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Joe vs. Elan School
A biographical recap, in graphic novel form, of what happened to Joe when he was a teen and his parents arranged to have him sent to a radical boarding school called Elan. But this was no ordinary school. It was pretty much a prison that included brainwashing, physical, and mental torture. The school managed to exist for decades up until recent years when enough information leaked out about the abuse that was going on which ultimately caused it to shut down.
Joe was one of the many troubled teens that had the misfortune of being sent to this school. He is now sharing his story by writing and illustrating what happened to him during that time.
The story is incredibly captivating and is so unbelievable in the sense that it is hard to imagine that these things actually happened but they did! There are countless records of other former Elan students confirming the things that were allowed to go on at this school.
Joe was one of the many troubled teens that had the misfortune of being sent to this school. He is now sharing his story by writing and illustrating what happened to him during that time.
The story is incredibly captivating and is so unbelievable in the sense that it is hard to imagine that these things actually happened but they did! There are countless records of other former Elan students confirming the things that were allowed to go on at this school.
771 pages, ebook
Published April 13, 2020
62 people are currently reading
382 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews
August 31, 2021
Life-changing read, to experience through Joe’s eyes the horrors that other people are capable of and the group dynamics cluster**** that he experienced.
This is the first graphic novel that I’ve read that I couldn’t put down, and one of the best books I’ve read this year.
This is the first graphic novel that I’ve read that I couldn’t put down, and one of the best books I’ve read this year.
November 4, 2021
I stayed up half the night compulsively reading this. In a unique visual style and voice, the author "Joe Nobody" details the horrors of his time at an infamous "school" for troubled teens, Elan, which has since been the subject of several documentaries. Enduring intense psychological, verbal, and physical abuse, torture, starvation, and sleeplessness, Joe learns to submit and rise through the ranks while grappling with his own fractured sense of self. This is an important if brutal, read, and I'm grateful to Joe for putting his story out there. You can tell reliving this in art and words is difficult for him (some scenes he explicitly refuses to illustrate) but he's offering it entirely free and published simply online just because he feels that the story of Elan and what he and so many others endured needs to be known. It's hard to say I recommend this comic... but I do think it needs to exist and be read all the same.
February 13, 2023
The first 30 or so chapters are amazing. A truly horrifying and eye opening journey told by a survivor of this barbaric "school". It was absolutely harrowing, and I could not put it down. After Joe graduates, it devolves to sort of run of the mill, self-aggrandizing, drug stories and half-assed spiritual musings. No attempt is made to examine or evaluate his abusive behaviors, even if they do stem from being abused by Elan. A lot of the stories from these chapters feel embellished to a fault, which is too bad because the first chapters were so great. Eventually he gets back to battling Elan, but unfortunately this mostly takes the form of trolling Internet forums. If you want a five star story, stop after reading the initial Elan story arch, which can't be praised enough.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 22, 2023
I know this is ongoing but I just finished 73 chapters in three hours so I feel like I deserve to say I read it. I’m looking forward to keeping up with this. It’s so incredible that I’ve never heard anything about this before. I want to throttle his parents it’s all so frustrating. Definitely recommend everyone read this
September 16, 2023
Woah. When I first found Joe Nobody's Elan School webcomic earlier this year, I was absolutely sucked in. I remember starting it, looking at the clock and realizing hours had passed and that was why my eyes felt like they were made of sandpaper. Low grit sandpaper. The format, the ability to scroolllll down the images, was absolutely made for this sort of story telling, emphasizing the nightmarish quality of the situation. Having just read the last chapter in the story today, and seeing that it will be made available in physical format, I can't really imagine it constrained by the limits of paper media.
After the author's physical escape from Elan the narrative loses a bit of its drive. While the casting about adrift in a world that didn't accept or believe these terrible places exist is part of the trauma and the lived experience, and important to the story teller, from a narrative point of view, it lagged a bit until it kind of petered out in the end. The beginning was truly the strongest part, and while the rest of it is important, it lacked the sharp intensity of the beginning.
After the author's physical escape from Elan the narrative loses a bit of its drive. While the casting about adrift in a world that didn't accept or believe these terrible places exist is part of the trauma and the lived experience, and important to the story teller, from a narrative point of view, it lagged a bit until it kind of petered out in the end. The beginning was truly the strongest part, and while the rest of it is important, it lacked the sharp intensity of the beginning.
