Review: Fangs by Sarah Andersen

Fangs
Sarah Andersen
Release: 9/1/2020
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A love story between a vampire and a werewolf by the creator of the enormously popular Sarah's Scribbles comics.

Elsie the vampire is three hundred years old, but in all that time, she has never met her match. This all changes one night in a bar when she meets Jimmy, a charming werewolf with a wry sense of humor and a fondness for running wild during the full moon. Together they enjoy horror films and scary novels, shady strolls, fine dining (though never with garlic), and a genuine fondness for each other’s unusual habits, macabre lifestyles, and monstrous appetites.

First featured as a webcomic series on Tapas, Fangs chronicles the humor, sweetness, and awkwardness of meeting someone perfectly suited to you but also vastly different. Filled with Sarah Andersen’s beautiful gothic illustrations and relatable relationship humor, Fangs has all the makings of a cult classic.

 Review:
I have been a huge fan and a follower of Sarah Andersen's comics for several years now and I've reviewed every bind up of her Sarah's Scribbles comic series here on the blog. When I heard she was going to be drawing a new vampire comic for Tapas, I was intrigued! The concept of Fangs was so different from her Scribbles stuff that I didn't know whether I would love it or hate it.

Good news! I adored it so much! It was funny and new way to look at classic werewolves and vampires. I instantly fell in love with Elsie and Jimmy and found myself counting down for the next comic to release. I was drawn in immediately and loved watching Elsie and Jimmy work through their differences and strengthen their relationship. The art style was both fun and stunning and so different from her style for Scribbles. It really worked with the story line!

As someone who faithfully followed the comic on Tapas as it was being published, I was hesitant at first to request an ARC because I thought I had read them all. Then I saw on someone's Instagram that physical copy was going to have never before seen comics she specifically drew for this edition. I requested the ARC so fast after that because I needed to see what she had added to the story. It was well worth it and I immediately pre-ordered a copy to put on my comics shelf next to my Scribbles collections. 

I agree with the synopsis that this comic has the makings to become a cult classic. It's quirky and fun and  just a delightful read all around! I can't recommend this paranormal love story enough to friends. I can promise that you won't regret picking a copy up for yourself. The only complaint I have is a small one. I really wish we were going to get more comics for this story but it sounds like it's finished. I would love to keep reading this comic for the next decade if the author wanted to draw it. That's some of the highest praise I can give a comic collection.

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley.

    

  5 / 5 Stars

My reviews of other books by this author:
Adulthood is a Myth by Sarah Andersen
Big Mushy Happy Lump by Sarah Andersen

Herding Cats by Sarah Andersen

Review: Check, Please!: #Hockey by Ngozi Ukazu

Check, Please!: #Hockey
(Check, Please! #1-2)
Ngozi Ukazu
Release: September 18, 2018
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ARC provided by the publisher

Helloooo, Internet Land. Bitty here!

Y’all... I might not be ready for this. I may be a former junior figure skating champion, vlogger extraordinaire, and very talented amateur pâtissier, but being a freshman on the Samwell University hockey team is a whole new challenge. It’s nothing like co-ed club hockey back in Georgia! First of all? There’s checking. And then, there is Jack—our very attractive but moody captain.

A collection of the first half of the megapopular webcomic series of the same name, Check, Please!: #Hockey is the first book of a hilarious and stirring two-volume coming-of-age story about hockey, bros, and trying to find yourself during the best four years of your life.

Review:
I know I've talked about how much I adore this webcomic previously on the blog, so you all can guess how excited I was when they announced that it was going to be a real book published by First Second! AND GUYS, IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL! It's basically an American sports anime in comic form with amazing full color art and some awesome bonus content - like some of Bitty's tweets!

