, epic fantasy. I mean the Tolkien-esque, swords and sorcery style of storytelling. It has existed, to be sure, but it's never been big.

Kurt Busiek tried to remedy that in this woefully underrated graphic novel. The tale of an evil wizard who, frankly, isn't very good at being evil, is a wonderful story with a lot of humor, a lot of magic and a lot of heart. The artwork is beautiful and, if given the proper push, this is the sort of story that could bring fantasy into mainstream comics in a big way.

Busiek is one of the best writers the artform knows. "Marvels" and "Astro City" are masterpieces of superhero fiction. "Shockrockets" was a great science fiction tale. Now check out Busiek's take on fantasy -- you won't be disappointed.

The Worst Evil You'll Ever Meet.......2001-01-16

It is almost criminal that Amazon does not provide a cover image for this book. It would give a barest hint of David Wenzel's art, which beautifly illustrates this full color volume.

Once upon a time, there was a land called Ever-Night. A place where evil ruled, because good had been defeated many years ago. But even so, the last forces of good had managed to steal and hide the Book of Worse, and prevented the casting of the spell that would ensure evil's supremacy forever. Bafflerog Rumplewhisker, the nicest evil old wizard imaginable, is commanded to find the Book of Worse and insure the ultimate supremacy of evil. To his dismay, Gumpwort, the guardian of its location, willingly tells him where the book is. Now he must leave his comfortable castle, journeying with Muddle, the third son of a woodcutter, avoid the efforts of the Darksome Council to pry the information out of him for themselves, all the while wondering just why Gumpwort decided to trust him with the hiding place of the Book of Worse in the first place.

The Wizard's Tale is a charming fantasy graphic novel for all ages. If you like fantasy at all, and don't feel a need for stories where doom and gloom drip off every word, get this book.

Magic, Mayhem and Great Graphics.......2000-07-08

This book is a refreshing change from...well, either manga or your "usual" Marvel-type graphic novels. A light-hearted but engaging story of a befuddled magician, his "apprentice" and their adventures. The cover art caught my eye with its intricate details, playful coloring and style. The same style carries throughout the book, making for a wonderful blend of art and word. Suitable for younger readers as well as afficianados of the genre.

Average customer rating:

Green behind the ears but refreshing
Oh, grow up!
Far from "Tragic"
funny and true
The sequel I was waiting for!

Gotham Tragic: A Novel
Kurt Wenzel
Manufacturer: Back Bay Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Lit Life: A Novel
Good Grief
The Godfather's Revenge
Dead Watch

ASIN: B000OV16QM

Book Description

Kyle Clayton struck it big over a decade ago with his debut novel; since then he's had hardly a sober moment. Now he's fallen in love with a Turkish woman, and in order to marry her, he must convert to Islam. Erin Wyatt is a waitress at Manhattan's hottest restaurant, City.She had an affair with Kyle during his drunken decade, and while he can't remember a thing about it, she certainly does. Investment tycoon Lonny Tumin, the owner of City, is wildly rich, but-it being New York-not rich enough. Before GOTHAM TRAGIC is done, Clayton will write a story about his conversion that will result in militant Muslims declaring a fatwa against him. Erin will discover that her aunt may have written a manuscript proving the existence of God. Tumin will concoct a totally fictitious Internet company and launch a wildly successful IPO. And Syeed Salaam, the doorman at City, will decide that the fatwa against Clayton must be carried out, no matter the cost. Brilliantly plotted, GOTHAM TRAGIC is a pitch-perfect send-up of money and celebrity culture. It's not a black comedy so much as a red, white, and blue one, and the next big step forward for a writer whose gifts are as impressive as the Manhattan skyline.

Customer Reviews:

Green behind the ears but refreshing.......2006-05-14

I picked up this novel at the same time I purchased his wife Ty Wenzel's book Behind Bars. Where Behind Bars lacked in creativity and interest beyond the cronicles of a Manhatten bar fly drink slinger, Kurt Wenzel has surpassed with a look at the clouded American attitude. As a newer author Kurt has a fresh style that with nurturing with make him a literary great. Excellent work Kurt! I look forward to your other books!

Oh, grow up!.......2004-11-04

If he works very hard and is a very good (or bad) boy, Kurt Wenzel might grow up to be Tom Wolfe.

Ok, a Tom Wolfe who prefers cocaine to acid, but it's all there: the insights into how race and religion color American life, the deft handling of dialogue and description, the delightful word choices ("diction" to those of us who teach composition), the perspective of the too-cool omniscient narrator. Hey, in some respects he out-Wolfes Wolfe: is not a Puissant Pixie more evocative than a Bottomless Tart?

