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Katman
Kit is a bored sixteen-year-old with nothing to do one summer when he starts feeding stray cats. He loves it when cool, artistic Jess helps him out, even though he has to endure constant taunting by her disaffected metalhead friends. They make fun of him for being like the local cat lady, but Kit doesn't care―especially after Jess draws him an anime-style avatar named Katman. Exploring themes of abandonment and the transformative power of art, this is an emotionally astute coming-of-age tale from the hugely talented Kevin C. Pyle.
144 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2009
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June 2, 2014This book wasn't that great I got the impression that he was some sort if superhero by the cover artwork but after reading it all the kid did was feed stray cats the whole time so it was pretty boring but the artwork was kind if school so I'll give it that.
September 27, 2010
I like cats, so it wasn't hard to like this graphic novel. I took it from the library from the teen section even though I am 31...the teen section usually has the best graphic novels and comics.
The story follows Kit, a white teenager, in his hometown. He describes it in the first few pages with illustrations also by the author: "Yeah...This is where I live. It's called a 'low income' neighborhood. Which means we aren't exactly rolling in it." I appreciate Kit's awareness of the nature of his socio-economic position relative to others and his re-appropriation of "low income" when wealthier people were the ones who described it that way in the first place, but also his ability to bring some humor into it with the "rolling in it" remark. And so, this opening sets the stage for the book with Kit as the polite if begrudging loner who isn't doing good just to be cool but because he's got a moral compass. But his character is really genuine and I think even though this kind of character can be cliche that the author knows Kit well enough to pull it off.
And so Kit's adventure begins when he's bored and his academically-inclined brother starts yelling at him to go elsewhere because he's trying to study. Mom isn't home from work yet and Dad is not living in the house anymore and consistently blows off his sons on weekends where they were supposed to spend time together. Finally, at his brother's goading, Kit goes outside at Sam's (brother) suggestion to "find something to care about." Before long, Kit encounters a cat whom he follows to find a few kittens she is caring for, presumably in the hopes that Kit will bring them food. Kit returns to the house to take some cans of cat food (the family has their own indoor cat named Frodo) to them. Mom discovers that Kit has been taking the cat food, which at the rate of feeding six or seven strays daily that Kit has discovered, she makes it clear the family can't afford. Kit then starts stealing from a local store. He's later confronted by the clerk who's known all along he was stealing. The clerk is not happy about the stealing, but seems to understand the problem Kit has--he can't afford cat food, but he needs to help the cats to survive. After a short conversation about Jainism, which is a religion that holds animals in high regard and which is the clerk's religion, he makes a deal with Kit: if Kit will come in for one hour in the mornings to help with the store, the clerk will give him cat food. Kit agrees.
Meanwhile, Kit is getting harassed by a small group of kids who pick on him and other people because they have nothing better to do and they actually hate themselves, although one of them, a girl named Jess, takes an interest in Kit as more than just someone to make fun of. It's difficult for her to distance herself a little from her group of friends to make Kit aware of her interest in him, but little by little, she is able to. She starts to draw a comic about Kit as a sort of superhero called Katman, which takes on a lot more epic storytelling than what is actually happening. Some of her drawings are incorporated into the graphic novel itself, although I found it difficult to understand what was happening in her renderings. They also, because they were much more fantastical than the reality of what was going on in the novel, were hard to relate to the novel itself. So while I wasn't necessarily distracted by Jess's drawings, I actually forgot that they were in there until I read the book again; I remembered the story of the novel quite well, but none of Jess's drawings.
