Penny Nichols

by M.K. Reed, Greg Means, Matt Wiegle (Illustrator)

Somehow, sarcastic Penny's gotten roped into helping make an amateur slasher film. With a team of flakes and weirdos, she's probably the only one who can save this stupid movie... but maybe it can save her, too. Now can somebody please stop that dog from licking the fake blood?

"I never wanted to be a teacher or lawyer. I never wanted to be anything, really." Stuck working mind-numbing temp jobs, Penny Nichols yearns to break free from the rut she's found herself in. When, by chance, she falls in with a group of misfits making a no-budget horror movie called "Blood Wedding," everything goes sideways. Soon her days are overrun with gory props, failed Shakespearean actors, a horny cameraman, and a disappearing director. Somehow Penny must hold it all together and keep the production from coming apart at the seams.

This hilarious original graphic novel is a loving tribute to the chaos and camaraderie of DIY filmmaking, and the ways we find our future -- and our family -- in the unlikeliest of places.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Fiction, Humor, Horror, Graphic Novels Comics, Contemporary

208 pages, Paperback

First published June 12, 2019

About the author

MK Reed is the writer of Americus, The Cute Girl Network, Palefire, and Science Comics: Dinosaurs. She draws a web-comic adaptation of Irish mythology, About a Bull. MK lives with her very tall husband.

Reviews

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Remember, everybody,” Penny tells the cast, “shock, then disgust.”

By far my favorite (of 3) M. K. Reed books (written with Greg Means) so far! A really funny and sweet graphic novel about the making of a DIY horror flick called Blood Wedding about a bride, bent on revenge, who goes crazy at her wedding, made by a bunch of lovable geeks that actually becomes chosen for Splatter Con (yeah, that's actually a thing). I am not a slasher movie fan, by any means, but the John Allison-level (Giant Days) dialogue is so good here and the ideas so silly and fun and ad hoc, it is really hilarious. The central figure is cynical/sarcastic 26-year-old Penny, who does temp work "for a living" and babysits for her ridiculous yuppie sister.

“I never wanted to be a teacher or lawyer. I never wanted to be anything, really.”

Penny stumbles into an opportunity to work with some folks on a movie, people who wonder whether it is better to melt a skull or blow it up. Penny, increasingly playing a series of central roles in the production, decides, why not both?! This is really a tribute to those low-budget movies back in the divey, small theater, drive-in movie days. Which I should also say are still and always being made now, in basements and wherever blood and gore are fancied. Drawn in black and white by Matt Wiegle. A surprise favorite of the year!

[Tatiana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was awesome, a barrel of laughs and a ton of bloody fun! Penny Nichols is 26-year old with no particular talents or aspirations living a life of boredom and apathy. Only when she gets involved with a group of weirdos who love making DIY horror flicks does she find fulfillment and happiness. The story is funny, outrageous and full of ridiculous and larger than life characters. A gross out delight.

[Melki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Penny's never had the burning urge to be anything. Now, at 26, she finds herself working an endless procession of temp jobs. And, it's during one of those temporary stints she meets the man who will change her life - Sam, the director/producer of schlock, no-budget horror films, who'd like Penny to "help out" on his latest "block-buster" - Blood Wedding. Penny shrugs, and agrees, and suddenly finds herself . . . maybe even literally finding herself, on the set of the most hilarious splatter-fest you'll ever see. From writing the script to helping with the costumes, Penny discovers she's got a real knack for being the glue that holds everything together, which is just what this amateur production needs.

The book is full of wonderful characters, zingy dialog, and some very, VERY dark humor. (That's my jam, and I was laughing almost constantly.) I hated to return this one to the library, so I sent away for my own copy.

And, that's a wrap!

Sequel, please?

[Rod Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title character is a practical and dull 26-year-old woman who is stuck in a rut, floating from temp job to temp job during the day and becoming a shut-in at night. A chance encounter with a couple of sketchy dudes making an independent, no-budget slasher movie may give Penny one last chance at finding a life. There are no big surprises here except how relatable Penny is, how delightful the other characters are, and how much I enjoyed hanging with all of them.

This sort of reminds me of Young Frances, another graphic novel about a twentysomething trying to make her way in the world that I also liked a lot. I'm also a fan of Reed's Americus.

[sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

very relatable and a pretty good ending, but it was so hard for me to get into and actually finished which hindered my enjoyment a bit

[Villain E · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five stars for the snark alone.

Penny Nichols is an aimless 26 year old, not happy with her life but also not doing anything about it. Through happenstance, she meets a pair of amateur filmmakers who could really use her organization skills and talent at sarcasm. Working on the project isn't perfect, but she has more fun than she's had in a long time.

The art reminds me of Jhonen Vasquez, but not as slick. Black-and-white, mostly line and hatching with occasional gray tones. The characters are easily distinguishable and there are always backgrounds.

The strength is definitely in the dialog. The characters are unique and flawed, their comments are sometimes clever and sometimes unironic.

It's not the most dramatic story, but I don't care. I was smiling the whole time.

[Romany · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this. It can take a long time to find something you’re passionate about. And maybe just as long to find a community of people who feel the same way. Penny finds both. I found her character’s competence super refreshing. I loved the deadpan way she was drawn amongst the drama of her mates. Also, I am angry at other reviewers who described Penny’s character as “dull”. Bullshit. Nothing dull about her, either before OR after she starts on the film.

[Andria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not much character development given its length. The conflict was rushed and antagonists were cartoonishly one-dimensional, which wouldn't have been a problem if the same flaws weren't played down in the protags. I really loved the premise so it's too bad this turned out to be yet another "keep being a sarcastic miscreant and you'll eventually find your niche" story to add to a growing pile. It did make me want to make an indie horror film though.

[cardulelia carduelis · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quirky 26-year-old who hasn't really found herself passionate about anything gets roped into helping to organise an amateur horror film for an upcoming festival. She finds a bunch of misfits, creatives, and generally people who live by their own definition and in doing so, finds something to be passionate about.
Sound a bit predictable and cliche? Well.. yeah, it is. That's really my main gripe with it.
I find Penny very relatable in some ways, she's the overweight & plain Jane whose parents and relatives show causal disdain both for her disappointing aesthetic as well as her life choices. That probably describes many people's experiences. But beyond that her character is shallow. She has surrounded herself, before the production, with people who hate her. There is her influencer, yummy mummy, fitness juicer, and entrepreneur sister who has it all figured out with her husband-in-finance and two bratty mini-me's. There is her bitchy roommate who constantly derides her appearance, that she isn't out partying, that she's sexually unattractive, calls her a hag/spinster. They set her up on dates with pathetic men. The people at her various temp jobs also think she's useless.
But her new friends in the production are almost too much in the opposite direction. They laugh at the normies with their mortgages+2 kids, they think housewives are pathetic, they laugh at perceived bimbos. There is some nuance to the characters in the film but it's minor. For example the genius director is actually pretty lazy with his work, his hot wife married him so she'd be shaken up once in a while and not fall into a suburban lifestyle. But even that is so shallow and tedious.

There is some good. The art style is nice, although I was hoping for a bit of shading or color gven that the line-work is so simple. The pacing is excellent, and the overall plot has a good arc. I also liked all the details about film-making and hw much Penny gets into the backend of production and finds her niche.
So it's fine, but I won't be recommending it to anyone.



P.s. I've also just learnt she's a character in Ace Attorney?? Is there a cross-over here? I haven't played the games so I'm not sure.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

2020 thoughts:
This was even more of a delight the second time around. Penny’s dark, sarcastic humor is right up my alley and I cackled my way through this book.

Original 2019 review:
Penny Nichols was such a fun read about the joys of finding your people while also making a low-budget horror film. This book is bursting with lovable characters, dark humor, and some surprisingly heartwarming moments. Despite not being a horror movie watcher, I still got a lot of enjoyment out of Penny Nichols.

C/W:(fake) graphic gore including short scenes with prop animals and a prop baby

[BookCupid · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a cinema grad with a horror fascination, this was right up my alley.

Penny is a twenty-six tempt with zero drive in life. Her roommate wants to match her with a lover just, so she can get the house for one night, and her sister finds her odd jobs to support her. Yet Penny doesn't see anything wrong with her life. Will a horror movie production finally wake her up?

I think it will take a lot more to wake Penny up, but this was a nice start. She never questioned what it was that impeded her from finding a boyfriend or a job she enjoyed. She just accepted life refusing to put any effort. I'm glad to see that art had such an impact. Maybe that's what a lot of us need.

