Lewis Hancox’s teen years were much like anyone else’s, filled with the typical high school drama, perpetual awkwardness, and desperation to fit in. For him, however, it seemed like there were extra hurdles to face, being a girl that had yet to discover that he was actually a boy. In Welcome to St. Hell, Hancox addresses his younger self to guide her through those messy years of hating her body, of being confused at who exactly she’s supposed to kiss, of constantly trying to pass as a “normal girl.” Being a typical teenager, the younger Hancox tries to ignore her older self at every turn but cannot deny that she feels like an alien in her own skin. What follows is a humorous, relatable, and down to Earth depiction of Hancox’s gender exploration and eventual acceptance, told in a way that educates just as much as it entertains.
Welcome to St. Hell’s story is refreshingly grounded, widening its appeal to every kind of audience. Though the author’s transness is the focal point, there are other elements and situations that distinguish Hancox’s experiences from coming solely from a trans standpoint. Anyone who has ever walked a high school hallway will relate to those feelings of just trying to survive that time while also making an identity that’s your own, or something close to it. We all face adversities when discovering who we are, and we all fumble along the way. Hancox utilizes these shared feelings within adolescence to illustrate his journey in a context that anyone can empathize with. This is also added by his inclusion of interviews he conducted with his family and friends, detailing their initial reactions to his coming out and how they came to support him. These interviews allow for a different perspective for both allies and trans youth, delivering moments of education in how to best conduct allyship and shedding light on the effects a coming out may have to both parties.
The one thing that may take some readers out of the comic is the heavy use of British slang, which can confuse those not familiar with it, though they may adapt once they find the comic’s rhythm.
Though it has its moments of heartache, Hancox’s story is ultimately one full of honesty, hope, and humor. Even the presence of Hancox’s older self brings the positivity of a future where trans youth survive and have fulfilling adult lives. While trauma and hardship are incredibly valid in one’s gender journey, a memoir that sets a more uplifting tone to a work of trans survival can bring about a great deal of affirmation in trans youths’ lives.
Matching the tone and feel of the comic perfectly, Hancox’s art style looks like it came right out of a teenager’s prized doodle book. At many points, it reminded me of a lot of different zines, though mainly due to its mostly four panel per page structure and black and white color. The art style lends itself to a lot of great, funny expressions, my favorite being Hancox’s big eyebrows that cover a range of emotions all on their own. It is not an overly ornate comic, sticking more to simple character designs and backgrounds, but will appeal to those who prefer more cartoon-like art and less busy panels.
As the memoir is split between Hancox’s high school and college years, there are some mature topics that come into play, such as alcohol use, gender dysphoria, and eating disorders, and includes some brief moments of cartoony nudity and one use of the T slur. Scholastic has given this graphic novel an age rating of 14-18, which is appropriate given the content listed above, though I’m sure college students may be able to relate to the second half as well. Welcome to St. Hell is best for those looking for representative trans comics, whether as a trans youth looking for validating experiences, especially from trans men, or an ally looking to educate themselves on trans matters. I highly recommend this title to librarians and educators aiming to include a good variety of trans works into their graphic novel collections in terms of tone and depictions.
Welcome to St. Hell: My Trans Teen Misadventure By Lewis Hancox Scholastic GRAPHIX, 2022 ISBN: 9781338824445
Publisher Age Rating: 14-18
NFNT Age Recommendation: Older Teen (16-18), Teen (13-16) Creator Representation: British, Trans , Eating Disorder
Raptor introduces the reader to two main characters who exist in parallel, but entwined universes; the mercenary Sokol, who lives and hunts mysterious beasts in a stark feudal landscape and Arthur, the author of supernatural tales who is a disturbed, grieving widower living in nineteenth century Wales. Arthur’s grief and interest in the supernatural leads him to an active interest in gothic spiritualism.
