From the creator of Barely Functional Adult, a painfully relatable webcomic with over 130k followers on Instagram, comes a never-before-seen collection of incriminating short stories about exes, murder, friendship, therapy, anxiety, Hufflepuff, sucking at things, freaking out about things, calming down momentarily, melodrama, wrinkles, pettiness, and other wonderful delights.In this beautiful, four-color collection Meichi perfectly captures the best and worst of us in every story, allowing us to weep with pleasure at our own fallibility. Hilarious, relatable, and heart-wrenchingly honest, Barely Functional Adult will have you laughing and crying in the same breath, while taking solace in the fact that we’re anything but alone in this world. I’ve written before how, after having a child, I found much to relate to in comic books and how, despite preferring fantasy in most of my bookish life, I enjoy reading realistic comic books the most. The sparse, simplified text combined with illustrations makes it easy to connect to the story even when characters live vastly different lives than mine. There are plenty of studies showing that this very premise is why comic books that deal with social issues should be used and taught in school settings. “Graphic novels,” Dr. Rachel Marie-Crane Williams argues, “like a compelling work of art, or a well-crafted piece of writing, have the potential to generate a sense of empathy and human connectedness among students.” The same reasoning applies to adult readers. I also find that, with the amount of stress going on right now in the world, comic books offer an accessible way to read. Many people are experiencing a quarantine reading slump. Comic books can help readers break the reading slump cycle. Another way to break a reading slump is to create the perfect night in. While for most of us every night is a night in right now, we can still make it special. Whether that means putting on your favorite pajamas and making a snack station by your favorite reading spot or turning off your phone and making some comfort tea, we can create an atmosphere conducive to reading. A relatable comic book that can be read in a single sitting makes for the perfect reading companion. Take this comic book quiz to find the perfect one for your perfect night in. For more comic book recommendations, check out this list of classic comic books to read this winter, and these two lists of excellent graphic memoirs.
