Ew, It's Beautiful: A False Knees Comic Collection

False Knees #2

by Joshua Barkman

From the Eisner-nominated creator of the False Knees webcomic comes another witty and artful collection on themes of loneliness, creativity, wonder, and the beauty of the ordinary. 

To hilarious effect, Joshua Barkman imagines the interior lives of birds as they navigate the seasons. With the occasional cat, raccoon, or insect thrown in for good measure, this masterful second collection offers a satisfying balance of humor and existentialism, visual jest and quiet contemplation.

Perfect for fans of Strange Planet and Poorly Drawn Lines, this memorable collection will also delight readers of classic strips like Calvin & Hobbes and The Far Side.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Humor, Animals, Nature, Birds, Adult

144 pages, Paperback

Published July 15, 2025

Reviews

[Stillbelieveinnightmares (busy) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5

I'm a simple woman. I like art, I like memes and I like birds. This book has all three.

It provides little slice of life moments and most sequences are 1-2 pages. So whether you choose a random page whenever you feel like it, or eat the whole thing up in one go like I did, this book will make your day a little bit better. I chuckled multiple times while reading.

The art style ranges from black and white to colorful. You will find relatively simple, sketchlike drawings as well as very detailed ones.

I really enjoyed this book, as it was light-hearted and refreshing to read, while also being diverse enough to stay interesting.

ARC, so thanks to NetGalley and the publisher providing this in exchange for an honest review.

[Montzalee Wittmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ew, It's Beautiful: A False Knees Comic Collection
by Joshua Barkman
This book has so much going for it. Gorgeous artwork that matches the corresponding type. Clever and witty comics, with or without the type. The main subjects are birds, but other animals are in here too.

I love his humor! It's the kind of humor that catches you off guard.
Between the enchanting art and the witty humor, I felt so good when I finished this book. I had been stressed for weeks, but I finally felt relaxed.

This would be perfect for a gift , for yourself, for someone stressed, or for that side table/coffee table you put your special books. It would certainly be an ice breaker and conversation starter.

I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for letting me read this incredible book!

[Mika (Hiatus) · Rating 2 out of 5]

*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.*

Review

This book is about animals and how they spend their days for each season of the year. It is characterised by humour and different art styles that change every now and then throughout the book.

The most beautiful aspect of this book is how the art style changes every now and then and it looks quite unique from what I usually see (probably 'cause I don't see that often drawings of birds and insects). I mean, the art style on the cover made me decide that I wanted to read this book. The way the colours are also evenly matching eachother for each panel is satisfying to look at.
Even though, I don't really enjoy all of these art styles, I still like how it changes and isn't the same all the time throughout the book.

I didn't really find anything that was supposed to be funny actually funny except the panel where the bird said 'trust the process' and it ended up looking not right at all, this was funny and later on when the cat decided to have a puke.

This book is totally random and the jokes are either based on relatable stuff or on some really odd things that are so odd that they are funny again. For me, the jokes didn't land, but they weren't really awful, I just expected the jokes to be a bit different before I started reading but that's alright, I was still happy to see animal drawings.

End note/Final thoughts

Thank you Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of Ew, It's Beautiful by Joshua Barkman

StoryGraph review

Started the book: 04. July 2025
Finished the book: 04. July 2025
Wrote the review: 04. July 2025

[Rod Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sophomore slump?

I enjoyed False Knees: An Illustrated Guide to Animal Behavior, but this follow-up just felt a little flat to me, and I think that is because of what is missing. Where are the squirrels? The homicidal houseplants? The owl who hangs out with an owl statue he calls Jenny? The swearing? (The language still isn't all ages, but the f-bombs have dried up.)

All my favorite parts of the first book have been set aside for more birds and the occasional cat. What's left isn't bad, but it just doesn't spark the same amount of happiness in me.

If you care to sample before buying, a free archive of strips is available online at FalseKnees.com. The strips in this collection mostly seem to fall between July 2019 and October 2024.


Disclosure: I received access to a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.com.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious, smart, and sneakily wholesome.

This comic strip collection is wonderful. Equal parts sarcastic and charming, it’s the kind of humor that sneaks up on you, especially if you’re into science, a nature lover, or both. The jokes are sharp without being mean, and the observational humor hits just right.

The crow comics are my favorite. There’s something about their chaotic personalities that feels relatable in the best way. Whether you’re into biology, birds, or just need a laugh that isn’t trying too hard, this book delivers.

Five stars for brainy humor and clever illustrations.

