Juliet Takes a Breath, the beloved debut novel from Gabby Rivera, is headed for the world of graphic novels. On Wednesday, BOOM! Studios announced that it would be adapting Rivera’s young adult story, which was initially released in 2016, into a new graphic novel. The graphic novel, which will feature art by Celia Moscote and colorist James Fenner, is set to be released in November of this year. Juliet Takes a Breath is an unforgettable queer coming-of-age story exploring race, identity and what it means to be true to your amazing self, even when the rest of the world doesn’t understand.
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Juliet Milagros Palante is leaving the Bronx and headed to Portland, Oregon. She just came out to her family and isn’t sure if her mom will ever speak to her again. But don’t worry, Juliet has something kinda resembling a plan that’ll help her figure out what it means to be Puerto Rican, lesbian and out. See, she’s going to intern with Harlowe Brisbane – her favorite feminist author, someone whose work on feminism, self-love and lots of other things will help Juliet find her ever-elusive epiphany. There’s just one problem – Harlowe’s white, not from the Bronx and doesn’t have all the answers. Okay, maybe that’s more than one problem, but Juliet never said it was a perfect plan.
Rivera is a Bronx-born, queer Puerto Rican author, whose previous comic work includes the America Chavez solo series America. She also serves as the writer of b.b. free, a miniseries that is currently being published by BOOM! Studios.
“So excited to be working with BOOM! studios on the Juliet Takes a Breath graphic novel. We’re blasting new energy into the story and lush colors all over the page,” Rivera said in a statement. “Get ready for a Juliet Milagros Palante that’s gayer, chubbier, and more confident than ever before.”
Moscote is a storyboard artist and illustrator, who is best known for their work on the animated film Tina and the Gucci Flip Flop.
“I am beyond excited for everyone to see Juliet Takes a Breath. I cried when I first read it! It’s a story I wish I had when I was first trying to navigate the world,” Moscote said in a statement. “It’s an absolute honor to be able to bring such an amazing cast of characters to life. Family drama, sexual re-awakenings and a bunch of incredibly smart and hot women, what more could you ask for?”
“Juliet Takes a Breath is such an important novel about coming of age and coming out so it’s been a wonderful experience to be able to live in this world and relive this story as we adapt it into a graphic novel,” Shannon Watters, Editor, BOOM! Studios, added. “We are very excited to be working with Gabby and Celia to create this graphic novel that will introduce new readers to Gabby’s powerful writing and Celia’s incredible illustrations, while giving longtime fans a beautiful new version to discover.”
As mentioned above, Juliet Takes a Breath will be available in November 2020.