[Riley · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a lovely surprise! This graphic novel follows 26-year-old perpetual temp worker, Penny, who has no idea what she wants to do with her life until she finds herself working on a low budget horror movie.

It's charming, expressively drawn, super readable, and had me seriously loling throughout. It also has a good dose of heart as it explores finding your passion and the people who build you up rather than tear you down. Loved it!

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you liked Fleabag, I think you’d like this too. This feminist comic tale reminded me quite a bit of the relationship between Phoebe and her snooty, condescending sister. Overqualified and under-appreciated, yet the only competent one in the room, Penny can make things happen. She placidly observes as oblivious, pretentious people toss insults at her, each completely unaware of their own insular conceit. Yet it’s so so funny, the art is sketchy and great, and it celebrates people who can get out of their own way and get sh*t done. Moral of the story-we should appreciate them, each other, and moreover, they should appreciate themselves! Really fun, feel-good read.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wouldn’t usually call something with so much fake blood and gruesome murder adorable, but dammit this was adorable. It kind of melted my heart a little bit.

[Peter Derk · Rating 5 out of 5]

I ended up kinda loving it!

Penny is a 20-30-something lady who is sort of a scumbag, but in that charming way where she's not a BAD person, maybe just a little gross here and there and blunt in a way that's not the nicest. It's hard to describe because I'm not sure this person actually exists. I think attractive people think they're this person when they forget to put on deodorant (you're not, people would probably hit it anyway), and truly vile people probably think they're this person because they don't want to admit that having a pile of actual garbage in one's bedroom is indicative of more than just not being overly concerned with outward appearances. This is how the rat man started on Hoarders, and the rat man on Hoarders was not just a charming rebel pulling a Stevie Nicks and going his own way. He had rats licking his eyeballs for moisture. This is not a matter of different strokes.

Penny is like sort of the bizarro of the manic pixie dreamgirl. Which I guess would be a slothful troll nightmaregirl. Except she's not a slothful troll.

I'm making Penny sound WAY worse than she is. She's just normal, but somehow she's surrounded by go-getters who are real assholes. I think she's super likable and would be a fun person to be around, mostly, just so long as you didn't set her up on a date with someone you were friends with because she'd probably make it awkward between you and your friend from there on.

I also really liked that this was a non-romantic book that had a female main character. Stuff happens, but romance isn't the focus of the book. Like, she didn't learn a lesson, that real beauty is inside or that she's good enough or whatever. I think she already knows she's good enough, she just doesn't seem to be super inclined, romantically, at this particular point in her life. And that's cool, I read SO MANY indie comics focused only on love, as well as so many comics not focused on love that try to cram it in. It's enough to drive a person nuts.

If you're doing a comic about, I don't know, an intergalactic space war or whatever, don't feel like you have to cram in a love story. Because you don't. If Penny can avoid a love story and Penny doesn't have any intergalactic anything, you'll manage. You can write the love part, and let's just assume it happened after the space war. Does everything have to happen at the same time in a person's life?

I would recommend this to anyone who is at that awkward stage of life, maybe late 20's, where your dreams and your reality collide head-on, and you start thinking like, "Fuuuuuuck. I guess I could keep doing this for...35 more years!?" It's a look at that part of live, but not a depressing look, nor a look meant to motivate you in a cheesy way.

That stage of life where most people think about buying a tiny house off the grid or trying to get rich or learning to build apps or whatever. God do I not miss those days.

[Hadia · Rating 4 out of 5]

An unexpectedly wholesome yet quirky graphic novel? Heck yes! ✨

[Carolee Wheeler · Rating 5 out of 5]

How did I sleep on this one for so long? The characters are awesome, the plot is weirdly uplifting for being about fake-stabbing a bunch of people, and the art is nothing short of jaw-dropping. I loved the nose-thumbing at conventional society, too. My only complaint is that there was too much packed into each page! My old eyes got tired tragically fast.

Highly recommended!

[Matt Graupman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Halfway through 2019 and here it is: my favorite comic of the year. Seriously, I know there’s still six months left until the calendar flips but I have a hard time believing that I’m going to read a better graphic novel than MK Reed’, Greg Means’, and Matt Wiegle’s funny, engrossing, and charming “Penny Nichols.” Combining the sardonic slice-of-life comics of Alex Robinson with the emotional depth of Joe Ollmann’s work and drawn in a hyperactive Mitch Clem-esque style, “Penny Nichols” is the kind of book that surprises you out of nowhere and makes you want to lend your copy to every comics-loving friend you have.

