Description
Price: $34.00 - $21.97
(as of Mar 18, 2025 11:38:53 UTC – Details)
The beloved and award-winning author of BLACK HOLE’s haunting and visually arresting story of an artist’s obsessions, and the value and cost of pushing the boundaries of creativity
As a child, Brian and his friend Jimmy would make sci-fi films in their yards, convincing their friends to star as victims of grisly murders, smearing lipstick on the “bodies” to simulate blood. Now a talented artist and aspiring filmmaker, Brian, along with Jimmy, Jimmy’s friend Tina, and Laurie—his reluctant muse—sets off to a remote cabin in the woods with an old 8 millimeter camera to make a true sci-fi horror movie, an homage to Brian’s favorite movie: Invasion of the Body Snatchers. But as Brian’s affections for Laurie go seemingly unreciprocated, Brian writes and draws himself into a fantasy where she is the girl of his dreams, his damsel in distress, and his savior wrapped into one. Rife with references to classic sci-fi and horror movies and filled with panels of stunning depictions of nature, film and the surreal, Burns blurs the line between Brian’s dreams and reality, imagination and perception. A master of the form at his finest, Final Cut is an astonishing look at what it means to truly express oneself through art.
From the Publisher
Publisher : Pantheon (September 24, 2024)
Language : English
Hardcover : 224 pages
ISBN-10 : 0593701704
ISBN-13 : 978-0593701706
Item Weight : 2.74 pounds
Dimensions : 8.65 x 1.05 x 11.44 inches
Customers say
Customers enjoy the book’s art style and find the artwork amazing. They like the story quality, describing it as good as Black Hole and moody.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Julian Compton –
Charles Burns gives us another graphic novel⦠finally!
Great, moody story. I you liked Black Hole you will like this. This one is in color, and it looks fantastic.
Dr. Death –
The latest from the ever-amazing Charles Burns!
Charles Burns is the master of the macabre and this is his most personal book since the earlier Black Hole. No point in discussing the plot because if you are a fan than you already know how excellent this book is. Page after page of Burns’ amazing artwork leaps from the page to infect your brain. I pre-ordered this immediately and was thrilled to devour it in one sitting. Burns once again taps into the precordial part of the brain and somehow manages to create illustrations that will be burned into your subconscious. Prepare to be amazed.
Brad Watkins –
Classic Burns
Charles Burns has honestly become the Cronenberg of Comics; often doing the 50s Teen journey with far more body horror than expected.FINAL CUT does speak to me plenty as an amateur filmmaker, always creating but also pining for the “redhead girl” like every other Charlie Brown.While the story’s just as good as BLACK HOLE (the classic), I did feel the imagery was underwhelming at times, despite being as beautiful as most of Burns’ designs. The ending also seriously left me hanging, where I was like “Go Dark or Go Light”, but actually “End”. It just didn’t prep enough to leave me perplexed other than just irritated with just “quitting” the story.
Timothy Haugh –
Lacks the Depth I’m Looking For
Though I am by no means an expert, I do enjoy the occasional graphic novel. I saw this reviewed in the New York Times and I thought I would give it a try. I had read Black Hole by Mr. Burns years ago and had mixed feelings about it. I had the same reaction to this.I like Mr. Burnsâ artistic style. His work is certainly interesting to look at. The story here also has potential. A boy longs for a girl but has no idea how to connect with her and loses himself in his art and fantasies. The girl has no idea how to deal with the boy even as she tries to develop a relationship of her own.My problem is that I donât feel the story is developed well enough. I only get surface motivations from the various characters and never get any depth. So, in the end, it left me cold.
Daniel J. Mooney –
More about the art than the story.
Burn’s always write such poignant tales about teens. Though it’s not stated, the action takes place in the early 1970s and revolves around two teens who are making a home movie. The one Brain has some form of mental illness that prevents him from participating in normal society. The other is a redheaded girl unsure about herself and her sexuality. The art adds to an eerie, unsettling, atmosphere that pervades the action, even when people are enjoying themselves. This is undercut by the numerous Invasion of the Body Snatchers references that mimic the character’s uncertainty. Masterfully done.
Abbie –
Memorable and meticulous
This is a masterpiece. I think about this book all the time
pig doctor –
Subdued
Charley Burns strikes hot. Imhus final outing? Only time God tells.
Robert G. Lovell –
Read it for the art or read it for the story
The story of young filmmakers and their loves was captivating. The art is original, with clear, simple lines and color
kelly –
Bought as a present, they loved it!
Rebecca G –
Beautiful book
GRISLY IN KLONDIKE –
If you are a Charles Burns fan, then no doubt you eagerly anticipated this bookâs release. Having read it I can only hope that Burns is not slipping into a formula. The story is intriguing and I savoured the book in three sittings; originally released as a trilogy of bande dessineeâs, as was âLast Lookâ, âFinal Cutâ even sounds the similar.Gone is NitNit and Johnny23 the alter egos of Doug from Last Look replaced by a more straightforward narrative character in Brian, though medication (for an unspecified mental condition in Final Cut) plays a strong part here too, the onus is on emotional detachment on Brianâs part, where Doug was simply unable to commit. One is left with the feeling that Burns does not have a very high opinion of the male of the species, with their propensity to autistic behaviours.Both stories end with their respective anti-heroes finding themselves alone. Doug as NitNit waking up in a dilapidated house, and Brian still imagining he can impress Laurie with his tidy room and new artistâs table, when in reality that ship has long sailed. So delusion leading to solitude. It is hard to see anymore juice being squeezed out of this lemon.If I didnât know better I might think Burns was writing these stories as a way of saying â look, I realise women are better than men, Iâm differentâ, âwould you like to sleep with me.â Iâll buy Burnsâ next book, but if itâs more of the same, Iâll draw a veil over future purchases