The Phantom Project Forum

I have recently been contemplating buying the complete anthology version of the acclaimed graphic novel "The Trap Door Maker" - a prequel to "The Phantom Of The Opera".

Now, help me out here, if you can, people....

I don't need a detailed critique, I just need to know if it's good or bad and worth buying.

The three things that concern me the most, and which haven't really been answered in any of the reviews I've read:

1. Does this comic book hold together as a story in it's own right? If you were unfamiliar or rusty when it comes to the Phantom mythos, could you still understand what's going on? Does it work as a standalone text?

2. Is it compatible with canon? Or does the author make changes to Erik that contradict Leroux's text - if so, what changes?

3. Is it's depiction of Erik's earlier life significantly different from Susan Kay's version? Because if I fork out the money for another prequel then I would prefer one that approaches Erik's early years from a markedly different angle to the one I already own.


If anyone here can answer these questions for me, I would greatly appreciate it.

While I have these, I haven't actually read them yet since they're later in my timeline. The author, Pete Bregman, is a very nice guy, though, for what it's worth.

It's only hearsay, but I've heard that the book's pretty well-researched and adheres pretty closely to Leroux's canon. Sadly, I don't know anything else about it. Anybody else?

My copy of "The Trap Door Maker" arrived in the mail last week and I finished it in a couple of sittings.

I can now say that:

1. It does work reasonably well as a standalone story. Those who haven't read Leroux's original novel will find it to be coherent and intelligible, though much of the obvious foreshadowing will fly completely over their head and the ending will seem abrupt (it's really more of a cliffhanger for Bregman's upcoming comic book of "Phantom Of The Opera" than anything else)

2. This is not a revisionist depiction of the characters. Erik is the sarcastic, oddly childlike, stone-cold-killer that we all know and love from Leroux (though being younger, he's not as adept at killing initially, but he soon learns). The Daroga is shifty-but-honourable, just like in Leroux. I had no trouble reconciling Bregman's characterisations with the originals.

3. This is not just a regurgitation of the way Susan Kay depicted Erik's early years. Bregman has his own take on things.

My general impressions of this book:

It's quite short, and fans of this version who refer to it as a "graphic novel" are being misleading. I finished it in a couple of sittings and could easily have finished it in a single sitting if I wasn't so busy with work. My one real disappointment with "The Trap Door Maker" was that I think it could've been longer.

Bregman's book is an intelligent one, but not a thought-provoking one. He comes up with an interesting plot, his dialogue is literate and believable... but he doesn't even try to psychoanalyse any of these characters. If you come to this book wanting a deeper understanding of Erik's psychology then this book will disappoint. Though his past is vividly depicted, Erik remains an enigma in many respects
(and perhaps that is a good thing - there's another extreme in fan fiction to over explain things... I am looking at you, Madame Kay...)

This book is not in the least bit romantic. No nookie for Erik here, no sir.... and yet, neither does Erik come across as a terrifying and imposing figure. Bregman has done quite a remarkable thing here... his Erik is human without being cutesy and fluffy... his Erik is also dangerous without coming across as an outright villain... bravo for pulling off such a difficult balancing act, Bregman. It's something that most authors of Phan-Phiction do not even dare to attempt.

I also liked how the design of child-Erik's mask was like the Lon Chaney version.

And I liked how we never got to see Erik's face, like in the Charles Dance philm.

The sample chapter from Bregman's upcoming "Phantom" adaptation and his initial draft sketches of Erik's face both promise great things to come.

Seriously, Anne, you should skip ahead in your timeline to read this book.

As much as going through everything chronologically must be more enlightening from an academic perspective, having to wade through crud like Becky Meadows in order to get to Bregman's book is just torturing yourself.

Bregman's balanced and unsentimental take on this character is a delicacy to be savoured amidst so much sugar coated crap that's out there.

Heh. There are definitely times when the chronology is less than spellbinding. But on the plus side, when I do get to read something good after reading a bunch of not so good things, it makes me appreciate and enjoy it more.

I'm looking forward to seeing what this one has to offer!

Diets in Review

With all of the sites out there it may be hard to find a honest site with honest reviews. I've been looking around for a long time now for a site that will give me real reviews regarding specific products on the market That's where Diets in review came in. I found a lot of honest and real information on there. Maybe it is something that can help you as well?

http://thedietsinreview.com/