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Mary Sue
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Expected 11 Aug 26Read Mary Sue, your next favorite read from BOOM! Studios!
144 pages, Paperback
Expected publication August 11, 2026
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30 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
March 19, 2026
a huge thank you to netgalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.
4/5 ⭐️
“what is life but fanfic made canon?”
a graphic novel with the most gorgeous illustrations about fanfic culture and self-inserts? count me in. this was so much fun and so relatable for anyone who’s been part of online fandom culture. i loved all the references and jabs, and the characters were so funny and lovable. i’m really looking forward to continuing this series!
4/5 ⭐️
“what is life but fanfic made canon?”
a graphic novel with the most gorgeous illustrations about fanfic culture and self-inserts? count me in. this was so much fun and so relatable for anyone who’s been part of online fandom culture. i loved all the references and jabs, and the characters were so funny and lovable. i’m really looking forward to continuing this series!
March 5, 2026
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review
i loved this! the art style was so wonderful and as a certified fangirl i absolutely adored the idea behind this! it felt incredibly accurate to what it’s like existing in fandom spaces and making close friends that way. truly such a unique story and i had so much !!
my only negative is that it ended on a cliffhanger and i want to know what happens next!!
i loved this! the art style was so wonderful and as a certified fangirl i absolutely adored the idea behind this! it felt incredibly accurate to what it’s like existing in fandom spaces and making close friends that way. truly such a unique story and i had so much !!
my only negative is that it ended on a cliffhanger and i want to know what happens next!!
March 9, 2026
I’d like to thank netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. A fun graphic novel about fan fiction and fandom in general with really great colourful art to match.
March 21, 2026
Thank you to BOOM! Studios for providing me with an arc.
This was a fun graphic novel that approached the idea of what if your fanfic characters could come to life. A teen fanfic writer’s vampire OC magically comes to life and turns her life upside down after her secret identity gets revealed at school. I adored the art style and this was a really fun and interesting take on fanfiction.
This was a fun graphic novel that approached the idea of what if your fanfic characters could come to life. A teen fanfic writer’s vampire OC magically comes to life and turns her life upside down after her secret identity gets revealed at school. I adored the art style and this was a really fun and interesting take on fanfiction.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A short, cute, nostalgia-filled read that I think can be enjoyed by many who lived through the early 2010s in tumblr fandom, despite some of its shortcomings in character writing.
I very much enjoyed the central concept of the story—an isolated teen seeking refuge in the world of online fandom, who realizes that the Mary Sue she writes into her fanfiction is a reflection of the traits she herself wishes she had to combat her own life’s problems. The ending (excluding the cliffhanger) hits all the right beats, and it was clear to me that Fitzmartin went into the story with this ending in mind. I do wish, however, that she had invested more time and pages in earlier chapters/issues to establish the dynamics Cassie has with her mother, and with Bennett, in order to make the ending resonate better.
I’ll focus on Cassie’s mom in this review. I liked the direction Fitzmartin intended with the character, but found the execution—and by consequence the realism of the character—somewhat lacking, particularly in the first chapter. Things that made sense to me: being concerned about Cassie’s lack of in-person friends and forcing Cassie to attend the church lock-in. Things that did not make sense: objecting to Cassie’s interests on the basis that they were “not real,” claiming Cassie’s online friends were “not real” as if to deny their existence, and specifically taking away her phone and laptop because of that.
On the subject of Cassie’s friends, it'd be one thing for her to not believe that Cassie had friends online if said friends were completely anonymous and online-only. That would definitely trigger the parental fear that behind those usernames were potential adult creeps, and would be a solid justification for the mom’s words. However, the story shows us that Cassie knows everyone’s IRL names and phone numbers, and even video-calls them. All Cassie had to do was to show her mom the video calls. I couldn’t quite suspend my disbelief.
When it comes to dismissing the fanfiction or the Riverview show—I think she could find these things frivolous and a waste of time without objecting so strongly to Cassie engaging with them, especially if her concern isn't of a religious fanatical nature. Obviously, Fitzmartin doesn't intend for her to be that kind of religious parent, since I can see that Fitzmartin portrays the mom and the church with a critical but compassionate lens towards Christianity (which I liked the nuance of!) Yet, taking away her devices because a television show is “not real” ends up seeming like exactly that kind of hysterical move.
If I were Fitzmartin, I would have framed the mom’s desire for Cassie to have “real friends” around adding more “legitimate” in-person friends at school and church, in addition to the “lesser” online friends. I also would have moved her in the direction of finding Cassie’s interests in fanfic writing a waste of talent, the TV show a waste of time in comparison to more “meaningful,” “spiritual” literature. Maybe instead she demands why Cassie won’t write a “real book” with her talents, or pressure her to enter community and church writing contests, to devote more of her gifts to God, and so on. Maybe she takes away the phone and laptop because she thinks the screen time is rotting her brain, or some such. There were ways to make this dynamic realistic and hit close to home for children of well-meaning but controlling parents.
My recommendation to BOOM! Studios is to laser-focus the marketing of this graphic novel on millennial tumblr denizens, current and former, rather than teens. The media and fandom space has changed far too much within the last 10 years for a teen reader—even one involved in fanfic—to understand many of the references. Given that Supernatural’s ending was largely regarded as infamously disappointing, younger people in fandom who have never watched the show and therefore don’t have the complicated, nostalgic fondness for it won’t be drawn in by Fitzmartin’s writing credits on the show, nor by the urban fantasy genre the comic affectionately satirizes. (Consider: Buffy ended in 2003; the Twilight films ended in 2012; and the Vampire Diaries ended in 2017.)
Also, an easy pre-publication fix: I would move the creator bonus Q&As to the very end of the book, rather than at the end of each chapter (I assume they used to be at the end of each issue), since it distracts from the flow of the story.
