Manfried the Man

January 1, 2018
Cats run the world and have tiny, naked pet humans in this graphic novel spin-off of the viral hit webcomic. Steve is a humanoid cat who works at an IT call center, lives in a messy apartment, and can’t seem to pull his life together. He dotes on his pet man, Manfried, a tiny naked person whom he shoos off his keyboard and feeds hamburgers and hot dogs out of cans of “man food.” Steve’s life goes from bad to worse, with neighbors and coworkers pegging him as a “crazy man cat,” until Manfried runs away from home and forces his owner to break out of his routine. In the process, readers get a glimpse of an entire feline-run world, rife with animal puns and little nude men yelling “Hey!” If the plot sometimes gets overly self-serious for a comic that’s fundamentally about how weird the world would be if pets and people switched places, Bastow’s charming, rounded artwork lightens the mood.

April 1, 2018

This work offers a unique premise: What if cats were humanlike, and cats, as they are now, were replaced by humans? Steve Catson is having a difficult time doing, well, anything. Somewhat of a shiftless layabout who only takes pleasure in his human pet, Manfried, Steve finally is pushed to be more when Manfried unexpectedly gets out of the house. Writer Major (Home Sick; Peach Plum Pear) is often hilarious, while artist Bastow (The Fangirl's Guide to the Galaxy; Lumberjanes) simply but clearly shows a world that's so absurd yet doesn't seem all that far-fetched. While the book is a little too long, it is effective in demonstrating the bond between caretaker and pet. Manfried's "Hey!" is the equivalent of "meow," and the communications between Manfried and Steve, including hugs, is relatable to every cat owner. Both are put in situations they are uncomfortable with, and that growth and resilience only amplifies their bond. VERDICT A delightful twist on the human/cat relationship. For fans of felines, stories of discovery, and the film Homeward Bound.--Ryan Claringbole, Wisconsin Dept. of Pub. Instruction, Madison

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