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Nancy: A Comic Collection
In 2018, Olivia Jaimes became the first woman to write and illustrate the classic comic strip Nancy. Her fresh, irreverent take on the classic comic strip has become a sensation with readers and has earned praise from dozens of media outlets, several of which have named it the best comic of the year. This hardcover collection includes the first nine months of Jaimes' run on Nancy, along with an introduction, essay, interview with the author, and a special gallery of Nancy fan art by the author.
144 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 2019
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About the author
Olivia Jaimes
6 books15 followersOlivia Jaimes is the pseudonym of an American cartoonist currently authoring and illustrating the daily comic strip Nancy, updating it for a modern audience.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 129 reviews
November 11, 2019
Nancy: A Comic Collection collects the Nancy strips from April 9, 2018 to January 13, 2019, written and drawn by Olivia Jaimes.
Nancy was always one of those newspaper strips I was vaguely aware of but never got into. Until, that is, people started reTweeting Nancy strips by Olivia Jaimes. I was hooked right away.
In the afterword, Jaimes says she set out to modernize Nancy a bit and return her to her jerky roots. Mission accomplished! While staying true to the look of the strip established by Ernie Bushmiller, Jaimes' Nancy spends a lot of time talking smack and playing on her phone or computer. Jaimes is equally adept at visual gags and at wordplay. Sluggo takes a word balloon to the head on one occasion, for instance.
While it won't make you forget Calvin and Hobbes, Nancy by Olivia Jaimes is one of the best comic strips going today. 4 out of 5 stars.
Nancy was always one of those newspaper strips I was vaguely aware of but never got into. Until, that is, people started reTweeting Nancy strips by Olivia Jaimes. I was hooked right away.
In the afterword, Jaimes says she set out to modernize Nancy a bit and return her to her jerky roots. Mission accomplished! While staying true to the look of the strip established by Ernie Bushmiller, Jaimes' Nancy spends a lot of time talking smack and playing on her phone or computer. Jaimes is equally adept at visual gags and at wordplay. Sluggo takes a word balloon to the head on one occasion, for instance.
While it won't make you forget Calvin and Hobbes, Nancy by Olivia Jaimes is one of the best comic strips going today. 4 out of 5 stars.
March 20, 2020
I read some of Ernie Bushmiller's original Nancy strips before I read this book, by the woman who has taken up the mantle of Nancy creator for our times. I grew up reading the strips in my daily paper. And over the years realized that the very image of Nancy was a continuing cultural icon. In the sixties I saw Andy Warhol was kind of obsessed with Nancy, which you can see in his op-art.
James is terrific, bringing the surreal sensibility of Nancy to the present moment:
https://www.gocomics.com/comics/lists...
Here's what I mean, seen with the help of another review:
https://rockojerome.com/2018/10/01/i-...
Yes, they are different, and you will inevitably prefer one over the other.
How to Read Nancy, a book about reading comics, how they work, seen through Bushmiller’s technique, which I think in a way James illustrates understands:
http://www.laffpix.com/howtoreadnancy...
James is terrific, bringing the surreal sensibility of Nancy to the present moment:
https://www.gocomics.com/comics/lists...
Here's what I mean, seen with the help of another review:
https://rockojerome.com/2018/10/01/i-...
Yes, they are different, and you will inevitably prefer one over the other.
How to Read Nancy, a book about reading comics, how they work, seen through Bushmiller’s technique, which I think in a way James illustrates understands:
http://www.laffpix.com/howtoreadnancy...
May 27, 2020
As a kid, and with a few notable exceptions, I don’t think I actually *enjoyed* many of the Sunday newspaper comics so much as I ritualistically and perplexedly plowed my way through most of them each week.
Even though its anachronistic, seemingly just-post-WWII references were often hugely mystifying to me, the comic Nancy, with its colorful minimalist and Pop Art aesthetic and its proudly obnoxious little girl protagonist, was one that always at least caught my eye as a kid.
Although I would not have used this language at the time, I was particularly stymied by the lack of relatable or empowering female representation throughout the majority of the (let’s say early 80s or so) “Sunday Funnies.” And, although I didn’t necessarily find Nancy particularly “likeable,” and also wouldn’t have used this language at the time, I guess I appreciated that Nancy wasn’t afraid to get her needs met and to take up space. Like, a lot of it. Nancy definitely got away with shit that you just did not see other little girl or women comic strip characters being able to pull off, and she was unabashed and unashamed. And, she was not at all cute about it, either.
No, Nancy wasn’t perfect. But consider some of the other female role model alternatives waving for help from the Saharan landscape of my childhood Sunday comics:
-the even-then retrograde Cathy, completely undone and reduced to a trembling pile of chocolate, rubble, sweat, tears, and ACK! by swimsuit try-ons, dates, paperwork, and seemingly everything else. Not gonna lie, Cathy completely fucked me up. There seemed no point whatsoever to growing up and having THAT to look forward to.