[destiny ♡ howling libraries · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've enjoyed a lot of the False Knees comics I've seen here and there on social media, so I was excited to read this collection, but unfortunately, it fell short for me. I didn't think it was particularly funny or interesting. I think these comics work better for me as an occasional highlights thing instead of sifting through the less amusing ones.

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy! All thoughts are honest and my own.

———

You can also find my reviews on…
→ booktube
→ bookstagram
→ hardcover
→ storygraph
→ threads
→ bluesky
→ blog

[Libbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5✨

Short little vignette comic books like this are very hit and miss for me. Unfortunately, this one was mostly a miss.

I enjoyed the illustrations, they were beautiful and fit the tone of the book well.

The text on the other hand had much to be desired. The humour seemed to be very niche. I did not find any of them particularly funny nor did I find them relatable. For maybe a handful of them I thought "Ha, mood", but that was the extent of any reactions.

Just not for me

Thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for providing an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Ev · Rating 4 out of 5]

thank you netgalley for the opportunity to read this in return for an honest review

4.25 stars

this was absolutely hilarious! Ive never read anything like this and that it was an ingenious idea for a story!

I think the art style was also really pretty and loved all the detail put into the animals!

[Bill Cass · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars.

A true measure of a book of comics like this is how many times I go find my wife to get her to read a panel. That happened many times for this.

In true fashion of a collection of web comics, some of these just didn't work for me. But I'm happy to say that the majority did. They were either funny, poignant, or just beautifully drawn.

I want to own this one day and there are certain panels I'd pay to have blown up and use as wall art.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

[Chuck Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love False Knees comics and this collection is no different! Full of heart, humor, & a surprising amount of intellectual depth, this collection shows False Knees at their very best!

[J · Rating 1 out of 5]

***Some adult themes that may not be suitable for young readers***

This was a book recommended to me so I have no actual idea of the significance of False Knees.

Ew, It's Beautiful is a collection of animal-based comics divided into sections based on the seasons. After that readers just get what is served next whether it is birds, random cats or other animals thrown in for good measure.

The text is easy-to-read but it is the illustrations that really sell the book. Mostly realistic in detail and providing an array of grayscale, bright colors or colorful sketches in artful arrangement.

Otherwise the book is a flop with me only getting one giggle at an unexpected portrayal towards the start. The rest of the book couldn't quite figure if it was sticking with silly animal behavior jokes or sarcastic attempts of jokes based on human behavior portrayed in animals thus leaving many comic steps with me scratching my head as to what the focus was suppose to have been.

In the end it was a horrible flop and with so many others who said it missed the mark, I am surprised there are no other one-stars so far for this book.

[Emmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ew, I loved it.

[RatGrrrl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC through NetGalley for an honest review.

This is a huge collection of short, sweet, thoughtful, and genuinely amusing comics focusing primarily on birds, but with some ants, beavers, and raccoons thrown in for good measure.

The art is everything from adorable to psychedelic.

I genuinely laughed a few times, which is really something for this type of comic.

A thoroughly pleasant and amusing collection.

[Lin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really did like the art, but could not relate nor connect to most of the stuff the author was trying to convey. Nevertheless this was a quick and enjoyable read that definitely has deeper meaning if you've experienced some of the topics tackled in here.

Overall 3 full stars still enjoyed the ride and wouldn't mind cheking some of Barkman's other works.

[Thanh · Rating 4 out of 5]

thank you joshua barkman, andrews mcmeel publishing, and netgalley for this arc! i've been following false knees on instagram for 4 years now and i've enjoyed barkman's works. i love the way he illustrates animals and i really appreciate the amount of detail that's put into them. my humour doesn't quite match his but i do find the crow panels in particular to be the most compelling, usually because of the deeper commentary (THE BEST FRIENDS IN OTHER UNIVERSES ONE). mostly whimsical, slice of life stuff!

[Corrie Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Completely hilarious. Loved the artwork.

[vicinthemeadow · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE seeing these greeting cards at my local market and was so elated to see they're being made into a book collection!

As a birder these give me a much needed chuckle in a stressful world. Perfect for the casual birder too. Or really anyone that loves a dad joke!

Thank you McMeel Publishing for the ARC in exchange for review!

[Ghada ツ · Rating 2 out of 5]

A quick and refreshing read.

Ew, It's Beautiful is a collection of memes that explores some of the bizzare places our minds could go through the inner thoughts and conversations of animals. The art was beautiful and some of the comics made me smile, but for the most part, the humor was not my cup.

Thank you Netgalley for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Lucy Larsen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would like to thank NetGalley and the author for allowing me to read this story. This book was pretty good and if you’re into short humorous comics this is the right kind of book for you.

