Fungirl

by Elizabeth Pich

Fungirl is a hapless (hopeless) hot mess of a woman crashing through life, leaving chaos in her wake. Although her oblivious antics infuriate her roommate-slash-ex-girlfriend, terrify the teenage skaters she tries to impress, and threaten her every opportunity for employment, Fungirl remains charming, transgressive, and hilarious.

Pich’s cartoonish art is simple and quirky, with clean lines and bold colors. The art transforms potentially graphic scenes of sex and violence into adorably cute, almost sweet, vignettes. Pich renders Fungirl’s particular messiness deliciously palatable, like an inappropriate wedding cake.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Bande Dessinée, Fiction, Queer, Humor, LGBT

Paperback

First published November 5, 2021

Reviews

[Steph]

a dark and crude graphic novel about fungirl, who might be a deemed a walking disaster.

it reminds me a lot of tuca and bertie, but without the charm and warmth. much like tuca, our fungirl is the chaotic third wheel to her bestie and her bestie's bland and naïve boyfriend. but fungirl doesn't have many endearing personal moments to help you understand its protagonist's chaotic nature, nor the sweetness of a close friendship.

in general, i don't think the book's vulgarity and charm are well-balanced. and maybe that's fine! if you like exaggerated and shockingly graphic humor, often sexual and/or involving corpses, you will probably get a kick out of this. i just wanted a little more heart to even it all out.

i will say that the book grew on me as it went on. there are some fun details in the art that circle back from the beginning. and as fungirl's self destruction finally alienates her from everyone in her life, i begin to admire her and her zany, single-minded schemes.

[Jim Coughenour]

I haven’t laughed this hard at a graphic comic since Wendy, Master of Art. I bought it because of its cover, started reading it without knowing what to expect – and within two or three pages I was guffawing. Everything is pitched, sometimes perfectly, between an exquisitely dark sensibility and the crass humor of a 13-year-old boy. A daemon is doing the drawing. Some of the funniest moments erupt from details scribbled into corners or from the demented echoes of sentimental soap operas. Oh God whyyy? One storyline morphs into the next, sometimes taking a twist through Kafka or Dali. Fungirl and her friends are what we need and what we deserve.

Elizabeth Pich is an exuberant original.

[Dave Schaafsma]

I understand Fungirl is pretty popular online. It's about a wild "bad" girl whose idea of fun is to disrupt everything. Juvenile (which is not to say I never like such work!) humor.. Lots of random sex and violence, the effect of which is muted and made sort of funny by bold colors. And no mouths! I respectfully acknowledge the popularity of these comics, but thought of them as less edgy than sort of tepid. You know, different strokes, but didn't find it all that funny. It might just be me (and Rod Brown, whose rating I'll admit I glanced at).

[P.E.]

OTT Macabre Fest


In short, I have been drawn to this comic by the cover art, the back cover and the promising style of the full-page art. This could hardly have been a more blatant miss for me, unfortunately. While some of the themes could have resonated with questions and themes I have been wondering about for a while (like most people sooner or later, I suppose) – the meaning of life and non-profit in a world devoted to productivism and profit, the pressure to conform, the absurd death of a 36-y.o. friend in his bathroom, the folly behind many norms, the dread and angst of everyday life in a country and world governed by very stable geniuses... –, past the first few stories giving a droll and uncomfortable depiction of everyday-life dread, I have found this comic resolutely vulgar, its humour facile, repetitive and hollow, alternating between outré macabre, over-the-top cartoonish gags getting old really fast, moments of cringe and sexual jokes, and its overall tone provocative and resolutely transgressive, but not subversive, thought-provoking.

Its stories are disconnected from one another, including the main story, where there is (almost) no stake, no personal growth to be found in unidimensional characters.

Reminiscent of Tim and Eric, but nowhere near as deeply uncomfortable and nightmarish, absent-mindedly alluding to Kafka, somehow related to the impossible Ignatius from A Confederacy of Dunces, and its old forefather Bartleby the Scrivener, Fun Girl rarely goes beyond libido, existential misery and the fear of death.

