Brainfag Forever (BFF) (Comix) by Beaty, Nate (2008) Paperback

by Nate Beaty

Brainfag Forever! collects nearly a decade of Nate Beaty's self-published comics. Brainfag is a medical term for "brain fatigue," culled from a turn-of-the-century Grape-Nuts ad. Nate uses comics to explore self-expression, love and love lost, urban existence versus living off the grid, balancing art and coding on the computer, and generally maintaining sanity in a world gone mad. Featuring extensive new material explaining each issue, including the first 25 years of his life in five pages! Climb inside the head of a cartoonist using comics as cheap therapy.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels Comics, Graphic Novels, Memoir, Comix, Comic Book

Paperback

First published June 1, 2008

About the author

Human cartoonist being coder.

Reviews

[Hannah Garden · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this little collection up in Chicago with Oriana at Myopic Books, where we stopped for a browse on our way to Megan’s bachelorette, and while i would love it plenty just for that, it is ALSO a terrific collection of autobio comics where the narrator is actively struggling with what even is the point of this and how do I even do it, which is some of my favorite content I connect with most deeply. Fully rules, five stars.

[Nate · Rating 5 out of 5]

my book!

[Malbadeen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Can I be partial about an artist that resides in and loves Portland? Maybe not.
But I'm pretty sure that I would enjoy Nate's comics regardless of location.
My dream would be to live inside everyones brain for an hour or two. I want to know. what do you think? how do you think? where does your thinking get you. That's pretty much what Nate Beaty lets you do.
He is self reflective to an almost crippling degree which is funny at times and comfortably irritating at others. Like a friend you want to go camping with but maybe not sit with during the after-insecurities of a break up.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

The constantly shifting cartoonist stylings by Beaty were a veritable feast for these eyes - Beaty is a wonderful, versatile visual artist. The content is somewhat typical twentysomething hetero-whiteguy-alterna-comics diary material, but it's always fresh and likeable. 3 1/2 stars.

[Sarah Starkiller · Rating 2 out of 5]

More like a 2.5/5

Some of the art is really wonderful to look at while some seemed lazy. But that was fine, it added some much needed character to this anthology.

I just didn't reeeeally like this book

[SA · Rating 2 out of 5]

ugh. privileged directionless white dude alternatively fails and survives at life. For god's sake, world, tell me a different goddamn story.

[Sinclair Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this piece by piece, slowly over the course of three years. I enjoyed the comforting and lonely emotions it evoked in me and wanted to savor it for the loneliest of nights.

I’d like to give this 5 stars because it reflects real life in an insecurely-cartoonish but still powerful way. But I’m taking one out because it feels like there’s missing pages due to the fact this is a collection of works and not the entire body.

[Jaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not bad. Microcosm sent it extra when I ordered Chainbreaker Bike Book A Rough Guide to Bicycle Maintenance Nate Beaty is a pretty darn good artist. The style changes as the book progresses, so if that's not your thing, I'd advise against reading this book.

I feel weird about reviewing autobiographical stuff for people who are still alive. What am I supposed to say? "Your life is awesome!" or "Your life is boring!" don't really seem appropriate. I enjoyed the read and Beaty's storytelling and I'll just leave it at that.

3.5 stars rounded up.

[Eleanor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Brainfag! I was so happy to get this book, so nicely bound and printed. It chronicles 8 years of Nate's life in comic form and I like how, though his drawing style ranges hugely and showcases his talent, his voice is clear and consistent throughout. Rarely does one find comics or graphic novels so rooted in a place as this one. It made me think a lot about the Pacific Northwest and the time I spent there and made me want to re-read old issues of Brainfag, because Nate has only included what he considers the best of the best in this book. You can see more of his work at natebeaty.com.

[Emilia P · Rating 3 out of 5]

Is this what my comic reads like? I kinda hope not. This was a compilation of this dudes sort of cool sort of frustrating stream of consciousness, sort of repetitive zines. Basically, I liked the way he drew, all squiggly angry claustrophobic like, but he could have had just a little bit more of a tone that wasn't "oh I am grumpy and sickly and indecisive" or at the very least, have a sense of humor about that. Yeah. I understand it, but a couple of notches more of commitment (not a whole lot) would have made me like it quite a bit more.

[b bb bbbb bbbbbbbb · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some of the drawings are beautiful, some of the writing is interesting and funny. An equal amount of the material is tedious and repetitive, or sometimes questionable. The structure is often fragmented, with stories and narratives ending just as they start to come together. It would be nice to see more depth and reflection, instead of the surface level reaction to situations.

Above all though, it makes me want to draw and create more, which is a great thing.

[Abbey]

this got really boring...
which is definitely disappointing- julia wertz reviewed it!!!!!!!