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Nobrow 17 x 23
Golemchik
Abandoned by his friends, one young boy goes searching for fun—and finds a golem on the hunt for the same. But as the two go about living out their dreams of having the best summer ever, the boy realizes that golems don't know how to take it easy. To save his town, he'll have to get his new friend under control! William Exley has exhibited across the United Kingdom and has been widely commissioned to create gig posters and record covers for bands. He has worked on editorial features for publications including Time Out London and Little White Lies .
24 pages, Paperback
First published June 9, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
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February 18, 2016A boy worries about a lonely summer ahead, until he accidentally brings a golem to life (not with Hebrew letters, but with a baseball cap). The golem is clumsy and reckless, but learns tenderness a little at a time. This story reminds me more of Frankenstein than of the golem stories I have read, but it's sweet and sad and has a nice sense of humor. I didn't love the art, but it was okay.
This book is part of Nobrow's 17x23 series of graphic shorts by writers who have not yet been widely published. A nice idea. This is the second one I've read and both have done their job to make me curious about these artists. I will happily read more of their work.
This book is part of Nobrow's 17x23 series of graphic shorts by writers who have not yet been widely published. A nice idea. This is the second one I've read and both have done their job to make me curious about these artists. I will happily read more of their work.
January 1, 2022
nope. this one wasn't for me. a little boy wants to build a fort of rocks and sticks, turns out it's a Golem. The art was quite boring as well.
June 9, 2015
This is a tough one to talk about. I liked the art. A lot. It's got a stylistic look of graphic design and feels haunted. The story is obvious, but I don't really *get* the point. Except for the loneliness. The boy's loneliness of a summer without his friends and the golem's loneliness of being too big and reckless to make a real friend. Sad really.
June 1, 2024
great lil graphic novel, for a younger crowd. although the plot was vague, it showed opportunity for deeper interpretations with themes of independence, success/failures, etc. the book also successfully portrayed diverse perspectives, and how decisions influence and impact people in different ways with diverse outcomes despite good intentions. the display of handling tough feelings and problem solving, impacting diverse communities and expanding on diverse perspectives also hinting at a cycle of creation, destruction, and rebuilding something greater than what had failed before. good five minute read
December 20, 2015
From what I understood of the blurb on the inside flap, these short comics are a way for small, underground artists to get their name out there and do a bit of advertising in the world of graphic novels before they release a larger work. The story isn't meant to be substantial or fulfilling, in fact, for illustrators, it's a mini portfolio.
The dialogue felt forced, I think the story would have been better without any dialogue at all. The art style was cute and unique, and I think that's where the value of the story lies. Another interesting aspect of the minimalism of the book (if you can call it that), is that there is no title page, no dedicated to page, nothing like that. So I happened to flip to the front page, showing a lone young boy in the forest, and then to the back page, where a large group of people surround the boy near an awesome fort he built in the forest. You fill in a heartwarming story, something stereotypically sweet, but the story deviates from that completely, that was the best experience of the story for me. So, if you ever read this book, I suggest you do that, flip to the first page, then the last page, try to predict what will happen, and then read it. It's cute. It's a super quick read. I think I read it on a 10 minute bus ride to campus. It's nice.
The dialogue felt forced, I think the story would have been better without any dialogue at all. The art style was cute and unique, and I think that's where the value of the story lies. Another interesting aspect of the minimalism of the book (if you can call it that), is that there is no title page, no dedicated to page, nothing like that. So I happened to flip to the front page, showing a lone young boy in the forest, and then to the back page, where a large group of people surround the boy near an awesome fort he built in the forest. You fill in a heartwarming story, something stereotypically sweet, but the story deviates from that completely, that was the best experience of the story for me. So, if you ever read this book, I suggest you do that, flip to the first page, then the last page, try to predict what will happen, and then read it. It's cute. It's a super quick read. I think I read it on a 10 minute bus ride to campus. It's nice.
June 10, 2015
Do you know the story of the Golem? He’s a creature made of mud who comes to life when a rabbi places a piece of paper with a sacred word inscribed on it in the Golem’s mouth.
Will Exley’s Golemchik brings us a new version of the story: no rabbi, no sacred word. Instead, one lonely boy—the only one among his friends not going away for summer vacation—is startled to meet a Golem come to life from items his friends have left behind in their clubhouse. The Golem is both friend and monster, so the boy both wants to get to know him and at the same time has to protect his village from him.
This short graphic book is a fun read, capturing and building upon the sort of childhood loneliness we’ve all faced. This is a great book for young illustrators and story-tellers. The story line and vivid illustrations leave lots of room for imagined embellishments, allowing each reader to make it her or his own.
Will Exley’s Golemchik brings us a new version of the story: no rabbi, no sacred word. Instead, one lonely boy—the only one among his friends not going away for summer vacation—is startled to meet a Golem come to life from items his friends have left behind in their clubhouse. The Golem is both friend and monster, so the boy both wants to get to know him and at the same time has to protect his village from him.
This short graphic book is a fun read, capturing and building upon the sort of childhood loneliness we’ve all faced. This is a great book for young illustrators and story-tellers. The story line and vivid illustrations leave lots of room for imagined embellishments, allowing each reader to make it her or his own.
