This graphic novel was a blast to read! Fun, quick, cute, and funny, I was captivated from start to finish. The representation was wonderful, and I was delighted to see it in a work aimed for younger audiences. The art was super cute and I loved all the subtle visual gags laced throughout!

The story itself gives vague Gravity Falls vibes, although they're more present in the first half for reasons I'll abstain from relaying for spoiler purposes. If you're looking for a smooth, relaxing read, I definitely suggest Martian Ghost Centaur!

Martian Ghost Centaur tells the story of Louie, a seventeen-year-old living in the small town of Southborough, a once popular tourist destination that has fallen on hard times. The town had a boom decades before following the sighting of the famous cryptid Sasquatch, and the subsequent tourist attention that it generates. However, with fewer and fewer sightings of the mythical creature the tourism has all but dried up, and many of those who live and work in Southborough are struggling to get by, especially when a tech billionaire comes to town and starts buying up all the properties so that they can convert the place into their new corporate headquarters.

Louie convinces herself that if she gets a popular web monster hunter, Para-Norma, to come to town and capture evidence of Sasquatch it'll bring tourists back to Southborough. Unfortunately, instead of proving to the world that the monster is real it's revealed that her parents were behind the original sighting. Now angry at her parents for lying to her, and facing the end of Southborough Louie comes up with an even riskier gambit, convincing people that a new, real, monster has arrived in town; the Martian Ghost Centaur.

You can probably tell from the title of the book alone, but Martian Ghost Centaur isn't a story that takes itself too seriously, it's full of ridiculous situations, over the top jokes, and crazy characters; and it's all the better for it. The book embraces a sense of whimsy that informs every plot point, every character, and much of the art too, with silly little references and Easter eggs hidden in the backgrounds of scenes. It's not a parody by any means, instead walking a fine line between good humour and pure silliness.

The book is pretty well paced, with quite a lot of the story actually taking place before Louie makes the decision to make her own fake monster, something that I was expecting to come up a lot earlier in the plot. Instead, the book takes its time getting to that point, focusing instead on Louie and her family, their relationships, and the people of Southborough. Because of spending this time getting to know the characters I found myself caring about them more than I was expecting, and would have enjoyed several volumes of just following these people around and seeing the weird little things they got up to on a day to day basis.

I also really enjoyed the amount of time given over to Louie's relationships with her parents, and the fact that she has two fathers in a loving relationship and it's never once made a thing of. No one even points out that two men are married to each other with a teenage daughter as being out of the ordinary in any way, and I feel this is something a lot of other books fail to do. Good representation doesn't just mean including queer characters like this, but treating it as normal too, it means not sensationalising things or going 'look at our progressive characters'. The gender of either of Louie's parents wouldn't have changed a single part of the book, any of the plot or the way a single character reacted to them, and that's great.

I had a great time with this book, I found it to be a lot of fun and it really got me invested in the characters and the world. The artwork is pretty simple, but it has a lot of details in the backgrounds of scenes, small jokes and gags that you'll miss if you're not looking out for them. The whole thing was a delight to read.

Such a fun story and a quick read! I loved the art style - it reminds me of the Lumberjanes comic book series - and the messages conveyed throughout the novel are relevant for readers of all ages, especially for pre-teens/teens. If you’re looking to get your kid something new to read, I recommend this!

Graphic novels are a kind of a hard thing to crack for me. There are some times when I can read 10 a week and there are months when I don't pick up a single graphic storytelling medium. That's why I started reading Martian Ghost Centaur as soon as I got my hands on it. And I freaking loved it. I'm kind of a cryptid freak and I always get disappointed when someone is trying to prove it's a fluke. Deep down I know they're most likely not real but you know... (insert a sparkly I WANNA BELIEVE sign here). That's why Martian Ghost Centaur hit so close to home.
This graphic novel has a charming small-town feel, a cute but simple art-style, characters full of personality, and wholesome community dynamics. Not to mention a great message about job vs passion and how you don't need to make a living out of your hobbys and stuff you love. The fact that it's just a one-shot was a big plus as well because at least to me, often the first volume NetGalley offers is hard to judge in context of the whole story. This story is full from the beginning to end and I absolutely recommend. it.

I LOVED THIS!!
This was such a fun story about a teen girl living in a town famous for its Sasquatch sightings. Over the years, tourism has died down and the town is in need of funds. A tech company struts in with plans to bulldoze the town for its headquarters and our main character must figure out how to save her town, while also dealing with normal teen problems like figuring out who she is and what she wants to do for the rest of her life.

