May
31
2016
0

Hunter S. Thompson’s Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas Review

Written by: Hunter S. Thompson

Art by: Troy Little

Publisher: IDW

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is a cult classic movie and book. It’s now going to be a cult classic comic. Having been published in hardback graphic novel format back in October, this adaptation brings trippy art to an already trippy story.

If you are in the class of person that calls them self a “straight-edge”, or someone who has never dabbled into the world of illicit drugs, the story of Hunter S. Thompson’s adventure through the Nevada deserts and into Las Vegas may seem embellished or even completely made up. However it doesn’t take much research (on the internet, of course. Don’t do drugs, kids) to find out how true this story is. OK, fine, it’s based on a true story but inlaid with fiction, but the way these characters act on the drugs they take is pretty realistic, I’d say.

In what can only be described as a non stop acid trip that mated with ether, this comic adaptation is just wonderful. The pages seem to melt as you read them, and if you’ve seen the movie version of this, some of the pages look like they could have been storyboard pages from it. It’s a great read, one that any fan of this story, or anyone looking for something a little edgier than normal will enjoy thoroughly.

This version is an actual non stop laugh fest. It keeps every winning element from the previous versions of the story and combines them into a gorgeous page turner.

For those unaware of the premise, the story follows Hunter S. Thompson and his attorney on a crazy drug binge through Las Vegas to report on a car race. Along the way, whilst very very high, they happen to come across a drug enforcement convention, which you can easily assume becomes a bad trip for our protagonists. With as many drugs as these characters have with them, and in them, the story is told through the tainted lenses of someone without a sound mind. For anyone who has experienced any of the mind bending substances, the comic book does a great job of visually representing the changes to the characters psyche.

In hardback, this is a great addition to any collection, and one that any fan of Fear and Loathing should check out.

Let us be clear, neither We The Nerdy nor the author condones drug use or any illicit activity. This story is just one that is steeped in those themes and draws an audience that enjoys such activities. This is a very mature story and should not be read by a child.