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The Less Than Epic Adventures of TJ and Amal # - Webcomic
The Less Than Epic Adventures of TJ and Amal
In the span of a single day, Amal calls off his arranged marriage, comes out to his conservative parents, promptly gets disowned, goes on a bender... and wakes up the next morning to find TJ, a lanky, dreadlocked vagrant, frying eggs and singing Paul Simon in his kitchen.
TJ claims that the two have made a drunken pact to drive all the way from Berkeley to Providence. As it happens, Amal promised his sister he'd be there for her graduation from Brown University. And TJ, well... TJ has his own reasons.
The agreement is simple: Amal does the driving; TJ pays the way - but a 3500 mile journey leaves plenty of time for things to get complicated.
----------
On the official website, click the "First Page" road sign (graphic at the top of the page) to start reading from the beginning. Or just click here to go directly to it.
TJ claims that the two have made a drunken pact to drive all the way from Berkeley to Providence. As it happens, Amal promised his sister he'd be there for her graduation from Brown University. And TJ, well... TJ has his own reasons.
The agreement is simple: Amal does the driving; TJ pays the way - but a 3500 mile journey leaves plenty of time for things to get complicated.
----------
On the official website, click the "First Page" road sign (graphic at the top of the page) to start reading from the beginning. Or just click here to go directly to it.
500 pages, ebook
First published December 16, 2009
27 people are currently reading
1066 people want to read
About the author
E.K. Weaver
15 books144 followersE.K. Weaver was born during disco and grew up in a town full of rockets. She briefly slipped into and out of the Bible Belt and now lives in Austin, Texas with her husband Brett, two dopey dogs, a cat who likes everyone, and a cat who hates everyone.
She has been drawing since childhood, and really should be better at it than she is now.
She is a chaotic neutral Libra with a +3 heat shield. Her weak points are used CD shops, font collections, and seeds.
E.K. also gets a little weirded out writing about herself in the third person.
She has been drawing since childhood, and really should be better at it than she is now.
She is a chaotic neutral Libra with a +3 heat shield. Her weak points are used CD shops, font collections, and seeds.
E.K. also gets a little weirded out writing about herself in the third person.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 165 reviews
November 8, 2017
HELLO AND WELCOME TO MY NEW OBSESSION (read it here)
I knew NOTHING about this comic when I started it and then I binged it because I couldn't put it down. People, I'm in a SLUMP. I don't binge. But I binged this.
Listen, LISTEN. The story is very simple. Read the title? "Less than epic" is not an euphemism. This is a story about a mildly adventurous road trip, and the relationship that develops between TJ and Amal.
It's easy to think that things might be rushed here. The road trip lasts about a week I believe, so at the beginning I was looking out for that instalove or instalust or whatever. But no, what I found here was one of the most naturally-developing relationships I've ever seen in a book or comic. You'll obviously have to see it for yourself because I don't want to spoil anything, but the combination of insanely good and funny dialogue, the characters' chemistry, AND the amazing art really made me feel for these two.
Another great thing is that even though it has a few explicit scenes, they're never there just for the sake of it. In fact, the most explicit stuff is not even shown, but what is shown is how these scenes affect the characters. You can see how they go from pure sex to sex with feelings and it's never about the sex alone. It's about the small things before and after, laughing and joking and just simply enjoying one another's company.
I also loved the author's art. It's great at showing small changes in facial features, mood and tone. I would have kept reading this comic if had been 3000 pages long and I wouldn't have gotten tired of it and its art style.
The narrative style is also really really good. This is a comic artist who knows what she's doing. She knows how to grip your attention for the whole 500 pages, she knows how real life dialogue works and how to make it work in a comic, she knows when to fade a scene to black and when to interrupt a chapter and how to start the next. She knows how to maximize the comical effect of a scene and how to create tension when things seem like they might go bad.
This is already quite old and I don't know why it's not getting more attention, but please do yourselves a favor and read it ASAP. It reads extremely easily and hours will go by without you noticing, and at the end if you're like me you'll dance with joy. And it's FREE unless you also want to support it (which you totally should).
Trigger warnings for alcohol and drug use.
