What do you think?
Rate this book
Nurse Nurse
What is NURSE NURSE?
It is a comic book about the future.
It is a prediction about television.
It is a cautionary tale about butterflies.
It is science fiction for all kinds of people.
It collects all seven issues of the mini-comic series and the never-before-seen eighth issue. Please have an adventure.
It is a comic book about the future.
It is a prediction about television.
It is a cautionary tale about butterflies.
It is science fiction for all kinds of people.
It collects all seven issues of the mini-comic series and the never-before-seen eighth issue. Please have an adventure.
180 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
2 people are currently reading
138 people want to read
About the author
Katie Skelly
14 books58 followersKatie Skelly is an American comic book artist, writer, editor and critic.
Skelly was born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in 1985. She studied Art History at Syracuse University and then at City College of New York.
Among her works: Nurse, Nurse (2012, Sparkplug), a 'Barbarella-inspired' sci-fi comic; Operation Margarine (2014, Adhouse), for which she won the Emerging Artist Prize at the 2015 Cartoon Crossroads Columbus Festival; My Pretty Vampire (2017, Fantagraphics), a 70's exploitation-style horror; The Agency (2018, Fantagraphics), a collection of erotic stories previously appeared online; Maids (2020, Fantagraphics), a true crime graphic novel; the ongoing self-produced series Heaven.
Skelly has written about comics on the Comics Journal since 2014. She co-hosts the podcast Thick Lines with fellow cartoonist Sally Madden.
Skelly was born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in 1985. She studied Art History at Syracuse University and then at City College of New York.
Among her works: Nurse, Nurse (2012, Sparkplug), a 'Barbarella-inspired' sci-fi comic; Operation Margarine (2014, Adhouse), for which she won the Emerging Artist Prize at the 2015 Cartoon Crossroads Columbus Festival; My Pretty Vampire (2017, Fantagraphics), a 70's exploitation-style horror; The Agency (2018, Fantagraphics), a collection of erotic stories previously appeared online; Maids (2020, Fantagraphics), a true crime graphic novel; the ongoing self-produced series Heaven.
Skelly has written about comics on the Comics Journal since 2014. She co-hosts the podcast Thick Lines with fellow cartoonist Sally Madden.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
February 15, 2018
I like the originality of the story of this graphic novel. However, the drawing is quite disappointing because I find them really horrendous. Looking at those illustrations feels like it was just drawn by a 5 year old.
In addition, the story has that psychedelic vibe and the ending will also make you wonder on what it meant. It felt like that the ending was rather abrupt, because the author can no longer think on what to write.
Thank you to Sparkplug Books for providing the reading copy of this.
In addition, the story has that psychedelic vibe and the ending will also make you wonder on what it meant. It felt like that the ending was rather abrupt, because the author can no longer think on what to write.
Thank you to Sparkplug Books for providing the reading copy of this.
April 16, 2018
Here is some of Nurse Nurse from Katie Kelly’s website:
http://www.katieskellycomics.com/nurs...
Gemma is a space nurse in the year is 3030, traveling the universe. Her first job is to treat a poisoned butterfly farmer on Venus. This is wild and wacked-out alt-comix, sci-fi “for the rest of us,” with a touch of psychedelia and goofy girl power. The fact that it is "hard to follow" is part of what makes it fun, in a way. It's just silly, sketchy mini-comics, drawn by a smart and funny artist.
http://www.katieskellycomics.com/nurs...
Gemma is a space nurse in the year is 3030, traveling the universe. Her first job is to treat a poisoned butterfly farmer on Venus. This is wild and wacked-out alt-comix, sci-fi “for the rest of us,” with a touch of psychedelia and goofy girl power. The fact that it is "hard to follow" is part of what makes it fun, in a way. It's just silly, sketchy mini-comics, drawn by a smart and funny artist.
July 13, 2018
Haahahaha. Whoah. This book rules.
February 14, 2018
Edelweiss granted me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This was a bit too weird for me. The story made no sense... almost. It did have some connections at some point. But I feel like there were just some ideas thrown in there. I gave it 2 stars because I like the illustrations. It's a different technique.
This was a bit too weird for me. The story made no sense... almost. It did have some connections at some point. But I feel like there were just some ideas thrown in there. I gave it 2 stars because I like the illustrations. It's a different technique.
April 27, 2018
I received a copy from edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
I think this books was wrote by a man but no.... so if you are looking for a comic with a SFP look somewhere else, really this is not for me.
I think this books was wrote by a man but no.... so if you are looking for a comic with a SFP look somewhere else, really this is not for me.
October 20, 2018
Skelly's artwork is amazing (per usual) and the storyline is cute.
January 25, 2021
Surreal romp of weird and wild proportions. A little too unresolved at the end for my particular liking, but a fun read.
