Wynd (2021) by James Tynion IV & Michael Dialynas (BOOM!)

I first took notice of this book prominently displayed at a Coliseum of Comics in Orlando, FL. It later went on to be nominated for a 2022 Eisner award for “Best Publication for Teens”. Tynion has been red hot and I actually have some of Dialynas’ TMNT stuff. However, I missed their previous collaboration on the 2017 “the Woods” series (also by BOOM!). I regularly acknowledge how much I tend to appreciate long-standing creator collaborations.

The first volume is divided into six chapters. I was curious but somewhat uninvested in the first half. However, I really enjoyed chapter 4 and the remainder of the story. Some of the dialogue was really poignant and not overly heavy-handed. The book was nominated for a GLAAD Media Award as it depicts the struggle of a boy with both his sexuality and his mystic heritage. Tynion is an open member of the LGTBQ community and does a strong job of capturing our protagonist’s internal conflict and place in the world. I found the story appropriate for both the category it was nominated for Teens (ages 13-17) and even the ages 9-12 category.