LGBT+ rep: gay MC, bi/pan MC (both males)
Other rep: Indian MC
I knew NOTHING about this comic when I started it and then I binged it because I couldn't put it down. People, I'm in a SLUMP. I don't binge. But I binged this.
Listen, LISTEN. The story is very simple. Read the title? "Less than epic" is not an euphemism. This is a story about a mildly adventurous road trip, and the relationship that develops between TJ and Amal.
It's easy to think that things might be rushed here. The road trip lasts about a week I believe, so at the beginning I was looking out for that instalove or instalust or whatever. But no, what I found here was one of the most naturally-developing relationships I've ever seen in a book or comic. You'll obviously have to see it for yourself because I don't want to spoil anything, but the combination of insanely good and funny dialogue, the characters' chemistry, AND the amazing art really made me feel for these two.
Another great thing is that even though it has a few explicit scenes, they're never there just for the sake of it. In fact, the most explicit stuff is not even shown, but what is shown is how these scenes affect the characters. You can see how they go from pure sex to sex with feelings and it's never about the sex alone. It's about the small things before and after, laughing and joking and just simply enjoying one another's company.
I also loved the author's art. It's great at showing small changes in facial features, mood and tone. I would have kept reading this comic if had been 3000 pages long and I wouldn't have gotten tired of it and its art style.
The narrative style is also really really good. This is a comic artist who knows what she's doing. She knows how to grip your attention for the whole 500 pages, she knows how real life dialogue works and how to make it work in a comic, she knows when to fade a scene to black and when to interrupt a chapter and how to start the next. She knows how to maximize the comical effect of a scene and how to create tension when things seem like they might go bad.
This is already quite old and I don't know why it's not getting more attention, but please do yourselves a favor and read it ASAP. It reads extremely easily and hours will go by without you noticing, and at the end if you're like me you'll dance with joy. And it's FREE unless you also want to support it (which you totally should).
Trigger warnings for alcohol and drug use.
LGBT+ rep: gay MC, bi/pan MC (both males)
Other rep: Indian MC
October 7, 2016
Road story - Very American.
Expressive artwork - I love the faces they make!
Characters full of life - They are authentic.
I can't help myself...
*****
This review is for the whole series.
*****
Volumes in the series.
*****
You can read it for free here (online).
Expressive artwork - I love the faces they make!
Characters full of life - They are authentic.
I can't help myself...
*****
This review is for the whole series.
*****
Volumes in the series.
*****
You can read it for free here (online).
November 23, 2012
Nooooooooooo! I need more, damn it!
This was so much fun, it had me laughing out loud at almost every page. The music and pop culture references are hilarious. My favorite was the Back to the Future drinking game, because I also know every line. :)
It's called The Less Than Epic Adventures, because its not action packed or OTT like some comics, but the characters seem so real, I swear I know these guys. I cannot wait for this to be finished.
And because I can't help myself, I'm posting one of my favorite pages (be glad I was able to narrow it down to just one):
This was so much fun, it had me laughing out loud at almost every page. The music and pop culture references are hilarious. My favorite was the Back to the Future drinking game, because I also know every line. :)
It's called The Less Than Epic Adventures, because its not action packed or OTT like some comics, but the characters seem so real, I swear I know these guys. I cannot wait for this to be finished.
And because I can't help myself, I'm posting one of my favorite pages (be glad I was able to narrow it down to just one):
May 3, 2018
God damn. Me like the book. Me so speechless. Me dead because of emotions. Dead... me so dead.
March 9, 2020
Why do these things end so damn fast?
May 24, 2014
FINAL REVIEW
I was disappointed how this ended. It was rushed. TJ was not even shown in the last chapter!
But overall, this was A GREAT RIDE.
I still RECOMMEND this! A great starter for those who want to dab at M/M Webcomics!!!
And it's FREE!!!
My PARTIAL REVIEW: written last March 2014
A JOURNEY THAT I HOPE WON'T END.
Oh gosh. This was amazing! It's not even finished yet. It's 1:53 am here (I should sleep already) and I'm crying like a fool.
I'm gonna try to give this a full review but hell, the story is not done. So, fuck it. XD
This is my first M/M webcomic and most definitely not my last.
