Coffee with Jesus

by David J. Wilkie

Thousands of people start each day with a shot of Coffee with Jesus, the enormously popular online comic strip. Irreverent at times, yet always insightful, this volume features classic entries and all new, exclusive material, twelve-panel megastrips and "behind the strip" reflections on life, faith and art.

Genres: Humor, Graphic Novels, Comics, Religion, Fiction, Christian, Faith

121 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 1, 2013

Reviews

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

"It's been ages since I sat in front of the TV, just changing channels to find something. You see the whole culture - Nazis, deodorant salesman, wrestlers, beauty contests, the talk show. Can you imagine the level of a mind that watches wrestling, hmm? But the worst are the fundamentalist preachers, third-rate con men, telling the poor suckers that watch them that they speak for Jesus and to please send in money. Money, money, money! If Jesus came back and saw what's going on in his name, he'd never stop throwing up." - Frederick from Hannah and Her Sisters

And . . . after he was done purging, Jesus decided to have coffee with some of his fans, followers, and occasionally Santa, I mean, Satan.



As the author explains in his introduction:

Utilizing old advertising clip art for the main characters and Sunday school clip art for the person of Jesus, I simply enjoyed the notion of Jesus appearing at table with these people (dressed as they were and sharing coffee with them) to refute their claims of how he might vote on any particular issue, to convince them that they cannot confuse their flag with their God - to set them straight, as it were.

I may be a cranky old Atheist, but I like this Jesus guy. He's an easy-going charmer, casually dispensing wisdom over a steaming cup of java (no fancy caffeinated milkshakes for this son of Galilee!) He exudes common sense without coming across as overly folksy. His advice is heartfelt, and his comments, though sometimes catty or acerbic, are always delivered with a healthy dose of humor.

He knows the score.

When one woman wonders if Jesus is a vegan, he replies that ". . . people will say I am all sorts of things to support their own beliefs" and concludes that he's ". . . just your average gay, vegan, pro-gun, anti-tax, military hawk with a pacifist streak."

And then there's this priceless conversation:

Kevin: We're developing a line of Christian clothing for today's youth. It's a way for them to express their faith without sacrificing style or design.

Jesus: If there's one thing my people are good at, it's taking a trendy, popular thing, slapping a cross on it, and calling it Christian.

Kevin: That reminds me! We're developing a series of young adult novels based on a Christian vampire character. Sexy but safe.

Jesus: You're a real forward thinker, Kevin. I fully expect you to be a pioneer of the Christian porn industry.

Sadly, the comics don't reproduce well here, but you can check them out at this website -
http://www.radiofreebabylon.com/coffe...

Religion and I have never gotten along, but this Jesus dude . . . he's okay by me.

“I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” - Mahatma Gandhi

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I can't even talk to my brother anymore, Jesus. We end up in heated political arguments. It's because he gets all of his news from that one network." -- Lisa

"And you get all of your news from that other one, Lisa. Here's an idea: don't talk politics with your brother." -- Jesus

"So what, we just talk about regular family stuff and pretend the elephant isn't in the room?" -- Lisa

"Yep . . . and the donkey, too." -- Jesus

I had never heard of the Coffee With Jesus online comic strip, which has been around since at 2000, but serendipitously I found this volume when perusing the graphic novel section at a library. I guess you just never know what will turn up when you're simply looking for Batman or Daredevil books (!).

The gist of it is taking some bland four-panel advertising art from the 50's and turning it into breezy 'coffee talk' conversation between Jesus Christ and a cast of rotating characters (including Ann, Lisa, Carl, Kevin . . . and dark lord of the underworld Satan). These folks start by asking a question or dishing about a problem in their personal life, and Jesus responds with a bit of gentle snark and sass but also an otherwise theologically sound answer and/or advice. The topics run the gamut from holidays to megachurches to relationships to interpretations of the scripture. I may not be doing a great job of making this sound like an amusingly worthwhile book, but it really was - it navigated the tricky walk of being respectful but not heavy-handed, with sharply effective and knowing humor.

P.S. - A former pastor of mine kept an illustration of Jesus laughing in his office as a reminder that He does have a sense of humor. Well, I'd like to think He would find this book to be his cup of Coffee. :-)

[Tom Quinn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was an ironic mockery of the Christian mainstream but it turned out to be sincere. Well, caveat emptor, as they say. There's a few funny strips in here all the same, as in:

KEVIN: Knock, knock.
JESUS: The door is open, Kevin. Please come in.
KEVIN: No, you're supposed to say, "Who's there?" Jesus.
JESUS: Yeah, that kind of goes against my nature. I've never been any good at this game.