This is a story that I would very much say requires the shield of nostalgia to fully appreciate.
Thank you to NetGalley and BOOM! Studios for the eARC.
I very much enjoyed the central concept of the story—an isolated teen seeking refuge in the world of online fandom, who realizes that the Mary Sue she writes into her fanfiction is a reflection of the traits she herself wishes she had to combat her own life’s problems. The ending (excluding the cliffhanger) hits all the right beats, and it was clear to me that Fitzmartin went into the story with this ending in mind. I do wish, however, that she had invested more time and pages in earlier chapters/issues to establish the dynamics Cassie has with her mother, and with Bennett, in order to make the ending resonate better.
I’ll focus on Cassie’s mom in this review. I liked the direction Fitzmartin intended with the character, but found the execution—and by consequence the realism of the character—somewhat lacking, particularly in the first chapter. Things that made sense to me: being concerned about Cassie’s lack of in-person friends and forcing Cassie to attend the church lock-in. Things that did not make sense: objecting to Cassie’s interests on the basis that they were “not real,” claiming Cassie’s online friends were “not real” as if to deny their existence, and specifically taking away her phone and laptop because of that.
On the subject of Cassie’s friends, it'd be one thing for her to not believe that Cassie had friends online if said friends were completely anonymous and online-only. That would definitely trigger the parental fear that behind those usernames were potential adult creeps, and would be a solid justification for the mom’s words. However, the story shows us that Cassie knows everyone’s IRL names and phone numbers, and even video-calls them. All Cassie had to do was to show her mom the video calls. I couldn’t quite suspend my disbelief.
When it comes to dismissing the fanfiction or the Riverview show—I think she could find these things frivolous and a waste of time without objecting so strongly to Cassie engaging with them, especially if her concern isn't of a religious fanatical nature. Obviously, Fitzmartin doesn't intend for her to be that kind of religious parent, since I can see that Fitzmartin portrays the mom and the church with a critical but compassionate lens towards Christianity (which I liked the nuance of!) Yet, taking away her devices because a television show is “not real” ends up seeming like exactly that kind of hysterical move.
If I were Fitzmartin, I would have framed the mom’s desire for Cassie to have “real friends” around adding more “legitimate” in-person friends at school and church, in addition to the “lesser” online friends. I also would have moved her in the direction of finding Cassie’s interests in fanfic writing a waste of talent, the TV show a waste of time in comparison to more “meaningful,” “spiritual” literature. Maybe instead she demands why Cassie won’t write a “real book” with her talents, or pressure her to enter community and church writing contests, to devote more of her gifts to God, and so on. Maybe she takes away the phone and laptop because she thinks the screen time is rotting her brain, or some such. There were ways to make this dynamic realistic and hit close to home for children of well-meaning but controlling parents.
My recommendation to BOOM! Studios is to laser-focus the marketing of this graphic novel on millennial tumblr denizens, current and former, rather than teens. The media and fandom space has changed far too much within the last 10 years for a teen reader—even one involved in fanfic—to understand many of the references. Given that Supernatural’s ending was largely regarded as infamously disappointing, younger people in fandom who have never watched the show and therefore don’t have the complicated, nostalgic fondness for it won’t be drawn in by Fitzmartin’s writing credits on the show, nor by the urban fantasy genre the comic affectionately satirizes. (Consider: Buffy ended in 2003; the Twilight films ended in 2012; and the Vampire Diaries ended in 2017.)
Also, an easy pre-publication fix: I would move the creator bonus Q&As to the very end of the book, rather than at the end of each chapter (I assume they used to be at the end of each issue), since it distracts from the flow of the story.
This is a story that I would very much say requires the shield of nostalgia to fully appreciate.
Thank you to NetGalley and BOOM! Studios for the eARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Mary Sue is the story of a teenage chronically online fanfic writer who struggles with bullying and insecurities when she turns off the screen. One day, after being bullied in front of everyone, her OC appears in the real world to help her out, causing a series of issues affecting our main character’s life.
It was interesting to see what the term ‘’Mary Sue’’ used to mean vs what it means nowadays on the internet. It made me think a lot about the latest trends making fun of ‘’Y/N’’ and ‘’the multimillionaire CEO’’, which in the first instance feels like a fair critique. Now then, Mary Sue invites us to see fanfics from another point of view, external and human, where ‘’Y/N’’ is a reflection of everything the writer aspires to be. And yes, many of this aspirations people make fun of are ridiculous (like marrying the handsome young heir of a fortune or being kidnapped by BTS) but, don’t they make more sense when we get to know that fanfic authors are mostly teenagers that feel trapped in the real world, unable to explore their identity, trying to figure out the kind of person they want to become, the kind of life they want to build around themselves? Writing is an art like any other, and art is a medium to express ourselves, the things that we love and hate, our unique vision of the world even if sometimes this one is excessively distorted.
I personally loved the artstyle and thought it fitted the theme of the book really well. The relationship between both our main characters felt deep and complicated and I wish to see more of it in future volumes. Also, the plot twist at the end made me feel kinda intrigued.
Onto the things I didn’t like that much or left me indifferent, I didn’t understand how religion/the church had to be a part of the main plot or how it affected any of our characters aside from Cassie’s mom. Also, I thought the hints of romance weren’t so necessary for the plot. Lastly, when I started reading this book, I expected way more jokes surrounding the world of fanfics, fanart and fandoms in general and even though there were some I wish there were more of them.
I think this novel will be perfect for teenagers who relate to the main character’s struggles and fixations. As for me, I hope to see more about Cassie and her friends in the future since the plot twist at the end and the relationship between our two main girls intrigued me enough to continue reading!
Thank you to NetGalley and BOOM! Studios for the Arc in exchange for an honest review!
It was interesting to see what the term ‘’Mary Sue’’ used to mean vs what it means nowadays on the internet. It made me think a lot about the latest trends making fun of ‘’Y/N’’ and ‘’the multimillionaire CEO’’, which in the first instance feels like a fair critique. Now then, Mary Sue invites us to see fanfics from another point of view, external and human, where ‘’Y/N’’ is a reflection of everything the writer aspires to be. And yes, many of this aspirations people make fun of are ridiculous (like marrying the handsome young heir of a fortune or being kidnapped by BTS) but, don’t they make more sense when we get to know that fanfic authors are mostly teenagers that feel trapped in the real world, unable to explore their identity, trying to figure out the kind of person they want to become, the kind of life they want to build around themselves? Writing is an art like any other, and art is a medium to express ourselves, the things that we love and hate, our unique vision of the world even if sometimes this one is excessively distorted.
I personally loved the artstyle and thought it fitted the theme of the book really well. The relationship between both our main characters felt deep and complicated and I wish to see more of it in future volumes. Also, the plot twist at the end made me feel kinda intrigued.
Onto the things I didn’t like that much or left me indifferent, I didn’t understand how religion/the church had to be a part of the main plot or how it affected any of our characters aside from Cassie’s mom. Also, I thought the hints of romance weren’t so necessary for the plot. Lastly, when I started reading this book, I expected way more jokes surrounding the world of fanfics, fanart and fandoms in general and even though there were some I wish there were more of them.
I think this novel will be perfect for teenagers who relate to the main character’s struggles and fixations. As for me, I hope to see more about Cassie and her friends in the future since the plot twist at the end and the relationship between our two main girls intrigued me enough to continue reading!
Thank you to NetGalley and BOOM! Studios for the Arc in exchange for an honest review!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
“What is life but fanfic made canon?”
This was absolutely incredible. I found this while browsing on NetGalley and was intrigued by the title. As some who has been in fandoms for most of their life, and who was a somewhat prominent figure of their country’s fanfic space, the premise sounded like something I’d have a fun time with, although maybe not an amazing or memorable time.
I was wrong. This was worth every second I spent reading it and I am now very much looking forward to reading the next volume.
Mary Sue follows Cassie, a young outcast fanfic writer with many online friends but not much positive social interactions at school. She’s a fan of Riverview, a vampire show her mother disapproves of, and posts many fanfics and AUs, all featuring her Mary Sue OC, Jessica. And when Jessica arrives in Cassie’s town, everything changes.
Where can I start?
The art was genuinely amazing. More than once, I took a few minutes to just admire the way the line art or the colour were applied on the page. You can tell a lot of love went into bringing this story to life.
The story itself is very charming and engaging. As I mentioned previously, I have been involved in fandoms, both as a writer and as an illustrator, for over 15 years at this point. I’ve been lucky to have nerdy friends both in person and online, but still, reading this resonated a lot with my teenage experiences. Even in my now early twenties, my time in various fandom and the experiences I’ve lived online and with fandom communities at cons hold a very special place in my heart. This comic encapsulates this perfectly, in my opinion.
All of that to say, I highly recommend you pick it up when it releases this August if you’ve ever been part of a fandom, because this will 100% move something in you.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
This was absolutely incredible. I found this while browsing on NetGalley and was intrigued by the title. As some who has been in fandoms for most of their life, and who was a somewhat prominent figure of their country’s fanfic space, the premise sounded like something I’d have a fun time with, although maybe not an amazing or memorable time.
I was wrong. This was worth every second I spent reading it and I am now very much looking forward to reading the next volume.
Mary Sue follows Cassie, a young outcast fanfic writer with many online friends but not much positive social interactions at school. She’s a fan of Riverview, a vampire show her mother disapproves of, and posts many fanfics and AUs, all featuring her Mary Sue OC, Jessica. And when Jessica arrives in Cassie’s town, everything changes.
Where can I start?
The art was genuinely amazing. More than once, I took a few minutes to just admire the way the line art or the colour were applied on the page. You can tell a lot of love went into bringing this story to life.
The story itself is very charming and engaging. As I mentioned previously, I have been involved in fandoms, both as a writer and as an illustrator, for over 15 years at this point. I’ve been lucky to have nerdy friends both in person and online, but still, reading this resonated a lot with my teenage experiences. Even in my now early twenties, my time in various fandom and the experiences I’ve lived online and with fandom communities at cons hold a very special place in my heart. This comic encapsulates this perfectly, in my opinion.
All of that to say, I highly recommend you pick it up when it releases this August if you’ve ever been part of a fandom, because this will 100% move something in you.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.5/5 Thank you Netgalley and Boom Studios for this advanced readers copy! I really enjoyed this work and found it wonderful. The only reason I’m giving less than a 4 or 5 star is due to its ending. Currently Boom Studios has not announced any solicitations to continue this series and the trade is not marked as “volume 1.” This leaves the ending really satisfying as currently it seems like there is no continuation. It could be possible the creative team is taking a break but that hasn’t been made public to my knowledge. If there is a continuation I’ll gladly bring this up to a 4 or 5 as a 4.5/5.
I don’t think this will be for everybody. But for anyone who's been into fannish spaces it’s a love letter to it. It bleeds with love, care, and tongue-in-cheek in-jokes that are great.
Aside from its wrapping Mary Sue is a great story focused on self-empowerment and the interplay of our art versus ourselves. It shows how the artist is reflected in the art through our idealized self, wants, and true selves. It’s also a very heartfelt tender message to bullied artsy kids and showing them how they can improve from their scenarios. The character work is really strong. If you enjoyed the Mom’s dynamic with Luz in TOH you’ll love the Mom and daughter dynamic here. And there’s a hint of a sapphic interest in the lead and her foil which simmers in the background nicely.
