Mooncop

by Tom Gauld

"Living on the moon... Whatever were we thinking...? It seems so silly now."

The lunar colony is slowly winding down, like a small town circumvented by a new super highway. As our hero, the Mooncop, makes his daily rounds, his beat grows ever smaller, the population dwindles. A young girl runs away, a dog breaks off his leash, an automaton wanders off from the Museum of the Moon.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Science Fiction, Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics, Space, Comic Book

94 pages, Hardcover

First published September 20, 2016

About the author

Tom Gauld is a cartoonist and illustrator. He draws weekly cartoons for the Guardian newspaper and New Scientist magazine. He has created eight covers for the New Yorker and a number of comic books. He lives and works in London.

Reviews

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple and melancholy. But there's donuts. Space donuts.

Really enjoyed this.

[Jan Philipzig · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sparse, subdued, existentialist, melancholy, wryly humorous, and maybe even a tad romantic: I liked it quite a bit. 3.5 stars, I’d say.

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Living on the moon. Whatever were we thinking? It seems rather silly now."

Here's a taste of it on vimeo:

https://vimeo.com/181677617

This is my third book from Gauld, the London Guardian cartoonist. I loved the spare and wonderful Goliath, and the funny collection of cartoons, You're All Just Jealous of My Jetpack, and I like living in Gauld's spare sweet melancholy worlds. The moon here is very stark and still empty after a number of years, and people there are already being replaced by robots, not needed. . . maybe the grand lunar experiment may be coming to an end, surprise, surprise.

If we were to live there would it be different? Would we change and learn how to live? Nah. Lunar Bus. Lunar Donuts. With very few people. Not selling a lot of donuts. Well, the crime rate there IS lower, there's that. This comment pertains to the title, Mooncop; the main character is a Mooncop, okay, he does security on the moon, and he is doing pretty well, as you might imagine. Very dry humor. British irony on current social concerns with policing?

But hey, since the moon turned out to be so good for us, I am sure Mars would be WAY better, let's still go to Mars, hey. Possibly Gauld is slyly referencing some people's obsession with going to Mars and starting over there.

The art is wonderful, meticulously drawn, muted grays and dark blues. The story is not that memorable, and maybe goes on a little long for what it sets out to do. I found it less funny than a little silly and melancholy mixed.

[Sam Quixote · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot of old-school sci-fi as well as the hyperbole that spewed out of the 1950s/60s American space program promised lunar colonies and mostly portrayed it as desirable. Tom Gauld pokes gentle fun at that naivety in Mooncop, imagining what life would be like if we did have a moon colony. The answer? Bo-ring! There’s nowt to do up there!

Mooncop drives about the barren landscape doing nothing because there’s no crime. What few humans there are on the moon are also realising what a dreary place it is and are packing up their shit and heading back to Earth. But, no matter how much he wants to leave, Mooncop has to stay and maintain the peace - as if there was anything there to disrupt it anyway!

Gauld’s minimalist art style is suited to the unexciting environs and subdued story which reads in a quasi-humorous, even melancholic, way. But in showing how dull moon life would be Gauld’s written a pretty forgettable book, especially as there’s barely anything to really call a story. The art is pleasant and it’s readable but, unlike Neil Armstrong’s footprints on the moon, Mooncop doesn’t leave much of an impression. Disappointing too as Gauld’s comics are usually more entertaining than this.

[Nnedi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful little melancholy story with imagery that'll stay with me for a while...BUT too dang short for a book that cost me nearly 20$. Took me less than a half hour to read.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a lovely story of loneliness and friendship this is.

"Living on the moon. Whatever were we thinking? It seems rather silly now."

Mooncop is the story of a man who always wanted to live on the moon, "but now I'm here, it seems like the party's over and everybody's going home."

We see the mooncop go about his quiet days, helping the last few residents on the moon. He has a lot of free time to gaze out on the stars and at earth. He wants to transfer back home, but no one is available to replace him.

Luckily he makes friends with the girl who works at the Lunar Donuts cafe. They're still far away from earth, but isn't having a friend all that really matters?

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

02/06/20 - even better second time round! 5 stars! And I have even more thoughts on a graphic novel that is less than 100 pages long!
RTC

—————————————
Awwwwww! This was such a lovely and tender little read and I'm grateful for the recommendation of it.

