Catholic writer Matthew Lickona has the first issue of a graphic novel out, and the topic is an interesting one.
mon’ster n.
1. An animal, a plant, or other organism having structural defects or deformities.
2. A fetus or an infant that is grotesquely abnormal and usually not viable.– The American Heritage? Medical Dictionary
Alphonse is the story of eight lives that intersect because of an attempted abortion. Why “attempted?” Because while there are no angels or demons on either side, there is definitely a monster in the middle: Alphonse.Rendered “grotesquely abnormal” by his unwitting mother’s use of controlled substances, he is both sentient and freakishly coordinated. He is also deeply wounded, twisted by fear and rage after the attempt on his life – and bent on revenge.
But violence begets violence. Alphonse is pursued even as he is pursuing, and haunted by the insistence of his only friend that there is another way…
The first issue is available here.
He also has a Kickstart account to build funding (in addition to book sales, obviously) to publish subsequent issues.
I have not read it yet, but Lickona is an interesting guy and I’m planning on ordering a few copies.
Could a work of fiction like this have the potential to do for abortion what “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” did for slavery?
Thanks for the kind word!