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I Hope This Helps: Comics and Cures for 21st Century Panic
I Hope This Helps offers an emergency dose of laughter in book form. Tommy Siegel’s debut essay and comics collection is the perfect pandemic gift—an uplifting, topical, and deeply funny view of millennial culture, phone addiction, and coping with the extreme weirdness of 21st-century life.
Tommy Siegel's debut book collection includes 200+ pages of comics, essays, and extremely helpful guides to coping with 21st-century panic. With comics titled “Choose your social anxiety coping mechanism” and “What your coffee drink of choice says about you,” I Hope This Helps offers clever and sardonic commentary on our social media-driven culture, as well as a series of devastatingly funny relationship comics starring his popular Candy Hearts characters.
Tommy Siegel’s comics began as doodles in the back of a van as a touring rock musician, and quickly earned a viral global fanbase and shout-outs from cultural heavyweights including Ringo Starr, Tim Heidecker, Vic Berger, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. With a perfect balance of absurd humor and insightful writing, I Hope This Helps outlines the journey from the author’s earliest "van doodles" all the way to the socially-distanced awkwardness of the present day.
Tommy Siegel's debut book collection includes 200+ pages of comics, essays, and extremely helpful guides to coping with 21st-century panic. With comics titled “Choose your social anxiety coping mechanism” and “What your coffee drink of choice says about you,” I Hope This Helps offers clever and sardonic commentary on our social media-driven culture, as well as a series of devastatingly funny relationship comics starring his popular Candy Hearts characters.
Tommy Siegel’s comics began as doodles in the back of a van as a touring rock musician, and quickly earned a viral global fanbase and shout-outs from cultural heavyweights including Ringo Starr, Tim Heidecker, Vic Berger, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. With a perfect balance of absurd humor and insightful writing, I Hope This Helps outlines the journey from the author’s earliest "van doodles" all the way to the socially-distanced awkwardness of the present day.
200 pages, Paperback
First published October 6, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 152 reviews
October 4, 2020
***Advance Review Copy generously provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I read this book without any prior knowledge of the author or his art... which I usually think is a bonus because it cannot happen that I already know the majority of the work.
At first, I was enjoying the art quite a bit, but as I was getting more into the story, I was finding it hard and hard to keep my focus and interest.
And for me, the biggest downfall was the texts which sometimes accompanied the images. Mostly I thought that it did not add anything to the story.
My favourite part was all the comics which included candy hearts!
Overall, it was an okay read, but I cannot say that I would come back to read another book by this author. However, I have mad respect for the author to try to challenge himself to draw 500 comics in 500 days, one each day. I would be exhausted on day 5.
I read this book without any prior knowledge of the author or his art... which I usually think is a bonus because it cannot happen that I already know the majority of the work.
At first, I was enjoying the art quite a bit, but as I was getting more into the story, I was finding it hard and hard to keep my focus and interest.
And for me, the biggest downfall was the texts which sometimes accompanied the images. Mostly I thought that it did not add anything to the story.
My favourite part was all the comics which included candy hearts!
Overall, it was an okay read, but I cannot say that I would come back to read another book by this author. However, I have mad respect for the author to try to challenge himself to draw 500 comics in 500 days, one each day. I would be exhausted on day 5.
October 4, 2020
It took me a little while to get used to the author's cartooning style, his strange big-nosed characters, and his sense of humor, but once I settled in - I was hooked.
And, while I still don't quite get the fascination with the naked Pringles guy, I got many, many chuckles out of this book.
Thank you both, Netgalley and the publisher, for a chance to check out Siegel's funnies.
And, while I still don't quite get the fascination with the naked Pringles guy, I got many, many chuckles out of this book.
Thank you both, Netgalley and the publisher, for a chance to check out Siegel's funnies.
August 6, 2020
DNF At 30%
I thought I was walking into this book knowing what I was going to get. I was SO wrong. Let's start with the good: the art style is great! That's about where it ends.
The bad you ask? Well, the text that's present in the book (to the point I read) wasn't anything special. It tried to be relatable but it somehow missed the mark completely. It felt like the author was talking down to me but from how this book pulled me in he probably intended to be on a level playing field. The comics didn't connect with me at all and the jokes/memes didn't really land.
Overall, I liked the art and that's about it. Would I read more books by this author in the future? As long as I remember this novel my answer is no. If he wanted to make people relate to him and have a fun time laughing at his comics he has a long road ahead of him.
