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Rice Boy
Rice Boy is a fantasy adventure graphic novel. It follows a lonely creature called Rice Boy and an ageless machine-man called The One Electronic as they journey through a strange world to fulfill an ancient prophecy with implications few understand.
This book contains the entire comic as originally published online, and extra maps and things in the appendix.
This book contains the entire comic as originally published online, and extra maps and things in the appendix.
460 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
16 people are currently reading
956 people want to read
About the author
Evan Dahm
35 books88 followersEvan Dahm is an artist who is currently living in New York City.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 136 reviews
March 7, 2018
http://www.themaineedge.com/buzz/the-...
As a book reviewer, a lot of requests come across your desk. There are so many talented people out there doing wonderful work – too many for one person to explore fully. There’s no doubt that some incredible opportunities have slipped by me.
But sometimes, you take a chance on the unknown and are rewarded with something stunning.
“Rice Boy” by writer/illustrator Evan Dahm was one such gamble for me. I knew nothing of Dahm’s work – “Rice Boy” started life as a webcomic over a decade ago and I had never heard of it. Dahm self-published a collection back in the day, but only now is the series receiving the full treatment from a more traditional publisher.
It’s … difficult to describe. “Rice Boy” a surreal experience both narratively and visually, simple on the surface, yet possessed of a deceptive complexity that lends the tale a remarkable depth. It is imaginative and inventive – whimsical one moment, malevolent the next – and immersive in an unexpected, unconventional way.
The titular hero is a simple fellow living in the land of Overside. Rice Boy lives an unexciting life, but is soon swept up into grand, paradigm-shifting intrigue. An immortal machine man known as TOE (short for “The One Electronic”) has big plans for Rice Boy; there’s an ancient prophecy whose heroic subject has been sought by TOE and his cohorts for thousands of years. Despite all appearances to the contrary, TOE believes Rice Boy to be the one to bring the revelatory conclusion to that prophecy.
And so Rice Boy is pulled from his mundane everyday existence and thrust into a world of weirdness and danger – a world he is largely unprepared for. He finds allies and makes enemies along the way as he travels the bizarre landscape of Overside in an effort to fulfill a destiny that he doesn’t fully understand. Bleach beasts and frog cults and gods that might not be gods at all; epic battles and tiny victories and surreal silliness – “Rice Boy” has all of it and more.
It’s not a particularly thorough synopsis – there’s plenty more story to tell – but one would almost do the work a disservice by telegraphing too much to the potential reader. It’s not about spoilers, per se – it’s the weird juxtaposition of the story’s simplicity and complexity (often in the same moment). It’s the sort of tale that resists a straightforward retelling.
That’s a good thing, by the way. A VERY good thing.
In “Rice Boy,” Evan Dahm has created a skewed, surreal take on the standard hero’s journey we often see in high fantasy and other genre fiction. He takes the standard trope of an unprepared protagonist thrown headlong into a world they don’t really comprehend and pumps it full of absurdity and ambiguity. The result is a story that is both compelling and emotionally engaging.
The visual storytelling is exquisite; Dahm has a unique and vivid aesthetic that lends itself beautifully to the type of tale being told. At first glance, there seems to be little rhyme or reason to the relative boldness or subtlety of the choices being made, but it isn’t long before the reader settles into the artistic ebb and flow, borne along gently (and sometimes not so gently) with the tidal forces of Dahm’s mesmerizing artwork.
Dahm has said that in many cases, he was inventing the story as he went along, introducing new characters and situations as the narrative required. That seat-of-the-pants method of story construction shouldn’t necessarily work, but in this case, it absolutely does. In fact, that shagginess serves to enhance the overall experience, giving the proceedings a sense of spontaneity that might not otherwise be present through a more rigidly defined creative process.
“Rice Boy” isn’t the sort of thing I would ordinarily actively seek out. It’s a work that could have easily slipped past me. I feel very lucky that it did not – it’s a weird, wonderful reading experience, a unique artistic expression that was worth every moment I spent with it. Evan Dahm is possessed of phenomenal gifts – gifts brought to bear on every page of the bizarre and beautiful “Rice Boy.”
As a book reviewer, a lot of requests come across your desk. There are so many talented people out there doing wonderful work – too many for one person to explore fully. There’s no doubt that some incredible opportunities have slipped by me.
But sometimes, you take a chance on the unknown and are rewarded with something stunning.
“Rice Boy” by writer/illustrator Evan Dahm was one such gamble for me. I knew nothing of Dahm’s work – “Rice Boy” started life as a webcomic over a decade ago and I had never heard of it. Dahm self-published a collection back in the day, but only now is the series receiving the full treatment from a more traditional publisher.
It’s … difficult to describe. “Rice Boy” a surreal experience both narratively and visually, simple on the surface, yet possessed of a deceptive complexity that lends the tale a remarkable depth. It is imaginative and inventive – whimsical one moment, malevolent the next – and immersive in an unexpected, unconventional way.
The titular hero is a simple fellow living in the land of Overside. Rice Boy lives an unexciting life, but is soon swept up into grand, paradigm-shifting intrigue. An immortal machine man known as TOE (short for “The One Electronic”) has big plans for Rice Boy; there’s an ancient prophecy whose heroic subject has been sought by TOE and his cohorts for thousands of years. Despite all appearances to the contrary, TOE believes Rice Boy to be the one to bring the revelatory conclusion to that prophecy.
