I absolutely enjoyed this graphic novel. I was surprised at how large the book is. It was perfect for immersing oneself into the life of Al. I vaguely knew of his life, so I was very excited to get this title in my hands. And I love that Al himself was speaking in first person to tell his perspective of his life and the choices he made. The beautiful artwork pulled me in every time and captivated my interest. This is definitely a good read I would reread and recommend to others.

This book was a great use of the graphic novel medium. The pictures and text worked together to demonstrate the grit and gore of the gangster era of America. They also frequently contrasted each other to allow for the perspective of Capone, and contradictory histories to share a story where the full truth will never be fully known. This allows the reader to decide for themselves how they will feel about a character who was powerful, brutal, but who may have had a better side as well. Art Deco illustrations share the glamor of the era but other panels are sketched in a way that shares the seedy side of this same coin. Black Panel also crafts beautiful solid books that are worth the investment in a physical copy.

i wasn't too sure what to expect when this book arrived on my doorstep. First off, totally surprised at the size of the book. I was expecting something smaller than a 8x11 book. However, the size is perfect for the artwork! Might even be cooler if it was printed a little larger to fit Capone's personality but then the book would be a bit more pricey. The story was engaging and grabbed me from the start. Only put it down briefly to use the restroom. That's how much I wanted to finish this book! Anyone ever seen the HBO show Boardwalk Empire? I felt a lot of remnants from that storytelling in this graphic novel as it was just as interesting as that show. The perceptive of Capone telling his own version of events with actual facts being illustration was an unique feature as well and help twists his perception of a guy just trying to get by verses THE TRUTH. Loved it! Could definitely see a teacher using this book in a history class somewhere to help students learn more about the most prominent gangster in history. This comic also hit home more for me as well since I currently reside in Illinois and have lived in Downtown Chicago for a brief time. Certain locations portrayed in the graphic novel flashed before my memory as I was enthralled in the big foot art style of PF Radice. Would definitely recommend this read to any and all who may be interested in seeing Meralli's interpretation of Capone based on his own thoughts and other works. Check it out!

The book is an engrossing read for anyone interested in true crime stories. The writer does a great job of placing you within the inner psyche of Capone, with believable dialog. Mostly told from a first person perspective, the story plays with the idea that Capone is an unreliable narrator of his own story; this is juxtaposed with events that play out differently based on research the writer has gathered. As for the art itself, at first it seems a bit innocent, and light hearted with very rounded figures and stylized designs, but then it really delivers some gore that is very deftly illustrated with interesting panel layouts and gritty textures. The whole book feels like you stepped into some back room in the the prohibition era, filled with smoke and the grimy reality of the time period. The bold black shading that looks like it was made with charcoal really lends itself to this smoky atmospheric world the illustrator has created. I wasn't sure what to expect at first, but I would highly recommend this anyone who is looking for something interesting to read in graphic novel form.

The million little indignities, insults, and "mind-your-own-business" moments of a woman's life are well sampled in this visual rant, with an imagined super-hero to right the wrongs. There's not much of a plot, but making these points real certainly has a place. That said, the visual style doesn't appeal to me. It's pretty loose, and not all of the distortions seem to support the text. And there's not much of a plot. Even a meandering "day in the life" might flow better. The comics that attract me most have strong visual style - a description that applies widely - and compelling characters and plot. I'm not here to tell the author what to write, just what I like to read. And this isn't a great match. -- wiredweird

The book utilizes a common device: it is told in the first person, as Alphonso Capone- on his way to Alcatraz prison-, attempts to justify his life to his mother. This allows the reader to make Capone the hero of the story, and sympathize with him, and at the same time judge him as the vicious murderous thug he is portrayed as being. We get to watch Capone invent or improve all the ways a thug can become a crime boss: intimidation, violence, buying crooked politicians, etc. while the voice-over has Capone claiming his innocence and victimization. Violence, in particular, was a major part of Al Capone's life, apparently. As a warning to the reader, the book doesn't stint on showing the pitched battles he was involved in, along with beatings, gangland slayings (including, of course, the Saint Valentine's day massacre), and more. The illustrator Pierre-Francois Radice, uses a Brutalist style to convey these events. It is very effective, but it's not "cartoon violence" so I suggest this is not a book for children. About the artwork: kudos to M. Radice for excellent pictorial story-telling. There are full-page and two-page spreads that are brilliant: a scene-setting view of Brooklyn in 1899 with the Brooklyn Bridge being built in the background; a meeting of Chicago crime bosses, with Capone getting angry at the way the Italian mob is being treated; an overhead view of the squalid Alcatraz prison cell where Capone lived for more than a decade; Capone at his height as the King of Chicago contemplating his city from an Art Deco stuffed penthouse. This is a terrific book. Excellent writing, excellent illustrations. If your collection includes graphic novels, consider including Capone.