As the story goes on, Kit comes to the point where people in the neighborhood are complaining about cat piss in their yards, particularly in the yard where his family lives. His mom reminds him how difficult it was for the family to find this house, which is already broken up into four apartments and they live together in one, and it is rented, so if the landlord finds out about the cat piss smell in the backyard, he may kick them out. There is also a sign out front of the house that says "For Sale by Owner," so Kit knows he must find another place for the cats. He explores the nearest animal shelter where he finds the cats and dogs overcrowded and living in unsanitary conditions. he also discovers their policy of one week and we kill them, although the woman he talks with never actually refers to killing--it is all implied, but Kit knows what she's saying. He doesn't see bringing the strays to a shelter as an alternative. Next, he thinks of the Cat Lady. The groups of teens who had been making fun of Kit always referred to him as the Cat Lady's son or one of her kittens, but Kit had never met her. As the story progresses, Kit meets the Cat Lady who is a shut-in with at least a dozen cats, papers strewn everywhere, posters and articles on the walls referring to left-wing and possibly radical activism, etc. The Cat Lady, whose name is Orthea, is a bit nervous and scattered but seems to take to Kit. She makes him promise, though, that none of the other kids she'd seen him with (Jess and her cronies) would be allowed near her house. She reveals a very profound distrust and hatred of humans and even uses misanthropic quotes she memorized from "Planet of the Apes" and the Bible.
Anyway, without re-writing the book or giving away the ending, I'll just say that Orthea agrees to take on Kit's strays, although trying to get them in the house proves problematic since they are feral. However, she allows Kit to build a ramp up to a window of her house where the cats can get in and out as they please. But that is not the end of the story--find out for yourself!
Also, I appreciated this book as well because the illustrations seem as though they were done by hand and they aren't all computer-perfect measurements or placements or a rainbow of digital colors. In fact, interestingly, the book starts in black and white, and the people and their skin is portrayed in gradations of white and gray, but some of the cats have brown coloring. The background begins to also take on more color gradually, starting with some shades of brown and becoming more complex as the story moves along, finally taking on some bright reds, especially in the parts that Jess illustrates "Katman."
Happy reading!
The story follows Kit, a white teenager, in his hometown. He describes it in the first few pages with illustrations also by the author: "Yeah...This is where I live. It's called a 'low income' neighborhood. Which means we aren't exactly rolling in it." I appreciate Kit's awareness of the nature of his socio-economic position relative to others and his re-appropriation of "low income" when wealthier people were the ones who described it that way in the first place, but also his ability to bring some humor into it with the "rolling in it" remark. And so, this opening sets the stage for the book with Kit as the polite if begrudging loner who isn't doing good just to be cool but because he's got a moral compass. But his character is really genuine and I think even though this kind of character can be cliche that the author knows Kit well enough to pull it off.
And so Kit's adventure begins when he's bored and his academically-inclined brother starts yelling at him to go elsewhere because he's trying to study. Mom isn't home from work yet and Dad is not living in the house anymore and consistently blows off his sons on weekends where they were supposed to spend time together. Finally, at his brother's goading, Kit goes outside at Sam's (brother) suggestion to "find something to care about." Before long, Kit encounters a cat whom he follows to find a few kittens she is caring for, presumably in the hopes that Kit will bring them food. Kit returns to the house to take some cans of cat food (the family has their own indoor cat named Frodo) to them. Mom discovers that Kit has been taking the cat food, which at the rate of feeding six or seven strays daily that Kit has discovered, she makes it clear the family can't afford. Kit then starts stealing from a local store. He's later confronted by the clerk who's known all along he was stealing. The clerk is not happy about the stealing, but seems to understand the problem Kit has--he can't afford cat food, but he needs to help the cats to survive. After a short conversation about Jainism, which is a religion that holds animals in high regard and which is the clerk's religion, he makes a deal with Kit: if Kit will come in for one hour in the mornings to help with the store, the clerk will give him cat food. Kit agrees.
Meanwhile, Kit is getting harassed by a small group of kids who pick on him and other people because they have nothing better to do and they actually hate themselves, although one of them, a girl named Jess, takes an interest in Kit as more than just someone to make fun of. It's difficult for her to distance herself a little from her group of friends to make Kit aware of her interest in him, but little by little, she is able to. She starts to draw a comic about Kit as a sort of superhero called Katman, which takes on a lot more epic storytelling than what is actually happening. Some of her drawings are incorporated into the graphic novel itself, although I found it difficult to understand what was happening in her renderings. They also, because they were much more fantastical than the reality of what was going on in the novel, were hard to relate to the novel itself. So while I wasn't necessarily distracted by Jess's drawings, I actually forgot that they were in there until I read the book again; I remembered the story of the novel quite well, but none of Jess's drawings.