And so Rice Boy is pulled from his mundane everyday existence and thrust into a world of weirdness and danger – a world he is largely unprepared for. He finds allies and makes enemies along the way as he travels the bizarre landscape of Overside in an effort to fulfill a destiny that he doesn’t fully understand. Bleach beasts and frog cults and gods that might not be gods at all; epic battles and tiny victories and surreal silliness – “Rice Boy” has all of it and more.
It’s not a particularly thorough synopsis – there’s plenty more story to tell – but one would almost do the work a disservice by telegraphing too much to the potential reader. It’s not about spoilers, per se – it’s the weird juxtaposition of the story’s simplicity and complexity (often in the same moment). It’s the sort of tale that resists a straightforward retelling.
That’s a good thing, by the way. A VERY good thing.
In “Rice Boy,” Evan Dahm has created a skewed, surreal take on the standard hero’s journey we often see in high fantasy and other genre fiction. He takes the standard trope of an unprepared protagonist thrown headlong into a world they don’t really comprehend and pumps it full of absurdity and ambiguity. The result is a story that is both compelling and emotionally engaging.
The visual storytelling is exquisite; Dahm has a unique and vivid aesthetic that lends itself beautifully to the type of tale being told. At first glance, there seems to be little rhyme or reason to the relative boldness or subtlety of the choices being made, but it isn’t long before the reader settles into the artistic ebb and flow, borne along gently (and sometimes not so gently) with the tidal forces of Dahm’s mesmerizing artwork.
Dahm has said that in many cases, he was inventing the story as he went along, introducing new characters and situations as the narrative required. That seat-of-the-pants method of story construction shouldn’t necessarily work, but in this case, it absolutely does. In fact, that shagginess serves to enhance the overall experience, giving the proceedings a sense of spontaneity that might not otherwise be present through a more rigidly defined creative process.
“Rice Boy” isn’t the sort of thing I would ordinarily actively seek out. It’s a work that could have easily slipped past me. I feel very lucky that it did not – it’s a weird, wonderful reading experience, a unique artistic expression that was worth every moment I spent with it. Evan Dahm is possessed of phenomenal gifts – gifts brought to bear on every page of the bizarre and beautiful “Rice Boy.”
February 4, 2019
Rice Boy was another book that I found featured on the "bests graphic novels of 2018" lists. I went into it relatively blind, only knowing that it was an epic fantasy sort of story and recommended by the inimitable Carla Speed McNeil and Jeff Smith. With those two recommending it, it was pretty much impossible to ignore. From the get go it became incredibly obvious why both had read, enjoyed, and offered blurbs on Rice Boy. Rice Boy owed Bone and Finder both very much and nothing.
Let me explain.
Rice Boy is an epic fantasy in a vast, indescribable world. It follows the classic hero's journey, but in settings so wildly varied that even while it caters to such tropes it is scarcely boring. Instead, the book is pleasing, almost comforting at times. The art is simplistic in a way that is stylistic rather than mildly infuriating like Sabrina was to me. The colors.. oh man, the colors are a delight.
The basic premise is that The One Electronic (T-O-E) has been searching 3,000 years for the Fulfiller. The Fulfiller will... fulfill a prophecy, poorly understood but well enough known that the mere hint that the Fulfiller is not the frog king Spatch's son is enough to spark rumors of war. Rice Boy is who T-O-E believes the Fulfiller may be. But he's been wrong for 3,000 years... and Rice Boy certainly doesn't feel like the Fulfiller.
It all goes from there.
Read it, enjoy it, and recommend it to your friends. It's a darn good way to spend an evening or two reading.
Let me explain.
Rice Boy is an epic fantasy in a vast, indescribable world. It follows the classic hero's journey, but in settings so wildly varied that even while it caters to such tropes it is scarcely boring. Instead, the book is pleasing, almost comforting at times. The art is simplistic in a way that is stylistic rather than mildly infuriating like Sabrina was to me. The colors.. oh man, the colors are a delight.
The basic premise is that The One Electronic (T-O-E) has been searching 3,000 years for the Fulfiller. The Fulfiller will... fulfill a prophecy, poorly understood but well enough known that the mere hint that the Fulfiller is not the frog king Spatch's son is enough to spark rumors of war. Rice Boy is who T-O-E believes the Fulfiller may be. But he's been wrong for 3,000 years... and Rice Boy certainly doesn't feel like the Fulfiller.
It all goes from there.
Read it, enjoy it, and recommend it to your friends. It's a darn good way to spend an evening or two reading.
November 26, 2020
A fairly standard fantasy quest story about an ordinary guy finding out he has to fulfill an ancient prophecy. What makes it stand apart is the wild and crazy diversity of the fictional creatures' anatomies and behaviors. Almost as weird looking as the creatures in Saga, and similarly having a character with a television for a head. But unlike Saga, this is OK for younger readers. A bit of a Bone vibe to the story.
June 19, 2019
What a wild ride. I really enjoyed the creativity behind the creatures.
January 5, 2019
If you live as long as I have, you will see that there is more to this world than we see at first. For centuries, I thought I was working for that perfect, solid god we are told of as children. But there is some deception there. There is some mystery between all of these perfect, solid things... ...and that is my god. My god is what I don't know. - T.O.E.
