AFTER THE INK DRIES

A girl struggles to understand what happened the night she was assaulted while one of the boys involved wrestles with the role he played.

The morning after a party, Erica wakes half naked in an unfamiliar room with the names of boys and lewd words written all over her body. The last thing she recalls is her hope for a blossoming new relationship with Thomas, the soulful lacrosse player she’d been crushing on since she transferred to her new high school. Relieved not to find Thomas’ name on her body, Erica tries to make sense of what happened and avoid the humiliation of everyone else finding out before she does. Meanwhile, in alternating segments, Thomas attempts to repress his own memories of his involvement in what transpired. Before long, graphic photos and videos start to circulate among their classmates, causing ripple effects that affect their relationships and their mental health as Thomas grapples with his guilt and Erica’s despair deepens. Weighty themes of sexual assault, bullying, and suicidal ideation are conveyed through Erica’s and Thomas’ extensive interior monologues, yet despite this, their characters don’t feel fully three-dimensional. The narrative is interspersed with illustrated panels from Erica’s webcomic about her alter ego, Erica Strange, which do not add significantly to the story. Most major characters are White.

A story about sexual assault that takes an unusual approach.