It was fun, hilarious, light-hearted, damn sexy, and a little angsty at a time. It was perfect for me. :D
So of course I would recommend this to you guys especially if you really like M/M romance. And by the way, it's free!!!
I was disappointed how this ended. It was rushed. TJ was not even shown in the last chapter!
But overall, this was A GREAT RIDE.
I still RECOMMEND this! A great starter for those who want to dab at M/M Webcomics!!!
And it's FREE!!!
My PARTIAL REVIEW: written last March 2014
A JOURNEY THAT I HOPE WON'T END.
Oh gosh. This was amazing! It's not even finished yet. It's 1:53 am here (I should sleep already) and I'm crying like a fool.
I'm gonna try to give this a full review but hell, the story is not done. So, fuck it. XD
This is my first M/M webcomic and most definitely not my last.
It was fun, hilarious, light-hearted, damn sexy, and a little angsty at a time. It was perfect for me. :D
So of course I would recommend this to you guys especially if you really like M/M romance. And by the way, it's free!!!
February 24, 2014
I just picked up The Less Than Epic Adventures of Tj and Amal on the recommendation of my editor Nicole, and I pretty much didn't put it down for twenty-four hours. I kept going back and re-reading it to discover more details and take in the beauty of the whole thing.
This isn't a typical read for me since it's a graphic novel-- and not a crazy, action packed space epic but an honest, slice-of-life journey across America with two surprisingly complex and nuanced characters. Both the story and the art are fascinating in the way they capture so much genuine human experience, expression and connection.
It's amazingly rewarding to get caught up in Tj and Amal's travels; their deepening relationship and the unfolding mystery make this book as much about the sanctuary of companionship as it is about reaching any destination.
This isn't a typical read for me since it's a graphic novel-- and not a crazy, action packed space epic but an honest, slice-of-life journey across America with two surprisingly complex and nuanced characters. Both the story and the art are fascinating in the way they capture so much genuine human experience, expression and connection.
It's amazingly rewarding to get caught up in Tj and Amal's travels; their deepening relationship and the unfolding mystery make this book as much about the sanctuary of companionship as it is about reaching any destination.
August 25, 2012
Thanks to Leanne and Natalie for recommending this.
Love it! Not only do I love the characters, but this book makes me want to take a drive in a crappy car across the US, eat at diners, stay in cheap hotels, listen to cool music and have adventures. And possibly accidentally steal clothes from Goodwill...
I love the laugh out loud moments in this. The exchanges between Amal and TJ are sometimes hilarious, and sometimes poignant. The illustrations are mostly black and white but the occasional full page coloured illustration (usually a sunrise or a landscape) is breathtaking.
And TJ...guys, what's going on with TJ? He's a mystery wrapped in an enigma wrapped in some dreadlocks, right?
More pages, please!!!
Love it! Not only do I love the characters, but this book makes me want to take a drive in a crappy car across the US, eat at diners, stay in cheap hotels, listen to cool music and have adventures. And possibly accidentally steal clothes from Goodwill...
I love the laugh out loud moments in this. The exchanges between Amal and TJ are sometimes hilarious, and sometimes poignant. The illustrations are mostly black and white but the occasional full page coloured illustration (usually a sunrise or a landscape) is breathtaking.
And TJ...guys, what's going on with TJ? He's a mystery wrapped in an enigma wrapped in some dreadlocks, right?
More pages, please!!!
June 9, 2023
screaming shouting sobbing crying throwing myself against the wall
November 8, 2021
I stumbled upon this book yesterday, and today I'm done. That speaks volumes for the addicting nature to this story of two guys that randomly, yet believably, meet and drive across the USA. I liked the simplicity of the pictures. Many frames had no words. "A picture says a thousand words" indeed.
I liked the more mature subject matter. Yet these early 20+ year olds still have many things in life to figure out. In college, we all have such uncertainty in our future. It can feel like a stressful time. Yet looking back to my college time, I appreciate it for the 'open road' that was presented as I fumbled down my own path.
I liked the ending, as I sit here reflecting to write this review. Reminded me of "Maurice" which I finished recently.
Book available online: http://tjandamal.com/comic/
I liked the more mature subject matter. Yet these early 20+ year olds still have many things in life to figure out. In college, we all have such uncertainty in our future. It can feel like a stressful time. Yet looking back to my college time, I appreciate it for the 'open road' that was presented as I fumbled down my own path.
