Review: Justin Case and the Closet Monster & Becoming Abel
Graphic Novels
203 pages (Justin Case) | 197 pages (Becoming Abel)
Cost (EPUB): $15.00 (Justin Case) | $15.00 (Becoming Abel)
One thing I love to do in my own writing: make monsters MORE than just monsters. This is something Mark Julien and I have in common; throw in such unique illustrations, laugh-out-loud hits to the heart, and beautiful framing of the queer experience—you know I have to give Julien his flowers.
At the beginning of summer, Julien reached out to me wanting to share his work. I emailed him back with the subject line: “You had me at LGBTQ graphic novels”. And these stories hit everything I hoped for. Fun illustration (from exaggerated monsters to exaggerated queerness). Tales of closeted insecurity. Coming to terms with yourself. This, that, and everything the gays love.
What’s a closet monster? So, like, imagine everything you’re hiding from when you’re in the closet. Remember how TERRIFYING it was to come out? The titular character of Justin Case and the Closet Monster: Hope knows it all too well, and his closet monster is this 6-foot hunky moose.
But, now imagine they’re also part of an afterlife agency of helpful queers—very Monster’s Inc. and all that. The first book, which I’ll refer to as Closet Monster, thrives in this over-the-top ridiculousness. It leans heavily into the wacky nature of a gay werewolf and a lesbian Frankenstein helping closeted adults figure themselves out.
And yet, they find the perfect spaces for deep, human reflection on what it means to be true to yourself. These monsters are cursed because they never came out in their lives, asking the question, “what do we become when not truly ourselves?”
Closet Monster sets up this world magnificently, making way for Julien’s second graphic novel, Becoming Abel. Following a side monster from the first book, we jump from coming to terms with our sexuality to coming to terms with our gender. Aka, a whole lot more terrifying! While Closet Monster thrives as a collection of vignettes that make the story, Becoming Abel is more cohesive and solely driven to tell the story of someone coming to terms with who they are and how expressing it leads to happiness.
For stories packed with monsters, both of Mark Julien’s tales radiate queer joy. And it’s something special.
I will leave on one more compliment: Mark Julien has accomplished this as an independent artist. Creating something is hard enough; creating something this good with your own hands to do all the heaviest lifting, that’s incredible. I’ve found, especially in the graphic novel/comic world, the best works of art are discovered on the independent level. So please hop on over to markjulienillustration.com to show him some support.
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