-Brenda Starr - was she a reporter? a secretary? a detective? - I have no idea, as her comic was like three panels of minimal storytelling mostly obscured by her waves of hair the color of Clifford the Big Red Dog, barely containable within the frame, and her eyelashes that make Kim K. look like the Before of a Latisse ad. I was SO conflicted about Brenda Starr, because she was clearly the most beautiful in all the paper, but also by far the most incredibly boring as hell - like even Prince Valiant was probably better, and he was the freaking worst.
-Broom Hilda. Enough said. Already knew women could be witches: Next.
-Blondie (and Dagwood) and Andy Capp (and Flo?) were adjacent and also extremely anachronistic strips, and thus all tumble into a giant confusing rabbit hole for me. What I remember is the surreptitious fetching of a lot of impossibly towering sandwiches and beers, Blondie’s impossible hourglass figure, and something about wearing curlers and chasing your impossible husband around with a rolling pin. Yikes.
What an annals of dysfunction and bleak map to womanhood, am I right? Truly, beyond the sneaky appeal of Nancy, and perhaps Marcie calling Peppermint Patty “sir” (Mind. Blown!), there was a deficit of anything even remotely gender norm-subversive in there.
So, I was really glad to see that Nancy has been revitalized for the 21st Century, by an anonymous woman (for the first time!) artist, no less, and with all the owning it, IDGAF, BDE that she possessed back in the day - only with references to, say, Tik Tok, rather than, like, the telegraph.
If we ever get to - safely - go to bookstores and birthday parties again, it’s worth mentioning that this book is large-format and pleasing to the eye, and it would make a great gift: a hipster coffee table book that also provides opportunities for intergenerational communication and exchange, once we can again have it!
Even though its anachronistic, seemingly just-post-WWII references were often hugely mystifying to me, the comic Nancy, with its colorful minimalist and Pop Art aesthetic and its proudly obnoxious little girl protagonist, was one that always at least caught my eye as a kid.
Although I would not have used this language at the time, I was particularly stymied by the lack of relatable or empowering female representation throughout the majority of the (let’s say early 80s or so) “Sunday Funnies.” And, although I didn’t necessarily find Nancy particularly “likeable,” and also wouldn’t have used this language at the time, I guess I appreciated that Nancy wasn’t afraid to get her needs met and to take up space. Like, a lot of it. Nancy definitely got away with shit that you just did not see other little girl or women comic strip characters being able to pull off, and she was unabashed and unashamed. And, she was not at all cute about it, either.
No, Nancy wasn’t perfect. But consider some of the other female role model alternatives waving for help from the Saharan landscape of my childhood Sunday comics:
-the even-then retrograde Cathy, completely undone and reduced to a trembling pile of chocolate, rubble, sweat, tears, and ACK! by swimsuit try-ons, dates, paperwork, and seemingly everything else. Not gonna lie, Cathy completely fucked me up. There seemed no point whatsoever to growing up and having THAT to look forward to.
-Brenda Starr - was she a reporter? a secretary? a detective? - I have no idea, as her comic was like three panels of minimal storytelling mostly obscured by her waves of hair the color of Clifford the Big Red Dog, barely containable within the frame, and her eyelashes that make Kim K. look like the Before of a Latisse ad. I was SO conflicted about Brenda Starr, because she was clearly the most beautiful in all the paper, but also by far the most incredibly boring as hell - like even Prince Valiant was probably better, and he was the freaking worst.
-Broom Hilda. Enough said. Already knew women could be witches: Next.
-Blondie (and Dagwood) and Andy Capp (and Flo?) were adjacent and also extremely anachronistic strips, and thus all tumble into a giant confusing rabbit hole for me. What I remember is the surreptitious fetching of a lot of impossibly towering sandwiches and beers, Blondie’s impossible hourglass figure, and something about wearing curlers and chasing your impossible husband around with a rolling pin. Yikes.
What an annals of dysfunction and bleak map to womanhood, am I right? Truly, beyond the sneaky appeal of Nancy, and perhaps Marcie calling Peppermint Patty “sir” (Mind. Blown!), there was a deficit of anything even remotely gender norm-subversive in there.
So, I was really glad to see that Nancy has been revitalized for the 21st Century, by an anonymous woman (for the first time!) artist, no less, and with all the owning it, IDGAF, BDE that she possessed back in the day - only with references to, say, Tik Tok, rather than, like, the telegraph.
If we ever get to - safely - go to bookstores and birthday parties again, it’s worth mentioning that this book is large-format and pleasing to the eye, and it would make a great gift: a hipster coffee table book that also provides opportunities for intergenerational communication and exchange, once we can again have it!