May 16, 2015
In a graphic novel, a lonely boy has no one to play with, and after leaving some of his possessions on an old rock pile, he returns the next day to find a golem. Although the golem hardly knows its strength, the two play together and build various structures, including a tree house. When the golem destroys what has been created, the boy is angry and leaves him behind. The golem's rage causes the townspeople to get ready to destroy him, but he is saved by his friend through some fast thinking. This is an odd little story, and I'm not quite sure what to make of it.
February 24, 2017
Nobrow books are short stories in graphic form. Golemchik is a tragic tale about a lonely boy who accidentally creates a rather enthusiastic golem one summer. The golem just wants to please the child by making them a proper camp, but his actions bring the wrath of the town down upon him. It's not a particularly deep story, but the art is quite good, almost Golden Book in style, and the colours lend the story quite an effective atmosphere.
May 11, 2015
This was a really charming take on golem stories. Golemchik is about a little boy spending the summer alone, until he finds a golem in the woods. They have summer adventures with the golem deftly making structures and accidentally smashing them. It's a quick read, and beautifully illustrated.
September 28, 2015
Extra star for the art.
April 1, 2025
A short but sweet little one shot made with a lovely autumnal colour palette. Definitely for younger years (so not the challenging read that I usually go for), the message of empathy and togetherness- not leaving anyone out- really shines through.
The story is very quick- perhaps too quick, as I feel like Exley could have extended some of the scenes and slow down the pacing to really delve deep into the story. It feels a little unsatisfying, I want to know more about the creature.
Also, very cute art style, but some of the close-ups confused me a little bit in terms of what the bigger object was.
I'd like to read more by Exley :)
The story is very quick- perhaps too quick, as I feel like Exley could have extended some of the scenes and slow down the pacing to really delve deep into the story. It feels a little unsatisfying, I want to know more about the creature.
Also, very cute art style, but some of the close-ups confused me a little bit in terms of what the bigger object was.
I'd like to read more by Exley :)
July 30, 2020
The art in most of te pages are cute, and I like te colors; that's interesting in most of the cases.
Originally I bought this comic because I wanted to practice my English (vocabulary); so I didn't know the story of GOLEMICH, but the story reminds me of a movie.
Even though it works for that (help me to learn), the story is short and I didn't connect with the protagonist.
Originally I bought this comic because I wanted to practice my English (vocabulary); so I didn't know the story of GOLEMICH, but the story reminds me of a movie.
Even though it works for that (help me to learn), the story is short and I didn't connect with the protagonist.
August 2, 2019
Cute little story about a lonely boy on summer break and the golem he finds in the woods. If you've got five minutes to spare, it's worth the read. I think I would have enjoyed a meatier version even more.
May 13, 2020
STAPLED = £6.50
It's a full story despite detestable staples.
Boring awkward kid's stuff with decent art but a very friendly color scheme.
I'm assuming all 17x23 are presented in such fashion.
It's a full story despite detestable staples.
Boring awkward kid's stuff with decent art but a very friendly color scheme.
I'm assuming all 17x23 are presented in such fashion.
June 7, 2020
The art is great (the reason i bought it anyways) and very characteristic but unfortunately the story & the flow falls short. No connection or build up in characters for us to care for unfortunately. Still worth a quick read just for the art.
July 16, 2021
An unusual graphic novel about a golem. There is no backstory about how the golem came to exist so readers have to fill in the blanks. But it's intriguing to see the golem used in a very different way. Those who are fans of golem stories may enjoy this.
July 14, 2023
I recently found out that Joe Sparrow's The Hunter was part of a larger series of shorts meant to highlight young British artists. I thought I'd give the others a shot. This one wasn't nearly as good.. The art is cute tho.
October 12, 2017
It looks great, but... the story is nothing special and is very clumsily told. Still, it does look great and I won't be surprised if the author does much better work in the future.
October 11, 2018
Golemcik is a really charming take on golem stories. It's a quick read, and beautifully illustrated.
ARC-Edelweiss
ARC-Edelweiss
March 19, 2021
Just made me feel unhappy.
August 10, 2023
Too short, too pointless, too colourless.
February 16, 2024
performs best in its full page illustrations.
April 1, 2025
A cute little story about a boy who wants a playmate in the forest while his friends are away at camp. He gets a little more than he was expecting...
August 17, 2015
Hm, this was a minimal sort of graphic novel that didn't quite reach it's full potential. The oddity of it reminded me of the Hilda and the Midnight Giant series, but it didn't quite succeed at the wonderful combination of fantastic creatures and a lonely child protagonist in the latter.
That being said, I did enjoy the atmospheric coloring scheme of the book, even if the plot fell rather short. But it wouldn't be my first recommendation for a Studio Ghibli-esque kids graphic novel.
That being said, I did enjoy the atmospheric coloring scheme of the book, even if the plot fell rather short. But it wouldn't be my first recommendation for a Studio Ghibli-esque kids graphic novel.
May 11, 2016
Un estilo de ilustración interesante pero sumamente malo en su Story Telling.
La narrativa evita entender y seguir con fluidez la historia, la cual termina por pasar sin pena ni gloria.
Creo que incluso llega a defraudar su precio.
March 26, 2015
Interesting twist on the golem myth.
June 19, 2015
Short but lovely. A beautiful thing.
April 14, 2016
A boy finds a new friend in the woods after his friends are all too busy to play over the summer. Wonderful artwork and an ending that I really enjoyed. Not your typical story. Short and sweet.
June 17, 2016
Good fun, with a nice fantasy element.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews