After several “Squatch” sightings, Southborough became a booming tourist destination, but that was years ago, and these days, well, the tourists have stopped coming. Businesses are starting to close, and with a hipster tech startup trying to move in, the quirky Southborough just won’t be the same. Enter Louie O’Connor. She loves Southborough and believes 100% in the Sasquatch and will do whatever it takes to save her town from the developers, including creating an elaborate hoax to get the tourists back and the hipsters out.

I loved this comic. It’s so cute! Louie is a genuine character who isn’t immune from the selfishness and single-mindedness of a teenagers. In trying to save her town, she’ll learn a lot about forgiveness, acceptance, and growing up. Her dads and their burger joint are adorable. The relationship between Louis and her best friend go through growing pains, but they’ll learn how to grow together, and the side characters are heartwarming.

All in all, a ton of fun. A story with heart that doesn’t take some of its elements too seriously. It’s out now, so look for it wherever you get your comics.

I don’t know why I took so long before starting this graphic novel because it was nice. I think the story is quite basic in the sense that it’s the story about a teenager trying to figure out what to do with her life and being mean to her parents and best friends. But Mat Heargerty adds a little bit of fantasy and it was really nice. Indeed, I enjoyed this supernatural side of the story. But it was difficult to get attached to the main characters so that’s why I only give it three stars. On the other hand, the art was pretty to look at with lots of colours.
I recommend it to young adults and teens.
3/5

I loved this graphic novel so much! I grew attached to all the characters. Louie is such an inspiring young woman, who overtake the obstacles in her way in a very creative manner. I think that rumors of monster sighting are really important, to keep hold of the fantasy part of her world. Doesn't matter if it's real or not, just knowing it could be is enough! Let us be kid all over and imagine it could be real.

Many thanks to Oni Press for the complimentary e-copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I liked the premise of this book better than the execution. An effort to save a dying town through sasquatch sightings is pretty compelling stuff and has plenty of promise for humor. IT just didn't go the directions I expected. The debunking happens very early and there's a long stretch of dithering before the characters make a new practical plan. And that new plan doesn't really make a lot of sense. The resolution felt like a deflection.

"Martian Ghost Centaur" is a beautifully illustrated graphic novel about a girl, a small town, and a sasquatch. A great read for fans of Lumberjanes.

Thanks a million for an opportunity to read the Martian Ghost Centaur!

I enjoyed the read, the illustrations were moving and story plot wasn't too short. I could picture this as an animation movie and that is very important, this book is about family and friends and having a spirit of a goer, not being stopped by barriers one may face, it also shows a strong character which is showing dedication to those who are important. There's humor and there's individual characteristics. Do read and find out on your own!

The novel is a quick read and the fun, quirky characters are easy on the brain.

It’s an immersive plot and I found myself swept up into the lives of Louie and her dads, Pratima, Felix and a small bunch of other town folks. Louie is a passionate, intense character and we see how much she loves South borough in the myriad schemes she hatches to revive the town’s economy and in her friendship with Felix.

Apart from how gentrification affects entire businesses and families, there are accompanying themes of knowing what you want to do and following your heart.

Sometimes, though, Louie's character got to me with some of her dramatic reactions and what seemed like extreme naivete. But there is an arc to her character, which redeemed it for me towards the end. In fact, I liked how the whole story comes together in the end.
Overall, a nice, fun read

•Character development- 3.5☆
• Story Plot- 4☆
• Side characters- 3.5☆
• Flow of the story- 4☆
• Overall - 3.5☆

What's not to love when a graphic novel has family, love, and Sasquatch? Louie is a young lady who knows she loves her town and wants to help her dads keep their restaurant afloat. Martian Ghost Centaur is an adorable and hilarious graphic novel that follows Louie as she tries to save her town, decide what she wants to do forever, and somehow prove that Sasquatch is real. Pick up this book for a wild romp and a super fun ending.

