Published by Oni Press and written by Andrew Wheeler with illustrations by Rye Hickman, Hey Mary is a graphic novel that tells the story of a teenage Catholic boy named Mark. When he starts getting a crush on his gay best friend Luka, Mark must reconcile the religious faith that sustained him for years with his own queer awakening.
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One of the best aspects of this graphic novel is its cast of characters, both main and secondary. Our main character Mark is likeable, sympathetic, and somewhat naive in regards to how his personal experience with Catholicism clashes with the global and systemic impact of the Church. Then there is Jojo, a trans Latinx Catholic and genderqueer drag artist whose complex relationship with religion helps Mark navigate his own identity. Next, there is Luka, whose dislike of the Church is balanced out by his mutual crush and longtime friendship with Mark. Rounding out the main cast is Father Teo, a new Catholic priest that ends up being a valuable source of support for Mark.
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When it comes to the secondary characters, some of them ended up surprising me. There are many queer Catholic saints that make an appearance as a source of education and guidance for Mark and the reader. While the only saint I was familiar with was Jeanne D’ay (popularly known as Joan of Arc), she serves an anchor for other queer saints such as St. Sebastian, Brigid of Kildare and Darlughdach, along with Roman and Greek gods like Sergius and Bacchus. I especially liked how Rye Hickman drew them in different ways to represent Mark’s interpretation of them. This also extends Hickman’s interpretation of Saint Mary, who, despite being straight, has an interpretation that changes as Mark learns more about Catholicism beyond what he has been taught by the Church.
In addition to the characters, the main story arc for the protagonist Mark is authentic, vulnerable, and triumphant for any LGBTQ+ person of religious faith. Mark grapples with a lot of guilt and shame, visually enhanced by not only Rye Hickman’s art but also Hank Jones’s colors and and Frank Cvetkovic’s lettering and layouts. One particularly raw moment occurs when Mark and Luka encounters a hateful pastor and Mark has a panic attack that causes him to imagine people condemning him to hell. This scene is more impactful with parts of the hateful rhetoric bolded and italicized and vivid illustrations of fire.
Both the characters and the main story arc are driven by an intricate complexity that demonstrates the power of interpretation when it comes to Catholicism, the Bible, and personal identity. For example, Luka and Jojo show Mark how different parts of Catholicism and the Bible are used to oppress others even though it is also a source of strength for people. At the same time, Mark also learns about Catholic saints that gradually shape his personal identity for the better.
In fact, the most heartfelt thing about this graphic novel is how it teaches the reader that you can not only learn more about yourself and your personal beliefs, but also advocate for yourself and others. Whether you are religious or not, this book shows that it isn’t difficult to be respectful towards most people, but you have to choose to do so. To quote Mark himself, “You don’t get to choose who I am. You only get to choose what you do about it.”
A nice point of accessibility is the additional info at the back about queer saints and additional reading recs about how interpretations of religion and the Bible affect queerness. It makes the religious references in the book easier to digest and provides more reading material for those interested in learning more about how religion and queerness impact each other.
All in all, Hey Mary is the deep reading queer Catholics need right now. If you are open to an intricate coming-of-age story, then you might come away with new knowledge and a renewed faith in community.
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