I thought I was walking into this book knowing what I was going to get. I was SO wrong. Let's start with the good: the art style is great! That's about where it ends.
The bad you ask? Well, the text that's present in the book (to the point I read) wasn't anything special. It tried to be relatable but it somehow missed the mark completely. It felt like the author was talking down to me but from how this book pulled me in he probably intended to be on a level playing field. The comics didn't connect with me at all and the jokes/memes didn't really land.
Overall, I liked the art and that's about it. Would I read more books by this author in the future? As long as I remember this novel my answer is no. If he wanted to make people relate to him and have a fun time laughing at his comics he has a long road ahead of him.
September 9, 2020
Based on a challenge the artist set for himself to make a cartoon a day for 500 days, the results of such a creative death march are unsurprisingly uneven (there's a big reliance on slightly biting but repetitive 3x3 grid "what your sunglasses/coffee/car/pants say about you" comics), but there were some glorious descents into absurdity and humor. And he does show range from meme style to New Yorker dry wryness to over the top butt comics. I was less interested by the artist's reflections on his process and his love hate relationship with his phone and social media (and his social media bashing comics were the least interesting to me maybe because he's preaching to the choir - I fully believe and agree that social media is mostly being used to enhance anxiety, dread, and partisanship). Three stars because he did make me laugh several times and I needed the absurdity and wryness today.
**Thanks to the artist, publisher, and NetGalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.
**Thanks to the artist, publisher, and NetGalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 20, 2021
This one is a scribbling comics, maybe lets say doodle and random thoughts, collection reflecting on the day-to-day obsession (I say it's inevitable and inevitably visible everywhere) with the internet and hence with our gadgets especially the phones!
It's sarcastic at times.
It's funny.
It's eye-opening too.
The one thing that I couldn't like much about this collection was the interrupting long passages. I just didn't want to care. All I cared were the fun comics and the illustrations.
Damn. This one made my day.
Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.
It's sarcastic at times.
It's funny.
It's eye-opening too.
The one thing that I couldn't like much about this collection was the interrupting long passages. I just didn't want to care. All I cared were the fun comics and the illustrations.
Damn. This one made my day.
Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.
August 11, 2020
This book was quirky. I loved the artwork and related to soo many of the sketches in here. This would be a perfect bathroom read.
August 7, 2020
A nice and funny comic about phone-addiction
I started this comic on netgalley because the description said it was about our phone-obsessed modern life and I thought it could be interesting. Moreover, I was intrigued by the fact that it contained both comics and essays. I quite enjoyed that format. However, at the beginning I was not totally convinced by the comics and their humour but I chose to continue. I’m glad I did because I enjoyed the second half more than the first. There are a few jokes I didn’t get, either because I’m not American, or too young, or just lacking general knowledge but I enjoyed the less the doodles with humans and I liked the most the candy-heart drawings. I found the subject of this book really interesting and I was happy to read it. The tone of the comics can sometimes be a bit dark, cynical but overall, it makes you realise in what kind of society we live in (though most of us already know). It’s a nice read that you should not read all at once as it’s not a story and it can brings some thinking.
I started this comic on netgalley because the description said it was about our phone-obsessed modern life and I thought it could be interesting. Moreover, I was intrigued by the fact that it contained both comics and essays. I quite enjoyed that format. However, at the beginning I was not totally convinced by the comics and their humour but I chose to continue. I’m glad I did because I enjoyed the second half more than the first. There are a few jokes I didn’t get, either because I’m not American, or too young, or just lacking general knowledge but I enjoyed the less the doodles with humans and I liked the most the candy-heart drawings. I found the subject of this book really interesting and I was happy to read it. The tone of the comics can sometimes be a bit dark, cynical but overall, it makes you realise in what kind of society we live in (though most of us already know). It’s a nice read that you should not read all at once as it’s not a story and it can brings some thinking.
August 11, 2020
The title itself is a joke and that is why I loved the book so much.
I have read a few comics in my childhood and up until now but this one was the most relatable. This book can be seen with two perspectives. The second is for self-help, don't even think about it just enjoy the read because that is what the author wants you to do. Have a good laugh, I did.
I have read a few comics in my childhood and up until now but this one was the most relatable. This book can be seen with two perspectives. The second is for self-help, don't even think about it just enjoy the read because that is what the author wants you to do. Have a good laugh, I did.
