Astral Panic

Gr 8 Up–Hicks’s debut graphic novel is a vibrant parody of 21st-century life that accurately depicts the experience of dealing with anxiety through the lens of a multicultural cast of characters living in Toronto. The story centers on two young men who are struggling to reconcile their dreams and quirky personalities with the demands of the world around them, as well as with their taxing mental health issues. One is a nondescript art student named Gale, who has extreme anxiety that he soothes by ensconcing himself in the comforts of home and a therapy app that is more marketing than healthcare. The other is Aiden, a free-spirited musician with ADHD, who can’t stay focused long enough to find (and keep) a suitable job. Through an expressive and vibrant retro-pop art style, Hicks explores themes of over-reliance on consumerism, familiar environments, and social media comparison, especially in place of real mental healthcare solutions. The graphic novel uses fluorescent colors and pages packed with small illustrations to evoke the busy feelings inextricably tied with youthful adventures, anxiety, ADHD, and incessant digital notifications from devices. The colorful pop art captures a sense of anxiety while simultaneously delivering engaging illustrations. The story culminates in such a way that fans of zany, emotional titles, such as Aliza Layne’s Beedle & The Hollowbones or Brenna Thummler’s Sheets, will likely be enamored.