Monday, March 28, 2011

Creature Tech by Doug Ten Napel - April 14th

Creature Tech is a black and white graphic novel inked and written by Doug Ten Napel, the creator of the Earthworm Jim video game series. Similar to the quirky platforming video game, Creature Tech is a humorous take on graphic novels. It is essentially a science and religion debate with some monster cats and space eels thrown in for good measure.

The book club for Creature Tech will meet on Thursday April 14th at 6:30 p.m. at Koelbel Library. Here are the discussion questions:

1. What about Dr. Ong changes throughout the graphic novel? What were the catalysts? Map out his transformation.

2. Creature Tech was written over the course of many, many years. Is there any evidence of this when reading it?

3. What is the significance of the strange scene in which the parasite is "crucified?"

4. Why is Blue the mantis important to the story? What does he teach us?

5. What is the importance of Blue's near death experience?

6. The introduction calls Creature Tech a better animated "film" than any of Pixar's offerings. Do you agree?

7. Do you think Ten Napel is spiritual? Do you think his views could be classified as agnostic, Christian, or atheist?

8. The parasite turns Dr. Ong into an Iron Man-like tragic superhero. How is Dr. Ong different from other superheroes and their depictions?

9. Why does Dr. Ong have a crucifix around his neck in the last third of the book? Where did it come from?

10. Dr. Ong's father is upset by the existence of the "real" Shroud of Turin. Why?

11. Why did Dr. Ong throw the water balloon at Katie? Was her reaction correct? She can now be considered "beautiful," but what kind of lesson is that?

12. What is the significance of Dr. Ong keeping the parasite quite possibly for life? What happens in Dr. Ong's life after the last page?

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