New review today for Pixie Lice by Amanda Vahamaki. Who also did a mini kus comic that I enjoyed thoroughly over a decade ago, which is not something I remembered until I searched my own website for her name. The process of this website replacing my own brain is almost complete…
Vahamaki, Amanda – Pixie Lice
July 30, 2026
Can you have a slice of life comic about a made-up world? I mean, sure. One of the main reasons why this comic was such a joy was because there was no need to have every little thing explained; this was a world of magic and odd creatures, and since both of those things were a given, we got to see some of them go about their daily lives. Things start off with a couple of vampires riding a scooter (which we only know because the first panel of the comic is a close-up of their fangs), followed by three kids hanging out and discussing their upcoming class schedules. Then they break out their hexes for the year, each surprised (and some disappointed) at what pops out of them. We shift to a school administrator trying to go about their day before hearing a crash, which leads to counseling a student who’s hanging out in a tree stump (who also happens to be a talking monkey). Another family appears next, which is where we get our first sighting of the creatures in the title in this comic. There’s no big quest or dramatic emotional reveal to be had in here, but it’s a world I’d like to experience again. It’s a hoot, is what I’m saying, and I’d thoroughly recommend this to anybody who loves a casually weird story. And it’s cheap! $5
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Posted by Kevin
Update for 7/28/26
July 28, 2026New review today for How I Leave You by Sydney Heifler. Sorry about the week off, but I’m in anther one of those constant states of having very few comics on hand to review. I’ll buy more soon, or if you have a new comic, this is also another one of those cases where there will be very little wait for a review of a comic that makes it to my mailbox…
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Posted by Kevin
Heifler, Sydney – How I Leave You
July 28, 2026
Just so you know, the link in the title goes to a full and free version of this comic online. I didn’t see any links to buy a printed version like I did, but if you live near Columbus Ohio The Laughing Ogre still had copies as of 6/26. Or maybe contact Sydney directly through her website? I don’t know, this was originally an art show so maybe physical copies were meant to be limited. Anyway! I went into this as a blind grab, and my initial thought based on the cover (always a bad idea) was that this might be a memoir about heartbreak and getting over a relationship. That wasn’t at all the case: this is a comic about sexual assault and rape, and the various methods she attempted to get over those traumas. This is more of a primal scream than a comic, and a difficult one to critique in an objective sense other than my usual “I hope the dude responsible for this gets hit by a bus eventually” response. This starts off with her trying to come to grips with her PTSD and the constant doubts constantly flooding her brain, and it’s one of several single page images in this comic that just floored me. The image of the liquor bottle surrounded by her attempts to describe what happened was another one, and another image that needs to be experienced to be fully appreciated. There’s the casual way that the whole thing starts (the guy was a trusted friend, then it jumps straight to the aftermath and how the experience completely changed her. She didn’t report anything to anybody for months, she withdrew from friends and the world, panic attempts set it, and there was the extra trauma of trying to navigate life with her friends (who knew about it) trying clumsily to will her back to being her former self. Then there were her attempts to take control of her life before finally finding other ways to experience joy, but an experience like this never completely leaves a person. It’s a gutting experience as a comic and, while I’d recommend caution if you’ve been through a similar experience, there may be comfort to be found here in watching another person navigate it. $10 (if you can find a copy, if not it’s available for free online, so maybe take that $10 and donate it to a worthy cause?)
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Posted by Kevin
Update for 7/15/26
July 15, 2026New review today for Ukestadli by Cole Pauls, and if I’d ever figured out how to use umlauts and that various symbols that can go over letters that title would look much different.
