Following Tony Price, the popular high school track star who’s secretly aching for his cruel dad’s attention and approval, and Eli Hirsch, a quiet boy with a chronic autoimmune disorder that has turned him into the outsider, Blackwater is the story of how two boys fall in love with each other as they hunt for clues in a haunted town. Pitched as Riverdale meets Stranger Things, Blackwater promises spooky werewolf curses, high school drama and bullies and a touch of unlikely romance.
If you’re looking for a quick and engaging read, Blackwater will definitely deliver that. This graphic novel really plays with misconceptions and stereotypes in a fun way. For one, we have Tony who is seemingly leading the perfect life—popular guy in school, a lifelong best friend at his side—but we quickly learn that most of that is just for appearances’ sake. Tony has a fraught relationship with his father for whom nothing seems good enough and his best friend Biff is a downright bully who gets worse with every chapter. Then, we have Eli who seems to be a bit of a flake but we soon learn that this isn’t because he wants to be but because his autoimmune disease oftentimes keeps him from attending school. There’s also the theme of acceptance and rejection introduced which I really loved—many of the characters vie for the validation from others but often find themselves rejected and acting out because of it. Yet Tony and Eli find an unlikely kinship which was just really sweet. Throw in supernatural elements like werewolves and ghosts that drive the plot and you have a riveting reading experience.
One of the highlights of Blackwater is that the creators Arroyo and Graham alternate drawing chapters in their own styles which I’ve never seen done before. Their drawing styles mesh well and it adds another layer to the story as each artist interprets (and emphasises) different elements in the panels.
The only thing that kept me from really being sucked into Blackwater was the pacing. Now, don’t get me wrong, I am a lover of fast-paced (graphic) novels but I wish we would have gotten a bit more character development and even background on certain characters’ backstories and that some of the key issues—especially concerning Tony’s friendship with the bully Biff—were more resolved. Similarly, Tony and Eli’s unlikely friendship and attraction could have done with a few more pages. They went so quickly from seeming like enemies to friends (and more) that we didn’t really get to know them on their own beforehand. Nevertheless, I really loved the heartwarming bond between them and the way that Eli became the bright spot in Tony’s otherwise difficult life.
Fast-paced, filled with supernatural elements and featuring a great diverse cast, Blackwater is an engaging read about two boys falling in love in a haunted town, perfect for fans of Riverdale.
Blackwater is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of July 19th 2022.
Will you be picking up Blackwater? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
Riverdale meets Stranger Things in this debut queer YA graphic novel, developed from a hit webcomic. Set in the haunted town of Blackwater, Maine, two boys fall for each other as they dig for clues to a paranormal mystery.
Tony Price is a popular high school track star and occasional delinquent aching for his dad’s attention and approval. Eli Hirsch is a quiet boy with a chronic autoimmune disorder that has ravaged his health and social life. What happens when these two become unlikely friends (and a whole lot more . . .) in the spooky town of Blackwater, Maine? Werewolf curses, unsavory interactions with the quarterback of the football team, a ghostly fisherman haunting the harbor, and tons of high school drama.
Co-illustrated by both creators, who alternate drawing chapters in their own styles, Blackwater combines the spookiness of Anya’s Ghost with the irreverent humor of Nimona.
