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Vacancy #2
Garbage Night
In a barren and ransacked backyard, a dog named Simon lives with his two best friends: a raccoon and a deer. The unlikely gang spends their days looting the desolate supermarket and waiting for the return of the hallowed ‘garbage night’ – but week after week, the bins remain empty. While scavenging one day, the trio meet Barnaby – another abandoned dog who tells them about the ‘other town’ where humans are still rumored to live. Spurred on by hunger and the promise of food, the trio joins up with Barnaby and set off into the unknown…
With echoes of post-war, derelict places, Garbage Night explores how animals may internalize their changing environment and express their thoughts, fears and hopes.
Jen Lee studied at the School of Visual Arts in NYC for a BFA in illustration, whilst also taking classes in comics, graphic design, and writing. Lee currently freelances in a farmhouse out of Idaho. Some of her clients include Drop Dead Clothing, Burton, Boom! Studios, and Nickelodeon. Her work is influenced by artists such as Marc Boutavant, Dave Cooper and Andrei Tarkovsky.
With echoes of post-war, derelict places, Garbage Night explores how animals may internalize their changing environment and express their thoughts, fears and hopes.
Jen Lee studied at the School of Visual Arts in NYC for a BFA in illustration, whilst also taking classes in comics, graphic design, and writing. Lee currently freelances in a farmhouse out of Idaho. Some of her clients include Drop Dead Clothing, Burton, Boom! Studios, and Nickelodeon. Her work is influenced by artists such as Marc Boutavant, Dave Cooper and Andrei Tarkovsky.
98 pages, Paperback
First published June 13, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 152 reviews
November 13, 2017
I picked this up from the YA New Comics and Graphic Novels area of my library because it is 1) a Nobrow production, which for me connotes interesting, quirky and sophisticated work and 2) I just pick up almost everything that is new that comes in there. I have to say based on the cover I expected it to be silly kid comics, but it is far, far from that! I really, really like it and find it to be one of the most interesting comics I have lately read.
Simon, a dog, Cliff, a raccoon, and Reynard, a deer are three friends inhabiting a dystopian landscape, possibly devoid of humans, too early to say, but definitely the town they are in is abandoned. They spend almost the whole time scavenging for food and water. Not much left, they go to bed hungry many days. They meet Barnaby, a dog who tells them of another town, that isn't abandoned. The story tells of their journey to find this town. Not much happens, but 1) there is a kind of growing dread about the catastrophe and 2) we admire their will to survive as friends (though there are frustrations, conflicts).
As I read, I was reminded of other dystopian tales like Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, though this is less heavy, of course, but the need for food is no less desperate. Another comics series I was reminded of when I was reading this is Jeff Lemire’s Sweet Tooth, a pretty brutal dystopian tale about 3 of hybrid animal-children, one of whom is trying to reunite with his father.
I was also reminded of the work of Simon Hanselmann’s Megg and Mogg stoner comix, where Megg, a depressed and drugged out witch, Mogg, her black cat, and Owl, survive what appears to be twenty-something apartment life, barely eating well, drunk and stoned. It IS a crude and mean stoner comedy, on one level, but on another level it is a study in depression, drugs, sex, poverty/lack of work, lack of ambition, and so on. Garbage Night is less funny, but it is even more desperate for lacking the humor, I think.
As I said, there’s not much story here, but I liked the characters, I came to care about them. I liked the world and their interaction, I liked the dialogue and I felt the creeping desperation and fear in it. I like the art, too, quite a bit. At a glance it has a low Goodreads rating, but I liked it a lot and will look for more of this and anything else Jen Lee is doing.
Simon, a dog, Cliff, a raccoon, and Reynard, a deer are three friends inhabiting a dystopian landscape, possibly devoid of humans, too early to say, but definitely the town they are in is abandoned. They spend almost the whole time scavenging for food and water. Not much left, they go to bed hungry many days. They meet Barnaby, a dog who tells them of another town, that isn't abandoned. The story tells of their journey to find this town. Not much happens, but 1) there is a kind of growing dread about the catastrophe and 2) we admire their will to survive as friends (though there are frustrations, conflicts).
As I read, I was reminded of other dystopian tales like Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, though this is less heavy, of course, but the need for food is no less desperate. Another comics series I was reminded of when I was reading this is Jeff Lemire’s Sweet Tooth, a pretty brutal dystopian tale about 3 of hybrid animal-children, one of whom is trying to reunite with his father.
