DISCLAIMER: This post is not sponsored. However, I received an advanced reader copy (eBook) of Our Super Adventure Vol. 1: Press Start to Begin through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

“Fans of Kate Beaton and Sarah Andersen will love this collection of the hit webcomic Our Super Adventure by Sarah Graley (Rick and Morty, Kim Reaper)! Eating too much pizza together. Smelling your cats. Figuring out how to spend your evening when the internet has suddenly stopped working. Relationships are full of sweet and quirky little moments!

Sarah Graley’s first collection of the hit diary webcomic Our Super Adventure chronicles two years of these strange, relatable instances, as she navigates life with four cats and one cat-like boy. Whether it’s that feeling of getting the entire bed when your partner gets up before you, or the heartbreaking realization that the love of your life has burned the microwave popcorn, Press Start To Begin documents all the weird little everyday flashes of shared absurdity that make up a relationship.”

Our Super Adventure Vol. 1: Press Start to Begin – Goodreads Summary

Press Start To Begin

Join Sarah Graley and her partner Stef on their super adventure full of cartoon crushes, adulting, hunky boyfriends, tweeting about your butt, free wine, first-time farts, human blankets, emojis in business emails, and 4 cute cats. There are pizza and videogames too! Sounds like a good time to me!

As stated by Sarah, Press Start to Begin ­is “a collection of 200 diary comics originally drawn between 2012 and 2015, all about me, my partner Stef, our four wonderful cats, and the life that we share together!” (6). In 2015, a Kickstarter campaign was run for the original print run of the book. Their goal was surpassed by 400%, so they were able to include bonus content. I’m a huge fan of illustrators that share their life through comics, such as Cassandra Calin, Catana, Sarah Andersen, and other favorites. So, I knew I’d love Press Start to Begin. Plus, I was already familiar with Sarah’s comics on social media. There’s a lot to love about these fun and quirky comics. I’ve compiled a bunch of my favorites from the book, and have shared my thoughts on why Press Start To Begin is totally worth the read!

The Geeky References

As most of you may know, I’m a Geek Lifestyle Blogger. Therefore, I’m all about geeky pop culture references and jokes. Press Start To Begin has plenty of them, which I love. For example, the comic mentions, Animal Crossing. Which is a Nintendo game where you collect bugs, fish, and fruits in your town for money known as “bells”. Animal Crossing is one of my favorite games, so I definitely chuckled at the reference.

So Relatable It’s Embarrassing

The relationship between the author and her partner, Stef is what makes this graphic novel so relatable. But, it’s equally relatable by showing the little embarrassing things we do when no one is around, and would never admit to doing. Like apologizing to inhabit objects.

Redrawn Comics

During a Kickstarter campaign, it’s always exciting when the funding target is reached, and the creators can have stretch goals (extra bonuses for the backers and readers). For example, “One of these stretch goals was to take ten of the older black and white Our Super Adventure comics and redraw them in the newer style in full colour!” (198).

I love the fact that readers get bonus comics while seeing the differences between the old and new versions. My favorite redrawn comic is the “human blanket” one. It’s super cute, and something all couples should try during cuddle time. 🙂

The Truth About Adulting

No matter how hard we try to deny it, adulting can be rough. Sarah Graley demonstrates the truth about adulting and answers the big questions that keep us up at night. What emoji should I use in this business email? Does it make me less professional if I tweet about my butt? In the end, sometimes we are just big kids who don’t want to grow-up. I don’t care how old I get. I always get a thrill from playing carnival games at a theme park. Even if I spend too much money trying to win a plush doughnut…or a giant Pokémon. Haha!

Fewer Fart Jokes, Please!

When a couple has been together for quite some time, it’s no secret they know each other REALLY well. They’ve seen the good, the bad, and the ugly – farts and all! For some couples (me and my man included) farting, burping, and pooping around each other becomes second nature. Sometimes it even becomes a topic of conversation.

Throughout Press Start To Begin, Sarah and Stef can be found making poop and fart jokes galore. The first few were funny, but sadly the next 10 were kind of redundant. I love that Sarah shows the unsexy side of a relationship. However, I wish there would have been fewer fart jokes.

The Illustration Style

Personally, I love the illustration style that Press Start To Begin is drawn in. Sarah and Stef are adorbs! Their characters are very expressive, which adds to the overall humor of the comic. I love the saucer eyes and angry eyebrows. The strokes and watercolor effect add a rough texture to the illustrations. It’s almost like I can feel each and every pen, and brush stroke. Sarah and Stef are drawn with so much personality!

The Humor

The humor is what makes Press Start To Begin so memorable and a joy to read. It’s so honest, authentic, and full of personality. There’s a variety of content with a very similar quirky tone. Although, maybe a few too many fart jokes. What’s awesome is Sarah writes about her own life, so the humor in each panel seems effortless!

Cat Lady

Sarah and Stef have 4 cats: Wilson, Pixel, Pesto, and Toby. Like all parents of fur babies, their cats are a big part of their life. Like Sarah says, their cats are “the real stars of the book”. Each cat is drawn with personality and human emotions. Whether the kitties are the star of the comic or just curling up in the background, it’s cool that they’re part of Sarah and Stef’s book just as much as they’re part of their family. All cat parents will appreciate the shenanigans. I know I do.

Couple Goals

The soul of this book is Sarah and Stef. They are #CoupleGoals. They definitely remind me a lot of my boyfriend and I. They are so cute! I love the banter between them, and the little ways they show they love each other. Whether it be a kiss on the finger or a fart. Sarah and Stef are the couple you want to go on a double-date with.

Being A Creative

As a creative myself, I was able to relate to Sarah. I appreciate all the work she put into her book. I liked that she threw in there a few comics that poke fun at being a creative. So relatable. I mean, the struggle is real when you have to figure out how to draw your boyfriend’s new haircut.

A Super Adventure

After tasting a sample of the comics from Press Start To Begin, I hope you’ll pick up a copy to read the rest. You can tell how much hard work, love, and laughs Sarah and Stef have put into this book. Press Start To Begin is a light-hearted and quick read with quirky humor, adorable illustrations, 4 cute cats, relatable stories, and a couple that’s totally #CoupleGoals. I give Press Start To Begin 4 out of 5 stars. If you’ve enjoyed webcomics in the past about real life, relationships, and the ups and downs of adulting, you’ll want to join Sarah and Stef on their super adventure!

You can get a copy of Press Start to Begin on Amazon. For more comics from Our Super Adventure, visit their website or you can find Sarah on Instagram!

Have you read Press Start to Begin? Please let me know your thoughts in the comments below. If you’d like to see what other books I’m reading these days, follow me on Goodreads!

I hope to see you in my next blog post!

♥ Candis

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