I liked the ending, as I sit here reflecting to write this review. Reminded me of "Maurice" which I finished recently.
Book available online: http://tjandamal.com/comic/
December 27, 2016
THE BEST THING I'VE READ IN A WHILE! God, it gave me so many feels. I absolutely adored it. I don't have much more to say. Only my fangirl's screams. It's a freaking masterpeace.
UPDATE: Re-read it the very next day... So good. SO GOOD.
UPDATE: Re-read it the very next day... So good. SO GOOD.
November 29, 2011
Loved it, loved it, loved it. More please.
November 10, 2017
this was lovely.
I'll start this off my saying I've never read a web comic, graphic novel, or really any book with pictures since I was a kid. And I'm SERIOUSLY regretting that after having read this; like what other amazing things am I missing out on?!
This was a web comic about, you guessed it, the less than epic adventures of TJ and Amal as they travel across the country for Amal's sister's graduation. Amal has recently come out to his parents and is grappling with the aftermath of that when he gets drunk at a bar and promises to drive a stranger out to Rhode Island (where said sister's graduation is taking place).
I was really unsure in the first couple of chapters if I was going to like this. I didn't see how a rich, character driven story could be created with pictures but E.K. did such an excellent job. The beauty was not in the plot but in the characters coming to terms with their flaws and finding a connection through it. TJ was hilarious and Amal was sweet and so perfectly relatable. Their friendship was so natural. And their connection was definitely palpable.
I also loved the way this ended. I'm always a sucker for "go get the girl" or in this case "go get the guy," as the ending to a movie/book/whatever. Such a pleasing wrap up. If you're looking for a break from fantasy or any heavy reads this is so nice. Would definitely recommend.
I'll start this off my saying I've never read a web comic, graphic novel, or really any book with pictures since I was a kid. And I'm SERIOUSLY regretting that after having read this; like what other amazing things am I missing out on?!
This was a web comic about, you guessed it, the less than epic adventures of TJ and Amal as they travel across the country for Amal's sister's graduation. Amal has recently come out to his parents and is grappling with the aftermath of that when he gets drunk at a bar and promises to drive a stranger out to Rhode Island (where said sister's graduation is taking place).
I was really unsure in the first couple of chapters if I was going to like this. I didn't see how a rich, character driven story could be created with pictures but E.K. did such an excellent job. The beauty was not in the plot but in the characters coming to terms with their flaws and finding a connection through it. TJ was hilarious and Amal was sweet and so perfectly relatable. Their friendship was so natural. And their connection was definitely palpable.
I also loved the way this ended. I'm always a sucker for "go get the girl" or in this case "go get the guy," as the ending to a movie/book/whatever. Such a pleasing wrap up. If you're looking for a break from fantasy or any heavy reads this is so nice. Would definitely recommend.
April 7, 2012
Wait.. I'm confused.. is this done? Is that the end? Is it a WIP ?
Please God, let it not be done!! I want more.. I need more..
Holy snap, how did I not know of this book until now? After finishing it, or what I hope is just the first half or the first 26 chapters, I really just want to give it a...
[insert standing ovation gif]
This is just So good! Its a graphic novel about TJ and Amal. They dont know each other and start out on a journey across the US of A.. TJ? Seriously.. TJ? I fucking LOVE that guy!! Holy crap.. Nothing but love for you dude! I, no joke, actually wiggled my toes because of how awesome this book is.. Toe wiggleness, guys!? Not many books get my toes wiggling.. Just sayin.. This is gooood!
Please let there be more TJ and Amal in the future?! Pleeease..
Please God, let it not be done!! I want more.. I need more..
Holy snap, how did I not know of this book until now? After finishing it, or what I hope is just the first half or the first 26 chapters, I really just want to give it a...
[insert standing ovation gif]
This is just So good! Its a graphic novel about TJ and Amal. They dont know each other and start out on a journey across the US of A.. TJ? Seriously.. TJ? I fucking LOVE that guy!! Holy crap.. Nothing but love for you dude! I, no joke, actually wiggled my toes because of how awesome this book is.. Toe wiggleness, guys!? Not many books get my toes wiggling.. Just sayin.. This is gooood!
