What do you think?
Rate this book
Strange Bedfellows: A Graphic Novel
In this stunning graphic novel by two-time Ignatz award–winning graphic novelist Ariel Slamet Ries, Oberon must choose between fantasy and reality when he develops the ability to conjure his dreams in real life—including the facsimile of the boy who got away.
In the not-too-distant future, most of humanity resides on its last-ditch effort at Meridian, a remote alien planet where you’re more likely to be born superhuman than left-handed.
None of that is important to Oberon Afolayan. Since his mildly public breakdown, his whole life seems to be spiraling out of control—from dropping out of university to breaking up with his boyfriend, it seems like only a karmic inevitability when he wakes up one day with the ability to conjure his dreams in the real world.
Oberon’s newfound powers come with a facsimile of his high school crush, Kon, who mysteriously dropped off the face of the planet almost three years ago and who is a little more infuriating (if not also infuriatingly hot) than Oberon remembers.
Kon makes it his mission to turn Oberon’s life around, and while they struggle to get a handle on his powers and his disastrous personal life (not to mention the appearance of strange nightmare creatures), it turns out this dream version of Kon has secrets of his own—dangerous ones.
Oberon might have more on his plate than he originally thought, but is giving up his dreams—even the one he might have accidentally fallen in love with—the only way to find happiness in reality?
In the not-too-distant future, most of humanity resides on its last-ditch effort at Meridian, a remote alien planet where you’re more likely to be born superhuman than left-handed.
None of that is important to Oberon Afolayan. Since his mildly public breakdown, his whole life seems to be spiraling out of control—from dropping out of university to breaking up with his boyfriend, it seems like only a karmic inevitability when he wakes up one day with the ability to conjure his dreams in the real world.
Oberon’s newfound powers come with a facsimile of his high school crush, Kon, who mysteriously dropped off the face of the planet almost three years ago and who is a little more infuriating (if not also infuriatingly hot) than Oberon remembers.
Kon makes it his mission to turn Oberon’s life around, and while they struggle to get a handle on his powers and his disastrous personal life (not to mention the appearance of strange nightmare creatures), it turns out this dream version of Kon has secrets of his own—dangerous ones.
Oberon might have more on his plate than he originally thought, but is giving up his dreams—even the one he might have accidentally fallen in love with—the only way to find happiness in reality?
288 pages, Paperback
First published March 4, 2025
24 people are currently reading
6,121 people want to read
About the author
Ariel Slamet Ries
10books222followersAriel Slamet Ries is a Naarm/Melbourne-born, Denmark-trained comic artist and illustrator. They studied animation for 4 years before throwing away the prestige and money to pursue comics. They’re passionate about telling stories with marginalised folks at the centre, often with a fantasy or sci-fi twist. Their first two major comic releases, Witchy Vol. 1 (Lion Forge/Oni Press) and Cry Wolf Girl (ShortBox), were released last year.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
March 6, 2025
Good Gawd! Ariel Slamet Ries knows how to make my knees quake. This was absolutely perfect in every single way imaginable. The quickest way to my heart is to have a lovable queer character as the MC. Then bringing in a found family (as well as a really supportive blood relation family) and a story that mixes highs and lows to keep me on my toes, is definitely a recipe for success� for me at least.
In the future, not too far, but far enough that humans live on a different planet, Oberon wakes up to find out he has powers. Normally, you learn around your 9th birthday if you’ve gained “ghost� powers, but he’s in college. He’s spent his whole life thinking he’s the only child of his parents to be “normal.� So this comes at a surprise, but it’s what he’s always wanted. He’s able to manifest his dreams. Kind of like corporeal illusions, Obi can make his dreams come alive until he wills them gone again.
How does he find this all out? His childhood crush, Kon, magically appears one day out of the blue. He’s kind of like a wake up call from his loneliness, as well as a realization that he is special. In a weird, and yet beautiful, effect of all of this, he begins to fall in love with his own dream-crush� which I kind of saw coming. But what I didn’t see coming was for that same dream crush to…�.. wait! I don’t want to tell you. 😅It’s a spoiler.
Let me start (not actually, because we’re 4 paragraphs in) by telling you that the art for Strange Bedfellows is BREATHTAKING! The author uses such vivid colors in their work and it kept me entranced like the creepy snake from The Jungle Book. I couldn’t look away! I needed to know how the story ended. HOW COULD THEY MAKE THIS WORK?????
It wasn’t until about half of the book was completed until I realized that the MC is trans. I thought he was beautiful before, but the character got scar tattoos under his pectorals to look like top surgery for “long before� (our time). It was such a beautiful sentiment and I couldn’t feel the joy in it. LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!!!!!!!
I need more books like this in my life!!! If I could give it more stars than 5, I would.
