Cat Person

The debut collection from Adventure Time storyboard artist Kim features mostly comics about the author, her cat Jimmy, and her boyfriend Eddie. The cat section and the title misrepresent the book; in fact, it is more about Kim than her cat, though he is an endearing secondary character. The comics use a charming brand of self-deprecating humor that’s all Kim’s own, following her as she devours Oreos by the box, stays up until 6 a.m. drawing, and receives compliments on shirts dotted with ketchup and toothpaste stains. Kim has a highly humorous perspective on herself, and all of the comics are believable and feel true—even when she exaggerates. One panel features a Bosch-like assemblage of strange little figures that Kim has imagined. In another sequence, an old man leans over and blesses her for sneezing, and she scowls, thinking, “Not sure if perv, or just polite.” This book is a winner. Even the cat jokes are not tired—a difficult feat in a world saturated with feline cartoon books and webcomics. (May)