Check, Please! is this bright, happy, joyful comic about an adorable gay boy playing hockey, baking pies, and falling in love and it just hits all the right notes for me! I've absolutely loved reading the webcomic but there is something really special about being able to physically hold this comic in my hands. I could see lots of details than I wasn't able to when reading it online and I could study each character's expressions more closely. And the little explanations between the chapters were amazing! I loved it so much that I actually gave a loud Vader-esque scream of "Nooooo!" when I got to the end of the published pages even though I know what happens next to Bitty and all of his dearest hockey bros. 

Speaking of his hockey bros... I love each and every one of them and their different personalities! It was so much fun reading about Bitty's college journey again: his experience on the hockey team, GRUMPY JACK, baking, Shitty being the best, Ransom and Holster explaining hockey! It's just all so good! The dialogue is so hilarious, but also so full of emotion and heart. And that ending of Year Two!! I was pretty much the human equivalent of the heart-eyes emoji even though I knew it was coming. I really enjoyed the added tweets, they were hysterical and the perfect sort of bonus content.

If you're looking for a good LGBTQ+ sport comic that has all the best characteristics of a sports anime, Check, Please!: Hockey is the comic for you! I really can't recommend it enough! 

    

  5 / 5 Stars!



Recommended for fans of: Haikyuu!, Yuri on Ice, Free!, and Prince of Stride: Alternative

Six Webcomics You Should Be Reading

We all have that one weird obsession that you really don't talk much about until you encounter another person with the same leanings. For me, that obsession is webcomics. I was introduced to webcomics by a post-doc back in grad school in 2012 and I've been reading them ever since. I love reading and discovering new webcomics! It's kind of like reading fanfiction. You can always find super creative storylines and lots of queer romance and non-traditional characters unlike in a lot of traditionally published comics. 

I was started out on some great ones like Nimona by Noelle Stevenson/Gingerhaze, Hotblood! by Toril Orlesky/starlock, and one I'll talk about below. I quickly branched out on my own and found some great ones and some that were not so great.

Today, I want to talk about five of my favorite webcomics I've discovered in the last year or so and one oldie but goodie that's still going strong. Most of them are very queer, very excellent, and range from contemporary to fantasy to sci-fi. Let's get started, shall we?

Quinn Dreaming by TJ Ryan

Quinn Dreaming is one of the cutest webcomics I've found this year! It's not very far along but it's been 100% golden so far! I feel so lucky to have stumbled upon it early on thanks to a tweet by Tara Sim. This webcomic is "about magic, awkward crushes, and a lack of sleep" according to the creator. The story follows Quinn, a dream witch, who is trying to navigate his senior year as well as his crush on his best friend, Sorrel. The queer romance, diverse cast, multiple YA book references, and awesome worldbuilding make this webcomic one not to miss! I love it! The characters are amazing and the diversity and uniqueness of the magic is everything! If you're not reading this one yet, you need to! Then you can come find me on Twitter and we can gush about it while we wait for the next update.

Check, Please! by Ngozi Ukazu

A good friend of mine recommended this one to me last year and I quickly became obsessed with it!  Check, Please! is webcomic about hockey and pies and discovering who you are during college. It has a diverse cast of characters and lots of hockey action! Plus, it's a queer romance and I ship it so hard. SO HARD! This webcomic is seriously adorable and hilarious and it makes me so happy! If you want to spend an enjoyable few evenings, I highly recommend checking it out! (Haha! I made a pun!) The shenanigans that Bitty and the Samwell hockey team get up to are freaking fantastic! I can't believe the fourth and last year just started! I'm not ready to say good-bye yet!

Also, if physical comics are your thing, the first two years/volumes of this comic are going to be published as a bind-up called Check, Please!: #Hockey by First Second Comics this fall!

Constellation Grimm by Gibslythe

I just discovered Constellation Grimm thanks to my Tapas app and it is glorious! I binge read it all in one day. It's a queer webcomic that follows the journey of an amnesiac girl nicknamed Sunshine as she struggles to get her lost memories back. The cast! The plot! The art! It's all SO good! I don't want to say much more than that because I think this webcomic is better enjoyed going in completely blind. It's on a short hiatus because of the creator's health and con schedule but it should start updating again in September.