I really do love all the little details. The Fandom questions at the end of each issue, how the covers are treated as Tumblr posts, the AO3-inspired way to hint that the story’s not over. It's amazing.
I don’t think this will be for everybody. But for anyone who's been into fannish spaces it’s a love letter to it. It bleeds with love, care, and tongue-in-cheek in-jokes that are great.
Aside from its wrapping Mary Sue is a great story focused on self-empowerment and the interplay of our art versus ourselves. It shows how the artist is reflected in the art through our idealized self, wants, and true selves. It’s also a very heartfelt tender message to bullied artsy kids and showing them how they can improve from their scenarios. The character work is really strong. If you enjoyed the Mom’s dynamic with Luz in TOH you’ll love the Mom and daughter dynamic here. And there’s a hint of a sapphic interest in the lead and her foil which simmers in the background nicely.
I really do love all the little details. The Fandom questions at the end of each issue, how the covers are treated as Tumblr posts, the AO3-inspired way to hint that the story’s not over. It's amazing.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I really liked the concept: an OC (original character) who enters the life of his author. The link with the origin and concept of Mary Sue is interesting, especially because the story turns the simple clichéd archetype on its head and turns it into a source of inspiration.
At first, I also really appreciated the staging of the writing: the comments, the scene that unfolds while the author is writing, and the dialogues that change when she rewrites the scene.
Visually, I really like the drawing style, and particularly the layout of the double page at 48%, which I found very successful.
On the other hand, I think you need to be really familiar with the world of fanfiction to understand most of the references, jokes and comments on the subject.
For me, it also reminded me of my teenage years and the friction with my mother when I spent too much time with my ‘virtual friends’.
However, I thought the story would be contained in a single volume, which surprised me a little. Some passages also seemed a little confusing to me. Furthermore, the theme of harassment seems important to the character but, in my opinion, is glossed over a little too much.
The bonus features at the end of the chapters were very nice, though: they allow you to learn more about the artists and their relationship with fan fiction.
At first, I also really appreciated the staging of the writing: the comments, the scene that unfolds while the author is writing, and the dialogues that change when she rewrites the scene.
Visually, I really like the drawing style, and particularly the layout of the double page at 48%, which I found very successful.
On the other hand, I think you need to be really familiar with the world of fanfiction to understand most of the references, jokes and comments on the subject.
For me, it also reminded me of my teenage years and the friction with my mother when I spent too much time with my ‘virtual friends’.
However, I thought the story would be contained in a single volume, which surprised me a little. Some passages also seemed a little confusing to me. Furthermore, the theme of harassment seems important to the character but, in my opinion, is glossed over a little too much.
The bonus features at the end of the chapters were very nice, though: they allow you to learn more about the artists and their relationship with fan fiction.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I really like the concept of this book, about a fanfic Mary Sue character who has come to life in the real world. Having written fan fiction in there is nothing like having our characters fix the problems with stories that you have seen that you feel would be better if they had just done one or two different things.
This volume, which collects the first five issues of the comic book, Mary Sue, follows the protagonist, who is a loner, and has lost her best friend, as she is forced to go to a church activity, with said, former best friend. When not only does her character come to life,but so does her former best friend’s character as well.
Are there some corny things that happen? Well, yes, it is a Mary Sue character. But, as the newly formed Mary Sue herself says, "I may be many things, but I am never mean.”
But, since this is the first volume, the whole collection ends on a cliff hanger. I would recommend reading it, though, so that they do put out a volume two. Sometimes, it is the preorders that allow publishers to continue with the story.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book will be published on the 11th of August 2026.
This volume, which collects the first five issues of the comic book, Mary Sue, follows the protagonist, who is a loner, and has lost her best friend, as she is forced to go to a church activity, with said, former best friend. When not only does her character come to life,but so does her former best friend’s character as well.
Are there some corny things that happen? Well, yes, it is a Mary Sue character. But, as the newly formed Mary Sue herself says, "I may be many things, but I am never mean.”
But, since this is the first volume, the whole collection ends on a cliff hanger. I would recommend reading it, though, so that they do put out a volume two. Sometimes, it is the preorders that allow publishers to continue with the story.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book will be published on the 11th of August 2026.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you NetGalley for the early access to this!!
I feel so amazingly spoilt with how lucky I’ve been getting with the approval of my requests for such amazing books and this is definitely one of them! If i had confirmation that this series was going to continue and there was a volume 2 coming out then this would definitely bump this up to a 4.5-5 depending on how the story develops. As it is, it’s a solid 4/5 for me.
Mary Sue is a full-colour, comic book style graphic novel that explores a world where your fanfics come to life and it’s such a great world! The art style, the colours and how they help depict the characters personalities and the story so far has been so entertaining.
Cassie is your typical introverted fanfic writer who gains courage and confidence from the friends she’s made online and shares a complicated past with Bennett. Hinting at a friendship that somehow came to end but no details to that yet.
With themes of bullying, self empowerment and overcoming internal struggles, Mary Sue is a fresh and modern take on delving into the teenage mind and the journey you need to take to grow.
I have some predictions of where this story will go but am keen and hope that we’ll get a volume 2 to know for sure!
I feel so amazingly spoilt with how lucky I’ve been getting with the approval of my requests for such amazing books and this is definitely one of them! If i had confirmation that this series was going to continue and there was a volume 2 coming out then this would definitely bump this up to a 4.5-5 depending on how the story develops. As it is, it’s a solid 4/5 for me.
Mary Sue is a full-colour, comic book style graphic novel that explores a world where your fanfics come to life and it’s such a great world! The art style, the colours and how they help depict the characters personalities and the story so far has been so entertaining.
