Between hormonal shifts, intense emotional developments, social pressures, and identity formations, high school is inherently drama-filled, which makes it the perfect setting for an updating of William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, a comedy about feuding and romantic pairings.
Meet the author
Author Amy Chase—whose previous work includes Archie Comics’ horror line, My Little Pony, Dungeons & Dragons, Miraculous Ladybug, and Ghostbusters—will sign copies of her new graphic novel, Abuzz, a modern LGBTQ-filled updating of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, from 1 to 3 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 23, in Dr. Cain’s Comics (778 Marsh St., suite 110, SLO, @dr_cains_comics). Call (805) 752-1085 for more information.
Welcome to the world of Abuzz, a new graphic novel with some LGBTQ-plus characters in familiar roles. It’s written by SoCal author Amy Chase, who’s coming to SLO to sign copies of her book on Sunday, Nov. 23. You certainly don’t have to know Shakespeare’s play to enjoy this story about miscommunication, romances, and rivalries.
Hero is new at Messina High. A tall they/them who’s trying to fit in at a new school and whose mother is the school principal, Hero is fortunate to have a popular cousin, Beatriz, a senior, to show them the ropes. The problem is, Bea is in an all-out war of words with her ex, Ben. When Hero falls for another new student, the short and shy Claudio who’s already aligned with Ben, a storm is brewing and the whole school is abuzz … get it?
“It’s definitely not a novel idea (pun intended), but something that has long been a storytelling goal of mine,” Chase explained via email. “In high school, we covered a lot of by-the-book Shakespeare, but also watched films like 10 Things I Hate About You and She’s the Man. I even once helped write an adaptation of Julius Caesar reframed like the musical Chicago for a theater festival.
“My hope with Abuzz is to show readers, especially teens, that these seemingly inaccessible or old works of literature have very human, very relatable themes. For a play about miscommunication, tumultuous romance, and gender alliances, I couldn’t ask for a better setting than a high school—a time when many students are first discovering Shakespeare themselves!”
After her SoCal childhood, Chase attended UC Santa Barbara and earned an English degree.
“I currently work a full-time job in marketing, primarily copywriting and editing,” she explained. “When I’m not doing that, I’m likely working on freelance projects such as comics and gift books/licensed tarot decks. Some of my biggest influences are horror films, Diana Wynne Jones’ fantasy books, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and various works of theater and classic literature—Shakespeare included, of course.
“I actually didn’t read a lot of comics growing up until I reached high school, but my dad and I always read the newspaper funnies before he drove me to class. My local store in LA was Comics Ink, which is sadly no longer in business.”
Despite being SoCal through and through, Chase has local connections. She and her family came up frequently to visit extended family in Atascadero and Templeton.
“Coming up to Morro Bay was also a big annual holiday tradition, and my parents really fell in love with the area as a plan for their retirement,” she noted. “They moved up a few years ago, and I’ve gotten to enjoy the area more through their experiences. I usually visit once a month or so.”
Her interest in graphic novels began in earnest during college.
“I worked at Metro Entertainment, a comic store on State Street in Santa Barbara, for a little extra income during college,” she recalled. “It was only part time, often after classes and on weekends, but I loved it. And we needed to be knowledgeable about the books coming in each week, so I read a ton during that time, either on my breaks or after my shifts. This exposed me to a lot of different styles and genres of comics and really inspired me to want to create my own. I even met other local or visiting creators when they stopped by.”
Her professional comics career began in 2016 when she joined a group of women who worked at other comics stores. They started a Kickstarter campaign to fund a comic “about our experiences behind the counter.” The result was They Have Issues.
“I love to look for local comic stores anywhere I visit,” she explained. “When my parents moved up to SLO, it was around the same time that I started having my first professionally published work available through widespread comic store distribution, as opposed to Kickstarter/crowdfunded books.
“After looking around the area, and on the recommendation of friend of the store—Jesse Tapia, who tragically passed away in 2023—I found Dr. Cain’s. My parents and I checked out the store together, and I taught my family about the importance of pre-ordering books and picking up your subscriptions! Dr. Cain’s has been extremely kind and supportive of my work, and I love knowing my parents are able to get in on the fun of having a local comic store.”
If you read Abuzz, you may have to look up a few new words. I wasn’t familiar with either allosexual (the opposite of asexual) or demisexual (only experiencing sexual feelings after developing a close emotional bond).
“It’s definitely something I am also still educating myself on!” Chase admitted. “I don’t purport to be an expert, but I have friends who identify across the gender and sexuality spectrums and wanted a cast of contemporary teens who reflect those conversations. Allosexual was actually a term I was introduced to for the first time in a different Maverick graphic novel, Nightmare in Savannah, by Lela Gwenn and Rowan MacColl.
“It was definitely something I wanted to share with the audience; in case those conversations help young readers explore what they are feeling and experiencing. I also think it adds more nuance to a classic rom-com plot so that even Much Ado experts can hopefully find new ways to view the dynamics of the text.”
As Chase notes, Abuzz is collaborative effort.
“The artist, Stelladia, created all of the incredible designs for our vibrant and diverse characters,” she said. “Their art brings the world to life in such a charming and funny way, I couldn’t be prouder to have created this graphic novel with them. Artist Ellie Wright provided all the energetic colors behind Stelladia’s art, and letterer Taylor Esposito did the graphic work behind all of the dialogue bubbles, captions, and sound effects on the pages. And our fabulous editor, Lauren Hitzhusen, has championed the project and kept it on track from initial pitch to finished publication.
“As for the signing, I will also be bringing hard-to-find or out-of-print copies of some of my previous works, including Archie Horror, My Little Pony, and a few anthology collections I have contributed to. I encourage everyone to stop by, say hello, and support their fabulous local comic store!” ∆
Contact Arts Editor Glen Starkey at gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in Holiday Guide 2025.