Summer Comics

Well so far, let’s face it, I’m going to be reading a lot more over the next few months but here are the new ones I read.

Go with the Flow and Look on the Bright Side by Lily Williams and Karen Scheeman

Williams and Scheeman deliver two wonderful graphic novels dealing with a very real yet underrated problem. Tampons and periods. As you might guess from the firts title, this foursome of BFFs are determined to bring a period revolution by petitioning their school to stock up on menstrual products for free but the football team needs new uniforms more. Because of course, they do. ‘

Honestly, the revolution is primarily motivated by Abby who’s big-hearted care and impatience prompt her to do reckless protest in order to get heard and get on everyone’s nerves. Even though the novel deals with important information on endometriosis and frank discussion of menstrual problems, it is also about friendship and learning to accept and recognize boundaries and apologize.

The second novel is more romance-centric as each of the girls deal with their own budding problems. Christine is unsure of admitting her feelings for Abby to Abby because of her own confused feelings about her identity and not wanting to ruin their friendship. Brit gets her own Pride and Prejudice (I love how closely her story parallels P&P down to her little sister named Lydia and the charming cheater bumping against the moody good guy) and Sasha is falling further behind on schoolwork, hiding her insecurities behind the fantasy her boyfriend gives her.

They can be seen as slice of life stories when put separately but Scheeman and Williams have a truly authentic teen voice. Even when they’re discussing the topical issue (like periods shouldn’t be stigmatized) sounds like how I talk (tbh complain) with my friends about it instead of trying to pound a message into your head. Plus they’re all so wholesome, I’d love to be friends with them too.

The Tryout by Christina

Christina Soontornvat is one of the only Asian kids in her small-town middle school. Half-Asian technically as her mother’s white and her father’s Thai. It’s a tricky place to be as she’s always seen as “other.” That’s why she wants to audition for the cheerleading squad. Not only will she be cool and popular, but she’ll belong.

However, her best friend chooses to partner with someone else for the two-person audition. Oh, and the worst part, the second audition involves cheering for the whole school where your fellow students vote whether you get in or not.

This is a memoir, and that sort of brutal popularity-contest audition sounds like an exercise in humilation but Soontornvat really went through it and she relates it with humor and heart. You cringe and smile at all the right parts. Young Christina is really earnest as she envisions the cheerleading squad becoming her elven brotherhood like in Lord of the Rings, and she adds a heartwarmong thread that even though she didn’t feel fully Thai or fully American, she can embrace both. Just as she chooses to turn away from the story that Texas is populated by racists but it is also a heartwarming, welcome population like America is and should be.

Growing Pangs by Kathryn Ormsbee

This middle-grade caught my eye because it was the first one I saw that dealt with intrusive thoughts and OCD. I’m sure there are plenty of other YA graphic novels that deal with the topic but my library has a small YA graphic novel selection so this is the first I’ve seen the topic explored even if it’s below my reading level.

Anyway, the memoir has Kathryn going to summer camp for the first time. It’s an exciting first but also begins the repetitive, anxiety-provoking thoughts that grow more intense as she deals with the early turmoil of adolescence. Her rock-solid friendship is experiencing cracks that she feels unsure of how to handle. She’s making new friends but is worried that if they knew about her repetitive thoughts (illustrated as buzzing bees which is a relatable metaphor) they’d want nothing to do with her. Why can’t she be cool? Why can’t she be normal?

Ohmsbee does a great job detailing the stress the undiagnosed OCD had on her while reassuring her readers that this is normal and it is treatable. Within the story, young Kathryn begins to realize that even though these “bees” feel uncontrollable, they are not her either. It’s a worthwhile read.