In the future, not too far, but far enough that humans live on a different planet, Oberon wakes up to find out he has powers. Normally, you learn around your 9th birthday if you’ve gained “ghost� powers, but he’s in college. He’s spent his whole life thinking he’s the only child of his parents to be “normal.� So this comes at a surprise, but it’s what he’s always wanted. He’s able to manifest his dreams. Kind of like corporeal illusions, Obi can make his dreams come alive until he wills them gone again.
How does he find this all out? His childhood crush, Kon, magically appears one day out of the blue. He’s kind of like a wake up call from his loneliness, as well as a realization that he is special. In a weird, and yet beautiful, effect of all of this, he begins to fall in love with his own dream-crush� which I kind of saw coming. But what I didn’t see coming was for that same dream crush to…�.. wait! I don’t want to tell you. 😅It’s a spoiler.
Let me start (not actually, because we’re 4 paragraphs in) by telling you that the art for Strange Bedfellows is BREATHTAKING! The author uses such vivid colors in their work and it kept me entranced like the creepy snake from The Jungle Book. I couldn’t look away! I needed to know how the story ended. HOW COULD THEY MAKE THIS WORK?????
It wasn’t until about half of the book was completed until I realized that the MC is trans. I thought he was beautiful before, but the character got scar tattoos under his pectorals to look like top surgery for “long before� (our time). It was such a beautiful sentiment and I couldn’t feel the joy in it. LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!!!!!!!
I need more books like this in my life!!! If I could give it more stars than 5, I would.
March 24, 2025
Book #579
4 ⭐️
Okay so this cover really caught my eye and i went into it not really knowing much about it and i will say i enjoyed the story and i loved the relationship between the two main leads at times it just confused me tho because I don’t really read a lot of sci fi or other planet books and stuff so some of the words I wasn’t super familiar with but I’m hoping to expand my reading into that genre in the future because i do own some of that genre. I really loved the artwork in this novel especially during the dreams it was always so vibrant and you didn’t know what the next dream was going to entail, I also liked how Kon kept popping up randomly and trying to help Ob. I noticed with this graphic novel it was 200+ pages which i love in graphic novels but this one had a lot of bubbles and a lot of writing so it made the story feel longer compared to the other graphic novels I’ve read but in a good way! Overall this was a good graphic novel and i really enjoyed reading the story about Ob and the powers he learned about himself and things about his family and Kon.
4 ⭐️
Okay so this cover really caught my eye and i went into it not really knowing much about it and i will say i enjoyed the story and i loved the relationship between the two main leads at times it just confused me tho because I don’t really read a lot of sci fi or other planet books and stuff so some of the words I wasn’t super familiar with but I’m hoping to expand my reading into that genre in the future because i do own some of that genre. I really loved the artwork in this novel especially during the dreams it was always so vibrant and you didn’t know what the next dream was going to entail, I also liked how Kon kept popping up randomly and trying to help Ob. I noticed with this graphic novel it was 200+ pages which i love in graphic novels but this one had a lot of bubbles and a lot of writing so it made the story feel longer compared to the other graphic novels I’ve read but in a good way! Overall this was a good graphic novel and i really enjoyed reading the story about Ob and the powers he learned about himself and things about his family and Kon.
Shelved as 'skipped'
March 26, 2025I feel like I missed a chapter or an intro 😭
March 8, 2025
this was literally so good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! holy shit!!!!! i literally had no clue what this was going in which was actually kinda great. this had basically everything a girl could desire in a graphic novel: 1) fucking AMAZING art like SO DREAMY AND BEAUTIFUL!!! the colors!!! godDAMN 2) kinda on the same note but the whole story was about dream magic (one of my favorite types of magic) and so we got all of these mini worlds/ plot points through the dreams that were so imaginative and cool asf??? also beautiful 3) listen. their dynamic was so good. and they were so fun together. and REDACTED!!!!!!! 4) also just annoying pathetic charismatic male characters, chefs kiss 5) just great worldbuilding, love a good post cli fi other planet magic powers plant punk vibe 6) lots of good themes about growing up 7) again just specular story shown through art. ajakaksmskks it just worked so well!!!! like the use of space and color and different types of drawing styles� yes. i wanna reread already cuz it was so lovely and also rereading with the twist� yes 8) also lemme say i love a good magical powers as an allegory for normal (sorta) problems. magical powers as a hindrance yes let’s fricken go. 9) and also just like,,, the burden of growing up. of parents being kinda shitty but still loving. of taking the whole world on your shoulders and hating yourself and then someone helping you through that� so lovely to see� 10) just amazing!!!!
reread:
amazing even on the second read! i wanted to experience it again knowing everything and also just being able to appreciate it all. the person who reviewed it with “i wish i could keep this in my mouth like a gourmet jawbreaker� is so real!!!
reread:
amazing even on the second read! i wanted to experience it again knowing everything and also just being able to appreciate it all. the person who reviewed it with “i wish i could keep this in my mouth like a gourmet jawbreaker� is so real!!!
