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GLEEM
Enter a future of defiant vitality in GLEEM
Imbued with cyberpunk attitude and in the rebellious tradition of afrofuturism, GLEEM is drawn with a fierce momentum hurtling towards a future world. Carrasco’s distinct cinematic style layers detailed panels and spreads, creating a multiplicity of perspectives, at once dizzying and hypnotic. Vignettes unspool in proximity to our own social realities and expand into the outer layers of possibility. Whether in the club or a robot repair workshop, the characters in these three interconnected stories burst across frames until they practically step off the page.
A boy becomes bored at church with his grandmother until he tries a psychedelic drug. A group of friends are told that they need a rare battery if they want any chance of reviving their friend. Street style and cybernetics meet and burst into riotous dancing. Kindness and violence might not be as distant from each other as we think. GLEEM unsettles with a confidence that could make you believe in anything.
Imbued with cyberpunk attitude and in the rebellious tradition of afrofuturism, GLEEM is drawn with a fierce momentum hurtling towards a future world. Carrasco’s distinct cinematic style layers detailed panels and spreads, creating a multiplicity of perspectives, at once dizzying and hypnotic. Vignettes unspool in proximity to our own social realities and expand into the outer layers of possibility. Whether in the club or a robot repair workshop, the characters in these three interconnected stories burst across frames until they practically step off the page.
A boy becomes bored at church with his grandmother until he tries a psychedelic drug. A group of friends are told that they need a rare battery if they want any chance of reviving their friend. Street style and cybernetics meet and burst into riotous dancing. Kindness and violence might not be as distant from each other as we think. GLEEM unsettles with a confidence that could make you believe in anything.
190 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2019
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988 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 123 reviews
April 9, 2024
i’ll eat up this art style everytime i LOVE it idc, illustrations in here were so cool 😭 Also swing crew needs an animated mini series or something i beg…
May 27, 2020
In storytelling, the adage goes that the more specific your story is, the more universal it feels.
Even though Freddy Carrasco's vision of the future (think Missy Elliott videos back in the day) seems like it would feel very distant from anything I've lived, Carrasco puts plenty of details in his stories, that everyone can find something that feels familiar, either to themselves or someone they know.
The themes and feelings he deals with (boredom, loss, escapism) are universal. But it's in the way he shows it to us. It feels very rooted in the worlds and characters he's created.
That, coupled with the personality and quirks he gives his characters, makes the characters feel like real people. It makes you feel invested in them.
I especially felt that way about the young group in the second story ('Swing'). Long after I'd turned the final page of 'Swing', I was still thinking about them and wondering what happened after the story ended and how they're doing now. (Needless to say, 'Swing' was my favourite.)
Read for the Magical Readathon: Charms (read a book with a white cover).
Even though Freddy Carrasco's vision of the future (think Missy Elliott videos back in the day) seems like it would feel very distant from anything I've lived, Carrasco puts plenty of details in his stories, that everyone can find something that feels familiar, either to themselves or someone they know.
The themes and feelings he deals with (boredom, loss, escapism) are universal. But it's in the way he shows it to us. It feels very rooted in the worlds and characters he's created.
That, coupled with the personality and quirks he gives his characters, makes the characters feel like real people. It makes you feel invested in them.
I especially felt that way about the young group in the second story ('Swing'). Long after I'd turned the final page of 'Swing', I was still thinking about them and wondering what happened after the story ended and how they're doing now. (Needless to say, 'Swing' was my favourite.)
Read for the Magical Readathon: Charms (read a book with a white cover).
December 8, 2019
This was so rad. I've been looking forward to reading more from Freddy Carrasco since reading and loving his short comic Hot Summer Nights, and this was even better than I expected. Carrasco has such a singular style of art that is unlike anything else out there. It is confident and kinetic, and his drawings alone have the ability to hint at subtle stories and themes, and convey moods and feeling without the use of much dialog or narration, if any. The future he portrays in these stories is cold and just a little bit alienating, but suffused with an undeniable coolness and human warmth to ever veer too close to dystopian. Like a really relaxed episode of Black Mirror: the future might not be perfect, but at least the clubs are still open, and the drugs are good.
