Moonhead and the Music Machine [Graphic Novel]

I bought this as a gift for my little sister who is currently a very cynical junior in high school (who feels like she doesn't fit in). She's a fan of weird art/colorful things/books like this so I thought, why not?She loved it. I only skimmed some of the pages but I can tell it's a great story for anyone, especially teenagers. The art is also gorgeous. Props to the illustrator.

Beautiful strange and haunting. A wonderfully surreal first dozen or so pages set up an amazing story

Beautiful book

Great!

I got a copy of this book through the Amazon Vine program to review. I am honestly at a bit of a loss here as to what I thought about this book. It was somewhat entertaining and the illustration is beautifully done. However, I felt like I was missing something.This is the story of a boy who has a moon for a head. His parents also have moons for heads. This is never explained just accepted. Generally Moonhead is a normal highschool boy, the main difference being he can allow his head to float off and explore distant places. I think this might be a some sort of metaphor for someone who is a dreamer and struggling to fit in...however I am not quite sure.Moonhead has a lot of issues that high school students have. He is after the hottest girl in the school but doesn’t recognize the good friend his has in his current close friend, he’s made fun of for his head and doesn’t quite fit in, and he finds most school work boring and hard to pay attention to.He breaks from his norm when he decides to enter a talent competition and make a music machine. From this point the story goes into a whole “remember who your real friends are” kind of theme and a weird side theme where people at school are showing up as weird monsters (again maybe this is supposed to symbolize them showing up to Moonhead how they really are now??...not sure).The illustration is full color, well done, and easy to follow. There are some interesting additions to backgrounds that you have to look closely to see. For example, in his fantasies about the hot popular girl, the background flowers and vegetation have very suggestive shapes.I enjoyed the scenes where Moonhead’s head floats off and has adventures the most. The rest is pretty typical coming-of-age fare. In the end I was left a bit confused about what I had read and felt like maybe I missed something. However, I didn’t enjoy the story enough to go back and re-read it and try to figure it out.Overall this is a creative, fun, and slightly confusing story about a boy with a moon for a head who struggles to fit in at school. It’s kind of interesting and decently done. But I am honestly not sure what/who to recommend this too. If you are looking for a very different coming-of-age story maybe check this out.

I'm not sure what to say or where to start with this review. I really liked this book, both the story and the art; however, I will admit I don't *get* it and am perplexed by its meaning. I don't really believe in over analyzing books; if you are not hit with deep profound meaning, philosophy, theology, etc. then don't look for it and just enjoy the entertainment. And that is what "Moonhead" was to me. Pure enjoyment. Joey Moonhead has an actual moon for a head, so does his mum and dad. Everyone else are normal human beings. Nobody makes an issue of this except that bullies tease him and grab his head to throw around and stuff. Joey gains some fame after competing in the school talent contest, gains self-confidence but also learns lessons about what happens when one forgets old friends on the way up, and the price paid to enter the "in crowd". I really felt for Joey and his female friend Sprocket. Even though I was completely baffled, the psychedelic transformations and accompanying artwork, when he played his music machine had me gleeful. I found the art totally impressive. Very sixties, Beatles, hallucinogenic. It's a difficult call on recommended age group but the story is about highschool and contains adult language, so certainly not for children even though the art does look cute. Very unique and whimsical.

Moonhead and the Music Machine is the type of book that could easily get lost in the shuffle and likely will without someone to properly champion it. The storyline is a visual representation of being different and finding one's self worth as well as being reflective of the teenage experience. Andrew Rae's dreamy storyline sometimes takes a cliche turn, but there's a reflective truth in those moments that aids the larger picture. Of all Nobrow's offerings that I've read, this is by far the best put together and most cohesive and interesting book. Hopefully more people will discover Moonhead and his friends and family and tell others, too.

I have an up-and-down relationship with the Nobrow comics line. More in that, I don't always like them right away. It takes me awhile to decide. That wasn't the case with Andrew Rae's "Moonhead and the Music Machine." I liked it right away. It is absurd (the main character has a moon as a head) but also wonderfully earnest that doesn't tip into being treacly sweet. This was an easy and pleasing read.

A talent to watch. Charming and subtle influences infuse this story with warmth like a delicately blended cup of tea on a cold autumnal day.

This is a beautifully illustrated book especially when it goes off into realms of fantasy, but it is also an uplifting story of a misfit who learns how to assimilate and has a wonderful way of depicting the joy of music in pictures.

What a great book, so different. I bought this for my 11 year old granddaughter and she is loving it

Lovely and bizarre.

Awesome stuff from the guys at Nobrow.