Product Description

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #13782 in Books
• Published on: 2005-02-01
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 144 pages

From Publishers Weekly
The nine-volume Bone graphic novel series was the toast of the comics world when it was published by Smith's own Cartoon Books beginning in the early 1990s; in this first volume of Scholastic's new edition, the original b&w art has been beautifully converted into color. Smith's epic concerns three blobby creatures who have stumbled into a valley full of monsters, magic, farmers, an exiled princess and a huge, cynical dragon. The story is something like a Chuck Jones version of The Lord of the Rings: hilarious and action-packed, but rarely losing track of its darker subtext about power and evil. This volume is the most lighthearted of the bunch, though, featuring some of the wittiest writing of any children's literature in recent memory--a few of Smith's gags are so delicious that he repeated them for the rest of the series. It also introduces the Bone cast's unforgettable supporting characters: the leathery, tough-as-nails, racing-cow-breeding Gran'ma Ben; the carnivorous but quiche-loving "rat creatures"; a spunky trio of baby opossums; and Ted the Bug, whose minimalist appearance (a tiny semicircle) exemplifies Smith's gift for less-is-more cartooning. The way his clear-lined, exaggerated characters contrast with their subtle, detailed backgrounds is a product of his background in animation, and so is his mastery of camera angles and choreography. This is first-class kid lit: exciting, funny, scary and resonant enough that it will stick with readers for a long time. (Feb.)
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From School Library Journal
Grade 5 Up–A whimsical journey, cunningly told. It combines fable with American legend in a tale of greed, friendship, and struggle. The story follows three cousins who have been thrown out of their town for cheating the citizens. Shortly thereafter, they are separated. Each Bone stumbles into a mysterious valley full of odd creatures that reveal strange happenings. The story is well paced with smooth transitions. It is dark, witty, mysterious, and exciting. The full-color art reflects that of classic comic books; one glance at the comic cels and one is reminded of old Disney and "Peanuts" cartoons. However, the animation and fresh story line put Smith in a league of his own.–Scott La Counte, Anaheim Public Library, CA
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Customer Reviews

An excellent graphic novel from Jeff Smith
"Out from Boneville" is the first volume of Jeff Smith's self-published comic book, "Bone." It tells the story of the Bone family, who are small white creatures that are never really explained, but interact with humans and animals. In volume 1, the protagonist of the story, Fone Bone, and his two cousins, Smiley and Phoney, find themselves run out of the town of Boneville, where they become lost in a strange valley. They soon discover the valley is filled with strange creatures (even stranger than themselves), many of which are hunting them for an unknown reason.

When I saw this in the library, it always looked like a kids' book, so I never gave it much thought until I saw it listed on one of those "Greatest Graphic Novels" lists. Smith has a very intriguing artistic style that can be simple (in the case of the bones and much of the background art), or more complex (as in the case with the character of Thorn and many of the humans). The art may be simple, but the story isn't. It can certainly be enjoyed by those of all ages. Although it contains some humor, the comic centers more on the story, which works well since it involves a fairly complex and rich story that is not overshadowed by the simplicity of the art. Volume 1 doesn't do much more than introduce the main characters and set up some of the future storylines, but it is very well conveyed and the reader gets the sense that this is much more than the traditional comic.

Although originally published in black and white, this version is in color, which I highly recommend over the black and white strip. The coloring by Steve Hamaker really adds a lot to these editions and I would strongly advise people to get these editions over the black and whites. Also, it is advised to read this comic in order, since you won't know what is going on if you start with a later volume. The volumes read very quickly however, and it only takes about an hour to read an entire volume. The rest of the series is as follows:

Bone Volume 2: The Great Cow Race
Bone Volume 3: Eyes of the Storm
Bone Volume 4: The Dragonslayer
Bone Volume 5: Rock Jaw: Master of the Eastern Border
Bone Volume 6: Old Man's Cave
Bone Volume 7: Ghost Circles
Bone Volume 8: Treasure Hunters
Bone Volume 9 Crown of Horns (Bone Series)

Bone: One Volume Edition - If you plan on reading the whole series, get this, which has every volume listed above.

Bone rocks!
My son says, "Great adventure story." He loves the characters and plans to read all the installments in this series.

Bone Volume 1: Out From Boneville

The charm and wit goes colour!
When Jeff Smith created his "Bone" saga, he was doing something right. What is there not to like about the three charming Bone cousins - the resourceful Fone Bone, the greedy Phoney Bone, and the inscrutable Smiley Bone? And how can you not get caught up in their dramatic adventures? But Smith's Bone is more than just a cute comic strip. It shows the evolution of the graphic novel as a viable literary format, with all the hallmarks that we've come to expect from traditional fiction:

1. Characterization - the three Bone characters have endearing and memorable qualities with immediate appeal, and the other characters in their world are equally, outstanding, charming, and unique.
2. Setting - Jeff's Smith world is peopled by a variety of other fantastic creatures and characters (Thorn, Rose Gran'ma Ben, Ted the insect, the Great Red Dragon, the Possum Kids, Stupid Rat Creatures, and others). The Bone-iverse has Tolkiensque overtones, and will be an instant hit with fans of the fantasy genre.
3. Plot - after leaving Boneville and entering a fantasy world of monsters and magic, the Bone cousins quickly get caught up in a compelling and suspenseful adventure story.
4. Style - Smith is a great story-teller, and his narrative has a great deal of wit, humour and charm, although the story becomes more serious and less comic as the story progresses. But once you're hooked, you're in for the ride until the protagonists complete their adventures.

If there is a complaint, it would be that I was disappointed to see several instances where God's Name was misused. One weakness of the original black-and-white edition has been overcome, however, now the Bone adventures have been re-released by Scholastic in full colour, and this colour edition is truly impressive. Those of us who enjoy Smith's unique blend of light-hearted comic and epic fantasy will welcome this re-released colour version only too readily!

Be warned however that the complete tale isn't told in this particular edition, which is the first volume in the series and contains only the first six episodes. It ends on a suspenseful note with further action imminent. Eight volumes were to follow, although all 55 episodes are now available in a one-volume edition of nearly 1300 pages. If you make it to the last page of the first volume, you'll likely want to read them all, although be aware that in the later volumes the story becomes more serious, much like Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings advanced beyond the initial charm of The Hobbit. While the later volumes deepen the literary qualities of this work, some readers will find that they lack some of the accessibility and appeal of the entry story.

A comparison with the usually incomparable Lord of the Rings might seem ridiculous, but I can appreciate why many have even dared suggest it. Smith himself credits his interest in mythology and his sense of mystery to Tolkien's Lord of the Rings and George Lucas' Star Wars trilogy. Unlike these, the Bone saga is naturally much more light-hearted, at least in its inception, and won't quite attain the impact or depth of more serious graphic novels, although it shares with LOTR and Star Wars an epic scope. As a blend of light hearted comedy, slapstick humor, adventure, and epic fantasy, Bone is a comic for all ages, and for the ages. GODLY GADFLY (2007)