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Ratfist
Earthworm Jim creator Doug Tennapel is publishing his Webcomic Ratfist, a vigilante-in-tights that satirizes comics, politics, philosophy, and even Tennapel himself! Featuring a forward written by MST3K/RiffTraxx''s Michael J. Nelson, and pin-ups by Ryan Ottley, Scott Kurtz, Christopher Hastings, and Ethan Nicolle.
176 pages, Paperback
First published December 21, 2011
About the author
Doug TenNapel
46 books518 followersDoug TenNapel is the Eisner Award winning writer/artist of over sixteen graphic novels. He is published by Image Comics and Scholastic/Graphics.
He's been married for 27 years to the love of his life and has four book-loving kids.
Doug's favorite authors include G.K. Chesterton, C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. He reads mostly philosophy but tends to get his fiction from audio-books.
His performs live art demonstrations on his Facebook page, and has animated using pixel art for clients like BlueSky software and Electronic Arts. He also regularly posts on his Youtube channel.
Doug tries to write and draw something every day as a discipline that also happens to be a career.
He currently lives in Franklin, Tennessee.
He's been married for 27 years to the love of his life and has four book-loving kids.
Doug's favorite authors include G.K. Chesterton, C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. He reads mostly philosophy but tends to get his fiction from audio-books.
His performs live art demonstrations on his Facebook page, and has animated using pixel art for clients like BlueSky software and Electronic Arts. He also regularly posts on his Youtube channel.
Doug tries to write and draw something every day as a discipline that also happens to be a career.
He currently lives in Franklin, Tennessee.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
April 2, 2019
Read great reviews of this one--but I hated the art, the story was lame, and it was gross (bloody rat tails that talk are not aesthetically pleasing).
February 8, 2012
Ratfist is your basic average guy. I mean he’s got a girlfriend he’s about to propose to, a steady job,a pet rat, and of course he’s a hero of the city. Well mostly. But he’s about to give the hero biz up after one last case, so that he can marry his girlfriend. But this last case has nothing normal about it. He discovers the Space Tiki who can take the souls out of one creature and give them to another. Which is how Ratfist comes to really look like a rat, with a tail and everything. He travels 4 years into the future, again courtesy of the Space Tiki, and discover that the world has drastically changed. And in order to make things right he may have to give himself up entirely.
Doug TenNapel has this habit of creating characters that seem mostly normal, but with flaws (you know the type the ones that you could meet in real life) and by the end of the book they’ve learned some type of lesson. And I love it. Even though the characters can go a bit overboard, I mean this one is a guy dressed in a rat suit, he’s easy to relate to. You can understand why he does what he does, even if you don’t agree with his methods. Even the battles between the heroes and the villains are more battles of gray than black and white. The story has a nice easy to pace to get into and I love the special visit from Earthworm Jim (one of Doug’s other creations) and even that Doug himself appears in the book.
I love Doug’s style and this book is no exception. He has a blocky, line style that really reminds me of some of the old German Expressionist woodcuts that just creative this evocative feeling of movement within the work. Normally Doug’s art is black and white, but this one has the added bonus of having color, just to help make the characters stand out even more. One of my favorite scenes is where Ratfist jumps from the rooftop down into the building below, and while the composition is simple--Ratifsit and no background but vertical lines--the colors make it really stand out and come alive.
If you’re a fan of Doug already this is a must have book. If you aren’t a fan of Doug...why not? Go ahead and pick this one up and give it a read for a rousing good tale. 4 out of 5 stars.
Doug TenNapel has this habit of creating characters that seem mostly normal, but with flaws (you know the type the ones that you could meet in real life) and by the end of the book they’ve learned some type of lesson. And I love it. Even though the characters can go a bit overboard, I mean this one is a guy dressed in a rat suit, he’s easy to relate to. You can understand why he does what he does, even if you don’t agree with his methods. Even the battles between the heroes and the villains are more battles of gray than black and white. The story has a nice easy to pace to get into and I love the special visit from Earthworm Jim (one of Doug’s other creations) and even that Doug himself appears in the book.
I love Doug’s style and this book is no exception. He has a blocky, line style that really reminds me of some of the old German Expressionist woodcuts that just creative this evocative feeling of movement within the work. Normally Doug’s art is black and white, but this one has the added bonus of having color, just to help make the characters stand out even more. One of my favorite scenes is where Ratfist jumps from the rooftop down into the building below, and while the composition is simple--Ratifsit and no background but vertical lines--the colors make it really stand out and come alive.
If you’re a fan of Doug already this is a must have book. If you aren’t a fan of Doug...why not? Go ahead and pick this one up and give it a read for a rousing good tale. 4 out of 5 stars.