Cassie is your typical introverted fanfic writer who gains courage and confidence from the friends she’s made online and shares a complicated past with Bennett. Hinting at a friendship that somehow came to end but no details to that yet.
With themes of bullying, self empowerment and overcoming internal struggles, Mary Sue is a fresh and modern take on delving into the teenage mind and the journey you need to take to grow.
I have some predictions of where this story will go but am keen and hope that we’ll get a volume 2 to know for sure!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.5
This was such a fun story, but while it's main characters are teens, the fandom lingo is clearly not modern. There are mentions of Angelfire, and a character using an early 2000's Nokia phone as their backup phone. I would say it fits more of the early to mid 2010's era of fandom and being fangirl at that time. That being said, this story was pretty fun if at times slightly cliche. The pace moves quickly, and tries to blend information about Mary Sue's while also telling a compelling story. This leaves the story feeling a tiny bit all over the place, though I enjoyed the historical information sprinkled in about the origin of fandom and the origin of Mary Sue characters. I did love this story felts like a fanfic where the author has their favorite character show up in "the real world". As all over the pacing can be, I did find myself compelled by the story, and eagerly waiting to read the next volume! The art was gorgeous and I absolutely loved it. I also loved the Easter egg hints of some OG fandoms at in the background in some scenes, such as The X-Files, Deep Space Nine, Akira, and ER.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!
This was such a fun story, but while it's main characters are teens, the fandom lingo is clearly not modern. There are mentions of Angelfire, and a character using an early 2000's Nokia phone as their backup phone. I would say it fits more of the early to mid 2010's era of fandom and being fangirl at that time. That being said, this story was pretty fun if at times slightly cliche. The pace moves quickly, and tries to blend information about Mary Sue's while also telling a compelling story. This leaves the story feeling a tiny bit all over the place, though I enjoyed the historical information sprinkled in about the origin of fandom and the origin of Mary Sue characters. I did love this story felts like a fanfic where the author has their favorite character show up in "the real world". As all over the pacing can be, I did find myself compelled by the story, and eagerly waiting to read the next volume! The art was gorgeous and I absolutely loved it. I also loved the Easter egg hints of some OG fandoms at in the background in some scenes, such as The X-Files, Deep Space Nine, Akira, and ER.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest, from-the-heart review.
The artwork in this book is stunning, the story is hopeful and if you have ever been a fan of a fandom, you'll enjoy this comic.
My Rambling Thoughts:
I wanted more from it but I wasn't mad at all. I felt like the social commentary on the term "Mary Sue" makes it worth a read alone. For people who have written fanfiction, or explored the ideas of it even like I have, this book captures when you are in love with a series and you include yourself, or a character, into it.
What Worked:
The artwork is amazing and one of my favorites I've seen in my reviews. Especially the coloring throughout.
What Didn’t Work:
The ending kind of sucks. With no spoilers, there needs to be a lot more of this story and soon to salvage it.
Emotional Impact:
Did I Cry? No
Did I Get Angry? No
Did I Run To My Wife And Tell Her To “Read This Now!”: No
This Book Is For:
All those fans out there that want to be inside their fandom.
⭐ Rating:
⭐⭐⭐
- Brock Seng -
Life is too short for re-reads and not DNFing “The Goldfinch”
The artwork in this book is stunning, the story is hopeful and if you have ever been a fan of a fandom, you'll enjoy this comic.
My Rambling Thoughts:
I wanted more from it but I wasn't mad at all. I felt like the social commentary on the term "Mary Sue" makes it worth a read alone. For people who have written fanfiction, or explored the ideas of it even like I have, this book captures when you are in love with a series and you include yourself, or a character, into it.
What Worked:
The artwork is amazing and one of my favorites I've seen in my reviews. Especially the coloring throughout.
What Didn’t Work:
The ending kind of sucks. With no spoilers, there needs to be a lot more of this story and soon to salvage it.
Emotional Impact:
Did I Cry? No
Did I Get Angry? No
Did I Run To My Wife And Tell Her To “Read This Now!”: No
This Book Is For:
All those fans out there that want to be inside their fandom.
⭐ Rating:
⭐⭐⭐
- Brock Seng -
Life is too short for re-reads and not DNFing “The Goldfinch”
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thanks to NetGalley & BOOM! Studios for the early copy in exchange for an honest review.
I really really really enjoy the concept of this book--but it's definitely not for everyone. It's very much for those who have been terminally online and heavily involved in fandom websites for years...like me. I think it doesn't do a great job of explaining most of it.
However, I really enjoyed the idea and the characters using Mary Sue's as the "perfect" version of their idealized self. It's really clever and interesting! I just don't think it was fully explored as much as it could have been--possibly a bit too rushed?
The art was great--both in terms of character designs and colors!
The mom pissed me off to no end, it's nuts to me that she thought sending her daughter to a boring church sit-in would be the best idea. What about a writing camp? Or storytelling camp? Or I guess the mom was just an idiot, lol.
Also fair warning, CLIFFHANGER ending! I don't know if this series will continue which is a shame.
I really really really enjoy the concept of this book--but it's definitely not for everyone. It's very much for those who have been terminally online and heavily involved in fandom websites for years...like me. I think it doesn't do a great job of explaining most of it.
However, I really enjoyed the idea and the characters using Mary Sue's as the "perfect" version of their idealized self. It's really clever and interesting! I just don't think it was fully explored as much as it could have been--possibly a bit too rushed?
The art was great--both in terms of character designs and colors!
The mom pissed me off to no end, it's nuts to me that she thought sending her daughter to a boring church sit-in would be the best idea. What about a writing camp? Or storytelling camp? Or I guess the mom was just an idiot, lol.