At first glance, the titular Penny Nichols is your average comics protagonist: a loser in her late-20s, single, working a dead end temp job, with no real drive to improve her life. But she refuses to let everyday disappointments grind her down; she’s actually fairly content, with a good sense of humor, and a sensible head on her shoulders. By chance, she befriends Sam and Bobert, two budding filmmakers, and she’s invited to help them with their latest movie project, a no-budget schlock horror film called “Blood Wedding.” A pragmatist amongst a horde of dreamers, Penny finds herself taking on more and more responsibilities on the film (driver, set dresser, script supervisor, grip, etc., ultimately becoming a de facto producer) and truly enjoying her time with the movie’s geeky cast and crew of misfits; a sort of surrogate family. Make no mistake, “Penny Nichols” is a dense book. There’s a lot of plot and a lot of scenes but it’s so much fun to read; it’s pretty much the exact opposite of the equally plot-heavy - but obtuse and plodding - “Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid On Earth” by Chris Ware. “Penny Nichols,” though not a quick read, is briskly-paced, quippy, and seriously laugh-out-loud funny. And it’s a good thing that it’s not a fast book; that gives the reader more time to savor Matt Wiegle’s fun, animated art. Packed full of rich, complex characters, ludicrously gory but fun horror scenes, and loads of heart, “Penny Nichols” is a non-stop delight from the first page to the last.

So I’d never heard of this book when I saw it on the shelf of my local bookstore and, goddammit, I’m glad I bought it. There’s practically no better feeling than stumbling on a comic that you know nothing about and then having it charm you so thoroughly. So, it’s official, comics creators and publishers releasing books in the remainder of 2019: the bar has been set. Good luck.

[Maia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Penny hates her temp job, hates her roommate, loves but clashes often with her only sister, and at 26 has not figured out what she wants to do with her life. She's working at her sister's health juice booth at a convention when she meets two enthusiastic nerds who make short horror films. Their budgets are as small as their hearts are large, but Penny decides to sign on to the project and is soon helping with almost every aspect: scriptwriting, scheduling, casting, making props, lights, sound, acting, directing. It's wonderful to watch her discover a group of oddballs with whom to laugh, plan, and splash fake blood. They are working on a deadline: they want to submit the film to Splattercon, a local horror film fest, so they need to finish a full cut of the film in two months. Will they make it? (Even if they don't, the real win is the friendships they make a long the way.)

[Skye Kilaen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had such a good time re-reading this hilarious graphic novel about a woman whose life is blah until she somewhat accidentally starts helping a group of amateur filmmakers with their next horror flick. I love Penny’s journey to finding something to be passionate about, and there are SO many wonderful secondary characters, from the director's pregnant wife to the local thespian professor to the French au pair hired by Penny's sister. I'm not even a horror movie fan, but you don't have to be to appreciate the way these people come together around a creative project.

CW: There is a secondary character nicknamed an ableist slur, Spazzy.

[Ethan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The easy comparison here is Young Frances by Hartley Lin, but this is replaces a lot of that optimistic sentimentality with gen-X cynicism making them read very differently - even if the surface level similarities are strong. Instead, this is more of a love letter to indie film-making. There's a real joy to the pacing of this, we struggle with the characters as they try to get their movie made, and the push towards the climax makes it all the more worthwhile in the end. I'd absolutely watch their movie a dozen times.

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surprisingly-great!

I didn't think much of the cover, and the seemingly-too-specific plot focus sounded iffy, but this turned out to be quite the read.

Penny Nichols is actually funny. So many books claim to be funny, few are -- this one actually is. It tells a good story, and even a story-within-a story (via the film itself, 'Blood Wedding'). Penny, the main character, is likeable and relatable, and she's witty and cynical in just the right way. I guess the book gives off a 'Clerks' vibe, without the long-winded speeches, with misfits hanging out in black and white doing what they like, whether they realize it or not. Nichols also functions as sneaky film advice and guidance for young and inexperienced film amateurs and industry folk. I imagine more experienced film people would get a kick out of reading this too, with a nod to paying their dues, or the simpler days of low-budget projects of love.

