#Girl Juice

[lakecountylibrary]

Read like a librarian! Here's Kate's current TBR:

Mao (volume 12) written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi

Star Knights written and illustrated by Kay Davault

The Skull written and illustrated by Jon Klassen

The Dog Knight written by Jeremy Whitley illustrated by Bre Indigo

Dear Rosie written and illustrated by Meghan Boehman and Rachael Briner

Girl Juice written and illustrated by Benji Nate

Out There written and illustrated by Seaerra Miller

Monstrous: A Transracial Adoption Story written and illustrated by Sarah Myer

Squire & Knight written and illustrated by Scott Chantler

Unaccompanied: Stories of Brave Teenagers Seeking Asylum written and illustrated by Tracy White

Suee and the Strange White Light written by Ginger Ly and illustrated by Molly Park

The Sea in You written and illustrated by Jessi Sheron

Garvey's Choice written by Nikki Grimes illustrated by Theodore Taylor III

Ava's Demon: Book One: Reborn written and illustrated by Michelle Fus

Cosmoknights: Book Two written and illustrated by Hannah Templer

Bear written by Ben Queen illustrated by Joe Todd-Stanton

See more of Kate's recs

[smillingcartoonist]

Girl Juice

[cursedwolfgirl]

it’s just me and my 35 mL of estradiol valerate against the world

[naomiclowngirljones]

[fantomcomics]

What’s Out This Week? 5/24

How are there only 2 weeks til June???

Ava’s Demon: Book One: Reborn GN -  Michelle Fus

When a young, shy girl named Ava discovers that the demon who haunts her is actually the spirit of an ancient alien queen named Wrathia, the two form a dangerous pact. But in exchange for a better life, Ava must help Wrathia seek revenge against TITAN...the most powerful being in the universe.

Black Mass Rising GN -  Theo Prasidis & Jodie Muir

One year after Vlad Dracul's death, hope is returning to the lands of Transylvania. As the shadow of 100 years of darkness begins to fade, a young peasant girl dares to dream of a better future. But when a mysterious Healer drifts into town, a new evil begins to stir among the ruins of the lord of the undead's former castle... A titanic and darkly fantastical reimagining of and sequel to Bram Stoker's sanguine classic, Dracula.

Briar TP Vol 1 -  Christopher Cantwell & German Garcia

What if Sleeping Beauty never got her happily ever after... and had to save herself instead? One-hundred years after Briar Rose first fell into her slumber, the sleeper has now become the sleepwalker, and she must face a brutal, bleak world ruled by a tyrant from her past. Burdened by prophecy and betrayal, it will take everything Briar and her band of misfits have to survive the wasteland where magic went to die. As they journey through a land of untold terrors, Briar nurtures a burning pledge of vengeance. But will it be enough to bring some semblance of a happy ending to the land... and her heart?

Constellations GN -  Kate Glasheen

A debut graphic novel about a queer teen living in the margins who is determined to find their way ahead. Are you supposed to be a boy or a girl? It's a question that follows Claire everywhere. Inescapable on the street, in school, and even at home. A black hole forever trying to pull them in. But as long as they have ride-or-die best friend Greg at their side and a drink in their hand, everything will be okay. Right? Except, Claire can never have just one drink. And when harassment at school reaches a fever pitch, Claire begins a spiral that ends in court-ordered rehab. Feeling completely lost, Claire is soon surrounded by a group of equally messed up, equally hilarious new friends and, with the help of a patient counselor, finds a space to unpack all the bad they've experienced. But as Claire's release gets closer so does the question: Can Claire stay sober and true in a world seemingly never made for them?

Elden Ring: The Road To The Erdtree GN -  FromSoftware & Nikiichi Tobita

The epic and foreboding world of the hit video game Elden Ring gets turned on its head in this absurd comedy adventure! Follow Aseo the Tarnished as he struggles his way through the Lands Between. What he lacks in strength, speed, intelligence, charisma, skill, experience, intuition, and common sense, he makes up for in...uhhh...  

Even Dogs Go To Other Worlds GN Vol 1 -  Ryuuou & Hana Ichika

Ordinary salaryman Takumi works a grueling job, but he can get through it because he has Leo, his beloved puppy-sized Maltese, waiting for him at home. One day, Takumi wakes up in a fantasy world... and right in front of him is an enormous wolf! Wait, could this gigantic creature actually be the once-little Leo?! With the help of a mysterious new magic skill, Takumi will do his best in this world to make a better (and more relaxed) life for himself and his furry best friend!

