Photo courtesy of Oni Press
Hey Mary!
Screenplay: Andrew Wheeler
Artist: Rye Hickman
Colorist: Hank Jones
Author: Frank Cvetkovic
Publisher: Onipress
Publication date: April 2025
The Oni Press graphic novel by Andrew Wheeler and Ry Hickman explores the complexities of coming out as gay while being Catholic, and the heartbreak of knowing that the church you love may never love you back. In a time of transition for the Catholic Church, especially in the midst of reactionary tremors in the United States, Hey Mary! It feels tragically timely.
Talented artists find universal truths in the specific. “Hey, Mary!” The truth is that it’s the tension between our personal moral values and the ideas we were taught as children. Mark, a Catholic high school student, deals with his sexuality not only in an apocalyptic context, but also in its personal aspects. What would his parents say? What about his friends? Will he be able to find the courage to live his true self? Although the book is not an autobiography, Wheeler said it was inspired by personal experiences. By delving into personal betrayals and doubts, Wheeler and Hickman craft a story that will resonate with anyone trying to balance what they believe is right with organized religion.
Photo courtesy of Oni Press
Religion can be empowering, it can give joy, it can provide meaning, and it can inspire people to act selflessly. But too often, it becomes a tool for those in power to exclude and manipulate. Hey Mary! It offers a queer reading of Catholic theology and history, presenting different interpretations of historical figures and stories from across the centuries, and highlighting the complexities of religious practice.
Sometimes the script becomes too descriptive or unnatural. The characters sometimes feel more like actors in a special episode of television than fleshed-out individuals. However, it seems appropriate for its target audience of young people who are experiencing the difficult task of reconciling their identity and faith. It also serves as a part of Catholic education for those who are unfamiliar with the Catholic tradition. Wheeler provides an introductory Bible exegesis that clarifies common misconceptions often used to justify bigotry. There’s an earnest thoughtfulness to this book that cuts out any awkward dialogue.
Throughout this book Mark speaks of the imaginary embodiment of the saints. “We exist to help people understand their relationship with God and their commitment to faith. We are stories, not history,” one person tells him. This is the core idea of the story. Although the church may have long established doctrines, it is still flexible. These conversations also provide a powerful and realistic picture of what I have always understood prayer to be: as an honest conversation open to response in the silent and wordless. This is an authentic Catholic work with nuanced understanding, not a half-baked memory or a stereotypical caricature.
Its transparent love, tinged with raw anger and hurt, is much more interesting than the Hey, Mary! anti-religion screed. It aims to explore nuances and contradictions. A millennia-old sense of community and connection, a message of hope, liberation, and compassion. For those raised in faith, it may be impossible to completely separate faith from one’s identity. That’s why betrayal hurts so much. Mark clearly loves and appreciates all the good that Catholicism has to offer. His friend Luke, an openly gay teenager, makes the case for the other side of the church and its history of hypocrisy and brutality. That history is undeniable, but is it the right decision to reject it completely rather than stand within Catholicism and offer a better and more just way? These are big practical questions.
Jojo, Mark’s friend, colleague, and unwitting queer leader, gets to the heart of it when she tells Mark, “Mommy thought I turned my back on the church, but no, the church turned its back on me.” Jojo is Latina, and her devout mother’s death wish was to see her daughter return to practicing her faith. Jojo is torn between respecting his wishes and feeling justified persecution. Letter writer Frank Cvetkovic particularly shines in a sequence in which Jojo narrates her interpretation of Biblical history, dancing along with the story with captions punctuated by small doodles drawn by Hickman representing the speaker. These playful letters add to the book’s endearing seriousness. Similarly, colorist Hank Jones helps define the mood, keeping the tone hopeful even as Mark struggles.
Rye Hickman’s art brings the story to life with dramatic imagery. Rather than imitating any religious style, Hickman utilizes Catholic iconography and captures a sense of Catholic grandeur and awe through evocative layouts, including wide shots of churches with close-up details. One page depicting different interpretations of the Virgin Mary literally took my breath away. It is a striking reminder of the complex, universal and personal power of religious imagery. This evocation of Catholic tradition is part of the book’s structure itself, with chapters built around the Stations of the Cross and a header image that intentionally reflects the Passion of Jesus Christ. In this way, Wheeler and Hickman connect the human struggle of betrayal, belonging, and acceptance into God.
The book’s ending is untidy, with Mark feeling hurt and unsure of his place. No concrete answers are given other than asking for unconditional love. The book concludes with an informative back matter that includes further writing on the lives of saints who have been identified by queer scholars as potentially queer or representative of queerness.
Hey Mary! is a courageous and honest work that tackles serious challenges that many people face, whether it relates directly to their own sexuality, loved ones, or other issues such as reproductive rights and abuse. Few, if any, people follow Catholic doctrine perfectly. But one of its great gifts in the ideal state is the reconciliation between imperfection and idealism. Perhaps it could go both ways, and the church could reconcile with those it has hurt. Hey Mary! It offers both hope and compassion in a moving story about faith and self-acceptance.
Hey Mary! Now on sale from Onipress!
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