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Bright World
The Hazards of Love follows the story of a queer teen from Queens who makes some mistakes, gets dragged into a fantastical place, and tries to hustle their way back home.
Amparo's deal with the talking cat was simple: a drop of blood and Amparo's name to become a better person. Their mother and abuela would never worry about them again, and they'd finally be worthy of dating straight-A student Iolanthe. But when the cat steals their body, becoming the better person they were promised, Amparo's spirit is imprisoned in a land of terrifying, flesh-hungry creatures known as Bright World.
With cruel and manipulative masters and a society that feeds on memories, Amparo must use their cleverness to escape, without turning into a monster like the rest. On "the other side," Iolanthe begins to suspect the new Amparo has a secret, and after the cat in disguise vanishes, she's left searching for answers with a no-nonsense medium from the lesbian mafia and the only person who might know the truth about Bright World.
Amparo's deal with the talking cat was simple: a drop of blood and Amparo's name to become a better person. Their mother and abuela would never worry about them again, and they'd finally be worthy of dating straight-A student Iolanthe. But when the cat steals their body, becoming the better person they were promised, Amparo's spirit is imprisoned in a land of terrifying, flesh-hungry creatures known as Bright World.
With cruel and manipulative masters and a society that feeds on memories, Amparo must use their cleverness to escape, without turning into a monster like the rest. On "the other side," Iolanthe begins to suspect the new Amparo has a secret, and after the cat in disguise vanishes, she's left searching for answers with a no-nonsense medium from the lesbian mafia and the only person who might know the truth about Bright World.
272 pages, Paperback
First published March 30, 2021
15 people are currently reading
832 people want to read
About the author
Stan Stanley
2 books43 followersStan Stanley makes comics that are sometimes creepy, sometimes funny, but always queer. She's been making comics since she was in high school and has continued doing so throughout various science-related careers when she was supposed to be doing science. Instead, she created Friendly Hostility, The Hazards of Love, and her online journal comic, Stananigans.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 240 reviews
May 4, 2025
In a Nutshell: An urban fantasy-horror in graphic novel format. Complex storyline, amazing characters, intelligent writing, great inclusivity. Much recommended, as long as you don’t mind a cliffhanger ending.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
This book collects the first twelve issues (Issues 0 to 11) of the webcomic ‘The Hazards of Love’. The online comic is in B&W, but the print book is in full colour.
I had read this book for the first time way back in November 2020. It was one of my first graphic novel ARCs, and I remember loving the plot as well as regretting the cliffhanger ending. I had been waiting for news of the sequel all these years. Now that I finally have my hands on Book Two: ‘As Above, So Below’, the long interim duration necessitated a reread of the first book.
My original rating was an enthusiastic 4.75 stars. (I was not so stingy with my feedback back then. 🤭) This time around, with much more reviewing experience, I had assumed that my rating would dip strongly. I was wrong. The book proved that quality stays the same even after the passage of time.
I am still blown away by the imaginativeness of the storyline, the complexity narrative spanning multiple worlds, the inclusivity, the characters (human and otherwise), and the overall plot development that is so dark and yet so full of hope. The dialogues are smart, with plenty of wit and emotions. The story is dark, so this book isn't an easy read. But the plot is so compelling and complicated that it is tough to stop midway.
The illustrations are also mostly mindblowing. The art makes excellent use of colour to add a deeper meaning to the characters and their lines. The vividness of Bright World comes out excellently on every page, as does its omnipresent danger. The contrast between the human world and Bright World is also clear in appearance. I did struggle a bit in figuring out the gender identity of a few of the characters who appeared to be male but weren’t. But this probably was a ME (and my tired middle-aged brain) problem because my daughter, who is finally old enough for this book and joined me for this reread, didn’t face any issues decoding the character genders.
Overall, this reread was still as intriguing, Amparo and Juliana were still as fascinating, the storyline still felt as twisty and horrifying, and the cliffhanger was still as irritating as the first time around. Since I have the sequel at hand, I shall be jumping to it immediately.
Definitely recommended to all dark fantasy and urban fantasy fans.
4.5 stars.
My thanks to Oni Press for providing the DRC of “The Hazards of Love Vol.1: Bright World” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Original, unedited, even gushier review below – Posted on 22nd November 2020.
I opted for this ARC just because it was a graphic novel and I was in the mood to read one. But DAYYUM! One of the best and most creative graphic books I've read since The Sandman!
Ampara is a queer teen from Queens who makes a really bad deal with a talking cat. They soon find themselves dragged into fantastical world called Bright World while the cat takes their place (and shape) in the human world. The adventures of Amprao in Bright World amid all the weird creatures and captured humans forms the rest of the story. Mind you, the story doesn't end at the end of this volume, so if you are looking for closure, you still have a long wait ahead of you.
I loved the wacky creativity of the story. The characters are so interesting and, in some cases, absolutely spooky. I also loved the queer content in the book; having a queer writer for a queer story makes a huge difference. The illustrations, the panel structuring, the narrative flow all are fantastic.
Eagerly awaiting Volume 2 of this fabulous book!
I received an advance review copy of the book for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || Threads || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
Amparo, a nonbinary Latinx teen from Queens, grabs the opportunity of making a deal with a talking cat: a drop of blood in exchange for being a better person. They hope to make their mother happy and also to be deserving of a date with their clever classmate Iolanthe. Unfortunately for Amparo, not every magical deal is as seen in the movies. The cat ends up stealing their name as well as their physical body, and Amparo’s spirit ends up imprisoned in a terrifying land filled with cannibalistic monsters. “Bright World” is not at all like its name, at least for the humans who end up there. Can Amparo use their presence of mind and creative thinking to escape back to the human world?
