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Quiet

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by Fernando Gabriel Sosa   Quiet (2026), written by former mental health nurse, celebrated baker, and author Kim-Joy, and illustrated by Alti Firmansyah, represents a sophisticated expansion of the narrative and therapeutic concerns introduced in Turtle Bread. Shifting the focus from adult community workshops to the high-pressure environment of a near-future secondary school in Manchester (set in 2060), the graphic novel tackles the complex reality of selective mutism, peer harassment, and the double-edged sword of technological interventions in adolescent mental health care. Through a compelling mix of speculative fiction, coming-of-age drama, and graphic medicine, the authors offer a nuanced examination… Read More

Welcome to St. Hell: My Trans Teen Misadventure & Escape from St. Hell: My Trans Teen Life Levels Up

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by Soph Myers-Kelley In addition to being traditional coming-of-age stories, Welcome to St. Hell and Escape from St. Hell centers Lewis Hancox’s experience recognizing he is different than his peers, coming out, and pursuing medical care as a transgender man. As a British high schooler, Lois Hancox (former name) was not out and proud about being transgender. Consequently, we witness conversations with the present-day author and his past self, trying to make sense of the mess of adolescence, high school, bullying, and not fitting in. Finding and being confident in yourself is hard for any teenager, but it’s doubly hard… Read More

Crownsville

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by Dr. Javier A Suarez   DISCLAIMERS The review is split into spoiler-free and spoiler-filled sections with clear demarcations for each, but even the “spoiler-free” sections will delve into the themes and general set-up of the book. The book contains depictions of serious child abuse. The book also contains disturbing portrayals of racially motivated violence against Black people. I am not a Black person, so the point of view of my review will invariably be from a perspective outside of this particular lived experience. Content advisory: For domestic violence, including child abuse:  National Domestic Violence Hotline in the United States… Read More

On the Dark Side of the Moon（我們在月之暗面）

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by Yu-Ling Kung   On the Dark Side of the Moon (2024) is a graphic novel by Beck Kao, an independent comics artist and toy designer from Taiwan and the founder of Uniautomata Studio, which published the book. It is difficult to guess what kind of story lies inside from the cover. The black, landscape-format cover shows only part of the Moon and the title, with no main characters or clear clues about the genre. Once I started reading, I found the story full of unexpected turns. At first, the main character, SYD, is a professional basketball player on the… Read More

Avengers: No More Bullying

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by Matt Peters   Content advisory: Brief discussions of interpersonal violence, emotional distress, and trauma responses   In 2014, Marvel adorned seven issues of its monthly comics with special covers to raise awareness about bullying. The October issues of Avengers (#36), Captain America (#25), Guardians of the Galaxy (#20), Hulk (#7), Inhuman (#7), Legendary Star-Lord (#4), and Rocket Raccoon (#4) all featured thematic variant covers that commemorated National Bullying Prevention Month and World Day of Bullying Prevention, both of which have been observed in October since 2006. The cover campaign was an effort Marvel undertook in partnership with STOMP Out… Read More

This Beautiful, Ridiculous City – A Graphic Memoir

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by Lilian Nyamongo Content Advisory: This book contains discussion of suicide with some suicidal imagery. The crisis Lifeline number in the U.S. and Canada is 988, in the U.K. it’s 999; and for elsewhere go to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_suicide_crisis_lines.There are occurrences of domestic violence. National Domestic Violence Hotline in the United States is 800-799-7233; text 988; or use this weblink, https://www.thehotline.org/. In Canada use https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/health-promotion/stop-family-violence/services.html. In the UK use https://www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk/. And elsewhere in the world, one could use https://www.nomore.org/the-no-more-global-directory/, https://www.domesticshelters.org/resources/national-global-organizations/international-organizations, or https://www.theamieffect.com/global-directory-of-abuse-helplines/. Part memoir, part love letter to New York City, This Beautiful, Ridiculous City is a thoughtful exploration of what it… Read More