The character Sokol is a duality; both a human and a hawk, trapped between life and death, civilized life and animal instinct, and reality and fantasy. The resulting tale is a combination of monster-hunting adventures and historical fiction exploring the nature of grief, books, readers, and the intersection of boundaries. Sokol wears a hard mask throughout the novel, readers never see any facial engagement with him, especially as he finds an ancient coin which he quickly gives away and plays a large part in the overall action of the graphic novel. Arthur, on the other hand, is portrayed as a depressed young man, full of pain and despair with the loss of his young wife. Arthur’s brother attempts to help him by introducing him to a secret society filled with tarot cards and superstitions.
The two main personalities meet and interact through a manuscript written by Arthur about his apparently invented character, Sokol. Written changes to the manuscript are manifested by both characters as they begin to communicate across the borders between their two realities. This interaction helps Arthur handle the devastation felt by the death of his wife and allows Sokol to become more engaged with his world as well.
McKean created his sophisticated and haunting illustrations in ink and pencil, augmented with several painted pages, before scanning them to be shaped digitally. Sokol and his world are illustrated with thick lines, a liberal use of black ink and elaborate details in the feathers of the birds and cloth worn by the humans. The monsters are enormous, the trees (my favorite) are twisted, gnarled, and grotesque, and the buildings of the town are, in turn, earthy and medieval. Arthur’s story is created with a softer line, offering an abstract dreaminess to the story line and the characters with several instances of splashes of color. Arthur’s dreams, on the other hand, are completely loaded with color and conceptual images that are as breathtaking as they are beautiful. The lettering throughout is small and fairly translucent ensuring that the reader slow down to appreciate the text and the illustrations that surround it. This is a book that calls to be read and re-read again and again. The two intersecting story lines are opaque enough that each reading gives an additional glimpse into the two worlds and the characters but leaves additional questions and wonderment.
Recommended for collections that house his previous works as well as the Sandman series. The story line is complex but also accessible for older teens who appreciate stories that are slower in pace, beautifully illustrated, and open ended.
Raptor: A Sokol Graphic Novel Vol. By Dave McKean Dark Horse, 2021 ISBN: 9781506720630
NFNT Age Recommendation: Adult (18+), Older Teen (16-18) Creator Representation: British, Character Representation: Depression
Scarlett and Sophie Rickard’s The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists adapts a classic work of socialist fiction for a new audience. This retelling of Robert Tressell’s 1914 semi-autobiographical novel follows Frank Owen, a house painter with tuberculosis, and his fellow laborers, dramatizing their experiences with crooked bosses and chronic poverty in a pre-welfare state Britain. The graphic novel draws an unflinching portrait of working-class life, but its tragedies are interwoven with a wryly comic, yet profoundly moving message about power, politics, and the necessity of class struggle.
The book opens with a crew of painters on break, engaged in a contentious discussion of the economic issues that define their working lives. Low wages and lack of job security have left a mark on each man: Owen resorts to doing skilled decorative work for little pay, while facing the prospect of leaving his family destitute should he succumb to tuberculosis; another worker, Easton, is so far in debt that he must take in an unsavory boarder to ensure his young child has enough to eat; and the elderly Linden must continue working to provide for his family, knowing that the alternative is a punishing old age in the workhouse.
Yet The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists is not simply a chronicle of suffering. The painters argue, agitate, and make us laugh as they express political opinions that feel as current in our modern era as in early twentieth-century Britain. This is a didactic novel, which means we’re treated to slightly stagey conversations in which characters wrangle over the root causes of economic inequality and explore its possible remedies. Thanks to Sophie Rickard’s eloquent and economical script, these exchanges are nearly as affecting as the labor struggles that inform them. It’s a joy to watch political dialogue take place not in classrooms or on social media feeds, but in the workplaces and homes of working-class families. Readers may or may not cosign the book’s of-its-time vision of a classical socialist utopia, but many will respond to its central thesis, that progress is possible if ordinary people engage with politics not as a spectator sport, but as citizens acting in solidarity with their fellow workers.
If Sophie Rickard’s script deftly adapts Tressell’s original 600-page epic, Scarlett Rickard’s art brings it to vivid life. Full-color panels recall the sharply observed domestic settings of Raymond Briggs’ adult graphic novels, delivering what feels like a sly satire of bucolic depictions of Victorian and Edwardian Britain. Against dollhouse-like backdrops of houses and storefronts, Rickard portrays the physicality of labor, craft, and housekeeping, reminding us that ordinary people worked hard to construct and maintain the built environments that appear in our favorite BBC costume dramas. Yet there’s also a lot of warmth in these pages; emotionally rendered scenes of holiday celebrations, family gatherings, and acts of friendship bring to life not only the struggles of the working class, but the personal relationships that make change worth fighting for.
In the decades following its original publication, The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists had an outsized impact on labor politics, both in Britain and globally. The Rickards’ adaptation makes this indispensable novel accessible to contemporary readers in an effective new format. This book is an excellent choice for nearly all adult graphic novel collections, and young adult and high school purchasers should also give it strong consideration. Readers should note that, in addition to scenes of violence and worker abuse, this book contains depictions of sexual assault, postpartum depression, and suicide.
The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists By Sophie Rickard Art by Scarlett Rickard SelfMadeHero, 2021 ISBN: 9781910593929
NFNT Age Recommendation: Adult (18+), Older Teen (16-18), Teen (13-16) Creator Representation: British Character Representation: British, Chronic Illness
Be wary on Imbolc Day, when the witch, Cailleach, roams the woods, looking for children to feast upon. At least, that is the legend told in Saoirse’s village, warning anyone who dares to venture to the witch’s tower. Eager to prove herself, Saoirse, along with her brother, Brahm, goes to see if there is any truth to the old stories, only to fall right into the Cailleach’s clutches. From that point on, everything Saoirse knows and loves will change forever, as she discovers the meaning behind a mysterious mark on her shoulder, a dire threat to the world of apocalyptic proportions, and her own latent magic that may be more than she is ready to master. In this first installment of a new, action-packed fantasy series, The Last Witch: Fear & Fire begins a tale steeped in Irish lore and history, one that examines the responsibility of having power and the dangers of its corrupting influence.
When taking in the comic’s immaculate and engaging artwork, it would be difficult to imagine this story told through any other style. V.V. Glass’ illustrations perfectly match each tone and setting, such as the dark and foreboding witch’s tower in the wintery woods, the dynamic expressions of the characters as they endure both great hardships and welcoming moments of mirth, or the truly epic displays of Saoirse’s magic. The full-page panels that capture the might of these powers are consistently stunning and excel in showcasing both the great beauty and dangers of the magic in this world. Glass’ character designs also assist in highlighting the more gruesome aspects of the comic, particularly in the designs of Saoirse’s witchy adversaries. Black Annis, the witch Saoirse and Brahm mistake for the Cailleach, wears an intimidating smile of needlelike teeth, along with a forked tongue and slitted eyes, a figure that feels as if she had stepped right out of a cautionary fairy tale. There is also the Badb, who wields air magic through her constantly shifting faces, some more frightful than the others. Though eerie at times, the style of the comic adapts easily to whatever mood the text conveys, whether it be light-hearted, mysterious, or simply magical, resulting in a satisfying narrative harmony.
For this first volume, the fast pace of the story manages to include a great deal of plot progression and worldbuilding without doubling down on staggering exposition or giving away too many answers at once. Though the reader learns a great deal by the volume’s conclusion, there are still more unknown elements at play, enticing readers to continue with Saoirse’s journey. Saoirse is a character that is easy to fall in love with: headstrong and determined with a touch of recklessness, but also holds an admirable responsibility to her loved ones. Her external conflict with confronting malevolent witches is paired nicely with the internal battle of controlling her ever-growing magic, ultimately coming to a point where she fears what she is truly capable of. With this comic being only the beginning of the story, it sets up an intrigue in how these feelings will develop and affect Saoirse down the road.
Truthfully, it is the darker, more complex aspects of the comic that give it a sense of identity. Imagine a cross of Avatar the Last Airbender, a Cartoon Saloon production (the studio behind The Song of the Sea and Wolfwalkers), with a healthy dash of a Brothers Grimm fairy tale. As a result, you will get an enchanting yet perilous tale sure to appeal to those who flock to stories of grand, culturally-inspired adventures with an edge.
