Customer Reviews

My Name is Funky... and I'm An Alcoholic: A Story About Alcoholism and Recovery

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I've been a Funky fan since the 1970's. I had always thought it would be cool for the storyline of Funky's alcoholism to be published in a book like Lisa's Story. Humor is a key to healing from addiction. What better format than a comic strip?

It's especially fitting that Tom Batiuk is from Akron Ohio, the birthplace of AA. In one panel there's a street scene where readers who are AA members will recognize Bill W.'s house. Overall, the story is sensitive, respectful, realistic, and has the rare ability to make you laugh with a catch in your throat. Read it for yourself or if you're concerned about someone you love.

Tom Batiuk has never been afraid to tackle big issues in his comic strips, framing serious problems like teen pregnancies, Alzheimer's Disease, cancer, and now alcoholism within a gently humorous context. In addition to being entertaining, he is both informative and accurate when dealing with the kinds of problems faced by every one of us at one point or another in our lives. His daily comic strips, when rendered into book form, are as good as any graphic novel out there.

I happen to have some experience in 12-step work, and find this book to be well written and the resource listings to be a fantastic addition. I appreciate Mr. Battiuk's ability to find a way to shed some light on this disease, and to add some humor to it. One thing said in the rooms of one 12-Step Program is "don't take yourself too seriously", and another is "just because you're sober, doesn't mean you've stopped having fun".

Trust me - I have far, far more fun without alcohol than I ever thought possible, and would never go back.

My Name is Funky ...and I'm an Alcoholic: A Story about Alcoholism and Recovery is not a typical newspaper comic strip collection. Instead of the usual gaggle of lighthearted laughs, My Name is Funky collects a series of strips in which the title character confronts some literally life-changing obstacles - troubles in his marriage to Cindy Summers, and a drinking problem that gets worse and worse, exacerbated by his tendency to drive while drunk, until it threatens to completely destroy him. With the help of friends and professionals, he finally has to confront his addiction to alcohol. Even after months of sobriety, he learns the hard way that staying on the wagon is no small feat. "'Why didn't you call when you wanted to have that first drink?' 'I dunno... I guess I thought I could deal with it. I thought that by now I was tough enough.' 'Tough guy, huh? We tend to bury a lot of those.'" My Name is Funky also touches upon other serious matters, such as the soul-searching, and the question of what higher power one can believe in. Yet despite the profound subject matter, My Name is Funky spins everything with humorous edge that makes reading every panel enjoyable, even poignantly bittersweet. A postscript teaches readers about the basics of alcohol addiction and offers real-world references one can contact if one needs help. Highly recommended.

I read Funky back when he was in high school and then lost touch. A year or two ago I found the strip online & now read it every day. The story was good & well told although I did not think it was as good as Lisa's story of her life and death with breast CA. I applaud Tom Batiuk for addressing the serious issue of alcoholism in his strip. Too often drunkeness, especially in comic stips, is treated with laughter &/or ridicule. Funky's story is far more realistic and the humor while there doesnt detract from the seriousness of the effects of alcohol abuse on the lives of Funky, his family and his friends. The book had some stained pages on the bottom of the first several pages (like a coffee stain). I thought about sending it back, but decided to read it instead. On the whole, I am glad I kept it. This is a book I will read again & lend to friends.

What a great story about a terrible illness that affects a high school student. This story shows that you can recover and survive.

Disappointing that the book was all cartoons...which I didn't realize it was going to be.