Manfried the Man: A Graphic Novel

By Caitlin Major and Kelly Bastow

In this hilarious graphic novel, the roles of cats and humans are reversed, putting humanoid felines in charge of tiny, dimwitted little man-pets.

Named a "Best Comics of 2018" by A.V. Club
Named one of Paste’s "25 Best Comic Books of 2018"

Meet Manfried, a stray man taken in by the likable but introverted tomcat Steve Catson. Stuck in a dead-end job and bemoaning a nonexistent love life, Steve depends on his pet man for friendship and support. But when Steve’s carelessness results in Manfried getting lost, Steve has no choice but to muster his meager resources to bring his best friend home safe. Can a cat who can’t even clean up his own apartment manage to find his missing man before it’s too late? In an all-new series based on the wildly-popular tumblr webcomic, classic comic strip layouts and colorful cartoon art make this a fun read. It’s a great gift for comics fans, pet owners, cat lovers, or anyone who appreciates a story full of humor and adventure, with a sweet friendship at its heart.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Quirk Books
• Release date: May 1, 2018
• ISBN: 9781683690160

Book preview

Reviews for Manfried the Man

[wolfeyluvr · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

For obvious reasons, I expected this to be weird. It was... oddly cute instead. Curious why its men and not humans (i.e. no women) Love the Star Trek talk at the end.

[billiebook · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Why are there no female pets? How do they breed if they're all literally men?

Yes, I overthink things sometimes and get hung up on minutiae, but world-building is important and details matter.

It's cute, though, if a bit melancholy.

[emeraldreverie · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I have adored this comic from its first public iteration and I am thrilled it was expanded into such a delightful and fun book. Truly a fantastic and well-executed concept. I love Manfried. Art is perfect, colors are great. Story is engaging and relatable. High recommend especially for any cat lover.

[villemezbrown · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

The concept of mostly naked cats keeping entirely naked little men as pets left me feeling too uneasy and vaguely horrified to enjoy this book at all. I know it's supposed to be a goof, trying to find a new spin on cat humor, but I found little to laugh at and much that left me confused.

Like, where do all these little men come from if there are no little women with which to breed? Are most of the female pets euthanized with only a few brood queens kept isolated in baby mills in the countryside? And I guess a big dog like the one I own could be dangerous if he turned on people, but why is it so much more terrifying that the pets in this universe can fashion spears that they use to kill prey at a distance? And why bother making a pants joke near the end of a comic where no one wears pants, and pants are shown to be a failed fad in a background gag in one panel early in the book?

Anyhow, I'm not a cat person, and I probably shouldn't have tried reading this.

[foggidawn · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Steve's single, working in a job he doesn't like and living in a messy apartment with only Manfried, his tiny pet man, for company. All of the other cats Steve's age are getting married and having kittens, or at least advancing in their careers, but Steve seems to be stuck where he is. Then, when Manfried escapes, both Steve and Manfried must learn to deal with new circumstances. Can Steve rise above his apathy to save his pet? Can Manfried survive without his cat looking after him?

This was cute and quirky, and I love the concept. (I do wonder, though, why all the pets are male. Where are the pet women?) I think that the story itself could have been stronger -- it feels like a single joke that has been stretched into a full-length story -- but it's still a fun read. Recommended if you like your graphic novels a little bit on the strange side.