The story comes to us from both the human world and Bright World (more of the latter) as we see both the Amparos navigate their new lives.
This book collects the first twelve issues (Issues 0 to 11) of the webcomic ‘The Hazards of Love’. The online comic is in B&W, but the print book is in full colour.
I had read this book for the first time way back in November 2020. It was one of my first graphic novel ARCs, and I remember loving the plot as well as regretting the cliffhanger ending. I had been waiting for news of the sequel all these years. Now that I finally have my hands on Book Two: ‘As Above, So Below’, the long interim duration necessitated a reread of the first book.
My original rating was an enthusiastic 4.75 stars. (I was not so stingy with my feedback back then. 🤭) This time around, with much more reviewing experience, I had assumed that my rating would dip strongly. I was wrong. The book proved that quality stays the same even after the passage of time.
I am still blown away by the imaginativeness of the storyline, the complexity narrative spanning multiple worlds, the inclusivity, the characters (human and otherwise), and the overall plot development that is so dark and yet so full of hope. The dialogues are smart, with plenty of wit and emotions. The story is dark, so this book isn't an easy read. But the plot is so compelling and complicated that it is tough to stop midway.
The illustrations are also mostly mindblowing. The art makes excellent use of colour to add a deeper meaning to the characters and their lines. The vividness of Bright World comes out excellently on every page, as does its omnipresent danger. The contrast between the human world and Bright World is also clear in appearance. I did struggle a bit in figuring out the gender identity of a few of the characters who appeared to be male but weren’t. But this probably was a ME (and my tired middle-aged brain) problem because my daughter, who is finally old enough for this book and joined me for this reread, didn’t face any issues decoding the character genders.
Overall, this reread was still as intriguing, Amparo and Juliana were still as fascinating, the storyline still felt as twisty and horrifying, and the cliffhanger was still as irritating as the first time around. Since I have the sequel at hand, I shall be jumping to it immediately.
Definitely recommended to all dark fantasy and urban fantasy fans.
4.5 stars.
My thanks to Oni Press for providing the DRC of “The Hazards of Love Vol.1: Bright World” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Original, unedited, even gushier review below – Posted on 22nd November 2020.
I opted for this ARC just because it was a graphic novel and I was in the mood to read one. But DAYYUM! One of the best and most creative graphic books I've read since The Sandman!
Ampara is a queer teen from Queens who makes a really bad deal with a talking cat. They soon find themselves dragged into fantastical world called Bright World while the cat takes their place (and shape) in the human world. The adventures of Amprao in Bright World amid all the weird creatures and captured humans forms the rest of the story. Mind you, the story doesn't end at the end of this volume, so if you are looking for closure, you still have a long wait ahead of you.
I loved the wacky creativity of the story. The characters are so interesting and, in some cases, absolutely spooky. I also loved the queer content in the book; having a queer writer for a queer story makes a huge difference. The illustrations, the panel structuring, the narrative flow all are fantastic.
Eagerly awaiting Volume 2 of this fabulous book!
I received an advance review copy of the book for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || Threads || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
May 20, 2021
This was fantastic and funny and horrifying and I can't wait for the next book.
April 6, 2021
Colorful, whimsical, sweet, and delightful.
Nonbinary fifteen-year-old Amparo doesn't really want to be a bad kid, they just can't help it. When a talking cat offers what seems to be a sweet deal, Amparo takes it and winds up in another world, Bright World, full of citizens who like to munch on humans, from their flesh to their memories.
Amparo is the hooligan with the heart of gold, the mouthy, too-clever kid, the Peter Parker type, so it's hard not to love them from the get go. They make some friends and also some enemies and while the story follows familiar patterns, there are enough fun twists to keep it from being cliché.
Bright World felt Havana-y to me, despite my never having been to Havana. It's bright and lush, a bit claustrophobic and over-the-top, a little like the Havana streets the museum put together in their traveling Cuba exhibit a few years ago, kind of like the pictures and stories in the travel guides that come across my desk. But, really, it's probably reminiscent of any tropical Latin American city - not that I've been to any and, therefore, probably don't know what I'm talking about.
As with so many webcomics turned to print volumes, however, it suffers from clunky readable flow. In this case, the story still makes sense if you get the panels out of order, which is pretty cool, but for anyone who has difficulties reading graphic novels, this one could pose a frustrating challenge.
Nonbinary fifteen-year-old Amparo doesn't really want to be a bad kid, they just can't help it. When a talking cat offers what seems to be a sweet deal, Amparo takes it and winds up in another world, Bright World, full of citizens who like to munch on humans, from their flesh to their memories.
Amparo is the hooligan with the heart of gold, the mouthy, too-clever kid, the Peter Parker type, so it's hard not to love them from the get go. They make some friends and also some enemies and while the story follows familiar patterns, there are enough fun twists to keep it from being cliché.
Bright World felt Havana-y to me, despite my never having been to Havana. It's bright and lush, a bit claustrophobic and over-the-top, a little like the Havana streets the museum put together in their traveling Cuba exhibit a few years ago, kind of like the pictures and stories in the travel guides that come across my desk. But, really, it's probably reminiscent of any tropical Latin American city - not that I've been to any and, therefore, probably don't know what I'm talking about.
As with so many webcomics turned to print volumes, however, it suffers from clunky readable flow. In this case, the story still makes sense if you get the panels out of order, which is pretty cool, but for anyone who has difficulties reading graphic novels, this one could pose a frustrating challenge.
