Ariel Acupan's Reviews > The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl

Before I start, I want to thank Ace (The Godfather of GR-TFG) for the book.

Who would not pick this book up from a rack? Great cover, a very clever title and not only that, as what Newsday said, what a find. I know some of you might say, what’s the diff, pretty sure that it’s another geek story novel but I tell you, it’s on how it was told. Barry Lyga makes me remember the fanboy in me. References to the comic gods like Brian Michael Bendis (House of M, Powers, Jinx), Neil Gaiman (Sandman) and Alan Moore (Swamp Thing, Watchmen) reconfirms my faith in comics. Those who are not into comics (or Graphic novel as what fanboy would defensively say) could still like the book because the story itself is heart wrenching.

Donnie is a 15-year-old comic book geek who spends almost all of his free time making a graphic novel of his own, schemata. Way too smart for his age and he hates almost all of the jocks at school except for his only friend Cal. Out of nowhere, Kary a.k.a Goth Girl creeps into his life and added a shade of black to the story. Great book but a little bit confusing and I'm almost not satisfied as to how it ends. I also hoped that there would be more explanation as to why Goth girl acts that way, a background as to how she become who she is when she and fanboy met.

Anyways, I would not go into a very detailed description of the book. Instead I wanted to share something I think both fanboy and I got in common.

1. We both like comics.
2. We both think that our stories and drawings could go somewhere (not now, but back when I was still his age).
3. I think that we both like it because it is our escape.

I think almost all of my drawings, comic strips and whatever are either lost or I already tear it up. Some are private or too personal that I'm not inclined to share. I've been able to dig up some (I'm just a kid when I drew them so be kind, hehehehe):



*I think, this one is way back grade school days.



*I was planning on making a comic book when I was on high school and if I remember it right, this one was a villain. hehehehe



*I was part of the school newspaper way back high school and we needed a comic strip to fill the spaces, but I think this one didn't make the cut. hahahaha

When I was reading TAAOFAGG, whenever fanboy was doing Schemata, I also felt myself holding a pencil and missing the joy it could bring to me. Feeling the paper first, then thinking of how you would execute what's on your mind with the paper infront of you. So to Barry Lyga, hands down to you. Great book. Rating: AWESOME!!!