zorpblorp's review
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
tomhill's review
4.0
Some of these comics are just plain weird ("Cow's Head" or "Punks v. Lizards"). Others are better characterized as slices of life, and those were the ones I liked best. One of the shortest and best is called "It's Over." Another is untitled and is about being aimless at age thirty. Simple but stirring stories, and a great introduction to Noah Van Sciver.
chelseamartinez's review
4.0
This is a mix of historical retellings and everyday life in Denver; the latter were my favorite. I liked the female-narrated stories about a Christmas Day trip home and working the night shift at a bagel shop especially.
"Can I get a large light roast coffee?" "Holy shit that's the first time I've spoken out loud in two days!"
"Can I get a large light roast coffee?" "Holy shit that's the first time I've spoken out loud in two days!"
al_capwned's review against another edition
4.0
A collection of short stories by Noah Van Sciver. There are some fillers, sure, but most of the stories (especially the longer ones) are pretty good.
cail_judy's review
4.0
Very cool to see Noah’s range here. Quite tonally different from JNCO Jeans and Bored.
mountsleepyhead's review
3.0
Van Sciver is an excellent artist and his greatest gift is his unwillingness to adhere to a set style. The art varies in all of these comics and it's one of the things that makes this such a good read. His storytelling, on the other hand, never quite clicks. The stories feel like they are trying too hard to move you in a quiet way. That's not to say that he doesn't succeed with a few of them. "The Death of Elijah Lovejoy" belongs in Best American Comics and is the runaway standout here. The subject matter is as varied as the art styles so it's definitely not a boring read, I just wish these stories connected the dots a little better.
cjordahl's review
3.0
It's a good three. There are a couple of pieces that are just ok and a couple I like a lot. I like this type of work in general and Van Sciver's work in particular.
alex_wisehart's review
3.0
Van Sciver is at his best telling stories about adult characters with arrested development and their bitter, melancholic, absurd and sometimes hilarious misadventures. Most of these stories don't have much of a plot- they're just snapshots into the lives of these characters- which is fine, but the moment I start to really get sucked into a story, it ends. As a result, the majority of them feel kind of empty to me. The premises are fun though and I will always love his bathroom graffiti style art!
tatewilliams's review
5.0
A beautiful book densely packed with the care Noah Van Sciver invests in his stories, characters, and settings.