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Bee and PuppyCat #1

Bee and Puppycat Vol. 1

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What’s to Love: Bee and PuppyCat started as a popular animated web series that broke the record for most-funded web series on Kickstarter, and now popular creator Natasha Allegri (Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake) brings their whimsical adventures to comics for the first time!

What It Is: This quirky take on the magical girl genre comes to life with Bee, a not-so-graceful temp worker and her partner Puppycat, the sour curmudgeon who helps her pay rent. Watch these two roommates take on a variety of jobs from cleaning house to finding plants in a collection of charming shorts by indie all-stars Madéleine Flores (Help Us! Great Warrior), Frank Gibson and Becky Dreistadt (Capture Creatures), and more! Collects issues #1-4.

"Natasha Allegri's Bee and PuppyCat is one of the most adorably action-packed shows around—and now with a new series from KaBOOM! Studios, it has become one of the sweetest comics, too." - Multiversity Comics

126 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 15, 2015

310 people are currently reading
3024 people want to read

About the author

Natasha Allegri

88 books195 followers
Natasha Allegri is an American writer, storyboard revisionist, and comic book artist. She is best known for her work as a storyboard revisionist for Cartoon Network's Adventure Time. She is also the creator of the comic book and animated series Bee and Puppycat.

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5 stars
1,063 (31%)
4 stars
1,033 (30%)
3 stars
989 (28%)
2 stars
277 (8%)
1 star
66 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 493 reviews
Profile Image for Sam Quixote.
4,823 reviews13.5k followers
March 16, 2015
(My original review was for Bee and Puppycat #1, a single issue, but then Bee and Puppycat Volume 1, which collects issues #1-4, got added to the same listing. To make matters not at all confusing, they’ve now been separated with #1 getting its separate listing and Volume 1 now being listed alone – with my review of #1 on the wrong page! So what follows first is my review of Volume 1 for March 2015 and the one after that is my original review for issue #1 from July 2014. Oh, Goodreads librarians – you are as ditzy as Bee sometimes!)

Bee is a happy-go-lucky, sometimes employed temp worker with a talking, grumpy pet called Puppycat. The two go on magical adventures/jobs to other worlds and dimensions assigned to them by a giant talking monitor with a smiling face! The rest of the time they’re sat around eating sweets, thinking of delicious food and lamenting the mess around them.

When I picked up the first issue, I had no idea Bee and Puppycat was a hit Youtube series, I just randomly picked it because I was looking to read a comic I knew nothing about, but I’m glad I did. While it is a very girly all-ages comic, it’s also unexpectedly trippy and very imaginative. Bee’s temp jobs aren’t some boring office worker stints answering phones but quests to distant worlds with fantastical creatures, such as looking for a cosmic mermaid’s son!

Like a lot of female artists, Natasha Allegri’s art is heavily manga-influenced, adding to the cutesy nature of the comic and it’s this look, coupled with the trippy nature of some of the stories, that makes me think of this as an inspired cross between James Kochalka and Grant Morrison (what a great combo)!

I also liked that Allegri made Bee a normal-looking girl – not thin, not fat, just ordinary-looking like most women are. Though she may not be the ideal female role model as she’s a tad too lazy and a bit too crazy, but she seems like someone a lot of the audience will like and relate to. And Puppycat is just adorable, that cat with the grumpy expression, dawww, just like that other Youtube real-life cat with the grumpasaurus chops!

A lot of different artists and writers contribute stories to the book so it’s more of a collection of short stories starring Bee and Puppycat than the sustained singular narrative I was hoping for. As it is, the patchwork of tales are just ok but I feel like they’re just a bit too light and throwaway to add up to much. And, because I don’t watch the show, I didn’t understand some of the references so I was a bit lost at times.

I liked the unusual flavour to it and I’m glad I read something I wouldn’t usually but I found this book to be a bit of an unsatisfying read in its hyperactive nature of jumping from one short to another. Then again, younger readers, as well as fans of the show, might love it for this very same quality and I’m just being boring! Clearly I’m not the target audience here but Bee and Puppycat Volume 1 is nevertheless a playful and fun comic suitable for all ages.

*

Review of Bee and Puppycat #1 from July 2014:

(Note: this is from my weekly column, Journey Into Mysterious Comics, on my blog, where I pick up random comics I know nothing about and review them - please excuse the ignorance on display!)

*

Right away, I noticed something different with this one – as my comics were being rung up in the shop, the counter woman pointed to the cover of Bee and Puppycat #1 and said “that cover is awesome!”. She didn’t say anything about the other comics I was buying. It’s not a bad cover, but it’s very… girly: manga girl and mean-looking cute cat against a colourful background.