August 5, 2020
This book reminds me of the old Far Side comics... repetitive art style means the message is more important than the picture, issues that are more important come up more often, and butts are always funny.
This book is a series of comics (usually single pane) that investigate a variety of pop culture issues, from online dating to phone addiction to hand turkeys.
I saw a review that said something like "a lot of comics about people looking at their phones"... yes, yes there are. But with a problems so universal (for parts of the world with enough money for phones) and so noticeable, it makes sense to see the issue come up that often. As a parent, if I wrote comics a lot of them would involve kids, that's just a side effect of having something so prevalent in your world. Another repetitive theme was "older Millennial makes fun of younger Millennial with hypocrisy", some are funnier or more thoughtful than others.
The book was published right at the beginning of the quarantine, so the last few comics introduce COVID-19 but its sorta nice to think about issues from "the before time".
Even the comics discussing politics were well done. I have a feeling Seigel and I don't agree on some things (the effects of the mainstream media on politics?) but the issues are real whether you like them or not. Facebook and YouTube sharing conspiracy theories are a real problem, even if you don't agree with the author about what is a conspiracy (Clinton's emails vs. Trump's "Fine People"). We all have to deal with these issues, and I like the clarity and humor Seigel brings.
Like any "best of" collection, some will hit different. "You Too" made me laugh so loud I had to show it to my spouse to explain why, a comic about hand turkeys was so good it hurt my feelings, and "Whiskey Tasting Guide" was a personal assault.
I read the ebook in a couple of sittings, comics will always read fast. The art doesn't *need* color to work, so reading on a Kindle should be fine... I read on a computer screen, so can't promise anything.
Either way, I recommend its as something different from what you're usually reading.
**I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book is a series of comics (usually single pane) that investigate a variety of pop culture issues, from online dating to phone addiction to hand turkeys.
I saw a review that said something like "a lot of comics about people looking at their phones"... yes, yes there are. But with a problems so universal (for parts of the world with enough money for phones) and so noticeable, it makes sense to see the issue come up that often. As a parent, if I wrote comics a lot of them would involve kids, that's just a side effect of having something so prevalent in your world. Another repetitive theme was "older Millennial makes fun of younger Millennial with hypocrisy", some are funnier or more thoughtful than others.
The book was published right at the beginning of the quarantine, so the last few comics introduce COVID-19 but its sorta nice to think about issues from "the before time".
Even the comics discussing politics were well done. I have a feeling Seigel and I don't agree on some things (the effects of the mainstream media on politics?) but the issues are real whether you like them or not. Facebook and YouTube sharing conspiracy theories are a real problem, even if you don't agree with the author about what is a conspiracy (Clinton's emails vs. Trump's "Fine People"). We all have to deal with these issues, and I like the clarity and humor Seigel brings.
Like any "best of" collection, some will hit different. "You Too" made me laugh so loud I had to show it to my spouse to explain why, a comic about hand turkeys was so good it hurt my feelings, and "Whiskey Tasting Guide" was a personal assault.
I read the ebook in a couple of sittings, comics will always read fast. The art doesn't *need* color to work, so reading on a Kindle should be fine... I read on a computer screen, so can't promise anything.
Either way, I recommend its as something different from what you're usually reading.
**I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 6, 2020
I had no idea what to expect going in as I had never heard of Tommy Siegel before. But I like comics so I figured, why not.
The full title is I Hope This Helps: 500 Days of Comics and Extremely Helpful Guides. The comics were hit and miss. Some made me laugh so hard I was shaking. Others just missed the mark.
An ongoing theme is the difference between younger and older millennials as well as social media and phone addiction. The goal felt like it was aiming for sarcasm but it comes across as super cynical.
This was going to be a 3 star book but a handful of comics really made me laugh. A great honest belly laugh that just makes you smile and that alone upped the rating by one.
If you're a fan of comics like The Oatmeal or anything with a vague resemblance to old Far Side, than this is for youm
The full title is I Hope This Helps: 500 Days of Comics and Extremely Helpful Guides. The comics were hit and miss. Some made me laugh so hard I was shaking. Others just missed the mark.
An ongoing theme is the difference between younger and older millennials as well as social media and phone addiction. The goal felt like it was aiming for sarcasm but it comes across as super cynical.
