Deadendia The Broken Halo, quirky LGBTQ sci-fi graphic novel

My weird is not your weird. What I think is different, odd or not my normal could be your go-to entertainment. Quirky is a much better word for that. Everything can be quirky. It’s the way that your dog walks around the bush three times before using the bathroom. It’s the way that some creators accent their characters to a degree in their mannerisms to make just a bit more eccentric than the rest of us. Deadendia The Broken Halo is the second book in the series by Hamish Steele on Nobrow. It’s full on quirky for those readers 14 and up who want a beautifully illustrated story that’s crafted in another dimension, then wrapped in bacon and served with a side of friendship, monsters and angels.

In Deadendia The Watcher’s Test, which was the first book, we were introduced to Barney and Norma, two friends who work together. That is, they work together in the hotel Deadendia, where demons, monsters and the like come and go. There is also the fact that the hotel might be a portal to hell. Now that you know the basics, The Broken Halo picks up with Norma checking in some guests.

Paimon, a Demon King checks in and scares Norma’s spirit out of her body. Norma died in the first book but was resuscitated by Pugsly, a pug who is possessed by a demon king. There’s also Courtney, a petite demon who’s fiercely loyal to Norma and her friends. Barney is now a wrestler who goes by the stage name of the The Living Human. He lives with his boyfriend Logan and they are trying to figure out the way relationships work.

Throw in many more demons, shades of Hellraiser and put it all against artwork that has lots in common with Lumberjanes and you’ve got Deadendia The Broken Halo. There is so much going on in this graphic novel it would be a mute point to try to explain the plot. It’s a busy graphic novel with a multi-layered plot that is much deeper then you’d expect. The characters go through the typical struggles that teen navigate, but some have the added descriptors of being gay or trans.

Deadendia The Broken Halo rarely stops. There’s always something going on and once you’re into that world and know the characters it’s a zip-along demon filled highway. The learning curve as to who the characters are and what’s going on might take a moment for readers to become associated with them.

Because of all this, The Broken Halo is appropriate for those 14 and up. A good barometer is the Adventure Time test. If you liked that show (or the excellent comic book), but were looking for something just a little bit stranger, The Broken Halo is great for you. That aged reader will be able to handle a very fast paced graphic novel that’s creative, quirky and a little complicated.