April 25, 2022
First off I have to say this graphic novel is beautiful! The subject matter is often dark so the images are too, but the book is just gorgeous. I love the black pages with bright colorful images that just seem to jump off the page. I’ll say the pacing seems a little off, but that makes sense if this was a web comic brought together to make a book. And I am glad to see it says it is book one as I need to know what happens next (it ends on a bit of a cliffhanger). A non-binary teen named Amparo just wants to be a little bit of a better person - a better student, a nicer person, and one who doesn’t get in trouble so the girl they like might like them back. A talking cat says they can grant this wish but instead steals Amparo’s name and Amparo is sent nameless to a pretty scary place called Bright World. Amparo is desperate to get home but just surviving takes a lot of their time and energy.
January 11, 2021
4/5
Quality of writing: 4
Plot development: 4
Pace: 4
Characters: 4
Enjoyability: 4
Ease of reading: 4
Such a weird book! The art is really nice - the heavy outlines, the coloring...
The storyline is definitely weird but fun at the same time.
Review copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Quality of writing: 4
Plot development: 4
Pace: 4
Characters: 4
Enjoyability: 4
Ease of reading: 4
Such a weird book! The art is really nice - the heavy outlines, the coloring...
The storyline is definitely weird but fun at the same time.
Review copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 4, 2020
The artwork in this graphic novel was definitely excellent especially with the use of all the different colours to aptly depict the various scenes.
While the premise sounded exciting, the actual storyline was quite queer. Initially it was interesting but then it got slightly confusing in between which eventually lead me to lose interest half way into the book. Hopefully the next volume will be more engaging for me.
Thank You NetGalley and Oni Press for this ARC!
While the premise sounded exciting, the actual storyline was quite queer. Initially it was interesting but then it got slightly confusing in between which eventually lead me to lose interest half way into the book. Hopefully the next volume will be more engaging for me.
Thank You NetGalley and Oni Press for this ARC!
May 29, 2022
Amparo is a gender-nonconforming teen deadbeat, frequently suspended from school, who stresses out their single working mom and abuela. When a talking cat approaches them offering them a wish, Amparo foolishly thinks this is a kindness. Instead, the cat steals Amparo's name and identity, banishing them, nameless, into The Bright World. Here, humans are seen as food or toys by the monsters and magical animals who inhabit this place somewhere between life, death, and fairyland. Our hero has to use their wits and reckless confidence to scheme, scam, and bluff their way through this dangerous new world. I love watching the boldness of the way this protagonist takes on a very scary situation, and the rich, decorative page designs. I know that this comic was initially posted online as a webcomic, and it has a certain mid-2000s webcomic feel. Online the story was in black and white; in print, the story is in color for the first time. Some of the pages did unfortunately print a little too dark, but it's still exciting to see the bright colors of The Bright World.
November 12, 2020
Amporo is a bad kid, and doesn't want to be, not really.
So they makes a deal with a magical cat to be better. But the cat is not honest, and instead, the cat takes over their life, and their body, and sends their spirit to BrightWorld, a world beyond the pale, which is dangerous for humans, where they both eat you and your memories for the fun of it.
This is only the first volume of this story, so not everything is wrapped up at the end of this.
But, wow, yes, I do want to read the next issue. This may be super-crazy, but it is fun super-crazy, and Amporo is very sympathetic, in a crazy sort of way.
Good world building, and I look forward to volume 2.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
So they makes a deal with a magical cat to be better. But the cat is not honest, and instead, the cat takes over their life, and their body, and sends their spirit to BrightWorld, a world beyond the pale, which is dangerous for humans, where they both eat you and your memories for the fun of it.
This is only the first volume of this story, so not everything is wrapped up at the end of this.
But, wow, yes, I do want to read the next issue. This may be super-crazy, but it is fun super-crazy, and Amporo is very sympathetic, in a crazy sort of way.
Good world building, and I look forward to volume 2.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
June 8, 2022
Where is book #2?? 🥺
December 28, 2020
Amparo is always up to something and is known as a delinquent. When a talking cat comes in through their window and offers to grant one wish, Amparo is game. All they need to do is offer up a drop of blood and they’ll become a better person. What could possibly go wrong? Everything! The cat steals Amparo’s name and life, banishing them to some place called the Bright World. Nameless, shoeless, and confused, Amparo is left fighting to get their name and home back while trying not to get eaten along the way.
I received a copy from Oni Press through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I have to say that this is one of the neatest graphic novel concepts I’ve seen in a while. I’m a fan of fantasy, and Bright World is an entirely new and fascinating world. I’m obsessed! We mainly follow Amparo as their life takes quite the turn when they become tapped in Bright World. The main rule of Bright World is that there are no rules. They’re always changing, so any humans who find themselves there can’t seem to find a way to escape. I’m fascinated by this world. I’m also interested in learning more about Amparo’s patron, El Ciervo, as the story continues.
We also loosely follow Amparo’s crush, Iolanthe, in the human world. Iolanthe is a straight edge, rule following, and serious person. When she gets looped into dating who she thinks is Amparo, she slowly becomes aware that something isn’t right when they seem to do a complete personality flip. Once the imposter everyone thinks is Amparo goes missing, we see her leading the search to find out what happened to them.
I wish that Iolanthe’s story was mapped out a little better between each issue. There were times that having the human world suddenly pop up side by side was out of place. In one instance, the human and bright world were depicted side by side across several panels, which was completely and utterly confusing. I had to read the human world panels and come back to read the bright world panels separately because it was just too confusing to read in the order it was laid out in.
The artwork was also absolutely beautiful. I loved looking at how rich and vibrant each panel was on top of the beautiful drawings. I’m super excited to eventually read the second volume and see where the story takes Amparo and company next.
