#talia dutton

[supertaliart]

Now for a break from MXTXtober for an incredibly exciting announcement! I just signed the contract for my next graphic novel (that I can talk about ;)) with @firstsecondbooks which is an adaptation of Ava Dellaria’s book, Love Letters to the Dead!

[queereads-bracket]

Queer Fiction Free-for-All Book Bracket Tournament: Round 1D

Choose a book:

What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher

M Is for Monster by Talia Dutton

Voting ended onMar 8, 2025

Book summaries below:

What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher (Sworn Soldier series)

When Alex Easton, a retired soldier, receives word that their childhood friend Madeline Usher is dying, they race to the ancestral home of the Ushers in the remote countryside of Ruravia.

What they find there is a nightmare of fungal growths and possessed wildlife, surrounding a dark, pulsing lake. Madeline sleepwalks and speaks in strange voices at night, and her brother Roderick is consumed with a mysterious malady of the nerves.

Aided by a redoubtable British mycologist and a baffled American doctor, Alex must unravel the secret of the House of Usher before it consumes them all.

Horror, fantasy, gothic, mystery, historical fiction, turn-of-the-century, retelling, novella, series, adult

M Is for Monster by Talia Dutton

A scientist attempts to bring her younger sister back to life with unexpected results in this Frankenstein-inspired graphic novel about ghosts, identity, and family

When Doctor Frances Ai's younger sister Maura died in a tragic accident six months ago, Frances swore she would bring her back to life. However, the creature that rises from the slab is clearly not Maura. This girl, who chooses the name "M," doesn't remember anything about Maura's life and just wants to be her own person. However, Frances expects M to pursue the same path that Maura had been on—applying to college to become a scientist—and continue the plans she and Maura shared. Hoping to trigger Maura's memories, Frances surrounds M with the trappings of Maura's past, but M wants nothing to do with Frances' attempts to change her into something she's not.

In order to face the future, both Frances and M need to learn to listen and let go of Maura once and for all. Talia Dutton's debut graphic novel, M Is for Monster, takes a hard look at what it means to live up to other people's expectations—as well as our own.

Graphic novel, horror, fantasy, grief, retelling, young adult

[art]

Meet the Artist: @supertaliart​

Hello! My name is Talia Dutton, and I’m a queer, biracial, Chinese American cartoonist and illustrator currently based out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where I’m an Interim Assistant Professor at the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design!

Professionally I make comics, including my first original graphic novel, M is for Monster, which is being published by brams ComicArts: Surely—June 29th, 2022—currently available for pre-order!

For Tumblr, I’ve recently been working on an Untamed x Breath of the Wild AU in comic/illustration form. I also do lots of short-form autobiographical comics!

Great to meet you, Talia! We’re highlighting these pieces below chosen by @supertaliart​.

For more of Talia’s work, check out her Tumblr over at @supertaliart!

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We are highlighting some of Tumblr’s talented artists of Asian descent all month as part of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month! Check them out here.

[therefugeofbooks]

M Is for Monster is a thought-provoking graphic novel that explores themes of family and identity. The main character struggles to meet the expectations of others, but ultimately must decide what is best for them. The story is also a captivating retelling of Frankenstein. I highly recommend giving it a chance!

[godzilla-reads]

⚡️ M is for Monster by Talia Dutton

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

“The moment you existed you should have been loved. Unconditionally and truly.”

When Doctor Franes Ai’s younger sister Maura died in a tragic accident, Frances tries to bring her back. However, the creature that rises from the slab is clearly not Maura. Despite this, Frances tries to teach her to be the sister she once was, while the creature- M- is discovering who she wants to be on her own.

I tried really hard not to cry while reading the ending of this book and I managed to succeed, if not a bit sniffly. This is a beautiful graphic novel of transformation and the burden of living in someone else’s expectations. It was so well done from the greenish-blue color palette to the usage of space in the panels.

As a nonbinary person, I thought this story touched a lot on the gender queer experience as M is trying to figure out who she wants to be without the overhanging expectation of being someone else. This book was so good, you’ll just have to read it to see.

Also, I loved the use of explaining pronouns right away.

[readingrobin]

🥀 - for comic recs

All right, I'm gonna cheat and recommend a graphic novel that hasn't come out yet, but will be released later this month. I was fortunate enough to read an advance copy of it.

M is for Monster is a Frankenstein-inspired story about a woman who attempts to bring back her sister after a fatal lab accident and it works...sorta. The being that rises from the slab has none of her sister's memories nor her personality, but that won't stop her from unmaking her and trying again. Fearing being disassembled, the being, M, tries to play along with the help of the sister's spirit that still roams around the house.

M is for Monster has a wonderful queer allegory that incorporates experiences so many queer people have: trying to put on a persona to conform to other people's expectations, trying to distance yourself from a past version of yourself, and growing beyond other people's vision of you. It also has nonbinary and sapphic representation and the author/artist is bi. You can actually check out her blog at @supertaliart

This is a wonderful story that highlights the importance of prioritizing your own self expression and discoveries. A 10/10 from me.

[kingsbridgelibraryteens]

Reluctant Reader Wednesday: M is for Monster by Talia Dutton 

Frances swears that she will bring her sister Maura back to life, back from the accident that killed her six months ago. But when Maura returns, everything seems different. She can’t remember the accident, or anything else that happened before the moment that she opened her eyes. Maura doesn’t remember any of her sister’s stories, and she can’t live up to her sister’s expectations. The more time passes, the more this girl realizes that she isn’t Maura after all. 

But if she isn’t Maura, then who is she? What is she? And should she tell Frances the truth, or is impersonating Maura the only way that she can stay alive?

Give this graphic novel to teens who love stories about conflicted characters, monsters, and the bond between sisters.

[mariakureads]

Book Review: M is for Monster

⭐⭐⭐

What a pleasant surprise to have found this!

Such a great story on a Frankenstein-style tale of sisters and the depths one is willing to take to bring her sister back at any cost leading to very unexpected results leading to more questions.

The opening was such a heart wrenching moment and sets up the voice for the lead MC, M, as she navigates a world she's been forced into. M is so open, unguarded, both in expression and mannerisms that it's easy to see what she feels as the story progresses even in the wordless panels.

Love the way Dutton portrayed this story and I'll be on the lookout to see what else they write!