If you’ve been on the Internet or you’re a fan of any shape or size, you’ve probably heard the term “Mary Sue”. For those not in the know, “Mary Sue” often refers to a character in fan fiction who’s little more than an idealized version of the author, who has no flaws. It’s also a term that’s been used to disparage female characters in recent years, even if they tend to be well-rounded characters. In the case of Mary Sue #1, creators Meghan Fitzmartin and Lisa Sterle ask the question, “What happens if a Mary Sue came to life?”
Mary Sue #1 focuses on teenager Cassie, who’s a major fan of supernatural series “Riverview” (basically imagine if Riverdale, Supernatural, and Sherlock slammed into each other). How big of a fan is Cassie? Not only does she live-blog episodes with her online friends, but she also scripts fan fiction featuring her original character, Jessica. When Cassie’s former friend Bennett steals her fan fiction and reads it out loud, Jessica springs to life and complicates Cassie’s already messy teenage life.
I must confess: a significant part of why I chose to review Mary Sue #1 is that I began writing fanfiction around the same time I started reading comics. In fact, I still write fanfiction – I’ll fully cop to penning an epic Marvel/DC crossover in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. I completely understand where Cassie is coming from. You can connect with others via fiction, and dig into your own budding creative abilities by writing about it. Fitzmartin’s script also digs into how Cassie uses fiction as an escape, whether it’s from her mother who can’t understand what Riverview means to her or from the fact that she and Bennett drifted apart.
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Sterle’s art infuses Mary Sue #1 with plenty of personality, especially when it comes to the differences between Cassie and Jessica. Cassie looks like a normal teenage girl, clad in baggy clothes with round glasses obscuring her face. It’s a very stark contrast to Jessica, whose blonde hair is highlighted with pink tips, towers over nearly everyone she meets and is clad in very fashionable clothing. Even her words stand out, with colorists Dearbhla Kelly and Heather Breckel filling in her word balloons with a vibrant pink color. Did I also mention she’s a vampire?
Mary Sue #1’s most interesting element, though, is the lettering by Jodie Troutman. Throughout the issue, Troutman will shift styles based on modes of communication. When “Riverview” is on, everyone’s word balloons turn black, yellow, and boxy. It’s complemented by a series of online messages between Cassie and her fellow fans, highlighting the ways this one show connects them. Once Cassie starts scribbling in her journal, her words literally overlap Riverview‘s characters’ dialogue. By using these different forms of lettering, Mary Sue #1 shifts between fantasy and reality with ease.
Mary Sue #1 is a solid start to a story that explores the bond people have with fiction, and what happens if that bond spills out into the real world. Who knows, maybe one day someone will be writing fan fiction about this very comic – though hopefully it won’t break down the fourth wall.
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