January 19, 2013
Originally a webcomic, "Ratfist" moves along at a frenetic pace. This is a rollicking adventure and a great story. There are laugh-out-loud moments galore, and a bit of heartbreak as well. And, oh the puns! Fun.
July 23, 2018
well, it finally happened. TenNapel wrote something I hate. honestly I'm surprised it took so long for his religion & politics to leak into his storytelling, but there it is. this is a shitty libertarian Christian polemic half-assedly disguised as superhero story. 👎
September 29, 2013
Breaking the fourth wall is a real turn off for me and he did it a lot. I also was not thrilled by how he handled religion in this book.
August 12, 2016
this is not just another take on the the "spider-man origin story" just with a rat. there's a lot of meta going on (which I am a sucker for) and there is quite the sadhappy ending.
March 21, 2026
Ratfist started life as a webcomic, though I wonder how many people would have guessed it was if Doug TenNapel didn't say so in his afterward. Like Earthworm Jim before it, Ratfist is a goofy take on the superhero genre; indeed fans of EWJ will recognize the cartoon humor juxtaposed with weird, and sometimes gross stuff. That said, Ratfist goes into heavier subject matter than the EWJ video games ever did (the graphic novels are another story, but I digress).
Simply put, the story of Ratfist is about the transformation of Ricky, who works a corporate job by day and is a masked vigilante by night. Ricky is dating a woman named Gina who is deathly afraid of rats, which proves problematic because during a nighttime mission, Ricky accidentally absorbs a rat in a freak accident and becomes a rat-man hybrid. Naturally, Ricky wants to revert to his old self, and he thinks his employer has the antidote, which has ties to some spurious secret experiments. From there, we're treated to a rabbit hole of pagan gods, mad science, dystopian futures, and a talking rat tail?
It's a fun premise and the art is, as one can expect, well-executed. The story is decent and has its moments, though TenNapel gets pretty self-indulgent in this book. Earthworm Jim cameos, characters break the fourth wall, TenNapel inserts himself into the story, and there's a fair amount of religious and sociopolitical commentary. That last one will definitely be a turn-off for some readers, especially since Ratfist gets a bit didactic with it (remember to vote in the next election, kids!).
Ratfist has a fun premise and Ricky's transformations, be it a rat-man or his transformation from a selfish man to a selfless man make for a solid story. TenNapel clearly had fun making this comic, even though he got a bit carried away with the messaging. I liked Ratfist well enough. That said, I think it's safe to say that with any book by this author, your mileage may vary.
Simply put, the story of Ratfist is about the transformation of Ricky, who works a corporate job by day and is a masked vigilante by night. Ricky is dating a woman named Gina who is deathly afraid of rats, which proves problematic because during a nighttime mission, Ricky accidentally absorbs a rat in a freak accident and becomes a rat-man hybrid. Naturally, Ricky wants to revert to his old self, and he thinks his employer has the antidote, which has ties to some spurious secret experiments. From there, we're treated to a rabbit hole of pagan gods, mad science, dystopian futures, and a talking rat tail?
It's a fun premise and the art is, as one can expect, well-executed. The story is decent and has its moments, though TenNapel gets pretty self-indulgent in this book. Earthworm Jim cameos, characters break the fourth wall, TenNapel inserts himself into the story, and there's a fair amount of religious and sociopolitical commentary. That last one will definitely be a turn-off for some readers, especially since Ratfist gets a bit didactic with it (remember to vote in the next election, kids!).
Ratfist has a fun premise and Ricky's transformations, be it a rat-man or his transformation from a selfish man to a selfless man make for a solid story. TenNapel clearly had fun making this comic, even though he got a bit carried away with the messaging. I liked Ratfist well enough. That said, I think it's safe to say that with any book by this author, your mileage may vary.
July 19, 2022
Absolutely hilarious! I was regularly laughing aloud every few pages.
From scanning the foreword, I discovered the author is some sort of man of faith (seemingly Christian from what I've gleaned). As such, his worldview is clearly present in the comic. Amid the funny superhero story are woven various insights on religion, politics, and ethics, among other such lofty topics. Despite this, it never grows preachy. The insights and data are presented, but you as the reader are left to apply. I don't know if this could be categorized as Christian literature or not, but if so, this is the way it ought to be written: insightful enough to feed the spiritual, accessible enough to reach the lost, and enjoyable enough to be readable.
Bravo!
