Black Hole
Black Hole by Charles Burns, published by Pantheon Books in January 2008, is a graphic novel that delves into the unsettling experiences of suburban Seattle teenagers in the mid-1970s. The narrative centers around a strange plague transmitted through sexual contact, manifesting in various grotesque and subtle forms. As the story unfolds, readers are introduced to a range of characters, some afflicted by the disease and others on the brink of infection, revealing a haunting exploration of high school alienation and the complexities of adolescence.
In this reprint edition, Black Hole presents a vivid and eerie portrait of teenage life, marked by savagery, anxiety, and a yearning for escape. The graphic novel captures the cultural tensions of the era, illustrating the challenges faced by youth caught between shifting societal norms. As the plot progresses, the narrative takes a darker turn with the emergence of murders, further complicating the characters’ struggles. This edition spans 368 pages and is available in English, offering a unique blend of horror and social commentary that resonates with themes of identity and belonging.
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Winner of the Eisner, Harvey, and Ignatz Awards
The setting: suburban Seattle, the mid-1970s. 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 — the savagery, the cruelty, the relentless anxiety and ennui, the longing for escape.
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…
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