November 13, 2023
I wasn't expecting this book. I found a link to it in a Reddit comment from an Elan School "alumnus", who claimed it was the best depiction of the school around. I thought I'd read the first chapter and go on with my day, but instead I spent nearly 5 hours straight reading the first half.
The book can be divided into two parts. The first, the author's three years at the Elan School, are a detailed portrait of a cult. The author doesn't hold back, detailing the abuse, the constant struggle sessions, the neglect, the beatings, the systematic destruction of every aspect of the children's personalities, the isolation, the months of solitary confinement, and the cultist atmosphere that made friendship or romance utterly impossible. All of this is related in the first person, the author relating how he first became angry, then suicidally depressed, then fell into a type of protective madness.
The second half of the book depicts the lifelong consequences of those three years. It's hard reading, and often repetitive, but that makes the point well- the author grows as a person, but the problems Elan created aren't possible to fix in a year or twenty.
The book can be divided into two parts. The first, the author's three years at the Elan School, are a detailed portrait of a cult. The author doesn't hold back, detailing the abuse, the constant struggle sessions, the neglect, the beatings, the systematic destruction of every aspect of the children's personalities, the isolation, the months of solitary confinement, and the cultist atmosphere that made friendship or romance utterly impossible. All of this is related in the first person, the author relating how he first became angry, then suicidally depressed, then fell into a type of protective madness.
The second half of the book depicts the lifelong consequences of those three years. It's hard reading, and often repetitive, but that makes the point well- the author grows as a person, but the problems Elan created aren't possible to fix in a year or twenty.
February 23, 2021
This is a web comic about the horrible ‘Elan School’. Advertised as a reforming school for badly behaved teens, it was nothing but a cult. This webcomic is beautifully made and it takes you on an incredible rollercoaster. It can be found at ‘elan.school’ online. It’s still ongoing but I’m all caught up currently (Chapter 51)
September 20, 2024
I've built up a habit of not rating memoirs, but this was really masterfully done and not quite what I expected when I first started reading
April 28, 2024
As I'm finishing my undergraduate degree, I've been thinking a lot about tragedy. It's unsurprising considering that one of my papers is on just that: the Tragedy paper, the longest continuously-examined English paper in the world. There's something about tragedy that has compelled artists to create it and audiences to watch it since Ancient Greece. I've read a shedload of criticism and nobody can agree on what that is: if it's Aristotle's 'katharsis' or Hegel's idea of the conflict at the centre of human relationships finally expressed, Nietzsche's pagan divinity or Raymond Williams' social exorcism. But something is gained from tragedy, not necessarily some greater meaning or context to human suffering but something purely experiential. I believe that this tragic purging, or expression, or catharsis, or whatever you want to call it, is the foundation of the detailed theology Joe develops throughout this book.
Joe's time at Elan falls into a tragic structure as laid out by Aristotle: events driven more by plot than by character (because character is relentlessly crushed by Elan), our protagonist neither a perfect man needlessly suffering nor an evil man finding success. The cycles of Joe's misery, his seeming to rise from it and being plunged in it anew, each replicate the tragic cycles of early Greek drama. His abortive attempts to free himself from Elan followed by his mirror the tragic competitions of Ancient Greece, which would present a trilogy of tragedies like Aeschylus' Oresteia followed by a more upbeat satyr play. This is not a conscious structural choice, as the text presents itself as autobiographical; instead, it demonstrates the extent to which Greek tragic cycles may have recreated the patterns of life despite their non-realistic aesthetic. elan.school is told using a non-realist form which in many ways replicates the function of Greek drama. The simple drawings of figures in the Elan section of the webcomic parallel the masks of the Greek chorus, and the multiple images of the protagonist standing alone behind a broomstick while faceless crowds scream at him with gaping mouths grotesquely mirrors how the chorus appears in performance. In a sense, Joe "acts out" this story, tracing stock photographs to make crude drawings rather than manipulating his body onstage but achieving something just as tragic and profound.
