SIDE EFFECTS by Ted Anderson, Tara O'Connor

The Quick Cut: A teen girl new to college struggles to adapt and starts new medication. The side effects cause unexpected problems. A Real Review: Thank you to Aftershock Comics for providing the ARC for an honest review. Medication is a part of many people's lives. Whether its a chronic condition or not, meds can help us get better and into a position where we can focus on the present. Unfortunately, many medications also come with side effects. What would you do if the one you started gave you powers? This is the struggle for Hannah. Hannah is a college freshman who is struggling to adapt to the new lifestyle that comes with higher education. Taking colleges, finishing homework, socializing, and working is too much to juggle. After a session with the college doctor, she starts taking medication to help. However, the medication give her the ability to shock people and objects. Will the powers help or hurt her? I love that this graphic novel discusses mental health so openly. By taking the conversation out into the open, it helps take the stigma away from the topic altogether. Everyone has issues and struggles. No one should get judged for a physical condition not in their control. That being said, the fantasy twist with the side effects didn't work for me. Hannah is struggling with depression and anxiety - not uncommon when your life changes so drastically. She also tries to hide it from the people around her, feeling that having these issues may make her look weak. What she goes through is very relatable and I do think can make other readers feel understood. The superpower side effects I think were meant to make you feel like the main character can do anything. However, it felt like a distraction to me and truthfully sends the wrong message. Side effects in medication usually distract and are irritating in nature. Making them a gift is distracting from the core story to me. There is a secondary character with bipolar. I appreciate the mention, but the representation is very stereotypical and nothing new. I would have preferred a more nuanced showing here. A graphic novel about mental health. My rating: 3.5 out of 5