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All Talk
Rahim is a suburban kid like any other, a “good kid.” Chilling with his boys, hearing the legends of “Immortal Al,” the greatest gangster who ever lived, it’s hard not to get stars in his eyes. Rahim starts dreaming of becoming a kingpin, idolizing his local gangsters in the hopes of climbing their ranks. But his friends laugh: they say he’s all talk, no action. Until one day, he sees an opportunity to prove himself… but how far will he take it before there’s no turning back?
A modern, urban graphic novel exploring the toxic nature of “street cred” and the role it plays in the lives of vulnerable young men.
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“Emotionally rousing” – The Introverted Yogi
“A meditation on tragedy” – The Comics Journal
“Deliberately understated, and more powerful for that” – Slings and Arrows
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7 reviews for All Talk
All Talk
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daniel grissom –
I’m obsessed with the art style. The uniquely stylized characters, the beautiful color palette–it’s all great. The story is pretty good too. Great comic overall.
Adam –
Really fantastic read. Great twists and turns. A little choppy at times, but other than that very good. It’s nice to see a healthy dose of reality mixed into fiction.
Hunter van Lierop –
This story isn’t for everyone and I say this as someone who likes 99% of the things I read. Urban Crime Drama is a genre not many can properly pull off but I think Sztybor sticks the landing quite nicely. The characters are well developed and the pacing is great. The only thing that can knock a few points off would be the art, it’s not for everyone, it’s subjective. I enjoyed it but I know it will turn some people away.8.5/10
Chase –
I went into reading “ALL TALK” knowing nothing about it besides the cute character designs and brilliant use of color. Wow! What a roller coaster ride of emotions.First, the stories of non-white characters in France are something rarely depicted in American media, so I knew I was in for a unique experience from the beginning.The colorful art style took me by surprise. What might have started out as a light-hearted “slice of life” of a poor city kid, went out the window as the story progressed.And the well-defined characters added a lot to that.From the legendary Immortal Al, to the up-and-comer Era, they all resonate with our hero Rahim who wants nothing more than to prove himself to the local drug runners.The world of gang culture and trying to prove one’s self leads to a tragic conclusion that you’ll have to read for yourself.Check out this book. You won’t regret it!
ZumParts2U –
I felt the frustrations with the main character. I felt it was a little too over edited and would have been better if the character were flushed out more.I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Stacy K. Mathewson –
I read this in one sitting. This was a no-frills, gritty, and emotional story.
Donald Mcclung –
As a middle-aged white guy, this is NOT the kind of graphic novel I normally buy and read. When offered a copy for free and asked to review it if I wished, however, I jumped at the chance. I hoped the book would give me a glimpse into, and a better understanding of, a world that is far from my own. ALL TALK did just that, offering me an education about why some young people do things that seem completely illogical to me and my peers. This is not a “fun” read, but it’s not all dark and gloomy either. From it, both my compassion and understanding toward urban street youth have deepened. A couple of images and turns of phrase are the only clues that it has been translated from French. Otherwise, the story could easily be set in Detroit, Memphis, St. Louis, Birmingham, or the like. Worth the read. Worth sharing with a young person enamored by the idea of “gangsta life”.