Exclusive Preview: Heartfelt Coming-of-Age Graphic Novel

2025 is shaping up to be a stellar year for comics, and Oni Press is set to contribute with an impactful release titled Hey, Mary!. This coming-of-age graphic novel delves into the life of a troubled teenager named Mark, who grapples with reconciling his Catholic faith with his emerging sexuality. As he navigates this complex journey, Mark turns to some of history's most iconic religious figures for guidance and support.

IGN is thrilled to offer an exclusive preview of Hey, Mary!. Dive into the story through our slideshow gallery below:

Hey, Mary! - Exclusive Graphic Novel Preview

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Hey, Mary! is crafted by writer Andrew Wheeler, known for works such as Cat Fight and Another Castle, and artist Rye Hickman, acclaimed for The Harrowing and Bad Dream. Here's the official synopsis from Oni Press:

Mark is a good Catholic boy. He goes to church, he says his prayers, and he spends too much time worrying about hell. When Mark realizes he has a crush on another boy in his school, he struggles to reconcile his feelings with his faith as the weight of centuries of shame and judgment—and his fear of his parents' response—presses on his shoulders. Mark seeks advice from his priest, as well as a local drag performer, but also receives unexpected input from key figures in Catholic history and lore, including Joan of Arc, Michelangelo, St. Sebastian, and Savonarola. Ultimately, only Mark can answer the question: Is it possible for him to be both Catholic and gay?

"Hey, Mary! is a story about the tensions between queerness and Catholicism explored through the teen angst of one boy, Mark," Wheeler shares with IGN. "If you are queer and Catholic, you might already know that those tensions reverberate through centuries of art and expression, so channeling that through the experiences of one teenager hopefully makes it a lot more accessible! This excerpt sees Mark getting a very secular art history lesson from his artsy friend (and crush) Luka -- and a fantastical intervention from a bona fide queer Catholic icon. It's fun and educational and opinionated!"

"Shoutout to Hank Jones, our amazing colorist, for the colors on those turtles on the first page of this preview!" Hickman enthuses. "There's art history nods scattered around Hey, Mary! like some kind of glorious sequential easter egg hunt. Not just saying that because I'm a nerd about it, but because religious iconography through the ages is one of the Catholic Church's areas of biggest impact. Whether it be The Pietà or an uncredited wood carving of Jesus on the cross, Catholic imagery is evocative, figural, and emotionally intense-- and sometimes, sexually charged in a way that can be hard to reconcile."

Wheeler further elaborates, "Putting the Catholic art references into the work was great fun and I really love Rye's execution! The references are there if you know what to look for, but if you don't, they just enrich the visual storytelling."

In other comic book news, Mike Mignola is set to return to the Hellboy universe this summer, and we've had the chance to discuss the latest developments with the creative team behind Spider-Man & Wolverine.