Please let there be more TJ and Amal in the future?! Pleeease..
December 12, 2011
Crap, I really, really love this. I think TJ might be one of the funniest characters ever. Also, the end of each chapter has some of the best random clips. I'm on Chapter 15, and almost want to stop because I don't want to wait like I have to with the other great comic, Teahouse. Teahouse is much more beautiful, but really they are very different in tone. Check them both out.
September 13, 2012
The art in this comic is beautiful and evocative. The characters are charming and the dialogue spot on. I love this comic. Buy it in paper. It's worth it.
January 22, 2017
I don't normally do comics or graphic novels or anything that's more drawn than written.
But damn, this was awesome.
This is coming from someone who's not even close to knowing anything about art, but those panels were beautiful - I just wanted to keep looking at them. And I could just picture TJ and Amal in real life, and their expressions and quirks were so effectively and accurately rendered...
Also, the landscapes. One of them is my desktop picture right now.
And finally, the story itself and its development, which were just on fucking point. The way TJ and Amal's relationship evolves most of all, from slightly awkward acquaintances to buddies to everything I wanted it to be.
Side note: the sexy scenes (there's not that many of them - just saying, in case you were either dreading that or anticipating that) were definitely sexy, but never porn-like. I was shocked by how explicit they managed be while still remaining sort of understated. Like, I was looking more at hands and faces than dicks and abs, because the focus of the whole thing was more the relationship development than the rubbing and penetrating, you feel?
I have a couple niggles about a couple things, but that's just personal preference.
Bottom line: I absolutely loved this, way more than I thought I would, and got so into it I read it in one sitting even though I was planning on coming back to it whenever I was bored over the next week, since I figured 500 pages of... well, pictures wouldn't be that easy to slog through given my track record.
Super hype about this. In case you couldn't tell. Give it a shot.
But damn, this was awesome.
This is coming from someone who's not even close to knowing anything about art, but those panels were beautiful - I just wanted to keep looking at them. And I could just picture TJ and Amal in real life, and their expressions and quirks were so effectively and accurately rendered...
Also, the landscapes. One of them is my desktop picture right now.
And finally, the story itself and its development, which were just on fucking point. The way TJ and Amal's relationship evolves most of all, from slightly awkward acquaintances to buddies to everything I wanted it to be.
Side note: the sexy scenes (there's not that many of them - just saying, in case you were either dreading that or anticipating that) were definitely sexy, but never porn-like. I was shocked by how explicit they managed be while still remaining sort of understated. Like, I was looking more at hands and faces than dicks and abs, because the focus of the whole thing was more the relationship development than the rubbing and penetrating, you feel?
I have a couple niggles about a couple things, but that's just personal preference.
Bottom line: I absolutely loved this, way more than I thought I would, and got so into it I read it in one sitting even though I was planning on coming back to it whenever I was bored over the next week, since I figured 500 pages of... well, pictures wouldn't be that easy to slog through given my track record.
Super hype about this. In case you couldn't tell. Give it a shot.
June 21, 2016
I’m obsessed with Amal. He comes out to his family and the woman he's supposed to marry all in one big day. That ends with him needing to go to the bar to get several drinks. When he wakes up TJ is in his apartment. We don’t know much about TJ at this point. He tells Amal that he agreed to drive him to Providence. From there on out we get one awesome road trip story with some fantastic writing and beautiful artwork.
I love TJ. He has great music taste and a habit of getting himself in bad situations. The relationship between him and Amal develops really naturally. I didn’t like the open-ended nature of the last page of this webcomic, but that didn’t hurt my overall view as much as I thought it would.I read this all in one night so I think it might have just been a little surprise tom me. This is an adventure that I will probably be reading again at some point.
I love TJ. He has great music taste and a habit of getting himself in bad situations. The relationship between him and Amal develops really naturally. I didn’t like the open-ended nature of the last page of this webcomic, but that didn’t hurt my overall view as much as I thought it would.I read this all in one night so I think it might have just been a little surprise tom me. This is an adventure that I will probably be reading again at some point.
April 11, 2018
This was such a touching story. I read it all in one go. The artwork is beyond belief. You can feel the emotion in every hue, every texture. The sketches are gorgeous. It is excellent and beyond superlatives.
