In this sweet story of perseverance, Manfried the Man and his anthropomorphic cat owner Steve must band together to help save the Catlanta Man shelter from city development. Manfried Saves the Day by Caitlin Major and Kelly Bastow is a nice continuation of the series about a pet man and his loving but frequently exasperated owner. Made for cat lovers and sane people alike, this graphic novel is funny, heartfelt, and relevant.
Steve is your average cat. He’s got a loving girlfriend who runs the local man shelter, an exciting comics career, and an adorable man. Manfried the Man is the inspiration for Steve’s web comic. When a wealthy banker, Mr. Meow decides he wants to buy the shelter and build new developments, Steve and co. must band together to raise enough money to buy the shelter out from under Mr. Meow. Their solution? Enter their men into the local Man Show in which the grand prize will be more than enough to purchase the shelter! Manfried Saves the Day follows the trials and tribulations of preparing to enter the Man Show and introduces a whole set of men with a plethora of looks and personalities to match.
Manfried Saves the Day is appropriate for readers age 13+ though there is a smattering of cartoon-y male nudity. The writing and art are both clever enough to make pet-sized men believable and doesn’t trivialize this world. The antagonist comes across as a bit Scrooge McDuckish—all bark and no bite, so to speak—but overall Manfried Saves the Day is a great story about overcoming obstacles and learning to compromise.
Readers looking to find similar titles should read the first Manfried the Man book by Caitlin Major and Kelly Bastow. This may help readers confused by the rules of a world where cats are anthropomorphic and men are their pets. Readers would also enjoy the Bone series by Jeff Smith.
Manfried Saves the Day
By Caitlin Major, Kelly Bastow
ISBN: 9781683691082
Quirk Books, 2019
Publisher Age Rating: 13+