The latter part of the book deals with the repercussions of surviving such extreme trauma as the children at Elan school were subjected to. There is a deep tragedy, too, in the ways in which trauma ripples out from the moment of impact, damaging everything it comes into contact with. Joe's life seems to take the shape of concentric circles, spreading out, learning, healing, but ultimately returning to that moment of trauma, his fixation with Elan unavoidable. This is what the webcomic is, too: the latest ring, the most recent return to that long-ago suffering, and at last the moment of catharsis can come. It is a happy ending, of a sort, a feeling that finally the trauma has been neutered enough that it can be returned to and transformed, made into art, made into tragedy and given a profundity of purpose that the injured child Joe was could never have imagined. The senselessness of life has become contained, controlled by the re-imagining of its meaningless hostility, the expression of its tragedy become the salvation of its creator. What Joe calls "The Great Energy" is a sort of tragic philosophy, a theory of equality most similar to that laid out by Raymond Williams in his book Modern Tragedy . Tragedy, Joe seems to claim, is not something which happens only to great men. Terrible, unjust things can happen to anyone. Tragedy is the art that is made out of the pain.
Joe's time at Elan falls into a tragic structure as laid out by Aristotle: events driven more by plot than by character (because character is relentlessly crushed by Elan), our protagonist neither a perfect man needlessly suffering nor an evil man finding success. The cycles of Joe's misery, his seeming to rise from it and being plunged in it anew, each replicate the tragic cycles of early Greek drama. His abortive attempts to free himself from Elan followed by his mirror the tragic competitions of Ancient Greece, which would present a trilogy of tragedies like Aeschylus' Oresteia followed by a more upbeat satyr play. This is not a conscious structural choice, as the text presents itself as autobiographical; instead, it demonstrates the extent to which Greek tragic cycles may have recreated the patterns of life despite their non-realistic aesthetic. elan.school is told using a non-realist form which in many ways replicates the function of Greek drama. The simple drawings of figures in the Elan section of the webcomic parallel the masks of the Greek chorus, and the multiple images of the protagonist standing alone behind a broomstick while faceless crowds scream at him with gaping mouths grotesquely mirrors how the chorus appears in performance. In a sense, Joe "acts out" this story, tracing stock photographs to make crude drawings rather than manipulating his body onstage but achieving something just as tragic and profound.
The latter part of the book deals with the repercussions of surviving such extreme trauma as the children at Elan school were subjected to. There is a deep tragedy, too, in the ways in which trauma ripples out from the moment of impact, damaging everything it comes into contact with. Joe's life seems to take the shape of concentric circles, spreading out, learning, healing, but ultimately returning to that moment of trauma, his fixation with Elan unavoidable. This is what the webcomic is, too: the latest ring, the most recent return to that long-ago suffering, and at last the moment of catharsis can come. It is a happy ending, of a sort, a feeling that finally the trauma has been neutered enough that it can be returned to and transformed, made into art, made into tragedy and given a profundity of purpose that the injured child Joe was could never have imagined. The senselessness of life has become contained, controlled by the re-imagining of its meaningless hostility, the expression of its tragedy become the salvation of its creator. What Joe calls "The Great Energy" is a sort of tragic philosophy, a theory of equality most similar to that laid out by Raymond Williams in his book Modern Tragedy . Tragedy, Joe seems to claim, is not something which happens only to great men. Terrible, unjust things can happen to anyone. Tragedy is the art that is made out of the pain.
April 16, 2025
I spent the first night reading Joe vs. Elan School on a whim after watching one of those "Internet's Most Disturbing Stories" videos on YouTube about Elan. I had no idea what I was getting myself into, so imagine my surprise when it was 5 AM and I had read 50+ chapters of this book for five hours straight. I was engrossed, mortified, and confused by everything I had read over the course of that first night.
