John Pham’s simple-seeming stories of best friends Jay and Kay and their misfit friends weave in and out, with unexpectedly sad twists and comical turns, all steered by Pham’s mastery of the cartooning craft and the language of comics storytelling. Pham’s bold use of bright color and high hilarity draws the reader in, only to slowly reveal extra layers of psychological acuity, character depth, and existential gravitas.

For all of its emotional richness, at its heart, J + K remains laugh out loud funny throughout, whether driven by Pham’s gift for memorable one-liners, his expertly delivered sight gags, or the inherent humor in his character designs and their physicality on the page. Combined with Pham’s brilliant use of color and innate grasp of printing, packaging, and graphic design, J + K is a chiseled gem of comics perfection.