The story is actually surprisingly sweet. It's a new take on the road-trip romance trope, between two people who come from entirely different worlds. It is well-written, feels surprisingly realistic and it structured really well. It is warm, tender, touching and funny in equal measures. You can feel the bond between Amal and TJ growing with every passing page. It is very obvious and palpable. The entire depiction is very heart-warming.
This one has ample scope to be made into a movie, if not a mini-series.
The story is actually surprisingly sweet. It's a new take on the road-trip romance trope, between two people who come from entirely different worlds. It is well-written, feels surprisingly realistic and it structured really well. It is warm, tender, touching and funny in equal measures. You can feel the bond between Amal and TJ growing with every passing page. It is very obvious and palpable. The entire depiction is very heart-warming.
This one has ample scope to be made into a movie, if not a mini-series.
May 29, 2014
Damn. Can't believe it's finished.
And I can't say I'm all that happy with the rather abrupt way it ended. I would have been quite happy to follow these guys around for another couple of years.
Awesome art, charmingly quirky characters and something a little deeper, more thoughtful than you're likely to read in a lot of online comics.
Thanks for the ride, TJ and Amal.
And E.K, thanks for live streaming some of your work sessions. I never took part in the chat but was totally fascinated by the process.
And I can't say I'm all that happy with the rather abrupt way it ended. I would have been quite happy to follow these guys around for another couple of years.
Awesome art, charmingly quirky characters and something a little deeper, more thoughtful than you're likely to read in a lot of online comics.
Thanks for the ride, TJ and Amal.
And E.K, thanks for live streaming some of your work sessions. I never took part in the chat but was totally fascinated by the process.
November 30, 2011
4.5 stars. This graphic novel has everything so far, except an ending (hence the 0.5 stars waiting to be awarded.) The characters are interesting and beautifully sketched in, especially TJ. The art is clear, evocative, with just the right amount of text. The occasional full color panel is gorgeous. More than worth your time.
February 25, 2017
This was absolutely brilliant
June 14, 2019
Lovely artwork <3
[I have nothing else to say, move on..]
[I have nothing else to say, move on..]
February 5, 2017
Well.
At forty-four chapters and five-hundred strips, (not to mention two hours I should've spent on English homework) E.K Weaver's The Less than Epic Adventures of TJ And Amal is the longest, and best, webcomic I've read in entirety.
We meet Amal and his old-fash...Er, traditional parents on the first page.
Words are exchanged.
Words are not exchanged.
We're meant to understand what he's just told them, and at my core, I did. I mean, my folks aren't the holier-than-thou old-world type that Amal's rents are, but, hey.
We've all been there.
When Amal looks to drown his sorrows, he somehow crosses the path of Blondie Dreadlocks, better known as TJ.
Can I just shout out at TJ for a sec?
Thanks.
"The truth is, I am one-quarter panda."
(Amal) "*snicker* You know, you look like a sunflower."
"*finger* Now I'm a cactus."
"So, hey, check out the elephant in THIS room."
"That is one dirty-ass bait and switch."
"No, fool. I'm the nug fairy!"
Okay, okay.
But seriously.
TJ's probably one of my favorite MCs.
The laid-back, chilled-out contrast to Amal's all-together persona made the comic what it was.
And, about Amal, you want to punch him in the neck...
Then, like, take him to dinner.
Seriously, I hate this type of guy. And I don't mean closeted. I mean up-tight.
In his defense, Amal chills out a serious amount once him and TJ get on the road. He gets a lot cooler.
I, for a lot of reasons, related more with him than TJ. I really connected with him, and realized maybe I wasn't as icy as I thought, especially compared to Amal.
But honestly, I loved them both.
Black and white comics are actually a really good way to bring light to a story, not just geek out on the art (not that the art wasn't gorgeous).
The totally silent panels, May Day, and Life in A Nutshell, are pure gold, don't you dare skim them.
This story is more than just a 'gay comic', alright? It's got a lot of heart and an amazing message.
I could give you seventh-grade Catcher in the Rye book report all on the 'deep meanings' and 'real-life application' there is in this, but if I did that, you'd probably decide not to read it.