I did not love this, but I liked it really quite a lot. And really, the only reason I didn't love it is that it didn't go the distance that it had the strength for. But for a thing that was as much a an unplanned exploration by the author, it went a nice ways. It gave me a lovely heartache when Rice Boy discovered his origin and when T.O.E. (The One Electronic) found his fate. It was a journey worth taking, and if you do not ask it more than it offers, you may find that you love it much more than I did. I will certainly be giving Dahm's later efforts a try.
I did not love this, but I liked it really quite a lot. And really, the only reason I didn't love it is that it didn't go the distance that it had the strength for. But for a thing that was as much a an unplanned exploration by the author, it went a nice ways. It gave me a lovely heartache when Rice Boy discovered his origin and when T.O.E. (The One Electronic) found his fate. It was a journey worth taking, and if you do not ask it more than it offers, you may find that you love it much more than I did. I will certainly be giving Dahm's later efforts a try.
September 10, 2016
What a fun book! Even though this was written before Vattu, I came to know Dahm through the latter, a current ongoing webcomic that is outstanding. But I wanted to see what the previous story was like, and Rice Boy is strikingly different from the more recent narrative. It begins in a more playful, experimental manner, but then quickly develops into a more directed quest narrative. I read the online version for an upcoming episode of The Comics Alternative's webcomics series, but I'd love to get my hands on a physical copy of this. I'll see Dahm at SPX later this month, so I can get a copy there. This is the kind of work whose art, even though may have already read it, would be doubly nice to have in physical form.
May 17, 2021
After years of reading and study I have a deal with myself: I no longer read books that directly or indirectly tell me (or anyone else) that I'm (or they're) a second-class citizen. Time's up.
In picking this book up I was intrigued by the promise of weird and surreal creatures in context of an adventure quest.
Creatures there were indeed, but there's nothing weird or surreal about patriarchal adventure fantasy. That's the unjust and mundane norm, past and present, and reflects reality without comment, and so I had to put this book down at page 286 to go in search of a book that doesn't treat people -- or creatures -- who happen to be women as a side dish, when it bothers to mention them at all.
In picking this book up I was intrigued by the promise of weird and surreal creatures in context of an adventure quest.
Creatures there were indeed, but there's nothing weird or surreal about patriarchal adventure fantasy. That's the unjust and mundane norm, past and present, and reflects reality without comment, and so I had to put this book down at page 286 to go in search of a book that doesn't treat people -- or creatures -- who happen to be women as a side dish, when it bothers to mention them at all.
April 16, 2019
The first work by one of my favorite webcomic authors. Rice Boy is a gorgeous and surreal tale which follows the titular character as he reluctantly finds himself shaping the course of history. Not much more can be said, as the meat of the story is the weird and beautiful vistas and characters throughout the land of Overside, but I do wholeheartedly recommend this book, or you can read the whole thing on the author's website.
November 27, 2021
Wat een surrealistische vertelling. Een ventje - gewoon een lijfje zonder ledematen en daarop een hoofd met enkel ogen - zou de volbrenger van een profetie zijn en gaat op pad doorheen een wereld waar zelf Dahli een puntje aan zou kunnen zuigen.
Geen vijf sterren omdat het surrealistische zowel een sterkte als een zwakte is. Door het zo vreemd te maken komt het sterk improvisatorisch over ('Ik doe maar wat en zie waar ik uitkom') waardoor het verhaal wat te vrijblijvend is, te weinig spanningsboog, te veel 'en dan komt hij dit personage tegen, en dan komt hij daar terecht, en dan...'
Ook de onthulling van wie nu precies diegene is die voorspeld werd in de profetie was geen echte verrassing voor wie al wat fantasy achter de kiezen heeft.
T.O.E. leek wel erg op die uit Saga overigens.
Voer om te herlezen sowieso en zowel voor fantasy-fans een fijn tussendoortje (het bevat aardig wat clichés uit het klassieke genre met een frisse toets) als de graphic novel liefhebbers want in al z'n eenvoud is het toch wel zeer knap en fantasierijk getekend.
Geen vijf sterren omdat het surrealistische zowel een sterkte als een zwakte is. Door het zo vreemd te maken komt het sterk improvisatorisch over ('Ik doe maar wat en zie waar ik uitkom') waardoor het verhaal wat te vrijblijvend is, te weinig spanningsboog, te veel 'en dan komt hij dit personage tegen, en dan komt hij daar terecht, en dan...'
Ook de onthulling van wie nu precies diegene is die voorspeld werd in de profetie was geen echte verrassing voor wie al wat fantasy achter de kiezen heeft.
T.O.E. leek wel erg op die uit Saga overigens.
Voer om te herlezen sowieso en zowel voor fantasy-fans een fijn tussendoortje (het bevat aardig wat clichés uit het klassieke genre met een frisse toets) als de graphic novel liefhebbers want in al z'n eenvoud is het toch wel zeer knap en fantasierijk getekend.
September 6, 2018
4.5 stars.
2018 Reread Addendum Notes:
Rice Boy and Gerund's friendship is so sweet. And both of them are just very naively cute, yet are pragmatic in their lines and show very honest emotions. The artwork is still as amazingly surreal and colorful as I remember it. SIR HUFF. T-O-E's screen clips are still awesome, especially now that I know more of the cartoons (so many "Swing You Sinners" clips!). The worldbuilding is still very extensive and there are many unanswered whys and hows about Overside v. Underside, but I paid much closer attention to the story this time and got much more out of it. It still lends itself to note taking though.