This was going to be a 3 star book but a handful of comics really made me laugh. A great honest belly laugh that just makes you smile and that alone upped the rating by one.
If you're a fan of comics like The Oatmeal or anything with a vague resemblance to old Far Side, than this is for youm
August 5, 2020
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed this collection of comics!
Siegel draws funny pictures and offers up anecdotes and commentary on being in a touring band, writing comics, and quarantining. There's a lot of funny comics and lots of drawing of butts. I also appreciated the insight into social media and how facebook's algorithm works when you're an artist trying to get your content seen by people.
The book has comics, a few pages of history and explanation, and more information on Siegel. It's a short and funny read!
I enjoyed this collection of comics!
Siegel draws funny pictures and offers up anecdotes and commentary on being in a touring band, writing comics, and quarantining. There's a lot of funny comics and lots of drawing of butts. I also appreciated the insight into social media and how facebook's algorithm works when you're an artist trying to get your content seen by people.
The book has comics, a few pages of history and explanation, and more information on Siegel. It's a short and funny read!
August 12, 2020
Deeply witty and full of sardonic humor, Tommy Siegel really hits the nail on the head for the anxiety filled millennial with his book I Hope This Helps. The book is filled with amazing comics that are a razor sharp statement on our current society's anxiety filled and social media obsessed culture.
September 12, 2020
I hope this helps is a fun comic read of all things wack about the 21st century so far. I found it to be pretty good overall. Some of the comics had me laughing out loud, most were funny or said something that needs saying, and some I didn't think were particularly funny. I found the ones about rock music and musicians to be the most out of place. But I recommend it as a fun release from life which is a bit crazy at the moment.
My only complaint is the blurb in between sections of the book. The author talks about himself in a somewhat autobiographical way but it felt out of place and a bit navel-gazing-ish. Am I living under a rock? Because I've never heard of him or his band, I don't care about his music scene or what's been going on in his life... Without any desire to be mean to him, I just wasn't sure why that was there. An intro blurb about how he ended up creating these comics was great, but after that, I'm like, why do I care?
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
My only complaint is the blurb in between sections of the book. The author talks about himself in a somewhat autobiographical way but it felt out of place and a bit navel-gazing-ish. Am I living under a rock? Because I've never heard of him or his band, I don't care about his music scene or what's been going on in his life... Without any desire to be mean to him, I just wasn't sure why that was there. An intro blurb about how he ended up creating these comics was great, but after that, I'm like, why do I care?
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 4, 2020
2.5 Stars
Now, this was a strange read and not at all the light, quick read I had expected it to be. Over the years I have read my share of webcomics that are being turned into books, so I sort of thought I had them figured out by now. I hope this helps adds something new to this, but for me it was not such a great move, unfortunately.
The comics collected here were part of a 500-day comic drawing challenge. I admire the author for this challenge and that he completed it. I should have known probably that with a comic every day for a year and a half not all could be of the same high standard.
And that is a bit my point. Some of the comics made me smile but not laugh out loud while others, didn’t do anything. The new point to this collection is the text that was added which I suppose was meant to add an extra layer to the comics, but if anything, it took away the deeper meaning of some of them, as the author explains his jokes were really meant to be this immature.
Strange, strange read. I am sure some people will enjoy this way more than I did, but I am unsure exactly who to recommend this to.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Now, this was a strange read and not at all the light, quick read I had expected it to be. Over the years I have read my share of webcomics that are being turned into books, so I sort of thought I had them figured out by now. I hope this helps adds something new to this, but for me it was not such a great move, unfortunately.
The comics collected here were part of a 500-day comic drawing challenge. I admire the author for this challenge and that he completed it. I should have known probably that with a comic every day for a year and a half not all could be of the same high standard.
And that is a bit my point. Some of the comics made me smile but not laugh out loud while others, didn’t do anything. The new point to this collection is the text that was added which I suppose was meant to add an extra layer to the comics, but if anything, it took away the deeper meaning of some of them, as the author explains his jokes were really meant to be this immature.
Strange, strange read. I am sure some people will enjoy this way more than I did, but I am unsure exactly who to recommend this to.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
August 11, 2020
I got this on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
This is a really nice collection of comic strips, and I really enjoyed following the "journey" of the author/artist and get the occasional insight into the thought process, ups and downs, as well as the context. I liked how most of it is just a collection of comics, with just the right amount of longer texts to make it not feel dreadful to read them and keep me interested! I must confess that the humor of a few of the comics are a bit different than my own, but overall very nice!