April 24, 2024
This is the sort of book where I felt as if I was missing something the entire time. It's interesting, and I was never tempted to put it down, but I also finished with a sense of confusion, like I somehow wasn't smart enough to get what the author was saying.
May 19, 2024
GLEEM features three short comics by Freddy Carrasco, all distinct in story and in art. Opening with "Born Again", the story follows a young boy inside a megachurch who experiences a hallucinogenic trip that unveils a true divine revelation amidst the pomp and excess that surrounds him. This is followed by the more lengthy story "Swing", which features a group of kids who seek out their old robot pal who has been decommissioned amidst a vaguely cyberpunk setting. The collection ends with "Hard Body" which explores the aftermath of a night out in the club, told almost entirely without words.
Though these three vignettes are diverse in their choice of characters and storylines, they do seem tied together by ideas of euphoria, fantastical musings and psychedelia. Freddy Carrasco also opts into a distinctively cyberpunk design throughout, with the latter two stories in particular having a noticeably Afrofuturistic design to them. There isn't any exploration of the settings in these stories however, instead the aesthetic serves to just add a layer of world-building that doesn't require further elaboration since the stories themselves don't need it. They add the right amount of flavor without begging for any exposition, which only goes to show just how refined a storyteller Carrasco is.
It's also Carrasco's artwork that impresses here. The linework has an almost shaky roughness to them, as if there was very little control towards the drawing. But it doesn't take long to realize this is the design choice and the haphazard lines are actually very clean and controlled. One doesn't have to look too hard to see the José Muñoz or Taiyō Matsumoto influences on the artwork, particularly in the way faces are drawn or in the sharp contrasts between the thin lines and the heavy blacks. But Carrasco also employs his own style of formal play as he jumps between the use of standard grid panels to more cluttered panel layouts, seen most prominently in the "Swing" story. There's also a playful switch between detail and minimalism throughout as the angular and complex designs are placed side by side with sparse backgrounds and simplistic geometric creations. GLEEM presents very confident work, and between the three stories there's plenty of diversity to appreciate Carrasco's substantial knack for storytelling.
Though these three vignettes are diverse in their choice of characters and storylines, they do seem tied together by ideas of euphoria, fantastical musings and psychedelia. Freddy Carrasco also opts into a distinctively cyberpunk design throughout, with the latter two stories in particular having a noticeably Afrofuturistic design to them. There isn't any exploration of the settings in these stories however, instead the aesthetic serves to just add a layer of world-building that doesn't require further elaboration since the stories themselves don't need it. They add the right amount of flavor without begging for any exposition, which only goes to show just how refined a storyteller Carrasco is.
It's also Carrasco's artwork that impresses here. The linework has an almost shaky roughness to them, as if there was very little control towards the drawing. But it doesn't take long to realize this is the design choice and the haphazard lines are actually very clean and controlled. One doesn't have to look too hard to see the José Muñoz or Taiyō Matsumoto influences on the artwork, particularly in the way faces are drawn or in the sharp contrasts between the thin lines and the heavy blacks. But Carrasco also employs his own style of formal play as he jumps between the use of standard grid panels to more cluttered panel layouts, seen most prominently in the "Swing" story. There's also a playful switch between detail and minimalism throughout as the angular and complex designs are placed side by side with sparse backgrounds and simplistic geometric creations. GLEEM presents very confident work, and between the three stories there's plenty of diversity to appreciate Carrasco's substantial knack for storytelling.
July 12, 2024
QUICK THOUGHTS BECAUSE THIS LEFT AN IMPRESSION ON ME RATHER EASILY:
Out of three short stories within this book only one followed a conventional narrative (character(s) had a a goal, change occurred, etc etc) and the other two were experimental slice of life pieces. Concerning the story that was an actual story, due to beautiful designs of the world/characters, and funny writing, I was immediately immersed. It was rather unpredictable, which is something I usually gravitate towards in stories, and ended on a heartfelt note (I’m not spoiling sh*t.) Again, the style of this art is so fun and refreshing—he certainly went the extra mile for character design. If you’re looking for something that is new, easy going, quick, and unpredictable—get dis. I am now on the hunt for more work/longer work from this storyteller.