I "went to bed" at 5 AM with thoughts racing about how such a "school" could exist and trying to comprehend how each chapter somehow exposed more horrible abuse than the last. To think this is a true story, all of it, and well documented by evidence and over survivors' testimonies. I found it so infuriating and heartbreaking to read, but seeing Joe's story play out was one I felt I needed to see through. By the end, his story of survival was beautiful and a long time coming. (Survival/survivor is the correct word because to make it out of the experience of Elan and the f-ed up Troubled Teen Industry is surviving. The fact that these places still exist is a shocking failure of our nation's children)
I found the evolution of the art style throughout the comic to be a powerful representation of Joe's growth throughout his story. The return of color (and toning down of red representing his anger) is a good, subtle nod to the improvement of his life and growth. Similarly, his drawings continue to improve throughout and reflect his self-improvement. The power of harnessing this trauma into something powerful and moving is a great theme of Joe's story. It's a hard read and can sometimes be repetitive, but it was that way for Joe, and I think his writing is an intentional reflection of that. The nightmares he had because of Elan were repetitive, the battles with substance abuse were repetitive, the experience of trying to restart life all over again was repetitive, but that's because that's exactly how it felt for Joe. It shows just how cyclical this trauma can be from the abuse suffered by those at Elan. The writing solidifies how the pain places like Elan caused/cause its survivors will never leave them.
I never imagined being so invested in a silly web comic I read on a whim late at night. It is such a powerful read. Thank you for sharing your story Joe.
I "went to bed" at 5 AM with thoughts racing about how such a "school" could exist and trying to comprehend how each chapter somehow exposed more horrible abuse than the last. To think this is a true story, all of it, and well documented by evidence and over survivors' testimonies. I found it so infuriating and heartbreaking to read, but seeing Joe's story play out was one I felt I needed to see through. By the end, his story of survival was beautiful and a long time coming. (Survival/survivor is the correct word because to make it out of the experience of Elan and the f-ed up Troubled Teen Industry is surviving. The fact that these places still exist is a shocking failure of our nation's children)
I found the evolution of the art style throughout the comic to be a powerful representation of Joe's growth throughout his story. The return of color (and toning down of red representing his anger) is a good, subtle nod to the improvement of his life and growth. Similarly, his drawings continue to improve throughout and reflect his self-improvement. The power of harnessing this trauma into something powerful and moving is a great theme of Joe's story. It's a hard read and can sometimes be repetitive, but it was that way for Joe, and I think his writing is an intentional reflection of that. The nightmares he had because of Elan were repetitive, the battles with substance abuse were repetitive, the experience of trying to restart life all over again was repetitive, but that's because that's exactly how it felt for Joe. It shows just how cyclical this trauma can be from the abuse suffered by those at Elan. The writing solidifies how the pain places like Elan caused/cause its survivors will never leave them.
I never imagined being so invested in a silly web comic I read on a whim late at night. It is such a powerful read. Thank you for sharing your story Joe.
Read
March 4, 2023now THIS is a series of unfortunate events!!!!
November 1, 2021
Joe's webcomic/graphic novel is ongoing so technically it's never really "done" per se, but I've poured hour upon hour into this captivating story so I'm going to claim I finished it anyway.
I had already heard a lot about the Elan school and its insane history, but this story adds an extra dimension to it. Joe makes you feel as if you're there with him. He makes you feel and live through everything he went through, and it's agony. This story will infuriate you. That such an injustice could occur in modern history in North America - that will stay with you for quite a while.
My only "complaint" about this story is the spelling/editing; there are numerous parts of the story that require a lot of interpretation in order to understand due to grammar or spelling errors. However - and I really mean this - I absolutely do not care. This deserves five stars anyway. In fact, Joe could go back and edit this book and add MORE spelling errors and it would still ensnare you just as well.
I highly recommend this book.
I had already heard a lot about the Elan school and its insane history, but this story adds an extra dimension to it. Joe makes you feel as if you're there with him. He makes you feel and live through everything he went through, and it's agony. This story will infuriate you. That such an injustice could occur in modern history in North America - that will stay with you for quite a while.
My only "complaint" about this story is the spelling/editing; there are numerous parts of the story that require a lot of interpretation in order to understand due to grammar or spelling errors. However - and I really mean this - I absolutely do not care. This deserves five stars anyway. In fact, Joe could go back and edit this book and add MORE spelling errors and it would still ensnare you just as well.
I highly recommend this book.
December 5, 2022
My dad often quotes: Truth is Stranger than Fiction.
And damn, he is right. If someone wrote this shit down in a fictional noval than people would grumble it's not realistic enough.
