Hollow

September 19, 2022
Dangerous supernatural forces target contemporary descendants of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”’s key players in this endearing graphic novel by Watters (Lumberjanes), debut creator Boyer-White, and illustrator Nelle. When reserved high schooler Izzy Crane, who is half-white and half-Latinx, moves from San Francisco to Sleepy Hollow, she’s surprised by how seriously the town takes its history. The Headless Horseman is the school mascot, and the local Historical Society parades white, blond Vicky Van Tassel around as the “real next generation” of the Sleepy Hollow legend. Vicky, who doesn’t believe in the Horseman tale, tolerates the hoopla—until the Headless Horseman appears and reveals that a dark specter plans to kill Vicky, as they have every Van Tassel firstborn before her. Together with Izzy and Croc Byun, an East Asian–cued prankster, Vicky partners with the Horseman to confront this ancient and mysterious evil. Nelle’s spry linework, animated facial expressions, and autumnal color palette complement Watters and Boyer-White’s energetic dialogue and evenly paced plot. A playful entry into the Headless Horseman mythos that centers a queer relationship alongside plenty of good-humored antics without requiring prerequisite knowledge of the source material. Ages 13–up.