I received a copy from Oni Press through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I have to say that this is one of the neatest graphic novel concepts I’ve seen in a while. I’m a fan of fantasy, and Bright World is an entirely new and fascinating world. I’m obsessed! We mainly follow Amparo as their life takes quite the turn when they become tapped in Bright World. The main rule of Bright World is that there are no rules. They’re always changing, so any humans who find themselves there can’t seem to find a way to escape. I’m fascinated by this world. I’m also interested in learning more about Amparo’s patron, El Ciervo, as the story continues.
We also loosely follow Amparo’s crush, Iolanthe, in the human world. Iolanthe is a straight edge, rule following, and serious person. When she gets looped into dating who she thinks is Amparo, she slowly becomes aware that something isn’t right when they seem to do a complete personality flip. Once the imposter everyone thinks is Amparo goes missing, we see her leading the search to find out what happened to them.
I wish that Iolanthe’s story was mapped out a little better between each issue. There were times that having the human world suddenly pop up side by side was out of place. In one instance, the human and bright world were depicted side by side across several panels, which was completely and utterly confusing. I had to read the human world panels and come back to read the bright world panels separately because it was just too confusing to read in the order it was laid out in.
The artwork was also absolutely beautiful. I loved looking at how rich and vibrant each panel was on top of the beautiful drawings. I’m super excited to eventually read the second volume and see where the story takes Amparo and company next.
May 12, 2021
Bright World never felt real. The actual eating of people and memories came across more as - look, isn't this a cool idea - than something the humans in Bright World were terrified to experience. I would have appreciated slowing a moment down to really have a character experience the terror of having their memories taken from them. Amparo never really doubts their ability to escape Bright World. A moment of self doubt would have also slowed the story down and given me something to contemplate. That said, I kept reading. I was curious if Amparo would make it back and what life would be like for them if they got back.
November 19, 2020
The Hazards of Love Vol. 1: Bright World by Stan Stanley is a fantasy graphic novel which follows a queer teen from Queens who happens to fall in some mishaps and ends up in a world which is completely different from ours and is called - Bright World. I liked how the main character doesn't have a label and is open to everything.
Amparo just wanted to be a little bit bright and a better person in order to show the girl - Iolanthe he has a crush on in school that he is genuinely worth it. Amparo finds a cat who would help him change in exchange for a drop of blood. The cat changed into Amparo and now the cat stays in the human world and the real Amparo goes into the Bright World.
Well this is a great debut fantasy graphic novel I've read. The book ended on a very bad cliffhanger and I really cannot wait to the read the next book. In the Bright World we see creatures who strive on memories and nobody can escape from Bright World into the Human world again.
The characters in this book are so rare, some of them are the good ones whereas the other ones are evil ones. The emotions experienced by all of them felt so real and authentic. The starting was a little haphazard but later ones we get engaged in the world, it's different and beautiful at the same time. The amount of spook and mystery in this book is just amazing.
______
Thank You to NetGalley and Oni Press for the eARC in exchange for a honest opinion.
Release Date: March 30th 2021
Amparo just wanted to be a little bit bright and a better person in order to show the girl - Iolanthe he has a crush on in school that he is genuinely worth it. Amparo finds a cat who would help him change in exchange for a drop of blood. The cat changed into Amparo and now the cat stays in the human world and the real Amparo goes into the Bright World.
Well this is a great debut fantasy graphic novel I've read. The book ended on a very bad cliffhanger and I really cannot wait to the read the next book. In the Bright World we see creatures who strive on memories and nobody can escape from Bright World into the Human world again.
The characters in this book are so rare, some of them are the good ones whereas the other ones are evil ones. The emotions experienced by all of them felt so real and authentic. The starting was a little haphazard but later ones we get engaged in the world, it's different and beautiful at the same time. The amount of spook and mystery in this book is just amazing.
______
Thank You to NetGalley and Oni Press for the eARC in exchange for a honest opinion.
Release Date: March 30th 2021
September 21, 2021
The art and design are creative. The world and story intrigue me. But the color saturation and being printed on black paper makes it very hard for me to see the details on many of the inventive character designs for the Bright Worlders. The story has potential with plenty of dark elements and opportunities for horror, but I don't feel any of it. Having body parts, memories, and your humanity taken away should be terrifying. But I never bought that the humans really feared it. The lead also doesn't really act like their life is on the line. I think the book wants me to think they're street smart, bad, and a master at manipulating other people. I just saw a kid without much of a sense of self preservation, common sense, or the ability to think through actions.
September 20, 2021
The best thing about The Hazards of Love is the effortless queer and POC representation, but the worst thing is everything else. Compiling webcomics for a graphic novel made the plot meander a lot, and confusing especially when there's a time jump of multiple years. It really felt like the story was being dragged out, even though it was barely explored. I wasn't invested in any of the characters and it seemed like I was supposed to love them right away, despite a lack of characterization.
October 17, 2021
This is just... something else. Dark, funny, spooky, surreal, magnetic. The art is PERFECT for this story, and is gorgeous on an ereader. I was pretty devastated to turn to the last page and then be completely unable to find volume 2 BECAUSE IT HASN'T BEEN PUBLISHED YET.
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August 9, 2021
Excuse me - wtf, how was this so good? Why am I weirdly attracted to an evil deer man? WHY DON'T I ALREADY HAVE THE SECOND BOOK?!
May 10, 2022
Wow, I liked this graphic novel a LOT more than I was expecting to.
The story was so unique and didn’t take itself too seriously. Despite the dark, creepy plot and characters, the bright colors and humorous leads really offset that fact. I really liked Amparo as a main character, they are so funny. The art style was lovely (again, bright colors!!!) and the story worked really well with it.
