ONE OF NPR'S BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR
"A brilliant saga and 'how to' of trans survival in the nightmarish crypto-cis-bro-cult underworld of bachelor party indoctrination. I giggled so hard I blew snot bubbles!”
—Lilly Wachowski, Director, Writer, Producer
“Boys Weekend is a joy to read, filled with fun, inventive, and seemingly effortless cartooning even it leads you through bachelor parties, a hyperlibertarian nightmare island, and a killer cult. With the skills and tight pacing honed from short-form cartooning, Mattie makes every panel of this debut graphic novel sing."
—Ryan North, author of How to Take Over the World
“A witty, tender romp through the cosmic horror of being alive.”
—Carmen Maria Machado, author of Her Body and Other Parties
“A hilarious satire about capitalism, gender, sea monsters, the slow dissolution of old friendships, the difficulty of being truly seen by those closest to you, the nearly impossible task of forgiving the people who have hurt you (especially when one of those people is yourself), and most importantly how much bachelor parties suck.”
—Joseph Fink, co-creator of Welcome to Night Vale
"Nervy, fluid, punchy, like a cup of skeletons. Sensitive and fraught without sacrificing fun or black magic, with a winsome heroine one wants to root for and wipe blood off of in equal parts. I want more!"
—Daniel M. Lavery, author of Something That May Shock and Discredit You
“With their deftly-sketched characters, biting social satire, and endearingly expressive cartooning, Lubchansky has created a story that hides its fangs until it’s close enough to strike.”
—Gretchen Felker-Martin, author of Manhunt
“Lubchansky, an award-winning cartoonist and illustrator, brings the book to life with lively, bold artwork, illuminating the book’s techno-dystopian world with sly humor and hinting at the eldritch foundations on which the island was built. Boys Weekend is tightly constructed—you can read this one in an afternoon—but it rewards lingering over: Humor and horror are beautifully balanced in support of the emotional arc of Sammie’s story.”
—Emily Hughes, Vulture
“If you’re looking for a horror read that has a touch (or two) of satire, then you’ll like this poignant story by award-winning cartoonist Mattie Lubchansky.”
—Melanie Curry, Cosmopolitan, “The 17 Best LGBTQ+ Books of 2023”
“Lubchansky’s full-color panels are rife with absurdly clever, beyond-the-narrative enhancements. . . . Lubchansky melds identity politics, gory horror, shocking humor, and sf world building to deftly present Sammie’s hero-of-their-own-story story.”
—Terry Hong, Booklist
“Lubchansky cleverly spins horror tropes to send up toxic masculinity and tech bro culture. They also cast a critical eye at the systems that continue to enforce a strict gender binary. Boys Weekend is compelling and hilarious with plenty of food for thought.”
—Adrienne Urbanski, Bust
“A horror dramedy drawn in the style of a ’90s cartoon, Lubchansky’s graphic novel . . . satirizes crypto-bro idiocy while delivering a profound meditation on selfhood.”
—Michelle Hart, Electric Literature, “The Most Anticipated LGBTQ+ Books for Summer 2023”
“Lubchansky uses science fiction, horror, and the comic book form to explore the terrors of coming out as transfemme in a world dominated by dudes. . . . Very satisfying. . . . [An] undeniably original adventure.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“Mattie Lubchansky is one of cartooning’s best satirists and their debut novel is a confident, clever, and poignant commentary on the many-tentacled monster of gender and capitalism.”
—Matt Bors, founder of The Nib and author of Justice Warriors
“Ingenious. . . . Lubchansky’s script and art both achieve a deadpan style reminiscent of Daria and 1990s Nickelodeon, which amplifies the surreal delirium. . . . A hilarious and terrifying send-up of capitalist-driven masculinity and a poignant story about the perception-altering blessings (and burdens) of queerness.”
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Boys Weekend has it all: sharp satire, inventive science fiction, eye-popping illustrations, and a great big heart at its core. It’s a wild and hilarious romp with something smart and moving on every page. I tore through it and think you will too.”
—Lincoln Michel, author of The Body Scout
"What a petrifying, hysterical, devastating, and adroit story of friendship, grief, and identity. The dread and comedy in Boys Weekend is familiar, funny, and painful, but you can't look away because you know it's true. Gender is terror, and never before has it been so expertly deployed in a graphic novel. Mattie Lubchansky’s work always makes me laugh and always makes me feel afraid; it feels like I should be."
