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The Unfunnies
The comic uses cartoon characters drawn in a crude style similar to Hanna-Barbera and photographs to tell the story of a comic world gone wrong. The plot intertwines several storylines that eventually meet in the end.
100 pages
First published January 1, 2004
2 people are currently reading
82 people want to read
About the author
Mark Millar
1,514 books2,561 followersMark Millar is the New York Times best-selling writer of Wanted, the Kick-Ass series, The Secret Service, Jupiter’s Legacy, Jupiter’s Circle, Nemesis, Superior, Super Crooks, American Jesus, MPH, Starlight, and Chrononauts. Wanted, Kick-Ass, Kick-Ass 2, and The Secret Service (as Kingsman: The Secret Service) have been adapted into feature films, and Nemesis, Superior, Starlight, War Heroes, Jupiter’s Legacy and Chrononauts are in development at major studios.
His DC Comics work includes the seminal Superman: Red Son, and at Marvel Comics he created The Ultimates – selected by Time magazine as the comic book of the decade, Wolverine: Old Man Logan, and Civil War – the industry’s biggest-selling superhero series in almost two decades.
Mark has been an Executive Producer on all his movie adaptations and is currently creative consultant to Fox Studios on their Marvel slate of movies.
His DC Comics work includes the seminal Superman: Red Son, and at Marvel Comics he created The Ultimates – selected by Time magazine as the comic book of the decade, Wolverine: Old Man Logan, and Civil War – the industry’s biggest-selling superhero series in almost two decades.
Mark has been an Executive Producer on all his movie adaptations and is currently creative consultant to Fox Studios on their Marvel slate of movies.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
April 1, 2021
Mark Millar's dark twist on 'Hanna-Barbara' style cartoons, sees the arrest of Moe the Crow for Paedophilia, being just the beginning of the deadly corruption of a once innocent two-dimensional world. This was a great idea that could have been executed a lot better, although some of the dialogue was great. 7 out of 12.
July 18, 2013
I have to hand it to Mark Millar for creating something genuinely strange and unsettling and leaving one feeling empty and lifeless inside after reading it. It is also not a satire or a dedicated black comedy in any way despite initial appearances, but a genuine bonafide supernatural horror story, but that doesn't become apparent until later on. It's Hannah Barbara style rip-off characters engaging in acts of depravity never before befallen on a cartoon community once defined by innocent pratfalls, as laments the hapless policeman character of the story. Like I said it is not an attempt to deconstruct anything, it is very much a plot-based mystery, one with a long-winded revelation by its villain, a bleak conclusion, but also one of dual interpretations, whether this is actually happening or simply the character's inner madness laid bare on the pages. It is a raging success in this regard, I read it, pondered its horrors, and was left feeling a worse person having read it.
But, what is the point? Similar to something like A Serbian Film, he asks himself, "what are some things that REALLY upset people, like, at the mere mention of it, get them worked up?" Of course child molestation and murder, rape, AIDS, exploits them to the fullest degree, and juxtaposes them in a setting of surface innocence. Were this some try at a dark satire I would say it is cheap and obvious at best, but Millar isn't trying to deconstruct anything, everything that happens is meant to be taken literally. The villain's convoluted monologue describing his means of being able to cause this society to crumble lets this on well enough. At the same time this makes this even more an exercise in cheap, pointless cynicism, to see how far he can go in pushing people's buttons using cutesy slapstick cartoon character archetypes without doing anything more with them than that. He certinly does succeed in that but it doesn't take much effort or intelligence to do that, just a willingness to actually do it at all, much like making A Serbian Film, or taking a dump in the middle of a bus I suppose. Addressing "eh, reader?" at every point is typical Millar being an asshole to the fourth wall a la Wanted, while thinking what he's doing is being a clever, smartass cad.
There's a tacked-on occult angle that when you think about it is stupid, half-baked and with no seeming insight into occultism of any kind (666! inverted crosses! EEVIL!), it's just some bad plot justification for why this is happening, the monologue/exposition dump is annoying as these tend to be and shows Millar has no interest in letting the story and these details unfold naturally but rather just structure it as depravity, depravity, depravity, long-winded rant about inserting oneself and their lives into the story and being able to unleash as much havoc as they want, live eternally, etc. etc. etc., depravity, depravity, the end. And the insertion of photography looks absolutely garish, like really shitty Xerox and bad coloring smearing on top.
