Superpunk

Brazilian creators Santana, making her debut, and Petreca (Ye) deliver a high-energy, punk-infused paranormal graphic novel adventure brimming with riot grrrl spirit. After purple-haired skateboarder Violeta, 13, discovers her late grandfather Bilu’s cassette player already loaded with a tape, she plays the mysterious object backward—and unleashes monsters upon her hometown of Hollow Hill, which is already plagued by sinkholes, flash floods, and hurricanes. Armed with her supernatural cassette player and accompanied by her cosplay-loving BFF Alan, Violeta juggles homework and battling creatures determined to impose rigid control on Hollow Hill citizens. The creators balance monster mayhem with familiar adolescent concerns, including Violeta’s fraught reunion with a childhood friend. Alan’s comedic antics and dedication to obtaining material for the pair’s podcast—which chronicles their fantastical adventures—provide levity, while a school-wide invasion by status-obsessed shadow bugs offers sharp, satirical commentary on authority. Vibrant artwork fuses manga-style action with retro street-art flair, and punk lyrics are woven directly into the story, with battle scenes choreographed to classic tracks such as Bikini Kill’s “Rebel Girl.” As the protagonists, portrayed with various skin tones, skate, rock out, and fight bureaucratic monsters, their adventure manifests in a joyful celebration of chaos, individuality, and the power of chosen family. Ages 8–12. (May)