Overall, this was not a bad graphic novel. It has a rough start, and doesn’t really get good until around the second or third chapter. When we see Sam start to spiral, this is when the story got interesting. While the story moves along, we see mistakes get made and some harsh things get said. Yet as this tale comes to a close, we see someone do a complete 180 and become a much better person.

UTown really is perfect for fans of Scott Pilgrim, as the description states. Just like in Pilgrim, the cast of quirky characters are entertaining and not wanting to grow up. Looking back on the past and trying his best to move forward, it was nice seeing a story of gentrification and facing reality. I look forward to more from this author!

Thank you to NetGalley and OniPress for the opportunity to read UTown!

I love a graphic novel, and UTown did not dissapoint. A really real story with beautiful artwork and really pleasing colour palletes.

I really loved the art style for this graphic novel; it was very expressive and pretty!!! The story was very real too, both in how hard and sad it was at times, and the happiness too. I liked it a lot!!

Summary:

Misfits have a way of finding one another. For this group of misfits, their home is Utown. It's not the cleanest or nicest neighborhood around, but it's theirs, and that's something! Or is it? Gentrification has a way of ruining everything, especially for those that have the least.

Samuel had always thought that this was a safe haven. Right up until it wasn't. Now he will have to find a new path as an artist. It's his best chance at fighting back. It's either that or a return to his old toxic cycle of bad behaviors.

Review:

To say that the story of Utown was so wholly human would be an understatement. This story has a way of getting under your skin, and I believe that had a lot to do with the characters. Samuel's story is not unique, which makes it resonate. This is something that could happen to anyone.

There is a perfect balance of tension, emotional turmoil, and drama to keep readers invested here. And there's certainly more than enough to keep them rooting for our protagonist. Rooting for the underdog is always fun, right?

I adore the artwork in Utown. I can see why it has been favorably compared to Scott Pilgrim. As a fan of that series, I can safely tell you to check out Utown.

Highlights:
Graphic Novel
Scott Pilgrim vibes

(Full disclosure: I received a free e-ARC for review through Netgalley.)

Twenty-four-year-old Samuel has lived in the Milton Building ever since his friend Thom let him crash in his band's rehearsal space. So when he "rescues" a wayward, doe-eyed teenager from some of his sketchier neighbors, Sam pays it forward and agrees to give Edwin a place to stay. Edwin is everything that Sam isn't: hardworking, conscientious - and sober. Still, the two get on well enough, until a confluence of events turns the fault lines in their relationship into tiny earthquakes.

Sam's called Uniontown - UTown to the locals - home for all his life. But the gentrification that's been shifting the face of his neighborhood has finally arrived at his door - literally. The tenants of 1454 Milton Street have been given 90 days to vacate the property, before it will be torn down and replaced with condos. Though they have little recourse - since the Milton Building is all commercial leases, no one's supposed to be living there - the news is met with protests. With tensions simmering, Thom's friend Étienne commissions Sam to create some artwork to adorn the walls of his new coffee shop -slash- pub, to give him some street cred (yes, he said the quiet part out loud). Can Sam rise to the occasion despite his looming eviction, drug and alcohol addiction, and all-around poor self-esteem?

UTOWN is ... kind of an interesting beast. The gentrification - and community resistance - proved to be a more engaging character than the actual main character. Maybe it's because I saw too much of myself in him (aimless, adrift, self-sabotaging), but mostly I just didn't find Sam all that compelling. He's self-absorbed and kind of a deadbeat. He has talent but actively avoids employing it at all turns. (And his excuses, ugh.) His redemption/moment of inspiration was nice, but it proved kind of a drag getting there.

Likewise, are we supposed to like Étienne in the end? He's pretentious and self-serving with zero ability to read the room. And I didn't buy him as scary or intimidating in the least. Honestly, that characterization had me scratching my head. Unless you're afraid of the lawyers he might possibly sic on you?

Really, it's the side characters of The Milton Building that really shine. Give me more Liz and Viv, Craig and Becky, Elly and her garden.

I enjoyed reading this book. I like that it was in an age range that is not always shown in books. I do wish it was in color(could be the version I was able to read), but it does not take away from the story.

I would like to thank you for the ARC of this book which the publisher kindly provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

"UTown" by Cab takes readers on a vivid and compelling journey through the lives of a diverse group of misfits residing in a seedy neighbourhood. The graphic novel revolves around Samuel, a twenty-four-year-old aspiring artist and part-time video store clerk, who finds himself grappling with the encroachment of gentrification on his beloved community.

Cab skillfully captures the essence of the neighbourhood, immersing readers in its gritty atmosphere and painting a vibrant picture of its inhabitants. Through the unique perspectives and experiences of the characters, "UTown" delves into themes of identity, belonging, and the struggle to navigate the challenges of adulthood.

Samuel, as the central protagonist, is a relatable and flawed character whose journey reflects the universal desire to hold on to the familiar and resist change. As gentrification threatens the only home he has ever known, Samuel must confront his own fears and confront the reality that the place he grew up in is rapidly transforming.

The artwork in "UTown" is both visually striking and evocative, effectively conveying the raw emotions and complexities of the story. Cab's skilful use of panel layouts and the interplay between visuals and dialogue creates a dynamic reading experience, immersing readers in the narrative and bringing the characters to life.

A really gorgeous story about a burnout artist who tries to garner inspiration for art, help a troubled queer teen, and save his condemned apartment building.

The style is stark and punk and the story is a really good representation about how the world and the people in it are messy, and that even if things don't work out in the end, there are always other paths to find.

Great for older teens to adults!

Thanks to CAB and NetGalley for giving me the ARC!!

It is a fantastic story about the urban restruction.
Every one in this comic is cute and lovable.
There's pity, but definitely no regrets.

I'm glad I read it.
I want to see more funny stories about Sam and the coffee store owner (sorry, I forgot his name)!

Thanks again for the ARC!!

Over some 200 pages of stark black & white graphic art in her new graphic novel “UTown,” CAB (a/k/a Caroline Breault) tells the story of a neighborhood losing the battle against gentrification. Originally released bi-weekly on CAB’s’ website from December 2019 to May 2022, the graphic novel is scheduled for release this July on Oni Press (Simon & Schuster). Loosely based on “a string of real events” (author’s words) that took place in Quebec, UTown is also the story of a group of people who live in a reclaimed “abandoned” space slated for demolition.
Read the rest of my review at www.yvonnegarrett.com

About Sam, who gets a slap on his face, metaphorically and literally, that gets him to wake up and gets his life together after years of slacking off of his responsibilities as an adult. loved the art so much! &The story isn’t anything special but i’m hundred percent falling for the vibes.

The messages of how important community and found family are to people in need really shine through. I liked the art and see the similarities in style between UTown and Scott Pilgrim, however it is a disservice to both books to suggest UTown is FOR readers of Scott Pilgrim. All in all I enjoyed the story and the art and look forward to adding it to our Graphic Novel collection in my library.

Time to act! Samuel is twenty-four and slouches through life. He lives in a derelict building, dropped out of college and he doesn’t have a career. He has friends, community and talent as an artist and is content to coast through life, but all this changes when gentrification arrives with diggers, demolition trucks and plans for new expensive apartments. Samuel realises he needs to wake up and smell the coffee which he does from the new trendy cafe round the corner. His small world and comfortable life are about to change for good.

This is a great book. I liked the way it captures the opportunities and crises that gentrification can bring. A new lease of life for some, but destruction for others who are often the poor and powerless. Living in a major global city, I can see first hand how gentrification can affect neighbourhoods.

The artwork is good and has a way of conveying the edginess of the story and the hopelessness of poor communities in the face of the power of developers and government. It is a good story which drew me in and held my interest to the very end. Highly recommended.

Copy provided by Oni Press in exchange for an unbiased review.

UTown is an intense and inviting visual experience. A journey of words and images, and an enjoyable ride for comics readers. The style is dynamic and expressive, and the story is an enjoyable journey.

When a queer teen moves into town to escape a bad living situation, Samuel takes him under is wing and starts to teach him all that's wrong with the world - gentrification, bougie coffee houses and bars, having no one love your town like you do. Samuel drinks too much, stays up to late and can't seem to make (or keep) enough money. He's your typical, burnout slacker in his 20s - full of potential that he doesn't harness into greatness.

As the neighborhood deals with gentrification and his building is marked for demolition, Samuel spirals into his bad habits and jeopardizes his and other's well-being. He pushes people away and self-sabotages the opportunities in front of him. Samuel must pull himself together to help his hometown, his friends, and most importantly himself.

Overall, this was a pretty interesting book. There were some parts of the book where the POV switched, and other parts where the plot was just confusing in general. But I loved the character arc of Sam, and I loved the person he had become by the end of the book

Thank you to the author, publisher & NetGalley for a copy of this graphic novel in exchange for a review.

I haven’t read many graphic novels if I’m being honest but this one was nice and simple and easy to read so great for a newbie to comics/graphic novels. The art style is in a drawing style which I quite liked also overall I enjoyed this read!

This was okay, but nothing that really kept my interest. I wasn’t mad about reading it, but I also didn’t look forward to picking it up again after setting it down.

First up, I want to give a big big thanks for allowing me to read this book! I am a giant fan of Cab's work, got several of her art prints, absolutely LOVED Nuclear Winter (recently finished that series), and so I was hyped about this one. I had seen her work on it through her Twitter and it looked so good. Sadly... I have to DNF it. I am just not clicking with the story. The art is great. And I can see potential in the story, but it just not working for me. Along with the characters. The MC especially I want to give a good shake at times.