Let Me Out by Emmett Nahil is a compelling graphic novel that blends queer identity, supernatural elements, and the raw fight for liberation in an interesting way. The backdrop of the "satanic panic" in the 1970s adds a dark atmospheric layer, and the artwork expressively matches the story's intensity.

While the themes are powerful and the story has standout moments, the plot and pacing left me a bit...lukewarm. That said, the passion and creativity behind the work are clear, and it’s refreshing to see a story like this take center stage in the graphic novel world.

Let Me Out is a worthwhile read for anyone drawn to stories of resistance and self-discovery, especially those who appreciate a dash of the occult. It’s not a perfect ride, but it’s definitely an intriguing and meaningful one.

A QUEER HORROR COMIC! Just what I always wanted. Absolutely great stuff, loved the art style, I love any story about misfits finding their friends in a group of other misfits. The ending was a little mis-paced, but otherwise this was fantastic.

I would like to thank One Press for sending me a galley of this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review. This novel is slated to be released on October 3rd, 2023.

This was such a fun read, and it was exactly what I needed at the moment I read it. I have been on a hunt for queer horror, and this delivered on all fronts! With a nearly exclusively queer cast of characters and the amount of horror (both supernatural AND real), what's not to love?

I zoomed through this graphic novel because it was just under 200 pages; not to mention, the plot and the characters really draw you in. The illustrations were STUNNING! The colors and art style used were some of my favorites from ANY graphic novel I've ever read!

These characters and their reactions also seemed very authentic, which I appreciated; I cared for them almost immediately, and I couldn't wait to see how the story would unfold.

The only reason that I'm deducting a star is because it felt a little unfinished, and that could be because they're planning on making this a series; however, it just felt like it ended SO abruptly. I was wanting a bit more resolution of some sort to feel like this book hit it out of the park for me.

Other than that, I highly recommend this graphic novel. It was a short, fun story with beautiful imagery, characterization, and heart. Definitely check it out when it's released on October 3, 2023.

I don't know what's caused this, but the rise of media about the "Satanic Panic" is filling my little queer goth heart with so much rep! The story was a little disjointed at time, and a little rushed at the end, but still overall a pretty good read.

The pacing towards the end of this felt a little rushed but I still enjoyed this horror graphic novel about misfit queer teens and satanic panic. I particularly enjoyed the art style.

3.5 stars - If you are on the hunt for really gore-filled, satanic horror, this is for you! In terms of vibes this felt kind of like a more intense take on Stranger Things, since we are in a small religious town in 1979 and our queer + trans main characters find themselves under suspicion when the FBI come to town to investigate a woman's mysterious death that seems to have satanic implications. The book does not hold back on the period-typical homophobia and transphobia OR on the gore - there were some incredibly bloody and messed up illustrations at the end that you will need a strong stomach for! This didn't hit perfectly for me because of the pacing; if you read the blurb on the back of the book, it essentially summarizes the entire plot and the book wraps up with the note of "The End...?" because things are not actually resolved. I would love to read another volume to see what happens next! A win for queer horror lovers for sure.

<b>TW: Language, smoking, homophobia, slurs, violence, blood, bullying, family drama</b>

<b><big>*****SPOILERS*****</b></big>
<b>About the book:</b>A queer horror OGN set during the Satanic panic, in which four friends must unravel a conspiracy involving secret government bureaus and strange rituals, while things take a turn for the hellish—literally.
<b>Release Date:</b>
<b>Genre:</b> Horror
<b>Pages:</b> 189
<b>Rating:</b> ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

<b>What I Liked:</b>
1. The Art was drawn nicely
2. The bond of friendship everyone had
3. Satanic panic

<b>What I Didn't Like:</b>
1. Art/dialog was confusing at times
2. Fell flat

<b>Overall Thoughts:</b>
How can you not hate the sheriff and agent?

There is so many serious subjects in this book that make it good.

When the FBI says that anyone listening to metal bands or dressing a certain way should be turned in it just made it that much easier for the police to find their next victim to take. Getting rid of the outcasts.