March 8, 2025
oh shit I forgot about comics. god I love comics. anyway go read about gays healing trauma in some of the world's most beautiful backgrounds or whatever
March 19, 2025
Younger me would have loved this, but I'm glad older me has it now. It has healed something in me. It's a part of my heart now.
March 12, 2025
*3.75 stars
February 7, 2025
A queer M/M graphic novel following our main character who, after having a public breakdown, develops powers to conjure things out of his imagination. He works through some tough anxiety and self-hatred while trying to get a grasp of his powers.
While I love that this is a queer M/M graphic novel and I love the subject matter (anxiety), I never connected with the characters. I found the world building a little difficult to follow and felt like I was trying to orient myself into the world too much versus enjoying the characters and their relationships.
The artwork is beautiful though.
I’d recommend this for fans of sci-fi leaning graphic novels, or those who like their reads with queer characters.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy for review.
While I love that this is a queer M/M graphic novel and I love the subject matter (anxiety), I never connected with the characters. I found the world building a little difficult to follow and felt like I was trying to orient myself into the world too much versus enjoying the characters and their relationships.
The artwork is beautiful though.
I’d recommend this for fans of sci-fi leaning graphic novels, or those who like their reads with queer characters.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy for review.
March 6, 2025
"I've seen horror, yes, but beauty too"
the color palette was really pretty, but the actual art style, specifically the design of the speech bubbles, made it impossible to tell what was happening and who was talking most of the time. I'm also so confused by all of the characters and their stories, the entire magic system, and any backstory. The plot seemed super cool and the emotions seeping through could've carried this, but unfortunately I was just going "huh?" the whole time
the color palette was really pretty, but the actual art style, specifically the design of the speech bubbles, made it impossible to tell what was happening and who was talking most of the time. I'm also so confused by all of the characters and their stories, the entire magic system, and any backstory. The plot seemed super cool and the emotions seeping through could've carried this, but unfortunately I was just going "huh?" the whole time
February 20, 2025
It's the not-too-distant future, a utopia where humanity lives after escaping a dying Earth. Here is where we meet Oberon Afolayan, who had a very public panic attack and has been hiding from the world ever since. After years of living under the pressure of being more because he's the only non-skilled or Ghost in the family, he one day wakes up to realize that he can manifest his dreams. Primarily in the form of his former crush, Kon, whom he hasn't seen in years. It's Kon's mission to help Oberon figure out his powers and his life, but will doing that mean giving up those dreams? And what is Kon not telling Oberon?
It's a very deep story wrapped up in pastel swirls and a nearly perfect society. People are mostly free to be themselves and find what makes them tick without the pressures of money and the typical rat race. There are still things everyone has to face, but it feels manageable. Dropping Oberon into this world with all his anxiety and worrywart personality makes for an interesting contrast, especially when flashbacks reveal that he's actually a super positive and cheerful guy. I'm impressed with how well the difficult topics of mental health, pressure to succeed, family obligations, and just all-around figuring out life translate into a story that's cozy and sweet even while dealing with everything.
Loved the art! The color palette is so pretty and works wonders when we're inside Oberon's dream world. I also really like how there's a play on light and darkness for the more emotional moments.
Overall, it's a great read that gets better by the page. My one tiny complaint would be that the lettering is too small for my old eyes at times.
I'd also love to read just a history of how things got to be how they are in that world because what little we get is fascinating.
Delighted thanks to NetGalley and HarperAlley for the wonderful early read!
It's a very deep story wrapped up in pastel swirls and a nearly perfect society. People are mostly free to be themselves and find what makes them tick without the pressures of money and the typical rat race. There are still things everyone has to face, but it feels manageable. Dropping Oberon into this world with all his anxiety and worrywart personality makes for an interesting contrast, especially when flashbacks reveal that he's actually a super positive and cheerful guy. I'm impressed with how well the difficult topics of mental health, pressure to succeed, family obligations, and just all-around figuring out life translate into a story that's cozy and sweet even while dealing with everything.
Loved the art! The color palette is so pretty and works wonders when we're inside Oberon's dream world. I also really like how there's a play on light and darkness for the more emotional moments.
Overall, it's a great read that gets better by the page. My one tiny complaint would be that the lettering is too small for my old eyes at times.
I'd also love to read just a history of how things got to be how they are in that world because what little we get is fascinating.
Delighted thanks to NetGalley and HarperAlley for the wonderful early read!
Want to read
November 10, 2024"In this stunning graphic novel, Oberon must choose between fantasy and reality when he develops the ability to conjure his dreams in real life—including the facsimile of the boy who got away."
wooooo! new ries!
wooooo! new ries!
Read
March 13, 2025Wanna burn this art permanently into my eyeballs so that this is the way I see the world
January 26, 2025
Énorme coup de cœur
J'ai hâte que la BD sorte (en VO et en VF) et que vous puissiez la lire.
🖤
J'ai hâte que la BD sorte (en VO et en VF) et que vous puissiez la lire.
🖤
February 3, 2025
Hello??!! This was incredible! Hands down my favorite read of the year so far. Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for letting me read this ahead of time!
The characters are so well-developed, and the worldbuilding is insanely good. I had never heard of solarpunk before, but this book made me fall in love with it instantly. A futuristic society where money doesn’t exist, where healthcare, food, and housing are provided, but everyone still contributes? Sign me up. The little worldbuilding details—like everyone having a garden to help with the food supply or Oberon’s mom casually mentioning, “I know you’re old enough to be assigned your own apartment”—made everything feel so natural. The way worldbuilding is handled is *chef’s kiss*—not through heavy exposition, but by letting the reader experience how everything works as the story unfolds. It’s the perfect example of show, don’t tell.
Reading this was incredibly immersive. It’s a medium-paced story, which really suited the world and themes. I was so absorbed that when I finished, it felt like coming up for air—like suddenly remembering the real world existed.
I loved Oberon’s relationship with his sister, even the moments of conflict between them. It felt raw and real, just like the rest of the characters. The book never falls into the trap of making everyone perfectly enlightened just because they live in a utopia—people still make mistakes, say the wrong thing, and grow from it. It made everything feel lived in.
One of my favorite details was Oberon’s tattoo honoring past trans men—such a beautiful touch. The dream sequences were also a highlight; they were gorgeous and genuinely felt like slipping into a dream.
On top of all that, the plot itself was super engaging. I was completely invested from start to finish.
If you’re looking for a unique and beautifully crafted read, Strange Bedfellows is it.
The characters are so well-developed, and the worldbuilding is insanely good. I had never heard of solarpunk before, but this book made me fall in love with it instantly. A futuristic society where money doesn’t exist, where healthcare, food, and housing are provided, but everyone still contributes? Sign me up. The little worldbuilding details—like everyone having a garden to help with the food supply or Oberon’s mom casually mentioning, “I know you’re old enough to be assigned your own apartment”—made everything feel so natural. The way worldbuilding is handled is *chef’s kiss*—not through heavy exposition, but by letting the reader experience how everything works as the story unfolds. It’s the perfect example of show, don’t tell.
Reading this was incredibly immersive. It’s a medium-paced story, which really suited the world and themes. I was so absorbed that when I finished, it felt like coming up for air—like suddenly remembering the real world existed.
I loved Oberon’s relationship with his sister, even the moments of conflict between them. It felt raw and real, just like the rest of the characters. The book never falls into the trap of making everyone perfectly enlightened just because they live in a utopia—people still make mistakes, say the wrong thing, and grow from it. It made everything feel lived in.
One of my favorite details was Oberon’s tattoo honoring past trans men—such a beautiful touch. The dream sequences were also a highlight; they were gorgeous and genuinely felt like slipping into a dream.
On top of all that, the plot itself was super engaging. I was completely invested from start to finish.
If you’re looking for a unique and beautifully crafted read, Strange Bedfellows is it.
April 23, 2025
Ariel is simply one of the greatest illustrators of our time!!! Such beautiful colors, playful page layouts, you can tell they had so much fun with the dream sequences and sci-fi elements. They are also so good at making a compelling genre piece that feels grounded and relevant - in this case I really felt like Kon's arc exemplified the mental health adage "it's not your fault, but it is your responsibility." How do we navigate parts of ourselves that we never asked for, that can sometimes lead to us hurting others without intending to, that we have no choice but to live with? It's a struggle anyone with any kind of neurodivergence deals with, and it's beautifully handled in this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 8, 2025
Stunning illustrations abound in this graphic novel about first love, friendship, anxiety, trauma, the weight of expectation, and the path to recovery. The world is richly imagined and the MC's family is wonderfully diverse. It's storytelling that takes its time--a warning for anyone impatient to figure out what's going on from the jump, but rewarding in its own right when you get to the end.
That being said, I do recommend reading the description on the back of the book for some necessary context before you jump into it--I started it based on the cover alone, and it took me a while to shake off the confusion of what was happening when it came to world-building. But that's how it goes with sci-fi and fantasy.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperAlley for the ARC!
That being said, I do recommend reading the description on the back of the book for some necessary context before you jump into it--I started it based on the cover alone, and it took me a while to shake off the confusion of what was happening when it came to world-building. But that's how it goes with sci-fi and fantasy.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperAlley for the ARC!
February 8, 2025
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC..
A visually bright and fun graphic novel but the story was lackluster for me and didn't captivate me sadly.
A visually bright and fun graphic novel but the story was lackluster for me and didn't captivate me sadly.
March 21, 2025
STRONGLY recommend. Kind of my perfect mixture of cute little gay graphic novel, but also lots of mental health themes, and (this is extremely high praise coming from me) Watchmen-vibes.
March 25, 2025
this was so beautiful! i loved the art sm. and as a bonus the story was great????
April 2, 2025
“We aren’t the mistakes we made in the past. We’re the choices we made going forward.� 💜❤️�
February 21, 2025
This was a phenomenal graphic novel by the creator of Witchy about a planet where the children of recent refugees sometimes develop powers. After the stress of deferring college, Oberon's dreams start coming to life--literally, the things he dreams manifest in the real world. One frequent player in his dreams? His high school crush. But is Kon just a manifestation of Oberon's desires or part of a deeper problem? I occasionally had trouble following the dream illustrations, but the artwork was so gorgeous it made up for it. I'd definitely recommend this graphic novel to anyone who enjoys YA / New Adult SFF graphic novels, especially when they mix sci-fi and a dash of romance.
April 20, 2025
really wanted to like this but it was just confusing more than anything.
March 21, 2025
This is just beautiful in every possible way.
The artwork is lovely, especially when it comes to the dream magic. Strange Bedfellows reminded me why I love queer graphic novels so much, because the illustrations in this really bring the story to life. I love these characters so much, I just wanted to hug them and help them along their journey.
I don't want to say too much more, but I highly recommend this one.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc!
The artwork is lovely, especially when it comes to the dream magic. Strange Bedfellows reminded me why I love queer graphic novels so much, because the illustrations in this really bring the story to life. I love these characters so much, I just wanted to hug them and help them along their journey.
I don't want to say too much more, but I highly recommend this one.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc!
Shelved as 'to-read-so-bad-it-hurts'
September 24, 2023'Oberon is finding his way back after a very public “breakdown,� but when he develops the ability to conjure his dreams in real life—including a facsimile of his high school crush, Kon—he might have more on his plate than he originally thought.'
This sounds so good, ahhh
This sounds so good, ahhh
April 4, 2025
From the author of the 'Witchy' books comes one of the best futuristic sci-fi LBGTQ+ comics and concepts ever.
'Strange Bedfellows' contains gorgeous and expressive artwork, masterful storytelling and character crafting, effortless trans, nonbinary, and other queer rep (I don't think anyone is straight), an all-POC cast, and creativity that practically (star)bursts on every page like a supernova or nebula. It is hard to top something like it.
'Strange Bedfellows' - further proof that graphic novels are an art, and a miracle.
And because it is so good, I'm not going to reveal a thing about its plot or characters. Go in blind, like I was; all the better for a surprising, enriching experience.
This is what it must be like to be in space, and looking into the cosmos - throughout all the overwhelming emotion, it teaches you once and for all that there is no limit out there, and simultaneously no limit to being human. No real limits within or without. There should be no limitations placed on humanity. Why should there be? Nothing and no one beyond earth and in the big, endless universe would stop us, tell us what we should and shouldn't do; what we should and shouldn't be.
Reach out within, and above and beyond.
Imagine! Create! Be! The possibilities are infinite.
(So take down the patriarchy, white supremacy, warfare, capitalism and money, too, while you're at it.)
This is a future for humanity worth striving for.
'Strange Bedfellows' is explosive, emotional storytelling, and a creative, comforting, and hopeful ride. It is also very funny, witty, clever, touching, sad, heartbreaking, and bittersweet, to go with its themes of identity, self-discovery, connection, empathy, doing what you love, navigating with the people in your life who love you, and mental illnesses, such as anxiety, panic attacks, breakdowns, and burnout.
It isn't perfect, however. The comic is a bit long and overwrought, and the main characters are not always likeable - though they are only human... humans with mutant superpowers, and there are no actual space aliens in this intergalactic sci-fi take on the future.
But it is worth it.
'Strange Bedfellows' is, in more ways than one, a dream come true.
I recommend it to everyone, including 'Star Trek' fans, 'Doctor Who' fans, 'Neon Genesis Evangelion' fans, and people who like 'Akira', and the comics 'Project Nought', 'On A Sunbeam', 'Juniper Mae', 'The Infinity Particle', and '5 Worlds'.
Final Score: 4/5
P.S. I have to add, that I find it really funny that so many works of science fiction will bend over backwards never to use the word mutant when depicting otherwise ordinary humans with superhuman/metahuman powers and abilities, often inherent, because they are afraid that Marvel will sue them or something. As if Stan Lee and the rest of Marvel came up with the word, and therefore it is solely theirs, and they've patented it.
Like, in 'Strange Bedfellows', people with powers - developed from space radiation that infected their parents and grandparents - are called Ghosts. I don't exactly get it either. Another example is in the anime 'Tiger & Bunny', where people with powers, who are also superheroes, are known as NEXT (Noted Entities with eXtraordinary Talents). Individuals with witchlike/supernatural abilities in the anime 'Witch Hunter Robin' are called "seeds". In the television show 'Smallville', a DC adapted property, humans infected by scattered pieces of kryptonite from a meteor shower are called krypto-freaks, or just kryptonite-poisoned metahumans. And in another show, 'Heroes', people with powers are referred to as... people with powers. Zero points for creativity there, 'Heroes'.
I mean, 'X-Men' shouldn't be the only franchise in existence allowed to say a simple, pedestrian word like mutant! People in real life would definitely say mutant! Not solely "the infected" or something to do with evolution or a phenomena or whatever!
It's like in zombie horror fiction, where more often than not the word zombie is in fact never used for some reason - they are also "the infected", or "them", which is meant to sound ominous but is actually vague, lazy, stupid and unrealistic. We would definitely, 100% call them zombies! Because that's what they are!
Humans in a non-fantasy world setting with metahuman abilities - humans with cool superpowers of any kind, of any origin, but most notably from radiation and/or genetics - are mutated persons, i.e. mutants!
I just thought I'd point this trope out.
'Strange Bedfellows' contains gorgeous and expressive artwork, masterful storytelling and character crafting, effortless trans, nonbinary, and other queer rep (I don't think anyone is straight), an all-POC cast, and creativity that practically (star)bursts on every page like a supernova or nebula. It is hard to top something like it.
'Strange Bedfellows' - further proof that graphic novels are an art, and a miracle.
And because it is so good, I'm not going to reveal a thing about its plot or characters. Go in blind, like I was; all the better for a surprising, enriching experience.
This is what it must be like to be in space, and looking into the cosmos - throughout all the overwhelming emotion, it teaches you once and for all that there is no limit out there, and simultaneously no limit to being human. No real limits within or without. There should be no limitations placed on humanity. Why should there be? Nothing and no one beyond earth and in the big, endless universe would stop us, tell us what we should and shouldn't do; what we should and shouldn't be.
Reach out within, and above and beyond.
Imagine! Create! Be! The possibilities are infinite.
(So take down the patriarchy, white supremacy, warfare, capitalism and money, too, while you're at it.)
This is a future for humanity worth striving for.
'Strange Bedfellows' is explosive, emotional storytelling, and a creative, comforting, and hopeful ride. It is also very funny, witty, clever, touching, sad, heartbreaking, and bittersweet, to go with its themes of identity, self-discovery, connection, empathy, doing what you love, navigating with the people in your life who love you, and mental illnesses, such as anxiety, panic attacks, breakdowns, and burnout.
It isn't perfect, however. The comic is a bit long and overwrought, and the main characters are not always likeable - though they are only human... humans with mutant superpowers, and there are no actual space aliens in this intergalactic sci-fi take on the future.
But it is worth it.
'Strange Bedfellows' is, in more ways than one, a dream come true.
I recommend it to everyone, including 'Star Trek' fans, 'Doctor Who' fans, 'Neon Genesis Evangelion' fans, and people who like 'Akira', and the comics 'Project Nought', 'On A Sunbeam', 'Juniper Mae', 'The Infinity Particle', and '5 Worlds'.
Final Score: 4/5
P.S. I have to add, that I find it really funny that so many works of science fiction will bend over backwards never to use the word mutant when depicting otherwise ordinary humans with superhuman/metahuman powers and abilities, often inherent, because they are afraid that Marvel will sue them or something. As if Stan Lee and the rest of Marvel came up with the word, and therefore it is solely theirs, and they've patented it.
Like, in 'Strange Bedfellows', people with powers - developed from space radiation that infected their parents and grandparents - are called Ghosts. I don't exactly get it either. Another example is in the anime 'Tiger & Bunny', where people with powers, who are also superheroes, are known as NEXT (Noted Entities with eXtraordinary Talents). Individuals with witchlike/supernatural abilities in the anime 'Witch Hunter Robin' are called "seeds". In the television show 'Smallville', a DC adapted property, humans infected by scattered pieces of kryptonite from a meteor shower are called krypto-freaks, or just kryptonite-poisoned metahumans. And in another show, 'Heroes', people with powers are referred to as... people with powers. Zero points for creativity there, 'Heroes'.
I mean, 'X-Men' shouldn't be the only franchise in existence allowed to say a simple, pedestrian word like mutant! People in real life would definitely say mutant! Not solely "the infected" or something to do with evolution or a phenomena or whatever!
It's like in zombie horror fiction, where more often than not the word zombie is in fact never used for some reason - they are also "the infected", or "them", which is meant to sound ominous but is actually vague, lazy, stupid and unrealistic. We would definitely, 100% call them zombies! Because that's what they are!
Humans in a non-fantasy world setting with metahuman abilities - humans with cool superpowers of any kind, of any origin, but most notably from radiation and/or genetics - are mutated persons, i.e. mutants!
I just thought I'd point this trope out.
