This is a collection of bizarre, weird, and amazing stories presented in a graphic novel format. It turned out to be just an ok read for me. While the stories are intriguing - Petrus Gonsalvus of Canary Islands was the first recorded case of hypertrichosis; Phineas Gage was the man who survived an iron rod driven into his skull, etc - but I did not enjoy the illustrations, as it was too cartoonish for me. Felt like I am reading a fiction. In the end I still prefer reading the usual standard format of Ripley's Believe It Or Not! But if you want something different, this may work for you.

***I received a complimentary digital copy of this book from Diamond Book Distributors through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All views expressed in this review are my own and was not influenced by the author, publisher or any third party.***

An interesting way to read about and see some of Ripley’s most famous oddities! I’ve always been fascinated by Believe it or Not so this was a fun read!

I really enjoyed this book, but I was expecting something more family oriented. Some things were not in good taste for kids, but that was just my thinking, the book is absolutely fabulous and entertaining and quite informational.

A graphic novel about the famous brand.
It starts in Branson with one of the museums, where Ripley is a hologram giving the intro to the tour. Beauty and the Beast was real, in a story with too many Catherines.
From there it moves through a number of vignettes, each taken from one of the oddities in the museum.
Already knew the Phineas Gage story, though not the ultimate ending. That’s my fave part of these stories: not just explaining how they were true, but that some of these poor souls did have happily ever afters.
“Stableboys’ Sauna” is a term I wish I’d never heard. Then it turns much stranger, as we get a story about something that hasn’t happened, and might never.
Somehow one of the stories ended up in ancient Egypt, while another was a lot more expected, happening in one of my fave places, the Winchester House.
The funniest moment was the horse’s inner thought.
Because the stories are so short, they’re told in a very matter-of-fact style, just the bones. Some of them are entertaining despite that, but mostly they’re just sad, like the tale of the tallest man.

Two modern collections of full-colour short stories from the world of Ripley's Believe It Or Not. I'd never actually associated the man with cartoons, always thinking of him as just a compiler and museum man, spinning off his industry from the old carny days. But it seems he did use comic book pages in the past to get his trivia into newspapers. Which is one roundabout way of saying this is unapologetically an advert for the Ripley's museums, where quite pointless framing devices of people going to see them make sure you learn almost more about the franchise than the historical facts. The short stories we get are OK, concerning miracle survivors, unusual beings in history, and a corpse seeking a different future, but some are too long here (the dead horse race winner) and some just go over such well-trodden ground (the rail-worker with the spike in his head that made his language comparatively foul). Still, for the young teen this is a reasonable entertainment. Three and a half stars.

I used to read a lot of comic books as a kid, but I've never really looked into graphic novels. This one was in the Read Now section on NetGalley and I decided to give it a shot, especially since I find Ripley's curiosities intriguing, plus it has a cat on the cover, as well as a skull, how could I resist?! I must say, I'm pleasantly surprised and I will definitely look into more of these types of novels. I loved the graphics and the stories, although, as with every story collection, some appealed more to me than others, and I have the feeling I actually learned something too. Overall, an interesting and aesthetically pleasing collection that I would definitely recommend.

I didn’t expect to enjoy this nearly so much as I did. It is fact based, intriguing, entertaining, and NOT for the faint of heart. Plenty of gross and macabre intrigue and just a little bit of legend and folklore mixed in with some breathtaking detailed art, makes you feel like you’re experiencing each tale in this collection. I hope they produce another volume very soon!!!

I went into reading this without any knowledge of Ripley's Believe It or Not. I believe it was once suggested for a London city trip, but just as quickly abandoned. However, reading about some strange facts never seems to bore me, so I gave it a try.

I didn't care much for the artwork, it felt very comic-y and not much refined. However, some of the short stories were quite interesting although quite a few of them were already known to me. The Irish Giant for example, was one of the oddities I did see on the aforementioned London city trip, where it still stands in the Hunterian museum. There is always a short comic followed by some information around the topic.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

actual rating: 2.5

I just want to preface this by saying that I was absolutely OBSESSED with Ripley's as a kid. We always went to Myrtle Beach for vacation and I always made my parents take me to the Ripley's museum there and I watched the TV show all the time. That being said ...this graphic novel was a bit disappointing.

Basically there's like six or seven weird stories and each one gets maybe a ten page dramatization and then a one page summary of the actual historical event. I didn't like that it went so in-depth about so few events, and I would have much preferred maybe a one page comic strip style thing about each story and then the explanation for it on the opposite page.