Far South: Crooks, Pimps & Gauchos #1 -  Rodolfo Santullo & Leandro Fernandez

An arid and wild land, cut off from the world. Tough and hot blooded men. Crime. Alcohol. Revenge: This is where the taciturn Montoya runs a bar. A bar where the worst scoundrels in the area come to settle their differences or talk about their setbacks. What happens in the FAR SOUTH stays in the Far South!

Girl Juice TP -  Benji Nate

Welcome to the Girl Juice House, home of only the hottest gang in town. Benji Nate's stylish and rambunctious sense of humor lovingly takes digs at the young and tragically hip-reserved and introspective Nana, comically hypersexual Bunny, fledgling U-tuber Tula, and Designated Mom™ Sadie-as they navigate life, love, and the pursuit of a good time.

Hitomi TP -  H.S. Tak & Isabella Mazzanti

In Feudal-era Japan, a drifter with no prospects begins training in secret under Yasuke, a once-famous and now-disgraced warrior, as she struggles to find her place in a society entrenched in discrimination and violence. Combining the historical sweep and elegance of Kurosawa with the visceral action of Tarantino, this saga follows the trials and tribulations of a young female warrior who travels the country-side unendingly working to gain the rank of Samurai, a title no man, monster, or myth can give to her, but one that she will have to take.

Magical Girl Incident GN Vol 1 -  Zero Akabane

As a little boy, Sakura Hiromi once dreamed he could be a hero. Now...he's simply your everyday office worker, toiling away for the sake of his company. Though he longs for his childhood dream, it seems so far out of reach-until he decides to step up and save a child one fateful day. Suddenly, fantasies become reality as Hiromi finds himself transformed into...a magical girl?!  

Manner Of Death GN Vol 1 -  Yukari Umemoto & Sammon

When the skilled coroner Dr. Bunnakit is called to examine the body of his childhood friend after her "suicide," he soon determines that she was actually murdered. That night, a mysterious stranger threatens him, telling him to rule her death a suicide-and after he confides in his prosecutor friend about this incident, his friend suddenly goes missing. But all hope is not lost, as a young lecturer named Tan offers to help him get to the bottom of all this-which would be more reassuring if Tan weren't the prime suspect... 

My Dear Agent GN Vol 1 -  Ebino Bisque

Professional bodyguard Riichi is employed to protect the son of the leader of a large conglomerate and takes his work incredibly seriously. One day, he's tasked with coaching Tachibana, a rookie new hire, who unfortunately has no money and no place to go. Opening his home to the new employee, Riichi is taken aback by Tachibana's brashness... and his endless flirting! Just who is this mysterious new coworker and what's his problem? 

Puella Magi Suzune Magica Ominbus Ed GN -  Magica Quartet (A) Gan

Suzune Amano lives an extraordinarily normal life as a middle school student by day and...magical-girl assassin by night?! When a group of four magical girls begins investigating the serial murders in their city, they soon find themselves Suzune's next targets! But what motivates Suzune to hunt both witches and magical girls alike?  

Red Tag TP -  Rafael Albuquerque, Rafael Scavone & Roger Cruz 

Lis (aka Lisa), Lu (aka Luciana) and Leco (aka Leandro)-three friends bonded by their love for Brazil's unique street art "pixo," also known as pichação or pixação, a distinctive style of tagging unique to Brazil-strive to be good in a place where corruption still thrives. After Lis witnesses injustice and abuse of power on the streets of São Paulo, she enlists her friends to take matters into their own hands. Their plan works until they realize they've become privy to sensitive information belonging to holdovers from the country's brutal dictatorial past who are plotting against the movement for reform and an upcoming election. Armed with a can of spray paint and the help of a journalist, can they escape the dangerous and life-threatening plot they've mistakenly become entangled in?

Tegan & Sara: Junior High GN - Tegan & Sara Quin & Tillie Walden

Before the indie-pop duo Tegan & Sara took the world by storm, Tegan and Sara Quin were identical twins trying to find their place in a new home and new school. From first crushes to the perils of puberty, surviving junior high is something the sisters plan to face side-by-side, just like they always have. But growing up also means growing apart, as Tegan and Sara make different friends and take separate paths to understanding their queerness. For the first time ever, they ask who one sister is without the other. Set in the present-day, this fictionalized autobiography offers a glimpse at Tegan and Sara before they became icons, exploring their shifting sisterhood, their own experiences coming out, and the first steps of their musical journey. A prequel of sorts to their New York Times-bestselling adult memoir High School, it's the story of the people they are now, and how so many of the trials they faced in their youth not only brought them to music stardom, but to a rock-solid relationship with each other.

