I read this in a hurry before Sam took it back to Philadelphia with her, so I can't list the stories I liked most, sadly. I would recommend it, though---I'm not even a gamer (unless you count board games, which the authors do) and I still found a lot to like. ( )

This graphic novel is exactly what it says on the tin.

Enlightening, eye-opening, and privilege-checking. My local library stocks this, and if you're into comics and gaming, your brainmeats deserve this. Might even need it. ( )

I enjoyed this a whole lot. It covers a wide range of topics about gaming especially as a female gamer. Things such as misogyny in gaming spaces is covered but so are the reasons games are so appealing. Why do we love it? I absolutely found this graphic novel enchanting and highly recommend if you are a gamer ( especially a female one). ( )

This is a really beautiful anthology of comics by women, trans and nonbinary artists, about their experiences in the world of gaming: video, tabletop role-playing such as D&D, and live action role-playing (LARPing). Some of the stories are fun and fluffy, while others go deep and very personal. As a woman who loves both gaming and comics, I found this book scratched itches I didn't even know I had. Some of the stories made me tear up as I recognized the feeling of purpose and belonging I, too, have found in gaming at various points in my life. At a time where misogyny and transphobia still run rampant in the larger gaming world, this book is a safe and friendly haven, badly needed. (Oh, and despite the unfortunate title, it has no chainmail bikinis!) ( )

I supported the Kickstarter for this, and I was happy to have the final result arrive this week. It took me a little over an hour to read, and I found it thoughtful, engaging, and laugh-out-loud amusing at times. The focus is on women gamers, and there are also several strips that delve into gender identity; the universal theme is a sense of belonging through gaming, whether it's Pokemon, AD&D, or LARPing. Since it has over 40 contributors, there's a lot of variety and diversity; that meant that even if some artwork of subject matter didn't grab me, that would likely change with the next comic.

Some of my favorite sections were "She's the Backbone of This Facility" by Laura Lannes (a thoughtful analysis of Portal 2's feminist themes), "Achievement Unlocked" by Jade F. Lee, "Here Comes a New Challenger" by Kinoko Evans, and "Hermia" by Miranda Harmon (*sniff*). When you support a Kickstarter, you're never quite sure how the end product will turn out, but I think this is excellent. Sure, I wish some of my own influential games had been shown more (Final Fantasy and Dragon Warrior/Quest series), but at the same time, I was charmed to see how games like Pokemon and Animal Crossing influenced this generation of artists. ( )