November 28, 2019
Amusing. After seeing her taking up space on the comic pages in newspapers for decades without generating even a chuckle, I never thought I would seek out, much less enjoy, a collection of Nancy strips. Nice.
September 12, 2019
I was never a big reader of comic books, but like most children I wanted to read the comics in the newspaper and I always read Nancy first. I think I enjoyed how real she seemed... like a girl I could know. She was just a normal kid like me. She was a bit sassy at times; she was awkward; she was imperfect. And I loved all of that about her.
I looked it up. The original strip debute in 1922. So when I read them in the 1960s and 1970s she was already middle aged. But a year ago Olivia Jaimes brought Nancy back to the page and created the same vivid girl with the same iconic look, but very modern struggles. This Nancy stays up into the wee hours playing on her phone. This Nancy is on Instagram and is worried about the number of Followers. This Nancy uses today's slang and reminds her aunt that "fresh" no longer means "rude." This Nancy even wears pants!
I am aware that some fans were disappointed, but I loved them. The comic is still about the normal life of a normal girl. It is just about a normal girl living in this decade. It is funny, a bit silly, and sometimes heartwarming. And for me, it was very nostalgic and sweet.
Nancy is a great comic for girls because it isn't often that the comic's star is a girl and even rarer that the artist is a woman.
Thank You NetGalley, Olivia Jaimes and the publisher for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I looked it up. The original strip debute in 1922. So when I read them in the 1960s and 1970s she was already middle aged. But a year ago Olivia Jaimes brought Nancy back to the page and created the same vivid girl with the same iconic look, but very modern struggles. This Nancy stays up into the wee hours playing on her phone. This Nancy is on Instagram and is worried about the number of Followers. This Nancy uses today's slang and reminds her aunt that "fresh" no longer means "rude." This Nancy even wears pants!
I am aware that some fans were disappointed, but I loved them. The comic is still about the normal life of a normal girl. It is just about a normal girl living in this decade. It is funny, a bit silly, and sometimes heartwarming. And for me, it was very nostalgic and sweet.
Nancy is a great comic for girls because it isn't often that the comic's star is a girl and even rarer that the artist is a woman.
Thank You NetGalley, Olivia Jaimes and the publisher for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
January 14, 2020
I’ve never had much interest in syndicated comics. I read Calvin & Hobbes in high school on my lunch breaks (I worked in a bookstore) and loved it, but outside of that title, nothing piqued my interest.
I’ve had a peripheral knowledge of Nancy for years, but it was the slew of positive reviews and presence on “Best of..” year-end lists that brought James’ run to my attention. Once I found out that James is actually the first woman to write and draw the comic in its 100(ish) year run, I was seized by curiosity and decided to give it a try.
I’m no expert on humour, but I thought this was pretty funny. Gag strips like this have such limited space that I find it rare that something REALLY makes me laugh, but it’s impressive that James gets so much payoff with her punchlines with so few panels. I like that James has made the issues and jokes current and reflective of the time they’re being published -- like other wildly popular humour comics, it helps makes the humour self-deprecating in that readers can see themselves in Nancy and laugh at her/themselves.
As I said, I’ve never read Nancy so I don’t know how James’ run compares to past runs, but I enjoyed this introduction to the character. This bound up hardcover edition also has some great backmatter -- an interview with James’ and an essay on women in syndicated comics -- that supplemented the comics and provided some useful context for new readers like myself. Recommended.
I’ve had a peripheral knowledge of Nancy for years, but it was the slew of positive reviews and presence on “Best of..” year-end lists that brought James’ run to my attention. Once I found out that James is actually the first woman to write and draw the comic in its 100(ish) year run, I was seized by curiosity and decided to give it a try.
I’m no expert on humour, but I thought this was pretty funny. Gag strips like this have such limited space that I find it rare that something REALLY makes me laugh, but it’s impressive that James gets so much payoff with her punchlines with so few panels. I like that James has made the issues and jokes current and reflective of the time they’re being published -- like other wildly popular humour comics, it helps makes the humour self-deprecating in that readers can see themselves in Nancy and laugh at her/themselves.
As I said, I’ve never read Nancy so I don’t know how James’ run compares to past runs, but I enjoyed this introduction to the character. This bound up hardcover edition also has some great backmatter -- an interview with James’ and an essay on women in syndicated comics -- that supplemented the comics and provided some useful context for new readers like myself. Recommended.
December 25, 2019
3 stars for content and 1 star for nostalgia. Thanks to Edelweiss and Andrews McMeel Publishing for allowing me to read and review this comic collection.