This is a really nice collection of comic strips, and I really enjoyed following the "journey" of the author/artist and get the occasional insight into the thought process, ups and downs, as well as the context. I liked how most of it is just a collection of comics, with just the right amount of longer texts to make it not feel dreadful to read them and keep me interested! I must confess that the humor of a few of the comics are a bit different than my own, but overall very nice!
August 12, 2020
I loved this book! It was very funny! I finished it all in one day. I will certainly be gifting it to friends and family this holiday season. The bad reviews on here obviously don't get how comedy works, they took the subject matter far too literally.
August 13, 2020
Thanks so much to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the digital review copy of this comic collection.
Artist Tommy Siegel (of band Jukebox the Ghost) started doodling on the tour bus, and it morphed into a 500 day project of daily comics. He shares a lot of the emotions and experiences of taking on such an adventure, and includes over 200 highlights from his journey.
These comics are 100% relevant to my life and outlook. Millennials struggling with 2020 (and, to be honest, the last several years) will definitely identify with the comics in these pages. It spoke to my soul on such a deep level.
For the last two weeks, I’ve been back at work, and 90% of my days seem totally pointless. I’m struggling to find any meaning in the hours before 5pm, so I’ve been taking time in the mornings before work to have my tea at home, cat in my life, and reading some comics. It’s really helped me start the day, even if it makes it more difficult to leave for work.
Siegel’s collection provided super jaded humor (my favorite kind) but with a ray of hope that we’re all in this together. It’s out in October, and if you think something will change for the better, and these comics won’t be relevant by then, you’re wrong. I love them now, and you’ll love them in October, so keep your eyes peeled for this collection.
September 21, 2020
Cartoons for surviving 2020...my cynical soul approves. I have never followed any of Siegel’s previous work, but will be looking for more in the future.
April 25, 2023
A musician tries drawing a webcomic a day for 500 days straight, but drags his mildly amusing cartoons down by inserting text pieces about how hard it is to draw a comic every day for 500 days straight. In heaven, Charles Schulz is sneering and flipping this guy the bird.
October 19, 2020
Come for the comics.
Stay for the foot footnotes.
But seriously, I was very pleased with Tommy’s narration and documentation of his own struggle with social media alongside the comics that made it so the majority of his Instagram followers know him for them and not this band I’ve been a fan of for over a decade.
Stay for the foot footnotes.
But seriously, I was very pleased with Tommy’s narration and documentation of his own struggle with social media alongside the comics that made it so the majority of his Instagram followers know him for them and not this band I’ve been a fan of for over a decade.
August 4, 2020
Well thank you for the hope but it didn't! In fact this book was so cynical that it made me feel worse, true story! Still the cartoonist style was well done and work well, but it might be too cynical, even for a guy like me, which I find a bit scary...
November 28, 2020
This collection of comics exposed some of our most silly obsessions in a sarcastic and silly style. While I got used to the artwork in the beginning, I always quickly tired of what cartoonist Tommy Siegel had to offer, especially when he started to incorporate text pages to tell an anecdote...
Yours truly,
Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: https://bookidote.com/
Yours truly,
Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: https://bookidote.com/
February 19, 2021
1.5 stars.
I didn't really enjoy my time reading this. Neither the artstyle nor the sense of humor were my cup of tea. Out of all the book, I only laughed at 4 comics and found the rest of them either unfunny or overly vulgar.
The author had this pages upon pages of his life after he started these comics which I wasn't interested on because I don't know him so it felt like it dragged on a lot and I just stopped reading them after the first two parts.
Overall, I think this book is for fans that follow his Instagram page or people with similar humor as the author. Some comics were edgy and basically jokes about the harsh reality but they were presented more as facts so I didn't find them funny. I hated every vulgar comic and honestly wish I can unsee them.
Thank you Netgalley for providing me with the digital copy for an honest review.
I didn't really enjoy my time reading this. Neither the artstyle nor the sense of humor were my cup of tea. Out of all the book, I only laughed at 4 comics and found the rest of them either unfunny or overly vulgar.
The author had this pages upon pages of his life after he started these comics which I wasn't interested on because I don't know him so it felt like it dragged on a lot and I just stopped reading them after the first two parts.