He also throws in some "ha ha, religion can't really save you!" stab with a "ha ha, how IRONIC!" literal drop of a diabolus ex machina anvil on certain characters toward the end that serves no purpose but to cement his edgy credentials further and be an obnoxious git. No Millar you aren't clever for mocking religion and positing the falseness of its claims of salvation, your insight is at the level of a high school freshman who just discovered NIN and Nietzche quotes, not to mention there is NO POINT WHATSOEVER in its insertion either. Throwing in some base, juvenile satire on religion in the middle of a story devoid of satire just sticks out badly, but then who cares in a story like this?
So, the good: it is a short and easy read, it grabs you initially with its mystery plot, and one can't help but marvel at trainwreck-levels of fascination at what terrible thing the story is going to throw out at you next. The cartoon figures are reasonably well-drawn too I suppose. As someone who also is a long-time fan of Who Framed Roger Rabbit it somewhat fulfills a question I've wondered "what if Roger Rabbit were dark, I mean REALLY fucking dark?" and well, yes, there is also a fascination seeing such ghastly horror thrown into such a setting without acting as commentary in any way. But, the good is cancelled out by how poorly the story is told, how empty-seeming it all is, the terrible attempt at mixed media, the snarky, sneering cynicism I get from Millar at every turn. It's the same feeling you get from another self-referential exercise in needless depravity, Funny Games, a movie that also eyes the viewer watching it, indicting them for actually continuing to watch. Sure, I watched, and here, I also read. You got me. But you also made it, if you having nothing to say other than to talk me down for looking at something that you made as terrible as possible to see if I would react, well, congratulations, you're just as much an asshole as I am. But I at least can recognize that, can you? From what I've gathered by the story's hopeless end, no, not really.
But, what is the point? Similar to something like A Serbian Film, he asks himself, "what are some things that REALLY upset people, like, at the mere mention of it, get them worked up?" Of course child molestation and murder, rape, AIDS, exploits them to the fullest degree, and juxtaposes them in a setting of surface innocence. Were this some try at a dark satire I would say it is cheap and obvious at best, but Millar isn't trying to deconstruct anything, everything that happens is meant to be taken literally. The villain's convoluted monologue describing his means of being able to cause this society to crumble lets this on well enough. At the same time this makes this even more an exercise in cheap, pointless cynicism, to see how far he can go in pushing people's buttons using cutesy slapstick cartoon character archetypes without doing anything more with them than that. He certinly does succeed in that but it doesn't take much effort or intelligence to do that, just a willingness to actually do it at all, much like making A Serbian Film, or taking a dump in the middle of a bus I suppose. Addressing "eh, reader?" at every point is typical Millar being an asshole to the fourth wall a la Wanted, while thinking what he's doing is being a clever, smartass cad.
There's a tacked-on occult angle that when you think about it is stupid, half-baked and with no seeming insight into occultism of any kind (666! inverted crosses! EEVIL!), it's just some bad plot justification for why this is happening, the monologue/exposition dump is annoying as these tend to be and shows Millar has no interest in letting the story and these details unfold naturally but rather just structure it as depravity, depravity, depravity, long-winded rant about inserting oneself and their lives into the story and being able to unleash as much havoc as they want, live eternally, etc. etc. etc., depravity, depravity, the end. And the insertion of photography looks absolutely garish, like really shitty Xerox and bad coloring smearing on top.
He also throws in some "ha ha, religion can't really save you!" stab with a "ha ha, how IRONIC!" literal drop of a diabolus ex machina anvil on certain characters toward the end that serves no purpose but to cement his edgy credentials further and be an obnoxious git. No Millar you aren't clever for mocking religion and positing the falseness of its claims of salvation, your insight is at the level of a high school freshman who just discovered NIN and Nietzche quotes, not to mention there is NO POINT WHATSOEVER in its insertion either. Throwing in some base, juvenile satire on religion in the middle of a story devoid of satire just sticks out badly, but then who cares in a story like this?
So, the good: it is a short and easy read, it grabs you initially with its mystery plot, and one can't help but marvel at trainwreck-levels of fascination at what terrible thing the story is going to throw out at you next. The cartoon figures are reasonably well-drawn too I suppose. As someone who also is a long-time fan of Who Framed Roger Rabbit it somewhat fulfills a question I've wondered "what if Roger Rabbit were dark, I mean REALLY fucking dark?" and well, yes, there is also a fascination seeing such ghastly horror thrown into such a setting without acting as commentary in any way. But, the good is cancelled out by how poorly the story is told, how empty-seeming it all is, the terrible attempt at mixed media, the snarky, sneering cynicism I get from Millar at every turn. It's the same feeling you get from another self-referential exercise in needless depravity, Funny Games, a movie that also eyes the viewer watching it, indicting them for actually continuing to watch. Sure, I watched, and here, I also read. You got me. But you also made it, if you having nothing to say other than to talk me down for looking at something that you made as terrible as possible to see if I would react, well, congratulations, you're just as much an asshole as I am. But I at least can recognize that, can you? From what I've gathered by the story's hopeless end, no, not really.
