Too Much Coffee Man Omnibus

Too Much Coffee Man #1-4

by Shannon Wheeler

Shannon Wheeler was once just another ambitious cartoonist with some big ideas (and some small ones, too), a wicked sense of humor, a questioning spirit, and a coffee jones the size of a tanker truck. Who would have ever guessed that ten years later, he would have multiple volumes of critically acclaimed cartoons under his belt and a rich, satisfying career? The Too Much Coffee Man Omnibus gathers all of the cartoons from four hilarious volumes of work, bringing together all of Wheeler's signature satire and sweetness in one convenient package. Essential for Too Much Coffee Man fans, and sure to convert new ones!

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Fiction, Comics Manga, Humor

536 pages, Paperback

First published July 22, 2009

Reviews

[Nicolo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a hefty volume, and I got it at a bargain too. Although the condition of the book left something to be desired, I figured I was going to entertained by it; given that I've heard so much about this indie title that got big.

The entertainment value cannot be denied. This is some good and funny stuff. As an omnibus that collects the breadth of Shannon Wheeler's work on his signature character, it provides a front side seat at the development of his art. Too Much Coffee Man started as an absurd strip and Wheeler grew in confidence with his skill in storytelling, became biting and on the spot social and political commentary.

This omnibus may not be everyone; in fact, for me, it bordered on the fringes of my interest on the sequential art-form. Still, I enjoyed it enough to give it four stars.

[Rick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally published as a mini-comic to promote Wheeler's initial strip collection Children With Glue , Too Much Coffee Man proved to be an instant success, spawning a pop culture phenomenon with a newspaper syndicated strip, a regularly produced comic book, magazine, five collections, an animated Converse commercial, merchandising paraphernalia galore (mugs, coffee, t-shirts, and toilet paper!) and even an opera. The Too Much Coffee Man Omnibus collects the five previously published Dark Horse volumes (Parade of Tirade, Guide for the Perplexed, Amusing Musings, How to Be Happy, and Screw Heaven, When I Die I'm Going To Mars) and unpublished Too Much Coffee Man stories in a handsome oversized production. Far more than just tales of an iconic slacker, the Too Much Coffee Man strips, as with all of Wheeler's works, supplies humorous and insightful observations on relationships, politics, and society.

[Budge Burgess · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel I should start with a Health Warning - this book grows on you. I'm Scottish, I'm in my 70s (this is 2023), I've never been to the USA, I'd never heard of TMCM or Shannon Wheeler ... I came across the phenomenon in a casual collision while discussing a couple of my favourite English cartoonists (Bill Tidy and Ronald Searle). I had no preconceptions about TMCM, I thought I'd give it a whirl.
And a Health Warning.
It started slowly - the first few pages / chapters / whatever were interesting. I could see the jokes, I could appreciate the artistry. It took a ... there are some great gags on the way (I particularly love the picture of Starbucks) ... it took a while to get under my skin.
I absorbed a few pages, put the book aside for a couple of days or a week, read a few more.
And so on.
Until one morning I picked it up, read a couple of pages ... and it struck a nerve.
I read 400+ pages over a couple of days, roaring out loud with laughter (fortunately I live alone), going back to re-read passages, roaring again.
It might have been a slow start, but this really does grow on you. It has a very Left wing perspective (I've always described myself as an anarchist - and that's a reasoned political philosophy, not a cop out), it embraces what I regard as a fundamental anarchist sense of questioning and reasoning. We live life on our own, we share life with others, we endure capitalism and the politicians it employs to keep us in place and keep us divided.
Scything dissections of the sociology and economics of celebrity culture, the odd poltiical sideswipe, the odd deflation of cultural icons.
Coffee and tobacco - as self-evidently essential to modern city life as oil is to the West's transport network ... it's hard to imagine any of them could pose a hazard to health ... I mean, we know the tobacco firms never lied to us. I look forward to the rich aroma of my morning coffee vying with the tang of exhaust fumes from passing cars, every morning saddened by a nostalgic moment remembering the scent of the French cigarettes I gave up several years ago ... Oh how I still miss you, je t'aime ... je t'aime.
I digress. And I don't want to go further into this review, it's too emotionally painful ... and I don't want to spoil the book for others (well, not unless I can atually do it face to face and thrill to the disappointment physically draining the joy from their faces).
And so, to the hard sell.
This is a book which will encourage you to think, to explore personal, philosophical and political meanings. You will begin by laughing, you will end up thinking ... sometimes you may even begin by having to think, but you'll end up having to smile to yourself. It'll encourage you to ask questions about the big political issues and the echoing political silences, it'll encourage you to question the consumption of bullshit, trivia, advertising, clutter, celebrity and rubbish sold to you by the media and the very process of living in a capitalist world in which you have as much control over your life as a steel ball has in a pinball machine.
You may even find standing in a supermarket staring at shelves displaying a near infinite variety of ground coffees and packaged beans becomes so stressful you need a drink or two before you shop ... and find have to lurk at the back of the carpark afterwards, seeking relief in an illicit ciggie while you try to shake the stress of choice from infesting your being..
A page of cartoons can be read in seconds. These will make you sit and think ... and think. Beautifully drawn, hilarious ... a liberating pleasure for your brain cells ... may even get you to go in search of introductions to Anarchists (if you're in the USA, maybe Howard Zinn will get you thinking, or Chomsky). Time I had another coffee. Wish I had a Gitane or Gauloise handy.

[Erik · Rating 4 out of 5]

How is it possible I never reviewed this book? I read it years ago and loved it. Of course, it helps that I got Shannon to autograph my book and draw TMCM in it when I met him at Wordstock in Portland, OR a very long time ago. Still, even without his handiwork, the book is amazing. Heavy, yes, and very hard to hold up after a few hours, and floppy as hell (waaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! Such a whiner), but amazing.

[Logan Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's a lot of coffee jokes in here (and they're great) but also there's even more stinging-ly apt reflections on anxiety and that very specific sort of worry that humans experience because they're aware of the world. But it's a nice blend (ha ha! Coffee joke!)

[Louise]

Hmm maybe i should have read some of this before buying the omnibus... Not for me.

[David James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny stuff, especially when TMCM proves God is an atheist. Hard to get more existential than that.

[Leland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading in one sitting leaves you feeling like you drank too much coffee, but still you are looking forward to another hot jitter-filled cup.