This cartoon book caught my eye and I just had to have it. As child I did not get hard backed books, I got comic books. My two favorite ones were Baby Huey and Nancy with Casper the Friendly Ghost coming in very close behind.
In reading thru this, way too short, book I reminisced with Nancy and Sluggo over a number of the things I remembered from the past and enjoyed every single frame. (even tho a new illustrator has now taken over!)
This cartoon book caught my eye and I just had to have it. As child I did not get hard backed books, I got comic books. My two favorite ones were Baby Huey and Nancy with Casper the Friendly Ghost coming in very close behind.
In reading thru this, way too short, book I reminisced with Nancy and Sluggo over a number of the things I remembered from the past and enjoyed every single frame. (even tho a new illustrator has now taken over!)
August 12, 2019
If, like me, you're a fan of newspaper comics, it's somewhat annoying to have what are often called "zombie comics" wasting space. You know the ones I mean--the ones that continue being published long after the original artist/writer died, or the ones that have lost their inspiration long ago, or the ones that are on seemingly their 100th artist and/or writer.
Until recently, Nancy was in that category. That is somewhat understandable--the original strip it spun off from, "Fritzi Ritz", debuted in 1922. But in April 2018, the pseudonymous writer/artist Olivia Jaimes did the impossible. She brought Nancy back to vibrant life. This book is the first collection of Jaimes' "Nancy" strips. It spans the first 9 months of her run.
Jaimes has attracted both praise and criticism in the past year and few months. She is one of the few women writer/artists on the comics page, and it shows. Jaimes made Nancy's aunt Fritzi, who cares for her, look more like a pretty soccer mom than the bombshell she had been previously. She added new friends, like Esther. Nancy began to speak in modern slang and wear pants occasionally. She often broke the fourth wall and made meta jokes. Most importantly, Nancy became extremely tech-savvy. She is addicted to her cell phone and social media. She's part of her school's robotics club. Aunt Fritzi shops online. These changes alienated fans, mostly older men, while attracting many new ones. This resulted in a hilarious strip in which Jaimes put Nancy on a hoverboard with a cell phone in each hand and Aunt Fritzi in a head to toe snowsuit.
However, Jaimes didn't throw away everything. She recognized the elements that made Nancy iconic. Nancy and Sluggo look much the same. The famously spare environments that Nancy and company travel in remain. Nancy stayed sassy and grumpy. She loves Sluggo, distracting adults, and food. (The first Jaimes strip has a woman observer saying that Nancy is "a sweet girl...and a salt girl...and she's going in on that cornbread!".)
In addition to the strips, this collection features an essay from the editor, an interview with Jaimes, and some bonus Nancy art. This provides some insight into the changes Jaimes has made. There are many comic strips featuring little boys, with little girls as sidekicks or nemeses. Nancy is one of the comparatively rare strips that puts a little girl front and center. With Jaimes at the helm, Nancy is relatable for modern girls. The vocabulary can be easily understood by a child at a fourth or fifth grade reading level. Adult women may see their childhood selves in her, and relate to Nancy's teachers and Fritzi. This is a great collection for anyone who appreciates the art of comic strips.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read and laugh at an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Until recently, Nancy was in that category. That is somewhat understandable--the original strip it spun off from, "Fritzi Ritz", debuted in 1922. But in April 2018, the pseudonymous writer/artist Olivia Jaimes did the impossible. She brought Nancy back to vibrant life. This book is the first collection of Jaimes' "Nancy" strips. It spans the first 9 months of her run.
Jaimes has attracted both praise and criticism in the past year and few months. She is one of the few women writer/artists on the comics page, and it shows. Jaimes made Nancy's aunt Fritzi, who cares for her, look more like a pretty soccer mom than the bombshell she had been previously. She added new friends, like Esther. Nancy began to speak in modern slang and wear pants occasionally. She often broke the fourth wall and made meta jokes. Most importantly, Nancy became extremely tech-savvy. She is addicted to her cell phone and social media. She's part of her school's robotics club. Aunt Fritzi shops online. These changes alienated fans, mostly older men, while attracting many new ones. This resulted in a hilarious strip in which Jaimes put Nancy on a hoverboard with a cell phone in each hand and Aunt Fritzi in a head to toe snowsuit.
However, Jaimes didn't throw away everything. She recognized the elements that made Nancy iconic. Nancy and Sluggo look much the same. The famously spare environments that Nancy and company travel in remain. Nancy stayed sassy and grumpy. She loves Sluggo, distracting adults, and food. (The first Jaimes strip has a woman observer saying that Nancy is "a sweet girl...and a salt girl...and she's going in on that cornbread!".)
