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Unpacking
“Unpacking” is a deep-dive into the mind of a recently-separated guy who’s struggling to forgive, having trouble letting anyone else into his life, and unable to risk getting hurt again in order to find someone. When is it a good idea to follow your heart? How do you end it and not hate each other afterwards?
234 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2018
About the author
Steve MacIsaac
27 books44 followersSteve MacIsaac is a Canadian cartoonist currently living in Long Beach. Perhaps best known for illustrating STICKY, his wordless collaboration with Dale Lazarov. In 2006 he has launched his series SHIRTLIFTER, featuring a variety of fictional and autobiographical comics about contemporary queer life.
MacIsaac's work has been featured in a variety of anthologies, including The Book of Boy Trouble, The Book of Boy Trouble 2, Best Erotic Comics 2008, Stripped, True Porn, and many others.
In addition to the print editions, Steve maintains a thrice-weekly webcomic version of SHIRTLIFTER over at the portal ModernTales. He uses the site as an opportunity to post new work-in-progress, as well as revised versions of older, out-of-print material.
MacIsaac's work has been featured in a variety of anthologies, including The Book of Boy Trouble, The Book of Boy Trouble 2, Best Erotic Comics 2008, Stripped, True Porn, and many others.
In addition to the print editions, Steve maintains a thrice-weekly webcomic version of SHIRTLIFTER over at the portal ModernTales. He uses the site as an opportunity to post new work-in-progress, as well as revised versions of older, out-of-print material.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
July 1, 2019
Bears, bears and bears. Oh my!
Sexually explicit story of a guy getting over the end of an 8-year relationship and trying to get his groove back. Breaking up is a pretty universal experience, but there are some gay-specific aspects due to different societal expectations.
Parts are very text heavy. Other parts are practically porn with a Tom of Finland style. I would expect this to mostly appeal to gay men, but it was loaned to me by a lesbian, so what do I know?
Sexually explicit story of a guy getting over the end of an 8-year relationship and trying to get his groove back. Breaking up is a pretty universal experience, but there are some gay-specific aspects due to different societal expectations.
Parts are very text heavy. Other parts are practically porn with a Tom of Finland style. I would expect this to mostly appeal to gay men, but it was loaned to me by a lesbian, so what do I know?
November 23, 2024
Mini-Review: I'm really glad I stumbled onto this. Steve MacIsaac's full-length graphic novel is over 200 beautifully illustrated pages of steamy, important content. It's a rich exploration of one man's journey of overcoming his rough breakup: A man with looks who could kill, and who would kill for a connection that would last. As he meets many men in his orbit for casual fun, he meets a guy who checks none of his boxes. And it gets complicated. This story was surprisingly tender amidst all the stunning, rich imagery. I really loved it. Can't wait to read more from Steve MacIsaac.
March 2, 2025
Sad masc bottom/lonesome Canadian bear searches for connection after a devastating breakup. Accurately captures that treading-water feeling after a longterm relationship ends. Life goes on, you go to work, you hang out with friends…but something is missing. I loved how visuals added to the overall melancholic, alienated tone: all those deep, solid shadows and empty streets.
Even butches get the blues!
Even butches get the blues!
December 20, 2018
I've loved 'Shirtlifter' since I bumped into it, and this collected volume, Unpacking, is beautifully packaged and I'm so freaking glad I jumped on the Kickstarter.
(More thorough review to come later).
(More thorough review to come later).
June 6, 2020
This book is bizarrley timely for me since I, like the protagonist, am coming out of an eight year relationship that ended...poorly.
I adore Steve MacIsaac's work and have ever since I first read his short comic in the collection "I Like it Like That." Since then I've steadily tried to read his body of work, and so when I discovered he had finally published a full graphic novel I was all too happy to pick the book up on Etsy. This story follows Matt, a gay man living in Canada who's recently moved into a new apartment and is dealing with the emotional blow of his long-time partner leaving him for a younger man. We see him sleeping randomly with other men until he meets a closeted married man from Australia and the two begin a complicated affair.
MacIsaac's artwork is really beautiful, and one of the amazing strengths of this book is his panel layouts which are dynamic emotionally resonating. This story is approachable, regardless of the reader's sexual orientation, and resonates in its honest look at humanity specifically the flaws and difficulties that emerge in relationships. Matt's heartbreak, his emotional longing, and his honest desire for a connection following his breakup really hit me as I find myself following my divorce. Life and the seemingly endless the emotional hurdles and stumblings that follow a break-up are represented here in such stunning accuracy that many times I had to pause and really just soak in the experience of this book.
MacIsaac is a wonder and the reader is sure to disappear into this wonderful book which asks nothing more from the reader than a real vulnerability. Such a request is a powerful statement, but Unpacking pays it off in spades.
One last note, I just wanted to give endless love to MacIsaac himself because he actually drew a little stud in the opening pages of my copy along with a small dedication. Thank you so much Steve!
I adore Steve MacIsaac's work and have ever since I first read his short comic in the collection "I Like it Like That." Since then I've steadily tried to read his body of work, and so when I discovered he had finally published a full graphic novel I was all too happy to pick the book up on Etsy. This story follows Matt, a gay man living in Canada who's recently moved into a new apartment and is dealing with the emotional blow of his long-time partner leaving him for a younger man. We see him sleeping randomly with other men until he meets a closeted married man from Australia and the two begin a complicated affair.