This webcomic is on Tumblr but I would recommend reading it on Tapas.

 

Frankenstein's Support Group for Misunderstood Monsters by Jared Axelrod

Frankenstein's Support Group is published on the Quirk Books blog and is a fun, modern look at some of our favorite literary monsters and some new ones too. It's been a few hundred years and lots of things have changed. Frankenstein's Monster has adopted his maker's surname and went on to study psychiatry. He has now started a support group to help guide other misunderstood monsters like him live in the modern age. It is seriously great! Dracula is stuck in a rut and Baba Yaga is the modern day feminist witch that we all should inspire to be like. Plus, we get to see some new faces like Ginger who is still figuring out the whole monster thing.

I read it through the author's website because some of the links on Quirk's blog are missing.

Galanthus by Ashanti Fortson

Galanthus is like the webcomic version of A Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet and it is everything! I just started reading it last week and I'm not caught up but it's amazing so far! It's about Farah, a human factory worker, who accidentally stows away on a spaceship and then gets invited to join the crew! It's filled with fascinating aliens, a queer spaceship family, a captain who's determined to make the universe a better place through kindness, and smuggling. I can't recommend it enough! Plus, the art style is pretty cool and minimalistic.

Oh Human Star by Blue Delliquanti

Oh Human Star has been a webcomic I've been reading for a LONG time. Like 5 years. It started back in 2012 and is still ongoing. It's a queer family drama with robots! And it is seriously one of the best webcomics I've ever read and easily makes it onto my Top 3 Favorite Webcomics of All-Time. The story is about one Alastair Sterling, who was the inventor who sparked the robot revolution. But his sudden death meant that he didn’t see any of it of happen. That is, until he wakes up sixteen years later in a robot body that is an exact replica of his old one. Al now has to find his old business partner and learn how to navigate the future that is now his present. I seriously can't recommend this one enough!

Do you read webcomics? If so, do you have any recommendations for me?

Really Short Reviews: Ghosts, Cats, and Dressmakers

The Prince and the Dressmaker
Jen Wang
Release: February 13, 2018
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Paris, at the dawn of the modern age:

Prince Sebastian is looking for a bride―or rather, his parents are looking for one for him. Sebastian is too busy hiding his secret life from everyone. At night he puts on daring dresses and takes Paris by storm as the fabulous Lady Crystallia―the hottest fashion icon in the world capital of fashion!

Sebastian’s secret weapon (and best friend) is the brilliant dressmaker Frances―one of only two people who know the truth: sometimes this boy wears dresses. But Frances dreams of greatness, and being someone’s secret weapon means being a secret. Forever. How long can Frances defer her dreams to protect a friend? Jen Wang weaves an exuberantly romantic tale of identity, young love, art, and family. A fairy tale for any age, The Prince and the Dressmaker will steal your heart.

Review:
This graphic novel is the most heartwarming graphic novel I've read in a while. There's something so delightful and whimsical about this story of a seamstress with dreams of being a great fashion designer and a prince with dreams of wearing those designs. The friendship in this books is what makes the story as magical as it is. I loved how this book approached the topic of identity and deconstructed accepted gender norms. Also, the illustrations were very excellently done and complimented the story well.

   

  4 / 5 Stars

Archival Quality

Ivy Noelle Weir and Steenz

Release: March 20, 2018

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After losing her job at the library, Celeste "Cel" Walden starts working at the haunting Logan Museum as an archivist. But the job may not be the second chance she was hoping for, and she finds herself confronting her mental health, her relationships, and before long, her grasp on reality as she begins to dream of a young woman she's never met, but feels strangely drawn to. Especially after she asks Cel for help…

As Cel attempts to learn more about the woman, she begins losing time, misplacing things, passing out—the job is becoming dangerous, but she can't let go of this mysterious woman. Who is she? Why is she so fixated on Cel? And does Cel have the power to save her when she's still trying to save herself?

