A 250 word (or less) review of Satellite Sam and the Snuff-Fuck Kinescope
by Matt Fraction and Howard Chaykin; Image Comics
This review contains *SPOILERS*, for a clean review of Satellite Sam Vol. 1 go here.
Satellite Sam is about the murder of Carlyle White, the star of a popular children's program show during the Golden Age of television. It's also a comic about all of the subtextual sex, violence, and social problems of the 1950s. I found the first volume of the comic a little difficult to get into, with a huge cast of characters and an idiosyncratic approach to storytelling that came with a learning curve. The comic did improve as it went and I was really invested in it by it's conclusion. Fortunately, The Snuff-Fuck Kinescope picks up right where the first chapter left off both in terms of story and quality: it is immediately an engrossing and interesting comic. This chapter essentially thickens the plot, and starts to peel back the layers of the mystery of who killed Satellite Sam. This comic also delves right into the layers of corruption, perversion, and social injustice that occurs just off the screen of the popular television program. The way Satellite Sam plays with the wholesome image of Golden Age television and all of the darker aspects of the 1950s is really interesting, and one of my favourite aspects of the comic. If you maybe gave up on Satellite Sam in its early chapters, I really encourage you to go back and give it another look. It may not be the easiest comic, but it really is shaping up to be a remarkably interesting one.
Word count: 240
Post by Michael Bround
Previously
Satellite Sam Vol. 1
A 250 word (or less) review of Satellite Sam: Volume One
by Matt Fraction and Howard Chaykin; Image Comics
Satellite Sam is a love letter to
the Golden Age of Live Television. The story takes place behind the scenes
of Satellite Sam, a highly rated Space serial on the LeMonde network, as the show
is rocked by the death of Carlyle White, Satellite Sam himself, under
mysterious circumstances. Mysterious circumstances that reveal an illicit secret life of debauchery.
Satellite Sam is a story of murder and sex and the history of TV. The story
itself is shaping up to be an intricate and slow burning mystery with a generous
helping of greed and perversion, and a surprising amount of information about
1950's television. The thing is, Satellite Sam might not be the easiest sell:
it's a pretty complicated beast and I know Howard Chaykin's art isn't for
everyone. Despite not usually being a big Chaykin fan, I really like him on
this book: he really understands the period, and his gritty linework benefits
tremendously from the Black and White colours in Satellite Sam. Although, that same
black and white element can also make it a bit hard to keep the large cast
straight at times (it's amazing how much I rely on colour for character
identification). There are helpful character charts in the backup, which should
help. The other thing I think you should know is that Satellite Sam is a slow
builder, improving a bit every chapter, until ending on a really intriguing
note. If you give it a fair, long chance you might be pleasantly surprised.
Word count: 249
