My Heroes Have Always Been Junkies

A femme fatale with an odd obsession comes to life in lush color in the first original graphic novel from Brubaker and Phillips (Kill or Be Killed). Elle’s in rehab, though she has no interest in quitting drugs. She is much more interested in Skip, a fellow patient. Elle entices Skip at every turn and destroys his attempt to stop using. When the two are caught together after curfew, Elle convinces Skip to run off. Brubaker craftily uses Elle’s musings to unveil her romanticized perspective against a backdrop of striking pastels and evocative grayscale visuals. Elle’s obsessed with talented junkies; talking about them is how she relates and processes her feelings. Indeed, every memory of Elle’s connects to music and drug use. Brubaker never attempts to garner sympathy for Elle or glorify drug use, instead deepening the mystery around Elle and her agenda. Readers of postmodern pulp will enjoy this intense story and unapologetically cunning character. (Oct.)