MacIsaac's artwork is really beautiful, and one of the amazing strengths of this book is his panel layouts which are dynamic emotionally resonating. This story is approachable, regardless of the reader's sexual orientation, and resonates in its honest look at humanity specifically the flaws and difficulties that emerge in relationships. Matt's heartbreak, his emotional longing, and his honest desire for a connection following his breakup really hit me as I find myself following my divorce. Life and the seemingly endless the emotional hurdles and stumblings that follow a break-up are represented here in such stunning accuracy that many times I had to pause and really just soak in the experience of this book.
MacIsaac is a wonder and the reader is sure to disappear into this wonderful book which asks nothing more from the reader than a real vulnerability. Such a request is a powerful statement, but Unpacking pays it off in spades.
One last note, I just wanted to give endless love to MacIsaac himself because he actually drew a little stud in the opening pages of my copy along with a small dedication. Thank you so much Steve!
December 30, 2018
This collection was a good read. It's relatable, real, and dope af. I'd recommend picking this one up for sure.
Read
May 23, 2019A good mix of story, romance, sex, and real life situations. I read it fast and enjoyed it.
March 24, 2025
I went into Unpacking knowing nothing about the premise, and it was not what I expected at all. I guess I assumed it would be about a Canadian Bear going on dates to open himself up to new love after heartbreak. It was about that, but it was so much more.
First, MacIsaac is an amazing artist. His line work is brilliant, and it comes through beautifully in how characters move in space, carry their bodies, and express emotions on their faces. His use of white space and perspectives convey emotional distances.
The Canadian Bear in question, Matt, is still in a severe funk over his ex, and he’s avoiding anything that might help him move on. Instead, he fills his life with avoiding his “happy couple” friends and engaging in hookups.
Then Matt meets Connor, and they have incredible sexual chemistry, leading Matt to allow Connor to push him into breaking all his rules. Including the fact that Connor is a married “straight” man who holds some very messed up views about queerness, gender roles, and family structures. The two start seeing each other, and MacIsaac paints an incredible portrait of how each of them, very differently, seeks to never define what they have as a relationship.
While Matt argues with Connor’s regressive views and tries to bring him into gay male spaces to push against Connor’s beliefs by allowing him to be part of queer culture, ultimately, Connor cannot reconcile his homophobia with his heart feelings for Matt. Matt also realizes how much Connor was a distraction from dealing with his unpacking of his last relationship, how he puts his coupled friends on relationship pedestals, the literal unpacking of his home, and his views on what kind of future he wants with a partner.
I very much appreciated how MacIsaac showed Connor’s homophobia as entrenched in misogyny. When Matt quizzes Connor about his marriage, asking him things like if he’d ever asked about opening his marriage or if his wife desired a m/m/f threesome, Connor dismisses this due to his misogynistic view of his wife as a non-sexual and non-desirous human.
Unpacking got a lot heavier than I expected, but overall, it ends on a positive note about how you can get your mental and emotional health back on track and how much choosing how you want to have romantic and sexual relationships is crucial over just great sexual chemistry or heading back to your ex.
First, MacIsaac is an amazing artist. His line work is brilliant, and it comes through beautifully in how characters move in space, carry their bodies, and express emotions on their faces. His use of white space and perspectives convey emotional distances.
The Canadian Bear in question, Matt, is still in a severe funk over his ex, and he’s avoiding anything that might help him move on. Instead, he fills his life with avoiding his “happy couple” friends and engaging in hookups.
Then Matt meets Connor, and they have incredible sexual chemistry, leading Matt to allow Connor to push him into breaking all his rules. Including the fact that Connor is a married “straight” man who holds some very messed up views about queerness, gender roles, and family structures. The two start seeing each other, and MacIsaac paints an incredible portrait of how each of them, very differently, seeks to never define what they have as a relationship.
While Matt argues with Connor’s regressive views and tries to bring him into gay male spaces to push against Connor’s beliefs by allowing him to be part of queer culture, ultimately, Connor cannot reconcile his homophobia with his heart feelings for Matt. Matt also realizes how much Connor was a distraction from dealing with his unpacking of his last relationship, how he puts his coupled friends on relationship pedestals, the literal unpacking of his home, and his views on what kind of future he wants with a partner.
I very much appreciated how MacIsaac showed Connor’s homophobia as entrenched in misogyny. When Matt quizzes Connor about his marriage, asking him things like if he’d ever asked about opening his marriage or if his wife desired a m/m/f threesome, Connor dismisses this due to his misogynistic view of his wife as a non-sexual and non-desirous human.
Unpacking got a lot heavier than I expected, but overall, it ends on a positive note about how you can get your mental and emotional health back on track and how much choosing how you want to have romantic and sexual relationships is crucial over just great sexual chemistry or heading back to your ex.
November 16, 2019
A story about being alone and wondering when or if it's time to stop being alone, mixed with sexual encounters and other details of an ordinary life. MacIsaac brings his characters a lot of reality in the visuals, plot, and dialogue. Seeing comics like this featuring queer characters is a big part of what makes publishers like Northwest Press so important.
August 13, 2020
I read this story as part of the Shirtlifter series. I am leaving this rating here because great LGBT comics like this are rare and deserves wider exposure.
Other titles I would recommend are
- The Young Protectors series by Alex Woolfson
- Liebestrasse by Greg Lockard
Other titles I would recommend are
- The Young Protectors series by Alex Woolfson
- Liebestrasse by Greg Lockard
June 29, 2020
What an enjoyable read. MacIsaac did a great job capturing the the effects of the brokenhearted, and the journey back to peace.
March 9, 2024
There are two sides to every story, and we all have a tendency to edit our own history to fit a more convenient narrative, sometimes to write ourselves as the hero, sometimes the victim.
November 6, 2020
Simply a gorgeous graphic novel. Thank you.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews