Weekend Pick for August 11, 2023

Weekend Pick for August 11, 2023

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​Needle & Thread (2022) by David Pinckney, Ennun Ana Iurov, and Micah Myers

Alicia Burnette Whitley

If adolescence is about figuring out who you are, then perhaps the next step into adulthood is figuring out how to be yourself in a world that might not want you to be. This is the conflict that lies at the heart of Needle & Thread, another young adult graphic novel from the new Mad Cave Comics young adult imprint, Maverick. In their final year of high school, main characters Noah and Azarie find themselves both facing this problem. At the outset their identities seem to be as diametrically opposed as possible. Noah is a quiet kid, the child of a firefighter and a police officer, who was once lambasted by the entire class for daring to discuss his dream of being a costume designer. Outgoing Azarie, the child of a famous mother and a politician father, is a cheerleading valedictorian whose every move is lauded by her peers. Noah is Afro Latino, middle class, with one close friend - Hiroki. Azarie is white, affluent, with thousands of social media followers. 

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The two couldn't seem more different, superficially. However, when they discover a shared love of video games, comics, and cosplaying the two seem to hit it off right away, further bonding over the ways in which their parents try to control their futures - Noah's parents routinely put down his sewing as "just a hobby" while Azarie's parents seem to be totally concerned with how her existence fits within their carefully crafted public image. Aided by a passionate English teacher and her small circle of diverse cosplay enthusiasts, the two make it their mission to create a show stopping piece for their local comic con's cosplay contest.

Throughout this coming-of-age story, both Noah and Azarie have to discover that it's not always easy to be who you are in a world that thinks it knows what you should be. Refreshingly, there is no star-crossed lovers romance in this plot! Instead, the story focuses on the platonic and complicated friendship that Noah and Azarie have to work to develop over the course of the text. Writer David Pinckney's characters are by turns funny and flawed and the text makes brilliant use of epistolary elements - like texts and cell phone notifications - to aid in crafting the tale. Artist Ennun Ana Iurov, a newcomer to graphic novels, has a unique style honed by her work on 'zines. Though it takes a little getting used to, the pastel palette and rich detail bring the story to life. Though there are a few places where the story falls a little flat. 

Some of the characters do veer into well trod tropes - of course Noah and Azarie are flanked by a popular mean girl and a geeky best friend. And a few of the situations seem highly implausible - Noah's parents grilling the English teacher about writing a recommendation for him to a school that wasn't on their approved list, for example. However, criticisms aside, ultimately the novel works as a fun and fast-paced graphic novel with a positive message about the power of living your life out loud.

Guest Contributor Bio: Alicia Burnette Whitley
​Alicia is PhD Student in Literacy and English Language Arts Education at North Carolina State University. Prior to entering the PhD program, she taught high school English (9th Grade, African-American, YA, and British Literature).  Her passion is culturally relevant and critical pedagogies, with a particular interest in multimodal texts and inclusive literary practices. 

She also loves: Star Trek, videogames, graphic novels, cartoons, and podcasts.