January 9, 2018
Freewheeling, often charming, but in the end frustrating too, Nurse Nurse has the benefit of Katie Skelly's lovely and evolving cartooning, a dreamlike fractured logic, fetching characters, and unaffected joy. It also has, sad to say, no resolution, no hint of a resolution, and not even a hint that Skelly understands that resolutions are usually expected in books with spines, like this.
Collecting a series of minicomics (and I imagine that I would be absolutely delighted with this stuff in low-threshold minicomix form), Nurse Nurse hasn't yet piled up enough story, or gestures toward a story, to hang together and make me feel good about buying it. Funny how format changes expectations, eh? The upshot is that the bouncing, open-ended, irresolute narrative here had me going for most of its chapters but frustrated me more than a little in its last. I can't tell if a sequel/further chapter is intended (I would read one), but as is Nurse Nurse doesn't meet even my minimal expectations for narrative follow-through (and they are minimal, for homespun first books like this).
Maybe this is so frustrating to me because Skelly really does seem to be hinting at a full-fledged story here, with complex back-story, deep secrets, tricks and reversals, etc., but then either lets it go or lets it pause, naggingly, at book's end. Her work shows extraordinary promise, but Sparkplug may have ventured too much by binding it in this form at this point.
Fun to look at, though. Skelly's a good cartoonist who likes to play games with pages and characters, and sheer delight shows through in a lot of the book. More to come?
Collecting a series of minicomics (and I imagine that I would be absolutely delighted with this stuff in low-threshold minicomix form), Nurse Nurse hasn't yet piled up enough story, or gestures toward a story, to hang together and make me feel good about buying it. Funny how format changes expectations, eh? The upshot is that the bouncing, open-ended, irresolute narrative here had me going for most of its chapters but frustrated me more than a little in its last. I can't tell if a sequel/further chapter is intended (I would read one), but as is Nurse Nurse doesn't meet even my minimal expectations for narrative follow-through (and they are minimal, for homespun first books like this).
Maybe this is so frustrating to me because Skelly really does seem to be hinting at a full-fledged story here, with complex back-story, deep secrets, tricks and reversals, etc., but then either lets it go or lets it pause, naggingly, at book's end. Her work shows extraordinary promise, but Sparkplug may have ventured too much by binding it in this form at this point.
Fun to look at, though. Skelly's a good cartoonist who likes to play games with pages and characters, and sheer delight shows through in a lot of the book. More to come?
August 13, 2016
I'd meant to read just a bit of this today before getting on with my own work but was so charmed and delighted with Katie Skelly's imaginative drawings and loopy story that I just *had* to read it straight through in one sitting. A captivating, wacky sci fi adventure for comics reading weirdos everywhere. I loved it and hope there's a sequel - maybe it could be called Nurse Nurse, Nurse Nurse?
October 7, 2017
I’ve wanted to read this for ages and it did not disappoint. Fun and psychedelic with such a compelling narrative I couldn’t put it down.
December 18, 2019
Nurse nurse saves the universe! I loved this the most, based entirely on the premise- although less vampires.
December 20, 2017
Goodreads Synopsis:
What is NURSE NURSE?
It is a comic book about the future.
It is a prediction about television.
It is a cautionary tale about butterflies.
It is science fiction for all kinds of people.
It collects all seven issues of the mini-comic series and the never-before-seen eighth issue. Please have an adventure.
My Review:
I received a copy from edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
The story begins with a girl explaining that the year is 3030, and due to the population explosion on earth, human's have had to create artificial atmospheres elsewhere, though not everyone is safe, and a lot of the first colonists have been poisoned. Nurses have been trained to treat said poison within the colonies.
It follows a girl named Gemma, who's first job is to treat a poisoned butterfly farmer on Venus. She tends to be late and isn't confident in her skills, but she wants to succeed so she tries her best. I liked the characters in this story.
I really like the art, it's way different than the other's I've been reading lately, and it fit with the story well. Although it seems a little choppy at times I enjoyed reading this book and I'm glad I got the chance to. Definitely check it out if you like comics about space with hilariously timed swears and cute characters.
Here's a link to the book on amazon!
https://www.amazon.ca/Nurse-Katie-Ske...
Thanks for reading! Check out this review and more at my blog.
(Radioactivebookreviews.wordpress.com)
What is NURSE NURSE?
It is a comic book about the future.
It is a prediction about television.
It is a cautionary tale about butterflies.
It is science fiction for all kinds of people.
It collects all seven issues of the mini-comic series and the never-before-seen eighth issue. Please have an adventure.
My Review:
I received a copy from edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
The story begins with a girl explaining that the year is 3030, and due to the population explosion on earth, human's have had to create artificial atmospheres elsewhere, though not everyone is safe, and a lot of the first colonists have been poisoned. Nurses have been trained to treat said poison within the colonies.
It follows a girl named Gemma, who's first job is to treat a poisoned butterfly farmer on Venus. She tends to be late and isn't confident in her skills, but she wants to succeed so she tries her best. I liked the characters in this story.