While the story does not contain explicit moments of gore, there are several gruesome moments that may unnerve younger readers, such as one instance of child-eating and a good amount of off panel deaths. Taking this into account, The Last Witch: Fear & Fire is most suitable for readers 13 and up and will fit in nicely in young adult or teen graphic novel collections that have a good circulation of epic fantasy stories or strive to diversify their collections with materials featuring strong, predominantly female casts.
The Last Witch: Fear & Fire By Conor McCreery Art by V.V. Glass BOOM! Box, 2021 ISBN: 9781684156214 Publisher Age Rating: 14-17
NFNT Age Recommendation: Older Teen (16-18), Teen (13-16) Creator Representation: British, Canadian, Nonbinary Character Representation: Irish
Friendship comes in many sizes from acquaintances you’ve just met to those who know all of your inner secrets and then some. Some relationships are healthy while others are toxic. Healthy friendships provide safety and comfort, joy and happiness and that is what we all want in our lives: for those who are the closest to us to provide those very things that we want and need.
However, some relationships end not with a bang but with a whisper. Sometimes that whisper is so low, we cannot hear it.
“It’s Not What You Thought it Would Be” tells the story of two friends who share the most intimate moments of their lives and are stuck together like glue. But their lives change as one goes to university and the other does not, one moves away and the other stays in the same town they’ve lived in all their lives. There is no animosity or hatred between these two, just sadness and hurt on what may have happened to their very best friend.
This gorgeous book takes us through that process of coming together, separating, and reuniting. Each chapter is told in stand alone vignettes that, by their order in the book, paint a picture of decades of friendship in a swirl of crayon, charcoal, watercolors, and pencil. Each vignette takes on its own importance of medium with the colors and shading coming together and separating just as the friendships. In the final vignette, “The Wedding Guests,” Stewart is at her best by bringing together all of her mediums into one glorious vivid picture and the joy of the two friends being back together again.
Lizzy Stewart is best known for her three children’s books, her works in other books and zines, as well as her work a lecturer at Goldsmith College, London. Her experience with children’s books helps capture the spirit and mood of the friends’ earlier stories in It’s Not What You Thought it Would Be, diving deep into their relationship by the use of art, language, and medium. The earlier vignettes are in swatches of charcoal, much as a child who is learning to draw would use. Her use of crayon in later vignettes also strengthens her commitment to the mood of growing up, sometimes painful but often very joyous.
In the the vignette, “Heavy Air,” one of the best friends, with the help of her brother and neighborhood friends, puts together a house for a sick fox. In those moments, which as adults we would very likely dismiss, the friends experience the satisfaction of creating something beautiful and magical. The simplicity of the joy of nothingness is taken up again in the vignette, “The Dog Walk,” where we find our intrepid friends bemoaning the boredom of their day. When one gets the idea to climb up to the roof of one of their school buildings, followed by the other, they find that, while only their position has changed, their views of the world around them has expanded. They talk about life and how they think they are perceived by their classmates, which is cemented when a boy named Dan joins them. The mood is broken when Dan leaves and returns with a gang of other boys who want in on the magic of the roof. The friends are dismayed by the turn of events and leave, only to find that the magic they thought they gained and lost was in them all along.
The book is rated 18+ but that rating seems a bit steep. Teens may find some joy and value in the unfolding story of two very best friends and how their lives intertwine and release over the years. It is not something that one of them did, rather it is the pains of growing up and moving on. This lesson can be felt even by those well into adulthood. Growing up may be painful, but it can be filled with joy and love with your very best friend who will always be with you.
It’s Not What You Thought It Would Be By Lizzy Stewart Fantagraphics, 2021 ISBN: 9781683964353
Publisher Age Rating: 18+
NFNT Age Recommendation: Older Teen (16-18) Creator Representation: British
Charlotte Grote has won renown for her crime-solving skills, but now she’s aging out of the child detective category. But before she heads off to college and her plans to become a regular adult detective, she has one last hurrah: the magazine National Solver has nominated her for “Teen Detective of the Year (16-18),” and the awards ceremony will take place at a fancy hotel full of brilliant young minds from all over the world.