I couldn't put it down (And damn, I had no idea it was such a long story - it kept going and going (but not the painful - end already? - on and on ... there was just so much to tell and each time I think it was about to wrap up we'd go on. I was hooked all the way through and now I'm eagerly waiting the next instalment.
And I gotta say - I wish I had just an ounce of Joe Nobodys drive and energy. I can't believe people exist who can work that hard for that long. It's amazing.
I recommend everyone read this story - but beware - it ain't for the faint-hearted. It's a cruel world out there and we as caring human beings need to make sure the cruel don't win,
And damn, he is right. If someone wrote this shit down in a fictional noval than people would grumble it's not realistic enough.
I couldn't put it down (And damn, I had no idea it was such a long story - it kept going and going (but not the painful - end already? - on and on ... there was just so much to tell and each time I think it was about to wrap up we'd go on. I was hooked all the way through and now I'm eagerly waiting the next instalment.
And I gotta say - I wish I had just an ounce of Joe Nobodys drive and energy. I can't believe people exist who can work that hard for that long. It's amazing.
I recommend everyone read this story - but beware - it ain't for the faint-hearted. It's a cruel world out there and we as caring human beings need to make sure the cruel don't win,
February 10, 2024
I debated with myself if this was a 3 star or 4 star from me. In the end, I opted for 4 stars, because the first half of this graphic novel was incredible and heart-breaking. It was good and compelling story-telling and I could not put it down until Joe was out.
The second half was not good. I was surprised to learn that he actually outlined and preplanned the second half of his story. A lot should have been cut out or edited down. He really reminded me of Al Bundy, reliving his high-school football win, but instead of high-school, it was college/travelling, and instead of football, it was weed/drugs.
The second half was not good. I was surprised to learn that he actually outlined and preplanned the second half of his story. A lot should have been cut out or edited down. He really reminded me of Al Bundy, reliving his high-school football win, but instead of high-school, it was college/travelling, and instead of football, it was weed/drugs.
April 14, 2021
Maybe my first webcomic on Goodreads. Excellently written and beautifully drawn, which is almost off putting because of how horrific this story is. I heard about Elan on a podcast, and ending up learning more from a documentary called The Last Stop (it’s probably still on Amazon Prime). But Joe vs. Elan School is completely unique in that it’s a former resident drawing and telling his story from memory. Plus it’s free on the internet, and still being updated.
If you’re interested in reading along, it’s at elan.school.
If you’re interested in reading along, it’s at elan.school.
February 4, 2021
Cheating a bit (this is a web comic) but it's really amazing. Free here: https://elan.school/ . Really exposes the for-profit "troubled teens" industry.
April 17, 2021
This will be an ongoing read while i wait for new issues but I’m up to date for now (54 chapters).
Amazing, visceral, informative, brutal, gripping and the art is incredible.
Amazing, visceral, informative, brutal, gripping and the art is incredible.
April 27, 2021
This is f---ing terrifying
June 20, 2021
Truly disturbing. Great webcomic.
October 4, 2021
I was on the edge of my seat the entire time reading this.
February 25, 2024
I have no words
Read
July 7, 2024Nie zamierzam oceniać tego komiksu, jako że jest to opowieść autora o prawdziwych wydarzeniach z jego życia. O wydarzeniach, które są tak szokujące, że nawet po skończeniu tego komiksu nadal trochę nie mogę w nie uwierzyć.
Na początku warto wspomnieć, że komiks jest dostępny w internecie, wystarczy wpisać w wyszukiwarce elan.school. Co prawda jest cały po angielsku, także niestety bez znajomości tego języka będzie ciężko się z nim zapoznać, zwłaszcza że jest on napisany bardzo chaotycznym i nieformalnym stylem, gdzie mamy wiele użyć slangu etc.
Ale, o czym tak właściwie jest Joe vs Elan School? Jest to opowieść ofiary Szkoły Elan, która miała “resocjalizować zbuntowaną młodzież”, a w rzeczywistości znęcała się nad nimi fizycznie i psychicznie. Samo moje podsumowanie nie oddaje horroru jakie przeżyli ludzie uczęszczający tam, dlatego polecam odcinek na kanale “Czarne Serce”, które w dobry sposób prezentuje co działo się w Elan. Ja postanowiłam mimo wszystko zgłębić cały komiks, bo chciałam poznać te historie z perspektywy osoby, która to piekło przeżyła.
