James Tynion IV (Batman Eternal, The Woods) teams up with artist Rian Sygh (Munchkin, Stolen Forest) for an incredible yet earnest story about finding a place to fit in when you're kinda an outcast.
When Jory transfers to the private, all-boys school St. Genesius's, he figures joining the stage crew would involve a lot of just fetching props and getting splinters. To his pleasant surprise, he discovers there's a door backstage that leads to different worlds, and all of the stagehands know about it!
All the world's a stage...but what happens behind the curtain is pure magic!
The Backstagers is the comic you present to the young queer men and men of color in your life, and to yourself if you fit those and you happen to have a time machine. I seriously wonder if this comic could evoke the same experience and joy that we know from Lumberjanes, and in a way that affirms anyone who identifies as male in a world where were told that our emotions, our presence, and our feelings for other men must fit within restrictive and repressive boxes. Read Full Review
And no, I could not end this review without acknowledging the perfect variant cover for the introductory issue. This team is not throwing away their shot! I need this as a print. Read Full Review
A genuine must read comic that will improve the quality of your life simply by existing in it. Read Full Review
This is a book heavy on positive and affirming friendships, a light-hearted read that will leave you with a smile on your face at the end. The first issue is a fun and fairly self-contained story that hints at spookier goings-on in future installments, and offers up a surprisingly thorough introduction to a large cast and unique premise for just one issue. Tynion and Sygh are an incredible team, and it's evident that this is a labor of love for both of them. BOOM! Box has done a great job giving original all-ages titles a place to shine, and Tynion and Sygh have absolutely delivered them another strong showing with Backstagers #1. Read Full Review
With heart and chutzpah to spare, The Backstagers #1 soars as a sincere love letter to the unsung heroes of the theater world. Read Full Review
The writing of The Backstagers #1 of 8 by co-creator James Tynion IV was friendly and inviting. A real, fun-for-all-ages story that utilizes good pacing and relatable characters. The story has no need of pointing out who the villains are. You automatically don't like them from their first panel appearance. And the heroes of the story are easily recognizable as well. You automatically love them. This may sound easy, but it's not. James Tynion IV showed his skill and imagination in this title. Read Full Review
This is not a comic afraid to get silly or weird, and that's one of its greatest strengths. Read Full Review
I'm really looking forward to what comes next with this series. Helmed by abiwriter and a trans artist, The Backstagers promises to be a fantastic LGBT-positive series, which is what we need more of in all-ages comics.While the focus was hardly on the characters' sexuality this issue, I'm looking forward to seeing a positive portrayal of the LGBT community that speaks directly to all the queer, questioning drama kids out there. This book is going to be so awesome for so many reasons – and potentially for so many people. Read Full Review
Backstagers #1 is a very entertaining read. The story is cheerful and light-hearted and the art is lovely. Definitely a comic to look for if you are a fan of BOOM! Box or if you are just looking for something fun to read. Read Full Review
Overall, I think Backstagers just may not be for me. It's certainly the most out there of the BOOM! Box line, and I think that's to its detriment. It takes everything a step too far for my liking. So despite being something I'm in love with conceptually, it was difficult to find much enjoyment here. Read Full Review
The Backstagers #1 is a pleasant enough experience, but it feels a bit too reminiscent of other, better sources to chart its own course, while never equaling the success of its inspirations. Read Full Review
I feel a little guilty railing so hard against what is a fundamentally inoffensive book (seriously, something offensive would have been a nice change of pace), but there are simply too many better books of the same sort on the market. Kazuo Kibuishi's Amulet has a similarly standard generic fantasy story but pairs it with world-class art. John Allison's Giant Days has a slice of life humorous take on an educational setting but with a sparkling wit and sharp sense of character. Even a book like Power Up which has some of the same problems with derivative humor, is more charismatic and charming. The Backstagers is, by comparison to all of these books, immediately forgettable. Read Full Review
It's cute, it's got charm, and a cast I could potentially really love. Lots of great ideas in the first issue but the pace is frantic with little to no room to breath. So much happens in this first issue that I feel bad that I don't know who any of these characters are.
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