X'ED OUT

the book cover (above ), taken from Burns inspiration of TinTin ( see below )

BURNS BURNS BURNS

Just ordered Charles Burns latest release ' X'ed Out'. It's a bit cliche and exaggerated to say a book can change your life. But Charles Burns 'Black Hole' really did.
I've been wanting to write about Black Hole for a while now. I begged my mom to get me it for Christmas one year and a Daniel Clowes 'Ghostworld' Phenomena, I was desperate to witness more of this closed, almost forgotten but distinctive culture. When I was sixteen, I read the graphic novel back to back for days- urging to create a following story in my mind. It had the be the best thing I had ever read. You look at everything in a new light after something like this. For the remainder of my teens I craved to be a 1970's grunge child from Seattle suburbia with typical high school flings and weird boys to surround my time with. Burns had created a community of dreamers, escapists from this dull, mediocre world-a real experience, like a nightmare that's too intense- it can't end so you close your eyes for it to carry on.

VICE interview Burns, in their latest literature edition-

On the myth of the long awaited supposedly Paramount Pictures Black Hole Movie ( which, by the way- I was worried they had idea's of making it into a cheap horror although, Slither did come to mind):

Burns simply stated that when he was done with Black Hole, he went through a period where if he wanted to make an initial script for Black Hole, he could of- but he decided not too. A part of me agrees that maybe a movie, although it could be a great success- it could damage the purity of the tale. Most movies tend to trail off from it's original storyline and cater to a specific audiences needs. If this movie was proposed to be released in a theatric yet independent or even an area of world cinema, it could work- but to alter and over expose the creation- exclusive as it seems, it's best to maybe keep it to the real fans.

'Black Hole is like the golden ring. Everyone wants to make a script of it.' - Charles Burns

On X'ed Out:

'This time, Burn's own rememberings as a punk rocker / prentencious art school kid alternate with a surreal complementary story line in which a TinTin-ish character wonders the Burroughs-esque city of monsters, intrigue and paranoia.'

I didn't think anything could top Black Hole, However this seems to be a creation of something entirely different. Released in a series of volumes, X'ed out Vol 1 is out now.