March 22, 2025
In the future, the human race has fled Earth on a spaceship called the Arc to the remote planet of Meridian, where humans have a good chance of developing various levels of superpowers. Readers meet college student Oberon Afolayan, who is the only non-superhuman out of his siblings (or so he thinks). After Oberon’s public breakdown at University, he’s taking some time off from school to rest and figure things out. Withdrawing from his family and friends, Oberon struggles with being open and honest about his mental health. When he starts to conjure things from his dreams into the waking world, life begins to get more complicated - especially after he conjures a facsimile of Kon, his high school crush that mysteriously disappeared without a trace three years ago. Oberon and not-Kon begin to work together to help control his newfound powers before he catches the attention of authorities. But the more time Oberon spends with not-Kon, the more confused his feelings become, and the more he wonders if there is more to not-Kon than he originally thought. Oberon is trans, Black, and queer; there is also a wide range of diversity within the side characters.
Strange Bedfellows is a powerful story by Australian author and illustrator Ariel Slamet Ries that will appeal to readers looking for a story about mental health struggles and learning to accept help from the people who care about you. The art style, color palette, and mixed media panels are both soothing and dynamic. Some of the action scenes feel ready to jump off the page. There is an emotional moment where Oberon explains to not-Kon the meaning behind his tattoos that I think will stick with readers long after they have finished this graphic novel. Link to complete review:
Strange Bedfellows is a powerful story by Australian author and illustrator Ariel Slamet Ries that will appeal to readers looking for a story about mental health struggles and learning to accept help from the people who care about you. The art style, color palette, and mixed media panels are both soothing and dynamic. Some of the action scenes feel ready to jump off the page. There is an emotional moment where Oberon explains to not-Kon the meaning behind his tattoos that I think will stick with readers long after they have finished this graphic novel. Link to complete review:
March 24, 2025
first things first, the artwork in strange bedfellows is absolutely stunning. the colors pop, the creativity on display is first-class, and the art seemingly jumps off the page. all the stars for the visuals.
where my issues lie are more in the world building � a LOT is happening, and it's never all fully explained. i felt very dropped into the middle of everything, and i don't feel like i ever fully got a grip on what was happening. like, the powers. i'm very confused on what the rules are and why oberon and kon are wary of the ghost police force people- or whatever they're called. also, and this might sound mean, i was super annoyed at oberon for constantly getting upset at kon. i especially did not like the way oberon reacted to the stuff regarding kon towards the end. overall, i liked the characters but i did find it hard to connect with them at times.
that being said, i think the artwork alone is a big enough reason to check this one out. the story is good, and the main characters are decent. kon in particular is such a fun character. i'm excited to see what else Ries has created because wow. they are a fantastic artist.
where my issues lie are more in the world building � a LOT is happening, and it's never all fully explained. i felt very dropped into the middle of everything, and i don't feel like i ever fully got a grip on what was happening. like, the powers. i'm very confused on what the rules are and why oberon and kon are wary of the ghost police force people- or whatever they're called. also, and this might sound mean, i was super annoyed at oberon for constantly getting upset at kon. i especially did not like the way oberon reacted to the stuff regarding kon towards the end. overall, i liked the characters but i did find it hard to connect with them at times.
that being said, i think the artwork alone is a big enough reason to check this one out. the story is good, and the main characters are decent. kon in particular is such a fun character. i'm excited to see what else Ries has created because wow. they are a fantastic artist.
February 1, 2025
Strange Bedfellows is a new queer graphic novel with fantasy and science fiction elements. It's beautifully written and illustrated and I can't recommend it enough.
The story follows Oberon, who has recently had a very public panic attack that led to him dropping out of college. He's feeling lost when he suddenly gains the ability to bring his dreams into reality. His new power manifests a dream version of his high school crush, Kon, who decides to help him understand his new powers.
The plot is surprisingly layered. It gracefully melds a touching story about recovering from mental health struggles, a mystery, a family story, and a sweet romance. The result is a beautiful, hopeful, funny, and emotional story that I found surprisingly complex. I think many people with anxiety will identify strongly with Oberon's story. I certainly did!
This is all set in a lush and diverse sci-fi world. The technology is more advanced than ours but still recognizable enough to avoid confusion The world-building is incredibly well done. In just under 300 pages, Meridian feels like a fully realized place. We get glimpses of the politics, wildlife, weather, and problems that former Earthlings (and their children) encounter on their new home planet.
The artwork here is stunning. The colors and style strike me as truly unique. Normally, I rush through graphic novels, but this one made me want to linger and really appreciate the art.
I highly recommend Strange Bedfellows to any fan of inclusive stories, stories about making it through tough times, or character-centric sci-fi/fantasy. It is genuinely one of my favorite graphic novels that I have read to date!
