We are delighted to be joined by the writer Jordan Morris. Jordan is an Eisner-nominated writer; his new graphic novel Youth Group with Bowen (Bones) McCurdy is released today from First Second. Jordan Morris is the creator and co-writer of Bubble, the podcast that turned into a two-time Eisner-nominated graphic novel. He has written for Archie Comics and is the co-host of the Jordan Jesse Go! podcast.
Hi, Jordan; it’s so wonderful to have you here with us.
Could you please introduce yourself to our readers?
I’m the writer of “Youth Group,” a YA horror-comedy graphic novel about goofy teenage exorcists who have to fight demons while also making time for abstinence-themed sing-alongs. It’s illustrated by the great Bowen McCurdy and it’s a spooky-funny good time!
Can you tell us about the origins of Youth Group?
I was part of a teen Bible study in high school and always thought it would be a fun setting for a story. It’s so loaded! Not just with comedy but emotion. You’re a teen and you’re not just learning about religion but you’re having crushes, being made to feel bad about those crushes and generally enduring a crazy emotional rollercoaster every week. I love religious horror but it’s usually over-the-top serious. I thought it would be fun to combine the goofy, often cringe-inducing specifics of my teen youth group with the giant stakes of something like The Exorcist.
How would you describe Youth Group?
It’s a horror-comedy so if you’re a fan of Buffy or Shaun of the Dead, you’ll feel right at home here. Plus, it’s set in the 90s so there’s plenty of chunky nostalgia nuggets for readers to chew on.
What can you tell us about Kay Radford?
In my experience, every church service or Bible study has at least one kid who very clearly doesn’t want to be there. They’re there because they got caught doing something or it’s a bargaining chip for their parents to get them something down the line. I thought it would be fun to make our main character this kind of kid. She doesn’t agree with everything her cohorts believe but she’s a kind person who wants to do the right thing so she cautiously joins up for the sake of helping save humanity.
Who are Meg and Cortland?
Meg and Cortland are the youth group leaders and seasoned exorcists. They’ll show Kay the ropes of demon fighting while simultaneously embarrassing her with dorky songs and catch-phrases.
How did Bowen (Bones) McCurdy become part of Youth Group?
Bowen was the first artist that First Second editor Calista Brill sent along when we started the search for an artist for this project. After seeing Bowen’s work I told Calista we didn’t need to see any other artists if Bowen wanted to do the project and thankfully, they did! I love Bowen’s characters. They’re so expressive and you like them immediately, even the demons 😀.
What has it been like working with Bowen (Bones) McCurdy and First Second?
Bowen is terrific. They had the brilliant idea of coming up with a music playlist for every character. Kay got spooky goth-ish music like Nine Inch Nails and Tool. Cortland is a (former?) stoner so he got stuff like 311 and Sublime. Not only did it help in identifying who are characters were at their cores but since we made the playlists on YouTube we got to re-experience the awesome slash regrettable 90s fashions that made their way into the book.
First Second are awesome. They let creators create stories that don’t fit neatly into genre-boxes. I love the Adventure Zone graphic novels that they publish. They’re set in a D&D-style fantasy world but are also packed with jokes and wakko world-building. Youth Group is similar in that it’s also a little hard to pin down genre-wise but hopefully that helps set it apart.
What made Bowen (Bones) McCurdy the right artist for Youth Group?
Bowen’s style was perfect for the character-based comedy in the script. The characters in the book are experiencing lots of big emotions and Bowen’s expressive characters really sell the awkward moments, crushes and all the other delightfully uncomfortable moments that come with being a teenager. They also use color in a really ingenious way, having specific color schemes for danger, sadness, fun, etc.
How did First Second get involved with Youth Group?
I did the graphic novel Bubble with First Second. It’s a sci-fi comedy and similarly genre fluid. I suspected they’d be into Youth Groups very specific vibe and thankfully they were right! Editor Calista Brill has been such a great champion for this project and had the brilliant idea to set it in the 90s!
How long have you been working on Youth Group?
Awhile! I wrote the script mostly during the lockdown period of the pandemic. Bowen, being a very employable genius wanted to do the project but had a pretty full dance card so we had to wait awhile for them to have to time but it was worth the wait!
With Youth Group releasing on July 16th, how do you feel?
I think I’m pretty close to having the fabled “all the feels.” Mostly excited because I’m so proud of the book but there’s also some nerves in there because it’s such a personal story. I’m also looking forward to getting out and selling the book at cons! Bubble was my first comics project and it came out in 2020, so there were no live events. I can’t wait to meet readers in person and eat convention center nachos.
Any message for the ComicBuzz readers?
Please check out Youth Group! I’m thrilled with any legal means you want to use to get it but I’ll recommend grabbing it from your local indie bookstore or comic shop! If it’s not on the shelves they’ll be glad to order it up for you.
We would like to say thank you to Jordan Morris for chatting with us and wish him and Bowen the best of luck with the release of Youth Group.