Czy polecam zapoznać się z tym komisem? Jeżeli chodzi o cele rozrywkowe, to nie tędy droga. Musiałam odstawiać ten komiks parę razy, bo był ciężki do zniesienia psychicznie. Plus, jest bardzo długi i łatwo wprowadzał człowieka w stan zastoju czytelniczego.
Z drugiej jednak strony, jest to absolutny must-read dla każdego, kto chce zgłębić tematy jak ludzka psychika zachowuje się po zniesieniu wielu lat przemocy, jak skorumpowane potrafi być państwo i cały jego system i do jakich czynów posuną się ludzie, dla których liczą się tylko pieniądze.
Historia o Elan na pewno zostanie ze mną na długo i mam nadzieję, że będzie ona przestrogą dla wszystkich na przyszłość.
Na początku warto wspomnieć, że komiks jest dostępny w internecie, wystarczy wpisać w wyszukiwarce elan.school. Co prawda jest cały po angielsku, także niestety bez znajomości tego języka będzie ciężko się z nim zapoznać, zwłaszcza że jest on napisany bardzo chaotycznym i nieformalnym stylem, gdzie mamy wiele użyć slangu etc.
Ale, o czym tak właściwie jest Joe vs Elan School? Jest to opowieść ofiary Szkoły Elan, która miała “resocjalizować zbuntowaną młodzież”, a w rzeczywistości znęcała się nad nimi fizycznie i psychicznie. Samo moje podsumowanie nie oddaje horroru jakie przeżyli ludzie uczęszczający tam, dlatego polecam odcinek na kanale “Czarne Serce”, które w dobry sposób prezentuje co działo się w Elan. Ja postanowiłam mimo wszystko zgłębić cały komiks, bo chciałam poznać te historie z perspektywy osoby, która to piekło przeżyła.
Czy polecam zapoznać się z tym komisem? Jeżeli chodzi o cele rozrywkowe, to nie tędy droga. Musiałam odstawiać ten komiks parę razy, bo był ciężki do zniesienia psychicznie. Plus, jest bardzo długi i łatwo wprowadzał człowieka w stan zastoju czytelniczego.
Z drugiej jednak strony, jest to absolutny must-read dla każdego, kto chce zgłębić tematy jak ludzka psychika zachowuje się po zniesieniu wielu lat przemocy, jak skorumpowane potrafi być państwo i cały jego system i do jakich czynów posuną się ludzie, dla których liczą się tylko pieniądze.
Historia o Elan na pewno zostanie ze mną na długo i mam nadzieję, że będzie ona przestrogą dla wszystkich na przyszłość.
April 26, 2024
"When the raw emotions behind human nature, money, greed, and power are allowed to grow and mingle as they please, unchecked... does it ever NOT lead to violence?"
This is so unlike anything else I've ever read, not only in the sense that it's an online graphic novel (able to be found and read at https://elan.school/), but also in the sense that the author portrays his experience with the troubled teen industry in such a raw, real, and powerful way. When the author was 16, he was taken from his bed in the middle of the night and driven halfway across the country to a boarding school for troubled teens. He was literally kidnapped with his parent's consent. I won't go into too much detail as to the truly horrific conditions of the Elan School, as it's his story to tell, but the fact that no one who ever profited off Elan faced any consequences is sickening. The author continues to tell the story of his life post-Elan, showing that these traumas truly stay with you forever. He doesn't gloss over the hard parts of his life and tie the story up before it's done, which I admired. He also throws in an interactive element, with links to real new articles and videos about Elan and the troubled teen industry in general. All in all, the author portrays humanity and life in a very real way, that is relatable even though his experiences are unique.
This is definitely a read I will be recommending to anyone and everyone from now on. Joe Nobody - whoever and wherever you are - you have done a true service to the world in sharing your story.
This is so unlike anything else I've ever read, not only in the sense that it's an online graphic novel (able to be found and read at https://elan.school/), but also in the sense that the author portrays his experience with the troubled teen industry in such a raw, real, and powerful way. When the author was 16, he was taken from his bed in the middle of the night and driven halfway across the country to a boarding school for troubled teens. He was literally kidnapped with his parent's consent. I won't go into too much detail as to the truly horrific conditions of the Elan School, as it's his story to tell, but the fact that no one who ever profited off Elan faced any consequences is sickening. The author continues to tell the story of his life post-Elan, showing that these traumas truly stay with you forever. He doesn't gloss over the hard parts of his life and tie the story up before it's done, which I admired. He also throws in an interactive element, with links to real new articles and videos about Elan and the troubled teen industry in general. All in all, the author portrays humanity and life in a very real way, that is relatable even though his experiences are unique.
This is definitely a read I will be recommending to anyone and everyone from now on. Joe Nobody - whoever and wherever you are - you have done a true service to the world in sharing your story.
November 22, 2025
Something that always happens to me when I love a book this much is I really don't have much to say. This is because stories like this end up being so deeply personal to me that I couldn't get into it in a review -- it would be too long, for a start, and impossible to explain, for another, and ultimately not exactly a typical review. So to try to stick to the typical hallmarks of a review: this is really good. I mean, really good. Easily one of the top three things I've read this year, and that's some competition. This is an absolutely phenomenal piece of work and I don't even know where to begin.
The art, the style, the way it so seamlessly blends and time-travels and explains everything at just the ight moment; the sheer amount of information; the honesty and the vulnerability, the realness and absolutely rawness of it. There's something in this comic that just shines out of it with such life. Without even touching on how it's made me feel, this story stands out as something I'm never going to forget. I can't imagine sitting down and deciding where to begin with a project this huge and a terror so inexplicable, and I remain absolutely astounded by how effectively this story has been told.
I saw things articulated in this stori that I've never seen put into words before. That I didn't think could me. And that says it all.
The art, the style, the way it so seamlessly blends and time-travels and explains everything at just the ight moment; the sheer amount of information; the honesty and the vulnerability, the realness and absolutely rawness of it. There's something in this comic that just shines out of it with such life. Without even touching on how it's made me feel, this story stands out as something I'm never going to forget. I can't imagine sitting down and deciding where to begin with a project this huge and a terror so inexplicable, and I remain absolutely astounded by how effectively this story has been told.
I saw things articulated in this stori that I've never seen put into words before. That I didn't think could me. And that says it all.
March 10, 2024
i spent about a day straight reading this. absolutely horrifying. it's terrible to think that, while elan is shut down, "schools" like it still exist. i have a lot of respect for the author of this webcomic for not only being brave enough to write about his experiences, but for helping shut down that abusive institution.
April 9, 2023
As of the day that I write this, April 9th, 2023, Joe vs. Elan School is still an ongoing webcomic on its 93rd chapter. It is by far the most engaging and hard to put down that I've ever come across. This story was my first introduction to the Elan School in Poland, Maine which thousands of kids were subjected to for over 4 decades, and how infuriating it is that it did. The illustrations of what went on within its walls paired with the author's storytelling are gutting. It is executed exactly how it should be to get the clearest picture of the horror that this place truly was. From the perspective of someone who was a teenager at the time, who has absolutely all control stripped from them, as strangers barge into their room in the middle of the night to take them away for years.
Since this is an ongoing project, I don't know yet what it will look like when it's finished but as of today it has already told a huge and fulfilling story with so many unexpected turns. This is one that had to be told and again I say Joe really does it as best as it could've been. Strong suggestion to give this a read.
Since this is an ongoing project, I don't know yet what it will look like when it's finished but as of today it has already told a huge and fulfilling story with so many unexpected turns. This is one that had to be told and again I say Joe really does it as best as it could've been. Strong suggestion to give this a read.
August 20, 2025
ooh! a webcomic this time!!! one of those ones you have to race through because it’s so incredibly enthralling. truly helps you empathize with an absolutely unbelievable nightmare situation. loved seeing the art style mature and change through its progression as well
July 18, 2024
I found this on Reddit. It was amazing. I am so sorry we made living in the world so bad. The author is right though, the great energy is never gone away.
January 22, 2024
Incredible for what it was. Not my usual read, but enlightening on many levels
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