Cathy G. Johnson’s new graphic novel Gorgeous tells the story of a college sophomore who has a life-altering experience when two anarchist punks crash into her car, an event that forces her to reevaluate what she wants for her future. Rendered with delicate, hazy pencilwork, the book’s visuals have a rawness that intensifies the emotions of Johnson’s script, and her attention to nuanced character expressions is especially important for this small, intimate tale.
These preview pages detail the calm before the crash, showing the two inebriated punks on the road after causing a ruckus at a concert earlier in the evening. The first panel establishes an ethereal mood for the punks’ conversation, and the relationship between the two unnamed characters is made very clear in how they interact, with the driver as the dominant force in their friendship while the passenger yearns for appreciation from her partner. This dynamic changes when they collide into Sophie’s car and bring her under their wing, and readers can learn more about Sophie’s existential evening when Gorgeous hits stands in the next few weeks.