Personally, I just don’t think I have the same sense of humor as the author/illustrator. I heard about the artist before and that they were really funny so when I saw the ARC available on NetGalley I decided to try it. I could tell that the intention of the comics was to be humorous. The way they were drawn, the syntax of the sentences and the placement of punctuation indicated humor, however I personally didn’t find many of the panels funny and I think that’s just down to personal preferences of humor.

However, some of the short comics were very interesting. I liked getting to see the way the birds were drawn and the funny way that each of the birds was portraying a bird stereotype while also commenting just a little bit on our own human stereotypes. It was definitely more of a humorous comic compilation than one with one overarching message, but it did have some messages in it.

I personally enjoyed the layout of the comic. Each short comic was usually a page but no more than 2 pages which gave it a distinct finish to each unrelated comic pieces. However, the whole book was held together comprehensively by breaking up the book into sections by season. All four seasons were represented with an equal amount of comic strips per season all set during that season. It made it feel organized even the comic strips might be unrelated to each other.

Overall, I would give this book a 3 out of 5 stars. Not my type of humor but overall, the formatting and art style were very well done, and I enjoyed that part of the book.

[Bunny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Received via Netgalley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

I am familiar with these comics from Tumblr. I ADORE these comics.

My favorite, prior to this book, was this one:



How could it not be? It's a rabbit. There's obscenities. And it's so brilliantly wholesome. It's not in this book, though. Perhaps Mr Barkman put out another collection before this one.

These comics are always a joy to read. The feel of them is never constant, sometimes they're just funny jokes, sometimes they're self deprecating, sometimes they're so inspirational you have to smile.



Sometimes they're both!

This is a great gift. Including to yourself. Because we all need to laugh, self deprecate, and feel inspired on a regular basis.

[Hayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

The artwork is absolutely incredible and I had a few lol moments looking through this collection. I think comic collectors and fans of False Knees will absolutely love this book.
My only critique is that there don’t seem to be any new comics; these have all been posted to the artist’s Instagram, so if you’re following their page, you’ve probably seen these before.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ew, it's beautiful encapsulates the day to day human activities in the charming layer of humour and mirth. Joshua Barkman entices the readers with witty dialogues and equivalent fun retorts that will definitely satisfy everyone's tickle bone. The book shows these moments with the passage of seasons and how the birds highlight the themes of loneliness, creativity, astute observations, philosophical divulgence border lining comicality and irony.

[Ivy · Rating 4 out of 5]

El estilo de ilustración es magnífico y muy acorde con el tipo de libro. Me gustó mucho el tipo de humor, muy ingenioso. Me reí un montón mientras lo leía. Ofrece pequeños momentos de la vida y es perfecto para tenerlo siempre a mano e ir disfrutando de a poco.

Gracias a NetGalley y Andrews McMeel Publishing por el ARC.

[LG (A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The humor in this only worked for me occasionally, and I don't recall any of it actually making me laugh. That said, I loved the artwork, and I enjoyed the derpy birds, Barkman poking fun at humans, and the few cats here and there.

Barkman's visual representation of a Common Loon's call was perfect.

(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)

[Morel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am reading and reviewing this book after being gifted it as an eARC through Netgalley. My opinions and thoughts are honest and my own.

Are animals really that much different than humans?
This new addition to the False Knees comic collection is a very amusing continuation. The panels with animal characters are relatable, comforting, and thought-provoking all at once. Comedy with animals speaking in a language we can understand is a classic.
The animal art was adorable, and the seasonal/landscape art was beautiful. There were a couple of panels where the comedy totally went over my head; I just didn’t understand them. That’s just a risk with comedy-focused books. I got this as an eARC through Netgalley, but I would buy both the first book in the series, “False Knees”, and this continuation. Pick up this comic and flip through the pages to bring some laughter into your life.

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a lovely bright spot of humor. Lightly organized into seasons, this collection of comics is definitely a collection as stated and not a storyline. Within the collection there is a mix of fully colored works and monochromatic pieces as well as a mix of single and multipage spreads. The tying element to the collection is False Knees capability to use beautifully drawn sceneries and wildlife to deliver hysterical observations on life and psyche. I was constantly smiling and chucking to myself. I cannot wait to share this with family and friends when it releases.

**Thank you to NetGalley for providing me the ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.**

[Amanda [Novel Addiction] · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why do I love weird comics with weird birds so much?? But yet, I do. Loved it.

[M]

I like False Knees and I liked this book! It's funny, relatable, contains birds! What else do you want?

[Jack · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is very good if you love birds. Not every comic hits but that’s not really how humor works anyway. This book is a delight and actually rather heartfelt on top of being funny.

[(Mellifluous Grant) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute and funny.