I was also reminded of the work of Simon Hanselmann’s Megg and Mogg stoner comix, where Megg, a depressed and drugged out witch, Mogg, her black cat, and Owl, survive what appears to be twenty-something apartment life, barely eating well, drunk and stoned. It IS a crude and mean stoner comedy, on one level, but on another level it is a study in depression, drugs, sex, poverty/lack of work, lack of ambition, and so on. Garbage Night is less funny, but it is even more desperate for lacking the humor, I think.
As I said, there’s not much story here, but I liked the characters, I came to care about them. I liked the world and their interaction, I liked the dialogue and I felt the creeping desperation and fear in it. I like the art, too, quite a bit. At a glance it has a low Goodreads rating, but I liked it a lot and will look for more of this and anything else Jen Lee is doing.
December 20, 2019
I picked this up from the library and after I started reading this, I remembered that I had read the 1st volume. I didn't know it was a series. Vacancy is the 1st one. I remember not caring much for the 1st one. I think I gave it 2 stars. This volume was better.
My issue with this story is that it doesn't really feel like there is much of an ending. The animals need food and they need to get to the new city and they are chased out of the woods back to where they started. The story doesn't really seem to go anywhere. It didn't feel like it had a real direction. It didn't get across what was really happening. What is going on in the world? Why are there no people? no food? Nothing is discovered and no questions are answered.
It is better than the 1st one, but after thinking of it, I wonder if this should also be 2 stars. Maybe not.
Lets say, it's an ok story, but not much of a story for me.
My issue with this story is that it doesn't really feel like there is much of an ending. The animals need food and they need to get to the new city and they are chased out of the woods back to where they started. The story doesn't really seem to go anywhere. It didn't feel like it had a real direction. It didn't get across what was really happening. What is going on in the world? Why are there no people? no food? Nothing is discovered and no questions are answered.
It is better than the 1st one, but after thinking of it, I wonder if this should also be 2 stars. Maybe not.
Lets say, it's an ok story, but not much of a story for me.
December 20, 2019
Simon, a domestic dog, Cliff, a raccoon, and Reynard, a deer are three friends scavenging through their abandoned town. The food is running out when they come across Barnaby, a stray dog. He tells them of another town Fallbridge that isn't abandoned. The story tells of their journey to find this town.
This felt kind of like it was almost set in the world of Sweet Tooth and could have been about 3 of the hybrid children. I liked the characterization and interaction between the characters. The art was quite good too. However, the story was disjointed and we didn't find out enough about what's going on in this world.
Received an advance copy from Nobrow and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
This felt kind of like it was almost set in the world of Sweet Tooth and could have been about 3 of the hybrid children. I liked the characterization and interaction between the characters. The art was quite good too. However, the story was disjointed and we didn't find out enough about what's going on in this world.
Received an advance copy from Nobrow and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
November 28, 2017
2.5 stars.
This graphic novel tells the tale of a dog, Simon, and his best friends, a raccoon and a deer. Something has happened to all the humans, and domesticated animals and animals that depend on human scraps have the toughest time of it. This volume contains two stories, and I'd suggest going to the end and reading how the trio meets before reading the main story.
I quite liked the art and the depiction of these anthropomorphic animals in their tattered human clothing. The colors make the illustrations pop. The main story however seemed to lack something and seemed unfinished. I did like how themes of friendship and bullying were handled, but the plot wasn't compelling enough for me. This is written for kids, so it might work much better for that audience.
This graphic novel tells the tale of a dog, Simon, and his best friends, a raccoon and a deer. Something has happened to all the humans, and domesticated animals and animals that depend on human scraps have the toughest time of it. This volume contains two stories, and I'd suggest going to the end and reading how the trio meets before reading the main story.
I quite liked the art and the depiction of these anthropomorphic animals in their tattered human clothing. The colors make the illustrations pop. The main story however seemed to lack something and seemed unfinished. I did like how themes of friendship and bullying were handled, but the plot wasn't compelling enough for me. This is written for kids, so it might work much better for that audience.
July 3, 2017
"Garbage Night," which I won via Goodreads Giveaways, left me scratching my head.
The colors used in the artwork of the graphic novel really pop. The artwork itself is pretty good (way better than anything than I could ever dream of doing, in fact). The story had a good message about choices, consequences, friendship and, yes, even bullying out in the wild.
That said, I just kept waiting for ... more. More backgrounds on the three main characters and the "bad" one they took up with in their travels, more information on why the first town was so dilapidated and deserted, thus resulting in the shortage of food (garbage) and, well, just more reasons to keep me reading. I just didn't connect with the characters or their story on any level -- other than the lessons learned -- to keep me engaged enough and wanting to read more about them. I really wanted to like them, but I do not.
Two stars, and that's a push.
