Posted in: Comics, Comics Publishers, Oni Press | Tagged: Agent, andrew wheeler, graphic novel, Hey Mary, Rye Hickman

Oni Picks Up Andrew Wheeler & Rye Hickman's 'Hey, Mary' Graphic Novel

Oni Press has acquired the new graphic novel Hey, Mary by Andrew Wheeler and Rye Hickman, to be published in the autumn of 2025.

Former Bleeding Cool writer and Comics Alliance EIC, graphic novelist Andrew Wheeler recently spoke out on being thrown under the bus by DC Comics after his JLQ comic book series got bad publicity from the kind of people who don't like gays in their superheroes.

As part of the #ComicsBrokeMe thread Andrew Wheeler wrote; "DC editorial pushed me to pitch JLQ and then blackballed me when they decided JLQ was bad publicity. They call it pride. I call it exploitation. Extrano. Midnighter and Apollo. Batwoman. DC has a long list of queer milestones that it was embarrassed to acknowledge in their own time. Throw JLQ on the pile. What does "DC Pride" mean, exactly? They never tell you you're out, because they think the vague hope that they might still call you will keep you from speaking out. And they're right, usually. And it's that hope that breaks you down. I know, I'm burning bridges, but my secret gift is that there is nothing holding me here, so there's nothing anyone can do anymore. I have no parents, no kids, no dog. I can roll over and die any time I want to, and there have been many times since DC Pride that I've wanted to. Here's my manifesto: If you're a major publisher and you're putting out a "diversity anthology", those creators should reasonably be able to expect that you are committed to working with them. Otherwise, what is the point? If you can't put a "diversity" book together with creators you're actually working with; you're not actually supporting creators of that identity, you're exploiting them."

It also helps, of course, if you have other coals in the fire. Editor Chris Cerasi at Oni Press has acquired world rights to the graphic novel Hey, Mary written by Andrew Wheeler and drawn by Rye Hickman, artist on SFSX, Lonely Receiver, TEST, Moth & Whisper, Scarlet Witch and Marvel's Voices: Pride and the Dreamer graphic novels from DC Comics.

"In this YA coming-of-age romance about growing up Catholic and gay, 16-year-old Mark develops a crush on a guy at school and starts to question if he can reconcile his sexuality and his faith. Through conversations with his crush, his priest, and a friendly drag queen, along with imagined encounters with famous figures from history and scripture, Mark comes to a new understanding about his identity."

Oni Press editor Grace Scheipeter will edit Hey, Mary for publication for the autumn of 2025. Andrew Wheeler's agent Caitlin DiMotta at CDAS, and Rye Hickman's agent Dara Hyde at Hill Nadell Agency negotiated the deal.

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