As a one-time Chicago resident, I so appreciated the gothic and tenebrous rendering of Uptown and the surrounding neighborhoods in “My Favorite Thing is Monsters.” In so many ways, the Chicago neighborhoods that Emil Ferris uses as a backdrop are their own characters, giving the story texture and life. Until hearing a glowing review of “My Favorite Thing is Monsters” on NPR when it was first published and rushing out to read it, I had never read a graphic novel before. Imagine my surprise at the gripping, heartfelt, and atmospheric story that I was to find.

This second volume has been more than seven years in the making—and like many readers of the first volume, I found myself checking every few months to see when the final volume would be published. While this review copy is not the complete final volume, I found it every bit as engrossing as the first—and it immediately brings me back to the awe and excitement I felt when I first entered the “My Favorite Thing is Monsters” world. It was worth the wait.

In the concluding volume of Chicago native Emil Ferris's My Favorite Thing is Monsters duology, the story picks up right where Book One left off--with the revelation of Karen Reyes's other older brother, Victor, and his untimely death. This revelation comes just as Karen is reeling from her mother's passing (cancer) and her on-going investigation into the death of her neighbor, Anka Silverberg, a Holocaust survivor whom Karen believes was murdered. As young, monster-loving Karen struggles to make sense of these mysteries while surrounded by adults who seek to "protect" her from the truth, she continues to understand the world through art--her comics, penned into spiral-bound school notebooks; famous paintings and sculpture from the Art Institute of Chicago; and, of course, classic monster B-movies.

Rendered in alternately detailed and sketchy ballpoint pen, Ferris explores the flexibility of the medium, drawing replicas of classic works in find detail and abstract lineart as the mood dictates. The tone shifts constantly from grisly historical horror of the Holocaust to surreal dreamscapes to the gritty but beautiful architecture of 1960s Chicago. This would be a good choice for fans of Chicago history, classic monster movies (ex. Svengoolie), and parodies of detective noire stories. This series is fairly slow-paced, however, so be patient for the gradual plot build-up and the various threads of the story. If this is anything like Book One, there will be a surprise plot twist at the end that readers won't see coming. Also note that these books are fairly text-heavy, and may require some creativity to follow the flow of the text boxes and speech bubbles in some places.

Thanks to NetGalley, Fantagraphics and Emil Ferris for this early look at the first two hundred pages of My Favorite Thing is Monsters, Volume 2. I should probably say that Emil drew the cover on one of my books, has a piece in it, and has been a friend of mine for several years, so consider the source, though I wrote my initial rave review of (the masterpiece) volume 1 before I had known her.

This is Ferris’s life work, clearly, a sprawling epic set in Uptown Chicago in the tumultuous Civil Rights era of the late sixties and puts that in the context of Nazi Germany. The story is narrated (and made to seem as if drawn on legal pads) by a ten-year-old girl, Karen, mixed race, bullied by her peers, coming into her (queer) sexual identity and her life as an artist. Karen’s favorite thing is monsters, as in monster comics, though she sees herself too as her very favorite monster, a werewolf, which for her is a good thing. Mama was a central figure in the first volume, now gone, but Deeze, her artist brother remains. One central concern: Who are the real (negative) “monsters” in the world if not racist, anti-semitic, homophobic humans? And a related concern: Where does our hatred of each other come from, our anger, our violence against each other?

One important aspect of the tale is the importance of art, as the two siblings go regularly to the Chicago Art Institute to get in touch with this important way of seeing the world as a way to understand it and celebrate it. Another central concern in the book is the murder of Holocaust survivor Anka. In addition to seeing herself as a werewolf, Karen also from time to time dresses as a detective to investigate this mystery and hopefully solve it. The question at the end of the last volume is what role Deeze may have had in the crime, if any. Cliffhanger.

The first two hundred pages of volume two maybe slows down the pace of the narrative, continuing and deepening some of the volume one themes. We learn something about a possible Deeze twin, now gone? Named Victor. Did Deeze kill Anka? Did he kill Victor? Karen opens the volume with a dream that he did. And in that dream we meet Anka talking to Karen, too.

We go to the Art Institute and take our time there in volume 2. Karen makes a friend, Shelley, and with her listens to audiotapes that Anka made about her past in Nazi Germany, so we go more into these horrors, including Auschwitz, the belly of the (monstrous) beast. So much of what Karen and Deeze value in the art they see at the Art Institute is the struggle between beauty and harsh truths, and Karen’s dreams reflect those struggles, too. At the Art Institute we have Deeze talk about, among other things, Toulouse-Lautrec and his paintings of gay lovers, dancers, prostitutes (depicted by Karen positively--for her--as vampires), honoring them as Deeze tries to do (he does help them, befriend them, and it’s also clear he has sex with some of them, too). We focus on Carvaggio’s Judith Beheading Holofernes, and we look at Edward Hopper’s Nighthawks as a way of getting at a range of questions about what it means to be human.

