Archival Quality, by Ivy Noelle Weir
Archival Quality is a gem of a little comic. Starring Celeste Walden, who has just lost her library job due to a nervous breakdown, the story follows her explorations as archivist in a strange and secretive library. There's a mystery to uncover, one that becomes deeply personal to her as she begins to identify with the ghost contacting her. But these things are harder to investigate when people question your perceptions at every turn, and maybe you question your own.Delving into the dark history of the treatment of mental illness in America, and reflecting on lingering perceptions and reactions that all people who have mental illness must face, Archival Quality transcends its mystery format to be exploratory and highly relatable. I read it in one sitting and will probably purchase a paperback copy for my collection later in the year when it's published.
I'd also say that this story in itself would be a good text for cultural/literary studies for young people, and it could be well paired with many staples in literature that deal with a narrator that is treated as unreliable or dismissed based on their mental status.
Kim Reaper, Vol 1 by Sarah Graley
This little book is ten thousand percent adorable. The art and style reminds me a bit of the spooky-cute books in the late nineties like Lenore from Roman Dirge and the Nightmares & Fairytales. Granted, the story isn't super deep, and things move fast, but I really enjoyed the fast-paced shenanigans between two girls crushing on each other while dealing with ghouls and reapers and zombies.Good clean lesbian fun, with little drama. I'll definitely be following this title as long as they're writing it.
I received copies of these titles from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
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