“B.P.M.” REVIEW AT BROKEN FRONTIER

Someone must know it’s my birthday this Friday; here’s another good “B.P.M.” review, this time at BROKEN FRONTIER: LINK
B.P.M.: Review by Lee Newman, posted November 19, 2008
Roxy is an up and coming DJ in the New York dance club scene. When a local legend takes her under his wing, she finds herself on the precipice of greatness. Is she brave enough to allow that to happen?
BPM is a work by an artist who loves his subject. It is easy to see this in Paul Sizer’s script. It brims with a respect and awe for the music and the profession of DJing. Even without the knowledge presented in the forwords, it is obvious from the feeling of authenticity that Sizer is of the world presented.
The passion of the author is infused in the lead character, Roxy. She is a girl trying to find herself. She is torn by her profession. What does it mean to her? How serious is she in its pursuit? Meanwhile, she has to do some significant soul searching. What does a relationship mean to her? Which is more important, her career or love? What exactly does the future hold for her? She does not have ready answers to these questions, but she knows that the music makes her happy.
When a legendary DJ, record shop entrepreneur and producer starts to mentor her, she begins to realize the dedication her path will demand. It becomes time to make some tough life decisions. Some choices she will regret, but as she learns to challenge herself in the booth, she is rewarded in her personal life as well. As her passion begins to surface, suddenly she is not struggling to get by and her life takes direction. She starts to live for the first time in her life.
It is an amazing transformation that unfolds for the reader. Starting slowly, tentatively, Sizer brings the story to a feverish pitch and when the graphic novel is over, the reader is energized, wanting more. Like a good techno set (and yes, they do exist), Sizer elicits the emotions that he wants.
To further cement the experience to its real life counterpart, the author provides a soundtrack as footnotes (and at I-Tunes for download). The length of the soundtrack would mean a very laborious and attentive read. Its staggering length seems overwhelming, but from the songs that this writer knows, the list is deliberate. The songs are chosen to be complimentary to the moods of the scenes they are meant to accompany. Beyond the insightfulness of the choices, there is a broad cross section of popular music represented. This means that there should be a little something for most everybody.
The art is a bit of a prickly subject. The faces of many of the characters in the book are just plain awkward. However, there is a consistency and strong line present that negates any feelings of it being the work of a lesser artist. Sizer’s consistency shows that the design is a stylistic choice. It is certainly something that will be a deciding factor for some readers, but it is solid. The design of Roxy in particular is genius. She evokes an edgy style that is timeless and her cute look helps to convey the exuberance of life that she embraces.
There are also very interesting elements in the background. The book starts with several over exposed shots of New York at night. Street lights look like glow sticks at a rave. The mood is set. However, the photographs aren’t just a neat introduction taking you into the cartoon world. They are present throughout the book, morphed pixellation and a rotoscope-like coloring effect. This allows them to be used as set dressing in various panels, making for a distinctive look.
BPM is a book that is lovingly conceived and executed. The joy that inspired the book eventually infects the reader. Sizer has created a unique blend of two mediums. Both are known for strong emotional reactions from their audience. He skillfully affects the reader with a powerful affirmation of life, despite its challenges. It is testimony to the power of passionate creation.”