As the story goes on, Kit comes to the point where people in the neighborhood are complaining about cat piss in their yards, particularly in the yard where his family lives. His mom reminds him how difficult it was for the family to find this house, which is already broken up into four apartments and they live together in one, and it is rented, so if the landlord finds out about the cat piss smell in the backyard, he may kick them out. There is also a sign out front of the house that says "For Sale by Owner," so Kit knows he must find another place for the cats. He explores the nearest animal shelter where he finds the cats and dogs overcrowded and living in unsanitary conditions. he also discovers their policy of one week and we kill them, although the woman he talks with never actually refers to killing--it is all implied, but Kit knows what she's saying. He doesn't see bringing the strays to a shelter as an alternative. Next, he thinks of the Cat Lady. The groups of teens who had been making fun of Kit always referred to him as the Cat Lady's son or one of her kittens, but Kit had never met her. As the story progresses, Kit meets the Cat Lady who is a shut-in with at least a dozen cats, papers strewn everywhere, posters and articles on the walls referring to left-wing and possibly radical activism, etc. The Cat Lady, whose name is Orthea, is a bit nervous and scattered but seems to take to Kit. She makes him promise, though, that none of the other kids she'd seen him with (Jess and her cronies) would be allowed near her house. She reveals a very profound distrust and hatred of humans and even uses misanthropic quotes she memorized from "Planet of the Apes" and the Bible.
Anyway, without re-writing the book or giving away the ending, I'll just say that Orthea agrees to take on Kit's strays, although trying to get them in the house proves problematic since they are feral. However, she allows Kit to build a ramp up to a window of her house where the cats can get in and out as they please. But that is not the end of the story--find out for yourself!
Also, I appreciated this book as well because the illustrations seem as though they were done by hand and they aren't all computer-perfect measurements or placements or a rainbow of digital colors. In fact, interestingly, the book starts in black and white, and the people and their skin is portrayed in gradations of white and gray, but some of the cats have brown coloring. The background begins to also take on more color gradually, starting with some shades of brown and becoming more complex as the story moves along, finally taking on some bright reds, especially in the parts that Jess illustrates "Katman."
Happy reading!
April 3, 2018
Most misleading cover of all time - the manga inspired cat-man is barely seen. Book's about a teen guy in smalltown USA who starts feeding stray cats, meets a goth chick and a creepy older, misunderstood cat lady, and ummm..., nothing much happens. (The goth girl is inspired to draw "Katman" drawings by the boy's actions - none of which reflect on the story at all). In the end, the boy yells at his mom something about is it so wrong to care, and she musters some lame answer about how so few people do. Please avoid this one. Also, the art's pretty poor.
January 5, 2018
I've read a couple of Kevin Pyle's other graphic novels and enjoyed those, finally got around to reading this one. A solid, genuinely touching story about a teenager who feeds stray cats in his community and then befriends the local "Cat Lady" when he can no longer take care of all the cats himself. Artwork is pretty sketchy but serviceable and tells the story well, if the story is good enough that's usually all I'm after.
January 15, 2020
I liked the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 7, 2021
it was a really fun read and an enjoyable graphic novel!
November 11, 2009
Reason for Reading: Cybils nominee.
Summary: Kit is an inner-city kid. Everybody around him is someone, they all have labels. Hi brother is 'talented and gifted', his mom is the 'single mom' even his dad is the 'deadbeat dad'. He figures he's not anything. His brother argues with him all the time. He can't help but argue with his mom feeling like she just doesn't get him. Then there's a group of 4 outsider kids who taunt him daily and they can't even figure out what to label him, emo? loser? Kit does have one thing in life that gives him great joy though and that is the stray cats in his neighbourhood. He's befriended them all, given them names, and steals cat food from the local corner store as he pays for one can. The girl from the group of kids who taunt him, Jess, befriends him, she's the artistic one, and after a while she really gets Kit and the whole cat thing and she draws a picture for him, his manga avatar - Katman. When trouble hits the fan, Jess, is there with him to deal with what seems an impossible situation.
Comments: This was a great story. I don't usually go in for teen reality fiction but this story grabbed me right away. Kit is a character that one feels for right away and teens will identify with. The book has a great plot (which I won't give away) that makes the book hard to put down until you've finished. The book is peopled with eccentric characters such as Vinod who belongs to the religion of Jainism, an autistic teen nicknamed Bleep, and the local crazy cat lady. Ultimately, the underlying theme of the book is caring. It sounds kind of corny written down like that but trust me, it's not. The book asks how many people really care these days? Care about something, about someone, about doing something or believing in something? A very powerful story.
I recommend the book for older teens, say 15 and over because of some harsh language. It is not used frequently at all but does appear now and then and the profanity is more of what I would call the hard variety.
My only problem with the book is that every so often after the manga character Katman is introduced we are occasionally shown a 3 or 4 page wordless manga comic about this character. It is a continuing pattern throughout the book and the manga storyline continues. I guess I'm not cool enough because I just didn't understand the meaning of this, at all. I have no idea what the manga story was about. I understand the significance of the creation of Katman to Kit; it is a defining moment for him and Jess. But the wordless manga comic story arc that runs in between the real plot has me baffled. Hence a 4 instead of a 5 rating.
Summary: Kit is an inner-city kid. Everybody around him is someone, they all have labels. Hi brother is 'talented and gifted', his mom is the 'single mom' even his dad is the 'deadbeat dad'. He figures he's not anything. His brother argues with him all the time. He can't help but argue with his mom feeling like she just doesn't get him. Then there's a group of 4 outsider kids who taunt him daily and they can't even figure out what to label him, emo? loser? Kit does have one thing in life that gives him great joy though and that is the stray cats in his neighbourhood. He's befriended them all, given them names, and steals cat food from the local corner store as he pays for one can. The girl from the group of kids who taunt him, Jess, befriends him, she's the artistic one, and after a while she really gets Kit and the whole cat thing and she draws a picture for him, his manga avatar - Katman. When trouble hits the fan, Jess, is there with him to deal with what seems an impossible situation.
Comments: This was a great story. I don't usually go in for teen reality fiction but this story grabbed me right away. Kit is a character that one feels for right away and teens will identify with. The book has a great plot (which I won't give away) that makes the book hard to put down until you've finished. The book is peopled with eccentric characters such as Vinod who belongs to the religion of Jainism, an autistic teen nicknamed Bleep, and the local crazy cat lady. Ultimately, the underlying theme of the book is caring. It sounds kind of corny written down like that but trust me, it's not. The book asks how many people really care these days? Care about something, about someone, about doing something or believing in something? A very powerful story.
I recommend the book for older teens, say 15 and over because of some harsh language. It is not used frequently at all but does appear now and then and the profanity is more of what I would call the hard variety.
My only problem with the book is that every so often after the manga character Katman is introduced we are occasionally shown a 3 or 4 page wordless manga comic about this character. It is a continuing pattern throughout the book and the manga storyline continues. I guess I'm not cool enough because I just didn't understand the meaning of this, at all. I have no idea what the manga story was about. I understand the significance of the creation of Katman to Kit; it is a defining moment for him and Jess. But the wordless manga comic story arc that runs in between the real plot has me baffled. Hence a 4 instead of a 5 rating.
October 31, 2010
Kevin Pyle also authored the amazing ‘Blindspot.’ ‘Katman’ covers much of the same territory: a kid (albeit a bit older) growing up in a hardscrabble household, and becoming aware of himself and a bigger world. It also nods to other types of comics. In ‘Blindspot,’ it was vintage war comics; here it’s manga.
While ‘Katman’ doesn’t have quite the same impact as ‘Blindspot,’ Pyle still comes up with an impressive graphic novel. I love his style: loose, nearly crude at times, when depicting people, but veering towards detailed and precise when he lines out scruffy vacant lots and the shabby yet dignified architecture of run-down neighborhoods.
Kit is fifteen and a loner. His life opens up when he comes to the aid of the many feral cats in his neighborhood. A crazy old woman who shares Kit’s concern for stray felines helps out, and the manga-drawing Jess transforms him into a hero of sorts.
As with ‘Blindspot,’ Pyle manages to deliver complexity and nuance within the narrow confines of a short but sweet graphic novel in ‘Katman.’
Recommended for sixth graders and up.
While ‘Katman’ doesn’t have quite the same impact as ‘Blindspot,’ Pyle still comes up with an impressive graphic novel. I love his style: loose, nearly crude at times, when depicting people, but veering towards detailed and precise when he lines out scruffy vacant lots and the shabby yet dignified architecture of run-down neighborhoods.
Kit is fifteen and a loner. His life opens up when he comes to the aid of the many feral cats in his neighborhood. A crazy old woman who shares Kit’s concern for stray felines helps out, and the manga-drawing Jess transforms him into a hero of sorts.
As with ‘Blindspot,’ Pyle manages to deliver complexity and nuance within the narrow confines of a short but sweet graphic novel in ‘Katman.’
Recommended for sixth graders and up.
November 2, 2010
Kit, a bored fifteen-year-old growing up in a poor neighborhood, starts feeding the stray cats in his community and develops an unlikely friendship with Jess, a punk rocker who is obsessed with manga yet hangs out with a bunch of Hessians (a somewhat strange overlapping of teen subcultures there, but whatever). Jess starts drawing comics based on Kit's deeds, depicting him as a superhero named Katman. But the line between fiction and reality blurs when tragedy strikes and Kit and Jess have to choose what's more important: being cool or taking action?
I think I would have liked this more if the art were better. I found it too flat, two-dimensional, and roughly drawn for my liking. Kit was a pretty well-developed character, but the rest of the teens felt a little one-dimensional and stereotypical. Some good ideas about loyalty, friendship, and figuring out when it's important to let go of your posturing in order to help others (humans and non-humans). But nothing particularly new or earth-shattering here.
I think I would have liked this more if the art were better. I found it too flat, two-dimensional, and roughly drawn for my liking. Kit was a pretty well-developed character, but the rest of the teens felt a little one-dimensional and stereotypical. Some good ideas about loyalty, friendship, and figuring out when it's important to let go of your posturing in order to help others (humans and non-humans). But nothing particularly new or earth-shattering here.
December 17, 2009
Katman is an interesting story. The graphic novel follows Kit, a 15-year old loner growing up in relative poverty in a single-parent household. Kit takes to caring for all of the stray cats in his neighborhood, and he also meets Jess, a nice girl stuck in a group of heavy-metal bullies. And what unfolds is a story that explores themes of abandonment and community.
I really enjoy Pyle's style--there's a lot happening on each page, and while there is a lot to digest, his illustrative process really allows the action to come alive.
Also, I think that secondary English students could really take to this novel. The social-circumstances that surround the narrative would be very relatable for young readers, and Pyle's artistic control of the story (and its themes) are certainly worthy of study.
I really enjoy Pyle's style--there's a lot happening on each page, and while there is a lot to digest, his illustrative process really allows the action to come alive.
Also, I think that secondary English students could really take to this novel. The social-circumstances that surround the narrative would be very relatable for young readers, and Pyle's artistic control of the story (and its themes) are certainly worthy of study.
December 27, 2009
I hate to give a bad review to a First Second property, but this book has very little going for it. The art is flat and unappealing, and failed to draw me in as a reader. That is also a fairly good description of the characters and plot as well.
The comic book/dream sequences are a little better. There is motion and panels to draw the eye and keep you reading. However, they seem to drop into the "real-world" plot out of nowhere and I was never completely sure if they were all meant to be the comic the girl was drawing, or if some of the later sequences were Kit's dreams.
First Second apparently believed this would a be a solid property, because there is evident care in the packaging, printing and paper quality. Disappointing book from a house that is usually quite good.
The comic book/dream sequences are a little better. There is motion and panels to draw the eye and keep you reading. However, they seem to drop into the "real-world" plot out of nowhere and I was never completely sure if they were all meant to be the comic the girl was drawing, or if some of the later sequences were Kit's dreams.
First Second apparently believed this would a be a solid property, because there is evident care in the packaging, printing and paper quality. Disappointing book from a house that is usually quite good.
February 11, 2017
This is the story of a boy who is told to go find something to care about, and does: a colony of stray cats.
The plot is simple and earnest, if a bit naive about the realities of animal rescue. The only well-developed character is the hero; the other teens in the book are caricatures of stereotypical metalhead teens and the stereotypical sensitive girl who fell in with the wrong crowd. The adults are quirky but in a gimmicky way, not in a fleshed-out way. While the message of the book is a worthy one (saving others is often the way to self-salvation), I'm not sure the flat characters and middle-of-the-road artwork carry that message effectively.
Recommend to: 13+, animal lovers, at-risk teens
The plot is simple and earnest, if a bit naive about the realities of animal rescue. The only well-developed character is the hero; the other teens in the book are caricatures of stereotypical metalhead teens and the stereotypical sensitive girl who fell in with the wrong crowd. The adults are quirky but in a gimmicky way, not in a fleshed-out way. While the message of the book is a worthy one (saving others is often the way to self-salvation), I'm not sure the flat characters and middle-of-the-road artwork carry that message effectively.
Recommend to: 13+, animal lovers, at-risk teens
November 29, 2010
With characters that are profoundly touching and a storyline that twists in ways you might not expect, Kevin C. Pyle's Katman is enormously enjoyable, with subtexts that remain open long after the graphic novel has been read. Though not especially challenging or unique, Katman presents a number of themes in an innovative manner without obsessively moralizing or resolving all conflicts with standard, pat solutions (although there are a few unfortumate examples of this).
Though flawed, Katman is a strong entry into Mr. Pyle's repertoire, and is suitable for any comics-lover's bookshelf.
Though flawed, Katman is a strong entry into Mr. Pyle's repertoire, and is suitable for any comics-lover's bookshelf.
April 22, 2012
A wonderful story that targets serious identity issues and moral dilemmas that youth face today. The true-to-life pictorial of adolescent interaction allows the reader to identify with characters in the story. Could be an eye-opener for some or justification for others! A wonderful addition for the target audience! Thank you Goodreads First Reads for my free copy of Katman, a welcome addition as I currently work at an elementary/middle school and will be recommended it as reading material for the students!
March 14, 2010
This is about a boy named Kit who takes in stray cats. He's from a small family with a brother, single Mom and an unseen deadbeat Dad. A girl befriends him and helps him take care of the strays , much to the chagrin of her friends. The story was o.k., but the art really didn't do it for me. Maybe a good book to sell at the humane society, but not one I could really recommend.
August 20, 2013
I bought this new at dollar tree and was blown away by how good it was. The art and cover are very Harvey pekaresque and that is a big thing for me when it comes to comics , art style , but this was a surprise and a delight. If you come across this book pick it up it won't be expensive and it's a short read.
September 24, 2009
3 1/2 stars would be more accurate. Entertaining and heartfelt. Great setup, I didn't like the ending so much. I liked the idea of it as a slice-of-life kind of story, but it got caught up in melodrama a little too much. Still worth reading.
October 13, 2009
A teen boy begins feeding stray cats, and develops a relationship with a punker girl artist who draws him as a superhero "Katman". When his neighbors start to complain about all the cats, he turns to an eccentric "cat lady" for help.
August 12, 2016
This was a very refreshing read since I haven't been reading lately. It really makes you think about what REALLY matters most in life and to have a kind heart and all that gushy stuff. slight romance, nothing really focused on, though. Which is SUPER fucking refreshing.
January 1, 2010
The art kind of stinks but the book itself was excellent. The plot was compelling and inspiring and the dialogue was realistic.
November 17, 2009
Surprisingly funny and endearing tale of a misfit finding his unique place in the world and in his family.
February 19, 2010
well done. definitely worth reading.
June 9, 2010
Aww . . . what a sweet book!
May 23, 2022
a little inspirational book about being able to change your section of the world.
March 4, 2013
Some crude stereotypes are used but the whole feel of the book is very nice. I liked the inclusion of Jainism.
March 11, 2016
3 1/2 stars. Fun story.
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July 11, 2016This was better than I thought it was going to be its boy-meets-girl cliches paled in comparison to how they were handled in the motherless oven, which I read the day previously.
October 3, 2016
Good story, bad art.
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