2 stars
Picked this up because I loved the idea of an imaginary mascot cheering the main character on. However, I was pretty disappointed. Chunky feels like he was added on to make the story more interesting but wasn’t actually that important. He sort of serves as Hudi’s conscience, but mostly just enthusiastically roots for Hudi, even when he’s being a bit obnoxious.
Artwork was okay. Not really my style but had some fun humor elements.
Mostly I was just really annoyed by Hudi’s character. He often makes a mess of things (that bat mitzvah montage was so cringey), then feels bad for himself and never apologizes to others. Hudi tries out various sports, while it’s obvious he’d rather do comedy. He tells jokes (which really aren’t that funny) to everyone he can, which honestly just comes off as obnoxious.
Glad the story had a happy ending but I think there were some missed opportunities. There are many scenes that include body shaming and toxic masculinity that are never addressed. I realize it’s based on the author’s life, but Hudi’s lack of response or reaction makes them seem natural and acceptable.
Okay read. It’s a realistic graphic novel based on the author’s life with an imaginary mascot thrown in for laughs. Wanted it to go beneath the surface level of Hudi’s story.