I really like the art, it's way different than the other's I've been reading lately, and it fit with the story well. Although it seems a little choppy at times I enjoyed reading this book and I'm glad I got the chance to. Definitely check it out if you like comics about space with hilariously timed swears and cute characters.
Here's a link to the book on amazon!
https://www.amazon.ca/Nurse-Katie-Ske...
Thanks for reading! Check out this review and more at my blog.
(Radioactivebookreviews.wordpress.com)
June 22, 2012
Skelly presents a wonderfully original yet familiar/ comfortable book here: nurses head into space to treat atmospheric sickness from galactic colonization. While elements of 60s nurse novels, Barbarella, and old anime kept coming through for me, I still was delighted by how new it still felt. Don't get me wrong; Skelly is not copying anybody here and is, in fact, doing her own thing in an easy, charming way...there's something about the work that feels like having coffee with an old friend. I would like to see some of the darker side of colonization, though, given the history of such actions.
Artistically, her work might not be for everyone schooled in mainstream comics, but her knack for facial expressions, body poses and action are all incredibly well done. Definite pick-up of more copies as gifts for some friends who are fans of nurse novel!
Artistically, her work might not be for everyone schooled in mainstream comics, but her knack for facial expressions, body poses and action are all incredibly well done. Definite pick-up of more copies as gifts for some friends who are fans of nurse novel!
September 21, 2017
This is a fun, weird, psychedelic sci-fi story that I enjoyed way more than what I had been expecting. An indie-published comic gathered together here for the first time. The story is so strange it's almost impossible to summarize, even the publisher only gave hints in the write-up on the back. But I will try! It is the 3000s and colonization of the planets have happened. Unfortunately, a mysterious illness is slowly killing those colonists off now. So nurses are sent out to set up stations to care for these people. Gemma is such a nurse. She is new and on her way to Venus for the first time. What follows involves space pirates, evil scientist doctors, butterflies and hallucinogenic substances. The story was sufficiently weird to be fun without being confusing and the raw b/w line art is appealing to me. Word of caution, this is not for children. The f-word is used a lot, for example.
May 26, 2012
Fairly unmemorable, this meandering science fiction story of a nurse who has been sent to Venus to deal with an outbreak of "atmospheric poisoning." Of course, the outbreak turns out to be something more sinister. Skelly has a light touch, but the story doesn't really go anywhere. I wasn't invested in the story. The ending of the story doesn't actually wrap it all up, but I by the time I reached that point, I really didn't care.
November 21, 2012
Lesbian make outs, hipster space pirates, and intergalactic nursing (all done in short dresses). It's a little mod and a little anime. It's a sci-fi adventure story with cute art and some barf. I learned if you shoot off your ex-boyfriend's leg and he actually comes back to you to get it fixed, he may still be hung up on you.
March 24, 2018
I really enjoyed the artwork for this book. It's all black and white, but it feels so vibrant and colourful. The style is very futuristic and almost psychedelic. The story started out strong and I was excited to see what would happen next, but towards the end it petered out and didn't really go anywhere which was disappointing. It's still well worth a read though!
[Free ARC from Edelweiss+]
[Free ARC from Edelweiss+]
August 21, 2018
Awesome!
Another book obviously influenced by 60's/70's Euro art/film. I really like how she takes those influences and improves upon them by taking the premise/genre to a whole another level. Her drawing style/storytelling is very unique and I don't own any other books quite like hers in my collection.
Thank you so much Katie Skelly! Keep 'em coming.
Another book obviously influenced by 60's/70's Euro art/film. I really like how she takes those influences and improves upon them by taking the premise/genre to a whole another level. Her drawing style/storytelling is very unique and I don't own any other books quite like hers in my collection.
Thank you so much Katie Skelly! Keep 'em coming.
July 26, 2012
Fantastic! It is like an adventure mystery with psychedelic rock bands and pirates in space. If that combination appeals to you, I highly recommend this book. I can see how this would be really fun to read in mini comic form.
December 31, 2017
A great book! I really enjoyed Katie Skelly’s visual narrative as well as her writing. Trippy and fun to read. The last two issues felt like it was rushing towards an ending, but overall I think it worked out well. I want to read more of Katie’s work when I get the chance.
July 17, 2012
It's kind of like reading a Shonen Knife song? I think? That Shonen Knife Carpenters cover in particular. So, yeah, that's sweet and fun and a nice little weirdo laugh.
July 23, 2012
Barbarella mod sci-fi comics? This was a joy to read. Katie's drawing style is lovely, a good fun book.
November 13, 2014
so delightful.
June 8, 2013
Psychedelicious.
July 25, 2018
Open-ended doodling
December 31, 2018
very cute style !
February 19, 2019
3.5 stars rounded up.
October 10, 2019
Cute and original but annoyingly obtuse- so much potential if she made it easier to understand.
June 28, 2021
Fun little comic book. Nice zine vibes.
December 14, 2013
Wonderful. The ending definitely caught me off guard. I loved the drawing style.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews