Generational blood sacrifices, demonic possession, and a couple of smalltown, nerdy best friends to stop their families and neighbors from being turned into mind-controlled zombies: The Ojja-Wojja is a perfect graphic novel for fans of videogames like Night in the Woods or shows like Stranger Things. 

 

Val and Lanie are longtime best friends and certified weirdos. Between Val being autistic and Lanie coming out as a trans girl, the impending transition to high school is literally scarier than accidentally-on-purpose summoning a demon to help them with the bullies at their middle school. What started out as a homework assignment to learn about the town’s ghost stories is fleshed out really well with the inner conflicts of the two main characters, who are a little scared about what high school will bring to their friendship and are willing to do anything to preserve it. 

 

Of course, I HAVE to talk about the artwork. The visual storytelling in The Ojja-Wojja is some of the best I’ve seen in graphic novels. From distorting the images to express Val’s overstimulation to changing the art-style in the imaginary sequences that Val and Lanie use to cope with difficult situations, the art and the writing bring out the best in each other. In fact, I often gasped when I turned the page and saw a brilliantly horrific full-page illustration or the more abstract distortion and sharp, contrasting colors of the demon’s awakening. 

 

Middle school troubles and relationships thematically connect really well with the horror plot of the book. While the final resolution felt a bit rushed, this is definitely one of my favorite books of the year. The art is charming and expressive (until it turns scary and unnerving) and the characters themselves are so wonderful—even the antagonists are characters want to learn more about.