Friends Is Friends

by Greg Cook

Friends Is Friends tells the story of complicated friendships through a series of funny, bittersweet vignettes. Greg Cook's deceptively sweet storybook world is imbued with grown-up humor that is both dark and whimsical. The result is a fable for adults, where the only clear moral is friendship isn't easy, whether you're a hobo or a snowman or a ghost.

Friends Is Friends is indie-favorite Greg Cook's first major work in over a decade. This long-awaited tragicomedy is a great stand-alone work for both new and established graphic novel readers.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Animals, Humor, Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics, Friendship

208 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2015

Reviews

[Coleen (The Book Ramblings) · Rating 1 out of 5]

The illustration on the cover captured my attention, but it did not go much further than there. Friends is Friends is a story about complicated friends through a series of bittersweet episodes. It's dark, whimsical, and complete with grown-up humor. There is the hobo elephant with regrets, rude manners, and looking to score a place to stay with some whiskey in the mix--he becomes friends with little kids who are pigs. The series of stories are linked together in the end, such as the family of pigs, who have their own problems and ghosts, too. While it all came together in the end, some happy and others content, I felt disconnected from the story. I did not like any of the characters, but at times I did feel for them. I just could not truly let myself get into the story. The artwork is heavy-handed in black and white, but that was one aspect of this graphic novel I did enjoy.

I received an eBook copy through NetGalley for an unbiased review.

[Cheyenne]

Quick and easy read the cover got me I thought it was interesting the illustration is cute

[Sierra Mitchell · Rating 1 out of 5]

**I would like to note that I received this as an ebook from NetGalley. **

Well, it saddens me to say that I was disappointed by this book. The cover of this book is what really grabbed me… the illustration really reminded me of Edward Gorey’s work. However, the illustrations on the inside weren’t anything like the cover. I still enjoyed the illustrations, they just weren’t what I was expecting from the cover.

The stories in this book weren’t for me. It sort of seemed like adult humor in a childish way. Everything came together at the end, but it felt very forced, and I felt as though there was a lot of detail that was left out.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, I'm rating this one generously because all the bad reviews hurt my soul a little.

(Those bad reviews also show what's wrong with Netgalley - because bad reviews are what happens when you give a piece of art to a bunch of interweb know-it-alls who use gifs to illustrate reviews and say things like, "I didn't like the characters," and, "This book doesn't know what it wants to be."

I mean, fuck.)

Anyways, Friends is Friends is cute and weird and creepy. Buy one for your favorite misanthrope and bask in his grudging approval.

[Jamie · Rating 1 out of 5]

The summary and cover grabbed my attention. A few short pages in, I was unhappy. Poor story and art was most unimpressive. Got about 1-% in before giving up. I had no idea what was inside what I grabbed this on Netgalley. I wish I had. Had I seen a couple panels ahead of time I would have passed on it. Unable to fully review to to these reasons.

[Andi M. · Rating 1 out of 5]

A pointless graphic novel that wasn't sure what it wanted to be.

[TJ Shelby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Took me a while to get into it but, by the end, I had smiled and silently laughed a few times.

[OpenBookSociety.com · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://openbooksociety.com/article/fr...

Friends is Friends
By Greg Cook
ISBN 978-1-59643-105-8
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Scott

Review:

Friends is Friends is a stark look at how friendships form, bloom, are rekindled, die and reborn. Anthropomorphized characters, in the form of elephants, pigs, and the like speak of a bygone age of rail-hopping, and where the downtrodden have fallen; it also speaks of those who rise above their self-appointed stations. A complex work that requires several readings, Greg Cook, centers the story around Critter, a lost and far gone hobo, succumbing to drink and inexpensive pleasures, like the friendships he forms and un-forms over the course of this adult graphic novel. Both moving and chuckle filled at the same time, the antics of this graphic novel make it well worth the read.

Plot wise, Friends is Friends, is loosely laid out, leaving a lot to the imagination of the reader. There is minimal expository dialogue, and maximum concentration on the moment. Only two flashback scenes are provided, and they seem no less dream-like than the rest of the story. Written authentically, with fully fleshed out characters, Greg Cook entices the reader to dig into their own friendships, past and present and re-evaluate their meanings. Spaced out in stark black and white (black panels indicate either a passage of time or introduce a new scene) the arc of Critter’s encounters, and those of a ghostly teddy bear, lay out the somber attitudes and “real-life” angst that permeates the novel. The effect is spectacular, as the dark read runs havoc, through the readers mind. Having said that, the story does require multiple readings to grasp the thematic content of the story; this is no fools reading. Structure wise, the story holds its own and can be read in one sitting to get the overall gist of the story. I highly recommend that you give it a chance to sit, and then pick it up again as the deeper elements are a joy to discover.

