Theresa Reaches Her Darkest Hour in New Minor Arcana #14 First Look (Exclusive)

BOOM! Studios‘ Minor Arcana has, since its debut in 2024, been a fascinating comic. Written and illustrated by the legendary Jeff Lemire, the series follows Theresa, the daughter of a small-town “psychic” fraud who returns home begrudgingly to care for her ailing mother. However, once home, Theresa starts to learn that there might just be more to magic than she realized — and more to her hometown who needs her help. It’s been a moving and contemplative series that touches on a lot of deep feelings all while telling a haunting tale and now, the series is coming to the end of its third arc with what might be some of its most poignant moments yet.

ComicBook has been given an exclusive first look at the upcoming Minor Arcana #14 and it finds Theresa at potentially her lowest point yet. All through the series, we’ve seen her trying to do her best to help but now it seems that things have fully gone awry — and she’s not only dealing with what might be her darkest moment yet but causing her to question everything.

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Can Theresa Keep Herself Together?

As you can see in the first look images, the weight of everything is finally taking its toll on Theresa and now it’s more personal than ever. Something awful has happened to Missy’s husband and now Theresa is doubting that she was ever the person to help hold things together — and is even going so far as to think that she might be the most broken person of them all. It’s a gut punch for readers, both in seeing Theresa suffer as well as the realization of what it might all mean.

Here’s how BOOM! Studios describes the issue: “The penultimate issue of the poignant third arc! Overwhelmed with life in Limberlost and all that surrounds her, Theresa turns inward to look for answers. Despite good intentions, her desire to help others has placed her in the center of chaos. Can she hold all of the pieces of herself together, or will she fall apart under the pressure? Jeff Lemire brings magic to this penultimate issue of the heart gripping supernatural third arc of this series.

Theresa’s Is Her Own Worst Enemy

One of the things that has been interesting about Minor Arcana is that it doesn’t shy away from Theresa’s flaws. It makes her a relatable character for readers and makes the whole book’s overall story about a young woman coming back to her hometown at a crossroads all the richer and engaging — and as Lemire has previously said, Theresa can be her own worst enemy, though her journey is about so much more.

“So, Theresa is back where she grew up out of necessity. Partly because of her own failures, and partly because her mother needs her,” Lemire told The Beat in 2024. “There is some resentment there, but she is just as angry at herself. And the misanthropic tendencies you mention don’t help. She is a pessimist and can be her own worst enemy. But, of course, we set Theresa up as The Fool and her journey will be of discover and reinvention.”

Minor Arcana #14 goes on sale on February 18th from BOOM! Studios.

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