This graphic novel has major Stardew Valley vibes! It has:
- a cute rural town
- a cast of characterful residents
- a big bad corporation trying to take over
- mysterious creatures living in the woods

What I loved:
- The main character, Louie, is so sweet, sincere, and passionate about what she loves. She's a little naive but she grows up.
- Queer characters can just exist without their queerness being the focus - yay!
- The puns are next level and made me laugh out loud - everything from brand names to celebrities is slightly altered in this world e.g. Doug 'The Boulder' Johannssen
- The story moves quickly and while the initial reveal was quite predictable, that's what I thought the whole plot was going to be, so it was exciting to have more developments
- There is an overall message about your job not defining you and what matters is what makes you happy in life

I'd say this is aimed at middle grade readers as the plot is quite straightforward and there isn't a huge amount of depth, although the main character is 17. I found it similar to Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell in this respect. The art style suited the story, very vibrant and cartoon-y, but didn't draw my attention.

Thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for the chance to read this.

Martian Ghost Centaur was so fun to read! I loved the town, characters, story and plot. I really loved the art style too. My one issue i had was some of the text font style chosen for the narrative points of the story, it was a little hard to read as a dyslexic.

Overall, the story was fun and quirky and it really made me happy while reading and recommend it to everyone.

'Martian Ghost Centaur' with story and art by Mat Heagerty is about a martian ghost centaur eventually, but it's a graphic novel with a lot of heart along the way.

Louie lives in Southborough, home of a Sasquatch sighting years ago. Her two dads own a burger place with a signature burger and her best friend Felix lives in the town. Then things start to change. A tech startup wants to buy up the town and the Sasquatch sighting is debunked on tv. As Louie watches her friends leave and her family business failing, she has to find a plan to fix things.

This was a fun story with fun art. The title doesn't really make a lot of sense for the majority of the story, but it will eventually, and it is a catchy title.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Oni Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this one. I am afraid though I just could not get into it. My review is late as I tried a few times to complete this one. The art style is gorgeous and I honestly do not know why the story did not grip me. The premise is good and the story starts out well. I think this is a me problem and perhaps not the graphic novel. 3 stars for the art style. I have not rated on goodreads as I feel it is unfair to rate something I DNF. Thank you again for the opportunity.

Martian Ghost Centaur is a super fun read for all ages. The characters and settings remind me of Gravity Falls or Misfit City, but also manage to do something new with the nostalgic. I was personally inspired to do some hiking in the woods after finishing this one. I think many adults will find themselves charmed by the story that reminds them of their childhood adventures. The author also creates a great stepping off point for children and teens to learn about the world of cryptids.

The illustrations are fantastic and colourful. They completely match the vibe of the plot and town. The history of the town and the relationships between the townsfolk are are realized in a concise and impactful way. All the characters are unique and given personality funny little moments that don't drag on the story or feel unnecessary.

Would definitely read more in this world!

Thanks to the publishers for sharing this one. It was sweet, and I liked the colourful art. My full review appears on Weekend Notes.

The town of Southborough is known for their Sasquatch sightings. Since the first sighting eighteen years ago, it has been a popular tourist destination. However, now people aren’t as eager to visit the famous town. Louie O’Connor is worried about her family and their restaurant. Many stores and houses in the town are being bought by a tech entrepreneur who wants to own the town. When the truth behind their Sasquatch is uncovered by an vlogger who Louie invited to the town, they have to find another way to draw tourists to the town. Louie and her best friend Felix form a plan to save their town.

This story shows how our perception of things has changed over time. It wasn’t very long ago that we didn’t have the internet and smartphones with us everywhere we went. Now, we know how easily photos or videos can be edited to show something that isn’t real. That becomes a problem for towns like Southborough in this story, which survived on the mystery around their Sasquatch. It wasn’t difficult to find the truth behind those sightings, which destroyed the tourism in the town.

There were some fun references to pop culture from the 90s and early 2000s. The first Sasquatch sighting was made by Louie’s dad while he was filming an audition tape for American Idol in 2003. Louie had a friend who made costumes, including many different costumes of Uncle Joey from Full House. Those were so funny and accurate. I love it when stories make references to things from my childhood, because it makes me feel more connected to the story.

This was a really fun story!

Thank you Oni Press for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I'm not one for Sasquatch stories but Martian Ghost Centaur ruled. Relatable characters, a fun story that managed to touch on some family history and dysfunction, great illustrations. I'm excited to recommend it.