February 20, 2020
This book tries so hard to be offensive that it ends up not really being offensive at all. It's just completely absurd. Though I know the average reader is going to think this is total garbage and not even kind of funny, my prior knowledge of writer Mark Millar's reputation and my familiarity with his work brings this to a sort of so bad it's good level. And as far as the ending twist goes, I feel like they couldve gone even further with it.
April 26, 2021
You know those times when a book title and all of the reviews and even the blurb are telling you the book is going to be terrible? No? Because that never happens. I didn't know it could happen! Heck, I didn't even know I could dislike a book as much as this one. Mark Millar was either working through some stuff or needs to talk to someone because this...wow.
And I can totally see what he was trying for in the meta. It's just that a story of a serial killing pedophile that infects happy-go-lucky cartoon characters with his madness is not the best way to do it. It's not even A way to do it ffs.
Liking this book is indicative of a lot of things. No one should like it, even to say "I got it". It's still a terrible book.
And I can totally see what he was trying for in the meta. It's just that a story of a serial killing pedophile that infects happy-go-lucky cartoon characters with his madness is not the best way to do it. It's not even A way to do it ffs.
Liking this book is indicative of a lot of things. No one should like it, even to say "I got it". It's still a terrible book.
February 23, 2021
Napriek zámeru urážať a šokovať to bolo proste len.. nudné. Pokradnuté vtipy, špatné dialógy a hlášky, keby nemám za sebou horšie veci, tak by ma možno to večné vracanie sa k znásilňovaniu detí a potratov 10 ročných detí aj znechutí. Ale ono je to skrátka fakt len hrozne nudné a trápne a nasilu. Šlahnem tomu jednu, aj kvôli tomu, že na viac to nie je, ale aj kvôli zníženiu ratingu, aby si mali možnosť (snáď už to padne pod 2) prečítať tento "skvost" do challenge.
January 5, 2015
If you're going to write a comic book that is supposed to be existential peverse then you either need to be Grant Morrison or Alan Moore. I like Millar, most of his work is sharp and exaggerated fun. This time though, I was unsure if it was supposed to be a comedy or a farce. More crude than it was interesting.
finished-but-hated
May 22, 2020Hey, guys, gals, and non-binary pals! Is there a dead person you don't like very much and you want some sort of evil talisman to nail to their gravesite just to make sure they won't rise on Judgement Day? A copy of this shit ought to do the trick!
December 3, 2020
Written to shock but really just a bore
June 14, 2020
This was recommended to me ironically but I read it anyway because why not, right? Turns out there was a good reason this was an ironic recommendation, as this is just offensively bad. And I hate even describing it that way because this is clearly a book that wants you to find it offensive, and piss off prudes. It's the kind of book that wants people to call for it to be banned so it can wear that proudly on its sleeve and parade around like it's the most controversial thing ever created.
The Unfunnies is trying to offend you, and while it succeeds in being offensive it's more because it's just bad. It's poorly written, poorly paced, no characters are likable, and it's just trying very, very hard to be edgy. Taking place in a world with Hanna Barbera-esque character designs except everyone is just fucked up. Every character curses, slurs are dropped frequently, and in the first issue the presumed main character, Moe the Crow, is arrested for possession of child pornography. And then while in court he admits to having molested a few children as well.
And that's the protagonist! What follows after is an exercise in attempted humor by someone who's trying to channel all the raunch of South Park but without any redeeming qualities (few as that show has). It also attempts to market itself as a horror series, but the attempts at horror don't even begin in earnest until the final issue, and even then they're so lazily put together it's more laughable than anything. But like, not the good kind of laughable that the rest of the book is trying to go for. The laughing at you not with you kind.
I'm a big believer that you should occasionally read some very bad books to keep yourself from getting too nitpicky when reading good things. That's why I read this even though the recommendation was not serious, and in that regard this succeeded. Definitely one of the worst things I've ever read, and something I'd recommend to nobody.
The Unfunnies is trying to offend you, and while it succeeds in being offensive it's more because it's just bad. It's poorly written, poorly paced, no characters are likable, and it's just trying very, very hard to be edgy. Taking place in a world with Hanna Barbera-esque character designs except everyone is just fucked up. Every character curses, slurs are dropped frequently, and in the first issue the presumed main character, Moe the Crow, is arrested for possession of child pornography. And then while in court he admits to having molested a few children as well.
And that's the protagonist! What follows after is an exercise in attempted humor by someone who's trying to channel all the raunch of South Park but without any redeeming qualities (few as that show has). It also attempts to market itself as a horror series, but the attempts at horror don't even begin in earnest until the final issue, and even then they're so lazily put together it's more laughable than anything. But like, not the good kind of laughable that the rest of the book is trying to go for. The laughing at you not with you kind.
I'm a big believer that you should occasionally read some very bad books to keep yourself from getting too nitpicky when reading good things. That's why I read this even though the recommendation was not serious, and in that regard this succeeded. Definitely one of the worst things I've ever read, and something I'd recommend to nobody.
February 7, 2025
1.5 stars rounded up. found through a rec list on the extreme horror subreddit.
the concept is appealing — a hanna-barbera cartoon spiraling into darkness and depravity. but it’s devoid of any tact, any cleverness, any humor, or really any redeeming quality. can’t give it less than 1.5, though — there was one joke in issue 2 (pussy whiskers putting the clown nose on) that made me laugh aloud, and the art style is annoyingly charming in its parody of hanna-barbera. but it’s bleak and edgy and just a miserable experience all around.
TW. pedophilia, child murder, child death, child rape, rape, abortion, infidelity, sexual assault, ableism, medical abuse, genital mutilation, unreality, possession, murder, i’m sure there’s more that i’m forgetting.
the concept is appealing — a hanna-barbera cartoon spiraling into darkness and depravity. but it’s devoid of any tact, any cleverness, any humor, or really any redeeming quality. can’t give it less than 1.5, though — there was one joke in issue 2 (pussy whiskers putting the clown nose on) that made me laugh aloud, and the art style is annoyingly charming in its parody of hanna-barbera. but it’s bleak and edgy and just a miserable experience all around.
TW. pedophilia, child murder, child death, child rape, rape, abortion, infidelity, sexual assault, ableism, medical abuse, genital mutilation, unreality, possession, murder, i’m sure there’s more that i’m forgetting.
October 7, 2024
This is one of the most deplorable and unenjoyable books I have EVER read. This book could probably be used as some sort of vampire repellent because it is that cursed. Look, I love reading terrible books for my own amusement; I love All Star Batman & Robin. I love Batman Odyssey. I love Angel Catbird. I read this looking for a similarly hilarious incompetent time and all I found was... genuine unpleasantness. I felt like I was being added to some secret list from the FBI. This book absolutely radiates hatefulness at its core. It's like a cursed object.
Even if you love stupid books just to amuse yourself, I cannot recommend this one even slightly.
Even if you love stupid books just to amuse yourself, I cannot recommend this one even slightly.
December 24, 2023
Absolute garbage. As a huge Mark Millar fan I could not have been more surprised when I started reading this. I didn't make it past the first issue because this is truly a horrible, depraved and indeed unfunny comic. Completely different from every other Mark Millar comic and not worth anyone's time.
May 5, 2020
One of the few comics I wish I could un-read. The only upside here is Mark Millar shows us who he really is, so readers can make better-informed choices when offered the chance to read his other books.
September 28, 2024
Only use I can see for this comic would be as toilet paper, but even then I bet it’d still give my ass a paper cut. Strong contender for worst thing I’ve ever read, almost definitely the most wasted premise I’ve ever encountered.
November 17, 2025
Genuinely the worst thing I ever read. I would divorce my partner too if they made this. Mark Millar you actually suck for even going to the lengths of commissioning an artist to draw out this shitty ass script.
July 31, 2022
I regret life.
August 24, 2022
Reread. I got the "offensive" cover variants for some reason.
Yucky and dumb.
Yucky and dumb.
February 9, 2023
This has a reputation of being an unreadable string of edgy jokes, but it's one of his most tightly constructed and purposeful works. A bold transgressive horror comic and trap for the reader.
Read
April 14, 2023Can't say I enjoyed any of this!
Read
November 14, 2023utterly reprehensible without a single redeeming quality. 0 stars.
May 22, 2024
Oh brother. I can tolerate some real unfunny garbage, but this is upsetting just for the sake of it.
January 13, 2025
If I could give this zero stars, I would.
March 6, 2025
Controversial just to be controversial
May 19, 2025
The Unfunnies prioritizes shock value over substance, presenting a series of grotesque scenes in lieu of a plot or compelling protagonist. As someone who appreciates underground comics, horror films, and "extreme" literature (also known as splatterpunk), I’m open to gritty themes when they offer an interesting perspective. However, The Unfunnies falls flat in that regard.