Also fair warning, CLIFFHANGER ending! I don't know if this series will continue which is a shame.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A youthful perspective on the power of online communities, self inserts in fanfiction, and a few too many one off mentions of sex.
Wonderful art accompanies this story that demonstrates how online communities and fanfiction have given a voice to those that have lost their footing in the "real world." Virtual communications between usernamed friends via dm, video message, text, etc is overlayed on this story of a teenager panicking that her self insert has suddenly come to life in her own world.
Our protagonist is struggling to find her own place after being written off and bullied by the one person she thought was her friend, and stripped of her connection to the online world by her mother. I think this is a well written perspective for YA to understand the origin of "Mary Sue" and why despite its negative connotations online, there is power in its writing. That being said, I truly don't know why sex was brought up as much as it was. One off joke? Fine, but a little off putting. Thrice executed joke? The well has run dry.
ARC received from NetGalley, thoughts are my own!
Wonderful art accompanies this story that demonstrates how online communities and fanfiction have given a voice to those that have lost their footing in the "real world." Virtual communications between usernamed friends via dm, video message, text, etc is overlayed on this story of a teenager panicking that her self insert has suddenly come to life in her own world.
Our protagonist is struggling to find her own place after being written off and bullied by the one person she thought was her friend, and stripped of her connection to the online world by her mother. I think this is a well written perspective for YA to understand the origin of "Mary Sue" and why despite its negative connotations online, there is power in its writing. That being said, I truly don't know why sex was brought up as much as it was. One off joke? Fine, but a little off putting. Thrice executed joke? The well has run dry.
ARC received from NetGalley, thoughts are my own!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4.5
I really liked this graphic novel. Even before writing this review I had already recommended it to multiple friends. While this is categorized as YA, I truly believe it is a perfect read for any woman who has ever been involved in fandom in any way.
I also would highly recommend this book as a gift for any men in your life who have ever used the term Mary Sue in a derogatory way. (I'm looking at you, every guy who's ever complained about Rey in The Last Jedi to me. You know who you are.)
I think I fell in love with this book a bit more with each chapter. Fitzmartin captures the awkwardness of being an insecure teen, the specificity of having a parent push you into going to church lock-ins, and the true joy of online friendship brilliantly.
Sterle's illustrations are also great. I love how vibrant they are. She clearly knows her nerd culture and incorporates some fun visual easter eggs throughout.
I really hope we eventually get a second book from these amazing creators.
Thank you to NetGalley and BOOM! Studios for access to this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
I really liked this graphic novel. Even before writing this review I had already recommended it to multiple friends. While this is categorized as YA, I truly believe it is a perfect read for any woman who has ever been involved in fandom in any way.
I also would highly recommend this book as a gift for any men in your life who have ever used the term Mary Sue in a derogatory way. (I'm looking at you, every guy who's ever complained about Rey in The Last Jedi to me. You know who you are.)
I think I fell in love with this book a bit more with each chapter. Fitzmartin captures the awkwardness of being an insecure teen, the specificity of having a parent push you into going to church lock-ins, and the true joy of online friendship brilliantly.
Sterle's illustrations are also great. I love how vibrant they are. She clearly knows her nerd culture and incorporates some fun visual easter eggs throughout.
I really hope we eventually get a second book from these amazing creators.
Thank you to NetGalley and BOOM! Studios for access to this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you Netgalley for an advance copy.
This was a good story about embracing yourself. The artwork was wonderful. In this day and age, a lot of young people are constantly on social media and don't really know how to socialize outside of being online. Cassie keeps to herself and writes fanfics about her favorite show. Her mom forces her to go to some church youth lock-in and the character she writes about suddenly comes alive in the real world. I get her mom being worried that she has no friends, but at the same time forcing something on her that she didn't want to do in the first place wasn't that helpful. If her mom really wanted to help, she should have sent her off to a writing seminar; that way she would have at least some interaction with people who have the same interests.
I liked that Cassie's online friends/community was supportive of her and did tell her that she did tend to shut down when others were being critical of her.
This was a good story about embracing yourself. The artwork was wonderful. In this day and age, a lot of young people are constantly on social media and don't really know how to socialize outside of being online. Cassie keeps to herself and writes fanfics about her favorite show. Her mom forces her to go to some church youth lock-in and the character she writes about suddenly comes alive in the real world. I get her mom being worried that she has no friends, but at the same time forcing something on her that she didn't want to do in the first place wasn't that helpful. If her mom really wanted to help, she should have sent her off to a writing seminar; that way she would have at least some interaction with people who have the same interests.
I liked that Cassie's online friends/community was supportive of her and did tell her that she did tend to shut down when others were being critical of her.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you Netgalley for this arc!
Cassie is a major fanfic writer for the fictional show Riverview. But when her mother prevents her from posting the next chapter, and a former friend turned enemy accidentally breaks her phone, her oc, Jessica, shows up IRL. Jessica joined Cassie as she attends a church event, encouraging her to stand up for herself and have confidence, only for more chaos to happen, another oc to show up, and more.
This story was so much fun. The idea of an oc, specifically a "Mary Sue," coming to life and being able to have their own powers, or a whole world of various people's ocs (which was so cool, spotting the individual fandom references. Pretty sure I saw Steven Universe in there which was cool), was a fun concept and well executed. I can't wait to read the next one.
It also discussed an interesting bit of fandom history I didn't know which was fun to learn.
Cassie is a major fanfic writer for the fictional show Riverview. But when her mother prevents her from posting the next chapter, and a former friend turned enemy accidentally breaks her phone, her oc, Jessica, shows up IRL. Jessica joined Cassie as she attends a church event, encouraging her to stand up for herself and have confidence, only for more chaos to happen, another oc to show up, and more.