There were a few moments towards the end where I got a bit confused, but other than that, I found the plot to be pretty easy to understand (at least for me). I tend to confuse myself when reading alternate reality stories, but the way the author/artist set up the alternate timeline was really convenient and helpful.
The ending was really spooky and I’m not quite sure how I feel about it yet. I guess I’ll just have to pick up the next volume when it comes out!
☞ 4 stars (really liked it)
The story was so unique and didn’t take itself too seriously. Despite the dark, creepy plot and characters, the bright colors and humorous leads really offset that fact. I really liked Amparo as a main character, they are so funny. The art style was lovely (again, bright colors!!!) and the story worked really well with it.
There were a few moments towards the end where I got a bit confused, but other than that, I found the plot to be pretty easy to understand (at least for me). I tend to confuse myself when reading alternate reality stories, but the way the author/artist set up the alternate timeline was really convenient and helpful.
The ending was really spooky and I’m not quite sure how I feel about it yet. I guess I’ll just have to pick up the next volume when it comes out!
☞ 4 stars (really liked it)
March 14, 2022
Good! Surprisingly dark and gory, very original.
September 6, 2021
Wow I LOVED this weird, creepy, and deeply original graphic novel. Hand this to fans of Tim burton immediately. Amparo is such a lovable character! I suspect this is going to circulate like wild! 🖤
August 7, 2021
11 out of 10. This is the best book, graphic novel or not, that I have read in a while. I picked it up from my fav indie bookstore on my recent trip back home to Alaska, and OH LORD it didn't disappoint. I read it in one day- broke it up into a couple sittings because I didn't want to rush it too much!
The Mexican-inspired hero's journey of my dreams. Gorgeous art, gorgeous characters, excellent queer romance sideplots, a corruption arc for our main character, a creepy deer-doctor, an evil cat... just read it. I am so excited for the next installment.
Amparo (then Paola, then Fawn) loses their body and their life to an evil cat. They get sucked into Bright World, a vibrant, evil dimension where everything and everyone is out to eat our hero. Luckily, they're resourceful and quick, and manage to survive and plot and move through the world without dying or getting hurt,,,, or as close to that as possible. a little death, a little gore, lost teeth and hands,,, you know how it is.
I would recommend this to anyone searching for mild, comedic and atmospheric Latin horror. Fans of Cemetery Boys, Hannibal, Little Shop of Horrors, La Llorona, and just a good time should read this. (Sacha, this book is literally a modern Mexican gothic comic.)
ALSO IT'S REALLY QUEER AND EVERYONE IN IT IS HOT
PLEASE READ THIS. THANK YOU.
The Mexican-inspired hero's journey of my dreams. Gorgeous art, gorgeous characters, excellent queer romance sideplots, a corruption arc for our main character, a creepy deer-doctor, an evil cat... just read it. I am so excited for the next installment.
Amparo (then Paola, then Fawn) loses their body and their life to an evil cat. They get sucked into Bright World, a vibrant, evil dimension where everything and everyone is out to eat our hero. Luckily, they're resourceful and quick, and manage to survive and plot and move through the world without dying or getting hurt,,,, or as close to that as possible. a little death, a little gore, lost teeth and hands,,, you know how it is.
I would recommend this to anyone searching for mild, comedic and atmospheric Latin horror. Fans of Cemetery Boys, Hannibal, Little Shop of Horrors, La Llorona, and just a good time should read this. (Sacha, this book is literally a modern Mexican gothic comic.)
ALSO IT'S REALLY QUEER AND EVERYONE IN IT IS HOT
PLEASE READ THIS. THANK YOU.
February 15, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for the digital ARC of The Hazards of Love Volume 1!
The Hazards of Love follows queer, non-binary teenager Amparo as they try to find a way to turn their life around. Rather than putting in the hard work, Amparo strikes a deal with a cunning, talking cat.
A drop of blood later and we are in the Bright World. An amazing, colourful place inspired by Mexican culture. The artwork of the Bright World is beautiful, rich and quite literally a Bright World. You can see how the author has used her Mexican heritage and poured it in to her work.
I really, really, really enjoyed this graphic novel. It was like a breath of fresh air for me. The concept was so unique, and to make it even better- it was queer.
The idea of a world on the other side of the veil inhabited by superior animals was a wonderful concept for me. I really got invested in Amparo and how they were going to get back to their world, Mother and girlfriend.
This book was really fun, it had some fantastic twists and really was a one-of-a-kind story. I am already looking forward to the next instalment, and I plan on buying myself a hard copy of this novel when it is published.
The Hazards of Love follows queer, non-binary teenager Amparo as they try to find a way to turn their life around. Rather than putting in the hard work, Amparo strikes a deal with a cunning, talking cat.
A drop of blood later and we are in the Bright World. An amazing, colourful place inspired by Mexican culture. The artwork of the Bright World is beautiful, rich and quite literally a Bright World. You can see how the author has used her Mexican heritage and poured it in to her work.
I really, really, really enjoyed this graphic novel. It was like a breath of fresh air for me. The concept was so unique, and to make it even better- it was queer.
The idea of a world on the other side of the veil inhabited by superior animals was a wonderful concept for me. I really got invested in Amparo and how they were going to get back to their world, Mother and girlfriend.
This book was really fun, it had some fantastic twists and really was a one-of-a-kind story. I am already looking forward to the next instalment, and I plan on buying myself a hard copy of this novel when it is published.
May 23, 2021
4.5/5
I received this ebook from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! All opinions are my own.
This was so interesting! I want to read all the volumes now!
Queer non-binary teenager Amparo made a deal with a talking cat: a drop of blood and their name in exchange of becoming a better person. But when the cat takes their shape and they are sent to another place called Bright World they fight to find a way back while the cat steals their life.
