There is a whole mystyque industry recolving around this book. The story of O'Barr is intertwined with that of the main character of the book. And then there's the death of Brandon Lee while shooting the movie; and who know what else. Without doubt, this is a story that goths and heavy rock fans like. It's violent but tender, and anyone who knows hard-rockers personally will agree that those are bad guys with a whipped cream-filled hearth. But this mix of gratuitous violence and unbearable pastel-like moments is a perfect display of bad taste. I was counterd by a fan telling me that "it's real life!" Who cares? I judge only by what I read, and find this story predictable and pathetic. The pencils and the inks are equally unremarkable, displaying an old conventional Marvel taste. To read good, gripping graphic novels, check out "Maus" by Spiegelmann, or "The Sandman" by Gaiman & co. I give this work 2 stars only because sometimes the text (spoken by the decadent, literary Crow) is surprising and rich in imagery.