A Slug Story is a Beautiful & Uplifting Graphic Novel (Review)

by | Sep 16, 2020

A Slug Story is available now from Renegade Arts Entertainment, writers Mandi and Hana Kujawa with art by Claude St. Aubin, colors by Lovern Kindzierski, letters by the lettering god himself Taylor Esposito and edited by Alexander Finbow. Here is my review:

Synopsis: A Slug Story  — Marcus is an enthusiastic boy, but when ridiculed at school, he begins to feel that his best efforts are second rate. His confidence already low, Marcus suffers a serious, virus-induced, brain injury. While in the hospital, and with the help of fellow patient Emily, Marcus learns to embrace the reality of who he is.


A Slug Story is the kind of graphic novel that should be made readily available in every children’s hospital across North America. This story truly affected me in ways I wasn’t emotionally prepared for. You see, I’m a father to a son who contracted bacterial meningitis as a baby, causing seizures, permanently impacting his memory. His life will be hard but at least I’m fortunate enough to still have him here with me all these years later.

The emotional struggle on balancing life goals while dealing with all the limitations that this world throws at you is delivered in a very powerful way from writers Mandi and Hana Kujawa. The illustrations by Claude St. Aubin are also very warm and inviting, which make the artwork very appealing to both younger kids and grown-ups.

The graphic novel shifts quite drastically from our main character’s struggles with fitting in at school before he suddenly wakes up in a hospital to discover he’s forgotten several important memories and that he’s been having seizures to boot. During his stay, he forms a beautiful relationship with another patient and the two bond over their love for insects and so much more. The dialog felt extremely authentic and grounded in reality while still remaining hopeful and positive in spite of the difficult subject matter.

A Slug Story filled my eyes with tears and my heart with hope; it’s a beautiful and uplifting graphic novel that tackles some of life’s toughest questions and ultimately shows us how simple acts of kindness can mean everything to someone who is struggling in ways we may not understand.

Rating: 4.5/5

A Slug Story