Heat

by Jean Wei

A naked, 8-foot fire-demon crash-lands in your field one hot summer night: what do you do? Well, if you're Auntie Ann and her Grand-Niece Katy, you take them in, clothe them and put them to work on your farm without a break in your stride. As 'Red' adjusts to life on the farm herding hens, collecting fruit, weeding plants, and running errands, many questions remain: Exactly why is Red here? What's eating at Auntie Ann? And, most pressingly, can a fire-demon cook an egg simply by holding it?

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Fantasy, Graphic Novels Comics, LGBT, Queer

113 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2018

Reviews

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really relaxing and beautiful, slow-paced-in-a-lovely-way graphic novel. It's set in summer and has the pacing and hazy colouring of summer. As well as being a beautiful book with wonderful illustrations, it's just a beautiful object to have.

Also, I like that this is very interpretative without being pretentious (like some graphic novels I can think of). Even though it's not very long, I feel like you can think about the characters and their emotions and the meaning a long time after reading it.

[Goldfishing · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poëtische, rustige graphic novel. Verhaal niet per se verbonden aan hokje na hokje (hokjes met veel stelligheden/uitleg). Prachtig!

[Heidi ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

So sweet, so cosy, so much heart. The art style is perfect for the story.

[Laure · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book I keep returning to. It always makes me feel better.

Red is a fire demon who crashes to earth on the farm of Katy and her Great Aunt Ann and has to come to terms with their existence and their role in the universe. With the guidence of those around them, Red comes to a beautiful conclusion that makes me emotional everytime I think about it.

If I could only read 5 books for the rest of my life, this one would 100% be one of the five I'd chose.

Read for the Stay Home Reading Rush: Read a book in the same room the whole time.

[Fleece · Rating 5 out of 5]

absolutely lovely

[Astrid · Rating 5 out of 5]

how wholesome

[Branca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aos poucos vou comprando todos o livros da Peow ❤️

[Brendan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perfect comic book imo. Incredible charm, whimsy, and it made me cry which I was not expecting. Also taught me something about gardening. Amazing palette to the book as well, stunning book.

[Diana Buchert · Rating 5 out of 5]

y'all are gonna make me shed a lil tear!! loved the art (especially the page with the animals - "the girls")

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

made me cry 10/10

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I barely know what to say about this book. Overall I really really enjoyed it. It had such lovely pacing and that heat as slow as molasses summer-vibe going on in a way I really like. The illustrations and colour story were absolutely on point and it was so easy to fall in love with all the characters.

The reason I gave it three stars is because it's a bit all over the place and way too short. It's like a collection of short stories, which I like a lot, but some of them end so abruptly that I only realise the next one has begun from how confused it makes me. I wish more time had been spent in each story (with exceptions of course, there are parts that are the perfect length. For example when they sell peaches or the short interludes where the daily chores are explained.) But as it is now I feel like I just couldn't be allowed to truly sink into the world the author has built. And it's such a lovely world too.

We got a free copy of this to the library I work at and I'm glad I decided to give it a shot. Will be looking out for other titles by this author in the future.

[Dakotah Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful but perhaps too simple? Art is gorgeous and premise is lovely. Left me wanting just a bit more out of it.

[Matti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mooi, positief en warm: Heat heb je zo uitgelezen, maar de mooie tekeningen en het verhaal dat je op je eigen manier mag interpreteren, zullen je zeker bijblijven.

[Avi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not exaggerating when I say this is one of my favorite comics I've ever read. So touching and life-affirming and made me tear up in multiple places.

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful glimpse of life and longing set on a rural farm in summer. Sparse yet intimate with captivating artwork.

[izzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was super cute im glad i bought it 🥺

[Rick Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heat by Jean Wei is a wholesome little slice-of-life comic complete with charming artwork and warm colors. The story follows Red, a lumbering fire demon who is taken in by a small, unassuming family that runs a farm. The household includes Auntie Anne and her grand-niece Katy, who slowly integrate Red into their day-to-day activities, with Red gradually becoming more involved in their personal lives. The reason behind Red's presence is also unveiled over the course of the story, but where Heat excels is in the slight nature of the more slice-of-life moments. There are strong narrative themes like the nature of forgiveness and self-acceptance to be found here, but it's really the juxtaposition of watching a giant demon working as a farmhand in a rural household that works so well.