Now this is my kind of graphic novel!!

Okay, so I have varying taste in graphic novels at the best of times, so a lot of other genres and styles work just as well for me, but I honestly just enjoyed the crap out of this. MGC is a super fun, super quirky, and super witty ride through main character Louie's life in the bizarre yet utterly quaint town of Southborough - a town that's under dire threat of losing its inhabitants and spirit to an all-consuming tech company. In short, Louie sets out to save the town in the strangest way possible, and readers are immediately drawn in by her naïvely can-do personality and the charm exuded by each of the supporting characters.

In short: I loved Louie. I loved the artwork. I loved the humour (I found it genuinely snort-out-loud funny). I loved Southborough and all its people.

I loved it all.

The best way to sum up this comic is stunning fun. This comic was about finding yourself and focusing on what's important to you. The main character found her passion after she was forced to go through some changes. I think we all go through a stage in life where we feel lost and we learn to rediscover ourselves and that is such a beautiful thing. I really enjoyed the art of this book. It was colourful and vibrant and dynamic. Just lots of fun.

How far would you go to save your community?

That’s the question at the heart of Mat Heagerty’s “Martian Ghost Centaur”. The little town of Southborough had been a tourist magnet for a while due to reported sightings of Sasquatch (or more commonly, Bigfoot). Soon though Sasquatch sightings began to reduce and so did the tourists. The little town, which had thrived on tourist income was now beginning to struggle. Adding to its woes is the obnoxious, rich owner of a tech company that’s buying up the town to convert it into its company headquarters. The story follows Louie, a high-schooler who lives in the town with her two gay dads, and her attempts to save her beloved little community.

The novel is a quick read and the fun, quirky characters are easy on the brain. It’s an immersive plot and I found myself swept up into the lives of Louie and her dads, Pratima, Felix and a small bunch of other town folks. Louie is a passionate, intense character and we see how much she loves Southborough in the myriad schemes she hatches to revive the town’s economy and in her friendship with Felix.

Apart from how gentrification affects entire businesses and families, there are accompanying themes of knowing what you want to do and following your heart.

Sometimes, though, her character got to me with her dramatic reactions and what seems like extreme naivete. But there is an arc to her character, which redeemed it for me towards the end.

Overall, a nice, fun read!

Thanks to NetGalley and Oni Press for the copy.

I received a copy of this book on netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Martian Ghost Centaur is a YA graphic novel that explores the effects of gentrification in towns like Southborough, which used to be a huge tourist destination as people hoped to spot the Sasquatch there. We follow Louie trying to save her town as Louie’s dads’ business starts to suffer due to the gentrification.
I went into this book expecting something quite different to what I found, however this doesn't mean I didn't find it enjoyable. I have a huge soft spot for small towns working together, and Southborough provides this. This book explores the difficulty of trying to keep small businesses going when they begin to struggle, which is something I found I was able to relate to as my family has experienced its own difficulties in managing a small business. Another topic that this book explores is growing up. Within this we see the strain moving away to university can put on friendships, along with the incredibly relatable, for many people within the target demographic, myself included, struggle to decide what you actually want to do with your life.
I really liked the art style throughout this graphic novel, which is a very important aspect as to how much I can enjoy and engage with a comic, and I also liked the witty narration. The gay representation (most notably in the form of Louie's parents) was woven into the story very naturally, and I really appreciated how it was never used as a plot point, it was just a normal thing, as it should be.
Typically, a more contemporary genre such as what I believe this fits into isn't my favourite, especially as complexity within a story (which would usually be found in SFF) is something that always bumps up my rating. However this book still received 4 stars, which I think is a pretty high rating, as I liked how well the issues of growing up were communicated, despite being on the lower side of 4 stars. I think one of the reasons it is on the lower side is that I wasn't a massive fan of the pacing, which made it difficult to stay fully engaged. I also didn't really like Louie, as there were a lot of things she said and did that made her seem very immature, despite being nearly 18 years old.
Overall, I did enjoy this graphic novel, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a quick, 'faith-in-humans' inducing read, as well as someone who may be struggling with the idea of growing up and growing apart from childhood friends.