2.5 stars - mostly inoffensive with a touch of snark now and again.

[Richard Derus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Real Rating: 2.5* of five

I wrote five eloquent paragraphs and quoted a long paragraph from page 14 of the book and my wifi fritzed out as I was posting it!

I accept that the christian gawd rules the Universe because she's the kind of miserable bitch who does crap like that to torment unbelievers. Screw you, lady, and all your legions of yes-persons.

Plus comic strips are NOT best consumed en masse. Not the most pleasant of reads for me, but I really do need to keep challenging myself to read about things I disagree with, consume stories in ways I don't prefer them, so as not to close off the chance...the slender, unobtrusive chance...that some experience will alter my entrenched ideas.

[David Zimmerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was the editor for Coffee with Jesus. Working on it was a highlight of my year; I've been a fan of the comic strip for a long time, and while I'm accustomed to reading each strip in isolation from the others, reading them in a thematic sequence made for a distinctly enjoyable (and often moving) experience. I also appreciated getting a little back story on the recurring characters in the strip, and the author shows his artfulness in his brief essays at the outset of each section. This is eminently shareable, the sort of book you want to have in common with your friends. We published it in time for Christmas with that in mind. Happy holidays!

[Stewart Tame · Rating 4 out of 5]

Coffee with Jesus is a fascinating strip. Although not without humor, it's not really a gag-in-the-last-panel type of endeavor. I'd call it "cartoon philosophy", but that really does disservice to both cartoons and philosophy. The format is simple: people talk to Jesus while having coffee, and Jesus always has the final word. It's all done with clip art, but what really carries it is the strength of Wilkie's writing, though being Jesus and all is not to be ruled out either. This is not the Jesus of the televangelists, or at least he sure doesn't sound like it. Think of all the hateful Bible thumpers you've seen on the news or portrayed in fiction, the ones who seem rabidly obsessed with shouting at unbelievers, condemning them to Hell, and loudly proclaiming their own righteousness. Yeah, this is not that Jesus. This one is intelligent, witty, personable, sincere, and seems theologically sound (not that I would know. I was raised going to church and Sunday school, but didn't care that strongly either for or against it. I stopped going when I moved to college and generally consider myself an agnostic if someone demands I label myself. Anyway, point is: I'm probably not qualified to speak on what is or isn't theologically sound. You have been warned.) Honestly, Christians in general would probably be better off if more people formed their opinions of the religion based on Wilkie's book than, say, Pat Robertson. Just saying. Anyway, this was an excellent book, well worth reading.

[Maurice Ruffin · Rating 4 out of 5]

When you see the title of this book, scan the cover, and glean the theme, your reaction says something about your view of religion. If you are really religious, you'll probably assume this collection of online comics strips is blasphemous. If you're of a less ecumenical bent, then you might think this is a lightweight bit of metaphysical fluff.

It's neither. The characters in this book are vain, flawed, and self-centered. Each one of them sits down with a Jesus who sometimes acts like the boy who turned over the tables in the temple and at others like the Son of Man who knew he would be betrayed after the Last Supper. But underneath it all is a deep understanding of human nature and endless compassion.

This collection often surprised and forced me to rethink my presumptions about the Man Who Rose On The Third Day.

Recommended

[Fred Kohn · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are a Christian, you should definitely read this book. If you're not a Christian, you should definitely read this book. Actually, just read this book. No matter who you are, it will give you a deeper appreciation for Christianity.

[Matt Miles · Rating 4 out of 5]

The real question on most reader's mind is: does this book have anything worthwhile in it I can't get online for free? The answer is yes. While many of the familiar favorite comics are accounted for, some new ones are thrown in as well, along with back stories for the characters and a brief, thoughtful essay starting every chapter. If that's not enough, the author even adds some of his song lyrics for good measure.It's worth the buy for any CWJ fan.

[Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Carl, Lisa, Kevin, Ann, Pastor Joe, and occasionally Satan join Coffee Jesus, for coversations and a cup of coffee. Wilkie's Jesus is equal parts endlessly gentle and forgiving and unafraid to pull snarky punches at the hypocrisy of middle class white Christianity with his regulars at morning coffee. An author's note at the end of the book, closes with the goal of making people "laugh and think--not always in that order and not always simultaneously." In this refreshing take on Christianity in America, Wilkie's comics have done just that.

[Nathalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book but then I don't mind poking a little fun at myself! This is written in comic book form with the characters drawn in the 1940-1950's advertising style. Several recurring characters chat with the Savior, who also holds a cup of joe, and answers their concerns, questions, yea, even their criticisms. And wouldn't you know, the Savior always hits the nail on the head and makes you think and with much humor mixed in. Here are some examples:

Kevin--Knock-knock
Jesus--The door is open, Kevin. Please come in.
Kevin--No, you're supposed to say, "Who's there?", Jesus
Jesus--Yea, that kind goes against my nature. I've never been any good at this game.

Clergyman Joe--Back-to-back appointments today, Jesus. There are so many hurting and lonely people out there.
Jesus--Sure are. Let's go be a friend to the lonely and heal some hurts.
Clergyman--This is serious business, Jesus. It weighs on me. I feel...so responsible
Jesus--Just think of yourself as the one taking their vital signs before the physician steps in the room, Joe.

Well, anyways, I think it's funny ;>

One of the recurring characters is actually Satan.

Satan--You're messin' with the wrong crew, Son of Man! I told you this is MY turf. I can see I'm going to have to teach you a lesson.
Jesus--Who do you think you're scaring, Satan? I will stomp you like a low-life snake.
Satan--You and me, Boy King! Valley of Megiddo! End of days! BE there!
Jesus--You'd better pack a lunch.

Sounds like two brothers bickering....uh, oh wait....

[Lee Harmon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Coffee with Jesus isn’t your everyday comic book. You think it’s easy putting words on the lips of Jesus, while avoiding the sacrilegious? I get the feeling that Wilkie toned it down just a little to take the edge off. He could have been much more pointed. Yet it really is as amusing as it is serious how Jesus pokes holes in our religiosity, just sipping coffee and offering advice. Jesus’ gentle sarcasm hits the mark time after time.

It’s a great book, but I have to point out a couple negatives. The print is small, and the same artwork is repeated throughout. I’m guessing there are maybe a dozen unique frames throughout the book, which differ only in the words printed underneath the character drawings. Whenever Joe, the Pastor, turns to look to the right, the part in his hair magically shifts to his left side … the wonders of mirror imaging. Obviously, you’re not buying the book for physical humor or captivating artwork. This format works well for a daily publication; not so much for a book, where the repetitiveness may begin to wear on you.

Artwork aside, though, you’ll fall in love with the personalities and their many character flaws. How like you and me they are, and how patient Jesus is with each of them! Definitely a feel-good book, whether or not Wilkie meant it to be!

[Allan Leonard · Rating 3 out of 5]

I came across Coffee with Jesus on a display table at the front of a Barnes & Noble bookstore. Just as well, as I doubt I would have perused the religion section to discover it.

Coffee with Jesus originated online, under the consortium  Radio Free Babylon. It is a irreverent perspective of Christ in everyday -- American -- lives, with our Lord dispensing his eternal wisdom on the flawed mortal characters presented in this graphic novel. There's Carl, Lisa, Ann, Kevin and Joe, each of which author David Wilkie provides pseudo-biographies.

And of course there's Satan, who taunts Jesus with nicknames like the Boy King, dogmatic Galilean, the Nazarene.

I enjoyed Coffee with Jesus and its theological humour. (Needs to be more like this.) Certainly there will be some who will take offence in putting words into Jesus' mouth, but the joke is surely at them?

That is, I'm reminded of a small notice stand at a church coffee shop, which declared, "Christ is okay; it's Christians I can't stand." The Word is the message, however delivered, whether the Sunday sermon or a good piece of levity served with a cup of Java.

[Kat · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got a copy of this in a giveaway; before receiving this book, I had read a few strips at random so was familiar with the concept.

This book is a great collection of strips, and the snark with which Jesus speaks to his coffee companions is astounding. This is the sort of Jesus I would want to hang out with and drink coffee with, the Jesus with a sense of humor and fully cognizant of what he is supposed to represent.

My only complaint is that after awhile, the layout and the strips got repetitive for me. The problem may be that I read everything in the span of about a day, instead of going more sparingly through the book. Unlike some webcomics with a more overarching storyline, Coffee with Jesus is less successful when translated to print media. That being said, it's still a good read, it made me laugh, and I would recommend it with the caveat of reading it more slowly than I did.

[Joanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

What if Jesus were here, and you could chat with him and ask him questions?

Using 1950s -era advertising illustrations, Wilkie imagines modern conversations. Some of them are theologically deep, some not so much. But a great combination of wit and depth.

(Plus...makes me remember that I can actually chat with Jesus...and occasionally, like one of the characters in a strip I can't find, can actually predict what he might say...)


