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beartrapped's reviews
16 reviews
Exquisite Corpse by Pénélope Bagieu
lighthearted
fast-paced
1.5
Notable for: unique female protagonist (like, just a bimbo)
What a weird fucking book. Assuming this is meant to be a comedy, but it didn't work for me on that front. The character and plot writing are exceptionally shallow and loosely strung together.
What a weird fucking book. Assuming this is meant to be a comedy, but it didn't work for me on that front. The character and plot writing are exceptionally shallow and loosely strung together.
The Divine by Asaf Hanuka
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
3.0
Notable for: overall nice art, good color and design, interesting worldbuilding
This book felt sort of weird, and that feeling made sense to me when I got to the end and saw the note about the inspiration. I don't think the book is saying much in particular about child soldiers, which makes the way it seems to mythologize and valorize these particular ones seem kind of off-base. But, that aside, I just wasn't very interested in the characters, and the plot felt a little too surface level to grasp onto. So, it all just ended up in the "fine" territory. The art is nice, very fluid and expressive, but again, not overall my thing.
This book felt sort of weird, and that feeling made sense to me when I got to the end and saw the note about the inspiration. I don't think the book is saying much in particular about child soldiers, which makes the way it seems to mythologize and valorize these particular ones seem kind of off-base. But, that aside, I just wasn't very interested in the characters, and the plot felt a little too surface level to grasp onto. So, it all just ended up in the "fine" territory. The art is nice, very fluid and expressive, but again, not overall my thing.
The Complete Maus by Art Spiegelman
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
Notable for: beautifully nested narratives, candid character writing, expertly tackling subject matter
One of those classics that really does feel like it would do it a disservice to give it less than 5 stars, so. Having not read this before now, I was surprised by and loved Art Spiegelman's pulpy underground comic sensibilities meshed with this story, as well as how much focus there was on him as an artist and the meditation on the process of adapting something like a Holocaust narrative into this medium.
One of those classics that really does feel like it would do it a disservice to give it less than 5 stars, so. Having not read this before now, I was surprised by and loved Art Spiegelman's pulpy underground comic sensibilities meshed with this story, as well as how much focus there was on him as an artist and the meditation on the process of adapting something like a Holocaust narrative into this medium.
If This Book Exists, You're in the Wrong Universe by Jason Pargin
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
4.25
These books don't miss for me. I love seeing the way he's developed the way he writes about these characters as he develops as a person... and I just love them all very much. Really satisfying unfurling that happens with this book, the way things come together over the course just feels good. Really enjoyed the bits with Fancy David-- feel like there's a bit of theming re: gentrification there that I like. Joy was really fun too! Also I hope they never stop using Chiller or whatever for the chapter headers; it's funny and nostalgic at this point.
I thought the end "battle" scene dragged a little, but overall a good, solid read :)
I thought the end "battle" scene dragged a little, but overall a good, solid read :)
Maybe an Artist: A Graphic Memoir by Liz Montague
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
3.25
Notable for: unique perspective, cute cover design!
Enjoyed reading a memoir that covers such a personally familiar time, and I thought Liz Montague had a really fun voice throughout this. There's nothing particular about the comic's execution that blows me away, but I thought her journey was worth sharing and I did get a little emotional getting to the end and seeing what she'd done!
Enjoyed reading a memoir that covers such a personally familiar time, and I thought Liz Montague had a really fun voice throughout this. There's nothing particular about the comic's execution that blows me away, but I thought her journey was worth sharing and I did get a little emotional getting to the end and seeing what she'd done!
Wynd Book Two: Secret of the Wings by James Tynion IV
adventurous
dark
lighthearted
medium-paced
3.0
Notable for: tonally complex, impressively smooth transitions between scenes
Hate to see a character and be like, "ah, I see, a they/them" and be right (actually wait, lol, this cleanly carries off from my previous vol. comment about the over-gendered character design).
I picked up both of these volumes from the library, so I read them both, but I probably won't keep up with it. Glad Wynd looks a bit more correctly aged in this volume though!
Hate to see a character and be like, "ah, I see, a they/them" and be right (actually wait, lol, this cleanly carries off from my previous vol. comment about the over-gendered character design).
I picked up both of these volumes from the library, so I read them both, but I probably won't keep up with it. Glad Wynd looks a bit more correctly aged in this volume though!
Acting Class by Nick Drnaso
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
4.25
Notable for: confrontational authentic character writing, effective surreality
Cannot fight the fact that Nick Drnaso writes some good fucking, meaty, interesting people. I'd say he's maybe doing the comics equivalent of mumblecore, and I mean it as a compliment; it all feels very mature and very real. Further though, like, this comic is fun and really funny at parts, so that's a great blend. I also loved the "chapter header" illustrations! It goes without saying that Nick's style is unconventional, but I thought those stretched it and broke things up in a super fun way.
I'm not sure I'm totally sold on the end (specifically the culty twist ), but it could just be that I loved the lead up and full breakdown and blurred lines between reality and The Scene, and it felt a little too on the nose cheesy, or maybe just a little more opaque than I think it required. I still think it's pulled off well, given that.
I liked Lou :-)
Cannot fight the fact that Nick Drnaso writes some good fucking, meaty, interesting people. I'd say he's maybe doing the comics equivalent of mumblecore, and I mean it as a compliment; it all feels very mature and very real. Further though, like, this comic is fun and really funny at parts, so that's a great blend. I also loved the "chapter header" illustrations! It goes without saying that Nick's style is unconventional, but I thought those stretched it and broke things up in a super fun way.
I'm not sure I'm totally sold on the end (
I liked Lou :-)
Over My Dead Body by Sweeney Boo
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
2.75
Notable for: nice environments/sets, strong color work, some fun layouts
It's been said by others, but this feels so heavily derivative of Harry Potter that it's genuinely distracting, and honestly, for what? It doesn't go out of it's way to work on any of the flaws from HP (other than a more diverse cast, I guess, but they're all the thin, bland, conventionally pretty version of diverse, so?), it doesn't feel like an improvement, it just feels like an unfortunate knock-off.
But setting that aside, while the book looks pretty good, it's just not that well-written. I found the characters flat and the plot convoluted and strange, but predictable and lacking in complexity.
I cannot stop thinking about the endgame twist wherein we learn thatthe headmaster, when she was younger, reacted to a close friend deciding to leave the school by turning her into a monster so that she would remain trapped on the grounds forever (in addition to cursing her other friend into silence over this). That's a pretty major overreaction to not back up with, essentially, any motivation? That's the behavior of someone that I wouldn't expect to be able to run a school? It's wild to me.
That, alongside the weird framing of "yes, this teacher used a student's body in a seemingly life-threatening way against her will, but it's fine, her heart was in the right place and she was suffering! But also she will be going to jail" was like. lol. what am i readinggg. The framing of this lategame stuff also seems to remove any tension from the earlier stuff? Like, was Noreen ever actually in danger? She was wandering around in the wood, but then gets pulled into this exorcism at the end, and then she's totally fine? Was the not-herbology teacher looking for her? Did she just give up? Again, the writing, especially in the last third was just... sloppy.
The only other thing I've read from Sweeney Boo was Eat, and Love Yourself, and the style shift from that to this feels insane btw.
It's been said by others, but this feels so heavily derivative of Harry Potter that it's genuinely distracting, and honestly, for what? It doesn't go out of it's way to work on any of the flaws from HP (other than a more diverse cast, I guess, but they're all the thin, bland, conventionally pretty version of diverse, so?), it doesn't feel like an improvement, it just feels like an unfortunate knock-off.
But setting that aside, while the book looks pretty good, it's just not that well-written. I found the characters flat and the plot convoluted and strange, but predictable and lacking in complexity.
I cannot stop thinking about the endgame twist wherein we learn that
That, alongside the weird framing of "yes, this teacher used a student's body in a seemingly life-threatening way against her will, but it's fine, her heart was in the right place and she was suffering! But also she will be going to jail" was like. lol. what am i readinggg. The framing of this lategame stuff also seems to remove any tension from the earlier stuff? Like, was Noreen ever actually in danger? She was wandering around in the wood, but then gets pulled into this exorcism at the end, and then she's totally fine? Was the not-herbology teacher looking for her? Did she just give up? Again, the writing, especially in the last third was just... sloppy.
