Youth Group

Three teens embrace their differences and unite to fight evil in this high-octane foray into the demon-slayer-comics meta by Morris (Out on a Limb) and McCurdy (Specter Inspectors). It’s the 1990s in Orange County, Calif., and Kay Radford reluctantly joins the youth group of her newly divorced mother’s evangelical church. Soon after, Kay unexpectedly stumbles upon youth group leaders Meg and Cortland exorcizing a demon from Cortland’s roommate. They enlist Kay in their exorcist cohort, to which she contributes her abilities as a Blight—a human who can’t be possessed by demons. As paranormal activity increases, Kay’s crew seeks strength in numbers, recruiting Jewish, Wiccan, and Catholic demon-fighting teams to work together against the creatures: “Anyone of any faith is invited as long as they love kicking demon butts.” McCurdy’s artwork nods to the fashion, music, and pop culture of the decade; saturated colors enrich the mood, especially during demon-fighting sequences, while layered panels enhance the feeling of movement. When these teens aren’t fighting monsters, they’re combatting adult-imposed barriers, flourishing when the unity of their righteous purpose trumps tired societal norms in this fast-paced adventure. Main characters read as white. Ages 14–up. Author’s agent: Dara Hyde, Hill Nadell Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Tamara Kawar, DeFiore & Co. (July)