Afternoon at McBurger's

By Ana Galvañ. Published by Fantagraphics. 

Hardcover, 64 pages, Colour, 2021. 

A science-fiction graphic novella grounded in a familiar experience for most: spending an afternoon with our best pals over a burger and fries. But this joint has something more special than a Happy Meal: the "Once Party" menu.

The "Once Party" menu, for ages 11 and up, can only be ordered once (of course). But there's a catch: not everyone who does gets the special prize. Those who do, go to a room where they can view five minutes of one of three moments in their future. Galvan manages to create a vivid world that is both a recognizable and alien depiction of adolescence. There are mean girls, and fast food, and BFFs with crappy older brothers, as well as familiar hints of 1990s design and fashion. Yet, it's also rife with futuristic flourishes like little robotic eggs that walk and talk, like anthropomorphic Alexas.

At its heart, however, Afternoon at McBurger's is a timeless story about friendship and innocence and the discoveries of adolescence (both good and bad), with layers to be revealed only through multiple readings. And Galvan's visual style, anchored by a mastery of pastel and primary colors, will make you want to do so immediately.

"As visually distinctive as it is emotionally resonant." — Library Journal

"Fizzy imaginative layouts paired with soda-pop colors draw readers into this deceptively simple science fiction comics novella from Galvañ set in a world that mixes futuristic technology with a retro 1990s aesthetic. This jaunt into a bizarre but all-too-familiar future leaves lingering impressions." — Publishers Weekly

"Dynamic and otherworldly, [Galvañ's stories] confound the boundaries of both comics and visual art to show a world where technology distorts both time and space." — Shelf Awareness

"Inventively structured, meticulously rendered, and lavishly adorned with a riso-friendly color palette, it's an auteur work in every sense of the term." — Four Color Apocalypse

"Afternoon at McBurger's conducts its narrative melody with humble grace and lets you bathe in a world of exquisite color for a unique futuristic story rooted in timeless truths." — AIPT Comics