Out of three short stories within this book only one followed a conventional narrative (character(s) had a a goal, change occurred, etc etc) and the other two were experimental slice of life pieces. Concerning the story that was an actual story, due to beautiful designs of the world/characters, and funny writing, I was immediately immersed. It was rather unpredictable, which is something I usually gravitate towards in stories, and ended on a heartfelt note (I’m not spoiling sh*t.) Again, the style of this art is so fun and refreshing—he certainly went the extra mile for character design. If you’re looking for something that is new, easy going, quick, and unpredictable—get dis. I am now on the hunt for more work/longer work from this storyteller.
January 2, 2026
More of an interesting aesthetic, since the stories are very micro in scale, and little can be inferred about the actual world. Lots of interesting imagery and love the line work, revolving around either maintaining or dismantling lifestyles, often involving drugs. I can see why people connect it to cyberpunk, even if it’s mostly for aesthetic purposes.
February 16, 2026
truly stunning work of art. the way the city feels so alive as well as the heavy emphasis on fashion in the character designs is reminiscent of taiyo matsumoto in the best way.
the three stories are each pretty different, with the first leaning into gorgeous, surreal set pieces as a young boy distracts himself during church. the second follows a group of kids trying to bring their robot friend back to working order after finding out he's an extremely rare model (this one was very sweet but also a little violent, and did a great job fleshing out the characters in such a short amount of time, as well as used a lot of silent montage pages that I quite enjoyed). the third has virtually no dialogue and is set in a club and mostly shows off carrasco's stunning character design capabilities and superb grasp on action and movement in the comic medium.
highly recommend for people that enjoy the visual style of things like jet set radio or tekkonkinkreet. I feel like I could get lost in these pages for a while and will definitely return to them often!
the three stories are each pretty different, with the first leaning into gorgeous, surreal set pieces as a young boy distracts himself during church. the second follows a group of kids trying to bring their robot friend back to working order after finding out he's an extremely rare model (this one was very sweet but also a little violent, and did a great job fleshing out the characters in such a short amount of time, as well as used a lot of silent montage pages that I quite enjoyed). the third has virtually no dialogue and is set in a club and mostly shows off carrasco's stunning character design capabilities and superb grasp on action and movement in the comic medium.
highly recommend for people that enjoy the visual style of things like jet set radio or tekkonkinkreet. I feel like I could get lost in these pages for a while and will definitely return to them often!
April 15, 2024
A pleasure filled and digestible anthology of stories with a perfectly balanced amount of words and silent imagination. Set in a wonderfully cohesive and uniquely illustrated world. This Freddy Carrasco guy is pretty cool.
April 11, 2021
Incredible artwork with endlessly fascinating speculative narratives in a world I want to stay in for much, much longer.
April 26, 2024
only liked the second story, the rest was not my type, and the last one was rather incoherent and somewhat nasty :( super cool drawing style tho, the artist is also super likeable in person
February 2, 2023
The illustrations were immaculate as always and I was really really intrigued by the 2nd story. I just wanted more honestly AHHHHHH I wanted more of it.
February 19, 2025
Excellent cartooning that reminds me of Taiyo Matsumoto more than anyone else.
3 stories, the first and third are pretty trippy. Cool artwork, but not much going on. The middle story showed a lot of promise, 3 kids looking to replace the battery on their robot friend. I'd definitely read the next book by Freddy Carrasco. A fantastic first book. I just hope for a bit more plot next time around.
3 stories, the first and third are pretty trippy. Cool artwork, but not much going on. The middle story showed a lot of promise, 3 kids looking to replace the battery on their robot friend. I'd definitely read the next book by Freddy Carrasco. A fantastic first book. I just hope for a bit more plot next time around.
May 31, 2025
trippy and energetic illustration with dialogue that serves to help experience the fast paced and punky nature of its world as it is being experienced by some kids. everything is beautiful, Gleem is a piece of art you can keep on your shelf and be happy to know its there to reexperience whenever you wanna
October 19, 2023
just phenomenal art
February 28, 2024
3.5⭐️
This was a TRIP, but in the best way possible! Definitely wanted a bit more.
This was a TRIP, but in the best way possible! Definitely wanted a bit more.
April 29, 2024
amazing storytelling & the art is sooooo kinetic!!!
July 15, 2024
quick read, cool art style, story #2 was hilarious. Interested in the authors other works outside of writing.