In addition to the strips, this collection features an essay from the editor, an interview with Jaimes, and some bonus Nancy art. This provides some insight into the changes Jaimes has made. There are many comic strips featuring little boys, with little girls as sidekicks or nemeses. Nancy is one of the comparatively rare strips that puts a little girl front and center. With Jaimes at the helm, Nancy is relatable for modern girls. The vocabulary can be easily understood by a child at a fourth or fifth grade reading level. Adult women may see their childhood selves in her, and relate to Nancy's teachers and Fritzi. This is a great collection for anyone who appreciates the art of comic strips.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read and laugh at an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.
December 10, 2019
I have always been a fan of Nancy. She always reminds me of my childhood. This comic strip was funny, new and very refreshing. I and my kids enjoyed every bit of it.
August 27, 2025
Me pareció una buena revisión de un personaje clásico. Las versiones actualizadas encajan bien con la serie, aunque Sluggo sigue pareciendo sacado de la Gran Depresión. Los nuevos personajes se integran adecuadamente con los clásicos.
Por otro lado, aunque el humor de Jaimes es muy personal, se aproxima más al estilo de Bushmiller que al de otros sucesores, especialmente si se compara con el de Gilchrist. En conjunto, una lectura divertida.
Por otro lado, aunque el humor de Jaimes es muy personal, se aproxima más al estilo de Bushmiller que al de otros sucesores, especialmente si se compara con el de Gilchrist. En conjunto, una lectura divertida.
November 4, 2019
Are you a long time comic reader? You know, the ones we used to call “the funnies”? One of my favorites was “Nancy”; that strange little girl, whose hair ended in small spikes. Her best friend was Sluggo. Both seemed to be orphans; Nancy lived with her aunt, Fritzi”, and Sluggo’s family/living situation seemed to be in flux. He lived on the streets, as far as I can tell.
“Nancy” has been published in the newspaper for about 100 years. Nancy and her crew seemed to change very little over the years. Nancy and Fritzi Ritz had a somewhat fraught relationship; she seemed to be surprised by her little niece, or whatever their relationship was. The strip did get a bit monotonous after a few years. Then, the syndicate interviewed for a new artist and they hired Olivia Jaimes. She took over the strip a couple of years ago, to much acclaim and Nancy, Sluggo, Aunt Fritzi - joined by some new friends and teachers - returned to their public. They come back fully integrated into 2018 society, complete with “screens” and robots.
Olivia Jaimes has published a couple of books featuring modern strips. This one, “Nancy: A Comic Collection”, is a nice collection and contains some articles about Olivia Jaimes and the history of the strip. I really like the way Jaimes draws her characters. Sluggo has the sweetest face, even when he’s upset. Fritzi still looks like she’s a sexy creature from the 1940s who looks like she knows how to have a good time with some lucky guy. But Nancy looks like a clever little girl who knows her way around screens...and people. Cute book.
“Nancy” has been published in the newspaper for about 100 years. Nancy and her crew seemed to change very little over the years. Nancy and Fritzi Ritz had a somewhat fraught relationship; she seemed to be surprised by her little niece, or whatever their relationship was. The strip did get a bit monotonous after a few years. Then, the syndicate interviewed for a new artist and they hired Olivia Jaimes. She took over the strip a couple of years ago, to much acclaim and Nancy, Sluggo, Aunt Fritzi - joined by some new friends and teachers - returned to their public. They come back fully integrated into 2018 society, complete with “screens” and robots.
Olivia Jaimes has published a couple of books featuring modern strips. This one, “Nancy: A Comic Collection”, is a nice collection and contains some articles about Olivia Jaimes and the history of the strip. I really like the way Jaimes draws her characters. Sluggo has the sweetest face, even when he’s upset. Fritzi still looks like she’s a sexy creature from the 1940s who looks like she knows how to have a good time with some lucky guy. But Nancy looks like a clever little girl who knows her way around screens...and people. Cute book.
December 30, 2020
Nancy: A Comic Collection collects the Nancy strips from April 9, 2018, to January 13, 2019, written and drawn by Olivia Jaimes.
I enjoyed this a lot more than I was expecting to. I am dying to know Olivia Jaimes's real identity. Mostly because I'd like to see whatever she was doing that got her this job.
The humor reminds an old guy like me of Seinfeld. Olivia Jaimes is a much younger person than me, so she's probably taking her inspiration from The Good Place. There is also a lot of meta-humor. Probably even more than Ernie Bushmiller.
Check it out. It won't make you forget Calvin and Hobbes, but it's good.
I enjoyed this a lot more than I was expecting to. I am dying to know Olivia Jaimes's real identity. Mostly because I'd like to see whatever she was doing that got her this job.
The humor reminds an old guy like me of Seinfeld. Olivia Jaimes is a much younger person than me, so she's probably taking her inspiration from The Good Place. There is also a lot of meta-humor. Probably even more than Ernie Bushmiller.