At best, it reminds me of an odd practical joke pulled on the sign of a funeral parlor on my way to and from Lycée Clémenceau in Nantes : someone had erased some of its letters, altering the original "Pompes funèbres – Monuments funéraires" (Funeral Parlour – Funeral monuments) to "Pompes fun – Mo ments fun", meaning "Fun shoes, fun moments." For me, the humour in Fun girl rarely went past that level. It is what it is.


See also
Bartleby the Scrivener
A Confederacy of Dunces
A Working Stiff Manifesto
Faut pas prendre les cons pour des gens
Contes de la Mansarde
Les météores

The Incredible machine computer game.

[Rod Brown]

A manic pixie girl with no impulse control wreaks havoc on her own life and the lives of those around her. It reminded me too much of The Sarah Silverman Program -- with a nurse sidekick, even! -- and just made me wish I was watching that instead and singing along with its wacky songs.

I had a little fun figuring out the occasional references to classic paintings (Birth of Venus, The Persistence of Memory, etc.) and pop culture icons (Peanuts, Calvin and Hobbes, Wayne's World, etc.), but the story sort of reviews itself when one character says to Fungirl, "You lead a life of fruitless follies . . . "

[Cheyenne]

rating: 2 stars
format: ebook (comic)

in the blurb on the back of the book it says "a love letter to that chaotic friend with a heart of gold"... heart of gold my ass- fungirl is an edgy asshole who's "escapades" remain sadly unfunny. i worry about everyone who calls this book relatable (aside from the harmless stories like farting in yoga class, not judging you for that)

2 stars because there was some stuff i appreciated but it wasn't enough to balance out all the unfunny bullshit. i don't consider myself the ultimate authority on humour tho, so enjoy fungirl if you're able too

[disco]

Excuse me but masturbation does count as a hobby, thank you.

[Stay]

"Don’t take it away from me! I want it so bad! I need it! In my mouth! I’m a broke, naughty girl!"

The cover is what initially caught my attention as I was scrolling through the library ebook app. It looked weird and metal enough for me to try it.

Hilarious with equal parts bizarre, this graphic novel was like nothing I’ve experienced before. It was fun and totally strange. Prepare yourself for lots of dark humor and sex jokes.

[marta]

mysle ze malo co przyczynilo sie do powiekszenia widocznosci loser lesbijek bardziej od tej ksiazki

[Clint]

2.5 stars
I wanted to really like this and expected to (at least a little) based on liking the irreverent humor in some of Silver Sprocket’s other titles and the blurb’s mention of Fleabag, but Fungirl ended up occupying an uncanny valley of mediocrity for me. It’s kinda bizarre and kinda vulgar and kinda absurd, but nowhere near enough of any of those outré qualities to get by on those alone.

The main character is described early on as “a deadbeat with no ambition or direction in life” and hey, that could be an empathetic and funny feeling, but instead it’s just an accurate accusation aimed at a character who briefly hints at wanting any sort of awareness or growth before abandoning that for more caricature of “that mundanely annoying disaster of a roommate you split from as soon as you could.” There’s 2-3 genuinely outrageous moments that cracked a smile from me here, but overall this is simply not genuine enough to be emotionally engaging and not outrageous enough to be funny. Oh well.

(I really liked the intermittent splash page homages to various famous old paintings and newer paintings and comics covers, though.)

[Amber]

FUNGIRL is a hapless (hopeless) hot mess of a woman crashing through life, leaving chaos in her wake. Although her oblivious antics infuriate her roommate, terrify the teenage skaters she tries to impress, and threaten her every opportunity for employment, FUNGIRL remains charming, transgressive, and hilarious.

Pich's cartoonish art is simple and quirky, with clean lines and bold colors. The art transforms potentially graphic scenes of sex and violence into adorably cute, almost sweet, vignettes. Pich renders FUNGIRL's particular messiness deliciously palatable, like an inappropriate wedding cake.

Recommended for fans of Fleabag, Spaced, and BoJack Horseman.

[Lewis Szymanski]

Elizabeth Pich is half of the team that makes the webcomic War and Peas. You have probably seen it, even if you don't know you have. Fungirl is slightly less surreal and much more adult-oriented.

It alternates between or maybe combines dark humor and crass humor. The simple, almost crude art makes the nudity, sex, and violence look cute.

I think Elizabeth Pich is Olivia Jaimes. I can't prove it, and wouldn't want to. Nobody involved would ever admit it. I just want my headcanon recorded somewhere in case we ever find out who Olivia Jaimes is.

[Sarah]

I'm back after a long reading hiatus! After a long break doing other creative stuff, I'm gingerly dipping my toe back into literary waters with a graphic novel. Boy, I could not have picked better. This was hilarious, crude, shocking, irredeemable and wonderfully random. Do not read if squeamish about period blood, desecration of corpses, LGBT shenanigans, and questionable hygiene.

The part where fungirl goes to career day actually had me laughing out loud. Not just air blowing out my nose. Full on laughing.

[Paula]

Leído para las prácticas

[Abby Henry]

no fuckable people at this party

[Konstantin]

Very funny

[Ambre Leray]

Drôle j'avoue

[Gabriell Anderson]

Já už asi ani neumím číst normální komiksy.
Fungirl je sólový projekt Elizabeth Pich (jedna polovina z War & Peas) a je to její prostor, jak se ultimátně vyřádit na šílené dívce, která si žije život po svém. Pro neznalého čtenáře bude prakticky nejjednodušší zamířit k Elizabeth na Instagram a tam máte ochutnávek víc než dost. Je to jedna velká, šílená jízda u které mě jenom mrzí, že mi přijde, že po nějaké době to vlastně přestane kamkoliv směřovat a jenom to dojede krátký úsek ze života hrdinky s co největším množstvím bláznivých nápadů.
Je to bláznivé, je to přesexualizované, s většinou nápadou to rychle přejde do komického extrému, ale přečíst se to dá na jeden zátah, člověk se u toho zasměje a některé části asi jen tak nezapomene.
Jsem zvědavý, jestli se někdy dočkáme dalšího pokračování.

[Amandine]

Sincèrement le livre le plus drôle que j'ai lu à ce jour. Pour de vrai, j'ai ri de vive voix plusieurs fois au cours de la lecture, c'est tellement drôle que c'en est perturbant! Fungirl est une zouz archi maladroite, qui fait un peu ce qu'elle veut quand elle veut, qui a zéro complexe, ça fout un peu le chaos autour d'elle et elle exaspère pas mal de monde mais qu'est ce qu'elle est drôle, et attachante, car pleine de tendresse et d'empathie... je recommande x1000

[Mychal Threets]

The pure chaos of this book makes it 5/5 stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Wciągam Książki Nosem]

Pierwsze kilkadziesiąt stron miałam takie: „Ło jeźu, co to jest???”, „Co oni wydali?”, „No nie, przegięte!” xD

Ale dość szybko zmieniłam zdanie... bo doceniłam bezkompromisowość, wywrotowość i, jak sądzę, wywalenie autorki na normy i konwenanse. Także te związane z tzw. „dobrym smakiem” ;-) (w końcu to też zbiór jakichś sztywnych prawideł, utrwalonych przez jakąś większość, jakby na to nie spojrzeć ;-)).

Zwłaszcza te związane z wciąż powszechnym opresyjnym modelem kobiecości i dziewczęcości, którym „Fungirl” pokazuje wielkiego obscenicznego f*cka!

Tytułowa fungirl pędzi (czasem na deskorolce) od przypału do przypału, siejąc zamęt w życiu swoim, swoich współlokatorów i przyjaciół oraz tych, którzy mają z nią styczność. Obżera się, ma burdel w głowie, pokoju i zdechłe kwiatki na parapecie. Bezwstydnie m@sturb*je (to jej hobby!) i romansuje z osobami płci wszelakiej ;-). I ogólnie jest rozwiązła i nieporadna, zagubiona, ma problem z pracą, nie zabiega o karierę i ambicje. Ale też bardzo samotna i tęskniąca za głęboką więzią, której szuka w dość żenujący sposób (co swoją drogą, jest bardzo ludzkie, bardzo młodzieńcze, no bo kiedy człowiek ma prawo być najbardziej żenujący jak się da, jak nie wtedy, gdy jest młody i uczy się siebie, świata, innych...) .Myślę, że w liceum, w szczycie mojej własnej prywatnej kontestacji wymierzonych w dziewczyny restrykcyjnych genderowych norm, bym ten komiks po prostu wielbiła! XD xD Za to wszystko za co inni właśnie mogą go nie lubić.

To taka afirmacja „pozytywnego przegrywizmu”. Przeciwko demonom współczesnego świata wyrosłym z dzikiego kapitalizmu, na czele z korposzczurzyzmem i wszechobecną kulturą z@pierd*lu (o której już zresztą powstają książki ;-)) Bardzo anarchistycznie.

A że to taka kobieca rebelia w dużej mierze, to można powiedzieć, że to taka komiksowa wersja ruchu Riot Grrrl. Na ścieżce dźwiękowej „Fungirl” poza Bikini Kill mogłoby się znaleźć „Bad Reputation” Joan Jett ;-) Jest więc bardzo feministycznie, ale znowu z przymrużonym okiem i kręcąc bekę z różnych femi-tematów xD I skoro jest „playboy”, to i „fungirl” być musi, równie jak jej męscy odpowiednicy np. beznadziejna w podrywie xD

Występuje tu więc w obfitości kompletnie niepoprawny, „niesmaczny” i jadący totalnie po bandzie humor. W wielu miejscach wisielczy i fizjologiczny (fani fizjologicznych żartów, będziecie mieć tu hardkorowy wypas xD). Przekoloryzowanie, groteska i absurd.

Ale żeby nie było, alternatywne wykorzystanie kubeczków menstruacyjnych do obrony zagrożonego przez kilku agresywnych samców kumpla to od razu doceniłam! XD xD xD

Są też nawiązania do znanych dzieł sztuki i popkultury.

Elizabeth Pich jest przede wszystkim znana jako współautorka „War and Peas”. Wiem, że za granicą wyszedł już kolejny integral przygód fungirl. Teraz już będę raczej na niego czekać.

Jeśli podobały się Wam „Belzebubki” JP Ahonena, to jest prawdopodobieństwo, że „Fungirl” również zyska Wasze uznanie.

I te soczyste kolorki! Mniam! Trochę taki „pop-” albo „rainbow-gothic”. Znowu przewrotnie.

Dziękuję wydawnictwu Los Kraba za egzemplarz recenzencki.

[Shazia]

In Fungirl, we follow along the adventures of this character who doesn't really have much going on for her. In the comic she stumbles upon her new job working at a mortuary, and we see her interactions with those around her, including her friendship with her roommate/ex-girlfriend Becky, and Becky's boyfriend (whose name I already forgot).

Unfortunately I wasn't a huge fan of the humor of this comic, which is largely inappropriate and immature. However, even though it wasn't totally for me, I still appreciate the ridiculous storylines and situations that Fungirl gets into. I really do love the artwork and didn't realize that artist Elizabeth Pich is a co-creator of webcomic War and Peas: Funny Comics for Dirty Lovers until after I finished the book.

If you like silly, vulgar humor, such as Boy's Club, Zonzo, or the Megg and Mogg series, definitely pick this one up.

If you liked the artwork but wish the humor was a bit less vulgar, I'd recommend you pick up Candy Hearts, Woman World, or Teen Dog.

[Avvai]

Ha loved this. Very crude and raunchy humour following Fungirl and her very hot mess of a life. I live for this type of chaos energy.
Peter, the straight male character reminded me so much of Kyle and I couldn't help but laugh out loud picturing Kyle amongst women like Fungirl and her roommate. Hilarious.
These comics won't be for everyone, but it was definitely for me.

[Solux]

au début je me suis dit que j'allais pas trop aimer. et finalement comme c'était vraiment n'importe quoi je me suis plutôt laissé convaincre.

mais seigneur qu'est ce que c'est mal traduit... y'a des gens qui savent traduire des dialogues hein vous êtes pas obligés de croire votre vieux pote sur parole quand il vous dit qu'il va vous le faire en interne pour pas cher

[Vidya Palepu]

reminded me of tuca and bertie/ fleabag/ broad city

[NoémieO]

C’est cru mais qu’est-ce que j’ai ri !

[E]

Finally! the “unattainable manic pixie dream goddess” representation we all deserve!

[Clarisa]

This was a very entertaining read for me. It is chaotic and raunchy, in the best way possible. Absolutely love the MC. She is there for her friends and a majority of what she does is out of love but the results usually end in chaos. But it is what makes this story great.

[Joyce Roth]

It was AFFENTITTENGEIL!

[Patricia]

super lustig