Review:

I've been waiting to get my hands on this graphic novel since it was announced. As much as I was into the story of a girl working at a haunted museum and trying to find out information about a ghost that is haunting her, I unfortunately I found the execution pretty meh. I wanted to love it. I did. But I just was bored throughout the whole thing. Plus, the ending felt rushed and anti-climatic.

I did love the character designs and how diverse the cast was though. Unfortunately, they just felt flat to me. I also liked the mental health rep in this graphic novel and how the author explored how people with mental health conditions have been treated and mistreated throughout psychiatric history. I can see lots of people really liking this but it just wasn't for me.

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley

 1/2

  2.5 / 5 Stars

Herding Cats

(Sarah's Scribbles #3)

Sarah Andersen

Release: March 27, 2018

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Sarah's Scribbles,  Goodreads Choice Award for 2016:  Best Graphic Novels & Comics

". . . author Sarah Andersen uses hilarious (and adorable) comics to illustrate the very specific growing pains that occur on your way to becoming a mature, put-together grownup. Andersen’s spot-on illustrations also show how to navigate this newfound adulthood once you arrive, since maturity is equally as hard to maintain as it is to find … "
--The Huffington Post

Sarah valiantly struggles with waking up in the morning, being productive, and dealing with social situations. Sarah's Scribbles is the comic strip that follows her life, finding humor in living as an adulting introvert that is at times weird, awkward, and embarrassing.

Review:

I have loved each and every Sarah Scribble's collection made and this one was no different. I always find her content to be funny, relatable, and relevant. I know when I pick up a book by Sarah Andersen that I will come out of reading it in a better mood and with sore sides from laughing. I'd recommend these comic based on their hilarity alone.

This collection also included an essay portion about Making Stuff in our Modern Era that I found to be an interesting read and super relatable. We've all come across trolls on the internet but it was interesting to see the creator side of things as the author talked about her anxiety and exposing one's self on the internet when everyone is a critic. It made for a thoughtful read.

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley.

   

  4 / 5 Stars

My reviews of other books in this series:
Adulthood is a Myth by Sarah Andersen
Big Mushy Happy Lump by Sarah Andersen

Comic Review: Voltron Legendary Defender, Vols. 1-2

About a year ago, my godkids were raving to me about a cartoon on Netflix called Voltron: Legendary Defender and I will admit they made me interested in watching it. I had seen a few clips from the old anime it's a remake of but I really knew nothing about it going in. I LOVED IT! It's cheesy space opera-y goodness that is just plain fun to watch. I love the characters and they each have their quirks. I binge watched the first two seasons in a day. And it just keeps getting better and better with each new season they add.

So while I was waiting for Season 3 to be released, I discovered that they had created a comic based on the show. I immediately went to my local comic bookstore and bought it. I loved it too! When Volume 2 of the comic went up as Read Now on Netgalley, I had to download it. I wasn't disappointed! So in celebration of Volume 2's release tomorrow, I'm going to share a few of my non-spoilery thoughts on each volume.

Voltron: Legendary Defender, Vol. 1:
(Voltron: Legendary Defender #1)
Time Hedrick, Mike Iverson, and Digital Art Chefs
Release: February 7, 2017
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This trade collects the first comic book chapter of the epic series airing on Netflix. From days of long ago, from uncharted regions of the universe comes VOLTRON: LEGENDARY DEFENDER! When Team Voltron takes on a dangerous training mission in deep space, Coran, Princess Allura's majordomo, is captured by an ancient enemy. It will take teamwork, smarts, and, of course, Voltron, to save their friend's life. This galaxy-spanning adventure is a never-before-seen chapter of the epic animated series reboot by show writers Tim Hedrick (Avatar: The Last Airbender) and Mitch Iverson.

Review:
Before you read this comic, you really should go watch the tv show. This volume acts as a side story to the cartoon and takes place after the events in Episode 10 of Season 1. And it's all about a paladin training exercise gone awry which always makes for fun times for the Voltron crew.