Why are the agents doing this though? The author shows us what and how but we don't get a why. So reading this I kept thinking it'll be explained.

The dad showing up at the cabin seconds after the but in enough time to beat the cop/agent was out of place and almost served zero point. I get it's what brought out the devil but why did he show up then? How was he able to jump around to random people? Never explained.

<b>Final Thoughts:</b>
I enjoyed the art design a lot and thought it was the best part of this graphic novel. For me the writing fell a little flat as well the dialog coming off cheesy at times.

There were a lot of parts I found confusing at what was happening. Some parts never made it clear to what they were showing what was happening or conversations felt pointless.

I love the way the author addressed the characters being different from society as well as their struggles with being gay an trans. The bond they had as friends was very refreshing.

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Thanks to Netgalley and Oni press for this advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

Set at the end of the 70s in suburban America, we see how easily othering and discrimination can lead to scapegoating and persecution, but in this case with completely unexpected results.

I asked for this as I loved the cover and am wanting to read a bit more horror, and more graphic novels and this fit those two criteria!

There’s been a murder, and right from the start you know something is off about the murder with a shady government agent and a sheriff with knowledge of what’s going on.

To save the wrong questions being asked they decide to stoke hatred and fear in the local community using the Pastor’s fire and brimstone sermons to make people question those who are different…

and the different they latch on to are Mitch, Terri, Lupe, and Jackson. The local queers and punks, the ones who dress and behave differently from mainstream stars and stripes America.

This is a very frightening representation of the hate and fear that is constantly thrown in the face of LGBTQIAP+ people, using this scapegoating as smoke and mirrors to make people look away from what the other hand of society is doing.

The whole story was brilliantly executed and the art style was perfect for the story, both worked so well together.

I was given this in exchange for an honest review by NetGalley

A creepy-crawly, cringe inducing, occult-ish horror to make you want to punch people in the throat. This is an absolutely insane hellride that you can't get off. Queer horror is a whole thing and I am so here for it. There's something magical about the way Nahil and Williams created this in your face monster of a read. Epic!

This queer horror graphic novel was a blast to read. I loved the art style and the characters. What a great read!

An interesting twist on the "devil worshipping punk teen" storyline. The highlight of LGBTQ issues was well integrated.

While technically a YA graphic novel, Let Me Out labels itself an adult queer horror that focuses on a group of teens and new adults stuck in a small town caught in the throes of homo- and trans-phobic laced Satanic Panic as they find themselves falling victim to the tide of propaganda that seems to be explicitly targeting them.

People in town have gone missing for a while now, but the disappearances (vagabonds and miscreants) didn't cause much of a stir until it was the local pastor's wife found mutilated in the middle of the woods. The town goes berserk when the news drops, and it doesn't get better--in fact, only worse--when the Feds get involved for some reason. Panic sets in, and it's not unfounded: something weird is *definitely* going on. When the blame gets put on the singular visibly queer, non-Christian punk group of teenagers in town, they're the only ones who see the red herring for what it is and are forced to flee--only to wind up in the direct path of whom or whatever is actually behind the missing and murdered victims.

Let Me Out has a whimsical yet dark atmosphere (like Gravity Falls meets NBC's Hannibal) in each scene on every page with stylistic character designs you'd see in a less somber genre coupled with beautiful colors depicting both delicate scenery and gore. The story is a fresh, subversive reminder of who the real bad guys are (like X-Files but ACAB).

Recommended to anyone who wants to read something cute and vaguely anti-establishment and -authority.

Honestly the cover drew me in and I was glad to pick it up during spooky season. it had the twists that compel me to keep reading and it was just great how diversity was installed in it. I enjoyed the characters the most. It was a good one.

An intriguing story that explores Satanic panic and the horror of simply being different in a small town, even if it doesn't follow through completely.

I couldn't connect with the story. The script felt erratic and confusing, it was as if there was a lot going on and too fast for me to follow up or care about it. The art is gorgeous, that's for sure, but I just couldn't get into it.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Oni Press for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I love lgbt+ horror and this book really cemented itself in the niche genre. The characters were different but amazing and the relationships that they have with each other are well thought out.