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Posted by Kevin
Pauls, Cole – Uketsadli: He Loves Her
July 15, 2026
This comic is turning into a real mystery. I bought it at The Laughing Ogre in Columbus last month, and they had to basically invent a price for it since there was no clue on the comic. So I thought maybe once I reviewed it that I could verify that from his website, but it’s not listed there either, even though it came out only a couple of years ago. So I’m going with the theory that if you contact Cole, he could get you a copy of this, maybe for the arbitrary $7 I paid for it. If not, he has a number of graphic novels available, you could always give one of those a shot. That’s all well and good, but what’s the actual comic about? There are two stories in here, and the first is about Cole’s first time on a ferry, but it’s mostly a solid example of how (when you’re a kid, anyway) a crush can develop, blossom and then come to a crashing end all within an hour or so. Next there’s a sweet little story about getting swept up in a crush as an adult, then having to decide on the fly (when asked by somebody on the street) exactly how seriously you’re taking that budding relationship. Those are the basics, anyway; Cole also gets into some clan cultural stuff from the Yukon territory in Canada that’s fascinating. Why can’t we in the U.S. have a dance where all the single men dance first to attract all of the single ladies? That sounds like an absolute blast. Anyway, check this out if you can find it (Laughing Ogre had two more copies as of last month).
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Posted by Kevin
Update for 7/13/26
July 13, 2026New review today for Random Short Stories by a Future Bestseller by Brian Canini, and could it be? Am I actually caught up with his comics? I’m just going to assume that he’s fallen behind in posting new books in his online store…
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Posted by Kevin
Canini, Brian – Random Short Stories by a Future Bestseller #2
July 13, 2026
Random Short Stories by a Future Bestseller #2
It’s one of my favorite types of comics: a collection of short pieces that mostly originally appeared in anthologies! Yes, you cynical bastards, I’m actually being sincere here. Those types of stories are generally lost to history otherwise, as most anthologies drop out of print quickly (assuming they had much of a print run to begin with), and these short pieces are an excellent opportunity for artists to challenge themselves. And for this one, even if you have been following every last bit of Brian’s work over the years, he was nice enough to put a brand new story in here too. This one has several long pieces and a few single page strips (one graciously included below by your friendly reviewer). First up is a fairly complex piece called Silk Stockings that, in 6 pages, manages to capture the feelings of being in an awkward vacation spot, discovering that your parents aren’t as well off as you’d like to think, and accidentally giving your budding sexuality a kick start by hiding in the wrong place for a game of hide and seek. Next up is a piece about the grim reality of going off to live in the woods after quitting your job, followed by a short strip (where Brian really flexes those artistic muscles), then a longer piece about a sad sack who goes out with the wrong girl (“wrong” in this instance meaning “is a spy under surveillance”). But wait, there’s more! Next up is a longer piece about a battle with a necromancer with soul stealing eyes (I admired his commitment to realism with this one, or at least the level of realism that comes with the concept of trying to attack a being that could kill you with a look), followed by a Tom and Jerry type of strip that takes a really dark turn, then a couple of single page strips that I’ll leave it to you to discover. That final punchline though, it did indeed get a solid guffaw out of me. Not a laugh, you see, but a legit guffaw. Those are hard to come by, so kudos to Brian for that. Look, if Brian ever puts out a real stinker of a comic, I’ll tell you about it, but this is another solid collection of stories from the man, and you should check it out, whether you’re already a fan or a new reader. $8
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Posted by Kevin
Update for 7/8/26
July 8, 2026New review today for Woodrow Comics #2 by Chris Auman, in which things take a turn and I try to discover the workings of my own brain. Also there’s a comic review in there somewhere.
