Genre: Paranormal, Science Fiction

TW: Nudity, Death, Suicide

1.5 Stars: I didn’t like it

Summary: Karmen is an entity tasked with shepherding souls to the afterlife. Assigned to a newly deceased woman named Catalina, Karmen assists her as she does with everyone but for some reason this mission specifically is different from the rest.

Thoughts (spoilers): The idea for this story is interesting but I don’t love the way it was executed. The plot was pretty standard and the ending was pretty cliche.

Artistically, this graphic novel is 10/10. From her x-ray look to her hair to her face, Karmen’s design is very cool. The way bodies were drawn was expert level. I’ve had to do figure drawing in school and it is not easy so I admire the skill of being able to accurately render a human figure. It was necessary too because the two main characters were naked and wearing a skin tight suit.
I had a lot of issues with Catalina as a character. First, I think the idea that someone would kill themselves because their crush didn’t feel the same about them is wild. Second, I think it's a weird choice to have the main character be naked nearly the entirety of the story. Karmen is able to conjure bandages for Catalina at one point in the story but doesn’t create clothes for Catalina even when she’s clearly uncomfortable with being naked. It just seemed like an excuse to have a naked woman on the page and I don’t think that would have bothered me so much if this story wasn’t about death and suicide.

While Karmen looks amazing, there’s not a whole lot going on under the surface. There’s a subplot about the other entities that are like Karmen and how shepherding souls is just a soulless job for them and how they’re pursuing some kind of work “bonus” and Karmen is the only one who truly cares about the souls. I think that had potential for being interesting and it probably is explored more later in the series. Personality wise, I think the author was going for a seemingly airheaded type of character that is actually very wise underneath it all and all the chaos that Karmen creates is all for some cosmic reason that we only figure out in the end. Typically I really like that type of character but I felt it wasn’t executed well in this story.

Overall I think more time could’ve been spent on the writing. I feel like it was almost good but it fell short. I probably will not continue with this series.

This isn’t my normal read, but it was still good nonetheless!

It’s a drama filled comic book about a super-natural being whose name is, you guessed it, Karmen.

I’m not sure what exactly the rest of the series will entail, but i loved the illustrations and the storyline in this book.

Look forward to reading more issues!

Karmen is a comic that explores suicide, death, and selfishness. It's also a comic that feels the need to have it's titular character have rock hard nipples and make a lot of fart jokes. The art style is stunning and it had incredible world-building, but it's overall message was shaming people who consider suicide and was written by an obviously misogynistic man. There was no need for the man character to be naked for most of the novel. The message also was so on-the-nose and cheesy at the climax. I would have loved to see the story fully fleshed out without the sexism and mental health shaming, but that's incredibly ubiquitous so I can't recommend it.

‘Karmen' with story and art by Guillem March is a graphic novel about death and fate and second chances.

A young woman faced with heartbreak makes a fateful decision. Karmen, a sort of courier for the afterlife takes her under her wing and shows her all that life could be and could have been. Their dialogue lasts into the night as the young woman sees her life and friends in a new light.

The art is fantastic and the story is really well told. I loved the character design and the message of the book.

This says volume one but it felt like a full, complete, self-contained story. The shift in physics and perspective was really well done and the idea of greater compassion at death is needed. Enjoyed this a lot and loved the art too!

Karmen is a book curated for portraying a valuable story of the character. This is not your ordinary graphic and artistic book, this is a work of art, passion, and love. The illustration is amazing and not gonna lie, very vivid. The story is easy to follow and thus one of my great reads.

Karmen is a book curated for portraying a valuable story of the character. This is not your ordinary graphic and artistic book, this is a work of art, passion, and love. The illustration is amazing and not gonna lie, very vivid. The story is easy to follow and thus one of my great reads.

I have to admit I requested this based solely on the cover art. It was a lot different than expected but really made me think. You gotta love dark spooky stories that are slightly weird, that is my main aesthetic so I still enjoyed reading this. I loved all the art throughout the book.

This book, although different from what I expected, was a pleasant surprise! I really liked the story.

The story was dark and totally atmospheric. The art was I am not a fan of. It was an aesthetic that I can see a lot will definitely love but not for my cup of tea.
The prose was okay and the pacing of the story needs a little bit of amplifying to get readers going. Overall, it was a good read.

I got this from net galley
TW: death, suicide, death, self harm

This was a super interesting graphic novel surrounding death and the idea of reincarnation, it was interesting to meet these characters and learning about their lives. I liked the story and by the end wanted to know more!

The artwork is gorgeous, bright and keeps you yearning for more. Can’t wait for the next volume!

Karmen de Guillem March turned out to be a fantastic way out of a reading slump.

Karmen is a guardian angel who accompanies Catalina, a young woman who has just committed suicide (?), In her process of transition to an afterlife.

The level of detail of the drawings is truly impressive and the perspective games make a reading not just a reading and each page a piece of art to appreciate in every detail.

However, the play on nudity often seems random and excessive.

Trigger warning for suicide topic.

My copy was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

(Contains 18SX themes)
‘Don’t break your little heart anymore. You’re hurting yourself, you know that? If you don’t start loving your poor little heart, it will break into a thousand pieces. Love it.’

Description: The comic describes Catalina’s (Cata’s) life after reincarnation, where before that she cut both of her wrists and soaking herself in blood in her friend’s bathtub. Then, a strange visitor came to meet her - Karmen (is she a sort of ‘death goddess’?) – and she tries to entertain her after bandaging both of her wrists and a special dance performance. After that, Cata realized that she couldn’t grab anything, as well as seeing herself in the bathroom’s mirror, and Karmen reassures her not to be afraid of people out there, even though she’s naked. What I found Karmen very interesting was her philosophy about life and her core ability – knowing whatever Cata’s thinking about and her past life when she shook her hand. Somehow, Karmen too able to do some tricks and all of her abilities were being passed to Cata. She enjoyed her flying ability and she’d discovered some interesting living experiences and places along her way. She abruptly stopped herself at a monument and one of her memories with her childhood friend – Xisco – resurfaces. But, she saw the real Xisco - on the same bench where they’re sitting – who’s calling her housemate – Joana – and told her that he’ll be breaking up with Cata soon (he’s flinging with Joana behind her back). That gets her mad and she curses him with all of her might, but to no avail that all of them couldn’t be heard by him as she’s already dead! She poured her problems to Karmen later and they flew to her parent’s house for a while. Then, Cata got herself sitting alone on a bench when a smart-dressed man came and sits beside her – she nicknamed him as ‘Toni’ at first, but he told her that his actual name’s Enrique. The man, who’s been in love with a beautiful yet sweet-looking woman in a café, came to propose to her when suddenly - unluckiness befall upon him – a speeding car crashes into him and Cata tries hard to save him, but failed. After he’s been teleported to the afterlife with Karmela – Karmen’s workmate – Cata described that the incident was cruel and Karmen got mad, explaining that it all begins with her very own fault, dragging the others along to follow suit, before she goes to the afterlife. Cata finally realized she wouldn’t do that if possible and not to become her old self once again.

Conclusion: It’s really heart-wrenching.

I really enjoyed this one!

I was provided an advanced digital copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley for review purposes, all opinions are my own.

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for the review copy!

This was fun and short. This story is solid and was told great. There were some deep subject matters in this such as suicided and depression, so beware before going into this. I think the artwork was so great and very easy to follow!

I highly recommend this read!

The adventure of this graphic novel is surreal.
We open with a young woman in the bathroom crying. Karmen materializes next to her and introduces herself.
The story unfolds slowly. Karmen remains evasive, giving little bits to carry us through, to keep our curiosity peaked, to keep us reading.

The artwork is beautiful. The coloring perfect. The ending - a surprising twist. Would very much like to read volume 2.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and Guillem March for an ARC in return for an honest review.

TW: suicide, depression, death

I loved the artwork. It worked so well with the story, with characters flying out of the panels. The color palette was also really nice and the detailing on the characters was great.
The plot was intriguing and I loved the way it led the reader to introspection about life, death, and happiness.
The worldbuilding is really good, and it had me wanting to know more.
This graphic novel had me hooked and I cannot wait for the translation of the next volume in this series!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
I loved this graphic novel. The artwork was done really well and I really enjoyed its art style. The story was compelling and kept me engaged from start to finish. I really want the next volume right now!

Last year I sent travelling around Spain for a month. The architecture around Andalusia left a lasting impression on me. It is one of the first things that struck me about Karmen is that the book has a powerful sense of place. This story unmistakably takes place in Spain. Also, for a story that explores the themes of suicide, regret, and, relationships, it is not dour. It treats these themes with the seriousness that they deserve with becoming maudlin or mawkish.

The art is splendid. I particularly enjoyed the colouring, which plays with a palette that gives the pages a subtle otherworldly ambience. Karmen takes place in a lived-in world. Mallorca where the story takes place wonderfully presented here. The characters designs are also notable for the bold choices March makes. For a comic where one of the leads is mostly naked, it rarely seems voyeuristic. Indeed the nakedness is a rather blunt metaphor for the character’s vulnerability. However, any comic which prominently features naked woman is open to accusations of the male gaze. Yet most the panels are composed in a way that I think manages to avoid this.

Catalina is a rather unlikeable character. I felt relatively little sympathy for her and did not understand her reasons for taking her own life. It isn’t easy to enjoy a book where you don’t enjoy spending time with one of the leads. This is made up for with Karmen who is reminiscent of Death of the Endless from Sandman by Neil Gaiman. Karmen is playful, almost mischievous as she guides Catalina into the afterlife. Karmen gives Catalina a chance to see the world and the life she had through a different lens. I think the book is about how we can empower ourselves to make better decisions. Part It’s a Wonderful Life, and part Kore-eda’s After Life Karmen is a comic that is a skilfully accomplished character study that blends the fantastic with the mundane.

I enjoyed Karmen a great deal; however, the nudity and themes explored might make it unsuitable for some readers who might consider it exploitative and excessive. I can understand this argument to a point.

Some of the panels in Karmen are exquisitely composed, giving real weight to the story where relatively little actually happens. This is a book about accepting the consequences of your actions and dealing with the aftermath. The importance of conversations and what is and is not said to those we hold close. The final conversation between Catalina and Karmen is especially powerful. There is a sense of wonder and tragedy that runs through the book. Dan Christensen did a commendable job with the translation. This is an outstanding comic that I hope finds a broader audience.

Thank you to NetGalley and Europe Comics for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

TW: Suicide, Depression

In the past few years, I've been quite the sucker for graphic novels, particularly if i love the cover art. This is exactly what drew me to Karmen V1 by Guillem March. The character art on the cover is exactly something that is right up my alley, and I adore the style.

Karmen V1 tells the story of Catalina, who feels that no one understands her and will always let her down, so why invest in others only to be hurt later? The only person she really trusts is Xisco, her friend since childhood who has been the only constant for her. He has stuck with Cata even when his girlfriend's may have felt their friendship was a bit too close, But lately, Catalina has felt like Xisco is pulling away from her for the first time. Feeling like there is nothing left, Catalina makes a very big, final decision. Little does she know that Karmen is coming to knock on her door. And she's not named Karmen by accident; karma always has a way of coming back around.

Karmen likes a bit of fun, but is no nonsense in letting her mission know exactly why they're in the predicament they're in. Throughout this graphic novel, March guides us through both Catalina and Karmen's struggle - Catalina to come to terms and learn from what she's done, and Karmen with wanting to assist her missions along their path while the Karma Police push for quicker overall passing of missions on to the next realm.

March weaves a wonderful tale of someone coming to terms with their death and how their actions affect not only themselves, but those around them. And the art style use is absolutely stunning. As someone who has suffered with depression and has at times had suicidal ideation in the past, I could relate to much of the thoughts Catalina goes through. It's not that happiest of reads, but done so very well.