This story was so much fun. The idea of an oc, specifically a "Mary Sue," coming to life and being able to have their own powers, or a whole world of various people's ocs (which was so cool, spotting the individual fandom references. Pretty sure I saw Steven Universe in there which was cool), was a fun concept and well executed. I can't wait to read the next one.
It also discussed an interesting bit of fandom history I didn't know which was fun to learn.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This comic is a very fun and loving exploration of fandom, especially fanfiction and online friendships. The story is wacky and over the top, a writer's original character coming to life and helping them be more confident in the real world isn't the most grounded premise. But I think it works to discuss Mary Sue characters, how they can be unfairly criticized, the history of fanfic, and how that ties in with different waves of feminism. But it's also just a silly fun time.
I especially enjoyed the bits between the issues where the different contributors were discussing their history with fandom and creating fan works. The essay at the end was also great. I hope this series is going to continue. I'm invested in the characters and I think the art style and colors are gorgeous.
Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
I especially enjoyed the bits between the issues where the different contributors were discussing their history with fandom and creating fan works. The essay at the end was also great. I hope this series is going to continue. I'm invested in the characters and I think the art style and colors are gorgeous.
Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Mary Sue gave so much information I had no idea about. I had never read fan fiction and Mary Sue's is not a term I had never heard of before. I think I would have appreciated the book more had I been more into those things or into the show Supernatural. I also would not have felt a bit lost at the beginning and some of the end. That said I was able to keep up with the plot and enjoyed it. It is a fun world filled with uplifting from bullying, uncoventional friendship, female empowerment, and unreal characters obsessed with sex. I thought some statements made by Cassie where disrespectful to her mom and shocking. Overall, good time, quick read and left me curious to continue the series. This is volumes 1-5 and ends on a cliffhanger, so so many questions left. Thanks #netgalley for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I just finished Mary Sue by Meghan Fitzmartin, a graphic novel about a teen who writes fan fiction, and I picked it up as part of my effort to read more graphic novels for my students. The artwork is absolutely stunning, and the panel layout is so eye-catching—it really enhances the storytelling in a powerful way. I also appreciated how much I learned about fan fiction culture, since it’s not something I knew a lot about going in. While some of the fanfic terminology was explained, there were a few references I still had to look up myself. I loved the nod to the original “Mary Sue” concept and the subtle feminist undertones, and overall, it’s one I would definitely consider adding to a high school library collection.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3 🌟
The plot of this comic actually is one of my worst nightmares
Imagine the fanfiction that you have written about, your EX best friend decides to read it in front of everyone. Not only is it a fanfic but its a fanfic that has an OC insert character that is a "Mary sue". Not only did that happen to cassie but why did her character come to life.
The artstyle of this comic was really beautiful. I never really knew what a "Mary Sue" was before reading this and it was very interesting learning about the concept. Although this was an enjoyable read, Im not really sure if I would continue reading this series but it was a very intriguing read!
Thank you Netgalley and BOOM! Studios for an Arc exchange for a honest Review!
The plot of this comic actually is one of my worst nightmares
Imagine the fanfiction that you have written about, your EX best friend decides to read it in front of everyone. Not only is it a fanfic but its a fanfic that has an OC insert character that is a "Mary sue". Not only did that happen to cassie but why did her character come to life.
The artstyle of this comic was really beautiful. I never really knew what a "Mary Sue" was before reading this and it was very interesting learning about the concept. Although this was an enjoyable read, Im not really sure if I would continue reading this series but it was a very intriguing read!
Thank you Netgalley and BOOM! Studios for an Arc exchange for a honest Review!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to Netgalley and Boom Studios!
This graphic novel was so much fun! I have never read fanfiction before getting into this so I was a little confused and I had no clue what a "Mary Sue" refers to. So I found the plot silly and fun but also educational and I learned a lot about the fanfiction space. I think someone more familiar with that space might have been able to understand the plot a bit better without having to google everything, but that is all a me problem for not knowing what I was getting into.
I thought that the idea of a Mary Sue was really interesting and I would love to do more research on it and I see this sentiment being used to devalue female writers in other ways. I will definitely be reading future releases!
This graphic novel was so much fun! I have never read fanfiction before getting into this so I was a little confused and I had no clue what a "Mary Sue" refers to. So I found the plot silly and fun but also educational and I learned a lot about the fanfiction space. I think someone more familiar with that space might have been able to understand the plot a bit better without having to google everything, but that is all a me problem for not knowing what I was getting into.
I thought that the idea of a Mary Sue was really interesting and I would love to do more research on it and I see this sentiment being used to devalue female writers in other ways. I will definitely be reading future releases!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.5/5 stars
Thank you to Netgalley and for providing me with an ARC of this book in return of a voluintary and honest review!
I genuinely enjyoed the premise of this book! Ihad no idea thaat Mary Sue's had actual history connected to them and it was super fun to have the history slotted into the book. There were also 'profiles' of sortss about each person who worked on the book where they answered questions about themselves too which is so unique imo and really fun to see!!
The art style is so vibrant and gorgeous - not entirely my personal favourite but absolutely beautiful nonetheless!
The plot feels perfectly paced and I would love to see where this going in the future - we're left off on a bit of a cliffhanger which just makes me more excited to see what comes next!
Thank you to Netgalley and for providing me with an ARC of this book in return of a voluintary and honest review!
I genuinely enjyoed the premise of this book! Ihad no idea thaat Mary Sue's had actual history connected to them and it was super fun to have the history slotted into the book. There were also 'profiles' of sortss about each person who worked on the book where they answered questions about themselves too which is so unique imo and really fun to see!!
The art style is so vibrant and gorgeous - not entirely my personal favourite but absolutely beautiful nonetheless!
