Heaven. Katie Skelly. Fantagraphics. 2026. 100pp. $19.99. (On Sale July 7th, Pre-order now.)
Katie Skelly’s new graphic novel features a cast of cool girls down a foreboding path. These girls are still in high school and, while full of attitude, are short on experience. They can’t help themselves; can’t resist being attracted to something sinister, which seems just out of reach and yet beckons them to draw closer. Skelly once again delivers a work of comics that is an intoxicating blend of sex-positive content and horror genre.
The kids are alright but restless.
This is the fourth Skelly graphic novel published by Fantagraphics: My Pretty Vampire (2017), The Agency (2018), Maids (2020), and now, Heaven. Each title is different from the next in refreshing ways and each shares a spirited sense of experimentation. Skelly draws from various sources, looking for imagery that stands out in terms of style and energy. The idea is to have an image act as a jumping off point, work its magic and keep the narrative moving forward. A lot of that vibe will come from art house films and assorted high-end comics. A comics artist like Skelly picks and chooses this or that image, processes it and makes it her own, like a favorite panel from a comic by Milo Manara or a certain moment from a Dario Argento film.
The not-so-glamorous life of a stripper.
The female characters in a Katie Skelly comic appear to know what they want and are determined to get it, prone to leaving mayhem in their wake. They are femme fatales, one way or another. In this new book, they are a clique of cool high school girls. Dolly, at eighteen, the eldest by a few months, sort of leads the pack. When the girls stumble upon Heaven, an urban legend strip club that seems to have a very tenuous hold on existing in the real world, they jump at the chance to find it. Dolly, sent as the trailblazing explorer, walks right up to the front door, and ends up being invited to audition as a dancer. She is in way over her head but that won’t stop her. What’s so appealing about being a showgirl? Well, Dolly, is instantly hooked.
At a crossroads.
Will Dolly regret ever knocking at the door to Heaven? That seems to be a hard yes. Skelly reels in the reader, just like a masterful director of artful horror and as the seasoned cartoonist she is. The artwork is spot on as usual. With just the right amount of linework, Skelly suggests a whole world, inside and out, always daring and inventive. The male gaze is stared down, allowed to co-exist under a well-placed heel to the throat. Sex-positive work is for everyone to enjoy. That said, this work eludes easy categorization and leads the way among contemporary alt-comics. For a wild ride, filled with chills, thrills and dripping with style, you can’t go wrong with Katie Skelly’s latest deep dive into strange realms. Seek this out!
