Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
In the past week, I’ve stepped out of the house only once, on Sunday, to have lunch because I had a significant amount of redeemable dining cash points that were expiring in a few days. Obviously, I was going to download a comic book titled I Left the House Today! without a second thought.
Creator Cassandra Calin makes introverts look like likable, cute goofballs through her adorable illustrations. I Left the House Today! is a random collection of doodles about a young introvert navigating life’s little moments, either by herself or with her boyfriend. Sometimes… with friends.
A lot of the panels in the comic book are simply funny scenes illustrating how the creator’s expectations of a situation turn out to be comically different, or more underwhelming than the actual experience. It could be the very relatable case of getting a nice, expensive haircut, looking fabulous at the salon, only to wash and comb it the next day and find yourself looking not too different from before.
Some of the material in this collection reminded me of Debbie Tung’s Quiet Girl in a Noisy World: An Introvert’s Story, which has pretty much the same premise: a collection of illustrations about an introvert’s life. It’s just that Cassandra Calin’s art style has a more manga-like, cutesy charm. It’s black-and-white, but well drawn and memorable.
Basically, I Left the House Today! is the kind of comic book best enjoyed by those looking for a little coffee-table-style collection of funny doodles about a young introvert. It’s fun to flip through, especially when you’re looking to read something passively while commuting or waiting in line somewhere.
As someone who isn’t fond of leaving the house, I was hoping for more tears and comedy over the actual act of stepping out the door though. Extra points for the art!
Rating: 4 stars on 5. I Left The House Today! is also on Kindle Unlimited.
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