September 29, 2024
revisiting this and yes it is the best comic book i have ever read. freddy carrasco is a genius. notes of dystopia, black futurism, psychedelia, escapism… insane drawings… it’s perfect!
March 6, 2025
FUCK that was good
September 8, 2025
Oh this is sick. Lineart reminiscent of Taiyo Matsumoto and almost vewn? Sometimes got a bit lost in the lines but I think that was sort of the point. This was awesome and I want more
January 10, 2025
so so pretty makes me want to take a bite out of the pages
Read
September 28, 2025coooooool...
September 1, 2020
Carrasco’s drawings alone deserve 10000 stars. The art is insanely expressive yet restrained, with three very human short stories, makes your skin crawl in the best way
November 13, 2019
Would love to see these three stories get animated. They practically are with the amount of natural motion drawn in this book. A quick, psychedelic & memorable read.
February 27, 2021
Fantastic art and atmosphere!
A blend of Taiyo Matsumoto, Masaaki Yuasa, Philip K Dick and hip-hop.
A blend of Taiyo Matsumoto, Masaaki Yuasa, Philip K Dick and hip-hop.
April 4, 2023
an amazing cartooning
January 9, 2024
2.5 Stars.
Review submitted to School Library Journal for publication.
Review submitted to School Library Journal for publication.
December 12, 2024
In December I am usually scouring the “Best of” lists for things I missed, and found Freddy Carrasco’s first novel, GLEEM, on one list, though it says it was originally published in 2019. This production/re-release is 2024, and by Drawn and Quarterly, which is a mark of distinction, polish. And with the stamp of approval by fellow alt/art comics explorer Michael DeForge: “Nobody’s doing space and time the way Freddy Carrasco does space and time. Love a comic that trusts you’ll be able to keep up with it.”
Which is another way of saying that the average comics reader might be challenged to figure it out. But fun, if you just go with it and enjoy it (especially the artwork). So it’s three short stories, all different, but marked by space/time invention, with a touch afrofuturism, cyberpunk, psychedelia, rave, and sci fi.
"Born Again” takes place in a church where a boy is tripping, experiencing his own “divine” inspiration. "Swing” is longer, about some kids and a discarded and damaged robot and their desire to save him. "Hard Body" is about a rave experience and what comes after, almost wordless but very action (dance) focused, with indications of mental states,
This is great cartooning, especially for a first book!
Which is another way of saying that the average comics reader might be challenged to figure it out. But fun, if you just go with it and enjoy it (especially the artwork). So it’s three short stories, all different, but marked by space/time invention, with a touch afrofuturism, cyberpunk, psychedelia, rave, and sci fi.
"Born Again” takes place in a church where a boy is tripping, experiencing his own “divine” inspiration. "Swing” is longer, about some kids and a discarded and damaged robot and their desire to save him. "Hard Body" is about a rave experience and what comes after, almost wordless but very action (dance) focused, with indications of mental states,
This is great cartooning, especially for a first book!
December 28, 2020
Freddy Carrasco's ability to emulate the work of Taiyo Matsumoto is truly uncanny. It's not like he's trying to copy Matsumoto, it's almost like he becomes him. It's like if Taiyo Matsumoto were born in a different part of the word in a different time, he'd be making comics just like this.
This collection contains a couple of short stories and an 8-page character portrait series. The first story, Born Again, about a kid who observes grownups at some big scale religious event, is just fantastic and the highlight of this book for me. My only caveat is that Carrasco's storytelling style is very decompressed, and tends to loose focus sometimes. Something a good editor would have picked up on. Hard Body, a wordless story about clubbing, is another strong piece. The colored scenes are great.
If you like Matsumoto's work you owe it to yourself to check this out.
This collection contains a couple of short stories and an 8-page character portrait series. The first story, Born Again, about a kid who observes grownups at some big scale religious event, is just fantastic and the highlight of this book for me. My only caveat is that Carrasco's storytelling style is very decompressed, and tends to loose focus sometimes. Something a good editor would have picked up on. Hard Body, a wordless story about clubbing, is another strong piece. The colored scenes are great.
If you like Matsumoto's work you owe it to yourself to check this out.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 123 reviews