My Selling Pitch:
Dragons vs robots but it's your typical male revenge fantasy wet dream.

On my do not read list.

Pre-reading: Maybe, I need my eyes checked, but that doesn’t look like a dragon to me lol.

(obviously potential spoilers from here on) Thick of it: Robots vs dragons.

The ink work makes these panels really hard to read. They just kind of look blurry.

No one‘s questioning the whole ass vampire? Who put Eddy C on the front lines?

He gives all these huge panels to the action, but all they are are stripy lines.

So we nixed pointy elf ears but kept the bat boys.

Is Slender Man free use at this point? FAIR USE. I MEAN FAIR USE OMG.

This is borderline incoherent.

He looks like Skulker and Skeletor.

OK, so a ragtag group to slay dragons. I don’t care. You gave me no personalities, no world explanation, no plot-just a general John Wick revenge fantasy.

Post-reading: Can men find any motivation beyond going scorched earth to avenge a dead wife? Like you don't even like her, bro! You just like that her death gives you an excuse to be an emotionally stunted dick with an overcompensatingly sized weapon. Grow upppp. The narrative of this is borderline incoherent. It’s setup for your dime a dozen ragtag group vs impossible threat. Your female characters are a blind girl in a dress because the male gaze stops for no one but especially not #strongfemalecharacters, and a robot used for comedic relief. The main male characters are a misunderstood genius and an everyman rookie. Like it’s not even trying to stray from cliches. I didn't like the art. There's so many dynamic action lines to the panels that it just comes off blurry. They're difficult to read. So many fight panels are absent dialogue and left to speak for themselves but they're mostly just explosion bubbles. I don’t think this is worth your time, and I wouldn’t recommend it.

Who should read this: Dudebro action fans

Ideal reading time: Anytime

Do I want to reread this: No

Would I buy this: No

Similar books:

• Shin Zero by Mathieu Bablet-graphic novel, dystopian, action thriller, family drama, queer

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

My Selling Pitch:
A generic cozy graphic novel with a workplace romance between cat lovers.

Pre-reading: I love an office romance.

(obviously potential spoilers from here on) Thick of it: What’s a rakugo? Am I missing something? Why is it embarrassing to tell a story? (The author’s note explains what it is at the back, and the closest American equivalent would be rehearsing telling someone else’s comedy routine. I still don’t think it’s embarrassing.)

The people pleaser who fakes his opinions is a Libra? Water is wet.

Ew. Also, you’re at a park. There has to be a trash can.

I feel like all these manga romances rely on it being a character’s first day on earth. Like there’s no common sense to anything. Everything’s very naive and childlike and it ticks me off.

She’s just autistic lol

Post-reading: This was exactly what I expected, and I just don’t think I’m the target audience for these kinds of books. I’m a Capricorn and a dog person, okay? Meek and mild doesn’t do it for me. A man who people pleases rather than voices his own opinions is not my cup of tea. It feels like lying to me, and I don’t like it. I feel like a lot of these style of cozy romances rely on exaggerating characters’ naivety to make them adorable. It’s not cute to me. It’s just annoying. The female coworker who knows her colleagues look down on her because she dresses ‘pretty’ and refuses to compromise herself anyway is way more intriguing to me than either of the romantic leads. The art was fine if a little cluttered. The cat drawings are cute. If you’re a cat person and want a no thoughts, just vibes cozy, you might have a better time with this.

Who should read this: Cat lovers

Ideal reading time: Anytime

Do I want to reread this: No

Would I buy this: No

Similar books:

• Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett-historical, urban fantasy, cozy mystery, romance
• You’re All Mine Tonight by Takiba-graphic novel, workplace romance, queer
• Flip Flip Slowly by Mame Ohtako-graphic novel, slice of life, cozy romance, family drama, queer

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.