So.
Here's all the reasons why you SHOULD.
There's a Back to the Future quote-along drinking game.
There's pot smoking.
There's a road trip that, unlike most road trips in books, ends with an honest-to-God point (I'm looking at you, Paper Towns).
A bigot gets his ass kicked.
There's TJ.
Friggin' TJ, man! Rockin' the white boy dreads, hell yeah! You're never gonna see this paleface with them, but boy howdy do I friggin' love them on white boys.
I mean, I love them on pretty much everyone.
They're awesome.
Just read it.
It's funny, it's heartwarming, it's a laugh riot.
Oh. And it's free.
Buy the hard copy if you want, support the author.
If I had forty bucks to drop on a comic book, I'd do it.
But I ain't no pilgrim.
One final thing.
Of all TJ's deadpan sarcasm, all the nonsense insults, this is my favorite line of his:
"Ain't no sorry."
At forty-four chapters and five-hundred strips, (not to mention two hours I should've spent on English homework) E.K Weaver's The Less than Epic Adventures of TJ And Amal is the longest, and best, webcomic I've read in entirety.
We meet Amal and his old-fash...Er, traditional parents on the first page.
Words are exchanged.
Words are not exchanged.
We're meant to understand what he's just told them, and at my core, I did. I mean, my folks aren't the holier-than-thou old-world type that Amal's rents are, but, hey.
We've all been there.
When Amal looks to drown his sorrows, he somehow crosses the path of Blondie Dreadlocks, better known as TJ.
Can I just shout out at TJ for a sec?
Thanks.
"The truth is, I am one-quarter panda."
(Amal) "*snicker* You know, you look like a sunflower."
"*finger* Now I'm a cactus."
"So, hey, check out the elephant in THIS room."
"That is one dirty-ass bait and switch."
"No, fool. I'm the nug fairy!"
Okay, okay.
But seriously.
TJ's probably one of my favorite MCs.
The laid-back, chilled-out contrast to Amal's all-together persona made the comic what it was.
And, about Amal, you want to punch him in the neck...
Then, like, take him to dinner.
Seriously, I hate this type of guy. And I don't mean closeted. I mean up-tight.
In his defense, Amal chills out a serious amount once him and TJ get on the road. He gets a lot cooler.
I, for a lot of reasons, related more with him than TJ. I really connected with him, and realized maybe I wasn't as icy as I thought, especially compared to Amal.
But honestly, I loved them both.
Black and white comics are actually a really good way to bring light to a story, not just geek out on the art (not that the art wasn't gorgeous).
The totally silent panels, May Day, and Life in A Nutshell, are pure gold, don't you dare skim them.
This story is more than just a 'gay comic', alright? It's got a lot of heart and an amazing message.
I could give you seventh-grade Catcher in the Rye book report all on the 'deep meanings' and 'real-life application' there is in this, but if I did that, you'd probably decide not to read it.
So.
Here's all the reasons why you SHOULD.
There's a Back to the Future quote-along drinking game.
There's pot smoking.
There's a road trip that, unlike most road trips in books, ends with an honest-to-God point (I'm looking at you, Paper Towns).
A bigot gets his ass kicked.
There's TJ.
Friggin' TJ, man! Rockin' the white boy dreads, hell yeah! You're never gonna see this paleface with them, but boy howdy do I friggin' love them on white boys.
I mean, I love them on pretty much everyone.
They're awesome.
Just read it.
It's funny, it's heartwarming, it's a laugh riot.
Oh. And it's free.
Buy the hard copy if you want, support the author.
If I had forty bucks to drop on a comic book, I'd do it.
But I ain't no pilgrim.
One final thing.
Of all TJ's deadpan sarcasm, all the nonsense insults, this is my favorite line of his:
"Ain't no sorry."
April 12, 2018
This book is about two young men who go on a cross-country road trip. They are strangers and very different from each other; but over the course of their 9 day journey, a romantic relationship develops between them.
Sure, the premise of the plot is a little banal and unrealistic. The idea of falling in love with a stranger on a journey is, no doubt about it, sweet but, at the same time, stupid. It's romanticized because it sells, not because it actually happens. Now, what I liked about the book was that barring this hackneyed premise, everything else was very realistic. Especially the interactions between the two characters and the pace at which their relationship progresses.