Overall, I think this book is for fans that follow his Instagram page or people with similar humor as the author. Some comics were edgy and basically jokes about the harsh reality but they were presented more as facts so I didn't find them funny. I hated every vulgar comic and honestly wish I can unsee them.
Thank you Netgalley for providing me with the digital copy for an honest review.
August 14, 2020
Mr. Siegel, this did help.
A delightful book of poignant cartoons and insights. Laughed out loud a bunch of times. Really liked it!
Akin to the Awkward Yeti and Sarah Scribbles.
If you want to giggle get this book now!
The only downside was my Kobo does not like PDFs so much, so I had a bit of an issue with loading the pages, but well worth the wait!
A delightful book of poignant cartoons and insights. Laughed out loud a bunch of times. Really liked it!
Akin to the Awkward Yeti and Sarah Scribbles.
If you want to giggle get this book now!
The only downside was my Kobo does not like PDFs so much, so I had a bit of an issue with loading the pages, but well worth the wait!
October 8, 2020
Pretty much the perfect pandemic light read. As I sat flipping through pages filled with butt doodles that were surprisingly insightful I realised that this book is more than the funny musings of a comic's mind. With deep introspections and social commentary that became unexpectedly welcome given the current state of our existence, I was also prompted to stalk @tommysiegal on the various platforms of social media that he disdainfully enjoys.
September 21, 2020
I DNF'd the book at 47%
I really liked the idea behind this book, I just wished I liked the actual book more than I did. I feel like the author was trying a tad too hard to be relatable. Though the graphics are a bit silly, a lot of the context wasn't all that funny or as relatable as the synopsis suggests.
Another thing about that book blub is that is states that this is a "must-read for comic lovers of all ages and backgrounds", I would not say that's exactly right there is some definitely rated content in there that isn't exactly suitable for kids under 12.
All in all, I'm grateful to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
I really liked the idea behind this book, I just wished I liked the actual book more than I did. I feel like the author was trying a tad too hard to be relatable. Though the graphics are a bit silly, a lot of the context wasn't all that funny or as relatable as the synopsis suggests.
Another thing about that book blub is that is states that this is a "must-read for comic lovers of all ages and backgrounds", I would not say that's exactly right there is some definitely rated content in there that isn't exactly suitable for kids under 12.
All in all, I'm grateful to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
August 24, 2020
Review to be added to Amazon US and UK on 6th October 2020 - publication day!
I really enjoyed this book!
I had not heard of Tommy Siegel before picking this book up but the blurb intrigued me and I wanted to give it a go – and I read it over a few days reading a few chapters here and there and I thought that it was great!
The images were brilliant and I loved the commentary and reasoning behind how the book came to being. It was a book I was happy to dip in and out of too and I found it to be really enjoyable, and most of all entertaining.
It is 4 stars from me for this one – highly recommended!
I really enjoyed this book!
I had not heard of Tommy Siegel before picking this book up but the blurb intrigued me and I wanted to give it a go – and I read it over a few days reading a few chapters here and there and I thought that it was great!
The images were brilliant and I loved the commentary and reasoning behind how the book came to being. It was a book I was happy to dip in and out of too and I found it to be really enjoyable, and most of all entertaining.
It is 4 stars from me for this one – highly recommended!
August 26, 2020
I received a copy of I Hope This Helps in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I Hope This Helps is a comic series focused on the absurd parts of life and anxiety. Created by Tommy Siegel, it's marketed as being the perfect escape from a world that has gotten far too real.
I'm going to be completely honest with you here: I think I would have liked this graphic novel more had the title and marketing been different. The title (and description) led me to believe that it was going to be a funny, quirky, and uplifting series of comics.
It wasn't. Sure, it was funny at times, and that's why I refuse to rate it lower than three stars, well, that and the artwork. But it also got pretty dark. Nothing about the jokes or comics in this would be defined as helping.
This comic series takes the time to make many comparisons between different generations, but mostly younger and older millennials. There are some good laughs to be found here, especially if you have a good sense of humor about yourself or the whole situation.
In short, I Hope This Help has a unique sense of humor, and is worth the read. Just don't go into it expecting it to actually try to help. The goal is to make people laugh, but not in the most expected ways possible.
Check out more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
I Hope This Helps is a comic series focused on the absurd parts of life and anxiety. Created by Tommy Siegel, it's marketed as being the perfect escape from a world that has gotten far too real.