This book takes many important topics, from friendships, the unknown of our futures, the struggles of our neighbors, what makes a person happy... the list goes on. Each topic transitions seamlessly to the next. Complete with hilarious dialogue and beautiful + fun art. Highly recommend.

Hand this one to fans of Lumberjanes and Witch Boy. Also, for all the fans of Bigfoot or Sasquatch out there. Also, who doesn’t love a protagonist who wants to save her hometown? The best friend and the protagonist’s dads are enjoyable side characters. And, that’s right, I said dads. We get some lovely LGBTQ+ representation in this fun, enjoyable graphic novel.

Wow! I absolutely LOVED this. I read another book by the author, Unplugged and Unpopular", and thought it was cute. So, I figured give "Martian Ghost Centaur" a try. Oh boy am I glad I did! This might be my favorite book that I've read in 2020. I enjoyed the themes of gentrification and how jobs don't have to define you. I'm really happy to see a YA book focus on a character not attending college. It's not a path for everyone, and for many folks it's not an easy possibility.

There are so many funny parts of the book some of my favorites being the closet Airbnb and Trent Reznor having a tent rental shop in the town, I had two actual laugh out loud moments. The art is so adorable and expressive. I love the clothing Louie and her friends wear. I really liked the colors too.

The ending is just perfect. Had me smiling big. It seems like a self-contained story, but I'd be so happy to see another book with Louie and Felix. But until, then I'll be recommending this to comedy loving YA readers.

Just the premise of this one sounded fun to me, so I knew I wanted to pick it up. We follow Louie who is trying to save her town after the tourism market seems to dry up. Woven into the story is also her going through that period of late teens where she's trying to figure out what she wants to do and what comes after high school. It has a diverse and unique cast of characters and Louie is quite a character herself, but I was surprised when I discovered she was 17 as she does read a tad younger. There were times that her reactions were a little more adolescent than her age, but those were minor things. It's a fun adventure of one girl trying to save her town from being bought up and renovated and all the different things she tries on the way there.

I am weirded out by how much I adored this story.
Gentrification was such a weirdly fascinating topic to explore in a graphic novel but it was such a fun ride?
Basically, this follows a small town that is slowly being bought up by an arrogant business-type Gen-Z dude who wants to create a start-up right in the middle of this town that has been known forever as the town where you can catch a glance of a Sasquatch. Basically, we follow the daughter of one of the business owners who does everything she can to make sure her parents don't have to sell their place.
It was so fun and engaging and followed the idea of the American Dream (you can be anything) and had some really poignant commentary on such issues as passion vs. dream job and how to be happy in life without (much) money.
Definitely an errie read and visually pleasing, with some hilarious references to places and tv shows (also memes like "road work ahead? Yeah I sure hope it does") that had me giggling!

Louie's hometown of Southborough, CA is famous for sightings of the Sasquatch, but when it isn't spotted for a few years, tourism starts to dry up and business start going under. Louie's dads' business is in danger of being bought by a business that helps other people start businesses. Louie has to do some quick thinking to save her town and figure out her place in it.

Martian Ghost Centaur is a comic full of humor and adventure. Talk about protecting the place you love, following your intuition and finding yourself.
The plot centers on Louie O'Connor, a firm believer in the existence of the Sasquatch. The town of Southborough used to be a major tourist destination, attracting people from all over in hopes of seeing the famous Sasquatch. But it's been years since anyone saw the 'squatch' and tourism is starting to dry up.
A tech company called Start-up.com (a start-up company that helps people start their own businesses) decides to start buying places across the city to build their tech headquarters, driving everyone outside. .
Louie and his best friend will do everything possible to reverse this situation.
It was a comic that I read nothing and it touched my heart, Louie does everything possible to save his people and it is amazing.
She is a girl who does not stop! He has an overwhelming character and does not give up on anything. Sometimes it fails but it is understandable because it has to go through a lot
If you want to read a summer novel that distracts you and makes you have a good time, it is the ideal

Fun, fresh, and adorable.
Colourful, friendly art. Diverse characters. LGBTQ rep (Louie has two Dads and they are too cute, even when they're sad. And they adore her.)
A tale of family, friendships, and community, and how these things endure even when a fundamental part of your life turns out to be a lie. All wrapped up in the drama of being a teen. And a sneaky one at that (the Airbnb, hysterical).