Also, the art is beautiful and just as integral as the dialogues. There are pages which have no text; the art alone does the story-telling quite well.
Read this if you want to read something light, warm and sweet. Don't expect a profound love story. There are 500 pages but you can read the entire thing in a single day very comfortably.
Sure, the premise of the plot is a little banal and unrealistic. The idea of falling in love with a stranger on a journey is, no doubt about it, sweet but, at the same time, stupid. It's romanticized because it sells, not because it actually happens. Now, what I liked about the book was that barring this hackneyed premise, everything else was very realistic. Especially the interactions between the two characters and the pace at which their relationship progresses.
Also, the art is beautiful and just as integral as the dialogues. There are pages which have no text; the art alone does the story-telling quite well.
Read this if you want to read something light, warm and sweet. Don't expect a profound love story. There are 500 pages but you can read the entire thing in a single day very comfortably.
August 12, 2016
TJ and Amal has been on the internet since 2008. The story began that year, and some minutes ago the story ended. I began reading this story two and half years ago and even though I haven't been in the whole journey of 6 years reading this amazing webcomic, I can say that, at least for me and many more I'm sure, reading TJ and Amal has been incredible.
E.K has done an amazing job in creating this beautiful and awesome comic. It surprised me a lot when I first started reading it. E.K's style is beautiful, the story is well written, the characters, oh I could talk about them for hours, they are absolutely interesting but also lovely and endearing. I've cried, shouted to the computer, laughed with them.
Like I said, this has been such an amazing journey. E.K has done an amazing job.
E.K has done an amazing job in creating this beautiful and awesome comic. It surprised me a lot when I first started reading it. E.K's style is beautiful, the story is well written, the characters, oh I could talk about them for hours, they are absolutely interesting but also lovely and endearing. I've cried, shouted to the computer, laughed with them.
Like I said, this has been such an amazing journey. E.K has done an amazing job.
July 1, 2015
Это было, мать вашу, просто потрясающе. Здесь ТАКАЯ атмосферная рисовка, что аж дух захватывает. Пейзажи - одни из лучших которые я встречала. Передача эмоций - просто без слов. Буквально. Была там одна глава из 20-ти страниц, в которой не было ни одного единого слова, но которая заставила меня прочувствовать все так, как не смогла бы и целая книга, пестрящая красивыми словами.
В общем, я в диком восторге. Герои живые, со своими тараканами и преследующими их проблемами. Их чувство юмора заставляло меня держатся за живот от смеха, пару раз я даже расплакалась. Я определенно когда-нибудь перечитаю эту прелесть. А сейчас пошла выписывать цитаты от сюда. Их уйма и они шикарны.
Итог: 10 из 10
В общем, я в диком восторге. Герои живые, со своими тараканами и преследующими их проблемами. Их чувство юмора заставляло меня держатся за живот от смеха, пару раз я даже расплакалась. Я определенно когда-нибудь перечитаю эту прелесть. А сейчас пошла выписывать цитаты от сюда. Их уйма и они шикарны.
Итог: 10 из 10
June 12, 2016
5/5 stars
What the fuck was that open ending? What the fuck.
DESPITE the open ending, I absolutely love this webcomic. The art is beautiful, the plot is great, and it has LGBT+ representation. It also has great humour.
Warning: there are NSFW scenes, so if sex makes you uncomfortable, maybe don't read this. (The sex scenes are really well done though, and they don't feel porn-y at all.)
So yeah. Characters are on point, relationship/friendship is on point, as is the plot and art. Recommend this one strongly.
What the fuck was that open ending? What the fuck.
DESPITE the open ending, I absolutely love this webcomic. The art is beautiful, the plot is great, and it has LGBT+ representation. It also has great humour.
Warning: there are NSFW scenes, so if sex makes you uncomfortable, maybe don't read this. (The sex scenes are really well done though, and they don't feel porn-y at all.)
So yeah. Characters are on point, relationship/friendship is on point, as is the plot and art. Recommend this one strongly.
May 3, 2018
A webcomic that has an GR page, and was ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL?!? Oh, signmeupsignmeupSIGNMEUP.
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