The colors used in the artwork of the graphic novel really pop. The artwork itself is pretty good (way better than anything than I could ever dream of doing, in fact). The story had a good message about choices, consequences, friendship and, yes, even bullying out in the wild.
That said, I just kept waiting for ... more. More backgrounds on the three main characters and the "bad" one they took up with in their travels, more information on why the first town was so dilapidated and deserted, thus resulting in the shortage of food (garbage) and, well, just more reasons to keep me reading. I just didn't connect with the characters or their story on any level -- other than the lessons learned -- to keep me engaged enough and wanting to read more about them. I really wanted to like them, but I do not.
Two stars, and that's a push.
June 13, 2022
I love speculative fiction, I love dystopian worlds, I love graphic novels, but I didn’t love this. Yeah yeah I got the gist of the story and themes but overall this was super confusing and hard to follow and not enjoyable at all. Even the little snippet at the end (supposedly a prequel) failed to add sense.
September 30, 2018
LOVED the artwork. But thought the storytelling could be better.
April 30, 2018
After an unspecified apocalypse, animals are all who are left to roam.
A dog named Simon, a raccoon named Cliff, and a one-antlerted deer (I know, right? Like Open Season!) named Raynard scrounge for food in abandoned houses, stores and, of course, garbage cans.
In this world, former pets, like Simon, have fallen to the rank of wild animal. Since there are no more owners, there are no more 'pets', and when our trio runs into a named Barnaby-
"We're gonna leave for that... Other town! The town with all the things!"
"Fallbridge?"
"Um, yeah!"
Simon wants to impress the cool Barnaby, so they all, at his urging, take off for the other two together.
But their journey is long. And when (if) they reach the fabled 'Fallbridge', where humans still live, and obviously throw out garbage, who can say if their friendship will have survived the apocalypse?
"A world without walls. Just doors."
Garbage Night is adorable.
I mean it's freaking CUTE.
Look at these little buggers
The story actually manages to get pretty dark and dramatic near the end, but when you're watching it break down with anthropomorphic critters like these, it's kinda hard not to just tilt your head and go "Awww," a lot.
That said, our characters, specifically Simon and Barnaby, I thought, are interesting, and you really want them to find something to snack on.
art specs
The art reminds me the slightest bit of Gravity Falls in color schemes and tones; mostly light colors and earth tones, but the feel changes when it turns dramatic or there's an action scene.
Jen Lee's art is charming. I loved it.
I have no earthly idea if she had anything to do with it, or it was just Nobrow Publishing's idea, but the book also feels really nice. Newspaper-comic-feel pages.
Cool.
Garbage Night, (and its precursor Vacancy is in here, too) is a really nice little story with good art and characters you'll like.
Recommended for art students, especially.
" I want to find home."
June 27, 2017
Despite having a fun premise--a bunch of anthropomorphic animals in post-apocalyptic suburbia wondering where the humans have gone as illustrated by the cessation of their beloved Garbage Night, where they once feasted like kings--the story leaves a lot to be desired. Still, by the time I reached the ending, I was keen to read the next installment. I don't know if that is something that is gonna happen, but the ending definitely feels unfinished and I'm down to spend more time with these characters. What Jen Lee lacks as a storyteller, she more than makes up for as an illustrator. Particularly her colors, which are some of the most vibrant and beautifully realized I've ever seen in a graphic novel. The reason I want to keep going is that this is a visual treat and Lee's art is so good, I'm willing to cut her some slack as I hold out hope for a more compelling narrative the next time around. Lee's one-shot prequel comics--Vacancy--is included at the end, and I thought that was a much better story that did a lot more for the characters. So much so that I wonder if it wouldn't have been a better idea to put it at the beginning to give the reader a little more to work with in the more expansive narrative.
August 21, 2017
This book reminds me of 2 things... The art style reminds me of the game Night in the Woods. (Great game if you like story and characters!) The story reminds me of Sweet Tooth, Volume 1: Out of the Deep Woods This story is kinda the perfect mix of the two, so if you enjoyed either of those things (or both) this would be great to check out. Same if you enjoyed this book you might like the above mentioned. The art is amazing, It was so charming and enjoyable just looking at it and the characters were very strong. I liked that they still kind of had their animal traits like the dog was loyal waiting for the owners to come back and liked having another dog around, kinda like a pack. The raccoon was clever and great at scavenging, and the deer had the "deer in the headlights" when things happened. Had some great hints of how things used to be with some good mystery still left to solve and get deeper into. I'm hoping to see a vol. 2 soon! ~Ashley
I actually received this copy of this book from ALA2017 Chicago that was signed by the author! Jen even drew a hedgehog in it for me! Thank you~
I actually received this copy of this book from ALA2017 Chicago that was signed by the author! Jen even drew a hedgehog in it for me! Thank you~
January 2, 2019
A bit strange, but I found something endearing about the story. I think this is a standalone, but it raises a lot of questions. Were the animals turned into anthropomorphic creatures after the apocalypse? I mean Simon reenacts a game of fetch and remembers his owner calling him a 'good boy.' Where'd all the humans go? What caused this dystopian type of setting?
Overall, I enjoyed the artwork and the color direction. The survival setting is very sad and dark but interesting. I'm not sure how I was supposed to feel about the Barnaby conflict. It just felt so open-ended. Still, I recommend it.
Overall, I enjoyed the artwork and the color direction. The survival setting is very sad and dark but interesting. I'm not sure how I was supposed to feel about the Barnaby conflict. It just felt so open-ended. Still, I recommend it.
July 2, 2017
I really liked the art and the dystopian animal fantasy survival story is entertaining and thoughtful. However, I found the story to be choppy with scenes jumping from one to the other and no segues to connect them, either. Decent reading experience but could have been written much better. There is no flow.
November 17, 2020
The art was ok, but I clearly missed something because I don't think I could follow the story, and I remember nothing.
September 20, 2017
In an interview with publisher No Brow, author-illustrator Jen Lee explains: "Recurring themes in my work are animals, teens, abandonment and the supernatural. I love exploring the way animals think; how they may internalise their environment changing. Abandoned and destroyed areas (whether from nature or people) and the unknown that may stem from this can create a paranormal element."
What would a real garbage night be? Enough dumpster leftovers outside retailers and restaurants to lead to good pickings to lead to full bellies and satisfying sleep. Tight and reasonably trusting with each other, Simon the dog, Reynaud a deer, and Cliff raccoon ransack their devastated city, hoping for another garbage night. No human inhabitants left? Why would that matter? They'd found good eats before. Along the way they sort of admit Barnaby pooch into their circle. For a while. Then rationalize why of course it's good he's gone.
Back cover description tells is, "Juvenile animals strive to survive across a post-apocalyptic wasteland in this striking parable about the nature of freedom and friendship." The popular sense of apocalyptic is an end of the world scenario with earth emptied of everything that sustains life; an apocalypse literally is an uncovering, unveiling, revealing. Both Hebrew and Christian scriptures include many apocalyptic passages that point toward the end of apparently hopeless circumstances, assurance for a world rebirthed from the ashes of the old.
Final scene: the trio of friends overlook night lights of a city that must have human residents (because of city lights, right?) that likely would lead to more Garbage Nights. At least if there's "a good cat population down there – where there's cats, there's banquets." But what'll Simon do when he gets there? "I want to find home." Home? Where the people who dumped him ("dropped him off") maybe still reside? But what is home? Hasn't Simon found safety and security with his deer and raccoon companions? Is belonging and trust the measure of home? Or is settled shelter essential? Both?
Is wandering at will without permanent housing too high a price for not always having a meal at hand? Is food for the body the ultimate safety and security? [I'm a theologian and will comment] the biblical witness shows us true freedom has limits and boundaries. And constraints that usually include living as part of a community of others, constantly considering what impact our actions and decisions could have on their well-being. Is this a coming of age story? Or is it about twenty-first century anomie and rootlessness? About the unknown on the other side of any risk-taking? About the terror of abandoning a comfortable known for an unknown future? All of the above, plus anything else you want to read into it. I mentioned apocalyptic reveals the end of the status quo of "the world as we have known it" along with the surprising beginning of something very other than. On the right front endpaper of Garbage Night, a voice speaks from the sky, "today will be great, Simon."
Illustrator-author Jen Lee sure knows how to convey mood with a color palette; her zero-human population "post-apocalyptic wasteland" city excites the imagination more than any movie set, yet leaves some room for a reader to create even more. To quote its cover, now I'm ready for "Jen Lee's original comic Vacancy" that's tucked in at the back of Garbage Night. One reviewer suggested reading Vacancy first, but I didn't want it to interfere with my perception of Garbage Night.
What would a real garbage night be? Enough dumpster leftovers outside retailers and restaurants to lead to good pickings to lead to full bellies and satisfying sleep. Tight and reasonably trusting with each other, Simon the dog, Reynaud a deer, and Cliff raccoon ransack their devastated city, hoping for another garbage night. No human inhabitants left? Why would that matter? They'd found good eats before. Along the way they sort of admit Barnaby pooch into their circle. For a while. Then rationalize why of course it's good he's gone.