This was an utterly fabulous graphic novel--whimsical, sweet without being saccharine, very fun, and philosophically deep at that. The overall messages about community, passion, and how jobs (or school) don't have to define someone are wonderful for a tween/teen/young adult audience, and they're a great reminder for older readers too. The art style is really cute as well. I'll be buying a copy of this once it comes out! (Review based on an ARC from NetGalley.)

That's the cutest thing I've read recently. Super quick read and I loved the art style. It reminds me a bit of the "luberjanes" graphic novels. It talks about friendship, love, trust and to find your passion and what makes you happy. It's definitely a favourite

Southborough, a town once known for its Sasquatch sightings, is on the verge of being bought out by a guy who wants to make it a tech area. We follow Louie, our main character, as she tries to save her town.

I really enjoyed the art style. My favourite bits were the puns: Doug "the boulder" Johansson, I liked that tidbit very much. The ending was a highlight for me, I enjoyed that she ended up finding what she wanted to do as a job, which I feel is a good message to give to people, as I am well into my university degree and I still have no idea what I want to do, and the little extra Sasquatch was excellent. (also, bonus points for having 2 dads! I've never read a book with two dads).
However, I did have a few issues, a lot of things were unrealistic, such as the Airbnb in a closet without her parents knowing. Also, the obvious "plot twist" could have been funner if they weren't revealed as early on.
Overall, an enjoyable read that I think many people will like to read, especially younger teenagers.

I received this as an eARC to read for free in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for giving me access.

Sasquatch story? Yes please! I loved how this one turned out. Sometimes the mystery is just in believing. A great story that shows what a girl will do for the town she loves in order to save it.

Trust is a big part, but so is love and friendship....also not being the big man trying to take over a small town. Definitely one that can put a smile on anyones face when they read this.

Well, that was some fun entertainment over lunch. No, I actually read it while I was eating lunch.

Martian Ghost Centaur isn't my favorite book title but it fits the ridiculous story. Louie is the daughter of two guys who started a sasquatch rumor when they were younger that resulted in a spike of town tourism. Unfortunately, as it goes, people started losing interest over time. Louie spends her last Summer before college trying to find a way to bring people back to her town before the whole thing gets taken over by capitalism. It's a pretty deep plot if you think about it. 👀

My favorite bits were the throwbacks to pop culture from the 90s and early 2000s and the end lesson to 'do more of what makes you happy'. This is definitely a Graphic novel you should pick up.

*Thank you to Netgalley and Oni Press for providing me with a review copy.*

Martian Ghost Centaur by Mat Heagerty is a story about a town fighting against the loss of its businesses, its people, its identity. It is also a story about unknown monsters, both fantastic and horrifyingly real. And about how an old lie can make everything cramble.

In a town where a Sasquatch siting made everything bloom, the loss of the Sasquatch and gentrification puts in peril everything its people have fought for.

Louie, our main character, tries to save her town. Her idea? To catch the Sasquatch. But... what happens if there's no creature?

I enjoyed Martian Ghost Centaur but found that it has two very distinct problems: One, it tries to do everything. At once. At the same time. We have the true-or-not Sasquatch story. We have the centrification story. We have a main character who creates an airbnb in her bedroom's closet; we have the mini-story of the Ghost-catcher girl. And so on and so forth.

And two... I couldn't stand Louie. She is rude to everybody, her evolution as a character is kind of strange, she contradicts herself and her own feelings more than once...

Sadly, I had very high hopes with this story and it kind of let me down. I enjoyed the drawing and the color (the artistic side is simply amazing) but could not enjoy the story at all.

When a tech whizzkid starts buying up Louie's hometown, she decides to cash in on the legend of the sasquatch to try and save it.

A quirky, fun tale with a strong message. The illustrations and colouring are excellent, really draw you in. I had a few issues with some aspects of the story which didn't seem very plausible and the main character acted a lot younger than she was, I thought she was about 12 for the first part of the book.
I can see this appealing to our students though, so it's worth considering for the library collection.
Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for the ebook to review.

I can see why teen readers will love this book but I don’t think I fall into the intended audience. For as long and slow-moving as the book is, the characters didn’t seem to have much depth and there were too many character and plot contradictions (money ruins everything but money rescues the town, lying is bad but lying rescues the town, etc) that kept me out of the story. There are a lot of good things in the book that could have been made much better but maybe it won’t be an issue for other readers.