Artistically, this harkens back to the Nobel Prize winning Maus. Anthropomorphized characters take the place of human beings in a very human story. Minimally drawn, often with no break, or implied, panels are the norm and detail is waived at the expense of attitude. The wavering inks flow off the page, surrealistically, and enhance the dreamy aspect of this graphic art piece. From the depictions of rail-hopping, past and present, to the destitute streets of Somewhere, U.S.A., to the middle class suburbs, Cook often dispenses with the traditional artistic habit of perspective and, instead, focuses on the overall impact of the panel. From a artist’s point of view, this could be seen as a cop-out, and that realistic humans could be just as easily replaced, but like Maus, Friends is Friends, has a darker role to fulfill and animal characters seem to jab the proverbial knife home a little deeper. The mimeses, or art reflecting life, may not be present but all in all is carried out to the fullest capacity.

If your taste for dark, independent graphic novels reflects that of Maus, or other anthropomorphized books, then Friends is Friends is right up your alley. The bleakness and angst, may not rub off on everyone the right way, but I guarantee, the reader will pull something out of it. It’s a well-constructed tale, with friendship as its elusive theme, examining all sides of friendship, will leave you haunted and leave a lingering feeling long after it’s gone. Friends is Friends and Greg Cook belong on any collector’s bookshelf; it is an awesome ride.

[Rosemary · Rating 2 out of 5]

A series of short stories portray the complicated relationships between an elephant that’s down and out on his luck, a teddy and a ghost bear that follows him around, taunting him, and a family of pigs. Not a graphic novel for younger audiences (content and language), Friends is Friends is indie author/artist Greg Cook’s first major work in over a decade. The stories border surreal and loaded with dark humor. The artwork is in black and white, with white on black pages denoting the beginning of new vignettes.

I’ll be honest, this just wasn’t my book. I enjoy dark humor, but I just didn’t get into the stories or the characters. There were moments where I chuckled along – the opening short between the elephant and the young pig in particular – but other moments that just didn’t catch me. Friendship isn’t easy – that’s a key message contained in the book – but the characters just weren’t likable enough for me to want to be friends with them, to stick with them through the ups and downs of their relationships.

The teens at my library aren’t the audience for this one. If you have a good YA and adult-level graphic novel collection, give this a read before you choose to add or not to add.

[Ari · Rating 1 out of 5]

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I found the story to be slightly disjointed, did not like most of the characters, and though the art was quirky--I was not a fan of it.

It's an okay book, it goes by really fast, and there are some (very) slightly amusing moments here and there, but it'll be a forgettable one for me.

[First Second Books]

Check this book out for a quirky, poignant story of the meaning of friendship!

:01 Editorial Director Mark Siegel got to know the wonderful, talented Greg Cook back in 2006. We're so glad to be working with him now to publish this wonderful book -- on the tenth anniversary for First Second and their meeting!

[Nadine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A weirdly fun book definitely for adults. Made me think back to friends I've had and friends I've left behind as we travel through life. Very irreverent but oddly compelling to keep reading to see where it all ends up. Not something I'd usually read but I'm glad I did.

[April · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. Read my review here - link goes live on August 16, 2016 and will not work until then

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Don't be fooled by the cute critters; it's for adults. This is maybe what you'd get if you crossed Mo Willems with Charles Bukowski, heavy on the Bukowski. Dark, weird and funny.

[Little Batties · Rating 3 out of 5]

I waffled between giving this a two or a three, and I chose a three for the illustrations as they aided in the story. Overall this wasn't terrible, but it wasn't overwhelmingly great either. It's a little sad, fairly depressing, and awkward. It is definitely a testament to alcoholism and what can happen because of it, but I feel like this had great potential, but it fell short of the expectations I had.

[Cae Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm surprised by all the negative reviews this has, I found it to be quite charming. Maybe the characters weren't all "likeable" but they were realistic. I guess if vignettes aren't your thing I could see finding this "disjointed" but it came together enough in the end for me. Overall I thought it a was poignant read and I really enjoyed the art.

[Page · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have no idea how to classify or describe this book. The art is lovely and the story, while I laughed at times, is dark and rather depressing. Certainly not appropriate for young children. Not sure if there is anyone I would recommend it to either.

[Cralls · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was.... Okay. Easy and quick read and I chuckled a few times. Mostly I just didn't care or really understand though. 2.5 stars.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Strange, but an enjoyable read while recovering from a cold.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's kind of interesting on a querky level, but the story itself wasn't all that great.

[Britt, Book Habitue · Rating 2 out of 5]

The heck did I just read?!?

[Marissa · Rating 1 out of 5]

IDGI

[God O'Wax · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel like the world is trolling me tonight.

