Luminous Beings

Almost a year ago, best friends Ty and Burger made a pact to take a gap year and then apply to film school together—but that was before the appearance of zombie squirrels. Now, the budding artists scrap together documentary footage of their dystopian present using their phones, work at Cousteau’s Coffee with their friend Miles, and puzzle over the disappearance of the café’s former owner, Stuart Fink. After the crew, plus Miles’s partner Fib, uncover an unsent email from Fink that implies he’s still alive, they decide to track him down to earn the $20,000 reward his parents are offering. The ensuing all-nighter leads the teens to Club Quarantine, a millionaire’s castle, and the middle of the woods, and leaves them with a deeper appreciation for their friendship—and some excellent footage for their film. Quotes from Longfellow, Yoda, and Jack White alongside abundant early-aughts, 1990s, and 1980s music references imbue this bizarre and fun graphic novel debut by Arnold (I Loved You in Another Life) with plentiful nostalgia. Detailed art by Pimienta (Twin Cities) likewise builds out the teen’s spaces while inky black lingering shadows highlight the novel’s apocalyptic bent. Ages 14–up. Author’s agent: Daniel Lazar, Writers House. Illustrator’s agent: Elizabeth Bennett, Transatlantic Literary. (Sept.)