Mary Sue

by Meghan Fitzmartin, Lisa Sterle (Illustrator), Dearbhla Kelly (Colorist)

Read Mary Sue, your next favorite read from BOOM! Studios!

Genres: Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Comics, Young Adult, Graphic Novels Comics, Feminism, Science Fiction

144 pages, Paperback

Expected publication August 11, 2026

Reviews

[ᯓ★ emely ⋆˚✿˖° · Rating 4 out of 5]

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!

[♡ kitty *:･ﾟ✧ · Rating 5 out of 5]

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!!

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Aimee · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Mod Rina · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Airi · Rating 3 out of 5]

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!

[Lucsbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I requested "Mary Sue" before I even finished reading the synopsis, and I finished it fairly quickly, so I surprised myself with how long it took to write this review.

For those unaware, Mary Sue is a self-insert trope associated with women-authored fanfics that became a taunt used to shame women and girls out of fandom spaces. This book reveals its history as a feminist response to the traditional female roles of mother, wife, or damsel in distress that we had been previously confined to, and reframes it as a way for women to carve out space in fiction not created with us in mind.

This book left me conflicted. On one hand, I love that this story centres women and our interests and hobbies unashamedly, and is fully aware of the importance of women's participation in fandom spaces historically, and how we influence the entertainment world today, now finally able to work behind the scenes and in our own projects and projects aimed at us. Something this book is aware of and part of, instead of having to create alternative storylines to see ourselves in it.

This is a story that could only be written by someone familiar with fandom culture, because the lingo and cultural references are so accurate. I recognised so many of my favourite tropes and the shows I grew up with that I felt called out, because it also addressed how fandom can be both a way to find a community that is not available in the physical world, but also a coping mechanism to avoid real-life connections, by escaping into comfortable fictional universes.

The downside of portraying fandom so accurately is that it comes very close to monetising it, which endangers fan spaces and all of us, considering the unique legal grey-area fanworks occupy.

Given the author's in-depth knowledge of fandom spaces and her experience working with the source material that inspired them, I believe a good balance was struck. I only wish the layout of the fanfic website the characters used had been made less recognisable, because yes, we do need to gatekeep a little, for everyone's safety, in this age of book bans, puritanism and censorship.

While I have a major issue with the way a bully was redeemed, this was a story with something to say, as well as a love letter to women, our contributions and joy, with beautiful artwork to boot. I look forward to reading more works by this author, because it's certainly time for the Supernatural girlies to make themselves known.

Thank you to NetGalley, Boom! STUDIOS, and BOOM!BOX for this DRC.

[Timmy · Rating 5 out of 5]

“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!

[⋆｡˚꒰ঌ lexi ໒꒱˚｡⋆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

What would you do if one of your fanfiction's original characters happens to save you from being bullied one day at highschool? That is what happens to our main character Cassie, and now her very normal fangirl writer life becomes a chaos as she is forced to face the reason why she created such character, what it means to her and how it affects her relationships with others. This comic is a love letter to the very concept of a fandom, no matter what fandom you are or were part of, you will heavily relate not only to the characters but also with the writers and illustrators themselves. I loved the insights into their own experiences in the fandom world as it really puts into perspective how every topic addressed in this comic is carefully chosen. The art is stunning, the color palette is so vibrant and every character is original in their own way. Although it is targeted to a younger audience, mostly teenagers because of the ages of the characters themselves, I deeply enjoyed it as a girl in my 20's, and I believe even an adult would reminisce about their fandom years if they read it. Surprisingly, the comic is also heavily didactic for the younger ones, because it portays topics they can relate to, how some characters deal with them and how other characters guide them to maybe a better response and even find out the reason of such responses. Overall, the combination of all of these ingredients makes for the perfect comic to read at the beach in August, the month it is released. I don't know about you, but I will be waiting for the next part to be released because that ending couldn't be more more cliffhangery.

Than you so much to Netgalley and BOOM!Studios for the opportunity to read this work!

[Theediscerning · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cassie is getting bullied by someone she once thought of as a great friend, and her mother's forcing church activities down her throat – so is it any wonder she writes fan-fic for some trashy TV show for an audience of three? When the bullying gets worse, however, her Mary Sue turns up – her ideal proxy for herself in her ideal version of her fiction. Confusing, but hey – when said girl is a sexy vampiress, Cassie is suddenly almost weaponised…

There was at least some expectation from me that I'd find this dross, of the most impenetrable kind. Certainly the creatives' interviews, with their normy-proof lingo and terminology suggested this as destined for a reader in an entire different world. And while it did get a touch muddled, it was not too bad. OK, it's got a huge issue with sex – Cassie seems to have an admirer she's never thought about talking to, and the Mary Sues plural of this world all talk of wanting to get laid, because they're not the feminists they started as so they can do that now.