Check it out. It won't make you forget Calvin and Hobbes, but it's good.
August 10, 2019
Short and easy humor style cartoons. In the vibes of Charlie Brown, Mafalda, and those kind of comic. Simple, but the humor is well done, very actual and entertaining. it does what it suppose to do and do it well! Good job!
October 26, 2019
So great! Bringing longtime funny pages star Nancy into the modern world was a great move. There's lots to love about Nancy and Sluggo here and being more relatable to the current times is a great move. Nancy is such a great character with lots of personality.
March 23, 2021
Oh my god this was funny. Why am I only now just discovering Nancy? I love her. She's like what would happen if lil' Jinx, Daria, and Garfield had a baby.
Apparently, all credit goes to Oliva James who breathed new life into the comic and supplied it with its caustic wit.
Apparently, all credit goes to Oliva James who breathed new life into the comic and supplied it with its caustic wit.
January 18, 2020
Well now... I know other people love the heck outta this comic strip but for me it was just barely amusing most of the time. Yes, more than once I SOL'd (smiled out loud?), and I even sounded a 'hm' of nascent laughing a couple of times. But in the end all I can say is: it's not for me. Is it unfair to say it's no Calvin and Hobbes? Now there's a ne'er-do-well comic strip child that makes me RLOL (repeatedly LOL). Plus: Hobbes is lit.
February 11, 2020
A goddamn delight. Using this for not one but TWO Popsugar reading challenge prompts: a book about or involving social media (Nancy is very active ion social media, her instagram avatar is the best and her feed is all pictures of ice cream) and a book by or about a woman in STEM (she’s in robotics club).
August 28, 2019
This the first I really read any Nancy so I can't make a comparison to it's older versions. I found it entertaining! The graphics style is cute and the humour is snappy, modern and clever.
October 4, 2019
Sluggo is lit.
Read
August 19, 2019Back when I was a kid, off the back of the Beano and such, I had a phase of reading pretty much anything that looked like a comic. It was how I first encountered superheroes, and 2000AD, and (far too young to understand most of it) Watchmen. But I'd also read those little paperback collections of Peanuts, or Calvin and Hobbes and The Far Side obviously, or even the Dandy if there was literally nothing else. And sometimes you'd get other American strips, less a part of British culture than Snoopy or Hobbes. Stuff like Mad (RIP), the Wizard of Id, Broom Hilda. Stuff which frequently made no sense whatsoever, because these yellowing collections were addressing concerns that were too old for me, a decade or more out of date, and an ocean away from my life. But I read them anyway because hey, kids - comics! Do you have any idea how baffling a 1982 Doonesbury collection was to a British child in 1988? I still finished it.
And even back then, I swear I never read a panel of Nancy.
I've come to recognise her since, through references in other stuff, and pastiches, and so on. That simple, sulky semi-profile. But the same as I know Archie through references and reboots and crossovers and weird TV takes, the original just never seemed like something with any relevance to me – one of those slices of Americana that only worked if you'd grown up with it. Sure, she'd been going for literally a century, making the veteran DC characters look like unsteady new launches, but presumably that just meant it was one of those strips kept going more through inertia than art.
And then suddenly comics sites started talking about the new writer-artist.
Olivia Jaimes wasn't a name I knew at all, but the sample strips in those articles were doing great stuff, mucking with the form of the strip cartoon, breaking the fourth wall, all that jazz. Doing it with charm, too. And addressing modern concerns (smartphones, social media, the usual), but doing so with the knowledgeable snark of the insider, not the boomer vitriol you'd expect from such a venerable and widely-syndicated strip. Those samples were not flukes; this collection has a very good ratio of laughs, and of strips you want to show someone else. I might quibble with the layout, which (and this is not a complaint I make very often) could have done with more empty space; there's not enough of an obvious distinction between pages which are meant to be read as pages (presumably the Sundays) and pages containing three discrete strips. But otherwise, I think this mix of laughs and insight and neat formal trickery is exactly what I was after when I was ploughing my uncomprehending, dogged way through the likes of Hägar the literally Horrible all those years ago. In an interview at the back, the mysterious Jaimes - she seems to be concealing her identity on some level, and who can blame her these days - talks about her aims for the strip. And I'm not so sure about the plans for some small measure of character growth, because I may only just have met Nancy as an unapologetic, devious creature of appetite, but dear heavens she speaks to me.
(Netgalley ARC)
And even back then, I swear I never read a panel of Nancy.
I've come to recognise her since, through references in other stuff, and pastiches, and so on. That simple, sulky semi-profile. But the same as I know Archie through references and reboots and crossovers and weird TV takes, the original just never seemed like something with any relevance to me – one of those slices of Americana that only worked if you'd grown up with it. Sure, she'd been going for literally a century, making the veteran DC characters look like unsteady new launches, but presumably that just meant it was one of those strips kept going more through inertia than art.