I'm going to be completely honest with you here: I think I would have liked this graphic novel more had the title and marketing been different. The title (and description) led me to believe that it was going to be a funny, quirky, and uplifting series of comics.
It wasn't. Sure, it was funny at times, and that's why I refuse to rate it lower than three stars, well, that and the artwork. But it also got pretty dark. Nothing about the jokes or comics in this would be defined as helping.
This comic series takes the time to make many comparisons between different generations, but mostly younger and older millennials. There are some good laughs to be found here, especially if you have a good sense of humor about yourself or the whole situation.
In short, I Hope This Help has a unique sense of humor, and is worth the read. Just don't go into it expecting it to actually try to help. The goal is to make people laugh, but not in the most expected ways possible.
Check out more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
September 25, 2020
Many thanks to Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley for an advance review copy!
I had no idea what I was getting into when I started with I Hope This Helps. I have never read comics by Tommy Siegel. I must say that I loved reading this funny and weird comics which mainly poke fun at the social media addicted millennial. A few of them are political and most of the Americans will get the joke. I chuckled at myself after reading some of the comics.
This is a set from the challenge of 500 cartoons for 500 days and touches upon a lot of topics such as anxiety, social media addiction, music, life, culture,coping mechanisms etc. There was unexpected insight on a lot of topics, and the art style stood out a lot and is easily recognizable.
A welcome distraction and a source of relief during hard times!
I had no idea what I was getting into when I started with I Hope This Helps. I have never read comics by Tommy Siegel. I must say that I loved reading this funny and weird comics which mainly poke fun at the social media addicted millennial. A few of them are political and most of the Americans will get the joke. I chuckled at myself after reading some of the comics.
This is a set from the challenge of 500 cartoons for 500 days and touches upon a lot of topics such as anxiety, social media addiction, music, life, culture,coping mechanisms etc. There was unexpected insight on a lot of topics, and the art style stood out a lot and is easily recognizable.
A welcome distraction and a source of relief during hard times!
February 12, 2021
Tommy Siegel is a musician in the band Jukebox the Ghost (Me either). After messing around with several doodles, he was challenged to produce a new comic every day for 500 days. He posted them on social media, garnered a following, caught the attention of famous people, and landed a book deal. This book is the result.
It was a gift from my son, and I found it to be laugh out loud funny, certainly guffaw worthy.
As the title suggests, this is very much a satire of life here and now. There are contrasts ("Football vs. Football", "Star Wars vs. Star Trek", "Scrambled Eggs vs Cereal"), helpful guides ("Fall Fetish Checklist", "Stages of Coffee Addiction", "A Guide to Paper-free Hand Dryers", "What Your Sandals Say About You"), as well as political humor ("How Your Grandparents Act vs. How Your Grandparents Vote").
Interespersed among the comics, Siegel shares his experiences and opinions about the 500-day comic challenge and dealing with social media, Facebook in particular. It's fairly astute, as Siegel's experiences and conclusions have been corroborated by digital media analysts. Completed in mid-March of 2020, the worst of it came to fruition while the manuscript was being readied for production in October.
If you like humor that holds a mirror up to society and pokes fun, then it's for you. If you're easily offended, particularly if you're in denial about your coffee addiction or social media is your daily meth, then this book isn't for you.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4 because it made me laugh.
It was a gift from my son, and I found it to be laugh out loud funny, certainly guffaw worthy.
As the title suggests, this is very much a satire of life here and now. There are contrasts ("Football vs. Football", "Star Wars vs. Star Trek", "Scrambled Eggs vs Cereal"), helpful guides ("Fall Fetish Checklist", "Stages of Coffee Addiction", "A Guide to Paper-free Hand Dryers", "What Your Sandals Say About You"), as well as political humor ("How Your Grandparents Act vs. How Your Grandparents Vote").
Interespersed among the comics, Siegel shares his experiences and opinions about the 500-day comic challenge and dealing with social media, Facebook in particular. It's fairly astute, as Siegel's experiences and conclusions have been corroborated by digital media analysts. Completed in mid-March of 2020, the worst of it came to fruition while the manuscript was being readied for production in October.
If you like humor that holds a mirror up to society and pokes fun, then it's for you. If you're easily offended, particularly if you're in denial about your coffee addiction or social media is your daily meth, then this book isn't for you.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4 because it made me laugh.
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