Tsugumi Project GN -  ippatu

In the western Pacific Ocean floats an island archipelago, cut off from the world and full of mysteries: scientific secrets that some believe are best forgotten, decaying monuments to an era of human decadence two centuries gone, and strange, radioactive monsters that tear apart any human beings foolish enough to set foot there. Its name, spoken only in whispers: Japan. It's illegal to go near this dangerous place-but, after being torn from his family and convicted on a false charge, that's exactly where Leon has been sent. An experienced soldier of fortune, Leon is tasked with retrieving a powerful weapon called Tsugumi. Can they stay alive long enough to find this Tsugumi? Just what the hell is it, anyway, if that's even the right question? And does it have anything to do with the quiet, brutal girl with taloned feet who swoops in to save Leon's life?

Yokohama Station Fable GN Vol 1 -  Yuba Isukari & Tatsuyuki Tanaka

All Hiroto has ever known is a life on a tiny coastal speck of Japan. Much of the country has been swallowed by Yokohama Station, a mysterious, ever-growing series of buildings that's been around for as long as anyone can remember. The few who live outside its many entrances have never seen Inside and know only rumors and legends of the station's interior. That all changes when Hiroto is given an 18 Ticket, a mysterious item that lets him enter the massive complex for five days. The young man has always sought a purpose, but the one he finds may not be the sort he'd hoped for...  

[hyperactivetransdrone]

Guys I just bought my first can of girl-juice

(Cropped so I don't doxx myself)

[oddygaul]

Girl Juice and Michael DeForge

Girl Juice

P good. It has some absolutely hysterical, standout moments, but overall didn’t leave as much of an impression as I was expecting it to. I dunno, I might’ve just been expecting more of an ensemble thing, when in fact everything’s more or less centered around Bunny. She’s a pretty commanding character, for sure, but the humor loses a bit of its luster when she’s the punchline nearly every time.

I think the format contributed to this wear a little bit. Girl Juice is structured a bit like a comic strip / webcomic compilation, where each page is ostensibly its own standalone story; when they’re more straightforward gag strips with a payoff, they usually kill, but there’s some bits on the first half where it tries to be a bit more narrative / slice of life, and the layouts start to feel stiff and restrictive.

I did appreciate the ending story for branching out a bit in that regard, with deviation in both the paneling and the pacing.

Overall, the art and vibe and character designs are incredibly charming, and I quite like the author’s voice for dialogue, I just think medium-wise it’s a bit clumsy at times.

Also the slow drip feed of clownlore about Nana was fucking wild. The first time it dropped the clown fetish thing it was a fun one-off gag, then we see her clown boyfriend and hear about her clowning aspirations, and things start snowballing - by the end she’s wearing full-on clown outfits with ruffs and buttons, and suddenly I realize that her red nose, which I assumed was an artistic choice and didn’t think twice about, is a big ol clown honker she puts on / paints every day?? yo.

---

Sticks Angelica, Folk Hero

Reading Sticks Angelica, Folk Hero consistently filled me with the same delight that first reading the title Sticks Angelica, Folk Hero did. which I consider a success story

This is probably my favorite thing I’ve read from Michael DeForge. I think (unintentionally) everything else I’ve read from him are collections of shorts, so it was kind of a shock to get something with this much of a throughline. DeForge is so confident with his style here, and I felt the longer format really gave him time to fully explore the tone and visual style of this setting.

The art is gorgeous throughout, and remains cohesive while still featuring lots of experimentation and playfulness. The tritone coloring is eye-catching, and DeForge really makes the most of it by constantly messing with line variation and texture, adding a huge variety of middle values even between each of the three printed colors. The book, generally, is incredibly lavish - while heavily stylized, both the characters and backgrounds are popping with detail and incredibly graphic, and it feels like DeForge rarely repeats himself with his visual effects. Lots of cartoonists making a strip-based story like this find a trick for certain elements then put them on autopilot; as if to make up for the book’s general artstyle not changing for once, DeForge instead finds new tricks for each element constantly.

All the designs are incredibly memorable, too, from the geese with their mouths constantly agape to the fuckin constantly sweating outline bear.

“Why should [she] be the exception? Penance is her birthright, just as this mushroom is mine.”

