“Artie and the Wolf Moon” by Olivia Stephens – Graphic Novel Review

Creative and illustrator Olivia Stephens’s astonishing debut graphic novel Artie and the Wolf Moon breaks the barriers of supernatural stories and intersectionality. It’s a gorgeously told narrative about forgiveness and reconciliation. The graphic novel is available from Graphic Universe (Lerner Books).

I received a free eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I spotlighted Olivia back in June and reviewed her webcomic Alone. Her skillful storytelling and art style never fail to impress me, and her debut graphic novel is no exception.

Artie, a preteen photographer, learns that she’s descended from a line of werewolves after witnessing her mother shift from wolf to human. Eager to know everything, including her late father, she hones her wolflike skills and gets to know family friends. Being a werewolf excites Artie, but she soon realizes that there are scarier things out there. And those scarier things happen to be vampires.

Saying that I enjoyed reading Olivia’s debut graphic novel is an understatement. She’s served an empowering story about Queer Black girls and family. The lore surrounding werewolves and vampires is not only refreshing but provides a new angle to the mythos and Black history as well. The history of forgiveness and freedom seamlessly unravels throughout Artie’s narrative arc. This complex and well structured supernatural graphic novel will draw you in with its themes surrounding grief, self worth, and the courage it takes to move on towards the future.

Artie and the Wolf Moon is available now from Graphic Universe (Lerner Books).

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Learn more about Olivia Stephens here.

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You can learn more about Black creators and their works on The Geekiary here.

Author: Bradda M.

Bradda M. currently lives in Virginia. He teaches ESOL (English to Speakers of Other Languages) at a public school and spends his free time reading and watching movies each night with his partner. For The Geekiary, he writes about webcomics and SFF media.

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