Back cover description tells is, "Juvenile animals strive to survive across a post-apocalyptic wasteland in this striking parable about the nature of freedom and friendship." The popular sense of apocalyptic is an end of the world scenario with earth emptied of everything that sustains life; an apocalypse literally is an uncovering, unveiling, revealing. Both Hebrew and Christian scriptures include many apocalyptic passages that point toward the end of apparently hopeless circumstances, assurance for a world rebirthed from the ashes of the old.
Final scene: the trio of friends overlook night lights of a city that must have human residents (because of city lights, right?) that likely would lead to more Garbage Nights. At least if there's "a good cat population down there – where there's cats, there's banquets." But what'll Simon do when he gets there? "I want to find home." Home? Where the people who dumped him ("dropped him off") maybe still reside? But what is home? Hasn't Simon found safety and security with his deer and raccoon companions? Is belonging and trust the measure of home? Or is settled shelter essential? Both?
Is wandering at will without permanent housing too high a price for not always having a meal at hand? Is food for the body the ultimate safety and security? [I'm a theologian and will comment] the biblical witness shows us true freedom has limits and boundaries. And constraints that usually include living as part of a community of others, constantly considering what impact our actions and decisions could have on their well-being. Is this a coming of age story? Or is it about twenty-first century anomie and rootlessness? About the unknown on the other side of any risk-taking? About the terror of abandoning a comfortable known for an unknown future? All of the above, plus anything else you want to read into it. I mentioned apocalyptic reveals the end of the status quo of "the world as we have known it" along with the surprising beginning of something very other than. On the right front endpaper of Garbage Night, a voice speaks from the sky, "today will be great, Simon."
Illustrator-author Jen Lee sure knows how to convey mood with a color palette; her zero-human population "post-apocalyptic wasteland" city excites the imagination more than any movie set, yet leaves some room for a reader to create even more. To quote its cover, now I'm ready for "Jen Lee's original comic Vacancy" that's tucked in at the back of Garbage Night. One reviewer suggested reading Vacancy first, but I didn't want it to interfere with my perception of Garbage Night.
August 9, 2017
There seems to be a trend in indie movie nowadays where the young hipster-y main character makes their living as a cartoonis- *ahem* I mean, a "graphic novelist." Dressed in a tight hoodie studded with enamel pins, he or she spends their whole day huddled over a drawing table, drinking fair trade French press coffee, and making comics about punk-y anthropomorphized young animals living and joking around in a post-apocalyptic suburbia of bombed out supermarkets and grimy underpasses. If you've ever watched a movie like that and thought, "Man, I'd love to read that comic," then I've got good news for you: Jen Lee's "Garbage Night" IS the hipster-y comic from that indie movie you saw and, truth be told, it's actually pretty great.
In "Garbage Night," a trio of walking-and-talking animals - a dog (Simon), a deer (Reynard... really), and a raccoon (Cliff) - fall in with a drifter named Barnaby, who takes them on a meandering quest to find food and possibly a new home in a nearby town rumored to be relatively intact. Most post-apocalyptic stories tend to focus on the survival aspects of the plot but Lee puts that on the back burner in favor of a character study about friendship, loyalty, and faith. If you're looking for a blockbuster action-packed comic about fighting off zombies or cannibals or other kinds of end-of-the-world baddies, "Garbage Night" is gonna let you down; this is an intimate graphic novel that whispers rather than screams. Lee has a beautiful art style - kind of a hybrid of Liz Suburbia, Luke Pearson, and "The Simpsons" - and her coloring is absolutely breathtaking. As a writer, she's very restrained, doling out little breadcrumbs of information, so the reader has to do a little work to get the gist of what's going on but - trust me - it's worth it.
"Garbage Night" also includes an early sort of prequel story, "Vacancy," in which Lee introduced the main characters and it shows how her work has evolved in a short period of time. I hope she has future plans for Simon, Cliff, and Reynard (I know, that name, yeesh... SO hipster) because (a) "Garbage Night" concludes on a very open-ended note, and (b) her comics seem to be progressing in leaps and bounds. A very pleasantly surprising book from a pleasantly surprisingly talent.
In "Garbage Night," a trio of walking-and-talking animals - a dog (Simon), a deer (Reynard... really), and a raccoon (Cliff) - fall in with a drifter named Barnaby, who takes them on a meandering quest to find food and possibly a new home in a nearby town rumored to be relatively intact. Most post-apocalyptic stories tend to focus on the survival aspects of the plot but Lee puts that on the back burner in favor of a character study about friendship, loyalty, and faith. If you're looking for a blockbuster action-packed comic about fighting off zombies or cannibals or other kinds of end-of-the-world baddies, "Garbage Night" is gonna let you down; this is an intimate graphic novel that whispers rather than screams. Lee has a beautiful art style - kind of a hybrid of Liz Suburbia, Luke Pearson, and "The Simpsons" - and her coloring is absolutely breathtaking. As a writer, she's very restrained, doling out little breadcrumbs of information, so the reader has to do a little work to get the gist of what's going on but - trust me - it's worth it.
"Garbage Night" also includes an early sort of prequel story, "Vacancy," in which Lee introduced the main characters and it shows how her work has evolved in a short period of time. I hope she has future plans for Simon, Cliff, and Reynard (I know, that name, yeesh... SO hipster) because (a) "Garbage Night" concludes on a very open-ended note, and (b) her comics seem to be progressing in leaps and bounds. A very pleasantly surprising book from a pleasantly surprisingly talent.
June 9, 2017
There are many stories out there about zombies, aliens or viruses wiping out humankind. This isn't one of those, but tells the story of some animals who have been left behind after such events. Simon (dog), and his friends Cliff (Racoon), Reynard (Deer) are hungry. They are waiting for garbage night, so they can raid the bins like they always have. But garbage nights seems to have vanished along with the humans.
Barnaby is looking for food too and they soon team up with him to travel to the next town. But Barnaby is sneaky, slowly working his way between fellow dog Simon and his friends, even purposefully putting them in danger. Simon has to make a choice. Hang out with new Barnaby who knows stuff and is cool, or stick with his old mates.
With muted colour illustations, larger font, and a simpler drawing style, this graphic novel will suit younger readers. The theme of loyalty and friendship suits everyone.
Barnaby is looking for food too and they soon team up with him to travel to the next town. But Barnaby is sneaky, slowly working his way between fellow dog Simon and his friends, even purposefully putting them in danger. Simon has to make a choice. Hang out with new Barnaby who knows stuff and is cool, or stick with his old mates.
With muted colour illustations, larger font, and a simpler drawing style, this graphic novel will suit younger readers. The theme of loyalty and friendship suits everyone.
July 2, 2017
There are many stories out there about zombies, aliens or viruses wiping out humankind. This isn't one of those, but tells the story of some animals who have been left behind after such events. Simon (dog), and his friends Cliff (Racoon), and Reynard (Deer) are hungry. They are waiting for garbage night, so they can raid the bins like they always have. But garbage nights seems to have vanished along with the humans.
Barnaby is looking for food too and they soon team up with him to travel to the next town. But Barnaby is sneaky, slowly working his way between fellow dog Simon and his friends, even purposefully putting them in danger. Simon has to make a choice. Hang out with new Barnaby who knows stuff and is cool, or stick with his old mates.
With muted colour illustations, larger font, and a simpler drawing style, this graphic novel will suit younger readers. The theme of loyalty and friendship suits everyone.
Barnaby is looking for food too and they soon team up with him to travel to the next town. But Barnaby is sneaky, slowly working his way between fellow dog Simon and his friends, even purposefully putting them in danger. Simon has to make a choice. Hang out with new Barnaby who knows stuff and is cool, or stick with his old mates.
With muted colour illustations, larger font, and a simpler drawing style, this graphic novel will suit younger readers. The theme of loyalty and friendship suits everyone.
September 2, 2018
Hmm... I'm really not into this graphic novel... Usually graphic novels are light-hearted, or funny, or meaningful. But this... I was so confused from start to end. The plot was just so confusing, everything happened and ended in a flash, and I didn't even have time to absorb the situation and we are moving on already. Which I guess is supposed to be the whole point of the situation.
But I really don't get the problem with Barnaby, it's like he's trying to get Simon to ditch his friends. Like why? What's your problem? And at the end he just left them??? What??? Now what? Where is he going? Is he just gonna leave them for good?
Really wish there was more back story for this graphic novel. Even the first book didn't really do much for the back story...
But I really don't get the problem with Barnaby, it's like he's trying to get Simon to ditch his friends. Like why? What's your problem? And at the end he just left them??? What??? Now what? Where is he going? Is he just gonna leave them for good?
Really wish there was more back story for this graphic novel. Even the first book didn't really do much for the back story...
July 5, 2019
I read this after I had my 8 and 11 year old read it. It was a great opportunity to explain how books try to tell you things without explicitly saying, "THIS IS WHAT THE MESSAGE IS:"
So, relating the story and characters of Garbage Night, I said, "Look, at some point you are going to meet someone that you think is really funny and cool, and you're going to want to be best friends with them. But this person might also treat your long-time friends--your real friends--really poorly. You gotta be on the lookout for that, because people really do act like that."
Hopefully, they'll keep it mind...
So, relating the story and characters of Garbage Night, I said, "Look, at some point you are going to meet someone that you think is really funny and cool, and you're going to want to be best friends with them. But this person might also treat your long-time friends--your real friends--really poorly. You gotta be on the lookout for that, because people really do act like that."
Hopefully, they'll keep it mind...
June 10, 2017
Illustration & colours are FANTASTIC. Story wasn't particularly gripping for me, although it has potential to build a good series.
July 5, 2017
Love these characters and the absorbing mix of the bleak and playful.
December 3, 2018
There wasn't a lot to this, but it was cute enough despite the weak worldbuilding and lack of character development. Taken as a vignette, I liked it! The art style in particular was very appealing.
December 3, 2021
I usually hate those reviews that compare an authors book to another one of their books, I imagine as a writer that must be so soul crushing to feel as if you can't change or experiment without someone peering past your shoulder to the specter of your first success. Yet, as a person who absolutely loves Thunderpaw (I bought a patch of it way back in college when I was so broke I didn't have two nickels to rub together, so $15 for something so "frivolous" was out of the question), I can understand when you love something so much, you're always trying to hunt it down, to recapture something gained and lost. So I'm going to compare, but I'm going to do it try to do it gently, with lonely stoner college Rachel hushed up in her little cubby hole where she's always been.
I've read Vacancy and now this, and I keep waiting for that sweet and salient feeling from Thunderpaw to revisit me, but it just hasn't come. Maybe I'm older now--Garbage Night IS marketed to teenagers. That would be a heartbreaking conclusion to this story, to find out I've aged out of something I loved, and just one I can't accept. I keep wanting Lee to grow out of what she's done, but the stories all sound very same-y: loner band of roaming animals, looking for home, beset by the effects of fractured social connections due to some unnamed force. I can't really remember these characters very well, they all look so cute but their dialogue is the same. There's no real dynamism, something that was so refreshing in Thunderpaw and pulled me into the world of graphic novels. I miss the flashing and rotating and turning and breathtaking pacing. This feels a bit stilted. I would love to see Lee move into animation, or at least work on putting movement back into her work, maybe experiment with the formatting on the page a little more. There's this gigantic scene in Thunderpaw where you have to SIDE scroll with your mouse for at least 30 seconds to see all of it, and it's an incredible rush, like standing on a mountain. It's so hard to let that go when I read Garbage Night! I wanted to let it go, but I just couldn't. I'm still going to wait around for Lee though, wait around for her to just kill the printed form. I will pick up everything she works on, waiting! I know she can! Chasing the high of the first love!
Sorry if this is so maudlin and personal, nostalgia for my life is rarely something I feel. But nostalgia for books, however, is something I feel often.
I've read Vacancy and now this, and I keep waiting for that sweet and salient feeling from Thunderpaw to revisit me, but it just hasn't come. Maybe I'm older now--Garbage Night IS marketed to teenagers. That would be a heartbreaking conclusion to this story, to find out I've aged out of something I loved, and just one I can't accept. I keep wanting Lee to grow out of what she's done, but the stories all sound very same-y: loner band of roaming animals, looking for home, beset by the effects of fractured social connections due to some unnamed force. I can't really remember these characters very well, they all look so cute but their dialogue is the same. There's no real dynamism, something that was so refreshing in Thunderpaw and pulled me into the world of graphic novels. I miss the flashing and rotating and turning and breathtaking pacing. This feels a bit stilted. I would love to see Lee move into animation, or at least work on putting movement back into her work, maybe experiment with the formatting on the page a little more. There's this gigantic scene in Thunderpaw where you have to SIDE scroll with your mouse for at least 30 seconds to see all of it, and it's an incredible rush, like standing on a mountain. It's so hard to let that go when I read Garbage Night! I wanted to let it go, but I just couldn't. I'm still going to wait around for Lee though, wait around for her to just kill the printed form. I will pick up everything she works on, waiting! I know she can! Chasing the high of the first love!
Sorry if this is so maudlin and personal, nostalgia for my life is rarely something I feel. But nostalgia for books, however, is something I feel often.
December 15, 2017
This was kinda like a cartoon but it was missing some background information. So apparently Simon and his friends are looking for food but the town they live in is scarce so they decide to go on a journey to the next town with a new found "friend". There are all kinds of obstacles and self realizations. However, we do not see any humans, just remnants. In addition the animals are talking, walking upright and have on clothes. The most confusing thing is trying to figure out a time line or universe or something. Who knows, I guess if I look at the from a cartoon stand point this would be enjoyable and would have gotten a higher rating but this is in fact a graphic novel. This would be perfect for tween and up.