Unlike the cream of the underground comic or horror crop—which uses disturbing content to challenge the audience—The Unfunnies frequently employs cartoonish dialogue as a jarring contrast to its dark subject matter. Characters often break the fourth wall in the style of vintage Gold Key or Archie comics, but this is juxtaposed with disturbing contexts, such as a character being arrested for possessing child pornography. While this contrast can make certain scenes unsettling, it quickly becomes apparent that this is the only brush in Millar’s palette, and it grows tiresome.
Even when a more intriguing supernatural horror storyline emerges toward the end, it remains bogged down by filler content and shock tactics. A more structured approach with developed character arcs and organic plot progression could have elevated the series into a memorable horror comic. The premise—a cartoonist’s fictional world degenerating as he becomes a serial killer—is strong and could have provided a solid foundation. But rather than exploring that concept, Millar leans on disjointed, depraved vignettes, making the series feel more like a string of tasteless sketches than a cohesive story.
Millar has stated that The Unfunnies was intended as a comic counterpart to disturbing ensemble films like Happiness or Magnolia. Unfortunately, it lacks the believable character motivations and thematic interconnectedness that make those films work resonate as ensemble pieces or anthologies. Millar is capable of producing fascinating characters and compelling narratives, but here he seems sidetracked by juvenile tangents. The result is a story that, while occasionally intriguing, is too unfocused to deliver on its potential.
Unlike the cream of the underground comic or horror crop—which uses disturbing content to challenge the audience—The Unfunnies frequently employs cartoonish dialogue as a jarring contrast to its dark subject matter. Characters often break the fourth wall in the style of vintage Gold Key or Archie comics, but this is juxtaposed with disturbing contexts, such as a character being arrested for possessing child pornography. While this contrast can make certain scenes unsettling, it quickly becomes apparent that this is the only brush in Millar’s palette, and it grows tiresome.
Even when a more intriguing supernatural horror storyline emerges toward the end, it remains bogged down by filler content and shock tactics. A more structured approach with developed character arcs and organic plot progression could have elevated the series into a memorable horror comic. The premise—a cartoonist’s fictional world degenerating as he becomes a serial killer—is strong and could have provided a solid foundation. But rather than exploring that concept, Millar leans on disjointed, depraved vignettes, making the series feel more like a string of tasteless sketches than a cohesive story.
Millar has stated that The Unfunnies was intended as a comic counterpart to disturbing ensemble films like Happiness or Magnolia. Unfortunately, it lacks the believable character motivations and thematic interconnectedness that make those films work resonate as ensemble pieces or anthologies. Millar is capable of producing fascinating characters and compelling narratives, but here he seems sidetracked by juvenile tangents. The result is a story that, while occasionally intriguing, is too unfocused to deliver on its potential.
April 2, 2012
Quem na sua infância não leu uma das infindáveis versões de banda desenhada onde cartoons antropomórficos viviam peripécias engraçadas? Simples e infantis, são a porta de entrada para a nona arte. Encantaram gerações e tornaram-se ícones da cultura pop. Patos Donald, ratos Mickey... criaturas simples em histórias simples. A tradição de parodiar este género já é longa e tem raízes nos comics underground. Mark Millar continua essa tradição com um comic totalmente demente, onde as simpáticas criaturinhas desenhadas a quatro cores apresentam comportamentos positivamente horripilantes. Digamos que os engraçados animais antropomórficos abusam de drogas, cometem injustiças, descobrem as alegrias da prostituição ou tornam-se fãs de pedofilia. Entre outras aventuras nada recomendáveis. The Unfunnies é totalmente hilariante e nada politicamente correcto... mas muito inteligente ao apontar a dissonância entre o mundo inocente dos cartoons e as muito reais injustiças da realidade.
December 21, 2024
this is genuinely the worst thing I've read in my life within 5 pages a character is revealed to be a pedophile I saw someone say this was millar at his worst which is why I read it but Jesus fucking christ this is awful. it's just awful shock after awful shock with no reason behind it. woah woman gets abortion but the child is 9 years old woah how shocking aren't you so shocked. there is no enjoyment to be found here at all unless you like ZOMG PEDOPHILE ZOMG HUMAN DEPRAVITY. I feel like a lesser human after reading this Jesus this sucks ass
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 14, 2015
I feel like mark millar should stick to writing about regular blokes jerking off to porn and video game soundtracks. The narration felt very loopy to me, its labelled as a horror comic but the horror isn't apparent till the last few pages. It could have been surreal but that's an angle left best for grant morrison and delivering the story through 40s era anthropomorphic characters was a terrible idea anyhow.
March 27, 2016
Millar gonna Millar.
Read
August 31, 2017Can't rate this shit.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews