Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh

If you're not familiar with Allie Brosh, she is a blogger, whose crude drawings and random stories might just make you laugh out loud.  She uses Paintbrush (similar to MSPaint) to draw cartoons about memorable incidents in her life.  Although her drawings are simple, she has a great way of showing a range of emotions in her characters, which are biographical.  Her stories are either funny-because-it's-true, or just completely non-sequitur (which I love too).

Brosh writes a lot about her childhood.  One of my favorite stories is how she and her sister had a toy parrot that would record whatever they would say.  They used it to drive their mother crazy, like any respectable siblings would do.

I also love stories about her dogs.

Despite their simplicity, Brosh has used her illustrations to express some pretty complex emotions.  Specifically depression.  The blend of her silly drawings and at times disturbing narratives of how she has suffered with depression is powerful.  You want to cry, and laugh at the same time.  You realize that this person drawing some of the funniest cartoons you've seen is actually...a person.  It's like realizing your favorite comedian isn't always cracking fart jokes all day.

I remember when a friend of mine first told me about Brosh's blog.  I checked it out.  It was pretty funny, so I periodically checked in on it.  But the posts slowed, and shortly after an excited "I'm writing a book!" post, Brosh posted "Adventures in Depression."  She struggled, and it was apparent.  Not just from the lack of posts on her site, but also from her posts themselves.  But her openness about her struggles just made me love her even more, and hopefully, if you don't already, her book or blog will make you love her too.

Click here to view Allie Brosh's blog, Hyperbole and a Half.

Darth Vader and Son by Jeffrey Brown

We all know and appreciate the many Star Wars references that pop up in everyday speech. If you don't, then I can tell you now that this isn't the book you are looking for.

Darth Vader and Son is a graphic novel that takes your favorite Star Wars quotes and puts them in the context of a father/son interaction between Darth Vader and Luke as a little boy. Each page is a separate comic in which Brown inserts Darth Vader and Luke into everyday situations, whether they be mundane, tender, or aggravating.

I imagine this book is the brain child of many "what if" moments Brown had when pondering the awesomeness that is Star Wars.

I could go on and on but if you're a Star Wars fan, you already know this book rocks. If you aren't, you won't appreciate it as much as you should. And ladies, you don't have to feel left out...Brown has also compiled Leia inspired comics in Vader's Little Princess.

To learn more about Jeffrey Brown's work, an atheist son of a minister who used to work in a wooden shoe factory in Holland, Michigan, then check out jeffreybrowncomics.com


On a separate but related note, there is a book called Admiral Akbar's Guide to Everything...IT'S A CAT! And yes, there are a few traps too.