From scanning the foreword, I discovered the author is some sort of man of faith (seemingly Christian from what I've gleaned). As such, his worldview is clearly present in the comic. Amid the funny superhero story are woven various insights on religion, politics, and ethics, among other such lofty topics. Despite this, it never grows preachy. The insights and data are presented, but you as the reader are left to apply. I don't know if this could be categorized as Christian literature or not, but if so, this is the way it ought to be written: insightful enough to feed the spiritual, accessible enough to reach the lost, and enjoyable enough to be readable.
Bravo!
March 29, 2021
Doug TenNapel’s inks are wild and Katherine Garner’s colors are amazing. Enjoyed the story, jokes, and gags, but the story didn’t have the “it” I needed to push this to 5 stars.
Doug mentions in an afterward about his experience producing Ratfist as a webcomic that he felt obliged to complete a thought on each page instead of a longer build-up that could be expected in a comic actually produced as a graphic novel. I guess I’m a graphic novel kind of guy. Or there’s something missing in the translation when compiling a day-to-day webcomic into a physical book.
Doug mentions in an afterward about his experience producing Ratfist as a webcomic that he felt obliged to complete a thought on each page instead of a longer build-up that could be expected in a comic actually produced as a graphic novel. I guess I’m a graphic novel kind of guy. Or there’s something missing in the translation when compiling a day-to-day webcomic into a physical book.
October 26, 2017
I didn’t like this as well as a lot of other Tenapel books I’ve read. It seemed a little disjointed although the art was just as good. I knew what he was going after in the story, but it just didn’t grab me as much.
October 13, 2022
This book was extremely good, i lvoe the fourth wall break parts, it makes for good comedy! The plot of the story is pretty good and the characters are really nice. I think that anyone will enjoy this graphic novel.
Age: minimum 11
Rating:8.5/10
Age: minimum 11
Rating:8.5/10
December 9, 2023
The art and Ratfist himself hold this book together. The story is very meh. The lessons are dodgy. One extra star for Space Tiki tho
November 11, 2024
MPA ratings:
PG-13 for violence
PG for language, rude humor, and suggestive content
PG-13 for violence
PG for language, rude humor, and suggestive content
July 3, 2025
No entiendo muy bien que carajo leí pero ojalá me pagarán las drogas como a Tennapel.
February 22, 2026
Another fun story by the author.
February 25, 2012
ARC provided by NetGalley.
I usually like superhero stories. I even like satires. Ratfist has both of those things so it should be a fun read, right?
Unfortunately, I was let down. I can't really say that Ratfist was bad because it really wasn't. It's just that I'm obviously not the target audience for it.
I don't read satire that often so going back to it in a comic format was an interesting experience. However, like I said before, I'm not the intended audience for Ratfist. People who read superhero comic books and those who have a little interest in politics will more than likely enjoy this comic. I personally have no interest in either of those things which I think the reason why I wasn't impressed by this comic.
I think the biggest flaw of Ratfist is that, in my opinion, it fails to grab different kinds of audiences. It has funny moments, but only those who are hard-core comic fans will really get it. I don't usually get bored reading comics, but unfortunately I bored with reading this comic. I thought the story dragged on for too long mostly because it had too much text which I don't take as a good thing in comics. I understand in some parts it was done on purpose and it was funny when I understood it.
I didn't understand what the story was satirizing which is why I felt that the story overall was a huge mess Yes I know in most superhero stories thing don't always make sense, but here I thought it was a little bit too much. I thought some parts of the story was too stupid, like the tail thing which was a little bit too silly. Again, I know it supposed to be, but it didn't quite work for me.
I didn't enter this comic expecting a compeling superhero story. I wanted something entertaining and at some parts I was entertained. The art is unique in its own way, but in the end nothing special.
In the end, I found Ratfist an interesting read despite its flaws. I think it's a shame because Ratfist could have been so much better if it had the appeal for a wider audience. I'd say if you're a hardcore comic book fan, you should check this one out.
I usually like superhero stories. I even like satires. Ratfist has both of those things so it should be a fun read, right?
Unfortunately, I was let down. I can't really say that Ratfist was bad because it really wasn't. It's just that I'm obviously not the target audience for it.
I don't read satire that often so going back to it in a comic format was an interesting experience. However, like I said before, I'm not the intended audience for Ratfist. People who read superhero comic books and those who have a little interest in politics will more than likely enjoy this comic. I personally have no interest in either of those things which I think the reason why I wasn't impressed by this comic.
I think the biggest flaw of Ratfist is that, in my opinion, it fails to grab different kinds of audiences. It has funny moments, but only those who are hard-core comic fans will really get it. I don't usually get bored reading comics, but unfortunately I bored with reading this comic. I thought the story dragged on for too long mostly because it had too much text which I don't take as a good thing in comics. I understand in some parts it was done on purpose and it was funny when I understood it.