This graphic novel is really interesting as I said, it's full of plot twists, it's funny and it's fascinating. Bright World is a strange place and it has its own rules, it's amazing (bit scary though!).
I really like the idea of the story, another world or dimension (not really sure yet) where there are lots of creatures and almost no humans.
Also, it's so colorful! The art and the colors were wonderful!
There's so much intrigue that it keeps you reading until you finish it! I was watching the pages get closer to the end but then it ended!! There were more pages but the story was over! I really need the next volume cause I need to know everything.
I received this ebook from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! All opinions are my own.
This was so interesting! I want to read all the volumes now!
Queer non-binary teenager Amparo made a deal with a talking cat: a drop of blood and their name in exchange of becoming a better person. But when the cat takes their shape and they are sent to another place called Bright World they fight to find a way back while the cat steals their life.
This graphic novel is really interesting as I said, it's full of plot twists, it's funny and it's fascinating. Bright World is a strange place and it has its own rules, it's amazing (bit scary though!).
I really like the idea of the story, another world or dimension (not really sure yet) where there are lots of creatures and almost no humans.
Also, it's so colorful! The art and the colors were wonderful!
There's so much intrigue that it keeps you reading until you finish it! I was watching the pages get closer to the end but then it ended!! There were more pages but the story was over! I really need the next volume cause I need to know everything.
November 9, 2020
Thanks to Netgalley for giving me an ARC of this graphic novel in exchange for my honest review.
This is about Amparo, a normal nonbinary teen that it’s badass and irresponsable and go out in a date with a good girl, but then a magic cat steals their shapes and his name and his life, and now, he got stucked in the bright world, a new strange place that they know nothing about.
I gotta say, I love the graphics and the way it was represented, I saw also that you censored some bad words and it was cool. I mean I love the use of Spanish, and every cover of every issue that Amparo has to deal with.
About the plot… I was lost sometimes, but It was because there was a new world that we barely knew anything about, I loved the development that Amparo got in the story, and I was gagged with the fate that waited for them.
I want it’s second volume, and I surely wanna know if Amparo would survive what is coming, I recommend it, although it’s a little confusing but I love that and… I cannot wait to see what’s next.
This is about Amparo, a normal nonbinary teen that it’s badass and irresponsable and go out in a date with a good girl, but then a magic cat steals their shapes and his name and his life, and now, he got stucked in the bright world, a new strange place that they know nothing about.
I gotta say, I love the graphics and the way it was represented, I saw also that you censored some bad words and it was cool. I mean I love the use of Spanish, and every cover of every issue that Amparo has to deal with.
About the plot… I was lost sometimes, but It was because there was a new world that we barely knew anything about, I loved the development that Amparo got in the story, and I was gagged with the fate that waited for them.
I want it’s second volume, and I surely wanna know if Amparo would survive what is coming, I recommend it, although it’s a little confusing but I love that and… I cannot wait to see what’s next.
April 9, 2021
'The Hazards of Love' with story and art by Stan Stanley is a graphic novel about a person who makes a very bad deal and ends up in a very strange place.
Amparo loves Ioanthe, but Amparo is a bit of a troublemaker. One day Amparo makes a deal with an enchanted cat and gets tricked. The cat steals Amparo's body and Amparo gets sent to a strange world where creatures feed on memories and humans. Amparo is crafty and tries to get out, but soon finds themselves in thrall to a black deer named El Ciervo who is cruel and curious.
This is a fever dream of a story that is fueled by vividly drawn art. The art has thick lines and is densely overlaid. I liked the story and the really interesting art.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Oni Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
Amparo loves Ioanthe, but Amparo is a bit of a troublemaker. One day Amparo makes a deal with an enchanted cat and gets tricked. The cat steals Amparo's body and Amparo gets sent to a strange world where creatures feed on memories and humans. Amparo is crafty and tries to get out, but soon finds themselves in thrall to a black deer named El Ciervo who is cruel and curious.
This is a fever dream of a story that is fueled by vividly drawn art. The art has thick lines and is densely overlaid. I liked the story and the really interesting art.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Oni Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
March 3, 2021
Thank you NetGalley, Oni Press, and Stan Stanley for the opportunity to review The Hazards of Love Vol. 1 as an ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced reader's copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The Hazards of Love follows Amparo as they try to become a better person to impress their crush. Never did they think that along the way a trickster talking cat would send them to a whole other world where humans become the servants and animals are the masters. The fantasy world was creepy and interesting and I loved how bright and vivid the art work was. I really enjoyed this graphic novel!
The Hazards of Love follows Amparo as they try to become a better person to impress their crush. Never did they think that along the way a trickster talking cat would send them to a whole other world where humans become the servants and animals are the masters. The fantasy world was creepy and interesting and I loved how bright and vivid the art work was. I really enjoyed this graphic novel!
January 3, 2023
When I started this book I wasn't certain I would like it. The black background makes it occassionally difficult to follow, and the front and back matter difficult to read.
However, this book was completely unpredictable in wonderful ways. I loved the diversity as well, including that some dialogue was in Spanish without English translations. There are few constants about Bright World, but the malleability of the rules kept me on my toes and kept the story moving quickly.
However, this book was completely unpredictable in wonderful ways. I loved the diversity as well, including that some dialogue was in Spanish without English translations. There are few constants about Bright World, but the malleability of the rules kept me on my toes and kept the story moving quickly.
January 27, 2022
Very well done graphic novel; the paneling, the use of black paper, the mix of supernatural and everyday, the Hispanic influence and use of Spanish, the world building and characters were all done well. I think the way the main character identity as non-binary and use of they pronouns was very good.
March 7, 2021
I did enjoy this, but goddamn it was dark! And unfortunately it has that webcomic thing of the plot being a mid meandery and unspecific, which was the only reason I didn’t give it five stars, because other than that it’s beautiful, original, and fascinating.
January 27, 2021
The hazards of love es un webcomic creado por la autora Stan Stanley en el que nos sumergimos en un colorido mundo de fantasía poblado por seres sobrenaturales despiadados y siniestros que se alimentan de los recuerdos de los humanos, aunque la verdad es que a ratos hasta te caen bien.
Amparo Uribe es un personaje de género no definido, suele despachar la cuestión diciendo que se le da muy mal ser chica, el caso es que a Amparo le gusta mucho Iolanthe, una compañera de instituto que es su completo opuesto, honesta, tranquila, buena estudiante… Amparo quiere convertirse en mejor persona para estar a su altura y dar menos preocupaciones a su madre y su abuela , y cuando una noche un gato que habla entra en su habitación ofreciéndole un deseo, eso es lo que pide… Lo malo es que el trato que sellan con una gota de sangre de Amparo es en realidad muy distinto, el malvado gato roba el cuerpo y el nombre de Amparo, que por su parte se transforma en un ser sin sustancia que se ve transportado a un mundo llamado «Bright world».
En Bright world, Amparo se encuentra con un mundo en el que los humanos corren el riesgo de ser comidos si no se encuentran bajo la protección de uno de sus habitantes, estos habitantes son animales antropomórficos que se alimentan de los recuerdos de las personas, además incluso utilizan estos recuerdos destilados como moneda de cambio. Los seres humanos que han tendo la desgracia de entrar en este Bright world deben buscar un patron que les proteja para evitar ser devorados, estos patrones les hacen trabajar para pagarse el alojamiento y manutención siguiendo unas normas bastante injustas y arbitrarias, de forma que la mayoría de ellos tienen que ir vendiendo partes de sus recuerdos (tanto pensamientos como objetos materiales) para poder ganarse la vida.
En un inicio nuestro personaje principal (que ya no se llama Amparo porque le han robado su nombre) se encuentra bajo la protección de Miss Mimí y recibe el nombre comunal de Paola, pero cuando se da cuenta de que su situación no es muy propicia si quiere conseguir volver a su hogar, decide buscar otro patrón, quedando bajo la tutela de «El Ciervo». Este cambio desde el principio se demostrará que no es muy acertado, nadie está a favor de los humanos que caen en este mundo y El Ciervo va manipulando a Fawn (el nuevo nombre de Amparo) para que se vaya convirtiendo en alguien muy distinto de su antiguo yo.
Mientras tanto en el mundo real el gato que se ha convertido en Amparo continúa su vida iniciando una relación con Iolanthe, que no nota el cambio de Amparo.
Todo esto que cuento no es más que la premisa principal, que se cuenta en los primeros números, toda esta trama se va desarrollando a lo largo de lo que parecen ser varios años en ambos mundos, en los que se suceden tanto la evolución de Fawn mientras intenta infructuosamente volver al mundo real, como la vida de Iolanthe con Amparo / el gato mantiroso.
Espero que no se note demasiado, pero estoy haciendo malabarismos para intentar no asignar género cada vez que hablo de Amparo… esto es porque en el cómic se utilizan pronombres neutros, para no asignar género a Amparo todo el mundo utiliza pronombres en plural como «they», «them», o «their»… esto es complicado traducir al castellano sin recurrir al socorrido «ello» o «eso», que puede resultar hasta ofensivo y desde luego esa no es mi intención. El caso es que ya estoy terminando mi reseña y creo que estoy consiguiendo el objetivo, así que voy a cerrar pronto antes de liarla.
La historia no concluye, como digo al principio de la reseña esto es un webcómic que a día de hoy sigue publicándose y es previsible que dará al menos para otro libro de extensión parecida e este (unas 270 páginas). La autora, que utiliza el nombre artístico Stan Stanley, es de origen Mexicano y esto se nota tanto en la trama como en el dibujo, algunos de los temas que trata ganan mucho sentido cuando piensas que quien escribe esto es una inmigrante mexicana en Estados Unidos.
El dibujo es muy colorido y llamativo, la acción no siempre está bien resuelta, pero por otro lado este es un cómic que trata principalmente de relaciones y conversaciones entre personajes, en todo caso lo que llama más la atención son los diseños de personajes y ambientes, desbordantes de color e imaginación.
Para mí ha sido una gran sorpresa y espero con ganas el siguiente tomo, esta autora es todo un hallazgo.
Amparo Uribe es un personaje de género no definido, suele despachar la cuestión diciendo que se le da muy mal ser chica, el caso es que a Amparo le gusta mucho Iolanthe, una compañera de instituto que es su completo opuesto, honesta, tranquila, buena estudiante… Amparo quiere convertirse en mejor persona para estar a su altura y dar menos preocupaciones a su madre y su abuela , y cuando una noche un gato que habla entra en su habitación ofreciéndole un deseo, eso es lo que pide… Lo malo es que el trato que sellan con una gota de sangre de Amparo es en realidad muy distinto, el malvado gato roba el cuerpo y el nombre de Amparo, que por su parte se transforma en un ser sin sustancia que se ve transportado a un mundo llamado «Bright world».