—Scaachi Koul, author of One Day We'll All Be Dead and None of This Will Matter
"I didn’t realize how badly I wanted Boys Weekend to exist until I read it. Finally, it’s here. Mattie Lubchansky has pulled off two incredibly tricky feats. The first: rendering a near-future vision of Turbo Las Vegas that’s both absurd and alarmingly plausible. The second: capturing a very specific moment in a trans person’s social transition and all the interpersonal dissonance, joy, and occasional clone-murder that goes along with it. Lubchansky has produced a deeply moving, deeply funny work about the people we used to be and the people we’re becoming—one where the real horror is the friends we’ve lost along the way. Just kidding. The real horror is the ancient evil lurking at the bottom of the ocean. And capitalism. And the gender binary. But the friendship thing is important, too."
—Calvin Kalsulke, author of Several People Are Typing
"Yes, Boys Weekend is a deeply affecting story about personal identity, social pressure, and coming to terms with your past, but don’t worry—it also has biting social satire, scary monsters, and a good old-fashioned mysterious cult. A wildly good time that just happens to also be kinda profound."
—Jess Zimmerman, author of Women and Other Monsters
“Incredibly important in our current moment. . . . Funny, deeply insightful, and even more wild than you’d expect for a story about a hedonistic future-tech-Vegas.”
—Michael Kurt, Comics Beat
07/28/2023
Sammie, an artist's assistant, has been invited to a bachelor-party weekend by their longtime friend Adam. The festivities will take place in El Campo, a fictional, uber-hedonistic stateless society wrapped up in a Las Vegas— or Dubai-like package. Sammie, who has been out as trans for two years, has been asked to be Adam's best man. Though Sammie is uncomfortable with this gendered title and the overall expectations for the trip, they still agree to attend. While the bachelor party guests are obnoxious, the real physical threat lies within El Campo, which is rife with ominous tech bro cult members, glowy-eyed sea monsters, and forced-labor gig-economy clones. As tensions rise and El Campo quickly reveals itself to be a high-tech hellscape, it's not a question of if something zany yet horrific is about to happen, but when. Lubchansky is skilled at conveying a sense of deep anxiety from page one, while simultaneously maintaining elements of fun and surprise and even poignant moments of real tenderness and vulnerability. The illustrations are broken up with social media posts, gooey slime-green lettering, texting conversations, and increasingly dystopian advertisements, thus moving the action and plot along nicely. VERDICT Horror fans are in for a chaotic yet satisfying ride.—Ingrid Conley-Abrams
2023-05-09
Lubchansky uses science fiction, horror, and the comic book form to explore the terrors of coming out as transfemme in a world dominated by dudes.
Sometime in the not-too-distant future, Sammie Kavalski is packing for their best friend Adam’s bachelor party blowout. They’re not thrilled at the prospect of spending a weekend at El Campo, a floating resort in the South Pacific. And they’re even less excited about hanging out with old pals who still treat them like one of the guys. This ostensibly pleasant excursion will prove to be beyond Sammie’s worst imaginings. During days of lawless partying on the high seas, Sammie will have to deal with toxic bro culture, a dangerous cabal, an eldritch horror from the deep, and people who consistently mock and misgender them. Although it’s set in an invented universe, Lubchansky’s graphic novel offers commentary on our own time and place. El Campo is built on a garbage island, and on their way there, Sammie is upcharged for having gained 3.3 pounds since they booked their “Super-Saver Plus Plus” ticket, and they have to pay a landing fee before they can exit the airport. When they check into their hotel, they have to offer a blood sample so they can participate in fun activities like hunting and killing their own clone. And the cabal—which calls itself a “vertically integrated marketing platform for a global network of entrepreneurs”—issues fleece vests not unlike those favored by fintech guys to its members. The fantastic elements of this graphic novel are intriguing, but the bulk of the book consists of repeated scenes of Sammie being abused by the bachelor-party cohort, retreating to deal with the emotions that stirs up, and then rejoining the group. These two parts of the story don’t work well together, though. Neither the relationships among characters nor the sea-monster cult is given enough space to develop. That said, Lubchansky gives Sammie a chance to reconcile with Adam and their past self in a way that is very satisfying.
An uneven but undeniably original adventure.
