Punk Like Me
A teenager explores her sexual identity despite the disapproval of her family in the sensitive graphic novel Punk Like Me.
Nina, a preparatory school student in Staten Island, and her best friend Kerry enjoy music and comic books. After a beach party, they begin romantic relationships with two boys, going on double dates. It becomes clear to both that their connection with one another is stronger than their interest in the guys, though.
The girls grow closer—until Samantha, Nina’s fellow swim team member, reveals her own romantic inclinations toward Nina. Nina’s family discovers her secret and responds with physical abuse. Years later, after Nina performs on stage with her band at a famous New York City club, Samantha and Nina have an emotional reunion.
The characters’ outer-borough life is detailed in terms of travels to Manhattan by ferry; they plan their excursions around its departure times and sometimes run to catch a boat. Nina, Kerry, and Samantha are all passionate and charismatic, resulting in sizzling romantic tensions. The art also contributes to the vérité sensibility: while the book’s images flow in a pleasant, breezy storytelling style, details, as of a view of the front of CBGB, a New York punk rock institution, give the narrative a firm geographic anchor. The limited color palette keeps the focus on the important aspects of the story; it’s a visual style infused with a punk sensibility itself, stripping away what’s not necessary to make what’s left more impactful.
A heartfelt LGBTQ+ graphic novel, Punk Like Me traces a girl’s passage from preparatory school to punk rock, fighting to be who she wants to be along the way.
Reviewed by
Peter Dabbene
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. No fee was paid by the publisher for this review. Foreword Reviews only recommends books that we love. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
