Synopsis
When Brooke, Kelly, Maggie, and Melissa buy a bootleg anime DVD at a gas station, they get much more than they bargained for with Super Love XL, a risqué move featuring—among other things—a giant mecha who shoots lasers out of her chest. The four girls are horrified (and maybe a little fascinated). It’s so unlike anything they’ve seen, would probably shock everyone else in their town, and definitely would take over their extremely conservative Christian school. That’s when they have the idea to sell copies to local boys…for twenty dollars a pop.
At first, everything goes perfectly, with the friends raking in cash—pretty soon they’ll even have enough money to buy the matching jackets they’ve always dreamed of! But as the market for mildly titillating anime DVDs grows, the girls realize they’ll need new material. On top of figuring out how to replicate their first success, there’s growing tension within the group. Brooke and Kelly’s romance is on its last legs, and hurt feelings are guaranteed when Melissa starts falling for one of them.
Will the four girls’ shared history be strong enough to see them through this upheaval? Or will they learn that some things can only end in heartbreak?
From: Simon & Schuster
Notes on This Title
The focal characters of this title include a black lesbian teen, a queer Asian teen girl, and a queer teen girl of Saudi Arabian descent who was raised Christian. The supporting cast includes queer teen boys.
This title contains references to disordered eating and the sexual exploitation of a minor. It also contains a sequence which depicts masturbation, although not in a sexually explicit manner. Racial microaggressions and homophobia are depicted.
Awards
None.
Reviews
Starred Review: “While the creators delicately navigate heavy topics such as homophobia, mental health, and racism, this sincere graphic novel, set in 2005, is not without humor and hope.” (Source: Publishers Weekly)
“An evocative, tender, character-driven coming-of-age story.” (Source: Kirkus Reviews)
Interviews
VoyageLA: “Life & Work with Nicole Goux“