What else? We get to know better Jeffery “The Brain” Alvarez, Danny Ditchwater, and a whole Dickensian (that’s it! This is like Dickens! That’s the key!) cast of oddballs and late sixties “freaks” (meant in a good way by me and Karen). Karen does “stealth drawing” of Chicagoans on the train (as Emil Ferris does!), collecting portraits, deepening our sense of her as a burgeoning artist, deepening our sense of appreciation for the wonders of human variation. We see that Deeze is publishing comics, too! We see lots of full page horror comics cover art and scenes of (gothic) Chicago art and architecture.

We don’t ignore literature in the investigation of the human and violence: Myths of Oedipus, Hades and Cerberus, Hercules.

The scope of this is vast and maximalist, epic, operatic, and yet intimate if we realize that it is through the eyes of the young Karen that we are navigating this huge city and the history of racism and violence while committed to art as a sense-making tool. I can’t wait to read more.

This is a great sneak peek at one of my most anticipated books of the past few years. I loved getting a taste of what Emil Ferris has done with her continuing story of Karen Reyes as she investigates the murder of her upstairs neighbor Anka. Ferris still delves deep into the time period, the mind of Karen, and the history of Anka and the tragedies that she suffered. I can't wait to see the rest of it.

Only the first 200 pages, but I can't wait to get my big ol' monster paws on the finished copy. This was well worth the wait and worth the hype. In these first 200, the story focuses on Deeze and Karen as they navigate Chicago and appreciate art. We meet a new character who seems super cool, and listen to a little bit more of Anka's story. The artwork is as beautiful as the first and Ferris captures the same tone in both volumes. Again, can't wait to read the rest.

Emil Ferris is finally back with Book 2 of the phenomenal series. The sequel is, like the first book, uniquely and beautifully rendered with a powerful and needed story. I hope this continues. Sometimes I wonder what the art would look like without the notebook lines conceit.

This second edition is just as fabulous as the first book. I love all the illustrations and the story lines throughout the book. This is great fun and I highly recommend it!

Based on the first half of book 2, I'm looking forward to its release date even more! The story is compelling and the art absolutely stunning, making it well worth the wait. Book 2 picks up right where book 1 left off, diving into Karen's unique perspective as a kid who identifies more as a monster than a person. We get closer to learning more surrounding the mysterious life and death of Karen's neighbor Anka, though Karen's relationship with her brother, processing of her own grief, and emerging queer identity are the driving forces here. Karen is lively and observant as a narrator, with a naivete that makes her a tender and realistic 10-year-old. I can't wait to read the 2nd half of this book, though will be sad when it's over.

I finished my ARC (care of NetGalley and Fantagraphics Books)! If you enjoyed the first installment of My Favorite Thing is Monsters then you will not be disappointed in part two. Karen Reyes descriptions of the world and people around her in 1960s Chicago offer a very intimate portrayal of what it is like to grow up in a world you are struggling to comprehend.

First off, I have been waiting for My Favorite Thing Is Monsters Book Two FOREVER! I was extremely disappointed that this was not even the full book, but just 200 pages. (So the review is just for the that portion-not the entire graphic novel).

This graphic novel is book two following the story of 10 year old Karen Reyes, a young girl who is a “gum-shoe monster." Unless you have read the first one, that part is a little hard to explain. It is set in Chicago in the 60s, where Karen is still trying to solve the murder of her Holocaust surviving neighbor Anka. This book showed a lot more of Karen and her brother's life, which was great, you learn a lot about her brother Deez's background, but really I just wanted more of Anka. I am sure that will be in the other 200 pages that was not in the ARC. (I hope). Karen had been listening to Anka's cassette tapes in the first book, and continues that journey in this one-finding the last tape that proves Anka's murder. The graphics are similar to the first one, mostly in pen with splashes of color. This represents Karen's drawing the story in notebook form.

That is really all that I can review in the first half of book two, but I cannot wait (as I have been for years), for the rest of it.

This was probably my most anticipated graphic novel of the year and it still blew away my expectations. Emil Ferris' art amazing not only for the choice to use ballpoint pens but because of the influence of fine art and pop culture which are treated with equal respect. Art in general is shown through out the story to be a vital part of understanding life's complexities and this book is no different

I've been looking forward to this for a while. The first volume was so artistically interesting and compelling. When I saw this was available on NetGalley I requested it instantly.

The first 200 pages are great! Karen and Deeze spend some time traveling and talking, Karen makes a new friend, and Anka's story continues. The narrative is just as strong as the first volume and the art is even more compelling. There were pages that literally made me smile and gasp at their beauty.

I'm very much looking forward to reading the rest of this volume when it comes out.

I have been waiting for this book for literal years and I am so excited to buy the book and find out who killed Mrs. Silverberg and what's really going on with Deeze - how many lies is he telling? Karen is my hero, even if she thinks she's a monster. The art is as beautiful and vibrant as in the first book.

What an amazing work of art, the story is also great, but the art, its style, it's something totally unique and you need to have a look at it!

Thanks to NetGalley for the early access!! This was only the first 200 pages but ugh, it's everything I dreamed it would be.

Ferris is a phenomenal storyteller, not just with words, but also with art. I love how the ballpoint pen looked in book 1, but the addition of other writing utensils like pencil adds so much more depth to this.

No spoilers, but this is a book you're going to have a hard time putting down.

I can't wait to read the rest in May!!!