[Jaclyn Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the photos in the book! They were adorable <3

[Cathy Mazur · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cool

Interesting in its own way...with many messages adults could learn from. Everyone just wants to be accepted for who they are! Great job, Greg.

[Siina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Friends is Friends is a dark and sad story about friendship. All the characters are animals and in the center we have a hobo elephant, a pig kid and his mom and sister and some ghosts. The comic consists of smaller stories that are linked together at the end. I really liked the hobo elephant and how his choices made him end up the way he was - living on the streets and drinking booze. The pig family seems to be happy, but all of them have their own ghosts, some more literal than others and the sister's loneliness was heart-breaking. Friends is Friends is very melancholic, even if all the characters end up having a resolution of some sort and mostly it's happy or at least makes them content. The only thing that bothered me was the ghost of the teddy bear that felt out of place, since nothing else was out of this world per se.

The art looks like that of the funnies. It's black and white with heavy inking. The structure reminds me of a strip comic, even though there are no panels or backgrounds. Mostly the comic is about conversations and atmosphere instead of world building, which fits this very well. The somewhat crude art adds to the melancholic feeling and all in all these small things all create a good combination. Somehow I would've liked to see colors, though. The colors could make this hollower and sadder, since now the art felt a bit incomplete and bare. Friends is friends is very different and fresh in its horribleness. Three and half stars now, but quite easily this could be four.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I doubt that I've ever encountered a book quite like this one. Critter, a hobo down on his luck, is depicted as an elephant living on the street and wearing threadbare clothing and a tattered hat. In fact, all the characters are depicted as animals, the children and an adult as pigs. Despite those animals, this is not a book for young children since it explores some hefty themes such as loss, alcoholism, death, and unfaithfulness and contains some brutal language as well as misguided acts of kindness; for instance, Critter shares his drink with a youngster. But Critter is just looking for a break and maybe a friend or two. Still, when Will, a local youth, spends some time with him, he grows angry over the loss of his booze and lashes out at the kid. Will, in turn, kicks him, insults him, and continues to taunt him. Critter ends up crumpled in the snow, unwittingly providing his hat for the building of Anastasia's snowman, Freezee. When she befriends Critter, that act of kindness leads to her mother and Critter reuniting briefly since, as it turns out, they have some history. As Will and his stuffed animal, Ted, try to catch a ghost, it's clear that all of these characters are in search of friendship as well as a place where they can feel at home and accepted as they are. While I enjoyed the book thoroughly, its vignettes are not for the faint-hearted. I'm still thinking about some of those scenes that are portrayed in its contents.

[Nikki in Niagara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a series of interconnected shorts. It's rather odd and while I liked it, it really wasn't my thing. I prefer a continuous narrative. These shorts are the type of thing you find in the comics or on a webcomic. All together they do tell a tale of some pretty quirky people. We start off with the drunken elephant hobo who is befriended by a boy pig on a scooter. The pig meets a dead bear ghost and later on meets a bear in a diaper who the ghost is pretending to be. Later on, the pig's sister and mother come onto the scene. The story is about friends who aren't really very good at being friends but everything turns out all right by the end. I don't know who the intended audience is, though. Overall, it works well for kids being cute in a quirky, odd way and easy to read. However, the first few shorts have very foul language and then there is the continuous drunken drinking theme and the elephant remembers back to a lady elephant he liked but he cheated on her. Sooooo ... some adult situations make it probably not for kids.

[Janie G · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a peculiar little story. Obviously there are themes of friendship, but also more subtle themes about how the past influences the present. I liked that all the characters are interconnected with their relationships revealed at the end.

The humor is unoriginal, it all seems like things I've heard before. But because of that familiarity the jokes and setups are oddly comforting, this is the type of humor shared between friends. It makes me think of inside jokes and jokes that can be told again and again because it's more about the shared bond than it is about the humor.

I'm not certain I would recommend this to many people, because it is incredibly odd and hard to pin down the people who would enjoy it. I imagine this graphic novel being shared between friends, because they know they share an appreciation for the strange humor. Ultimately this graphic novel will find a niche.

I received an e-ARC through NetGalley.

[Sue Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tragic-comedy to describe this wee graphic novel is an understatement. To describe it as 'friends' is also an comedy of errors. I think that it would have been a more appropriate title to call it 'Back-stabbing acquaintances is back-stabbing acquaintances'. Though, it wouldn't have had that snappy feeling to it.

If this is a glimpse at Greg Cook's life, then I feel a little sad for him. Although my graphic novel would have just been a whole lot of me alone, so who's to talk?! 'Friends' is hard to come by but acquaintances are a-plenty!

I sure liked his graphic style though - it was great!