Lottie is thrilled to meet her counterparts from around the globe and finally get some recognition… until she is framed for the murder of one of the adult sleuths! She agrees to work with the police to clear her name, but it won’t be easy. And the real killer is still on the loose.
Wicked Things is set in the same world as John Allison’s Giant Days and Bad Machinery series, each of which include Lottie as a character. Here she is aged up a bit, and has a record of successful detective work. She is quirky, melodramatic, and often humorously oblivious to danger. Working with the police, she finds herself paired with a capable, no-nonsense detective who finds that Lottie strains his patience, especially when she keeps turning out to be right. In the meantime, her friend Claire starts her own unofficial investigation into the crime that someone is trying to pin on Lottie.
That said, we don’t actually see a lot of detecting taking place in this story. Lottie has hunches and takes mental leaps that end up being startlingly accurate. Unlike Sherlock Holmes, she does not then explain all the clues that led to her conclusion, so it sometimes feels like she just guessed and got lucky. Her friend Claire actually seems more methodical, despite not being the award-nominated child detective of the duo.
The art is active, with characters whose faces and postures stretch and squish into humorously exaggerated expressions. Each character has a unique appearance, including an individual style of dress and body language. The backgrounds are rich with detail, but not distracting. The palette is just on the colorful side of realistic, with the background colors helping to set the mood as well as make setting and scene changes clear right away.
There is a certain amount of crime in this book, including a small amount of violence and peril. Much of this is treated in a less-than-serious way, as when Lottie complains that being taken hostage is “hurtful.” The only real harm done is to the detective Lottie is accused of murdering, and that attack happens off-camera, so to speak.
Collecting issues 1 through 6 of Wicked Things, this volume stands alone but does have something of an unresolved ending. It packs in lots of humor, but not as much mystery-solving as readers might expect from a book with a sleuth protagonist. Fans of Goldie Vance may enjoy another peppy teen girl detective, though Lottie is older and considerably weirder than Goldie, and the mysteries she investigates are a bit more dangerous. Hand it to fans of Giant Days or Bad Machinery, and to readers who like snarky humor.
Wicked Things By John Allison Art by Max Sarin Boom! Box, 2021 ISBN: 9781684156061
NFNT Age Recommendation: Older Teen (16-18), Teen (13-16) Creator Representation: British Character Representation: British
Isabel Greenberg’s acclaimed previous works, The Encyclopedia of Early Earth and The One Hundred Nights of Hero, demonstrate her love of fiction, interspersed with fragments of realism and desire. In Glass Town, she has activated the fictional realms of the Brontës’ juvenilia creations, first published in December 1827, into a graphic novel that teems with passion, Victoriana, and the celebration of story and imagination.
Glass Town was one of the imaginary lands, along with Angria and Gondal, invented by Emily and Anne, fashioned by a collaboration among the four youthful Brontë siblings. These lands were inhabited by characters like the devious Earl of Northangerland and his wife Zenobia, their daughter Mary Percy, son Zamorna, and adopted son Quashia. The four collaborators eventually become disenchanted with each other and their contributions to the overall world building. The graphic novel effectively illustrates the dissatisfaction the three siblings have with Charlotte and her ideas with Greenberg fictionalizing the conflict of the Brontës’ invented characters interacting with their creators in both the imaginary and the actual world.
Glass Town begins with Charlotte, alone in despair after the death of her siblings. The sudden appearance of a dashing young man sets the tone for the remainder of the graphic novel. Are these characters real? Are the events imaginary? As Greenberg assures us in her introduction, the settings and the characters are borrowed directly from the early writings of the siblings, but the action of the novel is her own invention. This is a compelling, magical, and captivating exploration of the creative imaginations of both the Brontës and of Greenberg herself. The story bounces with energy, the characters with intrigue, and the action with, well, action! This is a book that can be read quickly but also invites readers to spend time with each page and panel. The writing is compelling, the artwork even more so.
