It's ON

Issue No. 1 is narrated by Riley, a heavy metal kid who uses his ballpoint pen and notepad to process the horrors of modern high school life — from active shooter drills to social anxiety. Issue No. 2 is told from the perspective of Riley’s mother, an aging punk cartoonist with a true-crime obsession. Together, the two narratives paint a picture of a mother and son trying to survive a Portland plagued by wildfires and the coronavirus pandemic. Against that backdrop, there’s a murder mystery — and even the transformation of a character into a monster.

The scribe notes that the comic book industry has changed quite a bit in the decade since she launched Bitch Planet. It’s harder than ever to draw attention to projects, so she is experimenting with new ways to engage readers. She put Easter eggs into her newsletter, including one that directed people to a website for a fictional band featured in FML. A savvy reader even messaged the band, asking to book them for a wedding.