The plot feels perfectly paced and I would love to see where this going in the future - we're left off on a bit of a cliffhanger which just makes me more excited to see what comes next!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
“I wish to have the sex”
Cassie is your normal kind of quirky teen (that I absolutely can empathize with). Most of her life revolves around the show, Paranormal (basically Supernatural). She watches the show online with her internet friends, posts constantly on an online forum, and even writes fanfiction for the Paranormal series that she posts online.
In the fanfiction, Cassie writes Jessica, a vampire, into the story. Jessica would be considered a ‘Mary Sue’, which is reflection of the writer, their personality, and who they potentially want to become. What would happen if your own Mary Sue showed up IRL?
I love the art, the characters, the references, and this story!
#ThxNetGalley #MeghanFitzmartin #LisaSterle #MarySue
Cassie is your normal kind of quirky teen (that I absolutely can empathize with). Most of her life revolves around the show, Paranormal (basically Supernatural). She watches the show online with her internet friends, posts constantly on an online forum, and even writes fanfiction for the Paranormal series that she posts online.
In the fanfiction, Cassie writes Jessica, a vampire, into the story. Jessica would be considered a ‘Mary Sue’, which is reflection of the writer, their personality, and who they potentially want to become. What would happen if your own Mary Sue showed up IRL?
I love the art, the characters, the references, and this story!
#ThxNetGalley #MeghanFitzmartin #LisaSterle #MarySue
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.5/5
This was fun and unique and I had a great time with it.
This for the fangirls, the fanfic lovers, and the fanfic writers. And I would highly recommend to those people.
This follows a girl whose fanfiction characters start to come to life and things get a bit chaotic from there (as I'm sure you can imagine).
This art was great and the story was fun, if not a bit predictable. But I really don't tend to mind that in comics or graphic novels. I've read enough books where that is just kind of expected at times.
Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
This was fun and unique and I had a great time with it.
This for the fangirls, the fanfic lovers, and the fanfic writers. And I would highly recommend to those people.
This follows a girl whose fanfiction characters start to come to life and things get a bit chaotic from there (as I'm sure you can imagine).
This art was great and the story was fun, if not a bit predictable. But I really don't tend to mind that in comics or graphic novels. I've read enough books where that is just kind of expected at times.
Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was a great, fun comic to read. The artwork is stunning and fluid. There’s a bunch of fun easter eggs in it as well. This book would be great for fan fiction lovers and day dreamers.
I really appreciate the depth of this comic book. It would have been easy to poke fun of Mary Sues as characters. Instead, it brings up how Mary Sues can serve as inspirational goals and had an important role when media once offered limited portrayals of women. I also like how Bennett wasn’t just the mean pretty girl and Cassie wasn’t the blameless nerd.
FYI it ends on a cliffhanger.
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC.
I really appreciate the depth of this comic book. It would have been easy to poke fun of Mary Sues as characters. Instead, it brings up how Mary Sues can serve as inspirational goals and had an important role when media once offered limited portrayals of women. I also like how Bennett wasn’t just the mean pretty girl and Cassie wasn’t the blameless nerd.
FYI it ends on a cliffhanger.
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
When the self inserts in fanfic come to the real world.. Drama and development commences.
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The art of this comic is the best that I have seen in a long while. So perfectly done. The story to me is just so unique that it kept me hooked the entire time. Such a nice twist to the Mary Sue world that i entered when I was younger. I adored the little fanfic sites images that were inbetween the chapters.
So many of the quotes stuck with me especially in Chapter 3.
"We help others. We find the humanity in the broken places."
- Ch 3
— Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing an ARC for review. All opinions are my own.
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The art of this comic is the best that I have seen in a long while. So perfectly done. The story to me is just so unique that it kept me hooked the entire time. Such a nice twist to the Mary Sue world that i entered when I was younger. I adored the little fanfic sites images that were inbetween the chapters.
So many of the quotes stuck with me especially in Chapter 3.
"We help others. We find the humanity in the broken places."
- Ch 3
— Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing an ARC for review. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was a nice graphic novel which involves a girl writing a fan fiction, to which the character came to life.
The characters in her fanfic is somewhat a depiction of her self, or what she aims or hopes to be, someone strong, bold and brave. And since the characters in her fanfic came to life, they also have their own world, to which the write went to to save someone, but something happened while they are inside the world of the fanfic characters.
The ending was a definite cliffhanger as I was shocked to see what happened when they jumped back to their own world. I am definitely waiting for the next books in this series.
The characters in her fanfic is somewhat a depiction of her self, or what she aims or hopes to be, someone strong, bold and brave. And since the characters in her fanfic came to life, they also have their own world, to which the write went to to save someone, but something happened while they are inside the world of the fanfic characters.
The ending was a definite cliffhanger as I was shocked to see what happened when they jumped back to their own world. I am definitely waiting for the next books in this series.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to Netgalley for the eARC
5 stars
Mary Sue was a fun and surprisingly informative read. While the story itself is engaging and entertaining, what stood out most to me was how it explores fan fiction culture and the origins of the “Mary Sue” concept. The book blends humor and fandom commentary in the Comic.
I also really enjoyed Lisa Sterle’s art throughout the comic. The style fits the story well and adds a lot of personality to the characters and the world.
I appreciated how the narrative highlights the creativity within fan communities while also touching on the history of fan fiction and how the term “Mary Sue” came to be.
5 stars
Mary Sue was a fun and surprisingly informative read. While the story itself is engaging and entertaining, what stood out most to me was how it explores fan fiction culture and the origins of the “Mary Sue” concept. The book blends humor and fandom commentary in the Comic.
I also really enjoyed Lisa Sterle’s art throughout the comic. The style fits the story well and adds a lot of personality to the characters and the world.
I appreciated how the narrative highlights the creativity within fan communities while also touching on the history of fan fiction and how the term “Mary Sue” came to be.
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