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Posted by Kevin
Auman, Chris – Woodrow Comics #2
July 8, 2026
Let’s call this review an object lesson in why you should never trust the opinion of a reviewer. Go back and read the review for the first issue of this series, if you haven’t already. If you can’t be bothered, fine: I loved it, legitimately laughed out loud several times, and was eager to see more. So here I am, roughly three months later, seeing more, and my general thoughts on this one were… meh. Still some funny parts, but the whole thing seemed like more of a chore, which was not at all my experience from the first issue. And, since both issues are pulled from the same era of Chris’s comics (and since they both really need to be read together), it’s ridiculous to think that the quality changed much at all so, once again, that just leaves me as the dummy. I can live with that! Oh, I still haven’t given any synopsis of this. Basically think of Spinal Tap and you at least get the seed of the idea; Chris and a friend were bored in high school and made up a fake band with dozens of albums, all released in a comically short period of time (also with comically short album lengths compared to the amount of songs). There’s also an extended fake interview and even a few comics, all of which made me at least smile, so I honestly can’t tell you why there’s a disconnect in my head on this compared to the first issue. If you liked the first issue I do think that you’ll also enjoy this one, and I even included a link to buy both of them in a package deal (for $7 instead of the $6 for a single issue). Maybe somewhere down the line I’ll read these together just to see what’s wrong with my brain, but this is as clear of an example that I could present showing that my problem with a comic is me, with absolutely nothing to do with the comic. They were made at the same time, for the love of all that’s holy! $6 (or $7 for the pair of them)
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Posted by Kevin
Update for 7/6/26
July 6, 2026New review today for Uncle Andy’s BLT Baby by A.T. Pratt and no, I can confirm that this baby does not know how to make a BLT sandwich.
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Posted by Kevin
Pratt, A.T. – Uncle Andy’s BLT Baby
July 6, 2026
Quick, you don’t know anything about this comic yet (unless you’ve read it already, obviously; this is for the people coming in new). Do you think this comic is about a baby who likes BLTs or do you think this is a comic about a baby who is part of a BLT? Just me for that last one? Ugh, that probably doesn’t say anything good about me. This one actually starts off a little smaller, as it’s all about a cranky baby who won’t eat their tomatoes. Many attempts are made (although I would have given up when the old standard of tomato soup and grilled cheese didn’t work), a professional chef is even consulted, but nothing prevents the baby from throwing a tantrum and tossing the tomato-based attempt on the ground. As for what it is that finally breaks through, it’s somewhere between difficult and impossible to spoil such a thing when it’s right there in the title. It’s a cute little story, but I may be burying the lead here, as it’s also a fold-out comic. No, not one of those comics that makes you wonder if you’re reading things in the correct order, this one just folds out into a giant maze in case you want to help the baby find the lost tomatoes (now that she loves tomatoes). This naturally made me wonder about the author, and it turns out that these fold-out comics are kind of A.T. Pratt’s thing; he has all kinds of them on his website, some with some truly impressively complex designs. If you’re a fan of those types of comics I’d suggest checking out a pile of his comics, if you’re only a fan of angry babies I’d suggest giving this one a shot. Yes, I’m afraid that you’re required to fall into one of those two categories. $5
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Posted by Kevin
Update for 6/30/26
June 30, 2026New review today for A Self-Defense Study Guide for Trans Women which, considering the terrible Supreme Court decisions, feels important. It’s not like they’re going to help anybody…
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Posted by Kevin
Anonymous – A Self-Defense Study Guide for Trans Women
June 30, 2026
A Self-Defense Study Guide for Trans Women
I will occasionally shame people for reading a comic for free online, but the link for this one goes to a site that encourages people to read it online or even print out their own pdf of it so, if you have the means, go nuts with this. Print out copies and leave them around your town where you think they’ll do the most good, hand them out to your dumber friends, etc. But then maybe make a donation to one of several groups that support trans rights, because hey why not? This isn’t going to be anything like a traditional review (as if I even do those), because there’s really only one question with a zine like this: is the information in it helpful? And the answer to that is a simple absolutely, it sure as hell is. Reading this as a cis guy (but an ally for my entire adult life, for whatever that’s worth) the most depressing takeaway that I had? And there were many, but the worst one was the repeated emphasis that if you get in trouble as a trans person, even if you’re in a crowd, even when you’re with an ally, more often than not nobody will back you up. Even when you’re with a friend! Gah, that just blew my mind. I’ve stood up for friends in near bar fights when they were clearly the stupid one, I had no idea that assistance when this happened was so rare. Anyway, this is crammed full of helpful information, including how to handle people you absolutely can’t respond verbally to (cops, employers, customers), how to deescalate with people you can’t just punch (gropers, kids) potentially violent situations, how it’s always best to go out in a group when possible, and finally deescalating with a romantic partner when they’re not taking “no” for an answer. Training, it turns out, is key, both for physical situations and bullying situations. Not to necessarily win a fight, but enough to make an impression on the attacker and keep them from coming for you again. There are all kinds of scenarios in here with plenty of useful tips, it’s just about never been easier to read a comic right after reading my review, so I strongly encourage everybody to do so now. Trust me, no matter how much of an ally that you think you are, there will be something in here you’d never considered. And if you’re at risk and feeling hopeless, this is at least an excellent place to start. $5 (or free at the link)
Leave a Comment » | Reviews | Tagged: A Self-Defense Study Guide for Trans Women, Daren Todd, Gaia Wxyz, inoPoGo, Jacky Radl, Samantha Richardson, Scout Tran | Permalink
Posted by Kevin
Update for 6/25/26
June 25, 2026New review today for In the City Part Five, the finale of the series by Karl Christian Krumpholz. Based on past reviews, who can guess what I thought of it?