Caveat from the Radio Free Babylon website: "If you are easily offended by political or religious humor, then go somewhere else and don't look at these. "

[Just a Girl Fighting Censorship · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is not what I was expecting. I thought this would be funny. It is not. Like most Christian attempts at humor this is cheesy and didactic and felt cheaply done.

If you are a Christian looking for a great humorous read might I suggest Stuff Christians Like.

[Davina Sinclair · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great idea. Funny and challenging. My favourite comic strip was when Jesus was asked who his favourite christian singer was and answered a lady from Northern Thailand who sings her heart out all day while farming. Also enjoyed the character profiles. Wasn't sure initially about Jesus having banter with satan but some of the comic strips very poignant. Am now a fan and following radio free Babylon on Twitter.

[April · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't get all the way through...I'm not big into comic books. I liked the stories in the beginning...then, while I thought it was going to be a bit irreverent, it was a pretty deep look into what Jesus might say if sitting at the table with us during our "coffee talk" in the morning! Perhaps a bit more sarcasm than He would use, but none-the-less, I enjoyed the talk with Him. It put things in a very real, conversational way.

[Tommy Grooms · Rating 5 out of 5]

A comic with a simple premise but great execution. Clipart Jesus sits down for a chat with Clipart sinners, using wit, sarcasm, and divine patience to expose their spiritual blind spots - and hopefully some of the reader's. It's impressive how much you get to know and love the personalities of these static images. I discovered this comic online and enjoyed seeing them arranged thematically along with some that are exclusive to the book.

[Élizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't remember the last time I laughed so hard with a book, and yet there were other times where I was speechless and convicted. Most importantly, it acted as a blind spot alert into my own life. Very recommended. It did not get a 5 because I did not always appreciate / got the point for some of the comments or poems between the comic strips.

[Carter Hemphill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very clever and thought-provoking comic strip which satirizes some of the excesses of American cultural Christianity. I recommend the paperback rather than the Kindle version since the comics do not show up well on the Kindle. I also recommend reading a few comics at a time since they can get repetitive and (sometimes) less effective if you read through them too quickly. I imagine some readers will be turned off by some of the snide comments attributed to Jesus, but if you understand the motivations of the characters and read several in a row, you see that Jesus is strongly admonishing what are sinful motivations by some of the characters. Very different from the usual Christian books out in the market.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wilkie's comic strips are an interesting format that force the reader to examine his preconceived notions about Christianity (as well as the evangelical American notion of "Churchianity"). While somewhat outside of the group that Wilkie's version of Jesus skewers, I still found much to laugh about in a self-deprecating manner, as many of the jokes are about human nature in general rather than just one particular denomination. Some of the theology in the book is off (such as Wilkie's suggestion in the introduction that Mormons are Christians), but it was still a pleasant read that provoked some neat insights.

[Dawn Livingston · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is such an unusual concept but I'll leave up to you to read the summary to understand better what I mean. Really, go read the summary.

This book is insightful, touching, at times profound, sometimes laugh out loud funny. I think it's worth owning and reading periodically. It's that's good. It's audience I think is meant to be Christians but non Christians might find it interesting too since it may deal with issues they have with Christians/Christianity.

And what's better than a great book? A sequel. I think it's called something like A Second Cup of Coffee With Jesus.

[Emmy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read some of the Coffee with Jesus comics on Facebook, and enjoyed a little chuckle. So, when I heard that there was an actual book, I decided to check it out. It was certainly funny, and there were a lot of great truths, but it wasn't side-splittingly hilarious (not that I expected it to be). A good collection with a lot of interesting ideas. I think my Protestant friends will enjoy it more than I did (I'm Catholic), because it was written from a Protestant perspective.

[Andy Littleton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wilkie deploys clip art and four frames to imagine Jesus dealing with modern Americans (and Satan) as they express themselves to him. Some of these fell flat, some felt very accurate, and some just made me laugh. Definitely a nice change of pace and worthy of a little more contemplation than you���d expect.

[Danny Nelson · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's easy to be right when all arguments are essentially your own creations. Still, it's nice to see a Christian text that stresses the perfection of the "in" group rather than the conversion of the infidel.

[Brindi Michele · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading through this collection. Very humorous and poignant, but a bit too stereotypical (and I know that's the point--ha, ha and all-- but I would like to see just a bit more real, especially these days).

[Sam Eman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here is Jesus with a little bit of snark and a whole lot of inspiration, just the kind of edge-of-Sunday-School kick I needed.

[Naomi's Bookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. The short comic strips were funny and hard hitting.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

A hilarious look at modern Christians and their often erroneous views on who Jesus was and what he said and did. All in the context of Jesus sharing coffee with each of them. Absolutely hilarious.