---

Heaven No Hell

So yeah, after the relatively cozy Sticks Angelica, hopping straight in here was a fuckin trip.

This is DeForge back on his short story bullshit, and totally nailing every one. The man is a style chameleon - if not for the titling, I genuinely think you could convince someone this was an actual anthology. Visually, not every style resonates with me, but there’s no denying the sheer variety of aesthetic inside Heaven No Hell.

On the recommendation of some internet rando, I held myself to only reading one or two stories a day, leaving time in between to digest them, and… if anything, it only made collecting my thoughts on the book more difficult. Each of the stories is so short, maybe ten pages on average, and they’re all so drastically different - the voice of the writing, the artstyle, the setting - yet they all, to a one, left me with a sense of unsettling bemusement I couldn’t shake. It’s as if you see only a brief snapshot of a story, and are yanked away before you can fully come to grips with what’s going on. Heaven No Hell is almost short comics done as poetry rather than prose, which is a rarity in a medium so tied to narrative.

Some of them come off lighthearted - Soap Opera is one of the funniest shorts I’ve read in a minute, and the middle school murder mystery is surprisingly jovial for its subject matter (and the anti-carceral solidarity that all of the 11-year olds inexplicably share). Some are heady - the title track’s ridiculous tiered heaven system manages to strike a melancholy chord despite its flippancy (honestly bronze tier fucks tho), and the impostor syndrome society, where not a single person is who they claim to be, feels a little too real to be comfortable. Some are surreal and delirious - the war of the unreasonable, New Museum, was an incredibly potent tone piece that fully swept me up in its conceit. And then some are just legit actual nightmares, like the girl whose new ant stepdad keeps knocking up her mom, leaving clusters of giant squirming eggs rampant around the house, hatching and dying and crawling.

Fun panel but also this story is about a skeleton afterlife where the skeletons of every dying thing end up, their skin slowly blooming off them and collecting into a giant shell of flayed skin that girds the planet like a fleshy atmosphere

---

“When the crowd cleared out and the snow off everyone’s boots had melted, we realized that at some point in the night our bodies had crushed and killed Barnaby. Barnaby was the littlest among us. He died the way he lived: misremembering the lyrics to a Hole song. We held a service for him, just a few of us stragglers–the ones tasked with cleaning up. It ended the night. We said a few things. Everyone knew the words.”

---

In a few words: exhaustingly creative.

[smashpages]

Out this week: Girl Juice (Drawn and Quarterly, $24.95):

Benji Nate ventures into the Girl Juice House, home to four “stylish and rambunctious” young women and their hijinks to make rent, go camping and even attend an adult prom. 

See what else is arriving in comic shops this week.

[disservice-puppygirl]

my partner did my estrogen shot for the first time i love being t4t!!

[thanatosthelast]

My boyfriend told me to share this shirt design i made so here i am just in time for pride

Shamelessly stolen from a site that may or may not rhyme with JlaseZit

[Wailing of agony]

[your-local-idiot-savant]

Did my first ever estrogen injection today, tbh it wasnt all that bad, my leg is sore as hell but overall 10/10 will ve doing again, approx every two weeks

[jellyfishinajamjar]

Okay for the life of me I cannot find the Emira Girl Juice Comic and it’s driving me nuts, does anyone know where it is?

[smillingcartoonist]

Girl Juice

[littlemut]

i wish i could look at this… and feel Normal™️

[maxiglow]

be busy. busy not checking messages. busy reading those books you never started or finished. busy having a good night of sleep. busy taking care of yourself and your skin. busy moving your body. busy helping your community. busy reflecting on your life and what you can improve. busy doing things aside from the capitalistic viewpoint of “productivity.” busy slowing down.

[4theitgirls]

workouts & stretches for posture

🤍 5 minute everyday pilates back routine by lidia mera

🤍 8 minute fix for neck hump by yuuka sagwa

🤍 8 minute upper body stretch by mizi

🤍 10 minute fix forward head & neck posture by mizi

🤍 10 minute fix your posture pilates style stretch by eleni fit

🤍 10 minute workout & stretch for round back by pamela reif

🤍 10 minute slim back & better posture by emi wong

🤍 10 minute fix posture & reduce back pain by mady morrison

🤍 20 minute posture correction by akshaya agnes

🤍 25 minute workout for better posture by growingannanas

🤍 25 minute pilates for better posture by move with nicole

🤍 30 minute pilates for upper body & posture by move with nicole