A nice addition for spooky season!

Let Me Out is a fast paced, thrilling queer horror story that is set in 1970s New Jersey and that follows an increase in satanic-like practices at that time. Thanks to NetGalley for the gifted copy!

It's immediate chaos when Pastor Holly's wife is found murdered and with satanic cult markings on her body. The FBI is on the scene led by Agent Garrett. He hardly has any interest in working with local authorities besides conjuring a story that there is a local element comprised of outcasts, queer folks, and any punks they'd like to rid the town of. A curfew is imposed and now Mitch, Terri, Lupe, and Jackson are on the run although they maintain their innocence. When they're forced to return to the site of Pastor Holly's wife murder, they'll learn who the true devil is.

What I enjoyed most about this graphic novel are the awesome illustrations that were as concise and gory as they needed to be to set the stage for what was to come. I also enjoyed the cast of characters. While, the story, lost its pacing towards the end a bit, I thoroughly enjoyed it!

4.5/5 ⭐️s

i wanted to like this title more than i did because the synopsis was SO intriguing--the popularity of satanic panic literature at the moment made me hopeful that this may be something a little more subversive. alas, it did feel very similar to a lot of narratives in the same subgenre. i also had trouble getting into the art, but that's more of a subjective issue. even though the art style made sense with the narrative, it was just a little gritty and unrefined for my taste. i am glad that we're getting more queer and inclusive stories in the genre, especially in terms of graphic novels, but i feel like this just barely missed the mark for me.

Wow! I had sooo much fun reading this dark and queer graphic novel! A very exciting story with some unexpected twists. Also the drawings impressed me and left me speechless.
For everyone who wants some more diversity in the horror genre and also need some aesthetic art at its finest!
Can we please also talk about the very cute dog Rufus?!🥰
100/10!

In the small town of Columbiana, after the pastor’s wife, Kelly, is murdered, the townspeople are immediately incensed and screaming for justice. Unfortunately, she died during the FBI’s illicit experiments with the supernatural, used as a sacrifice with “better blood” instead of the transients that Agent Garrett typically uses, because no one cares when they go missing. The town wants a quick resolution, and Sheriff Mullen must deliver it, but as he’s tasked with keeping the experiments under wraps and cleaning up any messes they cause, he finds himself in an untenable position. With the townsfolk demanding he find the murderer and the FBI demanding he pacify them and bring them to heel, he’s under pressure to find a scapegoat and quickly.

Who better to shift blame to than Mitchell, Jackson, Theresa, and Lupe, the queer teenagers who are already targeted for being different? As a bonus, Mullen finally has an unimpeachable reason to rid Columbiana of its freaks. Garrett and Mullen enlist the aid of the pastor to stoke the flames of moral outrage and fear of the “other” already brewing in the town. Having been counseled to be mistrustful of people acting or dressing strangely and listening to violent music, the townsfolk are primed to unquestioningly swallow the idea that a satanic group of cultist committed the murder, and who else could that be but those people? When Lupe reaches her limit after another transphobic attack from her manager, she strikes him and the incident is spun as an attempted murder. The group flees town when the police present them as a threat to the public. Now on the run, the friends ends up meeting the only being that can help them…so long as they let it in.

Set during America’s most recent culturally massive satanic panic, Let Me Out explores the skewed sense of morality, prejudice, and lack of compassion that can foment in and be weaponized by rigid religious and societal norms. Thus, there are some components in this story that readers might find triggering, such as deadnaming and transphobia; a complete list is in the content advisory. The novel’s emotional core comes from the group of friends whose queerness and participation in the punk music scene make them outcasts. The story quickly sets the tone for how they are treated as it opens with Mitch being violently attacked in the parking lot of a YMCA, helped home by his lovingly sarcastic friends, then deadnamed and misgendered by his parents.