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Posted by Kevin
Krumpholz, Karl Christian – In the City Part Five
June 25, 2026
In case anybody wonders if I go back and read my old reviews to get caught up on an ongoing series that I’m reviewing: I absolutely do. Is that a cheat? Would it be better if I went back and read the previous issues again before each review? Absolutely! Just as soon as that benevolent billionaire first exists and then gives me a pile of money to quit my job, I pledge to do just that. Until then, this is the best I can do. Look, I’m stalling a bit because I’m here reviewing the fifth and final issue of a series that I adored, and I don’t know the combination of words that I could type that would convince people to check out this series who haven’t done so already. It’s Karl at the absolute top of his game, and if you’ve read any of his other series you’ll know what a claim that is. It’ll make you look at whatever city you’re in in a new light; during my trip to Columbus for Cartoon Crossroads I spent hours just walking the city streets (something I never really did when I lived there), taking it all in and observing all of the subtle and barely noticeable sights. Do you want details? Sure, I can do that. Things start off with a sprawling view of the city, really encouraging the reader to take it in (and, I’ll bet, remember some things themselves if they’re familiar with the city). Then we get our heroes having a conversation in a bar while an unhoused man rants outside, eventually throwing a rock through the window. At them? I don’t think so, but it does take forever to get all of the glass out of your hair. Then we get more time in the city, running into old friends in the street, debating over what makes a pub a pub, telling (and hearing) old stories, finding a new addition to the men’s room, before Karl makes a turn down the wrong alley and gets sucker punched. This is another reminder to stay on good terms with the local weirdos, as one of them is able to help him out before things get too bad. This leads to them needing to spend a little time outside of the city to recover, which is maybe illegal in a comic with that title? But it’s handled wonderfully, and that’s the end of me describing things about this comic, even though nothing I could say would really lessen the experience of taking a city in that’s chock full of details like this. I will say that we do get some quality Oola time, including a full page of Oola’s release after a long time spent in a cat carrier (something everybody with a cat can relate to, and damned near photo realistic). I’m fascinated to see what he comes up with next, and while getting the eventual collected edition of this has my highest recommendation, maybe get an issue or two as well. Even with the occasional violence, this series is thoroughly calming for me. Check this out already! $18
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Posted by Kevin
Update for 6/22/26
June 22, 2026New review today for I, Candy by Ruby Carter, and it looks like this is a “comics that came in the mail” review week. That’s because those suckers get top priority, just in case you have any new comics coming out that you’d like me, in my own l’il way, to help bring before the eyeballs of the comics community (who read this website).