I should say that I’m making my random picks based on little more than the cover, so when I opened up the comic I wasn’t sure what to expect. Turns out this comic is drawn in a very manga-like way and I feel that it’s aimed at younger readers purely on the overly cutesy style – but it’s quite pleasant art from Natasha Allegri.

The story follows Bee as she recounts getting her pet Puppycat – a cute talking animal that’s part puppy and part cat – which became SO unexpectedly trippy! Bee falls asleep and she enters this weird nether-realm where Puppycat enters her body through various holes – it’s kinda Freudian! And then later when Bee gets locked out of her place, Puppycat can’t open the door to let her in – “I’m too small” he weeps. Is the comic working through some bizarre sexual issues via an almost Grant Morrison-esque lens? (By the way, it’s not creepy, she’s of age – then again, it is interspecies…)

Looking at the bare bones of it, it’s a fairly mundane comic – Bee gets a pet and then a temp job – so kudos to writers Natasha Allegri (who’s also the artist) and Garrett Jackson for being so creative in turning it into this magical-realist tale. Eg. a floating monitor with a face and wings gives Bee her job = Bee checks her email to find a job offer in her inbox, etc.

The second part (written by Madeleine Flores) features Bee and Puppycat visiting the world’s worst bakery – they literally have fresh fish laid alongside fruit pastries!!! Bee’s wearing a kerazy dress which looks like it’s been starched to hell, stood up around her like a cloth tutu, which barely covers her knickers!

Then, of course, they get abducted by the monitor with a face and wings, are beamed into a weird alternate universe and visit a weeping mermaid – see what I mean about Grant Morrison-esque madness!!??! I love it!

I feel like the $3.99 asking price is a bit steep seeing as you can breeze through this in no time, but I was really pleasantly surprised by this one. I was expecting yet another cat-themed girl comic and got something more like Grant Morrison crossed with James Kochalka – a combination I never knew existed but am glad it does!

Great stuff, guys, and a great comic – check it out everybody, this one will surprise you!
Profile Image for Victoria ✮⋆˙.
1,118 reviews127 followers
July 9, 2018
(I haven't seen any of the cartoon so...that might be why I didn't get the plot really.)

This was a super cute comic, the art is beautiful and the colour palette is adorable. I won't be carrying on with it any time soon though because the story didn't make too much sense and it was more of a collection of singles.

What I did love though is in issue #2 with the QR codes! How they lead to the music of the music boxes was such a nice touch and added to the reading experience!
Profile Image for destiny ♡ howling libraries.
2,013 reviews6,210 followers
August 17, 2019
pros:
- the art is beautiful
- these color palettes are A++++
- puppycat is hilarious with or without context

cons:
- even as someone who HAS seen some of the cartoon, this makes very little sense, and I feel like it would make NO SENSE AT ALL to the average person who picks this up without knowing it's a cartoon series as well
- no cohesion WHATSOEVER to these little story snippets

This is one of the most unexpectedly disappointing reads of the year, geez.
Profile Image for Kimmylongtime.
1,356 reviews136 followers
January 21, 2022
Ugh 😩!! I just didn’t love it but I don’t know why !! Like many I watched the animated series and become connected with Bee !! I wanted to know if the book would answer some of the lingering questions I had. It didn’t and unfortunately that left me unsatisfied and underwhelmed. The illustrations were similar to that of the show and it had a similar pace that just didn’t work in this medium for me. I plan to give Volume 2 a shot in the future because sometimes the second time is the charm.

Happy reading everyone 🥰😍!!
Profile Image for Mehsi.
15.3k reviews457 followers
February 13, 2016
Just as a note: I never heard, or seen the Bee and Puppycat cartoon/youtube videos/whatever. I just saw this graphic novel/comic while searching for new ones, and I loved the art and the description. After this, I might check them out, as I am highly confused about stuff happening in this one.

Because, yes, like I have noticed quite a few times lately with comics, you just get thrown in head first and then told to have fun. I still have fun, but I am getting tired of the silent requirement to just instantly get what the hell is going on. This comic is no different. We are thrown head first in the world of Bee and Puppycat. We get some vague explanation on what the hell is going on and why Bee is working as a magic worker, but not that much. It also doesn't help that the stories feel very much like something that also happens in anime at times, which is something called Monster of the Week. One job ends, and the next one pops up in the new chapter. There is not much story in-between, nothing to tell us more about Bee and her backstory, or about Puppycat and his/her backstory.
It also doesn't help that there are various stories happening.

