Young Adult Graphic Novel Paper Planes Coming From Maverick
By Writer Jennie Woods and artist Dozerdraws
Maverick1, the young adult imprint of Mad Cave Studios, has a new graphic novel coming out in May 2023. That still feels like it is in the far future now, but not only do I think it is worth mentioning now, but I’m sure it will be something I will post about closer to the time. Paper Planes looks to be an interesting read and something worth checking out.
At a camp for troubled youth, two lifelong friends reckon with the tragedy that bonds them, the futures they’ve jeopardized, and the sacrifices they’ll need to make to become the people they truly want to be. Mavericks’ Original Young Adult Graphic Novel Hits Shelves May 1, 2023
Maverick and Mad Cave Studios are pleased to announce Paper Planes, an original graphic novel from writer Jennie Wood2 and artist Dozerdraws3, publishing May 1, 2023.
High schoolers Leighton Worthington and Dylan Render have always been inseparable, but when they’re both shipped off to a summer camp for troubled youth in the aftermath of a tragic event, their lifelong friendship is put to the test.
Neither ‘chose’ to be there, but they’ll need a positive evaluation from the camp to avoid being sent away, so they can continue attending high school with their friends.
The challenges of camp pushes the once-inseparable Dylan and Leighton onto personal journeys of self-discovery that force them to re-examine the incident that threatens their futures, explore the friendship they have shared for so long, and discover the type of person each of them truly wants to be.
For creator Jennie Wood, the Boston-based creator of the critically acclaimed, award-winning Flutter graphic novel series, Paper Planes offered a cathartic and powerful chance to reflect on a tragic childhood friendship. “Paper Planes has been a gift,” they said. “The project gave me the opportunity to explore an intense grade school friendship soon after I found out that a close childhood friend of mine passed away. Grade school friendships have a unique place in our lives, I think in part because those relationships rarely survive the transition to high school. This story is about that more innocent time, the time right before high school, right before everything changes.”
Both Wood and Dozer Draws are nonbinary, and drew from their own experiences in bringing a nonbinary protagonist’s journey of self to the pages of Paper Planes. “This book allowed me to write my first non-binary character while I was coming out as non-binary,” Wood said. Dozer Draws hoped that the book could offer strength to younger readers. “As a nonbinary creator, Paper Planes is what I would have loved to read during my teen years. I am more than happy that I could help in bringing this emotional and very personal story to life.”
About Maverick
Maverick, Mad Cave Studios’ young adult imprint, offers engaging and authentic stories for those who think differently, are not afraid to be independent, and fight for who they truly are. With titles that range from slice-of-life stories to urban fantasy and horror, each Maverick graphic novel will be an authentic and inspiring universal story of personal struggle where anyone can find themselves within the pages
About Jennie Wood
Jennie Wood is a non-binary author and musician currently living in Boston. They created the critically acclaimed, award-winning Flutter graphic novel series. Featured in The New York Times, Boston Globe, and on Law & Order: SVU, Flutter was named one of the best LGBTQ graphic novels of 2013 and 2015 by The Advocate. In November 2018, Dark Horse Comics published The Flutter Collection, all three volumes combined into one book. That collection won the Next Generation Indie Book award for best graphic novel. Jennie is also the author of the YA novel, A Boy Like Me, which was a Next Generation Indie Book awards finalist, an INDIEFAB Book of the Year finalist, and one of Foreword Reviews’ 10 Best Indie YA novels for 2014. Their work can be seen in several anthologies, including The New York Times best-selling, award-winning FUBAR anthologies, The New York Times best-selling and Eisner award-winning anthology Love is Love, the Harvey-nominated 27, A Comic Anthology, and John Carpenter’s Tales for a HalloweeNight. Their website is jenniewood.com.
About Dozerdraws
Dozer is a nonbinary illustrator, comic artist and bird parent from Germany. They’ve done work on BOOM! Studios’ Lumberjanes, several German TV and movie illustration and animation gigs, and their own wrestling fan-comic. They are always looking for new exciting stories and diverse characters to illustrate!