Mooncop focuses on a police officer who lives on the moon, who performs the same tasks day in, day out, which isn't a lot really. There are no crimes on the moon but there are lunar donuts which he particularly enjoys.

Mooncop is an existential story which is both funny and pretty sad at times, and will definitely be re-read.

A beautiful and touching book. Go check it out.

[Richard Derus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4* of five


All cops in noir stories eat donuts and drink coffee.


Of course they buy them from the local shop.

[Mooncop] is 96 pages of Gauld's quiet storytelling. He isn't aiming for humor and he doesn't shy away from silence. It is deeply satisfying to be taken by the hand and led to the place that Gauld wants to go: Human hearts that are quieter than most fiction lets on. What happens between peaks is only a valley by comparison.

Paying $20 for this book would, I admit, make me panther-screechingly furious. The library gets my thanks for having a graphic novel section. I enjoyed this gently sad exploration of endings and their occasional happy discoveries.

[Jon Nakapalau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Questions of duty, loneliness and the future are all addressed in this slim yet powerful GN. I would like to offer my first 'book and song' pairing (kind of like wine and cheese): listen to Jonathan King's Everyone's Gone To The Moon while you read this book...

[cloot · Rating 5 out of 5]

secrètement poétique et doucement bouleversant.
oh purée c'était vraiment trop bien. j'ai rarement vu un tel sentiment de solitude rendu aussi bien. je ne sais pas si je suis extrêmement triste ou apaisée. peut être les deux.

[Donovan · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun, clever little book. I mean, I read it in like ten minutes. Reminds me of Douglas Adams, but with more minimalism and ennui. The illustrations are simple but great and effective. Check it out!

[Amirsaman · Rating 4 out of 5]

تام گلد برای این‌که ایزولاسیون و تنهایی بشر را نشان دهد، آدم‌ها را توی لباس فضایی می‌گذارد، با آن حبابِ دورشان، حتا سگ‌ها را. این‌طور فضاسازی می‌کند: با تاکید بر سطح زبرِ ماه با خطوط یک‌نواخت، و تک‌رنگ بودنِ آسمان.
دخترِ کافه‌چی و پلیسِ ماه، تا لحظه‌ی آخر در دو پس‌زمینه با رنگ‌هایی متفاوت قرار داشتند، اما حالا که تنهایی‌شان را با هم می‌گذرانند و دو را به یک تبدیل می‌کنند، پس‌زمینه‌ی شخصیتِ کمیک‌شان نیز یکی می‌شود.‌

[Saif Saeed · Rating 2 out of 5]

This comic is the definition of "Its okay".

The idea is cool. It does exactly what a comic or book is supposed to do with the setting and the atmosphere that you feel reading it. Its a melancholic and lonely vibe. It does the job of making you feel something. Telling you anything about the story would be a spoiler because there's so little story, talking about anything is giving away too much but there are events happening in the comic. It's not boring, I just felt like it didn't do enough.

And therein lies the heart of the problem. Its short. I paid money for this. The art isn't anything special, nor is the writing. I couldn't help but feel like there should have been more to it.

A lot of existential works have this issue of 'It hasn't done enough" for me, but if you're into existentialism, cute comics, short (very short) reads and feeling a little bit sad and a little bit hopeful then you should pick this up.

[Elif · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a good graphic novel i wanted to be longer than 94 pages. It made me smile and sad. It was good about showing what loneliness is and what technology do to human relations.

[Melina Souza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reli em 12/05/2020:

Continuo amando esse livro.

Primeira leitura da Maratona Espacial 2020 / Especial Ficção Científica 2020.

*************

Uma graphic novel melancólica, encantadora, rápida e com uma arte linda sobre um policial que mora na Lua e aos poucos vê os outros habitantes voltarem para Terra.
Como disse, é uma leitura bem rápida e, apesar de querer mais páginas, gostei da forma com que a história terminou (,mas adoraria que tivesse uma continuação).

[Juho Pohjalainen · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's still rather an optimistic view compared to what we did get.

[Jenne · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are doughnuts, and a lost dog, and Neil Armstrong...you should just read it. It won't take very long. <3

[The Lion's Share · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'd say a bit too simplistic for me.

There's literally no story except for a tiny romance on the last pages. A bit depressing too. The only cop on the moon equals a lonely existence.

[Kim Lockhart · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 1/2 ⭐ rounded up, for this cute, poignant, very short story. My favorite line will always be: "I'll get you a box to put your therapist in."

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

The moon colony, once a hot and happening place, is now a ghost town, save for 2 people, and a lot of robots. In the book, we get a slice of (melancholy) life of the colony's policeman, fighting (non-existent) crime, and his ritual of stopping for a donut and coffee at the end of his shift. The only other person? The server at the donut shop.

It is a sweet story, with spare but attractive artwork in a muted palette of grays and blues.

Found this book through NPR's Book Concierge.

[Trike · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s about a cop. On the moon.

His small town is getting smaller as people leave for better opportunities, something we here in New Hampshire can relate to.

And... well, that’s pretty much it. As always, Gauld’s art is efficiently simple and basic, bordering on cute. Also, space donuts.

[Iben Frederiksen · Rating 3 out of 5]

★ 3.5 Stars ★

A little depressing, a little hopeful - a quick and entertaining read.

[Lindsay Seddon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lovely story, very atmospheric but too short!

Best read in absolute silence in the middle of the night.

[Emre Yavuz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arka kapaktaki yorumlardan birine %100 katılıyorum. Ay'da geçen bir Jim Jarmusch filmi izlemek gibi.

[Melissa Chung · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this graphic novel off the shelves of my local library because the cover was cute. I'm giving it 5 stars because although it is simple it did give me the feels.

Our book follows a lone police officer on the moon. His peace keeping is at 100%. No crime on the moon. When he first started the job there were more people. The moon was the place to be "back in the day", soon however, the inhabitants slowly start making their way back to Earth. The moon is left with more robots than humans. The cop puts in another transfer, but is rejected. He is basically stuck on the moon.

It's lonely and sad, but there is a happy ending!

[Peter Derk · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book shows the life of a cop on the moon who has his own donut vendor and floating cop car and spends his days looking for lost dogs, which are on the moon and therefore run around in hamster balls. It's just disappointing that they didn't go with the alternate title: Exactly Pete's Fantasy Life: The Book.

[Freesiab BookishReview · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a superior little graphic novel! From the art to the story! Every detail was perfect! Yes!

[César Viteri · Rating 5 out of 5]

La colonia lunar se está despoblando, y cada vez hay menos trabajo para el agente de policía. Con esta sencilla premisa el autor arma una reflexión potente y melancólica sobre la soledad y la belleza.

A través de viñetas casi siempre silenciosas, Tom Gauld nos presenta un satélite que parece sacado de ilustraciones conceptuales sobre cosmonautas soviéticos y de películas de ciencia ficción de los setenta, con toques a la vez infantiles y arquitectónicos. No le hacen falta apenas letras para expresar emociones intensas.

Es fácil encontrar ecos de Fargo, de westerns de John Ford, de Atmósfera Cero, de Moon, hasta de cuadros de Hopper; pero sobre todo, de la poesía de Bradbury y sus crónicas marcianas. Resulta fascinante la cantidad de cosas que puede sugerir Gauld con líneas tan medidas.

[Guilherme Smee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recebi esse quadrinho como recompensa "livro-surpresa" da campanha da Livraria Taverna para os tempos da pandemia. E simplesmente adorei. É um quadrinho imersivo, mas ao mesmo tempo fácil de ler. É irônico, mas também é singelo, tocante. Se o autor não se demora muito nos personagens, ele trabalha esmeradamente nos cenários. A solidão e o deslumbramento andam juntos também. A paleta de cores nos transporta diretamente para o espaço lunar. É como naquele filme da Sofia Copolla, "Encontros e Desencontros", que ficamos esperando alguma coisa grandiosa acontecer, mas depois percebemos que o filme não é sobre isso é como as pessoas acabam sozinhas, começam sozinhas e passam a maior parte do tempo sozinhas, seja com seu corpo ou seus pensamentos. Poderia dizer nesse sentido que esse quadrinho é bastante poético, muito bonito em conteúdo visual e de sentidos que gera no leitor. Gostei mesmo.

[Alexander Peterhans · Rating 4 out of 5]

He's a cop. He's on the moon. He's a mooncop.

It's very melancholy. And, at times, achingly funny.

The art is deceptively simple. The art is direct. It's of the moon. It's deceptively simple but direct moon art.