I really enjoyed reading this volume. It was fast-paced and action-packed while also managing to retain the quirkiness and humor of the show while giving us more insight into the paladins and their personalities. I absolutely adore the art style of this comic. It's very similar to the animation style of the show and it's awesome!

If you haven't watched the show, go do that now! And if you're like me and just want more Voltron goodness, go and grab a copy of this volume. You won't be disappointed!

   

  4 / 5 Stars

Voltron: Legendary Defender, Vol. 2: Pilgrimage

(Voltro: Legendary Defender #2)

Tim Hedrick, Mike Iverson, and Rubine

Release: February 13, 2018

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When the Voltron Paladins respond to a distress call, they discover a group of alien settlers on a mining planet under attack by the Galra. The five daring pilots must then escort the convoy of rescued settlers to their new home. To succeed they must cross into increasingly dangerous territory, successfully navigate amongst frightening predators and colossal beasts, and battle the evil Galra!

Review:

I enjoyed the first volume of this comic series, but I LOVED this one! It was amazing! The events in this trade take place after Episode 3 in Season 2 and are full of lots of Hunk moments and a really cool new alien race who thrives on fighting! This comic really embodies everything I love about this franchise remake.

The art in this one is just as awesome as the first volume and still contained the humor and quirkiness that defines this series for me. I loved discovering more about this new alien race and seeing the paladins interact with them. I flew through this volume and before I knew it I had run out of pages. My favorite part of this volume probably had to be Lance giving love advice to Hunk. It was kind of hilarious.

As soon as I finished, I wanted more! I can't wait to see what other stories they can tell us about the paladins' adventures in this format. I'm hoping the next volume has more Keith or Shiro moments. I want to know more about them. *crosses fingers*

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley.

    

  5 / 5 Stars

Really Short Reviews: Heart and Brain and Jack Skellington

Heart and Brain: Body Language
The Awkward Yeti
Release: October 3, 2017
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From the New York Times bestselling creator of the hugely popular Awkward Yeti comics comes the third collection in his Heart and Brain series.

Heart and Brain: Body Language continues the adventures of the loveably conflicted sentimental Heart and rational Brain, as well as other bodily inhabitants like Gallbladder, Muscle, and Tongue.

Warm-hearted and laugh-out-loud funny, these comics bring our inner struggles to vibrant, humorous life.

Review:
Whenever I need a pick me up, I go and read some Heart and Brain comics. For me, they're always a win. This new collection isn't my favorite of the three out but it was still funny. Heart and Brain never fail to make me laugh. Also, so many of these comics are super relatable!

I never get tired of the Heart's shenanigans, the Brain's desperate attempts at order, or the hilarious relatability of Tongue and his cravings. Anyone who's got a human body can probably get a laugh out of at least a few of these, so I'd definitely recommend looking up the webcomic or picking up a copy of this collection.

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley.

    

  4 / 5 Stars

Disney Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas, Vol. 1

(The Nightmare Before Christmas #1)

Jun Asuka

Release: September 26, 2017

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Manga publishing pioneer TOKYOPOP brings you a special edition gorgeous hardcover manga based on the classic Halloween masterpiece Disney Tim Burton s Nightmare Before Christmas. A must-have for manga fans, Tim Burton fans, and Halloween fans alike!! Collect this horrifying masterpiece!"

Review:

If you're familiar with The Nightmare Before Christmas stop-motion movie, there's nothing new in this manga volume story-wise. It was a faithful adaptation with beautiful illustrations. Not all stories work when presented in black and white art but it lent this one a more spooky and whimsical quality.

It's hard not to compare it to the movie and the previous picture book. While it was excellently done, this isn't the place for people new to the story to start. I would recommend watching the movie first. That being said, for people like me who have loved this story since they watched it, this volume makes an excellent addition to their manga collection.

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley.

   1/2

  3.5 / 5 Stars