Renegade Girls (a Graphic Novel): A Queer Tale of Romance and Rabble-Rousing

A swoonworthy queer romance set against a riveting story of social change in the 1880s, this historical graphic novel reimagines the life of America’s first stunt girl--a young undercover reporter--and her whirlwind summer of romance and fighting injustice.

Seventeen-year-old Helena ＂Nell＂ Cusack came to New York this summer looking for a story--a real story. She dreams of one day writing hard-hitting articles for the New York Chronicle, but so far she’s only managed to land a job as a lowly society reporter. That is, until Alice Austen strolls into her life, an audacious street photographer who encourages Nell to shake up polite society...and maybe also take a chance on love.

When her best friend, Lucia, is injured while working in a garment factory, Nell is determined to crack the story wide open. Posing as a seamstress, she reports on the conditions from the inside, making a name for herself as theChronicle’s first ever stunt girl. But as Nell’s reporting gains momentum, so do the objections of those who oppose her. Will Nell continue to seek justice--even if it hurts her in the end?

Based on real-life stunt girl Nell Nelson and photographer Alice Austen, this tenderly drawn narrative is about bringing buried stories to light and the bravery of first love.

Nora Neus is an Emmy Award-nominated journalist and writer who has reported from inside wartime Ukraine during the Russian invasion, from behind bars at a maximum security prison, from 14,000 feet above sea level in the San Juan Mountains, and from rural Puerto Rico after devastating earthquakes. Nora studied the history of journalism, with a focus on the turn of the twentieth century, for her master’s degree from King’s College London. She invites you to visit her online at noraneus.com.

Julie Robine is a French American designer and illustrator based in Brooklyn. She previously collaborated with Nora Neus and Syrian journalist Muhammad Najem on his graphic memoir, Muhammad Najem, War Reporter. Julie received her bachelor’s degree from the Rhode Island School of Design. She invites you to visit her online at julierobine.com.