cover image Someone Please Have Sex with Me

Someone Please Have Sex with Me

Gina Wynbrandt. 2dcloud, $17.95 trade paper (140p) ISBN 978-1-937541-17-0

Wynbrandt’s debut graphic novel intimately portrays the bizarre daydreams that arise from being adolescent, horny, single, and obsessed with a celebrity heartthrob. The first story opens with an apathetic young adult, Gina, living somewhere in the U.S., being shown a Justin Bieber video by her younger sister. The exquisite next page reveals Gina’s instant obsession: Bieber posters, rug, scrapbooks, hairbrush, etc. Bieber’s affirming lyrics underscore the stark contrast between fantasy teen boyfriend and constant real-life rejection. Colored digitally in a limited range of pastels, Wynbrandt’s panels alternate between flattering their subjects and making them repulsive, displaying an awkward realism that brings the story to life. Breezy references to One Direction, Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, Sailor Moon, and various memes root this book in early 21st-century Internet pop culture. Unflinchingly personal and deeply self-aware, this book peeks at the beautiful, painful, whimsical inner life of the author, including the discovery of erotic AOL chat rooms and the use of video games and porn to escape the stress of college loans. (May)