But aside for that, we get the clever way that confidence is key to the plot, and the drama of the concept builds up to what is a surprisingly effective cliffhanger. I can still find minor flaws – the way nobody seems to even notice Mary Sue's skirt being of a length to show everything, for one – but like I say, I think they're minor. I mean I'm not going to rate this highly, purely as it's so far removed from the media I use and how I react to them, but I have to declare this a success for the right reader. Some books you just cannot fathom how they'd be thought winning, but here the quality shines through to make it pretty evident. From me, though, three and a half stars.

[Ya Boi Be Reading · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Kristina Butke · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a wonderful ride this was! Cassie is, on the outside, a loner and outcast, but within the walls of her bedroom, the pages of her notebook, and the screen of her laptop, she’s a master fanfic writer of the show RIVERVIEW. One of her greatest characters, a vampire named Jessica, happens to be a “Mary Sue,” which people commonly use as a discouraging term for writers who self-insert or create “perfect” idealized characters of themselves. While Cassie deals with friends from the past (turned bullies) and her AUs come to life, Jessica is on a mission not only to help her creator, but to show what a Mary Sue truly is, and what they are capable of.

This was a whirlwind first volume (that ends on a cliffhanger) that does a great job of throwing you into the world of fanfic creation. The first few pages show how fanfic readers often encourage writers as they go, share in the obsessions, and offer support. That’s what keeps Cassie holding on as her real-world troubles threaten to take over her life, from her mother to her former friend, Bennett.

While I do think the resolution between Cassie and her mother happened really fast, I thought the quick pace of the comic worked out quite well. No space or word was wasted. It’s an enjoyable and colorful piece of comic art along with a story that celebrates fandoms and fanfic and AUs.

I had a lot of fun with this one and look forward to the next volume.

[ruvzo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4.43

A comic that I believe is supposed to have an underlying message of 'Not everyone is as they show ont the surface, be it good or bad.'

I didn't feel like the message was conveyed very well.

Initially, I was unable to get into the book. I found it confusing, the formatting was okay, the artstyle was to my preference. However, there just wasn't anything that made me understand what on earth was going on when I opened the firs few pages. I started wondering if there was prequel I needed to read first. I had to put it on hold for a while.

However, I decided to continue it because of 'plain old curiosity'. I am very happy I did. Things started making sense, yay! (I am not sure why I found it a turn off at the start lol)

Overall, I liked how the story progressed and the addition of new characters. I also loved the author notes! Every character had something unique about them even if they were just 'side characters'. On one hand, I found myself not so pleased with the pacing. On the other hand, it felt... fine?

In addition, as much as I loved London, I am not inclined to say "AHH! CANT WAIT FOR THE NEXT VOLUME!" because, well, I am not that curious. Don't misunderstand, I love this book! However, as someone who grew with the power of God and fanfics by her side (I mean, I still read fanfics-), the comic reminds me of something I would have read and enjoyed in the past but hasn't updated for a long time so it just disappears into the void.

Thank you to NetGalley, BOOM!Studios and Meghan Fitzmartin for granting me the opportunity to receive a free copy to review!💙

[Loreleï Loreleï · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Audrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This graphic novel feels like a true love letter to fandom culture—fun, nostalgic, and full of personality. If you’ve ever written fanfic, created an OC, or made real friendships online, there’s a good chance this will resonate with you.
The art is a huge highlight: colorful, expressive, and packed with little details that make each page enjoyable to linger on. The visual style really enhances the story and brings the characters and their world to life in a dynamic way.
The concept itself is both playful and thoughtful. It leans into familiar fanfiction tropes while also exploring deeper ideas about creativity, identity, and how people use storytelling as a form of self-expression. That balance of humor and sincerity works really well.
The characters are relatable and easy to connect with, especially if you’ve ever felt more at home in online spaces than in real life. Themes like insecurity, friendship, and personal growth are woven in naturally, giving the story a bit more emotional depth beneath its light tone.
It also does a great job capturing the feel of fandom communities—the references and dynamics feel authentic, especially for readers familiar with early online fan spaces.
Overall, it’s a quick, engaging read with a lot of heart, and one that’s hard to put down. Just be prepared—it ends on a cliffhanger that will definitely leave you wanting more.

[Heloísa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although I wasn’t sold on Mary Sue from the start, by the 50% mark I was already considerably more invested — when a portal opened to another world, I was thrilled.