The teaser on the back of the book grabbed me right away: "Based on truth, lies, myths, and rumors..." The bold, vintage-style graphics reminded me of children's classics like Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel and the original Curious George books, but darker -- much, much darker! Plenty of blood and even a bit of nudity! My favorite, though, is that the story is told in the voice of Al Capone himself. The setup is that ol' Scarface is telling his mother the truth about his life, and it works so well, especially when the violence that we see contradicts what Capone tells his dear mama. It made me want to rewatch some of the classic gangster films, scroll through old photo archives of Chicago, and learn more about the organizzazione. A fun read for a weekend afternoon!

I gave this to my husband because he's a fan of true crime and has an extensive manga collection. He enjoyed reading it and the hardcover seems to be good quality so is a great addition to his collection.

I loved this book. The art was fantastic. The story felt real. I loved it. If you can, read it and enjoy it!

A fantastic treatment of America's most legendary gangster. Capone narrates his own life here, unreliable narration and all, and it's all treated in such an inventive way. Meanwhile, I could get lost in PF Radice's beautifully drawn cityscapes for hours. The cartoonish nature of the illustrations effectively contrasts with the violence and despair that defined Capone's life. Well worth adding to your collection. I imagine I'll be pulling this one down off the shelf a lot in the future.

“The Amazing Camel Toe” by Claire Duplan is an uproarious graphic novel from Black Panel Press. It tells the story of Constance, an artist and graphic designer who, by day, works on ad campaigns for a cosmetics company, and by night writes web comics for the ultimate feminist superheroine, The Amazing Camel Toe. With intelligence and cleverness, both Constance and Camel Toe tackle the everyday nuisances and, worse, the dangers of living in a patriarchal society. You’ll find yourself laughing out loud, but also sharing her frustrations as Constance dates, navigates the demands of her art and her job, and uses her creativity to break from the pressures and negativity of the modern world. It seems appropriate that as “Barbie,” with its bright colors and big musical numbers, brings some of these issues to the attention of movie-going audiences, this intimate black-and-white graphic novel tackles them, too, with an acerbic wit and laugh out loud charm.

I loved this book, the main character is relatable and fleshed out. Her supportive cast of friends are believable and make you wish you had friends like them as well. As a fellow artist I could really relate to the main characters feelings about hating her day job but needing it in order for her to be able to survive and work on her passion projects. And I don’t think there is a single creative out there who hasn’t had a conversation with their character. As a man I have never had to struggle against the patriarchy in that same way that Constance has but the character that Claire Dunean feels like many of my friends and as such her frustrations and hope feel just as real. Loved the art style and just about everything. Could not recommend more.

This book was a joy to read from beginning to end. It's full of intelligent humor and biting criticisms of society but manages to find some levity. The art style is definitely not for everyone but I enjoy its "sketchy" nature. The meta-narrative is approachable and well done. The book can be "vulgar" at times but I honestly consider it to be just realistic dialogue. I wasn't a massive fan of the last few pages but overall the book is great. I'd recommend it to just about anyone!

"The Amazing Camel Toe" by Claire Duplan Disclaimer: I received a free printed book from Black Panel Press. Let's be honest, I had no idea what a camel toe was when I received the book. I read it, and it was probably a little awkward for some, including myself. But at the same time, I realized I have a wife and two daughters. It really helped me understand more clearly what it is like from a woman's perspective. The art is interesting—maybe a bit rough—but I still enjoyed it because she is funny as hell. Unfortunately, I had to ask my wife what "camel toe" meant, and she explained it by pointing to hers. I said, "OH!" I don't want to go into too much detail, but yes, everybody needs to read it, both men and women. Recommend!

I like reading stories that provide me with a perspective other than my own, and this book definitely does that. A cartoonist who deals with her real-life concerns and troubles through her art is a great concept. I think a lot of people understand not wanting to or not being able to directly deal with things in their real lives. How many of us have had the revelation minutes or hours or even days sometimes after an altercation where we say "What I should have told them was..." Constance gets to do that immediately through her comic. Pushing her retributory self-insert character to the extreme, Camel Toe gets into physical altercations and says what's on her mind without a filter. I do believe there is a fine line between teaching and preaching lessons in storytelling, and while this book almost crosses it, I'm glad to say I never once felt like I was being talked down to as a reader, or for that matter as a man. I honestly think this book should be required reading for all teenagers. All that said you'd think I'd give it five stars, but the art is the only thing that brings it down for me. It just is not the kind of art that I like in my graphic novels. It's a lot looser and less defined. And that may well be intentional, as it evokes more of a political satire cartoon, but it just isn't my style. Your mileage may vary on that end.