Abuzz

by Amy Chase, Ellie Wright (colorist), Taylor Esposito (letterer)

Sparks and stingers will fly in this modern queer reimagining of Shakespeare’s classic romantic comedy Much Ado About Nothing!

Shakespeare’s beloved romcom Much Ado About Nothing gets a modern update with an LGBTQ cast and the same classic miscommunications! Feuding senior students Ben and Beatriz drag half of Messina High into their never-ending arguments, making things difficult as budding sweethearts Hero and Claudio are asked to pick sides in the battle. All the while, the bad kids, led by outcast DJ, are plotting to capitalize on the chaos and rule the school for themselves. With college letters and prom night on the horizon, will these students find their happy ending or feel the sting of total rejection?

Genres: Young Adult, Comics, Graphic Novels Comics, Graphic Novels, Queer, LGBT, Retellings

175 pages, Paperback

First published November 18, 2025

Reviews

[Gabriele | QueerBookdom · Rating 2 out of 5]

Representation: queer non-binary white Usian protagonist, demisexual Latina secondary character, queer Spanish secondary character, queer non-binary white Usian secondary character, asexual aromantic Latine tertiary character, non-binary Black tertiary character.

Content Warning: bullying, emotional manipulation.

It was all way too hasty and banal.

[Rummanah (Books in the Spotlight) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love the queer normative take on Shakespeare’s comedy “Much Ado About Nothing”, but I found the dialogue to be clunky and did not give me high school vibes. I also wasn’t a fan of the art style.

[Heather Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A queer retelling of Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing,” making the story incredibly accessible, and an ever present reminder of Shakespeare’s lasting legacy and timelessness of his work!

[Vanessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent take on Much Ado About Nothing; its rather ambitious to take on Shakespeare and condense it such an extreme. The art was distinct. I don't know if I liked it or not, but I did enjoy the vibrancy of the colors.

[Sesana · Rating 2 out of 5]

Much Ado About Nothing modern high school AU. It's fine as far as hitting the story beats go. Too many shallow, unlikable characters, though.

[Adriana · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love the representation, how it's totally normal for kids to be referred to by their preferred pronouns with no one even blinking at their orientation or preferences. But that was it.
Maybe if things were more focused on one couple or character, with more pages to fully flesh them out.
The art has a very distinctive style that I appreciate helps it stand out, but it's not for me.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you for the eARC! This adaption of Much Ado About Nothing was super cute and I love it. The artwork was wonderful and it was very inclusive. I absolutely love Shakespeare and this adaptation was great for an updated world.

[Linda Hawkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Abuzz was a page turner, and was abuzz with high school drama, character development, and clever writing. The style of art and coloring was appreciated as it allowed the reader to follow who's who. For me, this was a great introduction to the world of the graphic novel.

[Jasmine Shouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this in one sitting! Much Ado About Nothing is my favorite play, so I really enjoyed this modern, queer take on it. The art was well done, if a little clunky at times. Lots of bright colors and plenty of diverse characters. This was fast to read with plenty of nods to Shakespeare.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review.

[Carolynne R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Abuzz was a fun retelling of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing with relatable characters in a setting that takes me back to my high school days! Sprinkled with teenage angst, misunderstandings, heartbreak, hijinx and fun wordplay made for a great read.