Heaven Review

 

Heaven Review

Writer, Artist, Colorist & Letterer: Katie Skelly

Publisher: Fantagraphics

Book Length: 100 Pages

ISBN: 9798875002243

Hardcover Price: $19.99

Release Date: July 7, 2026

 

Once, her world seemed bright. But now, Dolores is struggling. Faced with a Creative Writing assignment, Dolores writes about how she sees the future. Sadly, her teacher doesn't understand. Then, some classmates offer her a ride home. Could these girls help Dolores feel less alone? And can she find the strength to pull herself out of the hole she has fallen into? Let's leap into Heaven and see!

 

Story

When Jenny calls out to her, Dolores walks over and climbs into the back seat. She recognizes Sheila from gym class and Alex from Chemistry. Although they have drifted apart, Jenny lives down the street from her. Dolores suggests that Alex drop her off with Jenny, and she can walk from there. Instead, Jenny, Alex, and Sheila invite Dolores to join them at their local hangout.

 

While relaxing over drinks, the girls mention a strip club outside town. They’re intrigued by the reviews they see online. But while they’re curious, they’re not old enough to get in. Having recently turned 18, Dolores can enter the mysterious premises. But only if she offers the manager a convincing reason for doing so.

 

In Heaven, Dolores seeks an escape from her misery. Her parents have broken up. Her mother is navigating her own roadmap of grief. Finances have forced Dolores to give up the gymnastics she loved. While she cannot face her bleak existence, Dolores can focus on something new. Even if the strip club is another hole she can get sucked into, it’s new. And perhaps it will give her a sense of purpose again.

 

Yet in Katie Skelly’s story, once Dolores immerses herself in her new career, Jenny, Sheila, and Alex begin to worry. While they were intrigued by the online chatter, they suspect that the strip club holds greater dangers than 1-star reviews. As Dolores discovers meaning and belonging and gains a sense of empowerment, the girls feel guilty for getting Dolores into trouble. And they look for ways to help their new friend as she drifts toward ruination in Heaven.

 

Art

After school, Dolores clutches her backpack as she stands beside the bus stop bench. When Jenny calls out to her from the front seat, and Sheila smiles at her from the back seat, Dolores climbs in the back of Alex’s hatchback. Sheila wears her dark hair in Mickey Mouse-style buns. Alex uses a hair clip to part her long red hair on one side. In the driver's seat, Alex rests her Alien Eyes sunglasses atop her blonde hair. Yet inside the restaurant, Alex wears her sunglasses as she sits in the booth.

 

While Dolores’ black hair links her with Sheila, her strand of blonde hair links her with Alex. Dolores' pink cellphone presages her visit to the nightclub, while the pink building's red accents link with Jenny's hair. Before approaching the door, Dolores borrows Sheila's black boots and Jenny's black jacket to disguise her appearance. But before Dolores can get into Heaven, she must choose from among a colorful array of outfits.

 

Katie Skelly divides her 100-page story into 5 acts. Handwritten uppercase black letters fill white dialogue balloons. Jenny’s thoughts fill white clouds. Inside Heaven, brown storm clouds with lightning bolt arrows address her. Although she never liked “Dolly,” Dolores grows more comfortable with her old nickname as she embarks on this new venture. Sound effects reveal the mechanical health of Alex’s hatchback, while giant letters fill the background when an applicant begins her audition. Yet a teacher's red grades and remarks bookend this story about teen struggles and growth. Thanks to Fantagraphics for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

The High School years can be traumatic enough on their own. But Dolores’ family is falling apart. The school she attends offers more condemnation than comfort. So, when Dolores finds a place where the manager believes in her abilities and thinks she is special, Dolores leaps in with both feet. Heaven tackles the terrors of growing up, battles with depression, and the power of friendship in a world that holds more wonders than we often suspect.

 

Rating 9/10

 

Read the opening scene and/or purchase Heaven on Amazon. 

 

Discover what other reviewers have to say and/or purchase Heaven on Fantagraphics.