Since 2021, Surely, an imprint of Abrams Books has released explicitly LGBTQ+-focused graphic novels, all curated by the brilliant Mariko Tamaki (This One Summer, Skim). Their latest release, the beautifully illustrated and excellently written West Hollywood Monster Squad, has perhaps been my favorite Surely release since its conception. It is a hilarious horror thriller that doesn’t sacrifice emotional depth or the diverse identities at the heart of its story. Now more than ever, poignant tales of queer resilience, friendship, and community are necessary in our world, and West Hollywood Monster Squad delivers all of that and more.
Written by the deft pen of Sina Grace (Superman: The Harvests of Youth, Rockstar & Softboy) and illustrated by the up-and-coming superstar Bradley Clayton (Killer Queens, Young Men in Love), the WH Monster Squad graphic novel is a true joy to read. I am coming at this comic from a particular lens: I am a 32-year-old gay boy who loves Pokemon, goes to drag shows quite often, and has spent more than one crazy night out in West Hollywood. This comic may have literally been written for 20-year-old me, but it is also wonderfully approachable, easy to digest, and hilarious for any reader.
When I first started reading WH Monster Squad, I was almost immediately annoyed by the main character, high schooler Marvin. This young gay boy starts the story out whiney, petty, and selfish… not the best characterization for a protagonist at first blush. But quickly, I realized that is the whole point. Who wasn’t terribly annoying and selfish when they were a senior in high school, especially a young gay kid whose only friends already graduated from high school?
Marvin, in many ways, is a reflection of how I and many other young queer kids felt and acted in high school, or how we wish we could have acted if we were able to be out and proud like Marv. The growth that the reader sees from Marv throughout the graphic novel is only possible by showing an accurate representation of how high schoolers can sometimes act.
Credit: Abrams
While WH Monster Squad is surely written for Young Adults, it also spoke volumes to me as an Adult Adult and did not feel “dumbed down” or immature for a potentially younger audience. Grace and Clayton did not shy away from bloody violence, intense confrontations, and discussion of real problems facing the queer community, like the commodification of trans identities in some spaces or the harm that internalized homophobia causes. If I had been able to read this in 2009, when I was a senior in high school, I would have felt so comforted and validated by Marvin’s experiences and growth, especially the distance he felt from his best friend Annie and his jealousy over her new girlfriend… also named Annie.
Bradley Clayton brings a truly exceptional artistic style to WH Monster Squad, a unique and vibrant lens through which to view the main characters and their environment, the gay-as-hell world of West Hollywood. Clayton has a particular “sharpness” to their art, most evident in the drag queen W.E.B. Duboiz (who hilariously performs at “Hamburgery’s,” a perfect reference to the popular Hamburger Mary’s joint in West Hollywood) that really stands out on the page. Clayton brings a wonderfully queer eye to all their characters’ outfits and also works an inspiring amount of gender and racial diversity into their designs, making every panel a delight to witness.
I beg you all to go check out Bradley Clayton’s Instagram, which is often filled with iconic renditions of beloved Marvel heroes. Please.
Honestly, I could keep writing about West Hollywood Monster Squad because there are so many small moments, incredible details, and fun references that made me giggle and my heart hurt. I won’t give away any twists, and trust me, there are twists, but just know that the way this comic’s plot unfolds kept me easily engaged and interested, something that not every 100+ page graphic novel is able to do for my ADHD brain. In a world that needs queer resistance – both violent and loving – more than ever before, West Hollywood Monster Squad from Sina Grace and Bradley Clayton carries an important message wrapped up in stunning art and an exciting, monstrous adventure.
Now, I gotta run and pick out an outfit because I am going to see the iconic drag queens Shea Couleé and Bosco perform in Seattle tomorrow night… hopefully, no monsters will show up!
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