It was cute for nostalgic value and it might be more enjoyable for kids than adults, but overall I just found myself wishing that there were more weird events covered with a more condensed format. In the end I rounded up instead of down purely for the nostalgia, even though I ended up skimming a lot of the dramatization sections and just reading the fun facts page.

A fun little take on some of Ripley's greatest tales of wonder. The GN format really helped them come to life. Some of the tales were exceedingly familiar (Sarah Winchester) and some much less so (Losing a war because of cats).

There wasn't anything necessarily wrong with this graphic novel, it just felt very mediocre to me. The stories felt exaggerated in an unnecessary way and I was disappointed by the unrealistic spin some of them were given in an obvious attempt to make them seem "creepy" or overly strange. Maybe it's just been too long since I've engaged in anything from the Ripley's franchise and I went in with the wrong expectations.

A great introduction to Ripley's Believe It or Not... especially for kids in the tween years.

I am almost certain there was a version of this comic around when I was a kid (in the 1970s), I seem to remember reading all the amazing facts with great pictures and whatnot. In those pre-internet days it was like having an illustrated encyclopedia of odd facts. This volume continues that tradition in great style.

There are a collection of stories that are based - in some cases very loosely - on actual facts. After each story there is a brief explanation of the true life incident that inspired it. Plus a few tidbits about Robert Ripley the man who started it all.

I don't know if there's much for the ardent trivia fan (other than cool illustrations) and I wouldn't recommend it for younger kids because there is a scare factor involved in a couple of the stories.

*** Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this title.

A great collection for anyone who is new to Ripley's Believe It Or Not!, though long-time fans will be familiar with most of the stories and material here. The presentation of each story in slightly exaggerated form followed by a one or two-page explanation of the true story is novel and the art is good.

This was an interesting collection of comics. I liked the way the real life stories were framed in the comic and thought it made the narrative edge more interesting. It did not blow me away with how good it was but it interested me for a brief moment.

A perfect fit for anyone interested in the odd or unusual. The collection of oddities are presented in a comic book style, making this book a fun, quick read.

Thank you to Diamond Book Distributors and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

Ripley was cartoonist who started comics to popularise variuos unbelievable true events in history and present.
.
Robert ripley established a enterprise based on unbelievable and weired true events and facts. His legacy is around 10000 cartoons, museums, odditorium, tv shows and books.
.
This graphic novel illustrates few of his best oddities in entertaining graphic novel.
Cartoons are excellent and so are the captions. Cartoonist do full justice to the stories.
Very entertaining and surprising like all the ripley's productions. A must read for Ripley's fans.
.
It is pacy read that can be read in single sitting and is highly enjoyable.

Excellent. I'm new to Ripley's Believe it or Not! astonishing oddities, and this title serves as a great introduction. It collects believable and relatable 8-page stories of tragedy and strange twists of fate.

The art suits the mood of stories and never disappoints. This issue contains stories illustrated by numerous artists. Each of them succeeded in presenting a disturbng story concisely, and with enough punch to hook the reader.

I enjoyed my escapade into the weird and unexpected. Absolutely worth the read.

<i>ARC through NetGalley</i>

Who hasn't heard of Ripley's Believe It or Not! collection? Now, readers can enjoy some of the most fascinating stories of this collection in the form of a graphic novel. Carefully selected, the peculiar, yet all-too-true stories will amaze the reader. Accompanied by appealing illustrations, they transport the reader to different eras and places.

Definitely recommended for graphic novel enthusiasts, especially for fans of Ripley's Believe It or Not!

How can one love Ripley and not love this graphic novel based on some of his greatest finds? The art was great and brought the stories to life. I especially loved the throw back to the old Ripley graphics at the end of every story. This is a must have for every oddity and Ripley fan!

Ripley's Believe It Or Not's Odditoriums stand all around the world, filled with unique stories and disturbing artifacts, just waiting to set your imagination ablaze. Follow two families through the Odditorium, and experience some of Ripley's most exhilarating tales of monsters, body snatching and the bizarre!

The stories come alive in this comic book of wonders, and each tale has it's own feel. Beautifully illustrated and creatively written, this book draws you in and compels you to keep turning pages. The stories suit adults and children alike, with a wide range of topics from natural disasters to horse racing to the origin of jack 'o lanterns.

Each story also ends with a fascinating fact about Robert Ripley, his collection and life.

If you're in the mood for some mind bending fun or to learn something you never knew before, look no further!

I would recommend this to anyone, 12+.