And then suddenly comics sites started talking about the new writer-artist.
Olivia Jaimes wasn't a name I knew at all, but the sample strips in those articles were doing great stuff, mucking with the form of the strip cartoon, breaking the fourth wall, all that jazz. Doing it with charm, too. And addressing modern concerns (smartphones, social media, the usual), but doing so with the knowledgeable snark of the insider, not the boomer vitriol you'd expect from such a venerable and widely-syndicated strip. Those samples were not flukes; this collection has a very good ratio of laughs, and of strips you want to show someone else. I might quibble with the layout, which (and this is not a complaint I make very often) could have done with more empty space; there's not enough of an obvious distinction between pages which are meant to be read as pages (presumably the Sundays) and pages containing three discrete strips. But otherwise, I think this mix of laughs and insight and neat formal trickery is exactly what I was after when I was ploughing my uncomprehending, dogged way through the likes of Hägar the literally Horrible all those years ago. In an interview at the back, the mysterious Jaimes - she seems to be concealing her identity on some level, and who can blame her these days - talks about her aims for the strip. And I'm not so sure about the plans for some small measure of character growth, because I may only just have met Nancy as an unapologetic, devious creature of appetite, but dear heavens she speaks to me.
(Netgalley ARC)
June 22, 2020
Nancy is so good. SO, SO good. I want a complete collection of these strips so badly. I am dying to know Olivia Jaimes's real identity, but kind of glad I don't. She's hilarious and wonderful and if my newspaper carried this strip I would subscribe IMMEDIATELY just for it.
October 9, 2025
I tend to think of comic strips as a dead medium but then something like this comes along to give us hope. Really clever
July 22, 2020
I was going to give this five stars, but then I saw the Sailor Nancy fanart by Olivia Jaimes at the back and that bumped my rating up to at least five hundred stars.
I first read Nancy, like, 25 years ago, when my brother and I signed one of the collections of the comics out of the library. I don't know why, we had never heard of Nancy before, we must've been browsing the comic section and were bored of Garfield. But I remember thinking it was hilarious, which is funny because I signed Nancy is Happy out of the library last year and could not get into it. But 10ish year old Ashley LOVED those old comics.
So I think it was that snap memory that made me put a library hold on this collection of Nancy comics, though with the pandemic and my ever-growing holds list, I did consider cancelling it. Especially when I thought this was a spoof, a Garfield Minus Garfield type thing. Boy, am I glad I didn't.
THIS is the Nancy that I loved. The random, unabashed, irreverent little girl, who is so totally relatable and hilarious. I laughed out loud multiple times while reading this, and wanted to share way too many panels with people that would probably question my sanity. I'm obsessed. I don't know if I can go back and read old Nancy, even with this newfound appreciation for her, just because there is something about THIS Nancy that speaks to me on an emotional level.
Now if you'll excuse me, I need to wait by the mailbox for my "Sluggo Is Lit" tshirt.
I first read Nancy, like, 25 years ago, when my brother and I signed one of the collections of the comics out of the library. I don't know why, we had never heard of Nancy before, we must've been browsing the comic section and were bored of Garfield. But I remember thinking it was hilarious, which is funny because I signed Nancy is Happy out of the library last year and could not get into it. But 10ish year old Ashley LOVED those old comics.
So I think it was that snap memory that made me put a library hold on this collection of Nancy comics, though with the pandemic and my ever-growing holds list, I did consider cancelling it. Especially when I thought this was a spoof, a Garfield Minus Garfield type thing. Boy, am I glad I didn't.
THIS is the Nancy that I loved. The random, unabashed, irreverent little girl, who is so totally relatable and hilarious. I laughed out loud multiple times while reading this, and wanted to share way too many panels with people that would probably question my sanity. I'm obsessed. I don't know if I can go back and read old Nancy, even with this newfound appreciation for her, just because there is something about THIS Nancy that speaks to me on an emotional level.
Now if you'll excuse me, I need to wait by the mailbox for my "Sluggo Is Lit" tshirt.
December 6, 2023
Thoroughly Modern Nancy! Although I’m convinced Ernie Bushmiller would have included tons of internet and social media jokes if he was still alive and making Nancy, Olivia Jaimes’ take is the next best thing.
I’ve developed a deeper appreciation for Nancy since I read Bill Griffith’s Three Rocks this year (but did not like the strip as a kid). I see now that Bushmiller’s art was postmodern and fastidious, and he pretty much invented the comic strip art form. Jaimes gets the strip’s simple literal absurdity; this collection shows that Nancy is in decent hands to continue her surreal meta-journey.
