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Trying Human
Trying Human is a full color graphic novel that follows New York City secretary, Rose, as she learns she's being abducted by a group of aliens, the Greys, a race without emotions or sentiment. She catches the interest of Hue, an oddly empathetic Grey, and his funny friend, Quazky, a Reptoid alien from a neighboring mothership. Using a device, the Trying Human Circuit, the two friends infiltrate Rose's life and the human world.
A second storyline that starts every chapter, encompasses the lives of Phillis, Walter, and Dr. Glasner, all of whom are stationed at the Nellis Testing Range in 1947. After a UFO crashes in a nearby desert, the three are tasked with caring for an injured and abandoned Grey alien, EBE1.
Followed by a menagerie of aliens, the mysterious MAJESTIC12, and one defunct German scientist, Rose and Phillis try to figure it all out with over half a century between them.
A second storyline that starts every chapter, encompasses the lives of Phillis, Walter, and Dr. Glasner, all of whom are stationed at the Nellis Testing Range in 1947. After a UFO crashes in a nearby desert, the three are tasked with caring for an injured and abandoned Grey alien, EBE1.
Followed by a menagerie of aliens, the mysterious MAJESTIC12, and one defunct German scientist, Rose and Phillis try to figure it all out with over half a century between them.
139 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2014
11 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 30, 2019
Beautiful art & story.
August 27, 2017
I’ve been a fan of this webcomic for several years, although I stopped reading it when I went to uni in 2013, at the same time that I stopped reading most webcomics. It recently came back on my radar with the kickstarter to print volume 2, and I remembered how much I loved this comic at the time. I held off re-reading it until I could hold the printed version in my hands though, because some things in life are worth waiting for.
It is always interesting to re-read something at two different points of our lives, like before and after going to university to study Comic Arts in my case. I also read the beginning of this webcomic before the artist redrew most of it. The redo is definitely a positive thing, as the new art is incredibly beautiful compared with the stiff and less expressive original version. The fact that Emy Bitner also has all of the archives online for people to see and compare both versions is also something that I appreciate, as it’s been a source of encouragement for many of my fellow Comic students to see that you can always get better, and nothing stops you from revisiting previous work and improving on your style.
The new art shows an improved grasp of colours and lighting, and a more dynamic lineart. Her character design has also improved in leaps and bounds, with aliens that now look both more, well, alien-y but also more sympathetic and engaging.
The comics in their final form are engaging both visually and narratively. Trying human is a story about first contacts, yes, but it’s also at its core a story about accepting strangeness, making unusual friends and falling in love.
(Full review here: https://blambooks.wordpress.com/2017/...)
It is always interesting to re-read something at two different points of our lives, like before and after going to university to study Comic Arts in my case. I also read the beginning of this webcomic before the artist redrew most of it. The redo is definitely a positive thing, as the new art is incredibly beautiful compared with the stiff and less expressive original version. The fact that Emy Bitner also has all of the archives online for people to see and compare both versions is also something that I appreciate, as it’s been a source of encouragement for many of my fellow Comic students to see that you can always get better, and nothing stops you from revisiting previous work and improving on your style.
The new art shows an improved grasp of colours and lighting, and a more dynamic lineart. Her character design has also improved in leaps and bounds, with aliens that now look both more, well, alien-y but also more sympathetic and engaging.
The comics in their final form are engaging both visually and narratively. Trying human is a story about first contacts, yes, but it’s also at its core a story about accepting strangeness, making unusual friends and falling in love.
(Full review here: https://blambooks.wordpress.com/2017/...)
November 4, 2021
I first found Emy Bitner via a google search for webcomics and when I did, I fell in love with every single aspect of her creativity. From her artistic style (which is one of the rare examples of constantly evolving in the digital space) to her comedy and storytelling, there's nary a thing about this writer/artist that I don't appreciate and support in every way possible.
And Trying Human is her first long project, now racking in over 10 years of effort and determination, a story about an alien abduectee and a strange alien who seems to smile and the chaos that ensues from their meeting and developing friendship.
Volume 1 is a good chunk of the comic and it details the beginning of the story and it's all lovingly designed and fully in colour. Rose is a fantastic girl leading lady who I am now 7 years on still reading and still finding as engrossing as she ever was when I first came across her (and she's a red head, Red head are hot). Hue is a bundle of love and goodness who I only want happiness for that has changed remarkably in the time I've followed it, the guy you meet here is only going to expand and become more awesome as you read.
The cast is brilliant, the story is brilliant and the art OH GOD DAMN is that good, blending a little of east with a little of west and with the near fanatical level of detail that the author puts into it (she's re-drawn over 400 pages more than once because she got better and thought "eh, why not?" I mean c'mon that's crazy devoted and amazing in my book) along with comedic dialogue and very expressive faces.
It's a brilliant story, go buy the hardbacks from her store now, you will not regret it.
And Trying Human is her first long project, now racking in over 10 years of effort and determination, a story about an alien abduectee and a strange alien who seems to smile and the chaos that ensues from their meeting and developing friendship.
Volume 1 is a good chunk of the comic and it details the beginning of the story and it's all lovingly designed and fully in colour. Rose is a fantastic girl leading lady who I am now 7 years on still reading and still finding as engrossing as she ever was when I first came across her (and she's a red head, Red head are hot). Hue is a bundle of love and goodness who I only want happiness for that has changed remarkably in the time I've followed it, the guy you meet here is only going to expand and become more awesome as you read.
The cast is brilliant, the story is brilliant and the art OH GOD DAMN is that good, blending a little of east with a little of west and with the near fanatical level of detail that the author puts into it (she's re-drawn over 400 pages more than once because she got better and thought "eh, why not?" I mean c'mon that's crazy devoted and amazing in my book) along with comedic dialogue and very expressive faces.
It's a brilliant story, go buy the hardbacks from her store now, you will not regret it.
January 21, 2020
Very original!
May 10, 2020
So clever and well drawn. The story kept me reading for years on the online comic. I just wished I had known it was available in print.
November 23, 2014
I really love this webseries and was excited to see the printed copy. The lovable characters make this story for me and the mystery behind Phillis has kept me hooked for so long. Love it :)
December 21, 2015
This book is wonderful with beautiful art and plot. Also, you can read it for free here: http://www.tryinghuman.com/comic/prol...
April 4, 2016
Charming and mysterious.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews