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Buni: Happiness Is a State of Mind

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Voted "Best Online Comic" by the National Cartoonists Society

What do you get when you throw an incessantly optimistic bunny into a dark, antagonistic world? The twisted and side-splitting hilarity of Buni !

Always positive, Buni doesn’t understand that the cute world he lives in is usually out to get him. The girl he loves loves someone else. And his best intentions never seem to work. Yet he wakes up each day hopeful.

Together with his cynical dad and determined dog, he inhabits a surreal world populated by teddy bears, cupcakes, unicorns, and zombies.

With few words, these comics rely on images to tell the story, which is often twisted, sad and funny all at the same time. But more than anything, they show that nothing will keep Buni down. Because true happiness is a state of mind.

128 pages, Paperback

Published June 5, 2018

1 person is currently reading
39 people want to read

About the author

Ryan Pagelow

4 books2 followers

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5 stars
53 (38%)
4 stars
40 (28%)
3 stars
35 (25%)
2 stars
10 (7%)
1 star
0 (0%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
Profile Image for Shai.
950 reviews869 followers
November 18, 2018
Buni is a graphic novel that contains worldless comic strips that will absolutely make you laugh. Although there are some that I find a little bit off or morbid, I still had a great time checking the rest of this comic book. Moreover, I could also point out several comic panels that are my favorites, particularly the ones with the dog in it. It is a great companion to ease your boredom or to amuse you even for a while.
Buni: Happiness Is a State of Mind
Buni: Happiness Is a State of Mind
Buni: Happiness Is a State of Mind
Profile Image for Kay.
455 reviews4,670 followers
May 20, 2018
I've been rating too many books 5 stars lately. But I've just had such a great NetGalley haul!

Remember Happiness is...?
Image result for happiness is

Well this book is also about happiness (and it features unicorns) but it's a little more....mature.





Don't read this review any further if dark humour and disturbing images get to you.

Alright. So I usually think about what to say in my reviews. I didn't really think here. I just felt. This comic is the funniest yet most charming stuff I've seen in a long time. It has the perfect balance of dark humour and the intricacies of life. It's basically me metamorphosed into a book.



So our protagonist(?) is Buni, an optimistic little bunny that just wants to love. Most of the time.



He's extremely naive, but he has his friends, Unnamed Bearded Prison Guy 1 (Who is a cynical, withered bunny) and Two-Legged Doggo, who is my favourite character of all time.





The illustrator turns tropes and popular sayings on their heads. And then some.







Sometimes I dislike Happiness is...because it really ignores that life can be shit (But sometimes that utopian view is needed). But this comic doesn't. It shows that life can be shit, but we can help each other grow stronger. Whether it's a two-legged dog or a man who just got out of jail, you can find love and acceptance.

And life doesn't have to be regular - it doesn't have to follow suit the so-called normal life. I can relate to this so fundamentally because my life has never been normal.




Conclusion

This anthropomorphic, dark-humour fuelled comic is genius and so relatable. I'd recommend this book to anyone who feels different and is in need of alternatives to cutesie self-help comics. There are hard truths about life in here, balanced out by an optimistic realist perspective, sprinkled with some jokes in-between.

I honestly wish I could put every page in my review, but you have got to go read this yourself. Here are some of my favourite pages: (I'm a vegetarian myself but the meat jokes killed me)













So kudos to Mr Pagelow for writing this gem. Here's my favourite comic:



received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Profile Image for Nikki "The Crazie Betty" V..
803 reviews126 followers
June 13, 2018
3.5 Stars

This was a super quick ‘read’ of cynical and hilarious cartoons. Buni never talks and so this is basically a picture book for adults. The perfect comic book for someone like me who is ultimately pragmatic leaning towards pessimistic and is pretty cynical of everything in the world. Buni has a way of making you feel better about your own life and problems as he deals with all sorts of negativity and still finds a way to be happy and cheerful.

Received via Netgally in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Rod Brown.
7,419 reviews286 followers
September 7, 2018
Buni is a delusional sad sack loser with bottomless optimism (and unlimited lives) whose adventures and frequent mishaps are related in short, wordless and hilarious cartoons. The art is cutesy, but the humor is frequently tasteless and/or gory. My favorite kind.
Profile Image for Melki.
7,313 reviews2,620 followers
September 5, 2018
Despite the bright colors, unicorns, and smiles, this is one of the darkest comic strips out there!

It's also one of my favorites.

Never give up hope, Buni . . .
Profile Image for Laura.
3,251 reviews102 followers
March 31, 2018
This is another collection of comics that have previously been online. Built in audience, don't you know. And if you love all things Buni, you will love this collection.

But, if you are not familiar with Buni, below are two cartoons from the book. As you can tell, the humor is dark, and odd. Buni always has a sunny disposition, even if the world around him is crap. And perhaps that is a good way to go through life, but I found the cartoons sort of sad.

Buni Balloon
Buni Book

It is a good collection of these sorts of cartoons, and there are some laughs in there.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
Profile Image for Imogene.
855 reviews25 followers
April 2, 2018
Just so that you know, this adorable little wordless comic made me make involuntary happy sounds.
Buni is just what people need these days. It’s a mix of whimsy, cynicism, and wonder, and ends up making you feel better about pretty much everything.

More please

Arc received by Netgallery in exchange for honest review
7,037 reviews83 followers
March 29, 2018
Very very funny. Just basic jokes with a bunny as the main character. Very simple and absurd jokes, but the kind of stuff that makes me laugh a lot. I just loved it!
Profile Image for Penny.
816 reviews48 followers
June 17, 2018
I knew nothing about this comic before opening the book, I was not expecting this dark world, but some of was really funny.
Profile Image for January Gray.
727 reviews21 followers
June 20, 2018
This book is exactly how my husband and I try to raise our children. Everything is based on how you look at it. Look at the bright side of things. Great little book!
Profile Image for Dubzor.
835 reviews10 followers
September 2, 2018
Good for a few laughs. Not something I'd pay money for though.
Profile Image for Wayne McCoy.
4,298 reviews32 followers
January 26, 2021
'Buni:Happiness Is a State of Mind' by Ryan Pagelow is a collection of comics about a happy rabbit and a dark twisted world.

This is a collection of wordless comics. They mostly start with a pretty happy scenario that ends with a pretty dark twist. Buni is in the rain. It turns to bills. Then to coins. Most have a morbid turn full of black humor.

These comics had me laughing. There is something about comedy with an unexpected ending when the timing is good, and this writer has that timing. The art contributes to that because it is so disarmingly friendly.

I received a review copy of this ebook from Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.
Profile Image for Linda.
74 reviews23 followers
May 22, 2018
*netgalley review*

Buni is an incessantly optimictic bunny living in a dark, antagonictic world. No matter what he does, his intentions always fail. He is always optimistic, living in a cute world which is out to get him. He inhabits a surreal world populated by teddy bears, cupcakes, unicorns, and zombies. Although such creatures sound sooo cute but Ryan Pagelow surprises us by showing darks sides of them. He also has a cynical dad and determined dog (which I love that detail so much!) I am not into dark humor but it was really fun to read. I like how it twists against Buni but nothing keeps him down.

Good for short readings.
Profile Image for Phoenix Scholz-Krishna.
Author 10 books13 followers
March 19, 2021
Buni is a bit of an incel and has weird illusions about a girl bunny who is already in a relationship with somebody else. Other than that, Buni gets into a varied mix of situations - sometimes morbid, sometimes depressing, sometimes merely strange - and always comes out on top. My favourite cartoon might be the one where he brings the dog home. There are real highlights of positivity in this, so maybe it's a bit of a pick & mix for all sorts of readers.
Profile Image for Kristin.
574 reviews27 followers
September 7, 2018
The wordless adventures of a hopeless optimist in a cynical world.
Profile Image for Emma (littledollreads).
1,049 reviews25 followers
November 3, 2022
My thoughts on each comic, in order. Mostly jokes many references, enjoy.

My Little Pony 'n Friends
The five stages of grief, acceptance
BEASTARS
Bad Touch
The Little Mermaid, but things aren't looking good for her
All balloon animals are unique
Anytime I find a word in scrabble it is good
Anytime it is a red umbrella, sad things happen
She’s on my mind all the time.
Me when I try to make friends. (I’m lonely)
Things are looking grave out here
“You are my sunshine”
CONTEXT.
The dark side of money rain
I knew I had more money
The Ugly Duckling
The grim reaper is kind of, *blush*
Storks, now a major motion picture
Capitalism really be ruining the holiday season
Being cupid is difficult
Don’t take unknown substances
Dinosaurs be living that good life still
I never trusted that easter bunny
Ajin: demi-human
I don’t think that is how the sun works
Don’t conform to gender norms
Gay, steak?
There is a dog for everyone
The better ending to Jurrasic World
Pooh bear would also agree that sometimes a popped balloon is what is needed
Star vs the Forces of Evil
I sense this won’t go well
Who wants to cut the cake
When the caffeine needs caffeine
When you ask for a medium at the Mexican restaurant
MLP creepypasta
The other side of the tale of Jeremy Fisher
Even in death, flies are annoying
That don’t seem right
Weird Science
Frosty the Snowman 2
Reading > TV
Math is hard
That one part of Monsters Inc
The living sandwich people are strange
Nathan's big book of Dinosaur Lies
Beastars pt 2
Beastars pt 3
Ned from the Try Guys
Corpse husband when Sykuno gives him a gift
I think this is an SCP
I feel that, salmonella is no joke
When the monster under the bed has your back, but you don’t trust him
The circle of life
Tiburon
Now that is clever
When you don’t live up to your parents' expectations
Is this what you demand with your “organic” candy
The mafia in this universe is scary
Those slinkys do be going
Happy Halloween
When the leaves start falling, the feelings be changing
The opening scene of Beastars
Another solution for finding Nemo
Peanuts
Unexpected
If only this were real
The terror of tooth decay
Hansel and Grettle in the modern day
Strike
No officer, I haven't seen him (laughs nervously)
Hahahaha!
When the Christmas packaging doesn’t hide what it is
When the people in the house before you had some disagreements
Always wear safety gear when you go biking
Pig in a blanket
Mold. Frown
When the song gets stuck in your head
Olaf, from Frozen
Choo, Choo
No one else will notice
Dating apps…
When the neighbors are petty
Monday be hitting like …
I have a song for this but I have forgotten it
Let them eat cake
The magic of filters
Hey man, if it is in the couch cushions it is free game
When you have to take the messages from the stars, loosely
When you really need caffeine
Not yet my friend
So much death
Rainbow laser
Hey, i also like chalk art
Why covid ruined birthdays
Chips and salsa
The pide piper
When autumn is over
Allergies
So that is why gym memberships are expensive
Need coffee
When you need to do something good in the day
Mime crime
Art
Weather
Ai evolution
When you dive into a good book
When you are trying to befriend the vampires
When the food in the fridge dies
The butterfly from the last unicorn
When the power goes off and the alarm doesn’t go off
All it takes is one ping
Trying to pick your friends back up after a heartbreak
Death beach day
Tone deaf
Trans rights
Octo chef
When you pet another dog
If it came from the garden its a vegetable
Pinkie pie
Celestabellebethabelle
Umbrellcation
The scale lies
Be kind, do good
Pizza roll

That's all folks!
Profile Image for Cassandra.
332 reviews11 followers
April 4, 2018
Okay, this book killed me! Perfect for fans of Cyanide And Happiness, and another great book to add to your coffee table collection. This book takes disturbing thoughts, and makes them laugh out loud funny. I loved every single page! I am already planning to gift this book to 5 of my gritty comedy loving friends.

Before coming across this book on NetGalley, I hadn't heard of Robyn Harding, but I can assure you that I will be on the lookout for her other books after reading this one. Starting from the very first page, I was completely drawn into this story. The characters were well-rounded, and I found the main character to be quite relatable. Although I figured out some of the mystery, the book kept me interested right to the end, and i actually ended up finishing it in a day and a half. I will definitely be recommending this book to my thriller/mystery loving friends.

I received this from #NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Paul Franco.
1,374 reviews12 followers
April 17, 2018
The first image you see, besides the cover, is this strange bunny-like creature rocking out with headphones; it looks incredibly awesome. But let’s face it, this comic strip is where optimism goes to die. The pseudo-bunny starts each page happy, but just a few panels later something horrible has happened to him. . . and it’s hilarious.
Some of my faves to look out for:
Sushi and hugs: both so wrong. . .
I will never forgive this author for what he did to the redheaded mermaid!
Christmas delusion. . .
Cupid’s arrow doesn’t work on squirrels.
Easter Bunny has quite a racket.
This is the first person/animal/fictional creature I’ve seen who can have just as much fun playing with a popped balloon.
Books attacking TVs could become a thing.
Sharks are dangerous out of water too.
If T. Rexes had keytars, they would not have gone extinct.
Tinder is great for pollination.
4.5 pushed up to 5/5
Profile Image for Kati.
140 reviews36 followers
April 9, 2018
http://klearsreviews.blogspot.com/201...

I try very hard to share reviews that are both positive but also suggest also checking out the book even if I don't like it. I love comics, I loved the idea behind this one because well honestly it really fits behind my sense of humor really well! But I just couldn't get behind it. The way it was pitched and the way it played out didn't seem to match to me. Individually I would love the comics. Together they just don't seem to work. I checked out the webpage when I was looking into the author. I really do like the comics. The bunny is so stupidly optimistic in such a messed up world and in a way it's like me and I can appreciate that. I do suggest checking the book out obviously what is not for me can be for someone else. Also, make sure to check out the author.
Profile Image for Gabriell Anderson.
312 reviews19 followers
March 19, 2019
Sebrané Buniho stripy (http://bunicomic.com). Pokud neznáte, tak se porozhlédněte online. Pokud znáte a pravidelně čtete, tak vás čeká spíš zklamání, protože (aspoň myslím) tu nejsou kousky, které by nevyšly online. Ale i tak se jedná o příjemný kousek, který se asi nejlépe hodí k tomu, abyste jím potěšili někoho jiného, kdo Buniho ještě nezná (a díky absenci slov ani nemusí umět anglicky) anebo který si dáte doma do poličky s pocitem, že jste autorovi přispěli nějakou tu kačku.

Mohlo by se vám líbit, pokud:
- vás baví černý humor oděný do rozjuchaného hávu

Spíš vás zklame, pokud:
- Buniho čtete pravidelně a doufali jste v nějaké bonusy, nevydané díly nebo cokoliv jiného než jenom papírové vydání online stripů
9,118 reviews130 followers
April 2, 2018
Unicorns are vicious things that eat lions; when money rains down from the heavens it's alright – until it turns into coin only; bowling pins get revenge on you when you score a strike, and everybody and everything eats something inappropriate, even a bread sandwich. The contents of this book are pretty much indescribable, but amount to the best wordless comic strip collection for many a year. Hard to define, this acerbic look at the world is well worth the purchase. It's certainly educational, too, as it'll teach you how trees feel when you nail dead, er, tree to them to make a den, and you'll have seen it all when you've seen cupcakes commit adultery.
Profile Image for Emma.
300 reviews2 followers
April 15, 2018
This is a wordless book of comic strips about a very clueless rabbit. The rabbit lives in a cutesy but nightmarish world where awful things keep happening, but he is still happy all the time. Some of the comics are funny, but some are a little too twisted for my liking, like where he eats the corpse of his pig friend after the funeral. The moral of the story was supposedly that happiness is a state of mind, but what I took away from it was that the rabbit was just totally oblivious. A lot of it wasn't really my sense of humour, but I'm sure some people will really enjoy those parts.

[Free ARC from NetGalley]
Profile Image for Jim.
1,790 reviews67 followers
May 20, 2018
I’m falling in love with this comic so, so, so much.

Some of the comics are about how shitty life is, but how happiness is really a state of mind. How we should always find happiness in even the most horrible and disturbing of situations.

Well, they also show how disturbing life can really be.

You’ll notice I used the word “disturbing” twice in this review. (Well, 3 times now.) If this kind of humor can’t make you laugh, you may want to avoid this book.

But if you can laugh at life and the crazy shit it throws at you, you might really enjoy this.

Thanks to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel publishing for a copy in return for an honest review.
Profile Image for Vesselina Bozhinova.
7 reviews6 followers
April 23, 2019
My sister was the one who really got me into the cartoons featuring Hapi Buni, a pure soul like no other, and a character that she resembles a lot.
Brilliantly unconventional, this cartoon book will put a smile on your face with its alternative perspectives, disarming kindness, and what seems to be effortless originality.
Profile Image for melissa.
701 reviews12 followers
May 9, 2018
So much fun & so much wrong bundled into a happy little package.

This turns my cold dark heart all rainbowy.

If you're a fan of Lenore the Cute Little Dead Girl, then you want to check this out too.

*Digital review copy provided by NetGalley & the publisher.
Profile Image for McKinlay.
1,152 reviews44 followers
May 10, 2018
*I received a free DRC from netgalley and the publisher. This does not affect my review.*

[3.5 stars]
These comics were a nice mix of funny, sweet, and twisted. Just a cute book to flip through for a laugh and a smile.
4 reviews
June 5, 2018
Buni Life ve

Buni’s persistent cheer—even the cheerless Teddy world he lives in—is so endearing. I love his expressions, and I love the way he keeps trying to be joyful. Three times a week I go online to check up Buni.
Profile Image for Peacegal.
11.7k reviews102 followers
June 8, 2018
BWAHAHA. Ok, it's not surprising I'd get a kick out of this little cartoony collection of weird and dark humor. Fans of comic strips such as THE PERRY BIBLE FELLOWSHIP and CYANIDE AND HAPPINESS will get a kick out of Buni and his unfortunate adventures.
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