Sparko

bought by my grand-daughter

Excellent graphics and an intricate, involving plot with interesting characters. A few deeper thoughts and a lot of laughs. A must have!

This is a great graphic novel - full of quirky and well realised characters, brilliant illustrations, violence and laughs. You can't really ask for more! Karl Stephan is definitely one to watch...

"Underground" is a term that gets thrown around a lot. The word seems to revolve around music, drugs, Hell and political movements. In Karl Stephan's Sparko the Underworld is representative of all the above. This book adds smart-mouthed ghosts, evil Astral Plane dwelling villains, a scathing commentary on bloody, egalitarian contemporary British culture by placing one-time hit rock musician Norman in one dire situation scene after another. After losing his supply of drugs, his job as a dope pusher and very nearly losing his life by being stabbed and thrown into the river Thames by his former employer - Norman's near lifeless body is robbed by a strange urchin named Belle. The story takes a series of bizarre turns as ghosts, demi-demons and nearly indestructible killer Pomeranians chase the two through this brilliant book. Readers will find the characters and art fascinating and unique. The story unfurls over the course of the book, told in three parts, like lesser known members of the Greek pantheon went on an acid trip together in the gritty streets and sewers of London creatively (and haphazardly) re-structured the world around them.