Original 2016 Review:
It must be a sign of a good webcomic when I've previously clicked through to the site a few times, attempted to read the comic, then given up. This has happened with many other comics that have ended up becoming all-time favorites. Last night, I finally decided to commit to reading the entire thing. As I usually binge-read new comics, it didn't take me long to work through the entire saga.
First off: THE ARTWORK IS GORGEOUS. The pop art surrealism is... just... PERFECT. The COLOR SCHEME, my goodness, is, in most parts, ah-maz-ing.
I immediately fell in love with the style and it helped me to fall in love with the characters. My favorite of which was T-O-E, because, he's just... SO AWESOME. The stoic badassery and the black and white snippets of old TV and movies and cartoons that are shown on his screen, and he easily got onto my list of all-time favorite comic characters. The rest of the characters were all incredibly unique as well, both in character and creation. The settings are very Seussian and Wackyland-inspired, two worlds that inspired me from a young age, so I guess you could say it dredged up some nostalgia.
This all being said, the storyline itself wasn't the absolute greatest. It was... trope-y--prophecy to be fulfilled, epic journey through strange lands, surprise about who actually fulfills the prophecy. But the characters and artwork carried me past any iffy points in the plot, which is always good. Even if the plot is predictable, if the characters are amazing, you've still done an excellent job as a writer (or writer/artist in this case).
One of the best webcomics I've read, and certainly one of the top five in terms of artwork. I'll definitely virtually flip through it again, if just to drool over the gorgeous art.
Go read it all online here. You won't be disappointed.
2018 Reread Addendum Notes:
Rice Boy and Gerund's friendship is so sweet. And both of them are just very naively cute, yet are pragmatic in their lines and show very honest emotions. The artwork is still as amazingly surreal and colorful as I remember it. SIR HUFF. T-O-E's screen clips are still awesome, especially now that I know more of the cartoons (so many "Swing You Sinners" clips!). The worldbuilding is still very extensive and there are many unanswered whys and hows about Overside v. Underside, but I paid much closer attention to the story this time and got much more out of it. It still lends itself to note taking though.
Original 2016 Review:
It must be a sign of a good webcomic when I've previously clicked through to the site a few times, attempted to read the comic, then given up. This has happened with many other comics that have ended up becoming all-time favorites. Last night, I finally decided to commit to reading the entire thing. As I usually binge-read new comics, it didn't take me long to work through the entire saga.
First off: THE ARTWORK IS GORGEOUS. The pop art surrealism is... just... PERFECT. The COLOR SCHEME, my goodness, is, in most parts, ah-maz-ing.
I immediately fell in love with the style and it helped me to fall in love with the characters. My favorite of which was T-O-E, because, he's just... SO AWESOME. The stoic badassery and the black and white snippets of old TV and movies and cartoons that are shown on his screen, and he easily got onto my list of all-time favorite comic characters. The rest of the characters were all incredibly unique as well, both in character and creation. The settings are very Seussian and Wackyland-inspired, two worlds that inspired me from a young age, so I guess you could say it dredged up some nostalgia.
This all being said, the storyline itself wasn't the absolute greatest. It was... trope-y--prophecy to be fulfilled, epic journey through strange lands, surprise about who actually fulfills the prophecy. But the characters and artwork carried me past any iffy points in the plot, which is always good. Even if the plot is predictable, if the characters are amazing, you've still done an excellent job as a writer (or writer/artist in this case).
One of the best webcomics I've read, and certainly one of the top five in terms of artwork. I'll definitely virtually flip through it again, if just to drool over the gorgeous art.
Go read it all online here. You won't be disappointed.
March 15, 2020
I had wanted to read Dahm since the golden age of webcomics, whenever that was. Now a decade later I happened on a volume at the library and knew it was fate.
This was disappointing. Except in the end it did have a plot line going that I did start to care about, and an oddly expressive set of characters that I didn’t actively dislike.
Yet more could have been done, I think. Maybe Dahm does more in his later works.
This was disappointing. Except in the end it did have a plot line going that I did start to care about, and an oddly expressive set of characters that I didn’t actively dislike.
Yet more could have been done, I think. Maybe Dahm does more in his later works.
October 16, 2019
This was really good!! Short, but beautiful and a nice time. There were a couple of things I would have liked more answers to, but it was very good and I enjoyed it a lot.
April 15, 2018
'Rice Boy' by Evan Dahm is a 548 epic journey through a strange world. The art and worldbuilding are bizarre and wonderful.
A small unassuming creature with no arms or mouth is minding his own business when he is approached and told that he is the chose one. The creatures that approach him are a mechanical man named T.O.E. (The One Electronic), and his partner Calabash. They find him after the previous chosen one has died. Rice Boy sets out on his journey and meets friends and enemies along the way. There is also court intrigue, strange cities and any number of odd beings.
I really liked this bizarre world. I love the small unassuming main character who seems to look for kindness instead of violence. T.O.E. with his constantly changing face made out of black and white media stills was an interesting character. I felt constantly surprised by this story.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Iron Circus Comics in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
A small unassuming creature with no arms or mouth is minding his own business when he is approached and told that he is the chose one. The creatures that approach him are a mechanical man named T.O.E. (The One Electronic), and his partner Calabash. They find him after the previous chosen one has died. Rice Boy sets out on his journey and meets friends and enemies along the way. There is also court intrigue, strange cities and any number of odd beings.