Travels to Yorkshire brought the setting to life for Greenberg and she readily transferred her impressions to this work, so the reader easily experiences the wind and rain of the moors, the Victorian homes with their dreary illumination, and the general gloominess of the area. Greenberg’s illustrations of the moors and use of color contrast this flat world with that of the three imaginary countries with their wide-open spaces, colorful seas and mountains, and exotic personae. Color is also used to differentiate the flashbacks to the present day with those of Glass Town. Charlotte’s present and literal day is presented in blues and grays while the created story is in full and brilliant tones delivered in colored charcoal. Background details are often displayed in blasts of color and the characters themselves are reminiscent of the toy soldiers that were the initial impetus for the Brontës’ tales. They are angular and fluid caricatures, but always individuals and readily easy to tell apart.
The intersections of memoir and fantasy invite the reader into the inventiveness of creators of the past and our contemporary world. The novel also begs the question of the enticement of a fictional world over the years and what happens to this imaginary world when its creators grow up? This is a book to be savored. Highly recommended for fans of the Brontës’ novels (it is amply researched) as well as those who enjoy creative world building and ambitious and fully realized characters. I would also highly recommend this graphic novel to young adult readers (and their teachers) as Greenberg brings the authors’ rich imaginations to life and offers insight to the novels that follow the early collaborations of these talented siblings.
Glass Town: The Imaginary World of the Brontës By Isabel Greenberg ISBN: 9781419732683 Abrams Comicarts, 2020
Browse for more like this title NFNT Age Recommendation: Teen (13-16), Older Teen (16-18), Adult (18+) Related to…: Retelling
Lewis Hancox’s teen years were much like anyone else’s, filled with the typical high school drama, perpetual awkwardness, and desperation to fit in. For him, however, it seemed like there were extra hurdles to face, being a girl that had yet to discover that he was actually a boy. In Welcome to St. Hell, Hancox addresses his younger self to guide her through those messy years of hating her body, of being confused at who exactly she’s supposed to kiss, of constantly trying to pass as a “normal girl.” Being a typical teenager, the younger Hancox tries to ignore her older self at every turn but cannot deny that she feels like an alien in her own skin. What follows is a humorous, relatable, and down to Earth depiction of Hancox’s gender exploration and eventual acceptance, told in a way that educates just as much as it entertains.
lives and hunts mysterious beasts in a stark feudal landscape and Arthur, the author of supernatural tales who is a disturbed, grieving widower living in nineteenth century Wales. Arthur’s grief and interest in the supernatural leads him to an active interest in gothic spiritualism.
Scarlett and Sophie Rickard’s The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists adapts a classic work of socialist fiction for a new audience. This retelling of Robert Tressell’s 1914 semi-autobiographical novel follows Frank Owen, a house painter with tuberculosis, and his fellow laborers, dramatizing their experiences with crooked bosses and chronic poverty in a pre-welfare state Britain. The graphic novel draws an unflinching portrait of working-class life, but its tragedies are interwoven with a wryly comic, yet profoundly moving message about power, politics, and the necessity of class struggle.
Be wary on Imbolc Day, when the witch, Cailleach, roams the woods, looking for children to feast upon. At least, that is the legend told in Saoirse’s village, warning anyone who dares to venture to the witch’s tower. Eager to prove herself, Saoirse, along with her brother, Brahm, goes to see if there is any truth to the old stories, only to fall right into the Cailleach’s clutches. From that point on, everything Saoirse knows and loves will change forever, as she discovers the meaning behind a mysterious mark on her shoulder, a dire threat to the world of apocalyptic proportions, and her own latent magic that may be more than she is ready to master. In this first installment of a new, action-packed fantasy series, The Last Witch: Fear & Fire begins a tale steeped in Irish lore and history, one that examines the responsibility of having power and the dangers of its corrupting influence.
Charlotte Grote has won renown for her crime-solving skills, but now she’s aging out of the child detective category. But before she heads off to college and her plans to become a regular adult detective, she has one last hurrah: the magazine National Solver has nominated her for “Teen Detective of the Year (16-18),” and the awards ceremony will take place at a fancy hotel full of brilliant young minds from all over the world.