I didn't understand what the story was satirizing which is why I felt that the story overall was a huge mess Yes I know in most superhero stories thing don't always make sense, but here I thought it was a little bit too much. I thought some parts of the story was too stupid, like the tail thing which was a little bit too silly. Again, I know it supposed to be, but it didn't quite work for me.
I didn't enter this comic expecting a compeling superhero story. I wanted something entertaining and at some parts I was entertained. The art is unique in its own way, but in the end nothing special.
In the end, I found Ratfist an interesting read despite its flaws. I think it's a shame because Ratfist could have been so much better if it had the appeal for a wider audience. I'd say if you're a hardcore comic book fan, you should check this one out.
February 19, 2012
This is one of those books where I'm entirely sure what was going on, but I enjoyed the journey. I've read TenNapel's work before and it seemed relatively straightforward, so imagine my surprise when I come across Ratfist. We've got Ratfist and his sidekicks (an actual rat and the remains of Ratfist's tail, both of which are sentient and rather talkative) and they're trying to save the world from an evil corporation that Ratfist had initially supported until he came face to face with the repercussions. In the mix is the mysterious and completely bizarre Space Tiki who proves to be more than a bit of a catalyst for the strange events unfolding within the graphic novel.
I know that there's probably some sort of religious message going on here, given that there's a Bible verse at the very end and TenNapel is known for subtle allegories. In this particular offering, however, I have no idea what the actual message is. Either I'm really not up on my religious symbolism or...something. Like I said, I'm not entirely certain of what I just read. There were plenty of moments of genuine hilarity and everything about the story was so unexpected that I couldn't stop reading.
Note: I read this via NetGalley and online reading is not my preferred method. I had some serious difficulties making out the text onscreen, so this *may* account for my lack of understanding.
I know that there's probably some sort of religious message going on here, given that there's a Bible verse at the very end and TenNapel is known for subtle allegories. In this particular offering, however, I have no idea what the actual message is. Either I'm really not up on my religious symbolism or...something. Like I said, I'm not entirely certain of what I just read. There were plenty of moments of genuine hilarity and everything about the story was so unexpected that I couldn't stop reading.
Note: I read this via NetGalley and online reading is not my preferred method. I had some serious difficulties making out the text onscreen, so this *may* account for my lack of understanding.
June 5, 2013
I hadn't read Ratfist since the webcomic came out, and it seems more thematically heavy when you read it all together. I wouldn't say it is preachy, but I think sometimes TenNapel chooses a more straightforward plot with a clear message over a possibly more interesting plot with a hazy message. Still, it's good to read a comic with a reason for existence. TenNapel obviously has something to say with Ratfist, something about society that is subversive and not politically correct. This novel does a great job of starting that conversation.
June 1, 2016
Doug TenNapel never really disappoints. His art is great and expressive; the plot of this little stand-alone volume is absurd and charming; Earthworm Jim makes a brief, puzzled appearance; and as soon as I put it down I was sad that my time with the quirky characters was over. Not a challenging or substantial read, but a fun one.
April 14, 2012
Interesting, got this as pre-pub book. I had no idea what to expect. there were times when I thought it would be good to add to one of my collections, but then others would come up. the final moral was really good though.
June 11, 2012
Creative and confident, with a strong voice. Silly, gross, very strong choice for a teen collection. This style is a little broad and wacky for my taste but I can recognize this is a strong entry in the genre.
June 21, 2012
Hmm. This could have been pretty good- great art style, but the storytelling becomes increasingly disjointed and there's a lot of flailing around near the end. The superhero satire is pretty funny (the "Miterspam" joke had me laughing out loud), but overall this seems a little half-baked.
March 25, 2013
Anyone remember the Earthworm Jim video game? Well the creator of that created this. Similar in style and humor. Chances are readers are going to think this is the best thing ever or think it's pretty stinky.
Want to Read
July 4, 201219.99
August 4, 2012
It's weird and good
August 5, 2012
Funny and weird and colourful.
September 6, 2012
This is a more sassy, insouciant tone than I am used to in a TenNapel work.
October 15, 2012
Excelent and hysterical humor, and inaproriately funny at some parts. Love it. It would make an excelent animated films for adults.
Stay creative,
- Lukas
Stay creative,
- Lukas
January 10, 2013
Was curious to see the twists and turns in this.
March 21, 2013
Wild animal-farmish journey with an insightful commentary on web comics at the end. Glad it came out in paperback.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews