SuperMutant Magic Academy - Jillian Tamaki
Unrequited love, underage drinking, and teen angst rule at a high school for mutants and witches.
SuperMutant Magic Academy, which the author has been serializing online for the past four years, paints a teenaged world filled with just as much ennui and uncertainty, but also with a sharp dose of humor and irreverence. Tamaki deftly plays superhero and high-school Hollywood tropes against what adolescence is really like: The SuperMutant Magic Academy is a prep school for mutants and witches, but their paranormal abilities take a backseat to everyday teen concerns.
Science experiments go awry, bake sales are upstaged, and the new kid at school is a cat who will determine the course of human destiny. In one strip, lizard-headed Trixie frets about her nonexistent modeling career; in another, the immortal Everlasting Boy tries to escape this mortal coil to no avail. Throughout it all, closeted Marsha obsesses about her unrequited crush, the cat-eared Wendy. Whether the magic is mundane or miraculous, Tamaki’s jokes are precise and devastating.
This volume combines the most popular content from the webcomic with a selection of all-new, never-before-seen strips that conclude Tamaki’s account of life at the academy.
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I recently dove headfirst into SuperMutant Magic Academy by Jillian Tamaki, and honestly, if you haven't read it yet, you're missing out on something truly special. For me, what makes this graphic novel so brilliant is how it flips the usual 'superhero academy' trope on its head. Instead of focusing on epic battles or mastering powers, Tamaki zeroes in on the raw, awkward, and often hilarious reality of being a teenager. You know that feeling of intense, unrequited love? Or the existential dread of not knowing what you're doing with your life? This book gets it. Whether you're a lizard-headed student like Trixie worrying about a nonexistent modeling career, or the immortal Everlasting Boy just trying to find a way out of his eternal boredom, the struggles are universally relatable. My heart absolutely ached for Marsha and her secret crush on the cat-eared Wendy – it’s such a perfect depiction of that all-consuming, sometimes painful, teenage obsession. The art style, as glimpsed on the cover with that black-haired, glasses-wearing student resting their head on a desk amidst school items like a backpack, paper airplane, and banana, perfectly sets the tone. It’s understated but expressive, reflecting the underlying teen angst and mundane chaos of high school life. Tamaki's humor is precise and often subtle, delivered through expressions and quiet moments that make you chuckle while also feeling a pang of recognition. What I particularly loved was how the magic and mutant abilities are almost secondary to the characters’ everyday concerns. Science experiments going wrong, bake sales being upstaged – these are the real dramas unfolding at the academy. It makes the world feel incredibly grounded, despite its fantastical elements. It’s a testament to Tamaki's skill that she can weave such profound observations about adolescence into a story about witches and mutants. This collection, bringing together the popular webcomic strips and new material, feels complete and satisfying. It’s not just a comic; it’s a keen observation of youth, identity, and the search for meaning in a world that often feels overwhelming. If you're looking for a graphic novel that's witty, heartfelt, and genuinely unique, SuperMutant Magic Academy is an absolute must-read. It’s the kind of book that stays with you, making you reflect on your own awkward, magical, and perfectly imperfect teenage years.