This graphic novel certainly tugs on the heartstrings if you’ve ever been a part of a fandom space: certain elements of identity building through fiction are very reminiscent of my own teenage years, and the small interviews with each artist responsible for the creation of this work were nothing short of heartwarming. I certainly hope the creative team will dive deeper into these notions during the next volumes of Mary Sue.

Although we explored themes like introversion, connection through the internet and fan spaces, wish fulfilment, personal development and maturing while working on creative projects, most of it felt a bit shallow and rushed — since we had so many things to be introduced to, it was hard for me to care for our main character’s internet friends, for example.

Besides the whole fictional otherworld we’re introduced to, my favourite part is the dynamic between the main character and her ex-best friend (the sapphic tension is off the charts). The art is also beautiful: the whole team did a great job with this graphic novel, especially with the colouring.

The story itself is interesting enough, and there’s plenty of potential here. I hope to see more of this series in the near future!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Kaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

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!

[Katharine · Rating 3 out of 5]

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!

[Brock · Rating 3 out of 5]

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”

[Nisha Joshi (swamped, will review whenever possible) · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's been a long time since I read a comic for adults and this one came as a fresh breath of air!

The story is unique - an introvert, who writes fanfiction and has more virtual friends than real, suddenly meets her own creation at school. Jessica is a literal vampire, complete with pointy teeth and an air of confidence that Cassie, our heroine, cannot match.

When Cassie and Jessica go (unwillingly on Cassie's part) to the church's lock-in, Cassie isn't expecting much. But what ensues is something that nobody can control...


If you are (or have been) a fan of fanfiction and know the terminologies, as I do (don't ask, I'm a diehard fanfic reader), you'll enjoy this much more - especially the tight-knit world with its chats and friends/fans.

I did have a little issue with Cassie's mom, who seemed to think a religious lock-in program would cure her teenage daughter's isolation. However, the author has also balanced it well by showing the mom to be considerate towards Cassie's real-world friends. So perhaps, I can give her the benefit of the doubt.

Thanks to Netgalley and BOOM! Studios for the ARC.

4 stars

[Chantaal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mary Sue is a love letter to fandom, fanfic, and of course, Mary Sues. It features a fanfic writer who has to deal with her Mary Sue suddenly coming to life in her world, and the hijinks that ensue.

I think this has a very specific audience, and for those of us that were fully in fandom, who loved fanfic and found true friendships online through fandom that are still strong 20+ years later...yeah, I'm that audience. The main problem I felt with this story, though, is that it's hard to connect with a story that is specifically For Me when the story is about teenagers. Where are the fandom love letters for those of us who've been around for decades? I want that!

The art here is very fun and vibrant, and well done. It can feel a bit crowded at times, but not enough to bother me. The color work is much the same.

Overall this was a fun volume to read, but I ultimately felt disconnected because of the jarring difference between the audience for this, and the characters ages and emotional maturity.

Many thanks to NetGalley and BOOM! Studios for the chance to read this eARC. The bound trade paperback will be released on August 11, 2026.

[Julia Pika · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[DaybeOneMay · Rating 4 out of 5]

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!

[Amanda Iman · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[India Staten · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Ella · Rating 3 out of 5]

First I would like to Thank NetGalley, the Author and Artist and the Publisher.

Well,...
This ended on a cliffhanger....
When I started this I thought it was a one shot so imagine my surprise when I turned the last page...
It took me a while to get into this, mostly due to the creator bonus Q&As after every chapter. It was to much text and to small to read on your phone or tablet and it gave me headaches so I started skipping those.
The concept of the story is alright though, an isolated teen flees in to the world of fanfiction, she writes, creates and makes friends there, real friends.
Her mom came of as a bit cruel and uncaring, I get that wasn't what the creator wanted but it is what I felt like.
MarySue land and all the Mary Sue's are just super awesome.
And why would one want to be friends with people who don't like you for you?
So, be you! And F** everyone who doesn't like you!

[Freddie🏳️‍⚧️🐀]

I don't know how to feel about this one, for the first half i loved the concept but the online friends aspect like. I didnt buy these ppl were really her friends outside of fandom stuff, idk why it bothered me so much. It kinda didnt feel like any friend gorup ive had online maybe thats just me idk... But the second half when you actually see the friends they felt more like friends. Okay but aside from that this was fun, I was definetly into it by the last two issues. I guess this is the whole story? It feels like it needed another issue. I didnt even realize this was the last issue when i read it until I noticed i hadnt seen any new orders for the next issue come in my pull list. It's a very YA story about like teen drama and friendships, and I think when they finally adressed the friendship breakup i was enjoying it more. I wish there was more i guess, and less focus on these online friends and more on the irl friendship breakup.

[Nev · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.