I feel this is a good choice for high school libraries. It features post-high school people, trying to figure themselves out in their 20s, struggling with jobs and careers and passion, and it spotlights film, the arts, and finding your calling and your friends in weird and unexpected places, and not necessarily via university. One of the nice moments in the book is when Penny realizes she used to love being in school plays as a child, and that she is in fact reconnecting with that love through the making of a ridiculous slasher film as an adult -- which I think could inspire teens and young adults alike.

There is quite a bit of black-and-white gore in here, but it is all done tastefully and artfully.

4.6 Stars

[Snail · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed the witty writing, the character’s interactions and easy, natural dialogue, and the build of the story. Very refreshing change of pace after reading a lot of manga.

I loved how much the characters all loved what they were doing. These moments of joy, like the scene where they just want to film fireworks and then everyone starts dancing. Excellent.

Also, while there was drama, none of it felt forced, and the drama was resolved or dealt with in interesting and engaging ways. The relationship between Penny and her sister, for instance. Or the main drama with the director. The role of the babysitter was also really interesting. People’s imperfections are acknowledged and accepted—or at least worked around.

And Penny staying true to her word about falling on dicks not solving everything! Thoroughly refreshing. Solid from start to finish.

I’d definitely read more about these characters.

[Dakota Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple and sweet, Penny Nichols is the kind of book that sucks you in despite itself. The plot isn't exactly thrilling: Penny is a dejected temp worker, sarcastic and smart, but without any real direction. She stumbles into a film-making gig with a pair of splatter horror-obsessed film nerds and their quirky friends. Over the course of 200 pages, the group make a silly, gross movie.

The book is packed, packed with dialogue, but almost all of it is clever and realistic. We get to see the nitty-gritty details of DIY film-making, as well as glimpses of Penny's slowly improving life. The ending is predictable, but it'll make you smile. The art is far more appealing than I initially expected. There are few surprises in Penny Nichols, aside from how pleasant and diverting a read it is.

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a funny-but-realistic graphic novel about making a low-budget horror movie. What little I've learned about such things made the story incredibly believable, especially the flaky writer-director. The only unrealistic part is that the cast didn't really murder him for the purpose of finishing the movie, finally, but his flakiness was a good touch. It helped showcase the difference that Penny's participation in the project made.
The idea of a wedding-themed slasher movie was a clever touch, but the cover illustration, showing Penny filling several of the jobs she took over to get the film done...that was even better.
The main character is a mid-20s woman who simply hasn't figured out what to do with her life. She works temp jobs and hasn't found anyone she'd want as a regular boyfriend, much less a husband. That means she's the perfect, and available, babysitter for her neurotic sister, bringing Penny into contact with her two delightful nieces.
I'm glad I stumbled across this book. I had previously read The Cute Girl Network by Reed and Means, but this was a bit better. I will be recommending this to some filmmakers I know...

[Marilyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this. Penny is an outsider, someone who hasn’t found her tribe, or her career, or even her goal in life, until she meets Sam and Bobert while at a temp job. She falls into helping them make an indie horror film and finds friendship and her focus. This was such a great story with a lot of funny one-liners. I really enjoyed Penny and her friends, even if I don’t have the desire to see or film horror films at all, I could appreciate their passion for it. Penny is not a pushover in the slightest which I also appreciated. It’s almost a late-20s coming of age story.

[Mitchell Friedman · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can't build a book out of just snark. Okay, you can't build a good book out of just snark. Okay, you shouldn't build a book out of just snark even if it turns out good. This book started out slow. And with lot's of words. I started being a believer on the page the pregnant woman stole a wheel-chair. And then they started filming. And Penny comes into her own. And the movie dialogue was snappy. Silly and cheezy but definitely snappy. And big finish. So not an evenly done book. 3.5 of 5. And upon conversation and reflection. 4.0 of 5.0

[luna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was literally the book of my dreams like

Horror movie production? Depressed and lost main character in the beginning who slowly finds a purpose for herself through something she grows to love? Sign me up

[Aurora · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one was super fun! I was taking it slow so I didn’t finish too fast. The characters were really fleshed out and I loved all the true-to-life behind-the-scenes stuff about making a movie!

[Katy · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun read! A book of oddballs, quirky conversation and vats of blood made from corn syrup. Light hearted amusement with an intelligent core.