This is my first time reading something from A Pie Comics Collection and it was a quick, funny read. The artwork isn't crazy detailed, but that's okay because I think you're supposed to focus more on what is being said within the comics. Although I didn't laugh out loud with every comic, I still chucked at a good bit and even found some of them quite relatable. I can be a very sarcastic person and I've been told I have a dry humor, and that type of humor is portrayed quite frequently throughout this collection, so I enjoyed that! I'll be keeping my eye out for the next collection of John McNamee's comics, and I think you should do the same!

Thank you to Oni Press and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book!

**Thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!**

It's kind of remarkable how simple lines and drawings can be arranged in a way that just speak directly to you. And sometimes it's sad you can relate, or that it strikes a chord, but it's always reassuring that you're not the only one, you know?

I've seen a few of these comics around social media and I've always enjoyed them, so I jumped at the chance to read a collection of them. And I loved it! There were so many that I wanted to immediately share with my friends or my family and be like "relatable!!" to. I laughed often, was shocked sometimes, and even had a few "woah, that's hilarious and dark and is it bad I'm laughing??" reactions.

And in case it's not abundantly clear in descriptions, or from knowing the author is from The Onion, these comics are for adults. Like, VERY adult. Not all, but the ones that are...definitely are. It tackles coping with marriage, life, childhood, work, etc., in incredibly funny, surprisingly poignant, and often subtle clever ways. I appreciated that they directly spoke to a lot of the dark sides to adulthood and those feelings of being lost or without purpose. Like I mentioned, it's nice to see I'm not alone in having to confront existential dread, and that I can even laugh about it all.

And if that doesn't convince you to read this book, just know that one of my notes when I was reading and preparing for this review was "I, too, have opinions about grout." I think that's pretty compelling to read it.

Slowly clawing my way out of that reading slump and getting caught up on all the wonderful titles that publishers and NetGalley have granted me the last few months. I have needed every one of them. Rona, man. It’s a bitch.

Anyway. This collection. Is adorable. And relatable. And exactly what I think we all need right now. This is McNamee’s third collection in conjunction with The Onion, but I do believe it’s my first. Must remedy that, and soon. These absurd comics take a hard look at what it means to be normal, and why that’s all garbage anyway. There is no normal. There is just us, and what we do and how we live.

This collection began back in my day, the early ’00s when we all had flip phones and texted by hitting a number button 4 times to get an S. Those were the days. Once McNamee simplified his illustration style, his entire world opened up to explore any and all subjects he could think about.

It’s amazing what we can do when we readjust our perspective of “good,” or “normal” and just let ourselves create the way we can or want to. I’ve done a lot of that this year, too, and it’s been freeing and enabled me to create a wider variety of art than my previous expectations allowed.

Anyway. This collection. It’s out in November, so if you need a laugh in these wild times like I did, it might thaw your cold, dead heart and make you smile, just a little. It may make you feel seen, and it may resonate with you, and we need more of that right now. Always, but especially right now.

I've known John McNamee's work for a few years, initially reading Pie Comic on GoComics. He stopped posting over there, so I was delighted with I saw this ARC. Dry and sarcastic comics are my kind of comics. I couldn't stop laughing reading this one.

Thanks to Oni Press and NetGalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A lovely book. McNamee has such a beautiful style. His drawings are so simple, and yet they capture aspects of daily life perfectly. As a cartoonist, I know that this is difficult to pull off. His comics are all wonderful, and I found myself laughing at a bunch of them. He also uses certain themes over and over again in a splendid manner.

I definitely recommend this book.

A collection of comics by John McNamee, JUST ACT NORMAL is a great pick for the cynical in your life!

I laughed so hard at this collection and I kept wanting to show my husband the funny ones but I ended up showing him the whole book. Excellent and quick read!

Complex messages on life and reflection mingle with humor and comic strip-like images and layouts in Just Act Normal. This was an entertaining reading experience stuffed full with visual vignettes about the world around us. Most enjoyable!

Just Act Normal by John McNamee is definitely a relatable and very current comic strips collection about the pressure, struggles and mishaps of trying to “be normal” and fit in in today’s society.

The so called “dry humor” is exactly my type of humor actually. I laughed a lot reading through these comic strips and found myself thinking out loud “yep, this is exactly how this works these days” about so many aspects portrayed in the book.

I liked the simplistic art style because it was still fun to look at and it didn’t take anything away from the message of the several scenarios.

Overall, an enjoyable read, with some bits that I’ll definitely go back to look at and possibly even think about in many occasions of life. I also makes you question what exactly is "being normal" in this day and age, because we're all unique and there is just no possible way to "be normal" in everyone's eyes.

Thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for allowing me the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

#JustActNormal #NetGalley

Super funny, super odd.
Has a different kind of humour.

Many thanks to Oni Press for providing me with an e-ARC of this book

I’ve not read any of the Pie Comics Collection before and Just Act Normal was a fun introduction to the series and artist. The humour for some of the panels really connected and there was more than one occasion when I laughed aloud. Not everything made me laugh but humour isn’t universal. There wasn’t anything within these comics that I disliked. Some was just more “me”.

The way the collection is divided by subject is fun and I like the straightforward art. I would certainly read more.

Kind of weird and somewhat funny. I enjoyed the childhood comics the best, but a lot were too dark for me. I’m probably not the target audience for this book, but I imagine it would appeal to a lot of 20 something readers.

I just love this book. It talks about the reality of our life. It hurts but it is true. And the illustrations are really cute and adorable.

Just to bring normalcy in our life. I loved everything about this book. I can't wait to explore more of his works.

I would like to thank Netgalley for providing the early arc.

*e-Arc received from the publisher*
3.5 stars

Simple, sarcastic and odd - that's how I'd describe it. The humor isn't for everyone, and was hit or miss for me, but overall I enjoyed it.
Topics of coping with childhood, society, work, love, the world, yourself - anything and everything really. It definitely kept me entertained and reading.

Honestly, I didn’t finish this book.
Maybe it’s not my type of humour. I hadn’t seen this author before. I am a fan of web comics, particularly Poorly Drawn Lines, Catania Comics, and War and Peas.
However, this just wasn’t my kind of humour. Yes, it’s funny, but it’s not laugh out loud funny. At most it’s “hmm” funny. The book is very satirical and I love that side of it, I just don’t want to sit and read it for an extended period of time. If I followed the author on social media, I’d enjoy the odd comic popping up on my news feed. But I just don’t want to sit and read multiple comics.
It’s no hate to the author, I liked the drawing style and it is funny. Just not my kind of funny

I enjoyed the jokes and sarcasm about the realities of life. I like Pie Comics, but they tend to be hit or miss at times.

This is the third collection from the author but the first I have read. This book collects together short comics about what it means to be “normal”, in childhood, at work, in love and more.

The artwork is simplistic (which is addressed in a strip of its own) yet effective and the humour is a great blend of sarcastic and oddball. All of them were amusing and several had me laughing out loud! The artist does a great job of mining everyday life for those relatable moments but then taking them a step further to highlight some of the absurdities of modern life.

Enjoyable fun read.

Thanks for e-arc.

I read the book within a day. I am with two minds about it. yes, there were some good and funny scenes, but there were also some underwhelming, meh kind of bits. Starting was exciting but could have been better in terms of content.
Overall it was okay

Avid readers of "The Onion," a new book has arrived just for you! If you have been concerned about sibling dynamics, parenting, growing up, dealing with society, self-worth, online shopping, religion, politics, or are just bored and need someone to tell you to read a book, this is the book for you. Peppered with some advice on learning, growing, and adapting, John McNamee dishes out a serving of comedy and absurdity that is much needed in our current climate. Perhaps you have been searching for a way to achieve the "all day feel goods" that doesn't require whiskey and coffee. If so, buy a copy of "Just Act Normal" today. I promise you won't regret it! Bonus: since it takes a little over an hour to read, this is the perfect workday bathroom break companion.

I enjoyed these little comics about life and dealing with things happening in life. I wasn't a huge fan of the art style of this, but I guess it appeals to others. Do recommend people pick this up because I am pretty sure everyone will have at least one story in here that makes them go 'same'.