IF UR STABBY

Not all unicorns are full of sunshine, magic, and smiles; some are surly, sarcastic, and hostile.

Stabby, a stout, churlish, teal-colored unicorn, stars in this collection of stand-alone cartoons, paneled strips, reimagined tarot cards, and funny re-imaginings of iconic images, such as Vermeer’s Girl With a Pearl Earring featuring Stabby with a bloody horn and an eye dangling from his ear. Starting with the “Stabginnings” and a darker rendition of “If You’re Happy and You Know It,” the tone is set as readers see Stabby through a series of job fails such as balloon seller ruining the merchandise or team-building coach whose horn proves deathly in trust falls. A dejected looking Stabby walks through a grocery store stocked with cereals like “Infeerios” and “Shredded Mini Dreams.” Stabby is often gender ambiguous but is noted as the father of assorted hybrid horned zoo animals. In a nod to current events, the irascible unicorn appears as a writer, literally juggling lots of plates when Pandemic, a red-eyed panda, shows up, smashing them all. This collection leans into the macabre—the number of skewered eyes alone is unfathomable—and the gallows humor could easily make it a cult favorite. The color illustrations have verve and energy, perfectly matching the mood of the collection.

An expression of our dark inner demons that is both hilarious and cathartic.