Because that is what happens. We have several stories going on, which is quit a bit confusing. I could see the difference by the title and by the different art style, but it still threw me off, I wish they had kept to one story only. Especially to people who are new to Bee and Puppycat, it would just have been easier to have one art style and one story. I think they could also have explained then how the world of Bee worked.

On the whole Magic Girl stuff? I had expected something more, especially since they mentioned Sailor Moon and Madoka. Let me just tell you this. No, it is nothing like that. Not at all. It does come close to the Powerpuff Girls, but that is really all. I haven't seen her use much magic (if any would really count as that). It is a bit of a shame, I was really looking forward to it, as I love the genre.

Bee seems like a nice character, though she really whines and complains a lot. She is also really lazy and seems not much in the mood for anything. Which is a shame. She has the power (well.... that bot thing does) to do great things, but she seems not that much interested in it.

Those QR code thingies in chapter 2 are nice, but kind of worthless when you are on a tablet and have no other means of reading those things. :\ I guess I will keep the chapter in mind and ask a friend to read them for me. Since I am still curious as to what those things say.

The art styles are great, though I preferred the one we also see on the cover. It is really pretty and soft, the colours match with the style and I enjoyed looking at it. The other art was often hit and miss. At times it looked good, but sometimes it just looked off and weird.

The last chapter/volume thing of this one was quite a disappointment, the other 3 were fun/interesting, but the last one? I am not sure what happened there.

All in all, I can't rate this book more than 2 stars. It had its good moments, but also enough confusing and boring moments.

Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
Profile Image for Isa.
637 reviews312 followers
January 2, 2015
I watched all the eps and the pilot, so I just had to check the comics... and they're so cute as well!!
Really hope we get to go back to the Space Outlaw story, and also see more of Deckard in the next issues.
Profile Image for Melanie.
380 reviews79 followers
June 24, 2018
I love the Bee and Puppycat cartoon, so when I learned that there were graphic novels, I knew I had to get them. The art is adorable and the stories fun. Said stories actually don't follow up from the end of the animate series, but rather is an addition to the stream of adventures. That said, it's a nice addition to my collection, and if you enjoyed watching the animation, then you will certainly love this volume!
Profile Image for Maddie.
558 reviews1,109 followers
Read
July 18, 2016
I really enjoyed the shorts, but I was expecting more of a continuous comic so I'm looking forward to Volume 2! The art style is beauuutiful too!
Profile Image for kimberly_rose.
670 reviews27 followers
December 31, 2015
The first half (50 or so pages) was exceptional: colourful, quirky, brimming with creative story-telling and a surprising, thinking emotional punch. Four stars!

The second half? Like the tracks suddenly stopped and my circus train ride jarred into shocked disappointment that was definitely full-stop unfun.

It felt like a rip-off, because although the guest artists were all talented in their own rights, to set them to the task of crafting stories and art based on the original creator of Puppycat's work was unfair and made of fail. None of the second half stories or art glittered with the original magic. Nor did they further the developing larger plot of the original. I felt as I had been given filler episodes--for over half the entire book!--and I was insulted.

2.5 stars overall, but if you exclude the last sixty pages(!), four stars.
Profile Image for Bee.
444 reviews807 followers
July 19, 2016
I'm a little disappointed that the comics did nothing to expand on Bee's character traits, instead thy just focused on how lazy, hungry and poor she was. But the art styles were beautiful and I love these two so much!
Profile Image for ✨Emily.
298 reviews84 followers
August 8, 2019
I didn’t know there was a cartoon for this... probably why I don’t get the plot (if there was any) but the art styles were really cute.
Profile Image for Booktastically Amazing.
586 reviews464 followers
Want to read
August 14, 2021
So... I was watching the show, right? I still have absolutely no clue what's happening-
Profile Image for Wendi Lee.
Author 1 book480 followers
March 18, 2018
*4.5 stars*

So I really had no idea that Bee and Puppycat was a web series. I’ve seen merchandise on We Love Fine, and even own a Puppycat plushy (super cute!), but my knowledge of what it was was limited to the website I mentioned above. That said, I jumped at the chance to read the first collection of the comics. And I loved it!

Bee is a mystical temp worker, and Puppycat is her magical, mysterious pet. I’m assuming the web series gives us the background of how they met, but not knowing didn’t deter me from enjoying the collection. They love snacks and naps, and they crave adventure. Plus, cuteness overload! There’s even a section where they travel to Snowglobe Planet on a temp assignment to fix music boxes. QR codes are drawn into each page, so you can listen to what each sounds like. So cool!

