Cat Rackham

by Steve Wolfhard, Pendleton Ward (Contributor)

The existential dread associated with getting out of bed terrifies Cat Rackham to his cat core. However, despite his efforts, he seems to consistently find himself dewclaw deep in trouble, often deeply strange trouble. All of his adventures are here along with a poem by Adventure Time creator Pendleton Ward! Steve Wolfhard lives and works in the small town of Midland, Ontario, with his wife, two cats, and the occasional bat. He draws comics like Cat Rackham and Turtie Needs Work and works as a storyboard artist on the Emmy Award winning animated televisions series Adventure Time .

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Animals, Graphic Novels Comics, Cats, Humor, Mental Health

124 pages, Hardcover

Published September 13, 2016

Reviews

[Mel Gillman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cat Rackham meant the world to me back in the day when it was a weird little Livejournal webcomic, and it's STILL fantastic. Kudos to Koyama Press for finally collecting it!

[Riley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kind of adorable but also real fucked up. And weird. I liked it!

[Peacegal · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's easy to guess that the creator of CAT RACKHAM is also involved with the modern animated classic Adventure Time. The comic resembles a more adult version of the surrealist cartoon.

Like Adventure Time, CAT has deeper meaning that just bizarrely cute characters in trippy surroundings, however. Those who have been there will appreciate Wolfhard's honesty about his battles with depression and his inclusion of these themes in his comic. I liked Cat's experience of depression as himself laying frozen with a horrified expression, as life goes on and random things happen all around him. Which is actually, pretty genius.

[Ian Hrabe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Steve Wolfhard's Adventure Time pedigree is here in both the (wonderfully) absurd humor, wholly wacky but heartfelt storytelling, and the beautiful artwork. A joy to read.

[Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

Me: Done!
Sarah: What did you think?
Me: It was odd.
Sarah: But was it good?
Me: Eeeeehhhhhh.....
Sarah: Just odd?
Me: Yep.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

YES everything about Cat and Jeremy is so good. I only wish the exit interview were not there -- although I completely know the impulse that made it seem necessary, charming even. So this is mostly to me I am saying: let your work shine! on its own! You do not need to "explain" that it is from the past, that you are "better now" -- or anything! You don't even need to say that you love your wife! In fact it all feels like an apology, which this cat does not need. I love how time moves on these pages. (Painfully slowly.)

[Brett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Five stars for "Cat Rackham Gets Depression" & "Cat Rackham is Sometimes Too Sad to Sleep" for so perfectly depicting how it feels on the inside - & for the tiny fillip of hope flickering at the end of each. I found the rest of the stories vaguely off-putting, & the drawings weren't really my cup of tea, but those two strips really spoke to me, so overall worth it.

[Nate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderfully weird. I LOLed a bunch. Just ask my girlfriend. I think I was annoying.

[Sydney More · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this to bits: bittersweet, weird, heartfelt and the perfect level of gross-cute.

[Gary Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cat Rackham -- this takes me back to the halcyon days of internet comics.

[Ollie]

Cute, short, funny

[Michael Rhode · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just not to my taste.

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

<3

[Hollowspine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Older fans of Adventure Time will enjoy the adventures of Cat Rackham, as he attempts to eek out an existence, avoid depression, crazy cat ladies (the craziest), and random cats with guns. Perhaps the most true depiction of depression I’ve ever seen in the first comic, “Cat Rackham Gets Depressed.”
I’d highly recommend this graphic novel, it’s absurd, laugh out loud funny, yet also really melancholy and has some really touching and true depictions of suffering from depression. Those who liked Jen Lee Thunderpaw comics or Lauren Mongers Terrible Terrible Terrible would probably like this as well.

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Funny, well-drawn cat comics with an edge of gentle melancholy by an Adventure Time storyboard artist. Perfect for fans of cats and absurd humor. The author interview in the back reveals his lifelong struggles with depression, which is borne out in his title character's ongoing dysphoria.

[Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, Cat Rackham. I just wish there was more of you.

[Kyle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel like Cat Rackham is a comic that I'm supposed to like more than I actually do like it. I enjoy it, but it's not the amazing experience I hear from other people.

[Tasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Weird and sweet. Nice colors.

[seb · Rating 5 out of 5]

it's a trip to read Cat Rackham again, and the author interview at the end is great. idk. i just really like cat rackham.

[Gig Wailgum · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting and fun.

[Vi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can i be reborn as Cat?