En Bright world, Amparo se encuentra con un mundo en el que los humanos corren el riesgo de ser comidos si no se encuentran bajo la protección de uno de sus habitantes, estos habitantes son animales antropomórficos que se alimentan de los recuerdos de las personas, además incluso utilizan estos recuerdos destilados como moneda de cambio. Los seres humanos que han tendo la desgracia de entrar en este Bright world deben buscar un patron que les proteja para evitar ser devorados, estos patrones les hacen trabajar para pagarse el alojamiento y manutención siguiendo unas normas bastante injustas y arbitrarias, de forma que la mayoría de ellos tienen que ir vendiendo partes de sus recuerdos (tanto pensamientos como objetos materiales) para poder ganarse la vida.
En un inicio nuestro personaje principal (que ya no se llama Amparo porque le han robado su nombre) se encuentra bajo la protección de Miss Mimí y recibe el nombre comunal de Paola, pero cuando se da cuenta de que su situación no es muy propicia si quiere conseguir volver a su hogar, decide buscar otro patrón, quedando bajo la tutela de «El Ciervo». Este cambio desde el principio se demostrará que no es muy acertado, nadie está a favor de los humanos que caen en este mundo y El Ciervo va manipulando a Fawn (el nuevo nombre de Amparo) para que se vaya convirtiendo en alguien muy distinto de su antiguo yo.
Mientras tanto en el mundo real el gato que se ha convertido en Amparo continúa su vida iniciando una relación con Iolanthe, que no nota el cambio de Amparo.
Todo esto que cuento no es más que la premisa principal, que se cuenta en los primeros números, toda esta trama se va desarrollando a lo largo de lo que parecen ser varios años en ambos mundos, en los que se suceden tanto la evolución de Fawn mientras intenta infructuosamente volver al mundo real, como la vida de Iolanthe con Amparo / el gato mantiroso.
Espero que no se note demasiado, pero estoy haciendo malabarismos para intentar no asignar género cada vez que hablo de Amparo… esto es porque en el cómic se utilizan pronombres neutros, para no asignar género a Amparo todo el mundo utiliza pronombres en plural como «they», «them», o «their»… esto es complicado traducir al castellano sin recurrir al socorrido «ello» o «eso», que puede resultar hasta ofensivo y desde luego esa no es mi intención. El caso es que ya estoy terminando mi reseña y creo que estoy consiguiendo el objetivo, así que voy a cerrar pronto antes de liarla.
La historia no concluye, como digo al principio de la reseña esto es un webcómic que a día de hoy sigue publicándose y es previsible que dará al menos para otro libro de extensión parecida e este (unas 270 páginas). La autora, que utiliza el nombre artístico Stan Stanley, es de origen Mexicano y esto se nota tanto en la trama como en el dibujo, algunos de los temas que trata ganan mucho sentido cuando piensas que quien escribe esto es una inmigrante mexicana en Estados Unidos.
El dibujo es muy colorido y llamativo, la acción no siempre está bien resuelta, pero por otro lado este es un cómic que trata principalmente de relaciones y conversaciones entre personajes, en todo caso lo que llama más la atención son los diseños de personajes y ambientes, desbordantes de color e imaginación.
Para mí ha sido una gran sorpresa y espero con ganas el siguiente tomo, esta autora es todo un hallazgo.
September 4, 2025
"Respectfully, I beg to differ."
Ohhh my gosh.
Having no expectations for a graphic novel makes for such an enjoyable experience when it blows you out of the water!
Bright World focues on Amparo, a nonbinary Latine teenager who makes a magical deal gone wrong. Thrown into a dangerous, unfamiliar landscape, they must struggle to stay alive and find allies while their real-world crush, Iolanthe, starts dating the mimic that took Amparo's place.
If you're going to read this, I really recommend skipping the official GR synopsis. It's surprisingly spoiler-y and mentions events that don't happen until the literal last page.
From the cover, I thought I wouldn't care for the art style in here, but I was delightfully surprised by how much it grew on me. The vivid colors and character designs, the worldbuilding and creatures... so good. And this story gets DARK, my goodness! There are so many shudderingly visceral body horror elements that made me stop and process what just happened. For intense horror fans, this book probably isn't the most intense thing you've ever read, but it's still crazy!
"Is all that blood mine?"
"Not anymore."
I loved the unsettling atmosphere of Bright World and Amparo's struggle to decide who to trust - even from a reader's POV, it was stressing me out! I did really like Juliana, though, and her developing relationship with Amparo.
The ending made me eager to pick up book 2 (already on hold at my library!) but it left me with some questions about Amparo's future.
I cannot wait for volume 2 - 5/5 stars!
Ohhh my gosh.
Having no expectations for a graphic novel makes for such an enjoyable experience when it blows you out of the water!
Bright World focues on Amparo, a nonbinary Latine teenager who makes a magical deal gone wrong. Thrown into a dangerous, unfamiliar landscape, they must struggle to stay alive and find allies while their real-world crush, Iolanthe, starts dating the mimic that took Amparo's place.
If you're going to read this, I really recommend skipping the official GR synopsis. It's surprisingly spoiler-y and mentions events that don't happen until the literal last page.
From the cover, I thought I wouldn't care for the art style in here, but I was delightfully surprised by how much it grew on me. The vivid colors and character designs, the worldbuilding and creatures... so good. And this story gets DARK, my goodness! There are so many shudderingly visceral body horror elements that made me stop and process what just happened. For intense horror fans, this book probably isn't the most intense thing you've ever read, but it's still crazy!
"Is all that blood mine?"
"Not anymore."
I loved the unsettling atmosphere of Bright World and Amparo's struggle to decide who to trust - even from a reader's POV, it was stressing me out! I did really like Juliana, though, and her developing relationship with Amparo.
The ending made me eager to pick up book 2 (already on hold at my library!) but it left me with some questions about Amparo's future.
I cannot wait for volume 2 - 5/5 stars!
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