I really liked this bizarre world. I love the small unassuming main character who seems to look for kindness instead of violence. T.O.E. with his constantly changing face made out of black and white media stills was an interesting character. I felt constantly surprised by this story.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Iron Circus Comics in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
April 16, 2019
Best fantasy I've read all year. I loved it so much. Be right back, this deserves an instant re-read. Rice Boy is endearing. The One Electronic is the perfect humanoid sidekick. There are plot twists. Friends. Evil frogs. It reminded me so much of the themes in the LOTR books. Rice Boy is like Frodo. He has a sidekick for some time. They are separated and reunited. There is everything.
April 4, 2018
Equal parts Alice in Wonderland and the Lord of the Rings with a pinch of politics and religion plus maybe some leftover LSD from the 60s. Rice Boy is a true quest tale with the survival of the world at its core.
The One Electronic, T-O-E for short, is looking for the true messiah. The past 3,000 years have been filled with one fake after another. If T-O-E stops searching for a messiah, he will die. One day after the latest messiah has died, T-O-E asks Rice Boy to be the next messiah. All Rice Boy needs to do is meet with the Tree Keeper downstream in the Dorlish Wood. Rice Boy refuses and T-O-E leaves. Soon, Rice Boy decides to go on a quest to the Dorlish Wood. He meets Gerund going the same way on a quest to kill the Bleach Beast. They decide to journey together. There are two sinister foes, Golgo and Dolly on Rice Boy’s trail.
I love Alice in Wonderland and have read a multitude of remixes and updates of it. Rice Boy is the best of the bunch. It has the feeling of Alice in Wonderland (everything is just enough similar and just enough off to give a feeling of discomfort). The art is brightly colored. The tale is just bizarre enough. The mash-up of religion, politics and fantasy really works to create a deliciously different fairy tale.
While marketed as a young adult title, I would recommend it for anyone who enjoys fantasy and especially those who are bored by the similarity of so many recent plots. Rice Boy is magnificently unlike everything else. Plus at 460 pages, it is well worth the price tag.
Thanks to the publisher, Iron Circus Comics, for an advanced copy.
The One Electronic, T-O-E for short, is looking for the true messiah. The past 3,000 years have been filled with one fake after another. If T-O-E stops searching for a messiah, he will die. One day after the latest messiah has died, T-O-E asks Rice Boy to be the next messiah. All Rice Boy needs to do is meet with the Tree Keeper downstream in the Dorlish Wood. Rice Boy refuses and T-O-E leaves. Soon, Rice Boy decides to go on a quest to the Dorlish Wood. He meets Gerund going the same way on a quest to kill the Bleach Beast. They decide to journey together. There are two sinister foes, Golgo and Dolly on Rice Boy’s trail.
I love Alice in Wonderland and have read a multitude of remixes and updates of it. Rice Boy is the best of the bunch. It has the feeling of Alice in Wonderland (everything is just enough similar and just enough off to give a feeling of discomfort). The art is brightly colored. The tale is just bizarre enough. The mash-up of religion, politics and fantasy really works to create a deliciously different fairy tale.
While marketed as a young adult title, I would recommend it for anyone who enjoys fantasy and especially those who are bored by the similarity of so many recent plots. Rice Boy is magnificently unlike everything else. Plus at 460 pages, it is well worth the price tag.
Thanks to the publisher, Iron Circus Comics, for an advanced copy.
November 21, 2023
I ENJOYED this so MUCHHH! The illustrations are out of this world! ALL CHARACTERS are very UNIQUE and have a personality. Gerund is definitely ME because he is a FOODIE , a warrior , and a good friend. I love the twist with T.O.E! Rice boy was
So engaging! 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
So engaging! 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
March 12, 2017
absolutely adored this book
April 24, 2014
This collection contains the entire five "book" run of the Rice Boy webcomic.
Rice Boy is a surreal, gradually unfolding adventure about a strange world, its remarkable denizens, and a mysterious prophecy. That basic description may sound cliche, but Rice Boy fully transcends its familiar components, largely due to the amazing atmosphere Dahm establishes.
The comic has a fantastically unique, subdued feel to it. I've seen very few artists whose style alone conveys emotion, but little touches and a cohesive feel gives the art itself a sense of melancholy. Dahm isn't afraid to spend panels on simple traveling, which is done so carefully it feels natural instead of slowing things down and really lets the art shine. Add in strikingly designed characters (including the tiny, stark white, armless and legless Rice Boy himself) and incredibly imaginative settings and this is easily one of the most visually impressive comics I've ever read.
The story is quite odd at times, but has a strong, well developed core and is thoroughly engaging overall. I became invested in the characters' fates, enjoyed the twists and looked forward to discovering how everything would turn out. A little drift in focus and a couple small side things keep me from giving this full marks, but make no mistake - Rice Boy is a truly wonderful comic and well worth reading.
Rice Boy is apparently just the first webcomic Dahm has set in this world (called Overside). I will definitely be looking into the others.
11/12/2012
Rice Boy is a surreal, gradually unfolding adventure about a strange world, its remarkable denizens, and a mysterious prophecy. That basic description may sound cliche, but Rice Boy fully transcends its familiar components, largely due to the amazing atmosphere Dahm establishes.
The comic has a fantastically unique, subdued feel to it. I've seen very few artists whose style alone conveys emotion, but little touches and a cohesive feel gives the art itself a sense of melancholy. Dahm isn't afraid to spend panels on simple traveling, which is done so carefully it feels natural instead of slowing things down and really lets the art shine. Add in strikingly designed characters (including the tiny, stark white, armless and legless Rice Boy himself) and incredibly imaginative settings and this is easily one of the most visually impressive comics I've ever read.
The story is quite odd at times, but has a strong, well developed core and is thoroughly engaging overall. I became invested in the characters' fates, enjoyed the twists and looked forward to discovering how everything would turn out. A little drift in focus and a couple small side things keep me from giving this full marks, but make no mistake - Rice Boy is a truly wonderful comic and well worth reading.
Rice Boy is apparently just the first webcomic Dahm has set in this world (called Overside). I will definitely be looking into the others.
11/12/2012
December 29, 2012
A visually stimulating and thought-provoking adventure, Rice Boy tells of the search for a mysterious fulfiller of an ancient prophecy in which very few believe. While the story is sometimes difficult to follow, what is most intriguing is the way the characters counter and complete one another: T.O.E.'s vitriolic cynicism, countered with Rice Boy's timidity and innocence; Dolly's overwhelming sweetness countered with Golgo's creeping darkness, Gerund's jejune foolishness with the primordial insight of the wise men. Even the landscape and the environment itself becomes a part of the storytelling: the transformation of the landscape from daylight to nightfall, the way some elements vivify while others languish... it is a tale worth reading again and again.
Of the Discworld series I find this novel the richest and most well-developed; nonetheless, the other novels are highly recommend: Order of Tales and the in-progress installments of Vattu are enjoyable reads.
Of the Discworld series I find this novel the richest and most well-developed; nonetheless, the other novels are highly recommend: Order of Tales and the in-progress installments of Vattu are enjoyable reads.
September 19, 2016
I LOVED Rice Boy, and tore through it in probably three days or so, even though it's pretty thick. It's everything I want in a fantasy webcomic. It's whimsical. It's a hero adventure story. It's visually stunning. It hints at lots of other stuff going on in the world you can't see. It's truly strange, but in such an adorable way. I got Vattu from Evan Dahm's booth at Small Press Expo, and I cannot wait to jump in. Highly, highly recommended.
My one question: how does Rice Boy eat if he doesn't have any arms? Just sayin'.
My one question: how does Rice Boy eat if he doesn't have any arms? Just sayin'.
April 14, 2016
Some stories are told better through the medium of the graphic novel, I'm not sure this is one of them. However, it's possible that the illustrations are meant to distract from the more run-of-the-mill story. I've heard the heroes journey, but have never seen it with creatures that look the way the characters in this book do. It's entirely possible that I just "don't get it" or it's possible that the book isn't as profound as it seems to believe it is.
April 8, 2019
I decided to leave a review because I saw Evan Dahm at MoCCA yesterday and didn't really interact with him out of sheer awkwardness. Sorry, Evan, I hope my praise makes up for my social anxiety!
This story is charmingly melancholic. The art style is delightfully surreal, but the themes are quite intense. You think there'd be whiplash on all these clashing moods but I find they work pretty well together. I wanted to protect Rice Boy and TOE :(
Looking forward to Harrowing of Hell!!
This story is charmingly melancholic. The art style is delightfully surreal, but the themes are quite intense. You think there'd be whiplash on all these clashing moods but I find they work pretty well together. I wanted to protect Rice Boy and TOE :(
Looking forward to Harrowing of Hell!!
November 28, 2015
Exquisitely beautiful. I read it all online but still am about to buy the book; it is so good I want to have a paper copy to flip through and enjoy.
January 11, 2016
Rice Boy is one of my favorite graphic novels ever. The setting is rich and gorgeous and the characters are practically old friends.
June 25, 2019
Strange and Wonderful: “Riceboy” is a Delicious Treat to Be Devoured
Riceboy is described as a “naïve, impoverished, little person. No arms or legs. Lives in a stump. Surely not a threat.”
Yet, the hero’s journey makes the call and the adventure of a lifetime waits for no one. In short, Rice Boy lives a simple and idyllic life in the mystical land of Overside until he’s called upon to fulfill an ancient prophecy.
What you need to know is that Riceboy is the tiny and reluctant hero. He is joined by, aided by, tossed by, and hunted by an electric number of creatures on his journey across the vast and fantastic world of Overside. There’s “The One Electronic” who becomes a sort of mentor to him, attempting to explain a great idea in their first meeting. There’s Gerund, a new friend who happens to find and lose him several times before it is over. There are battles to be fought, wizards to impersonate, paths to walk upon, lots of funny bits and many, many tears to shed in his travels to far and scary and amazing places.
The art just POPS on the pages with color! It is never over the top, instead, a welcomed addition to all the new characters you meet with each new set of pages you read. Speaking of characters: everyone and everything from the frog kingdom to machine men to tree guardians to giants and machine critters make our acquaintance. Riceboy who is so unbearably cute with his simple character design has a full cast everything and everyone under the sun to compliment his journey and you will quickly find yourself emotionally invested in their struggles and triumphs the longer and longer you read.
For those who may be intimidated by the size of this offering: with five books in total that make up this tome of 400+ pages, I just have to assure you–please don’t be! Seriously. This is not a book you want to miss based on something as silly as that. The lore of this universe that the narrative is set in does come slowly, bread crumbs here and there yet you’ll still be engaged. In fact, I sat down and read some 180 pages in–forgetting myself and be enthralled by the happenings on.