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Posted by Kevin
Carter, Ruby – I, Candy
June 22, 2026
I hate to do this, but the link in the title goes to a free online version of this comic, purely because I couldn’t find a place online to buy a physical copy of it (and the link will be changed once I do). So if you follow that link, please send her $8 so neither one of us has to feel guilty about it. This is Ruby’s latest, and it’s completely different in tone from the other two comics of hers that I’ve read so far. What’s that you say, that that’s the mark of a great artist? You’ll get no argument from me. This is an almost (but not completely) silent comic, and it’s all about the moment that a stripper finally snaps. It’s also tricky as hell to get a sample image out of, since there are a few double page spreads and it’s such a complete story as is that pulling an image from it might not tell you much about it. Things start off normally, with our stripper in a seedy room with countless anonymous eyes on her. It doesn’t seem to be any one thing that causes her to snap, but snap she does, gradually and then all at once. I’m also only noticing now that the eyes that are constantly in the background are very much telling their own story, and that you should keep an eye (ugh) on them if you’re wondering about the reactions of the faceless crowd as things progress. It’s a spectacularly unnerving story, and any long term reader knows that that’s about the highest recommendation I can give for a comic. $8 (if you can find it; Chicago people, check the shops!)
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Posted by Kevin
Update for 6/18/26
June 18, 2026New review today for Bury Me Already, the new graphic novel by Julia Wertz. Which also prompted me to clean up the random characters from some of her old reviews, because that’s how long I’ve been reviewing her stuff here.
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Posted by Kevin
Wertz, Julia – Bury Me Already
June 18, 2026
Note: there’s no sample image for this review because I didn’t want to crack the spine of my fancy new hardcover to get it. Yeah, I admitted it. There’s also the fact that I would have a very hard time sampling just one page, so this keeps me from having to choose.
Oh hey, the review is starting now! If you’ve been around this website for any length of time (or comics at all), you already know about Julia Wertz. I do this thing where I review comics for people and then drop out of reviewing their graphic novels once they get successful, on the almost certainly wrong assumption that The Comics Journal and other fancier review sites can handle it. But dammit, I can’t let this one go by without talking about it a bit, because it’s the best thing she’s done yet, and boy howdy is that ever saying something. First, if you’ve only ever read my reviews of her work and not her actual work, shame on you. Every book she’s put out that I didn’t talk about (Impossible People, Museum of Mistakes, etc.) is worth getting, and they’re all on my bookshelf. I’m ashamed to admit that I briefly hesitated on this one, because I’m a childless weirdo and this is all about Julia deciding to have a child. I thought it might not connect with me as much as her other work. Reader, I couldn’t have been more wrong. I haven’t laughed out loud (which I spell out because it’s true) this much while reading a graphic novel since maybe Hot Dog Taste Test by Lisa Hanawalt, and that one is meant to be all jokes. This is the true story of her deciding to have a child, the trouble with actually having that child, excruciating details about pregnancy and giving birth, and the differences between living with the baby through his various stages of development. Well, up until about age 4, because this is a printed book and it had to stop somewhere. If you’re like me and wonder what compels people to have children in this broken, circling the drain world, you’d better believe that she gets into it, and you’d better believe that those doubts never really go away. But there’s also a tiny human around that’s constantly doing and saying incredible things, which is a big help. Julia also gets into everything else that was happening in her life while this was going on, but she somehow manages to do it without embarrassing anybody too much or revealing too much personal information, which is a hell of a skill. Her older brother gets hit with some of his previously mentioned (in other comics/graphic novels) mental health issues again, and she manages to avoid saying most of what went on with him while confining it more to her reactions and how it affected her during the pregnancy and early years of the baby. I also hope that Josh writes a book about his experiences, because she’s somehow only scratched the surface with her stories of him. Oh, and all of this happened in the early days of the pandemic, meaning that she had to do most of it alone; even her husband couldn’t come along with her to most of her appointments. And oh, the American health care system is thoroughly covered here, and if you don’t think you’re mad enough about it yet, reading this one will somehow turn that loathing dial up another few notches. Her book is a lot more linear and coherent than this review, but I have to once again point out: this shit if funny. Consistently, uproariously, did-I-really-hurt-my-back-laughing level of funny. And when I say “this shit,” you’d better believe there’s plenty of that involved in an open discussion about a new baby. I thought that after reading this book I’d probably recommend it mostly for new or prospective parents, but no, that’s too limiting. Humans who like Julia’s work, this is her best book yet, and you need to read this. Humans who haven’t read her work… sigh. There’s still time, and this is a fine place to start. $32
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Posted by Kevin