I will definitely watch the web series and read the next graphic novel.
Profile Image for Alexa.
200 reviews19 followers
November 4, 2022
Most of the same charm and humor as the show, in a book! These short comics work best as an accessory to the original, though. Go watch the show (now rebooted on Netflix, so good) and then come back for these. Maybe.
Profile Image for Bug.
217 reviews6 followers
October 2, 2022
very cute + i love the art style
Profile Image for Bonnie.
230 reviews17 followers
Read
December 9, 2015
I love Bee and Puppycat. I want more of that show... all the time. And so when I found out that there was a Bee and Puppycat comic, I waited eagerly for the first volume. These stories are adorable, funny, and have the same quirky, charming characters from the show. Each artist brings their own style to the table, playing with Natasha Allegri's creation. Some stories here are stronger than others, and I found myself wanting more. Since there are only a handful of episodes, and a lot of hinted backstory, I was hoping that the writers/artists would use the comic book format to explore some of those plots. And while Natasha Allegri's story and Madeleine Flores's "What Happened" expand on Bee and Puppycat's lives and work, most of the others are "a day in the life of". It's a fun read, but not quite what I was hoping for.
Profile Image for Natalie (CuriousReader).
518 reviews479 followers
March 30, 2016
I love everything about Natasha Allegri's style and concept for Bee and Puppycat! Unfortunately only the first story in this volume is actually created by her - and for those of us who've already watched the Bee & Puppycat episodes in video format, it offers nothing new. The rest of the stories were a mix of mediocere and bad, with the one or two sortof-fun exceptions. I was so disappointed with this - I was really hoping to see more of Allegri's brilliance - but as said the bulk of the volume is made up off some really unpolished storytelling and art. Would not recommend the volume, maybe the comic single issues only deal with Allegri's creations in which case that's what to go for.
Profile Image for day.
64 reviews6 followers
December 31, 2019
i have been thinking about the music box comic for days now... the qr codes that send u to each box's song? absolutely loved this, i totally felt the bapc world on an extra level. i love this series so much and it has been helping me get through the winter in a tremendous way! can't wait to get the rest of these comics
Profile Image for Gabriella Crivilare.
Author 3 books19 followers
May 26, 2017
Extra star specifically for the art itself--I expected this to be a compilation of sequential comic issues rather than a collection of one-shots, but that's on me. Nevertheless, I did enjoy Bee's food-focused adventures; I just wish there had been a much longer one included.
Profile Image for Lata.
5,030 reviews259 followers
February 17, 2017
I'm not terribly familiar with is series, but decided to check out this volume. Bee is not particularly ambitious, in fact, she's pretty lazy, and all she seems to think about is eating sweet things. I can understand the sweet cravings... : ) Puppycat is perpetually frowning and I thought he was cute.
So Bee and Puppycat have adventures with each task assigned to them by an AI. Not much happens in this collection of stories, but I liked Bee's cheerfulness and optimism, and I liked the happy feeling from the artwork composed for each story.
Profile Image for Nikki.
351 reviews68 followers
March 28, 2016
4.5 Stars. THIS IS THE FREAKING SWEETEST! Okay, so I 100% recommend you watch the youtube episodes before you read this. This comic isn't really meant to standalone, but rather show snapshots of the characters from the show.

Bee and Puppycat is this absurd little creation that manages to be as relatable as it is strange. We have magical music boxes and otherworldly creatures, paired with the all too familiar experience of having to clean an overwhelmingly messy house, or rush to pick up something you left to the last minute. Bee is trying to 'adult' with various levels of success, something that I think we all are trying to do. There are pages without a point except to make you nod and smile to yourself because you have so been there, and experienced that.

This is super sweet and captures perfectly the vibe of the show. I've seen a few reviews complaining that it's not funny, but like the show, it's meant to make you smile, not necessarily laugh.
Profile Image for Andrew.
9 reviews4 followers
June 2, 2014
Check out the Bee and Puppycat shorts on Cartoon Hangover. If you don’t like them then this comic is not for you. If you do like them, then yes, buy this comic. It’s definitely a fun and enjoyable read.

Click for full review
Profile Image for Ash  (BooksToAshes).
758 reviews195 followers
July 23, 2019
4 Stars!

I LOVED the interaction in this graphic novel with the QR codes. The music was beautiful and I loved seeing the different art styles throughout the different stories.
The end with all the cover art was also incredible. Really liked this quick read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 493 reviews

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