The System

Gets better with each re-reading, as I develop a new appreciation for it's breadth & depth of artistry more each time.

Its definitely not worth the amount you pay for it considering how relatively short it is

Add my 5 stars to those of the previous reviewers! Peter Kuper's wordless graphic novel about New York City in the mid-1990s, replete with corruption, greed, and the struggle of ordinary, downtrodden human beings to survive each grinding day, remains frighteningly up-to-date some 15+ years after publication. His art is rough-hewn at first glance, but reveals exquisite & telling details the more you look at it. To my mind, it's always seemed to fall somewhere between the deceptively whimsical art of Keith Haring & the emotionally severe woodcuts of the German Expressionists of the 1920s. Certainly he shares their social & spiritual concerns for a humanity all but crushed by a ruthless corporate world based on money & control. Yet the spark of individuality & the hunger for personal freedom of thought & soul remains alive, even beneath the injustice, the brutality & the grime of an overwhelming cityscape. This one definitely needs to be back in print -- recommended reading for anyone who aspires to something more than the emptiness of digital distractions, lying politicians & CEOs, and wealth-driven ideologies.

Peter Kuper is in my opinion one of the best comic artistcreating today. The System is a wordless story about a live in a big,ugly, sleazy city. In The System Kuper creates a complicated story of many lives and how they interact whith each other, all told in pictures with hardly any words, and the pictures are fabulous, Kuper has a very individual style which I think is brilliant. This is not a comic book for kids it touches on themes of racism, violence,love, sex, organiced crime,corupt cop's, injustice and of course the endless search for freedom from all this.Many people seem to think that comics are just for kids and not a serious art form which can say anything to adults, this is just one of many comic books available today that totaly demolishes that bogus wiew, if you have not read a comic since you were a kid, give this a try I dont think you will be disapointed.

This is one of the most amazing books I've ever looked at. It is a fully immersive experience that is surprisingly easy to follow, considering it has no words. I highly recommend this to become one of your coffee table books!

Luckily I own two copies of this, my favorite graphic novel. One I look at now and then, and one I have in the digital painting studio at the Visualization Department at Texas A&M. My students need to learn what is here: strong graphic chops, narrative, and metaphoric visual transitions (a screaming mouth becomes a subway entry, etc.). The technique is original, and the color dramatic. This slim volume has the heft of a best-selling political mystery, with strong, recurring characters and an intertwining plot. So...why is it no longer in print????!!!

The system is an absolutely amazing graphic novel/piece of art. I usually prefer words in my books, but this one totally didnt need them. Each shape in the book was individually stenciled and spray painted, which gives it a homemade but gritty feel. The colors range from grubby to vibrant, and each page is breath taking.

Peter Cooper's 'The System' really stands out in the world of comics. Without the use of dialogue, it follows the lives of several characters in a city. The characters' lives intertwine with each other, causing complications. There is gang violence, murder, police corruption, a bomb, racism and many other elements that reveal the dark side of life. But there is also hope, love and justice. This wonderful comic is filled with images that look like a painting coming to life! A must have for everyone who appreciates the genius of the art of comics!

Excellent book, excellent condition!

Essential reading for graphic novel enthusiasts. An education is silent storytelling.