The only other thing I've read from Sweeney Boo was Eat, and Love Yourself, and the style shift from that to this feels insane btw.
Flung Out of Space: The Indecent Adventures of Patricia Highsmith by Grace Ellis
challenging
dark
funny
inspiring
reflective
tense
fast-paced
4.0
Notable for: strong, complex character writing, phenomenal layout work, interesting non-fiction/bio, nice bubbles/type treatment
Reading this bumped up Talented Mr. Ripley on my read list. I loved the candid, unflattering, and incredibly human portrayal this book manages to sell; it was really, very interesting and refreshing to read about such a complex queer figure. I'm not personally a big fan of Hannah Templar's style, but her comicking blew me away here-- just page after page of beautifully laid out storytelling. It makes it extra funny to be so blown away by the form in a comic with a character so openly reviling comics themselves as a medium.
My biggest complaint, genuinely: I sincerely wish this book had a better cover. I don't think it fits the book's interior or the vibe! I feel less intent on buying it because I don't like the cover, which feels like a stupid issue to have.
Reading this bumped up Talented Mr. Ripley on my read list. I loved the candid, unflattering, and incredibly human portrayal this book manages to sell; it was really, very interesting and refreshing to read about such a complex queer figure. I'm not personally a big fan of Hannah Templar's style, but her comicking blew me away here-- just page after page of beautifully laid out storytelling. It makes it extra funny to be so blown away by the form in a comic with a character so openly reviling comics themselves as a medium.
My biggest complaint, genuinely: I sincerely wish this book had a better cover. I don't think it fits the book's interior or the vibe! I feel less intent on buying it because I don't like the cover, which feels like a stupid issue to have.
Cyclopedia Exotica by Aminder Dhaliwal
emotional
informative
relaxing
slow-paced
3.25
Notable for: cool book design (colored page edges), broad, interesting cast of characters
This was an interesting reading experience. You can feel it's origins as an Instagram comic in the scattered nature of the content-- I would say the major thrust is on one-off microaggression-focused bits, but it meanders between straight gags, more character focused storylines, and overtly educational tangents. I'll have to check out Woman World, but I assume it's similar (I casually watched both of them serialized, and that is the vibe I got.)
I'm figuring out that this is a turn off for me (I had a similar issue with Greasebats getting a little too Queer Studies 101 at times for me), but I can't necessarily say it's a flaw of the book. But still, I think it could be a lot stronger if it sacrificed some of the gags for a more linear, integrated multi-character narrative, because when the characters are in focus, it's really good! I liked most of the characters a lot, overall.
The other reason I feel that way is because like, I don't think it's... a very funny book. So many of the one-off gags are set up/delivered the same way, with one character saying something that can be misinterpreted by another character and the punchline is that they misunderstood it. It's a little boring. I found it a fine read, but I think it got one laugh out of me, you know.
I like the sparse style though, and I liked the interstitial pages a lot!
This was an interesting reading experience. You can feel it's origins as an Instagram comic in the scattered nature of the content-- I would say the major thrust is on one-off microaggression-focused bits, but it meanders between straight gags, more character focused storylines, and overtly educational tangents. I'll have to check out Woman World, but I assume it's similar (I casually watched both of them serialized, and that is the vibe I got.)
I'm figuring out that this is a turn off for me (I had a similar issue with Greasebats getting a little too Queer Studies 101 at times for me), but I can't necessarily say it's a flaw of the book. But still, I think it could be a lot stronger if it sacrificed some of the gags for a more linear, integrated multi-character narrative, because when the characters are in focus, it's really good! I liked most of the characters a lot, overall.
The other reason I feel that way is because like, I don't think it's... a very funny book. So many of the one-off gags are set up/delivered the same way, with one character saying something that can be misinterpreted by another character and the punchline is that they misunderstood it. It's a little boring. I found it a fine read, but I think it got one laugh out of me, you know.
I like the sparse style though, and I liked the interstitial pages a lot!