He's not there yet. I can't imagine Wolfe making the howling error I noticed on page 9: "Then he noticed the microthin headset that jettisoned her cheek . . . ." Sorry, Kurt. To jettison means to discard, to throw overboard. How can a headset discard a cheek? Similarly, see page 11: ". . . the text laid out spherically along the page like a pinwheel." All the definitions of sphere that I'm familiar with emphasize the 3-dimensional nature of the construct; it is physically impossible to arrange printed text on a flat page spherically. I would also quibble with the City's dining room being described as "tenebrous" on page 131 -- it's dark, yes, but not gloomy.

That's okay by me. Wenzel is too young to be perfect. I'm content to wait. Like Browning, I believe "the best is yet to be."

Far from "Tragic".......2004-04-29

Kurt Wenzel avoids the sophomore slump in "Gotham Tragic," the oddly-titled follow-up to the witty "Lit Life." This time around, Wenzel dabbles in more than just the perils of being a writer, putting out questions about religion, culture and ethics, without bogging down the book itself.

It's New York in 1999. Kyle Clayton was one of those incisive 80s authors who wrote hit cynical novels. Since then, life has been one boozy debauched streak. Now he has married an exotic Turkish woman, Ayla, and at her urging has converted to Islam (which seems to be the one part of her life where she follows tradition). Her family (best described as Mid-East hillbillies) is uncomfortable with him, and her dad HATES him. And his marriage to Ayla would be even more endangered if she knew he was planning to get a mistress.

Around this same time, Kyle's latest short story comes out: a thinly-veiled retelling of his problems with Ayla's family, and his doubts about Islam. The story is a huge hit, but (a la Salman Rushdie) now militant Muslims are mad at him. Now Kyle is faced with a rapidly deteriorating marriage, a bigoted multimillionaire with some dirty secrets in his closet, and a devout doorman who has declared a fatwa against him (IE, he's going to hunt Kyle down and kill him). That is, if Kyle's father-in-law doesn't kill him first.

"Gotham Tragic" is the jaded New Yorker novel with a millennial twist, with plenty of humor and attitude. Not to mention weird plot twists -- there's a waittress whose aunt has supposedly written a book proving the existance of God. But Wenzel keeps a tight grip on his plot, and it never quite runs away from him. Some readers may be a little offput by the upbeat ending, but it doesn't come out of nowhere.

Wenzel's humor just avoids being silly at times (a Chinese teenager is called "Wey Tu Yung"). But it's to Wenzel's credit that he manages to do what Kyle set out to do. He tackles philosophical and religious questions and paradoxes -- and not just for Islam either, but also relating to Judaism and Christianity. In America at this time, that's especially hard to do in a novel without treading on some toes, but he manages to do it.

Kyle grows up quite a bit over the course of "Gotham Tragic," usually in painful ways. His wife Ayla could use a bit more fleshing out, like the smart waitress/aspiring actress Erin. Don't be worried about stereotyped Muslims here -- there are Muslim characters of all types and stripes, open-minded or... well, like Ayla's dad.

"Gotham Tragic" lightly walks the tightrope between satire and serious novel, only tripping occasionally over itself. Funny and witty novel, one of the most engaging ones of 2004 thus far.

funny and true.......2004-04-06

Wenzel will have a long career if he keeps writing with as many sharp and hilarious edges as he does in his second New York comedy (after Lit Life, which was also fantastic.) Highly recommended.

The sequel I was waiting for!.......2004-03-11

After reading Wenzel's brilliant "Lit Life" I was left satisfied but was going to miss his bad-boy hero, Kyle Clayton. Thank God Wenzel has brought him back in "Gotham Tragic" - but with new twists. He's married a Muslim woman, also a brilliant turn of events. By the time you're through reading this novel about New York before the millenium turnover, you'll have seen a fatwa after Clayton, an elderly woman mysteriously writing a book proving the existence of God, a restaurant tycoon in the middle of an internet ipo disaster and much much more. And it's hilarious. 9/11 looms in foreshadowing which was wildly emphasized at a final party at the restaurant, City, which is where everything culminates at the big New Year's Eve party and bang - the you-know-what hits the fan. Wenzel's writing is succinct and clever, at times touching and sentimental for a New York before the big cloud. And I loved following Kyle Clayton for one more ride. He's the anti-hero, or as Wenzel calls him, the last great literary fool. Very fun and entertaining and still relevant literature in the way Bonfire of the Vanities was. A definite buy - you won't regret it!

