Ivy Atoms

I like the IDEA of the story, but it really needed to be longer so I could get invested in the titular characters (two dog girls named Pinky and Pepper, who are in a relationship and living together). If I could get invested in the characters more, the more I could feel for them when they end up in Hell, and the many freedoms they're both looking for (freedom in art, freedom to love one another freely, freedom to express themselves while still being taken seriously, and freedom from Hell itself). It's fine as is, but I just wanted to get more invested in the story. As is, I suggest reading the book slowly and try to take in the drawings more - because dialogue alone can only do so much, especially since the story's pacing is so fast.

The art is also notable because on the surface, it's traditional art in a chaotic form, vibrant and sloppy, but jam-packed with details. You might even mistake it as being a child-friendly book, but one look at the blurb and seeing Pinky taking a bite out of a disembodied hand and you'll realize this story's for adults. Some themes of sex and bondage, a scene of kinky performance art, and some bondage imagery, a lot of gore and torture scenes that are all cartoonishly violent. It's all over the place, but it's unapologetic as well. It doesn't apologize or try to justify it's style - it just wants to tell a story and be itself, which fits with the overall theme.

Perhaps it was a little overhyped on Twitter (on a thread discussing pieces of fiction that really messed you up, but you still loved them). I also found out that this was a webcomic first (which meant that me trying to hunt down a physical copy was for nothing, but at least the version I read was a library copy). Because this is a webcomic first, you can read it for free, or get a physical copy to keep forever - but also keep in mind that the story is short, so it's up to you whether spending 10 dollars and up would be worth it for you; but also definitely don't buy it for anything under 15 to 20 dollars. I say that not to shame the author and their team's efforts, but because I've seen the very thin paperback copy go for that much online... Thankfully my library copy reassured me I'm not crazy for thinking 50 bucks is too much for such a small book - likely just a reseller problem. I guess the comic's a bit underground and obscure? But it's not 50 bucks levels of underground and obscure...… (altro)