The story follows Oberon, who has recently had a very public panic attack that led to him dropping out of college. He's feeling lost when he suddenly gains the ability to bring his dreams into reality. His new power manifests a dream version of his high school crush, Kon, who decides to help him understand his new powers.
The plot is surprisingly layered. It gracefully melds a touching story about recovering from mental health struggles, a mystery, a family story, and a sweet romance. The result is a beautiful, hopeful, funny, and emotional story that I found surprisingly complex. I think many people with anxiety will identify strongly with Oberon's story. I certainly did!
This is all set in a lush and diverse sci-fi world. The technology is more advanced than ours but still recognizable enough to avoid confusion The world-building is incredibly well done. In just under 300 pages, Meridian feels like a fully realized place. We get glimpses of the politics, wildlife, weather, and problems that former Earthlings (and their children) encounter on their new home planet.
The artwork here is stunning. The colors and style strike me as truly unique. Normally, I rush through graphic novels, but this one made me want to linger and really appreciate the art.
I highly recommend Strange Bedfellows to any fan of inclusive stories, stories about making it through tough times, or character-centric sci-fi/fantasy. It is genuinely one of my favorite graphic novels that I have read to date!
February 14, 2025
This is super cute! The art is an absolutely gorgeous watercolory style and each page is bursting with color. A real feast for the eyes. The story takes place the future on a planet (or maybe moon?) called Meridian, which is 2 generations removed from humans living on earth. We follow Oberon, a trans teen who has recently dropped out of university, as he is learning how to harness his latent superpower, which is the ability to manifest in reality things he has seen in his dreams. The other MC is Kon, the one who got away, who Oberon hasn't seen since he moved schools several years ago.
The story has slice of life, coming of age vibes but also discusses a number of serious issues including blended families, generational trauma, mental health, coming out, and a number of -isms, all thoughtfully discussed and presented in relevant situations. The story evolves in a way I wasn't expecting and I loved the ending.
The only reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is because a number of the comic panels were designed in a way that was somewhat unclear, and I wasn't sure what the author / artist was trying to convey. It didn't take away from the overall understanding of the story, but it did happen a number of times. Still though, a very heartwarming and enjoyable read. If you like and superhero stories, you will probably like this too.
The story has slice of life, coming of age vibes but also discusses a number of serious issues including blended families, generational trauma, mental health, coming out, and a number of -isms, all thoughtfully discussed and presented in relevant situations. The story evolves in a way I wasn't expecting and I loved the ending.
The only reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is because a number of the comic panels were designed in a way that was somewhat unclear, and I wasn't sure what the author / artist was trying to convey. It didn't take away from the overall understanding of the story, but it did happen a number of times. Still though, a very heartwarming and enjoyable read. If you like and superhero stories, you will probably like this too.
February 25, 2025
It took me a bit to get into this, as the dreamscape logic is always a struggle for me. I want reasons for magical things to be happening, and at times the logic of the story (and the magical imagery) was hard to follow.
But dangit, I LOVE the parts of this story that center on burnout, decolonization, and the value of rest. I liked exploring the various interpersonal relationships, though I couldn't keep the members of the friend-group straight. And the central relationship, which is an exploration of both romance and friendship, developed in a way that got more interesting as the story unfolded.
I'm still not entirely sure I understand the magical component of this book, and the end was so abrupt that I did three consecutive double-takes. ("Are you sure that's the last page? But are you SURE? *How* sure??") I don't know that I'm the target audience for this particular project given the overly dreamy nature of some of its elements, but the themes and utopian-adjacent space culture reminded me a bit of Blue Delliquanti's "Across a Field of Starlight." I liked enough of the components that I eventually fell into the dream logic of Obi's Ghost abilities. If you like fantastical imagery mixed with real-world concerns of belonging, pressure to perform, and the promise of a gender-inclusive, multicultural future society, have at ye. :)
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. In case you missed the memo, this GN was created by the author of "Witchy," which is also pretty great!
But dangit, I LOVE the parts of this story that center on burnout, decolonization, and the value of rest. I liked exploring the various interpersonal relationships, though I couldn't keep the members of the friend-group straight. And the central relationship, which is an exploration of both romance and friendship, developed in a way that got more interesting as the story unfolded.
I'm still not entirely sure I understand the magical component of this book, and the end was so abrupt that I did three consecutive double-takes. ("Are you sure that's the last page? But are you SURE? *How* sure??") I don't know that I'm the target audience for this particular project given the overly dreamy nature of some of its elements, but the themes and utopian-adjacent space culture reminded me a bit of Blue Delliquanti's "Across a Field of Starlight." I liked enough of the components that I eventually fell into the dream logic of Obi's Ghost abilities. If you like fantastical imagery mixed with real-world concerns of belonging, pressure to perform, and the promise of a gender-inclusive, multicultural future society, have at ye. :)
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. In case you missed the memo, this GN was created by the author of "Witchy," which is also pretty great!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.