Mitch’s defining characteristic is that he’s willing to fight for his right to be respected and be himself. Terri is the level-headed, cohesive force in their family unit that helps steer them away from trouble with humor and sarcastic chiding. Although she’s under pressure to conform, her home life seems to be the most stable, making Mitch’s parents think positively of her, unlike Lupe and Jackson. Lupe is similar to Terri, trying to help them stay under the radar, but she also acts as a foil to Mitch. Whereas his pain from mistreatment and disgust is directed outward as a stubborn refusal to back down (even when outnumbered), Lupe’s is directed inward. The comfort and ease she has with her friends drains away as she internalizes the ugliness flung at her, especially the daily harassment she gets from her manager. She has to swallow his vitriol because she doesn’t live with her parents like the others, so needs the job to support herself. Jackson, god bless him, is the hot-head; impulsive and quick to anger, he’s always ready to throw people’s prejudice back in their faces…with his fists.

If their group carries the theme of love and acceptance and the strength found family provides when the world is against you, Sheriff Mullen and Agent Garrett show the complete opposite—selfish, self-interest that has no moral compass and a causal disregard for the “worthless” and marginalized. Sheriff Mullen is emblematic of the subtler forms of immorality and injustice—the indifferent complacency of those with privilege typically found in the good, moral citizen who shows kindness…as long as you’re one of them. Agent Garrett is corruption and greed personified. His hubris in believing he can control a being as powerful as the Devil, his utter lack of humanity, and his unabashed willingness to throw human lives away as a means to an end illustrates how people with authority can wield it against the vulnerable—from those at the minor end of the scale like parents and cops, to those who can do harm on a grand scale like government officials and the wealthy. Garrett and Mullen epitomize the problem of unchecked authority and how much damage it can cause.

As a character-driven story, the plot focuses more on Lupe, Terri, Jackson, and Mitch’s day-to-day lives and the stress from simply existing outside of accepted mores, particularly Mitch, as he is struggles with how his usual anger is becoming unrelenting rage after this latest attack. Development of the characters and setting up the underlying conflict are the strongest aspects of the story and, until the lead up to the climax, I feel that the pacing is well done and creates an atmosphere of slow building pressure, with everyone in the group coming ever closer to breaking open and letting loose. Up to this point, the main horror element is the underlying societal horror, with a few isolated examples of overt gore, but then, the narrative switches gears and it feels less like reaching the boiling point of simmering tension and more like a race to the fun horror stuff and relieved glee as the disenfranchised take their power back.

As someone who enjoys horror, I’ve watched and read many works featuring possession and the importance of the spilling of blood and its allegorical uses, so I was a bit let down that the use of those elements isn’t a new spin on an old classic. The government experiment of summoning the Devil is a nice touch, but its execution is muddled. It’s alluded to that the government has been performing this experiment for some time, but the end goal is unclear. Is the FBI summoning the Devil and offering them blood and sacrifices to gain their partnership and compliance because they’re power hungry? Are they worshiping them because that is how the government received and maintains power? Are they trying to find a way to control the Devil and are simply a bit mad? Maybe it doesn’t matter, as these elements function nicely as thematic delivery systems.

All the ideas, emotions, and atmosphere building are expressed well by the art style of the graphic novel. I enjoyed the different color pallets and how they are used to convey certain people and elements; I especially liked the line work used in some scenes. The color choices and weight of the lines during the night scenes make the characters almost glow and adds depth to the images, while in brighter, less matte scenes, they make the characters pop and help the parts of characters that are close to larger blocks of the background transition into it. This exemplifies one of the reasons I love graphic novels and find them so engaging; they are able to convey so much in even a simple pen stroke or color choice that a book would need a paragraph to say (if it could even communicate it at all). In one of the early scenes between Garrett and Mullen, Garrett walks away after delivering a smug rebuttal and, as he does, the wind blows his suit jacket in such a way that it resembles a villain’s cape, telling the reader all they need to know about Garrett. Trying to put into words the feeling and information that simple flourish imparts and have it make the same impact would probably end up sounding silly and cartoonish, no pun intended.

Despite not breaking new ground for me, Let Me Out is an enjoyable and entertaining read featuring a diverse cast of protagonists. The antagonists and their machinations are horrible, but sadly believable; the art style is fun, very compatible with the narrative, and effective; and I enjoyed the characters, the family they provide for one another, and the Devil’s vibes.