Bonding is a funny, quirky, and honest look at love between two people in a world where everyone wears their anxiety-literally-on their chest like big ol’ leeches. Written by Matthew Erman (Good Luck, Witchblood) with art from Emily Pearson, this graphic novel is an entertaining story about the relationship between Marcus and Laura.

he cover art captures the essence of Bonding perfectly. It shows two people in an embrace with a third figure looming over them, which is symbolic of the parasites that create tension between Marcus and Laura throughout their relationship. The first few pages also had beautiful art, capturing emotions more eloquently than words ever could. Unfortunately, some of the interior pages lacked that same style of art as the introduction; while still amazing artwork, it did was in a style different than the simple clean artwork of the cover and first few pages.

The story itself follows Marcus and Laura as they navigate dating in a world where everybody carries parasites on their bodies that can affect relationships if one partner’s parasite rejects the other upon contact. This creates an interesting dynamic between them as they get to know each other better and try to determine if they are going to be compatible enough for a long-term relationship. Erman does an excellent job at writing this love story without getting too sappy or sentimental; his dialogue is natural, realistic, and humorous all at once.

All in all, Bonding is an interesting take on what it means to find love in a complicated world full of anxiety-inducing parasites. While there are some inconsistencies in terms of artwork style from page to page, Erman’s writing keeps you engaged throughout with its humor and insight into human relationships. If you’re looking for something different from your typical romance comic book, then give Bonding: A Love Story About People and Their Parasites a read—you won’t be disappointed!

Bonding: A Love Story About People and Their Parasites from Vault Comics is available starting February 1.