This book is 90% strips, with only a small section devoted to new artist Olivia-a pseudonym by the way. The rest is an interview with OJ and some quirky portraits of Nancy by other comic artists. I actually liked that section better than the strips because frankly, I still don’t like Nancy, but mostly read and wonder at it for its weirdness.
I’ve developed a deeper appreciation for Nancy since I read Bill Griffith’s Three Rocks this year (but did not like the strip as a kid). I see now that Bushmiller’s art was postmodern and fastidious, and he pretty much invented the comic strip art form. Jaimes gets the strip’s simple literal absurdity; this collection shows that Nancy is in decent hands to continue her surreal meta-journey.
This book is 90% strips, with only a small section devoted to new artist Olivia-a pseudonym by the way. The rest is an interview with OJ and some quirky portraits of Nancy by other comic artists. I actually liked that section better than the strips because frankly, I still don’t like Nancy, but mostly read and wonder at it for its weirdness.
October 1, 2019
Apart from Calvin & Hobbes, and classic Peanuts, I'm not really a fan of newspaper strips. It takes an incredible talent to make day-in and day-out interesting gag comics in 1-10 panels.
Olivia Jaimes nails it.
I, admittedly, only started reading the series online when I heard it was attracting Boomer Trolls who didn't like newfangled references like cell-u-lar phones and vi-deo-games. I went back and read some old Nancy and thought Jaimes has done a spectacular job of putting the characters in a more modern lens without making them seem out of character.
I'm buying this to support the artist and how they're evolving a stale-ass comic into something that's more interesting. But I didn't find myself actually laughing when I read the book, more being supportively amused.
I recommend it for fans of newspaper comics. Like Sluggo, it's lit.
Olivia Jaimes nails it.
I, admittedly, only started reading the series online when I heard it was attracting Boomer Trolls who didn't like newfangled references like cell-u-lar phones and vi-deo-games. I went back and read some old Nancy and thought Jaimes has done a spectacular job of putting the characters in a more modern lens without making them seem out of character.
I'm buying this to support the artist and how they're evolving a stale-ass comic into something that's more interesting. But I didn't find myself actually laughing when I read the book, more being supportively amused.
I recommend it for fans of newspaper comics. Like Sluggo, it's lit.
March 8, 2020
When I read newspaper comics as a kid, Nancy seemed like the laziest of all the comics. The art was extremely simple, the characters were stuck in 1930's, and it was never funny. Later versions played up the cheesecake appeal of Aunt Fritzi, but did not add any humor. I was surprised to learn that in 2018 a new creator took over Nancy and made it a cult favorite.
The humor of the new Nancy strip is very meta. The characters directly reference the fact that they are in a comic strip and are being written and drawn. The characters now live in a world with smart phones and the internet, but still dress like extras from an Our Gang short. The biggest change is that the creator is clearly trying to be funny, and succeeds quite frequently. This is not Calvin & Hobbes, but it hits at least 1 in 6, which is way higher than the average for contemporary comic strips.
The humor of the new Nancy strip is very meta. The characters directly reference the fact that they are in a comic strip and are being written and drawn. The characters now live in a world with smart phones and the internet, but still dress like extras from an Our Gang short. The biggest change is that the creator is clearly trying to be funny, and succeeds quite frequently. This is not Calvin & Hobbes, but it hits at least 1 in 6, which is way higher than the average for contemporary comic strips.
January 21, 2021
I love this comic, plain and simple. After decades of just being yet another has-been zombie comic being written/drawn by a bland successor that didn’t understand why the original Ernie Bushmiller stuff worked, Nancy had new life breathed into it by the pseudonymous Olivia James. She managed to find the spark. Taking Bushmiller’s metahumor and making it modern and fresh, when that is now the en-vogue thing and still standing out is quite a feat. It’s subversive, it’s sublime, it’s just plain a joy to read. The characters all serve their purpose (and the new additions feel completely natural.) I really can’t recommend this comic enough to really anyone.
August 31, 2019
I don’t regularly read a newspaper that currently runs Nancy, so this collection was completely new to me. It is so good to be reunited with a friend of my childhood. I will admit to finding it a bit bizarre to see her in the land of technology, but the drawing style and sense of humor are true to form. I still love her.
July 29, 2020
I was never a fan of 'Nancy' but I really enjoyed this renovation by female author/artist Olivia Jaimes. Nancy continues to be grumpy, but now she's grumpy at her cell phone and other electronics. There are some really clever meta comics including such as using wavy lines to stand in for three different things in a row. Good stuff!
May 28, 2020
I picked this up as a blind date with a book from the Mercantile Library. It was labeled “for a laugh” and did not disappoint. I’d never paid attention to this comic strip or it’s history, but I found the newest iteration, of which this book is a collection, witty and fun.
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