At 460 pages, this is an epic, a saga to lose yourself in one or a few sittings. Evan Dorham’s tome is worth its weight in gold or orange popping plants. I’ve read that Riceboy has been likened to a few beloved tales including Alice In Wonderland (for its topsy-turvy premise and narrative) Anything Tokien but to name a specific tale Lord Of The Rings (for its journey and all the many faces that help/dismiss a prophecy) and lastly Saga for its strange cast of characters.
I’d describe Riceboy as a cocktail made with three ingredients: part high fantasy, part slice of life and lastly part epic quest. It stands in good company to be likened to those three great bodies of work (with a gentle reminder than Riceboy was created before Saga from Image Comics came into existence and found a way to all our pull lists) yet I want to be clear that Riceboy is its own unique book with a compelling story that deserves its own place on your bookshelves and in your hearts.
Read the rest of my review here: https://blacknerdproblems.com/riceboy...
Riceboy is described as a “naïve, impoverished, little person. No arms or legs. Lives in a stump. Surely not a threat.”
Yet, the hero’s journey makes the call and the adventure of a lifetime waits for no one. In short, Rice Boy lives a simple and idyllic life in the mystical land of Overside until he’s called upon to fulfill an ancient prophecy.
What you need to know is that Riceboy is the tiny and reluctant hero. He is joined by, aided by, tossed by, and hunted by an electric number of creatures on his journey across the vast and fantastic world of Overside. There’s “The One Electronic” who becomes a sort of mentor to him, attempting to explain a great idea in their first meeting. There’s Gerund, a new friend who happens to find and lose him several times before it is over. There are battles to be fought, wizards to impersonate, paths to walk upon, lots of funny bits and many, many tears to shed in his travels to far and scary and amazing places.
The art just POPS on the pages with color! It is never over the top, instead, a welcomed addition to all the new characters you meet with each new set of pages you read. Speaking of characters: everyone and everything from the frog kingdom to machine men to tree guardians to giants and machine critters make our acquaintance. Riceboy who is so unbearably cute with his simple character design has a full cast everything and everyone under the sun to compliment his journey and you will quickly find yourself emotionally invested in their struggles and triumphs the longer and longer you read.
For those who may be intimidated by the size of this offering: with five books in total that make up this tome of 400+ pages, I just have to assure you–please don’t be! Seriously. This is not a book you want to miss based on something as silly as that. The lore of this universe that the narrative is set in does come slowly, bread crumbs here and there yet you’ll still be engaged. In fact, I sat down and read some 180 pages in–forgetting myself and be enthralled by the happenings on.
At 460 pages, this is an epic, a saga to lose yourself in one or a few sittings. Evan Dorham’s tome is worth its weight in gold or orange popping plants. I’ve read that Riceboy has been likened to a few beloved tales including Alice In Wonderland (for its topsy-turvy premise and narrative) Anything Tokien but to name a specific tale Lord Of The Rings (for its journey and all the many faces that help/dismiss a prophecy) and lastly Saga for its strange cast of characters.
I’d describe Riceboy as a cocktail made with three ingredients: part high fantasy, part slice of life and lastly part epic quest. It stands in good company to be likened to those three great bodies of work (with a gentle reminder than Riceboy was created before Saga from Image Comics came into existence and found a way to all our pull lists) yet I want to be clear that Riceboy is its own unique book with a compelling story that deserves its own place on your bookshelves and in your hearts.
Read the rest of my review here: https://blacknerdproblems.com/riceboy...
July 5, 2018
I haven't gotten into webcomics at all. I never found one webcomic that was a true narrative that sounded like anything that I would enjoy. Well, this is where I found the works of Evan Dahm. Hearing about "Rice Boy" and the other tales of Overside interested me as comparisons were made to this and "Saga." Ok, not THAT many people made comparisons, but a couple people said it had the same strange-SFF feel that "Saga" has. "Saga" is a series I am currently reading and I am LOOOOOOVING it. So, I decided to hop on board and start with Evan Dahm's work.
Well, it was just fine.
I wanted to love this and there were many moments, mainly in the first half, that had me genuinely interested. However, there were also a LOT of moments that the story was going no where and Dahm was adding TOO MANY characters. The second half was a mixed bag. Actually, it was more of a piece of mediocrity with pieces of brilliance here and there. However, I can say that the first half and the last 50 pages were good enough to make me say that I enjoyed this one. If you are looking for an indie comic/webcomic to read in order to pass the time, I say you can check this out. Though it still has NOTHING on "Saga." Lying.
I am giving this one a 3 out of 5 stars.
Well, it was just fine.
I wanted to love this and there were many moments, mainly in the first half, that had me genuinely interested. However, there were also a LOT of moments that the story was going no where and Dahm was adding TOO MANY characters. The second half was a mixed bag. Actually, it was more of a piece of mediocrity with pieces of brilliance here and there. However, I can say that the first half and the last 50 pages were good enough to make me say that I enjoyed this one. If you are looking for an indie comic/webcomic to read in order to pass the time, I say you can check this out. Though it still has NOTHING on "Saga." Lying.
I am giving this one a 3 out of 5 stars.
November 24, 2019
A thoughtful book that explores what a fantasy story can be. I bet that sentence makes it sound very boring, right? If you've read this far, trust me: it's not. Rice Boy is mesmerizing. The world it builds is real but not grim. Somber but not depressing. You see characters sit and think about their actions. You can feel them wonder about their lives. And, if you fall in like I did, you will care about them.
