Katman [Paperback]

Kevin C. Pyle (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2009

Kit is a bored sixteen-year-old with nothing to do one summer when he starts feeding stray cats. He loves it when cool, artistic Jess helps him out, even though he has to endure constant taunting by her disaffected metalhead friends. They make fun of him for being like the local cat lady, but Kit doesn’t care—especially after Jess draws him an anime-style avatar named Katman.

Exploring themes of abandonment and the transformative power of art, this is an emotionally astute coming-of-age tale from the hugely talented Kevin C. Pyle.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This great coming-of-age tale promotes nonconformity as well as responsibility (and young love, too, but to a lesser extent). It's the summer break, and lacking friends or funds, teenager Kit is hanging around the house too much. Wandering aimlessly through his low-income neighborhood in Brooklyn, Kit takes pity on the stray cats he sees. He feels as abandoned as they are, and is soon feeding them, first from his mother's pantry and then by stealing. But by caring for the kitties, the boy begins a journey of growth and maturity, meeting people like the crazy cat lady (who was once involved in radical politics); the shopkeeper who catches Kit stealing and teaches him about Jainism; and most importantly, Jess, a cute punk rock girl with artistic ambitions. She's impressed that even though Kit is not sure why he's doing it, unlike her so-called friends he's doing something selfless and refuses to waver from his beliefs under peer pressure. Jess further encourages Kit by creating Katman, a manga-like superhero alter ego. Pyle's loose, vibrant art brings an immediacy to this story that often reads as if we're peeking into Jess's notebooks. (Sept.)
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About the Author

KEVIN C. PYLE is the author and illustrator of Blindspot, and his work has appeared in The Village Voice, The New York Times, and The New Yorker. He lives in New Jersey.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. BYR Paperbacks; First Edition edition (September 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805082859
• ISBN-13: 978-0805082852
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,515,003 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommended!, October 21, 2009

By 

David Hodge - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Katman (Paperback)

Cat lovers should definitely pick up this cool graphic novel. Especially if you're the type that keeps taking in strays off the street. You'll feel vindicated!
Highly recommended!!!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A well crafted story of leadership, October 15, 2009

By 

John Whitaker - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Katman (Paperback)

and assuming responsibility for the neglected, the vulnerable and the outcast. Heavy themes. But there's a good measure of humor playfully deployed to lighten up the burden of Kit's ordeal by stray cats(for example, the punk kids hang outside of the local "BFD" instead of "KFC"). A forgiving Jainist, an interested, aspiring cartoonist, a cantankerous older brother, and a tea guzzling misanthrope all help Kit elevate himself from couch potato to protector of potato carrying cats. The middle class neighborhood scenes are particularly well drawn and evocative. The story is also surprisingly romantic.
My 13-year-old enjoyed "Katman". But, my 7-year-old really loved it. Highly recommended for readers of all ages.
They both highly recommend Blindspot as well.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great - I highly recommend, October 6, 2009

By 

Michael D. Slack - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Katman (Paperback)

I like Katman because there's a soulfulness to Kevin Pyle's work that seems pretty rare. It's like it vibrates up from his lines on the page. He makes you care about his characters, with both words and pictures - makes you feel the loneliness and the need to make connections that drive them. He makes it totally believable that a lost kid in a stark urban landscape can become a sidewalk savior to a pack of stray cats, and in the process, find his way in the world. Visually, thematically, Katman is about a quest to connect. But it's also a fun comic with a light touch. Why, there's even sections that retells the story as a whacky, symbolic, kung-fu fantasy - a kind of manga comic within a comic. Throw in a crazy cat lady and a well-placed reference to "Planet of the Apes" and Katman had me completely. It's hard to imagine pulling this off without getting sappy at some point - it's a YA teen romance for chrissakes - but this book earns all its heartfelt emotions.