August 14, 2022
I really like the premise of the story, but it feels largely unfinished. Even if it was intended to be part of a series, the conclusion just seems off to me. My brain just keeps thinking, "That was not a good place to press pause."
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January 16, 2018This comic was discussed on The Secret Stacks Episode 37.
read-in-2019
May 21, 2019Nice to see that one of the only people to do anything interesting with the webcomic form in ages managed to get a Noborow deal out of it. I could do with a little more of the Lynchian subjective/intercut/dread of the original comic than the more familiar story of that friend who ditches you for the new 'cool' buddy here, but both are set against the same total apocalypse, so it can't weaken too much. Definitely a different tone/audience though.
September 18, 2018
The edition I read contained both Garbage Night and the prequel, Vacancy which I think I would have preferred to read first.
Vacancy introduces us to Simon, a family dog who is left in his yard after an unspecified and off screen apocalyptic event. Not only is his family gone, but the whole town. Simon meets a raccoon and a deer who introduce him to the wilder world of the woods and their scavenging life.
In Garbage Night, we meet back with the pack as they have settled into their routines. They are nostalgic for the days of garbage night, when scavenging wasn't so wild and food easier to find. Predatory threats are real as are rumors of an inhabited town nearby. Their bonds are tested when a new dog offers to help guide them.
There are some really poignant scenes and a touching theme of home and family which I think has huge potential for a long running series. This has a hint of Sweet Tooth, Volume 1: Out of the Deep Woods and Beasts of Burden: Animal Rites. I think this would have wide appeal to graphic novel readers including teens who would be drawn to the friendships and sense of loneliness.
Vacancy introduces us to Simon, a family dog who is left in his yard after an unspecified and off screen apocalyptic event. Not only is his family gone, but the whole town. Simon meets a raccoon and a deer who introduce him to the wilder world of the woods and their scavenging life.
In Garbage Night, we meet back with the pack as they have settled into their routines. They are nostalgic for the days of garbage night, when scavenging wasn't so wild and food easier to find. Predatory threats are real as are rumors of an inhabited town nearby. Their bonds are tested when a new dog offers to help guide them.
There are some really poignant scenes and a touching theme of home and family which I think has huge potential for a long running series. This has a hint of Sweet Tooth, Volume 1: Out of the Deep Woods and Beasts of Burden: Animal Rites. I think this would have wide appeal to graphic novel readers including teens who would be drawn to the friendships and sense of loneliness.
August 26, 2017
This is a bizarre graphic novel, well I admit that many graphic novels are bizarre, that is unpleasant. Three animals, a dog, a deer, and a raccoon, live in an apocalyptic world (an abandoned city) where they are unable to find food. One night a week, they attend garbage night at the local supermarket which has been abandoned and never has any food. They meet Barnaby who lures them to a place where humans still live, the suburbs. I found very distasteful that animals would be without food but apparently able to live, that a city would be abandoned and people would still live in the suburbs. The language has common slang that kids use but it's annoying, not familiar or cute. The pratfalls of animals falling down or redoing goofy things falls flat when the characters are known to be homeless and hungry. Very upsetting, and wrong. I think this is the beginning of a series, and wonder if there is some kind of political message that readers will find embedded in the books.
May 8, 2019
I picked this up because the title, artwork, and general vibe reminded me of Night In the Woods, an adorable and clever video game about working class animals coming of age in an old mining town. This book was bleaker, and I imagine it's what life might have been like for the NitW characters who hitched a train and left town.
There are two stories, and for some reason the second - the shorter of the two - is a prequel. I'm not sure why it's not placed first, but the insights it provides into the characters' origins are illuminating after the longer first story. It also introduces several quotable lines, like, "No time for the mopes." New mantra! Other good exchanges: "I do live in the now. I'm living in the now right now. I just don't live in the now by hoarding garbage." And, when one character asks another about directions, "Since when are you an egghead? You just walk opposite from where you are, it's really simple." Again: sage advice.
There are two stories, and for some reason the second - the shorter of the two - is a prequel. I'm not sure why it's not placed first, but the insights it provides into the characters' origins are illuminating after the longer first story. It also introduces several quotable lines, like, "No time for the mopes." New mantra! Other good exchanges: "I do live in the now. I'm living in the now right now. I just don't live in the now by hoarding garbage." And, when one character asks another about directions, "Since when are you an egghead? You just walk opposite from where you are, it's really simple." Again: sage advice.
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