A lot of fantasy builds itself on the prophecies and spells, creating grand plots. But sometimes these stories lose me because the characters are chess pieces. And those that do focus on character often want to ground it in our reality. Your knight in armor gets a cold and dies in a historically accurate way. Not this story.
Rice Boy is a book that combines emotionally real characters with the fantastic. You see strange worlds and meet bizarre characters. But they still have hopes and dreams. Killers who have someone they care about. Machines with philosophies. This book will present you with unfamiliar things but you won't feel lost.
The art, the pacing, how the book will linger on a scene or a moment. It's all very good. This is why it's never left my shelf. And I hope it never does.
A lot of fantasy builds itself on the prophecies and spells, creating grand plots. But sometimes these stories lose me because the characters are chess pieces. And those that do focus on character often want to ground it in our reality. Your knight in armor gets a cold and dies in a historically accurate way. Not this story.
Rice Boy is a book that combines emotionally real characters with the fantastic. You see strange worlds and meet bizarre characters. But they still have hopes and dreams. Killers who have someone they care about. Machines with philosophies. This book will present you with unfamiliar things but you won't feel lost.
The art, the pacing, how the book will linger on a scene or a moment. It's all very good. This is why it's never left my shelf. And I hope it never does.
October 10, 2021
"Rice Boy" is one of the most unique books I've ever read. From the artwork to the odd but intriguing plot, to the story-telling, it was all unique experience. The humble hero is a simple fellow living in the land of Overside. Rice Boy lives an unexciting life, but is soon swept up into grand, paradigm-shifting intrigue. An immortal machine man known as TOE (short for “The One Electronic”) has big plans for Rice Boy. There’s an ancient prophecy whose heroic subject has been sought by TOE and his cohorts for thousands of years. Despite all appearances to the contrary, TOE believes Rice Boy to be the one to bring the revelatory conclusion to that prophecy.
And so Rice Boy is pulled from his mundane everyday existence and thrust into a world of weirdness and danger, a world he is largely unprepared for. He finds allies and makes enemies along the way as he travels the bizarre landscape of Overside in an effort to fulfill a destiny that he doesn’t fully understand. Bleach beasts and frog cults and gods that might not be gods at all; epic battles and tiny victories and surreal silliness – “Rice Boy” has all of it and more.
Would definitely recommend because its just such a different book and is totally worth the time to read B-).
And so Rice Boy is pulled from his mundane everyday existence and thrust into a world of weirdness and danger, a world he is largely unprepared for. He finds allies and makes enemies along the way as he travels the bizarre landscape of Overside in an effort to fulfill a destiny that he doesn’t fully understand. Bleach beasts and frog cults and gods that might not be gods at all; epic battles and tiny victories and surreal silliness – “Rice Boy” has all of it and more.
Would definitely recommend because its just such a different book and is totally worth the time to read B-).
March 11, 2024
I first read Rice Boy back in the late 00's online on a crummy little laptop, and I remember jumping at the chance to pick up the physical copy. I really loved webcomics back then and kept up with many, but didn't feel like I needed a personal copy until finishing Rice Boy. Something about the colors, the grandness and strangeness of the world, and the rough inking really sunk into me - Evan Dahm was kind enough to draw my favorite character on the interior when I ordered (Olga, of course).
I picked it up again now almost 15 years later and was surprised to find I love it just the same. I know a lot more about myself now and can see why it resonated, why the Lonely Lands hit so hard back then. With extreme affection, Rice Boy reaffirmed my faith that creating cool art for a few weirdos is not just within grasp but to be admired. It is hard not to leave a very personal, subjective review for what feels like a very personal creation. I'm so glad I found it again; I hope more people stumble across it too.
I picked it up again now almost 15 years later and was surprised to find I love it just the same. I know a lot more about myself now and can see why it resonated, why the Lonely Lands hit so hard back then. With extreme affection, Rice Boy reaffirmed my faith that creating cool art for a few weirdos is not just within grasp but to be admired. It is hard not to leave a very personal, subjective review for what feels like a very personal creation. I'm so glad I found it again; I hope more people stumble across it too.
February 2, 2018
Rice Boy has a fairly standard Tolkienesque story, but the art and creativity behind the diverse cast of the world makes it something special.
Cartoonist Evan Dahm has clearly put a ton of time and thought into his world called Overside. It is full of the most spectacular looking creatures, insane landscapes, and beautiful colors. It includes appendices with history and maps that would make Tolkien very proud.
The lead, Rice Boy, is a fun design, but is mostly a passive protagonist who does things because people told him to. He barely talks and barely takes action. TOE on the other hand has an interesting backstory and is the real meat of the book.
“Rice Boy” is a wild ride through the world of a fantastic artist and creative mind.
Cartoonist Evan Dahm has clearly put a ton of time and thought into his world called Overside. It is full of the most spectacular looking creatures, insane landscapes, and beautiful colors. It includes appendices with history and maps that would make Tolkien very proud.
The lead, Rice Boy, is a fun design, but is mostly a passive protagonist who does things because people told him to. He barely talks and barely takes action. TOE on the other hand has an interesting backstory and is the real meat of the book.
“Rice Boy” is a wild ride through the world of a fantastic artist and creative mind.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 136 reviews