Jean Wei's illustrations are mostly simple yet striking lines, with a limited color palette to further drive the simplicity of the artwork. Wei avoids the use of classic panel layouts in favor of a more liberated style of sequential storytelling, and it works really well for the loose narrative structure here. It's a very charming story with just the right amount of melancholy and wistfulness, which is all readily achieved by the simplistic narrative and quaint artwork.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful art and colours. The simple art style is so carefully crafted - every line communicates something and has purpose. I loved the use of white space and how those pauses gave breathing room for quiet contemplation on profound emotional moments in the story. The story is really heartwarming and uplifting. I loved the themes of found family, the difficult push and pull journey of following your passions in art and creation (whether in glassblowing or farming, as depicted in the book), and what it means to carve out a space for yourself in the world fearlessly while grappling with anxiety over value, usefulness, and belonging.

If half ratings were possible on here this would be a 4.5 btw!!

[Lenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Läste om den här i kväll och det är verkligen en av de finaste men också vemodiga serierna jag läst. Handlar typ om att hitta sin plats och uppskatta sin vardag. Så sjukt fina färger och kvalitet på pappret också? Har verkligen ingen aning om hur den hamnat i min bokhylla då förlaget e något amerikansk indie-serie-förlag? Men jag har säkert läst den 10+ gånger genom åren och den gjorde mig väldigt glad ännu en gång. Hittade också mitt födelsedagskort från när jag fyllde 21 på folkis som jag tydligen förvarar i boken så det var ju extra fint :')

[Kytana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very quick but introspective graphic novel that unpacked identity, self-worth and wanting to be more than what you are, only to realize you’re enough as is. I loved all 113 pages of Red , our beloved fire demon, trying to grapple with these ideas and make peace with himself whilst on a little farm in nowhere.

Overall 5/5 ⭐️ Art was beautiful and the texture of the story reminded me of my favorite Cartoon “Steven Universe”. An again read when I need to be reminded “ you don’t need to deserve to exist”

[Trey Piepmeier · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the best thing either of us picked up at MICE this year. The entire thing was surprisingly delightful. The art and the quality of the printing were fantastic. It made me want to create something of my own. The story and the art was like living in a Miyazaki movie. I loved the parts where there would be a couple of pages that just listed out things they were eating and mundane daily stuff like that. The art was clever and minimal in ways that make me inspired to see things in new ways.

[Jua · Rating 5 out of 5]

just an achingly perfect book, one of peow's best i feel! jean's drawings and layouts are so powerfully charming in their simplicity and they compliment the quiet, emotional weight of the story so wonderfully. feel really blessed to have a physical copy of this because it's such a lovingly crafted book all around.

seriously, one of the best comics i know. idk who couldn't love this book.

[Lucas · Rating 4 out of 5]

What if Hellboy landed in a field instead of that church ? If you've ever wanted to read a book about a fire demon from hell doing farm work, Jean Wei has got you covered. It's a calming, funny and touching slice of life story, about broken people trying to find ways to be whole again. I absolutely loved this. Also, I want Red's cat shirt so bad

[Julie]

it's easy to see why Heat has remained in the indie comic canon, Jean Wei's ability to strike a balance between melancholy and humor makes for a very effective story about finding meaning in your life and in yourself. the glassblowing sequence really struck me! also, the physical edition that was released last year is really beautiful, the embossed cover feels so nice to hold.

[Anna Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wonderfully whimsical artwork, but I feel as if this could have been the first volume! If anything, the story felt like the exposition to something more. The plot wasn’t really driven, and I would have liked more of a story really. But I adored the concept and the beautiful art.

[Chlöe · Rating 5 out of 5]

“You don’t need to deserve to exist….you don’t need to prove anything to me..” this book was gifted to me by a dear friend. It’s a beautiful story about an unassuming friendship and turning the despair of existence into growth and acceptance.

[Anilú Zavala · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me relajé mucho leyéndola, y el tratamiento de las ilustraciones me pareció lo más bonito ✨ la historia y el significado de Red me pareció muy tierno y una manera muy bonita de ver algo que comúnmente “destruye” como algo que también ayuda y coexiste en nosotros ❣️

[Aoife · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maybe 4.5, but idk! something abt it made me say 5:) mmrz of autobiography of red

[Antonia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mmm. Mysig, varm och mystisk. Lämnar mycket åt en att läsa mellan raderna, vilket jag gillar.

[Frida · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gullig