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Exposure: A Novel
Kurt Wenzel
Manufacturer: Little, Brown and Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0316093971

Book Description

Los Angeles, a few years from now. Technology has changed the rules of the movie business with old, long-dead stars brought digitally back to life. Billboards cover every available surface of the city, beaming out a constant flood of commercials starring the likes of John Wayne, Marilyn Monroe, and--the great exception, the last "real" movie star--Colt Reston. But something is going wrong: A group of anti-tech rebels are attacking the billboards, inspired by a mysterious manifesto known as "The Black Book." A burnt out screenwriter addicted to the latest hot drug finds his world wobbling. Colt takes ill with an unexplained disease-- perhaps literally dying of overexposure. A guru who might know why has vanished. And then Montgomery Clift suddenly walks off his virtual set and goes AWOL.... A blistering mash-up of William Gibson, The Ring, and Chuck Palahniuk, EXPOSURE is a great step forward for Kurt Wenzel. Convulsive and thrilling, EXPOSURE is a devastating tour de force by one of the best novelists working today.

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Wizard's Tale
Kurt and Wenzel, David Busiek
Manufacturer: Homage Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Leather Bound
ASIN: B000LPWJPI

Average customer rating:

Depressing, predictable, and boring
Engrossing Page Turning Dramady
Funny, sad first novel on lives of New York writers
Diving in the Shallow End
Spend a Summer with Writers in NY for $12

Lit Life (Nova Audio Books)
Kurt Wenzel
Manufacturer: Nova Audio Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette

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Gotham Tragic: A Novel
The Losers Club: Complete Restored Edition!

ASIN: 158788402X
Release Date: 2001-07-01

Book Description

Set in Manhattan and the Hamptons, LIT LIFE takes us on a romp through the world of two writers. Kyle Clayton, a once-hot-now-not young author/provocateur moves through the New York nightlife in an inebriated haze until he meets his literary hero, the dyspeptic and obscure novelist Richard Whitehurst, who tries to set him right. Whitehurst is suffering his own form of breakdown, due to years of public ambivalence to his work and his own neglect of his much younger wife. As the two spirits collide, they find in the other the crutch they've both been seeking. The question of which is worth more, celebrity or credibility, is one we all grapple with in the publishing industry, and Kyle and Richard do their best to answer it for us.

Download Description

Set in Manhattan and the Hamptons, Lit Life is a romp through the world of two writers: Kyle Clayton, a "once hot" young author, and Richard Whitehurst, his literary hero. As these two collide, each finds in the other the crutch he has been seeking.

Customer Reviews:

Depressing, predictable, and boring.......2006-05-13

I picked this up because I love to write. It started strong but went downhill from there. The only parts I enjoyed were the trials and travails of writers, which seemed accurate enough, but what do I know? The plot was too predictable at times. I didn't feel any compassion for any of the characters, mostly because I didn't feel like I knew them well enough.

Engrossing Page Turning Dramady.......2004-07-26

From the introduction on through this book keeps your attention. A great story of comedy with heartfelt drama and sadness. A mix of a little of everyhing. Great potential for a movie.

Funny, sad first novel on lives of New York writers.......2004-02-18

Lit Life is Kurt Wenzel first novel, and is centered on three characters: Kyle Clayton, whose first novel was a huge success, but has written nothing else for years; Richard Whitehurst, who is called America's most underrated writer, having failed to achieve success despite a lifetime of hard work and respectable reviews; and Whitehurst's wife Meryl, who after decades of marriage to Whitehurst sees their relationship dying as a result of the writer's failure to achieve the success he has dreamed of. Clayton and Whitehurst could not seem more different -- Clayton has spent the years since his first novel getting drunk and chasing women, while Whitehurst has shown an almost monkish dedication to his work, to the point that he is alienated from his wife and daughter. However, the differences between the two result in a relationship. Clayton has long admired Whitehurst's work, and Whitehurst admires Clayton's work and envies his fame. By the time the two meet, that fame has gone sour -- Clayton finds himself listed in an article in New York magazine as one of the 100 most obnoxious New Yorkers. Whitehurst persuades Clayton to spend the summer with him in the Hamptons, and this intrusion into Whitehurst's settled life has consequences that no one could have expected.

This description of the plot makes the book sound like grim reading. It is not. Clayton's escapades at throughout the book, as he gets drunk, behaves (at times) badly, and ponders the possibility of agreeing to product placement in his next book are all very funny. The last idea is not as fanciful as it sounds; a noted British novelist agreed to such a deal (I don't know if Wenzel anticipated it or not). While Wenzel has some interesting things to say about the life of a writer, he does so in a way that has broad appeal -- this is not a navel-gazing book. And Wenzel is quick to see the humor in his other charactes as well. The book is best described as a satire.

Wenzel is a highly skilled writer. He moves the vantage point of the novel from Clayton, to Whitehurst, and to Meryl to show how the characters view themselves and each other. This is an effective way to flesh a character out. And Wenzel handles his three main characters well -- none of them are stereotypes.

The book moves smoothly from comedy to tragedy, with an very effective ending. I look forward to Wenzel's next book.

Diving in the Shallow End.......2003-11-12

I'll be up front: this book was not what I was hoping for. I'd read in the descriptions that it was about two writers at different points in their lives spending together. I naively thought that meant they would form some sort of bond and learn about WRITING and life from each other. That never really materialized. Instead, "Lit Life" is a "satire" that demonstrates all that is wrong with the publishing industry; it is a book more concerned with dishing dirt than building an effective, meaningful story. In a world where sleaze sells, "Lit Life" is there with all the sleaze a modern reader could ask for. Drugs, drinking, sex, affairs, and ultimately a suicide; this book is like a literary soap opera.

"Lit Life"'s main conundrum is that either you can be a great artist with no recognition like Richard Whitehurst or popular, rich, and not talented like Richard's nemesis Arthur. These two spend a summer trying to bend young, troubled author Kyle Clayton to their point of view. There is no real middle ground if you believe "Lit Life"; you're either one or the other. You can't be a wealthy and talented writer, can you? Unfortunately I don't know enough famous writers to answer that question, but I don't believe that for a moment. As a writer hoping to get published someday, I CAN'T believe that.

Overall, my problem with "Lit Life" is that Wenzel glosses over important moments of the story. For example, readers never even see Richard invite Kyle to stay with him. Nor do readers see much of Richard and Kyle together during the summer; everything that Kyle learns from Richard is told second-hand instead of actually witnessed by the reader. Take Wenzel's word for it, Kyle was really influenced by Richard. Wait, wasn't that the whole crux of the story? Wasn't that THE story? So maybe it's just me, but I think we might want to flesh that out a little more than a couple paragraphs here and there. No, instead let's talk about another party, that's really what this story is about--parties.

Enough of my ranting. If you're in the publishing industry then I suggest you read this book; this "satire" will probably be right up your alley. Or if you want some light airplane reading and want to believe that all writers are either toiling futilely or selling their souls to Hollywood, then "Lit Life" has you covered. For those few who want a book more interested in developing a story than dishing gossip, move on to something else.

Was this review helpful to you? Nope. Was it helpful to me? You betcha.

Spend a Summer with Writers in NY for $12.......2002-07-17

I'm no literary guru or genius, but I know what I like when I see it, and I like this book -- a lot.

Without sounding as if I'm saying that the story is plain, this book is proof that sometimes the way a story is told is more important than the story itself. Sure, the tale of the two major writer-characters is interesting, but without Wenzel's extraordinary character development, it might not be satisfying enough; Wenzel's efforts in this regard left me feeling not only that I knew the characters very well, but also that I had summered with them in the Hamptons. And what colorful characters they are! You may not uncover the meaning of life, but you will have a good time -- and isn't that what it's all about?

If you've ever even contemplated writing a novel, or if you have a love affair as many of us do with all things New York (City and Hamptons, that is), then this book will give you pleasure.

Well done, Mr. Wenzel!

The Wizard's Tale Vol. I: Signed & Numbered Edition
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The Wizard's Tale Vol. I: Signed & Numbered Edition
Kurt Busiek
Manufacturer: Image Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1887279768

Medien- und Kommunikationssoziologie. Eine Einführung in zentrale Begriffe und Theorien.
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Medien- und Kommunikationssoziologie. Eine Einführung in zentrale Begriffe und Theorien.
Harro Zimmermann , Kurt Imhof , Josef Wehner , Ulrich Wenzel , Friedrich Krotz , Klaus Neumann-Braun , and Stefan Müller-Doohm
Manufacturer: Juventa
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 3779914611

Gotham Tragic [LARGE PRINT]
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Gotham Tragic [LARGE PRINT]
Kurt Wenzel
Manufacturer: RB Large Print
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NYKC2Y

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Gotham Tragic
Kurt Wenzel
Manufacturer: Little, Brown and Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OTNEJQ

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Gotham Tragic
Kurt Wenzel
Manufacturer: Back Bay Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OTS8N8

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