Incredible Doom: A Graphic Novel – A Poignant Young Adult Story of Connection and First Love in the Early Internet Era

Incredible Doom: A Graphic Novel – A Poignant Young Adult Story of Connection and First Love in the Early Internet Era

“Incredibly strong and not a little disturbing.”  — Cory Doctorow, author of In Real Life Welcome to a new age…the age of the internet. Allison is drowning under the weight of her manipulative stage magician father. When he brings home the family’s first computer, she escapes into a thrilling new world where she meetings Samir, a like-minded new online friend who has just agreed to run away from home with her. After moving to a new town and leaving all of his friends behind, Richard receives a mysterious note in his locker with instructions on how to connect to “Evol BBS,” a dial-in bulletin board system, and meets a fierce punk named Tina who comes into his life and shakes his entire worldview loose. Unlikely alliances, first love, and minor crime sprees abound in this teen graphic novel debut about making connections while your world is falling apart. “ Perfectly captures the mystery and wonder of the early days of the internet .”  — Andy Baio , author of Waxy.org and co-founder of XOXO "A rush of love for brave beginnings—of both the early internet and the teens who used it to find themselves and each other." — Eleanor Davis , author of  The Hard Tomorrow and How to Be Happy "A compelling story complimented by pleasingly minimal art that skillfully evokes a sense of loneliness and isolation . " — Savanna Ganucheau , co-creator of Bloom " A sharp and authentic wild ride that brought me back to my teenage years as a punk with a dial-up connection.” — Kevin Panetta , co-creator of Bloom “A poignant and often hilarious reminder that technology is at its best when it’s easing the ache of loneliness and bringing people together."  — Jeff Zentner , Morris Award-winning author of  The Serpent King Gr 9 Up—This achingly poignant 1990s-set graphic novel pays homage to the internet's role as correspondence tool, library, and liberator. Allison's abusive, controlling father allows her to do little else but take part in his magic show; eventually she takes shelter at an online pen pal's house. Meanwhile, in a separate but loosely linked narrative, Richard is bullied at his new school until he meets a volatile protector from an online bulletin board called "Evol BBS". Dot matrix printers, Nintendo Power cheats, cassette players, and dial-up noises are depicted in all their nostalgic glory. The bulletin board systems of old are lovingly rendered, complete with chunky text and ASCII art. Bogart's clean linework relies on dot eyes and near-monochrome blue and black coloring. Flashbacks are rendered in pale lines and expertly flesh out Allison's and Richard's inner lives for dramatic effect. This is a story of older teens reaching out for connection and finding joy despite messy misunderstandings and the awkwardness of adolescence. Anyone who remembers the internet's heyday or enjoys using online forums now will immediately recognize the reassuring kinship made possible through a screen. As Allison says, "It's like coming up for air, discovering some people out there don't suck." The cast appears to be mostly white; Allison's friend Sam is biracial. Richard's friend Tina is queer. Language and violence make this book ideal for older teens, though adults will likely devour it, too. VERDICT Readers will root for these characters who are desperately attempting to forge much-needed bonds in this retro-tech drama that gets so much of the Nineties right that it hurts.—Thomas Maluck, Richland Lib., SC The human stories of desperation, of reaching out, and of discovering new worlds really shine here, both in characterizations and in sharp linework and careful compositions that elegantly highlight meaningful moments. - Booklist (starred review) Heartfelt computer nerd drama. - Kirkus Reviews Bogart’s cartooning renders emotional experiences palpable. - Publishers Weekly Rendered in black, white and blue panels but rife with rose-tinted nostalgia, this quirky graphic novel, a collection of Bogart’s serial comics, offers a window into the days when nascent computer networks were a haven from harsh realities. - Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books Readers will root for these characters who are desperately attempting to forge much-needed bonds in this retro-tech drama that gets so much of the Nineties right that it hurts. - School Library Journal (starred review) Matthew Bogart is a cartoonist living in Portland, Oregon. He has been publishing comics since he was ten and his father let him loose on the office photocopier. Jesse Holden is a writer, designer, and creative collaborator on comics, novels, podcasts, and video games. He lives in Portland with his dog, Fergus.